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Post by Fawn on Jan 20, 2013 5:46:13 GMT -5
Couldn't you just feel it?
That change in the wind. There was no denying it; Newleaf was coming, and it would be roaring back to life with a fury, if Duskpaw had to wager a guess. Inhaling deeply the chilly breezes that blew down from the mountains, the beautiful tortoiseshell feline swiped a damp paw across her ginger and black face, a brief cleaning before she and her friends left for a hopefully successful hunting trip.
A flicker of movement out of the corners of her leaf-green eyes made her focus on whatever it was that had shifted, the almost-warrior (being of the appropriate age) perking up upon recognition of that same gray and white pelt and those determined green eyes.
"There you are," she purred, moving fluidly despite her sturdy structure to greet him with an affectionate brush against his shoulder with hers, espying Sparrowpaw just a few mouselengths away. "And you two! Are you guys ready? Today is supposed to be my assessment day, a little birdie told me Lionstar is already out there hunting - I don't think it would hurt if we just so happened to cross paths with quite a lot of prey..."
Green eyes glittering, the she-cat was in her usual good spirits with a surprising note of determination, setting aside her amicable personality in favor of pushing a little closer towards her goals. Though Nobleheart had no reason to work extra hard in front of Lionstar, and neither did Sparrowpaw, not for another few moons - they were still her friends, and friends looked out for each other, did they not?
Trusting that they would have her back, the tortoiseshell pivoted, dappled plume swaying through the cool winter air as she moved further towards the TreeClan camp exit.
Right then. Duskpaw stared into the snowy wonderland just beyond the shelter of the many dens and nooks that made up their home; she was going to become a warrior today, even if it killed her!
Word Count: 360
Notes: xD I know that last line was a little distasteful, but I couldn't help it.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 20, 2013 23:12:26 GMT -5
| [atrb=border,0,true][atrb= width, 470px, true][atrb= style, background-color: #ffffff; box-shadow: 0px 0px 6px #E3E3E3; width: 470px; height: 460px; border-radius: 100%;] [STYLE=background: url(http://i47.tinypic.com/173hmu.jpg); webkit-border-radius: 0%; moz-border-radius: 100%; webkit-border-radius: 0%; border-radius: 100%; border: 5px solid #E3E3E3; width: 150px; height: 150px; margin-top: -220px; margin-left: 20px; opacity: 0.8;] [/style] [STYLE=font-family: arial narrow; font-size: 45px; text-shadow: 1px 1px 1px #E0E0E0; letter-spacing: -2px; color: #000000; text-transform: uppercase; margin-top: -90px; margin-left: 181px;]BUT I'M AFRAID[/style] [STYLE= font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 4px; color: #66B2D9; margin-top: -60px; margin-left: 186px; font-family: arial; opacity: 0.6;]넌 가 질 수 없 는[/style] [STYLE=font-family: georgia; font-size: 10px; text-transform: uppercase; text-align: justify; line-height: 9px; width: 197px; margin-left: 230; margin-top: 33px; margin-left: 230px; color: #B3B3B3; padding: 1px; border-left: 4px solid #5C75AB;]THAT YOU ARE LIKE THE MONA LISA I CAN'T HAVE DON'T SAY GOODBYE TO ME DON'T TALK TO ME WITH THAT KIND OF LOOK[/style] |
[/td][/tr][/table] | [atrb=border,0,true][atrb= width, 450px, true] [STYLE= background-color: #f8f8f8; width: 350px; height: 150px; padding: 6px; font-family: arial; font-size: 10px; text-align: justify; overflow: auto; margin-top: -310px; opacity: 0.9; color: #5C5C5C;] The half-and-half black and white she-cat had been awaiting this day with bright green eyes and an excitable demeanor. For once, the awkward apprentice did not feel self-conscious about her appearance or worried about the events of the upcoming day. Today brought a great amount of joy for Sparrowpaw because word around the apprentice den was that her friend, Duskpaw, was getting an assessment today for warriorhood and that she, Duskpaw, and Nobleheart, were to spend some time hunting together to make a good impression on Lionstar. While usually putting such a high pressure on a hunting session [particularly when she was such a young apprentice], Sparrowpaw did not feel particularly pressured. The young apprentice felt only supportive for the success for the success of her friend.
