[looney]

It was just past dawn, but the ground was still cool from the night before. Thunderbelly's paws ached against the cool ground, and he dug his claws into the soft meadow grasses to spring him forward in the soft trot he had started after he left the camp. He had left when the dawn patrol had, but the patrol had already had enough cats in it, and all he really wanted to do was stretch his tired muscles, get something to drink, and then maybe hunt a little. He couldn't really do that on a patrol, have the freedom to go however fast he wanted, or to veer off the path when he scented prey.

It didn't take Thunderbelly long to get to Crystal Creek, and when he did, he bent his head and lapped up a few mouthfuls of water, careful not to get his paws muddy or wet. Once he was done, he pricked his ears and breathed in deeply. It didn't take Thunderbelly long to scent water vole. It wasn't regular LightningClan prey, but it would feed the clan, and with it being so close to Leaf-Bare, he didn't think his clan would care. Getting down into a crouch, he looked in the direction the scent had come from and quickly spotted some heather rustling. He finally saw the pink nose and fat body. He skittered upwards until he was close enough, and then used his hindlegs to spring from the ground. His paws landed right on top of the creature and with a quick nip to the back of the neck, the vole was killed. His bowed his head in a silent prayer to StarClan, and then he picked the animal up and looked around for a place to bury his catch.