[Taxx]

CROWPAW
APPRENTICE OF NIGHTCLAN

Crowpaw lounged in the camp, batting at a leaf that had been tracked in on someone’s pelt, or blown in by the wind, she didn’t know. Didn’t care. She was bored, and this was somewhat entertaining. The camp was mostly asleep around her, light snores and muffled murmurs of cats in their sleep. While not all of them had gone to their nests to doze the day away, there were very few still awake; a guard, those lingering over a last meal...

Her ears twitched at louder voices and she peered around the apprentices’ den to see Blackwolf and Bonetail, with Hollystorm padding over to join them, and her interest piqued. Were they going on patrol? Maybe she could go with them! Springing from where she’d been lying, Crowpaw trotted over to the three with her tail waving. “Hi, Blackwolf! Hi, Bonetail! Hi, Hollystorm! Are you all going on patrol? Can I come too? Please?”

Not ashamed in the least, Crowpaw put on her best kit eyes and stared up at the three hopefully. She’d much rather patrol than lie around camp until she got tired enough to sleep, and anyway, the exercise would wear her out faster. “I’ll be good, promise!”

watch me, i'll make a name for myself

Fawn

[Fawn]

Baby I need light, I need fire

39 Moons Warrior NightClan

It wasn't uncommon for the prominent family to go hunting together. Their sparring sessions had lessened after Blackwolf's injury and all three of his kits having reached full warrior status. Coyoteheart and Lilyfrost were not among the three cats Crowpaw approached; this wasn't for any exclusionary reasons. Instead, the missing brother and missing mate were busy with patrols. Before Briarthroat could assign anyone else to more warrior duties, Blackwolf had pounced on the opportunity to rally Bonetail and Hollystorm for some hunting.

As per usual, Bonetail behaved as if Blackwolf's demands were unreasonable and headache inducing. Given the rude way Blackwolf had woken up his son, the latter wasn't far from the mark. Hollystorm was, as per usual, in a much readier state than her brother.

A white she-cat with colored patches bounded over to them; Bonetail's flat expression smoothed. "We're hunting. As long as you don't scare off the prey." He didn't spend much time with his kits these days; not for any negative reasons. Bonetail's parenting style was distanced support, much like his own father's.

Blackwolf grunted his assent.

"I'll get Ghostpaw, then. And..." Hollystorm's green eyes flicked to the toms' mismatched gazes, a ripple of amusement crossing her muzzle as they realized who else she meant. "No, don't invite Greypaw," said Bonetail. "I have a headache as it is."

Blackwolf's gaze swiveled to Crowpaw; of Bonetail's three kits, she was probably the most promising. Ghostpaw was moderately talented; no more or no less than the average warrior. Greypaw, however, attracted trouble the way crowfood attracted maggots. They weren't going towards TreeClan's border - as much as he wanted to sink his claws into their greedy, land-stealing neighbors - there was no point in causing trouble.

"Don't lag behind," grunted the patriarch, his words carrying a hard edge from the unpleasant ache in his back leg. He strode forward, forcing the others to deal with his hitched pace as Blackwolf climbed the incline leading into NightClan's territory. Bonetail flicked his daughter's flank, ushering her along after her grandfather.

Hollystorm brought up the rear with Ghostpaw in tow, filling him in on the details as the group departed.

Taxx @calico 359 Words Notes: Hunting thread for Ghostpaw!

[Deleted]

Blackwolf was super grumpy. But then again, he was old. He had a right to be grumpy. Hollystorm, his mentor, had come and got him, told him that they were going on a hunting patrol.

Ghostpaw was excited. He was going out with his family!

Fleetingly, he thought of his mother. Shouldn't she be coming too? 

He sped his pace up for a moment until he drew level with his father. Quietly, so Hollystorm, Crowpaw and Blackwolf didn't hear - they'd think him sentimental and silly, most likely - he whispered into his father's ear "Why isn't mother coming? Is she not allowed because she's not directly family? She's just your mate?"

As if unable to keep pace any longer, he fell back level with his sister. The two were a lot bigger now than they were when they were born - moons of warrior training had seen to that.

"What in particular are we hunting? I hope it's lizards!"

161 / Taxx Fawn

Sorry for shortness, brain is tired.