The only fear that Sparrowpaw was that she would have to interact with Nobleheart. While Sparrowpaw did not necessarily have a problem with Nobleheart, the pair had not had any interaction between seeing each other around camp as all cats did. She found him, when he was visiting Silverkit[paw], to be somewhat closed off and mysterious. She hoped that maybe during this hunt, she could get to know the tom a bit better, especially since he was such a good friend to Duskpaw. The black and white apprentice could only figure that any friend of Duskpaw's would be a friend of her's. Though, upon seeing the pair's reaction during Nobleheart's warrior ceremony, the she-cat questioned the term friend in relation to Nobleheart and Duskpaw's relationship. Will I be the third wheel? Sparrowpaw wondered.
The she-cat had been in deep thought about the day's future events and then rose to her paws, her long tail sweeping across her bony back legs once she was vertical. Sparrowpaw noticed how late in the day it was getting and had figured that it was about time for the hunting session to begin. Moving from the camp into the apprentice den, Sparrowpaw quickly spotted Nobleheart and Duskpaw. The older calico apprentice greeted both of them and the black and white she-cat smiled. "Let's get going," Sparrowpaw breathed, hearing that Lionstar had already left the TreeClan camp. The apprentice seemed a little more excited than usual.
For once, she had a friend.
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| We are born with a DNA blueprint into a world of scenario and circumstance we don't control |
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Co-Captain
INVENTORY
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Post by Phoenix on Jan 21, 2013 22:33:22 GMT -5
"You're impossible to surprise," He muttered under his breath, ears pivoting as they heard her cry. Truth be told, he had only been trying half-heartedly to sneak up on the apprentice, but Duskpaw had always seemed to be particularly skilled when it came to talents like that. He, on the other hand, had had to fight tooth and claw for every step forward. A moment later, he felt a nudge on his shoulder as the apprentice-almost-warrior moved to greet him, and turning his gray and white head, he returned the favor, brushing his muzzle against her back. "Told you I'd be here, didn't I?" Nobleheart meowed, voice fairly warm and relaxed. "I don't know why you sound so surprised." Feigning hurt and morphing his features into a wounded expression, he watched as Duskpaw continued on to greet Sparrowpaw, who seemed to have arrived just after him.
Expression returning to something more befitting of a warrior, the tom turned to greet Sparrowpaw with a polite nod. To say that he didn't know the other she-cat very well was an understatement. The only times he had really interacted with her was either with Duskpaw or Silverpaw, and those two she-cat had usually dominated the conversation. Not that that was a bad thing, of course, but he and Sparrowpaw had never had the chance to just talk, even if they had shared the apprentices den for a few moons. Perhaps they should start now? It was better late than never, and even if they didn't get along, he could say that they tried. He much preferred befriending his clanmates on his own terms, rather than having to trust blindly that they would protect his back during a fight.
"Talking to birds now, are you, Duskpaw?" He questioned smoothly, though he acknowledged the point with a nod. Crossing the leader's path with too much prey to carry would definitely count as a successful assessment, and with the two of them there to help Duskpaw, there was no way she could fail. The corners of his lips twitched upward at the thought of his friend joining him in the warrior's den that night-- But wait, she'll have to sit vigil. Tomorrow night, then. No longer would he be the youngest warrior; after today, he would be able to share that status with Duskpaw, though technically she would have the title all to herself. "Yes, let's go. Lead the way, Duskpaw." It would be nice to have a friend in the den with him again. [/blockquote] |
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Post by Fawn on Jan 22, 2013 15:14:27 GMT -5
Yet another perk to look forward to once she had been christened with her warrior name; no longer would she be in the apprentices' den! That meant she would become the equal of Nobleheart, not his slightly lesser due to his superior status as a warrior. On the other paw, however, Sparrowpaw would still be an apprentice for a few more moons, at least. Though it struck her with a pang of sadness to the heart, Duskpaw silently vowed to never ever neglect her black and white apprentice friend, planning to never let a thing like the distinction between apprenticeship and warriorhood get between them.
