[Fawn]

BeetlejaW

Will you be my breath through the deep, deep water

Of all the cats to come back from the dead, why did it have to be Ashtail? Beetlejaw huffed, the stump of his left hind leg twitching as he made a three-legged stretch in his nest. Even though the curled, dreaming presence of his sister beside him was a comfort to him, he could not shed the apprehension and distrust as his eyes raked over the sleeping form of Ashtail.

Yellow eyes narrowing, he made a careful exit from the warriors' den, choosing not to linger a heartbeat longer even when he caught the stirrings of Palewing - Ashtail's sister and one of his closest friends - nearby. He couldn't look her in the eyes without feeling guilty. Guilty for the thoughts inside his head. Of all the cats to come back, why did it have to be your brother? Why not Fallenleaf or Eagletalon? Why him?

He couldn't help it. Where Ashtail was, Beetlejaw did not want to be. Unfortunately, Palewing stayed close to her sibling - which only made sense given the heartache and trauma she'd gone through at his initial loss. He couldn't blame her for that. But he couldn't help himself from avoiding her, too. Avoiding anything with ties to his old bully.

At least he had something else to keep him occupied. "Squirrelpaw! Let's go. We're leaving with the dawn hunting party." He didn't bother going all the way into the apprentices' den, instead feeling the brush of the den's ceiling against his charcoal ear tips as he poked his head in. It was easy enough to pinpoint the fluffy orange and white tom in the darkened interior.

Can't stay in the shallows, please tell me I won't wash away

Jos || 30 Moons || StoneClan || 270 Words

Newleaf 16 The day is bright, warm, and windy, but dark clouds in the distance signal a coming storm.

[Jos]

Squirrelpaw
Stoneclan Apprentice

238  words

Fawn

Squirrelpaw's paws twitched as he slept, running in an imaginary wood after imaginary prey. It was one of those unfortunate kinds of dreams where you could never win because, no matter how fast or how hard he ran, Squirrelpaw never seemed to catch up. The prey eluded him--

"Squirrelpaw. Let's go. We're leaving with the dawn hunting party." 

The young apprentice jolted awake at Beetlejaw's words. "Great Starclan," he gasped, "I slept in!" Squirrelpaw scrambled out of his nest and thrust his way out of the apprentice's den, giving himself a few hasty licks to smooth out his ruffled fur. 

His new mentor was...not mean, but very to-the-point. Squirrelpaw did his very best to learn what the three-legged warrior had to teach him. Hunting was by far Squirrelpaw's favorite duty. Fighting was fine, it was necessary, but it didn't help any cat. Not really. Hunting...now that helped cats, and every cat was also so pleased when he came back to camp with fresh kill. Fighting was just some somber duty that needed to happen, but no cat in their right mind truly enjoyed it. Of course, Squirrelpaw remembered, training to fight was fun...

The orange tailed apprentice padded up to his mentor and dipped his head apologetically, "Sorry I overslept! It won't happen again, Beetlejaw, I promise. Where are we hunting today?" he asked brightly.

Made by Riley at THQ!

[Fawn]

BeetlejaW

Will you be my breath through the deep, deep water

"One Tree," he grunted the name of the familiar landmarker, his own emotions pulling back as if strained by the brightness of the ginger kitten's personality. What was she thinking? That he was a true warrior, even with only three legs? He had no idea how to instruct an impressionable young mind beyond verbal explanations and weak attempts at showing Squirrelpaw the correct postures for hunting.

It was a challenge. Like everything else in his life, he had to work twice as hard as anyone else to get just as far. Bracing himself for the trials ahead, Beetlejaw flicked his tail, signaling Squirrelpaw to follow in behind him as he limped to where the hunting party gathered near the camp entrance.

The charcoal-spotted tom felt the hairs on the back of his neck prickle, as though someone were taking a twig and running it down the base of his spine. Not enough to cause pain, just enough to irritate. He knew what that feeling was; he was being watched. At first he thought it was Squirrelpaw's eyes staring at the empty space where his left hind foot should have been - but a quick glance told him otherwise. The young tom was quiet and obedient. If he was staring at him, then he was being very, very subtle about it.

Beetlejaw cast his gaze wide, and then he locked on to the source of discomfort.

Ashtail was standing in the warriors' den, regarding him with half-lidded eyes and a puzzled frown. Beetlejaw's stomach roiled. He could practically read the other tom's thoughts. What's a no-paw like you doing with an apprentice? Beetlejaw's posture stiffened, and he marched to join the others, trying to leave behind the shadows of his own doubts and insecurities.

"Beetlejaw!" A friendly voice loosened the tightness of his frame instinctively, and he greeted his littermate, Cicadasong, with a quick, halfhearted smile. "Good morning."

"I see you've brought Squirrelpaw," purred Cicadasong, her tail pleasantly waving through the air behind her. "How's training coming along?"

"Fine." He blurted, unable to find the words for pleasantries. Of all the apprentices he could have gotten, why did he have to get Ashtail's younger brother?