[Taxx]

CROWPAW
APPRENTICE OF NIGHTCLAN

Cheered by the agreement, Crowpaw's tail went up, the tip twitching in delight. "I won't!" she promised, bouncing after the two as Hollystorm went to fetch Ghostpaw. She flashed a grin at her brother as he caught up, but he kept on until he was padding at Bonetail's side, his mouth at the tom's ear as he whispered something; Crowpaw scampered forward to hear too, but almost before she'd begun to move, Ghostpaw had fallen back to her side.

"Maybe!" she replied, just barely remembering to lower her voice to keep from disturbing any prey within earshot. Her paws itched, desperate to hurtle her forward, but she knew that wasn't the way to act if she wanted to catch anything- or if she wanted to keep from ruining all of their chances to hunt. Pausing for just a moment, Crowpaw curled her claws into the ground, eyes closed as she sucked in a breath and let it out slowly, forcing that antsy feeling away.

More calmly now, she hurried to catch up with the rest of the patrol. This time, she was the one to pause when she was at Bonetail's side, her voice soft to keep any prey nearby unaware. "Where are we going?"

Fawn @calico

watch me, i'll make a name for myself

[Fawn]

Baby I need light, I need fire

39 Moons Warrior NightClan

Bonetail snorted at his son's sappy question. "Of course she's family. Your mother's just busy." Blackwolf could think whatever he liked, but Bonetail wouldn't allow the familial elitism to keep Lilyfrost on the outskirts. He wasn't very romantic himself, but he was respectful of his relationship with his mate - likely more than his role as a father. Ghostpaw seemed satisfied with that answer, however, as the white-furred tom bounced off to walk paw-by-paw with Crowpaw.

Any peace he was going to get on this hunting trip was immediately thrown into the ambush pond. Bonetail flicked his tail, accepting another question from his curious offspring. "The black woods. Keep quiet or you'll scare off the birds."

"There won't be any lizards there," Hollystorm mewed, voice just as hushed as theirs. "I want you to catch some mice or birds instead. Look for nuts or berries. Anything prey animals might want to eat or store for the fall."

Blackwolf, leading the pack, hissed at his family to quit chattering like a couple of bluejays. His tail was raised, signaling them all to slow down. He glanced left, to Bonetail, then right to Hollystorm - the message he conveyed clear. Split up. Stay out of my way. If there was one thing Blackwolf hated about group hunting, it was the possibility of crashing into another Clanmate. He'd lost a few catches due to someone else's stupidity. His kits - and their kits, if they had any sense - would know better than to make those same mistakes.

Hollystorm ushered Ghostpaw to follow as she veered to the right.

Bonetail went off on his own, his pace as leisurely as if he were going to curl up and take a nap somewhere. That left Blackwolf with Crowpaw; he said nothing to her, instead, his posture lowered into a stiff crouch, hip protesting the action, as his bicolored gaze landed on a sparrow five foxlengths away.

@calico Taxx 318 Words

[Deleted]

Grandpa Blackwolf's orders were clear. Split up.

Something told Ghostpaw that everyone was happy with this arrangement.

He loved his grandpa, dearly, but he wasn't the easiest of cats to get along with. 

So, Bonetail was meandering off by himself - Crowpaw was with their grandfather, whereas he was with Hollystorm. This arrangement pleased him - Hollystorm was a wonderful mentor, plus she was fun to spend time with. She knew so much about so many things. Ghostpaw was looking forward to just talking to her about what being a warrior was like. 

But not now. Now he needed his wits and his senses about him. He had birds and mice to hunt. It was a shame, really. Ghostpaw preferred lizards - an acquired taste, for certain, but he enjoyed it. 

But, a well rounded warrior could hunt whatever prey was available. So learn he would. 

Taking Hollystorm's advice, he began to look for berries and nuts littering the floor of the woods through which they were walking. It didn't take him long to find them. All he had to do was truly look. 

There were plenty of mice about, gathering resources for the long spell of very cold weather. He could hear one scuttling about close to where he was.