Purring, sturdy front limbs slid forward, back arching, tail bending in the shape of an upside down question mark as she took a moment to streeeeetch, chuckling at Nobleheart's light teasing.
"Of course I talk to birds! You'd be surprised at what all they know." She replied with equal smoothness, voice warm and pleasant and light, like the breeze at the very beginning of greenleaf. Even though they were going out hunting and quietness would be preferred, they had a little bit of a walk still before they had to separate and start hunting on their own.
Leading the way, Duskpaw's mottled plume was slightly raised, portraying her happy mood as she padded out in front of her two best friends, tossing a question Nobleheart's way to spark up a conversation. "So you're someone's mentor now." Mewed the tortoiseshell and white she-cat, "What's that like? And you're friends with Silverpaw, I think, Sparrowpaw?" [/color] Stealing a glance at the gangling feline, ginger, black and white patched she-cat came to the conclusion that she was probably the only one who hadn't actually met Lionstar's younger sisters. Not Rowanpaw, not Silverpaw. Whoops. She normally wasn't that forgetful, especially of her Clanmates, but Duskpaw still supposed she thought about that ceremony as more to do with Nobleheart than with the apprentice he'd just gained. Definitely still caught up in anything to do with him. Thoughts briefly flashing to her dead sister, Duskpaw glanced up at the sky, wearing a wane smile as she could recall how much Dawnpaw hadn't liked Nobleheart one bit. It was funny how two she-cats could know the same tom and yet have two totally different opinions of him. That's just the way the world worked, you could say. Oh that reminded her, she'd have to ask Sparrowpaw how her brother was doing these days, Duskpaw scarcely able to forget the tom that had saved their lives a couple of sunrises back.
Word Count: 422 [/size][/blockquote] |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 30, 2013 15:01:46 GMT -5
| [atrb=border,0,true][atrb= width, 470px, true][atrb= style, background-color: #ffffff; box-shadow: 0px 0px 6px #E3E3E3; width: 470px; height: 460px; border-radius: 100%;] [STYLE=background: url(http://i47.tinypic.com/173hmu.jpg); webkit-border-radius: 0%; moz-border-radius: 100%; webkit-border-radius: 0%; border-radius: 100%; border: 5px solid #E3E3E3; width: 150px; height: 150px; margin-top: -220px; margin-left: 20px; opacity: 0.8;] [/style] [STYLE=font-family: arial narrow; font-size: 45px; text-shadow: 1px 1px 1px #E0E0E0; letter-spacing: -2px; color: #000000; text-transform: uppercase; margin-top: -90px; margin-left: 181px;]BUT I'M AFRAID[/style] [STYLE= font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 4px; color: #66B2D9; margin-top: -60px; margin-left: 186px; font-family: arial; opacity: 0.6;]넌 가 질 수 없 는[/style] [STYLE=font-family: georgia; font-size: 10px; text-transform: uppercase; text-align: justify; line-height: 9px; width: 197px; margin-left: 230; margin-top: 33px; margin-left: 230px; color: #B3B3B3; padding: 1px; border-left: 4px solid #5C75AB;]THAT YOU ARE LIKE THE MONA LISA I CAN'T HAVE DON'T SAY GOODBYE TO ME DON'T TALK TO ME WITH THAT KIND OF LOOK[/style] |
[/td][/tr][/table] | [atrb=border,0,true][atrb= width, 450px, true] [STYLE= background-color: #f8f8f8; width: 350px; height: 150px; padding: 6px; font-family: arial; font-size: 10px; text-align: justify; overflow: auto; margin-top: -310px; opacity: 0.9; color: #5C5C5C;] 'Of course I talk to birds! You'd be surprised at what all they know,' Duskpaw meowed in an amused tone towards Sparrowpaw. Such words amused the she-cat and before she could stop herself, she engaged in the banter. "I know a ton, thank you very much!" |
[/color] Sparrowpaw exclaimed and giggled a little before realizing how foolish she sounded and appropriately flicking her big ears backwards. She thought it was silly that she was named after a bird and thought that it would be amusing to further spin the conversation and ridiculously overextend the "little birdie" comment Duskpaw brightly made. The she-cat's fur bristled a little in embarrassment and watched Duskpaw address Nobleheart for a moment. How pathetic am I! I can't even say the right things! Sparrowpaw mentally scolded herself and decided that such joking was not becoming of her or something she was good at. Relief set in when Duskpaw addressed her after a few moments. 