[Abyss]

[googlefont="Shizuru"]

Tis better to have loved and lost

With a cool daylight air brushing against the pelts of those who wandered in the fields, multiple patrols of felines departed from the Galeclan camp in different directions. Though, a large majority of them had the same goal: find and catch as much prey as possible.

The organizer of the many patrols, the tall and lanky form of Batear padded forward at the head of one of the groups. Though her graying inky pelt could already feel the warmth of the sun beginning to reach her, the breeze provided at least a little bit of comfort to make up for the burden she had carried all her life. That was one thing she would never be able to change: dark pelts and the sun did not get along.

She glanced back at those who followed her, emerald eyes peering at those who had chosen to join her patrol. Ideally, she wished to get those who weren't quite as experienced out into the fields. The Apprentices, the younger Warriors, and those who had chosen to leave their old clans to join Galeclan instead. She trusted the more experienced Warriors on the other patrols to do their jobs effectively and provide for their clan. But, as the primary hunter, and perhaps hunting teacher, it was in her responsible interest to ensure that all of the clan could use the open fields and meadows to provide for their own, just as Lightningclan and the clan they hailed from had done before them.

Their first goal was to investigate the Sun Stones. A still-standing landmark that once served as the border between Lightningclan and Stoneclan, many memories had been experienced and shared about the large boulders. Their reputation for being the most ideal place in the valley to sun-bathe was known by all, but Batear had always knew that they were surely a great place to hide as well for creatures smaller than themselves.

As the large stones came into view in the distance, her trotting pace slowed a tad, both to address her patrol and to allow herself a moment to catch her breath. That was yet another thing the she-cat couldn't change: getting older was not fun.

"We need to investigate the Sun Stones and find if they hold any ideal hiding places for rabbits or mice, or predators of any sort. We must also search around them. I'm sure other animals like to use their surfaces to get warmth just like we do."

With this, she nodded to all of the members, allowing them all to move about as they closed in on the landmark. With her goals in mind, the black Oriental went about traveling the edges of the stones along the ground, looking for any possible nooks where prey could be stashed away, assuming they were safe in the comfort of the boulder shadows.

than never to have loved at all.

475

[murk]

YOU IN ALL YOUR VIBRANT YOUTH, HOW COULD ANYTHING BAD EVER HAPPEN TO YOU?

❝

They were far from camp, dare he say, the farthest Murkpaw had ever been. Murky copper eyes scanned the landscape, lingering on the distant shapes of mountains without any recognition. He had not joined his father's Clanmates when they'd taken refuge with the Tribe during the earthquake. Murkpaw hadn't even been born yet. He'd been born in the ruins of the old valley, his mother trapped by her injuries and with prey in short supply. He'd grown up in an old rabbit den, eating bugs and crowfood and things rabbits had left behind.

Feeling homesick already despite having barely left the camp, Murkpaw tugged out a large tuft of his fur and let it go, watching it whirl away in the wind like a clump of filthy brown snow. If he got lost, he would follow it back home to the apprentice den. It would be his guiding light. The mark he made on the world. His passage to safety.

Speaking of snow, he probably needed all that extra fur for the coming leaf-bare. 

Oh, well.

"Hah! Murkpaw will find the rabbits," he exclaimed, racing ahead of the others in the patrol and leaving wisps of mottled fur drifting behind him. "Rabbits are hiding... in the rocks." He paraphrased what Batear had been saying, conveniently hearing only what he wanted to hear. The word 'predator' didn't mean much to him, anyway. Any elders' tales about foxes or badgers lurking on the moor had failed to make any real impact on Murkpaw, like sharing ghost stories or telling him to wash his paws after he used mouse-bile. "Prepare yourself, rabbits...!"

He shoved both of his cat-arms as deep into the hole as they would go, banging his forehead on the crack in the process. "Gurk!"

Rolling over onto his side, still straining with both front paws to try and snare the rabbit he was certain had somehow fit into the tiny crevice, Murkpaw's eyes rolled wildly in his head. Any admonishments would fall on deaf ears as he focused on his task, tail lashing and flipping like a wounded snake.

After a minute or two he let out a gurgle (of triumph? disappointment) and withdrew his arms. To everyone's surprise (including Murkpaw's) there was a mouse caught on the ends of his claws, which looked like it had been forcibly hauled from its nest. It stared at Murkpaw with beady, horrified eyes. He stared back, uncomprehending.

Thump. 

It bounced off of one of the boulders as Murkpaw jerked and hurled it away from himself at the speed of sound. His jaws opened in a silent, wordless scream as he reared up on his back legs, so shocked by catching actual, viable prey that his hairy little body went rigid.  The mouse lay at the bottom of the stones, stunned by the impact but still alive.

"Nyeehh?" Murkpaw managed, coherently.

@batear, open ● hope you don't mind if i jump in ~ i've been wanting to join this thread for awhile! ● 477 words

MADE BY MIZO