He lifted his tail, a sign for Hollystorm to keep still. He felt strange, issuing an order in this way, but he hoped she wouldn't mind his impudence. Pinpointing the mouse by hearing and scent rather than sight - it blended in with the ground - he made a clumsy leap onto it, managing to kill it before it shrieked and ruined any further chances they may have had.

277 / Taxx Fawn

Maybe brief power play? I can't tell. Sorry though. :3

[Taxx]

CROWPAW
APPRENTICE OF NIGHTCLAN

Crowpaw hesitated at the order; Hollystorm took Ghostpaw to look for prey elsewhere, and Bonetail ambled off without a backward look, leaving his father and daughter alone. She wasn't supposed to wander off, she knew, and after a moment's indecision she held her place, deciding she might as well stay with Blackwolf. Her blue eyes sharpened at the sight of the sparrow.

Quietly she crouched, her breath barely stirring the grass in front of her face, making constantly sure that nothing she was doing would startle the bird into flight. It seemed unaware, fluttering around the base of a tree, completely oblivious to the two cats watching it. Crowpaw tensed her muscles and then shot forward, springing for the sparrow.

She landed squarely on it and killed in quickly, before it could make any noise, and then hovered above the tiny creature as pride swept through her; her gaze turned back to Blackwolf and she picked up the bird before trotting back to him with her tail waving.
Fawn @calico

watch me, i'll make a name for myself

[Fawn]

Baby I need light, I need fire

39 Moons Warrior NightClan

Hollystorm's poignant green eyes locked onto the white-furred tom taking the lead; his posture was good, but his pouncing could use some work. Or the apprentice just needed the chance to warm up. Hollystorm knew from experience that he was a well-rounded, jack-of-all-trades sort of warrior, exceling in no particular area but doing decently in all. The mouse he'd just caught hadn't been chance.
"Watch your pouncing," mewed the warrioress, creeping through the undergrowth until she was alongside her nephew. "Take some time to stretch if you need it, but your next kill needs to be cleaner. You're almost a warrior."

And that meant little mistakes that were common in cats just learning weren't allowed to persist in apprentices his age. So Hollystorm pushed him to do better. To be better.

"This time, catch a bird. I'm going to hunt by those trees," Hollystorm's feathery black tail swept to a family of pine trees, skinny but sturdy, a few foxlengths away. "Good hunting, Ghostpaw." He didn't need a lecture, and she didn't consider herself the lecturing type. Rather, Hollystorm let the moons of training ferment in the young tom's head, growing roots until all of this would become second nature to him.

Without her father's scrutiny towards her own hunting and mentoring skills, Hollystorm was able to slink to the trees with the predatory ease of a cat in their element. Hollystorm could fight, any self-respecting kit of Blackwolf could fight, but her forte was hunting.

@calico 246 Words (No worries, no power-playing!)

BLACKWOLF

First, No Sequel do The Math, No Equal

Blackwolf had suppressed a grunt, lowering into a hunting crouch despite the ache in his hip. He didn't care if he lost a leg, nothing was going to keep him from catching his own prey - except an overeager grandkit. The veteran grunted in approval and disapproval both, watching her shining eyes and proud stance as she looked to him for praise. Blackwolf nodded. It had been a clean catch.

It should have been his catch, but Blackwolf knew better than to growl over lost prey. That a younger cat had beaten him to the draw only ruffled his fur slightly; it was the nature of life. He couldn't stay at the top of his game forever, this old persistent injury was proof enough. Still, if he'd had a fully functioning body, and been twenty moons younger...

"Bury that, keep moving." Before the other animals caught on to the scent of death. Some creatures were extremely sensitive, and Blackwolf didn't want to take any chances. He flicked an ear, leaving Crowpaw to bury her kill, as he stalked ahead, tail-tip flicking with irritability as he searched for another bird to catch. There was the flutter of wings ahead, and Blackwolf's bicolored eyes zeroed in on a blackbird in one of the upper branches of an elm. Come on down, mangepelt. Blackwolf's taunts showed in his eyes, and his claws unsheathed, satisfied, as the blackbird landed near the elm roots.

With a strong leap meant to compensate for his slower speed, Blackwolf landed square on the prey. The beak was open but no sound came out as Blackwolf's teeth bit through the creature's feathered neck.

85 Moons NightClan Senior Warrior

269 Words || Taxx || Notes