'What's that like? And you're friends with Silverpaw, I think, Sparrowpaw?' Duskpaw asked, to which the black and white apprentice nodded her head. The gangly apprentice was unsure about how to respond to her question simply because though they were friends, she felt that Nobleheart was another entity in Silverpaw's life and did not want to incorrectly characterize the new apprentice in front of him. "She is quite a character. You should meet her sometime,"[/color] Sparrowpaw spoke brightly, tail swishing and green eyes momentarily flashing to Nobleheart at her ambiguous response. The apprentice was glad to have come up with a satisfyingly incomplete response. It did not divulge the nature of Silverpaw's dream and was both complimentary and uncomplimentary to the once kit. Sparrowpaw's sharp gaze returned to Duskpaw briefly before turning to the outside world and following her white paws as she began to make way for hunting territory. The TreeClanner was ready to do her best - for Duskpaw. [/style][/center][/td][/tr][/table] [STYLE=background: url(http://media.24ways.org/2008/02/pattern-howto01.gif); webkit-border-radius: 0%; moz-border-radius: 100%; webkit-border-radius: 0%; border-radius: 100%; border: 3px solid #E3E3E3; width: 50px; height: 50px; opacity: 0.7; margin-top: -155px;] [/style] |
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| We are born with a DNA blueprint into a world of scenario and circumstance we don't control |
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Co-Captain
INVENTORY
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Post by Phoenix on Jan 30, 2013 21:13:42 GMT -5
He flicked an ear at her response, amusing himself with the image of the she-cat conversing with a nearby robin. Or perhaps a sparrow would be more suitable, The tom mused, inclining his head slightly at the other she-cat in acknowledgement of her comment. It was not nearly as entertaining as picturing Duskpaw chatting energetically with a bird perched high above her head, but he had to give her credit for trying. "I see." His voice was quiet, if not slightly skeptical of the amount of knowledge birds held in that small head of their's. In his mind's eye, the bird fluttered away and the little Duskpaw followed, loping easily over the ground. A thought struck him. Injecting slight worry into his tone, he turned to look at her, doing his best to look anxious - though probably only managing to make himself look like an idiot - and added, "Be careful, now; I want to have to go out and find you if you've wandered off to talk to them and ended up lost."
The conversation continued, and they left that topic to rest as Duskpaw easily shifted the focus over to his apprentice. Sparrowpaw spoke up as he nodded silently, unable to stop the smile from touching his lips as he thought of the inquisitive little bundle of fur that was Silverpaw. Even with his own inexperience in dealing with others, he recognized the way the younger she-cat practically worshipped him. While he could not admit to doing nothing to encourage it, he was willing to work with that particular peculiarity if it was a way of getting her to focus on the task at hand. Not that that was a particular problem either, as she tended to hang on to every word that left his mouth. He found himself agreeing with Sparrowpaw's brief summary, green eyes flicking over to find equally green eyes watching him. "She is definitely unique," He added, elaborating on the brief summary as he held the she-cat's gaze for a moment before turning to look at Duskpaw. "She's bright and sweet--" like another she-cat I know "--and I agree with Sparrowpaw. You'd definitely like her."
Pausing slightly, he extended a quiet invitation, "You know, once you become a warrior and all, maybe you could join us for a day. It'd be a good chance to get to know Silverpaw, and it would be a good opportunity for her to learn from a different cat too." He still wasn't sure how limited his knowledge was in comparison to the older cats, but he hoped that a combination of his and Duskpaw's experience would add up to equate that of an older warrior. Tail flicking, he decided on impulse to include Sparrowpaw in the invitation, as her warrior ceremony would be coming up soon as well. "You can come too, Sparrowpaw. Silverpaw already knows you, and I think she'd enjoy the chance to work with you too."
Belatedly, he realized that he had never answered her first question, since he had gone off on a tangent. Deadpanned, he responded in one sentence, voice flat, "I now understand why leader assign mentors instead of having warriors volunteer on their own." [/blockquote] |
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Post by Fawn on Feb 2, 2013 23:44:47 GMT -5
"I'd love to join you and Silverpaw, count me in."