Cicadasong, unphased by his brusqueness, padded alongside Squirrelpaw instead. "Do you know what kind of prey we can find at One Tree?"

Can't stay in the shallows, please tell me I won't wash away

Jos || 30 Moons || StoneClan || 385 Words

[Jos]

Squirrelpaw

Stoneclan Apprentice

294 words

Fawn

Squirrelpaw was relieved that he did not get a cuff round the ears for being late. Every morning the apprentice woke up he thanked Starclan that he had not been paired with Cloudtail, who definitely would not have been so forgiving. . He knew that he wasn’t the only apprentice to ask the question ‘what is wrong with him’ that made him so grouchy.



One day while he was cleaning out the elder’s den he heard some of the older cats talking about Cloudtail and how it was a shame that such a promising young cat had turned so bitter and curmudgeonly. As he was switching out the bedding Squirrelpaw hear snippets of how Cloudtail’s sister was killed, and how Cloudtail blamed his half brother for the death. But that had been an accidental death, right? At least that’s what Squirrelpaw had asked. One of the elders snorted, ‘Not according to his mother and father’. And then it all made sense to Squirrelpaw—it was just a series of bad coincidences and a family feud.


Still, Squirrelpaw thought as he followed Beetlejaw and the others towards One Tree, I sure am glad he’s not my mentor. He lifted his fluffy orange tail in greeting to Cicadasong and pranced along, enjoying the sun on his pelt and the breeze through his ears. “Training’s going great!” Squirrelpaw answered Cicadasong enthusiastically, “I’m learning so much…” and she’s not talking to me, is she? He realized mid-sentence. How humiliating.



Beetlejaw’s question about prey was the perfect chance for redemption, however, and Squirrelpaw puffed out his chest to try to look more refined. “The One Tree is a good place to hunt for lizards,” he announced to Beetlejaw, “But also you can find mice and birds there too, if you’re lucky.”

Made by Riley at THQ!

[Phoenix]

I'm an angel with a shotgun
fighting 'til the war's won

As long as he could remember, insomnia had been a constant companion. Only when his exhausted body dragged him down into dreamless oblivion did he ever rest through the night, but those instances were few and far between. Though the nightmares that had haunted him in his younger seasons visited less frequently, they still occasionally had him jolting awake in the pitch black of the warrior’s den with his heart pounding and claws ready for a fight. They had warped over the moons, and tonight’s had been no exception. Silverglade, gone. Skunkspots, dead, and her kits – fully grown warriors now, but perpetually young and vulnerable in his nightmares – soon to follow. And himself? Impotent. Trapped. Forced to watch as death stole his remaining family from him.

As it did every other night, that feeling of powerlessness forced him to his paws and into action. A glance toward the darkened sky showed him an endless quilt of stars, but his keen gaze did not miss the slight lightening in the east. Ospreywing sighed. Soon the sun would start to chase away the darkness. Since he was awake, he might as well make himself useful; his presence had not been requested on a dawn patrol, and in any event, Valiantstride knew him well enough to realize that his absence would be indicative of hard work rather than the avoidance of it.

While he crossed camp toward the exit, he mentally wandered through their territory. Where did he feel like hunting this morning? It had been a while since he had stopped by One Tree, he mused after a moment’s consideration, and he directed hi path accordingly. As the sun peeked above the horizon and the sky began to brighten, the senior warrior knew that the lizards would soon begin stretching themselves out on the stones and petrified wood to bask in the warmth that accompanied the changing of the seasons. Mice and other creatures of the night would soon scurry back into their burrows as the sun continued its trek upward into the sky. He would have to move fast if he wanted rodents for dinner tonight.

Despite this, by the time he heard voices on the horizon, he had met some success and caught more mice than lizards – though since he had caught no lizards, that wasn’t saying much. Still, it wasn’t as though he was complaining. A successful hunt was a successful hunt – even if his success had only been limited to one mouse – and it was with some satisfaction coiling in his gut that he turned to see the party of three cresting the ridge and heading his way. Tail raised in greeting, he turned away from the pile of stones before him and strode forward to intercept them.

“Hello Beetlejaw, Cicadasong,” He greeted his niece and nephew warmly, offering each a smile and nod. They were his sister’s kits, yet since he had watched them grow from the nursery to the warrior’s den, he felt as though they were his, too, in a way. Yellow eyes shifted to rest upon the younger cat between them. “And Squirrelpaw,” Ospreywing added with another nod toward his nephew’s apprentice. “Perfect timing – if you’re here to hunt, I could use the extra paws.” With his tail, he gestured toward the cluster of rocks that he had abandoned in favor of greeting them. The mouse that had escaped his most recent hunting attempt had disappeared into the crevices there along with two others that he had missed earlier.

“A mouse nest is under there, with multiple exits. If we can scare them all out, we’ll be eating well tonight.”

I don't care if heaven won't take me back

Ospreywing

Jos Fawn | background image | hope you don't mind me jumping in!