Duskpaw felt as though her heart were growing lighter with each step she took, expression brightening as she was able to take a few seconds to appreciate the ease with which all three of them conversed. Nobleheart and Sparrowpaw were a little awkward, yes, only because their only link to one another was more or less her (and the fact that they were all in the same Clan), but being able to stroll through the forest with two cats closest to her was something she had not been able to have when her sister, Dawnpaw had been alive. Dawnpaw and Nobleheart had not been friends, nor would they have ever been, Duskpaw was certain, so to have Nobleheart invite Sparrowpaw along to their loosely planned hunting trip with Silverpaw, warmed the she-cat from paws to tail-tip.
"See? Isn't this nice, guys? Everyone's getting along - the snow's finally melting, the prey should be out." She paused near a fallen snow-covered log, bright green eyes closing as she drew in a deep breath of the surrounding nature, tasting the heavy wooded scents of their beloved forest, the not-so-distant birdsong overhead enough to put a little fire beneath her paws. Yes! There was prey to be caught, a leader to impress, and a warrior name to earn!
"I think we should split up and meet back here, how's that sound? That way we can cover more ground - and if any of you see Lionstar, send him in my direction, please? Much appreciated." She purred, front limbs extending as she stretched them out, bushy plume of a tail swaying and flicking behind her with anticipation. If they split up, they could likely keep from getting in each other's way, and would bring in even more fresh kill then if they were right up under each other's paws.
Unbeknownst to the trio and the lion prowling through their territory, a small black she-cat by the name of Onyxkit had sneaked right into the forest, staying well away from the Sparkling Brook, the tiny scrap of black-on-black fur seemingly intent upon sticking her nose into places it didn't belong.
Like an abandoned badger set.
....Well, 'abandoned' wasn't quite the right word. More like not at home.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 19, 2013 2:36:34 GMT -5
SPARROWPAW∫already torn∞∞----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--THIS IS HOW I FEEL--
1231 words . lyrics from Torn by Natalie Imbruglia . thanks for reading!
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| We are born with a DNA blueprint into a world of scenario and circumstance we don't control |
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Co-Captain
INVENTORY
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Post by Phoenix on Feb 19, 2013 22:38:39 GMT -5
A small smile flickered across his lips at their warm responses to training with Silverpaw, and he nodded silently to both she-cats, showing his appreciation in a quiet manner, since Duskpaw had chosen to spoke up before he could get a word of gratitude in. Green eyes watched Duskpaw as the she-cat, perfectly content, and with good reason to be, scented the air, as if confirming her statement. His gaze traveled over to Sparrowpaw, who appeared just as satisfied as her friend. He had to agree. The whole experience was very enjoyable. Relaxing had slowly become more of a thing of the past, what with constantly scrambling to find the last piece of prey amongst the snow drifts and ensuring their continued survival, and this chance to ease his nerves with a pleasant hunt in pleasant weather was much appreciated. What sunlight filtered through the tangled branches warmed his gray and white fur, easing him into a pleasant lull.
Duskpaw's voice broke the serene reverie into which he had fallen, though being jolted back into reality was not nearly as harsh as he thought it might have been. Green eyes, which had been staring blankly at a tree, rotated back to face the speaker, blinking to clear his mind. Splitting up was a good suggestion, and he nodded his agreement. "Sounds good. If he slips by Sparrowpaw and I see him, I'll give him a gentle nudge in your direction." And if it involved him sticking the TreeClan leader into a sappy tree, then he would not hesitate to do so. In fact, the more he thought about it, the more he wanted to be the one to find the older tom by that sap-filled tree. He had a score to settle, after all. But perhaps that could wait until after his friend joined him in the warrior's den. Time was on his side, after all. "Happy hunting to both of you."
As the trio split up and slipped off in their respective directions, he found himself, predictably, alone. Compared to the chatter that had just filled his ears, the near silence seemed almost deafening, though the longer he listened, the more he was able to pick out the bird song and sound of the wind winding slowly around the trees. Taking a deep breath, he scented the air, picking out the fresh prey scents from the general forest smells with relative ease. He could hunt, but fighting had always been, and always would be, his area of expertise. But all thoughts of that were wiped from his mind as he identified a mouse. On silent paws, he followed its trail, slowly picking his way through the undergrowth until he was crouched practically beside it. Oblivious, the creature carried on digging in the dirt, and once it was over, he found himself wondering if it had even been aware of the danger before he snapped its neck.
But that was irrelevent. Swiping at the defrosting ground lazily, he dug a shallow hole and deposited his catch in its new grave. He would come back for it later, of course, but there was more prey to be caught. Once again, he scented the air, and would have dismissed the lack of any prey-scent had he not recognized the dreaded smell of badger. In an automatic response, he froze, limbs tensing and senses immediately on high alert. But another breath told him that the smell was too faint to indicate the beast lurking anywhere nearby. In any event, he should probably--
A thought struck him, and mouse forgotten, he immediately began to follow the badger's scent trail. His heart sunk lower with every step, and a foreboding chill began to enter his bones. Fear caused his blood to rush. That badger's scent was leading him toward Duskpaw, who, for all he knew, could be just as clueless as the mouse as to the danger she was in. He sped up his pace. He needed to get there. Fast.
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Post by Fawn on Feb 21, 2013 18:45:14 GMT -5
[smear:f3d5cc] If I Die Young,
Lay me down on a bed of roses.[/smear:c976ab] DUSKPAW
We've all come so far.
It was impossible not to notice the admittedly somewhat drastic change that each of them had undergone these past few moons; if anyone had asked, 4 moons ago, for Duskpaw, Nobleheart and Sparrowpaw to spend an entire day together hunting, Duskpaw was absolutely certain two out of three would have outright refused. Nobleheart, for his slightly antagonistic arrogance, Sparrowpaw for her self-confidence issues and the apprehension that came with hunting in a small group. Perhaps even she would have bowed out to go hunting with her sister, Dawnpaw, instead.
I wish you were here, Sis. If you could see this – all three of us having fun together, maybe you'd change your mind and give him a chance?
Even though Dawnpaw had left this world a few short moons ago, Duskpaw still found herself subconsciously wishing for her sister's approval of Nobleheart, for Dawnpaw to look favorably upon her friends – and one in particular whom she had always felt something special for. With the sunlight making her dappled coat glitter, the almost-warrior crept through the forest of naked trees and warm weather, the scent of newleaf in the air was making her feel as though she'd swallowed a hive full of bumblebees, her mood sky high and for all to see. Even the topic of her dead sister wasn't going to bring her down any; Duskpaw had made her peace with the loss of one so young and one so dear.
Intending to get her mind focused on the present, Duskpaw opened her mouth to scent for any type of prey – no matter how big or small – after all, Sparrowpaw and Nobleheart could've found Lionstar by now, and he could've been watching her right this second. Feeling a twinge of giddiness take over, the dappled creature was helpless to stop a warm smile from spreading across white muzzle and thick whisker pads, her long fur glowing as the sunlight hit the patches of white and orange amidst the black. Time to start hunting seriously from this point on. Deep breaths, Duskpaw. Dawnpaw was a bit better in the hunting category, but that's fine. You're a great hunter too! Show Lionstar what you're made of.
About to step into a clump of ferns to see if she could unearth any stale or lingering prey scents, Duskpaw was unprepared for the startlingly familiar odor that did hit the she-cat. Was that the scent of a kit? Undoubtedly TreeClan, and undoubtedly very far from it's mother. After following the small odorous trail left by a very energetic kitten, Duskpaw's previously pleasant mood began to shift into one that was more worrisome then she intended to be this morning. With the warm weather, everything – both predator and prey – would be out and about, and a myriad of creatures both big and small could gobble up the tiny TreeClan scrap even before it had a chance to cry for help.
Now on a mission to track down the missing kit, Duskpaw abandoned her hunting and focused solely on her tracking abilities, honed after many moons of success and failure, of trying and trying again until she got it right. When another uncomfortably familiar scent was detected upon the warm wind, the beautiful tortoiseshell felt her insides turn over and lurch. Badger! Oh StarClan no! Upon discovering where the kit-scent was strongest, Duskpaw charged forward over a broken bough, through a clump of thorny brambles – which snatched and snagged at her pelt, but she hardly felt it, her fur so thick – and straight into the striped flank of the creature any cat would've gone well out of their way to avoid.
Grrrrrrrar!
Duskpaw's fur stood on end as though she had been electrocuted, the she-cat hissing instinctively and almost stepping on a charcoal-colored kitten in her efforts to scramble away. ”Help!” Squeaked Onyxkit, running for her life around Duskpaw's legs and into a nearby rotted out tree bough, a trembling black ball of shadow markings and wide-staring golden eyes. Duskpaw could spare only a glance in the petrified kit's direction, as the sudden swing of a massive, muscular badger's arm in her peripherals forced the apprentice to hastily duck and roll away, spitting vehemently. You should've ran back to TreeClan! Not into a hiding place! Duskpaw would have gladly grabbed Onyxkit and ran for her life back to their home where she could tell the deputy of their resident badger problem, but Onyxkit had crammed herself into a crawlspace too small for Duskpaw to reach her – and turning around to try and fish the kitten out was probably the worst idea ever.
Light green eyes alive with fright and adrenaline, Duskpaw lunged forward and took a courageous swipe at the badger's face, her claws ripping open it's nose at the same time it bellowed at her, spit flying from a mouth full of razor sharp teeth. Oh StarClan help me! For a few selfish moments, the she-cat wished her friends were here beside her – but no, that would be terrible, because that would put their lives at risk as well. Intending to lure the badger away from where Onyxkit was hiding, Duskpaw sprang sideways, getting clipped in the shoulder as she did so.
Elsewhere, further out into the forest, a large lion-like tom had just descended upon a mouse, too far out for the scent of badger, escaping kit or the immense fear of one tortoiseshell cat to reach him...
[smear:f3d5cc]Sink Me In the River, At Dawn
Send Me Away With the Words of A Love Song...[/smear:c976ab]
OOC: Feel free to have Sparrowpaw find Lionstar.  I think Sparrow can reach Duskpaw and Nobleheart faster than Lionstar can, so you can have Sparrow show up for the fight next and I'll have Lionstar come in at the end. |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 9, 2013 15:47:55 GMT -5
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| We are born with a DNA blueprint into a world of scenario and circumstance we don't control |
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Co-Captain
INVENTORY
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Post by Phoenix on Mar 15, 2013 21:43:37 GMT -5
The sight he came upon was one out of a nightmare. A streak of black, which the back of his mind identified as the stray form of Onyxkit, raced past him, nearly stumbling over his paws as his momentum carried him forward. His head whipped around to follow the black kit without his permission, and once his mind kicked in, the instant after he saw one of TreeClan's youngest reach the relative safety of the log, his gaze was back on Duskpaw as she narrowly dodged the bader's blow, saved by nothing more than reflexes. Claws, which had unsheathed themselves sometime during his frantic flight here, dug into the ground as he propelled himself forward, nearly colliding with the dancing figure of his friend as she lead the badger away from Onyxkit's hiding place. Fancy footwork kept them from colliding, though an irritated hiss escaped his jaws, even as he righted himself and lunged forward with claws outstretched.
Another cat joined the scene, crashing through the undergrowth and not even hesitating in her mad dash to land a blow. He barely hesiated before he leapt at their opponent once more, aiming for its face even as Sparrowpaw attacked its back. The oldest and most experienced out of all the present cats, he also happened to be the largest in size; if the badger was going to get angry at someone, he would much prefer it be him than Duskpaw, and by extention, Sparrowpaw or Onyxkit. He was fully aware of his capabilities, and he was more than confident that he could distract the badger for those few, precious moments until the she-cats attacked once more.
However, he had not counted on reopening old scars.
His blow to the badger's face was successful, and enraged, it swung a large paw at him in retaliation. Only fast reflexes kept his eyes untouched as he ducked and darted away. A cold sensation dripped down his spine, and even as he tried to keep the badger engaged, he was reduced to merely reacting, dodging the blows. Forcing himself to take deep breaths, he refused to let his shaking legs lock up, even as a certain lynx's face floated in front of him. Ragged breathing won the fight for control, and he struggled to overcome the blossoming panic that threatened to smother him. It was so close-- A voice floated across his consciousness, one he would never forget as long as he lived. You fell for it, leetle cub. He could feel the weight those large paws on his shoulders, shoving him down, even as the sting of smaller claws raked along his leg. Without conscious thought, he lunged forward again, fighting both the tangible and intangible. Leetle cub. Leetle cub. You fell for it, leetle cub. |
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Post by Fawn on Apr 4, 2013 13:18:42 GMT -5
[smear:f3d5cc] If I Die Young,
Lay me down on a bed of roses.[/smear:c976ab] DUSKPAW
Even in the midst of her terror, Duskpaw was conscious of her friends coming to join her, feeling both an overwhelming wave of relief and horror that the ones she cared about so deeply had thrown themselves into the fray. The tortoiseshell cat's leaf-green eyes darted to Nobleheart's face, seeing the horror that lurked in his gaze as he swerved another attack from the badger. There could only be one other thing on his mind right now, Duskpaw realized as she jumped and sank her teeth into the badger's shoulder, hoping to angle her body away from the maddened beast's mouth so that it couldn't shred her; that lynx, Demon.
Everything was happening too fast for Duskpaw to feel any sort of sympathy for Nobleheart's perfectly rational fear of the monster cat in the mountains, but his bravery, at least, was wholly recognized. "Sparrowpaw! Get Onyxkit!" she yowled, thrown from the beast's back and landing heavily nearby, shaking her head from left to right so as to clear it, briefly pressing her pelt against Sparrowpaw's while they had a few seconds to spare. If we can just get the kit out of here, then we can run back to camp! No one has to-
Duskpaw grunted in surprise, hissing and leaping backward, almost a fraction too late as the badger's big lumbering paw whizzed past her whiskers, eyes glassy with fear. In her attempts to avoid the beast, Duskpaw's back leg had caught on a protruding root, and the she-cat yelped as the ground rushed up, twisting her paw free with an aggressive yank. The apprentice was seconds too late, as the badger's enormous paw came crashing down on her hind leg with enough force that it broke with an audible crack! Duskpaw's head thrown back and her eyes peeled wide as she let out a shriek of pain. The badger reared up again, and the helpless apprentice cringed, wailing as an attempt was made to scramble out of the way, injured leg awkwardly bent at a terrible angle. The badger strike again, knocking the breath from Duskpaw's body as the terrible claws gouged her flank, painting her white belly fur red, reducing the would-be-warrior to a whimpering, mewling bleeding mess upon the forest floor.
With a deafening roar, the golden leader dropped down from the trees upon the aggressive, territorial creature, flaying open it's back and biting whatever he could sink his teeth into, Lionstar's over-sized paws and the needle-sharp claws that came with them digging deep into the badger's shoulders. Onyxkit took the opportunity to bolt from her hiding place, squealing as she took off for home - Duskpaw able to watch the shadow-marked kitten from her position upon the ground, green eyes hazy and unfocused.
Where were the others? Were they alright? I think I can hear Lionstar... Everything had begun to lose it's sharpness; the ground did not feel so cold, her leg did not hurt so much, and in equal measure, she was having trouble gleaning the circumstances by her sense of sound and sight alone, unable to focus.
"Sparrowpaw...Nobleheart," Duskpaw mewed, and with a massive effort, tried to sit up, her flanks heaving, hot blood soaking down to the skin. She twisted slightly so that she might look upon the damage, feeling as though an icicle had been plunged into her heart shortly after, ears folding back as the direness of the situation began to settle, like a layer of dust that had been stirred up during the fight...
Fear gripped her then. Fear, self-pity and a sense of great unfulfillment. With a jolt of panic, Duskpaw called again for her friends, even as Lionstar, scratched on both shoulders, brought his powerful jaws down around the back of the badger's neck.
[smear:f3d5cc]Sink Me In the River, At Dawn
Send Me Away With the Words of A Love Song...[/smear:c976ab]
The Sharp Knife of a Short Life. |
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I think Sparrow can reach Duskpaw and Nobleheart faster than Lionstar can, so you can have Sparrow show up for the fight next and I'll have Lionstar come in at the end.