[Fawn]

BeetlejaW

Will you be my breath through the deep, deep water

There were definite benefits to having a more social, talkative apprentice - but in the long walk to One Tree, Beetlejaw half wished Smokestar had given him one who enjoyed the same surly silence he did. Maybe not. Then I'd have to spend the next 3 moons trying to figure out his moods. Beetlejaw's issues with Palewing's long lost brother took up a lot of real estate inside his head, and for all his grouchiness lately, deep down he did want to be a good mentor.

He wanted Squirrelpaw to turn out just as good, just as deserving as any other StoneClan apprentice.

Swallowing the rising tide of distracting, negative thoughts, Beetlejaw managed to work his features into a smile. It didn't cause him any physical pain to be less of a sourpuss, as his sister called him. Broody habits could be hard to break - but like anything, the quicker he started, the quicker he'd see results.

"Good answer," he praised Squirrelpaw. "Knowing is half the struggle. Do you think you can catch something?" It was a serious question, his expression focused and a little probing.

The familiar distant shape, painted in black and white, of his uncle Ospreywing warmed him greater than any patch of sunshine could. "Morning, Uncle." He dipped his head respectfully, appreciative of how Ospreywing almost paid no notice to his stump at all. Ospreywing was hardly the cheeriest cat in StoneClan, but Beetlejaw appreciated Ospreywing's pragmatism. Realism made for better emotional armor than optimism, as far as he was concerned.

"Did you find all the exits?" asked Beetlejaw as soon as he heard Ospreywing's plan. "Position us where you want us. We'll help." Once again the voice of Ashtail whispered belittling words inside his head, forcing the charcoal tom to give his skull an irritated shake.

Who's going to rely on a three legged cat to get the job done right?

Can't stay in the shallows, please tell me I won't wash away

Jos Phoenix || 30 Moons || StoneClan || 307 Words

[Jos]

Squirrelpaw
Stoneclan Apprentice

220 words

Fawn

Phoenix

"Good answer, knowing is half the struggle. Do you think you can catch something?"


Squirrelpaw’s pelt prickled with satisfaction at his mentor’s praise. He knew the Beetlejaw was not one to offer praise lightly, or offer hollow praise. Was it even praise, or just an affirmation that what Squirrelpaw said was correct? Either way Beetlejaw seemed pleased, and that heartened the young apprentice.


“Yes, Beetlejaw!” he said with an enthusiastic hop, “I’ll catch something for sure!”



They arrived to find that Ospreywing—Beetlejaw’s uncle—was already there. Squirrelpaw wondered how long the tom had been there before any other cat arrived, or why any cat would be up and about so early in the day if they did not have to go on patrol. Granted, Squirrelpaw was an early riser with the best of them but even he liked his nest-time. Nothing beat a good sleep in a fresh bed of moss.



He bowed his head in a return greeting, “Hello, Ospreywing.” But Squirrelpaw was much more interested in the promise of a large haul of mice. Surely he would be able to catch at least one mouse, if not more, if they could scatter the nest. “Mice will feel you before they hear or scent you. Maybe we could stomp like badgers around the nest to scare them out?”

Made by Riley at THQ!

[Phoenix]

I'm an angel with a shotgun
fighting 'til the war's won

“I have,” Ospreywing answered his nephew’s question, yellow eyes drifting from the cats before him to the cluster of rocks. With his tail he gestured toward a small gap nestled beneath a pair of rocks. At this angle, it was barely visible, but he knew that it was large enough perhaps for him to reach into with his paw but far too small to provide any real access to the nest itself. “One exit is there, and an alternate one is on the other side of the pile. If there’s a third, then it must be well hidden.” Tail tip flicking thoughtfully, he considered the pile briefly. He had no qualms about admitting to the possibility that he had missed something – he had always been stronger at fighting than hunting, though early mornings like these ensured that the latter skill remained well-practiced – but once he had realized what was happening, he had made an effort to discover just where those mice were running to. If the well-timed patrol hadn’t shown up, he likely would have blocked one exit with a rock and waited outside the other one, but it was just as well they had. The company of his niece and nephew was never a hardship, and this would be good practice for Squirrelpaw.

As if prompted by the senior warrior’s musings, the apprentice spoke up, and the tuxedo tom turned his sharp gaze on the orange and white cat appraisingly. With a slight inclination of his head, Ospreywing acknowledged the idea, considering it momentarily before responding, “Good suggestion, Squirrelpaw. I think a variant of that would work best.” Instinct told him that the flighty prey animals would be more apt to rely on the protection of their den rather than abandon it at the suggestion of a threat, so the stomping of badgers would scare them into stillness and silence rather than action. He relayed the thought to his hunting companions, letting them think over the idea before adding his own solution. “But if we can convince them that running is safer than hiding, then we will be golden.” A pause, and Ospreywing glanced around at the assembled cats, suddenly feeling every bit the senior warrior he was as he suddenly noticed the youthful brightness in all of their eyes. Even Beetlejaw could not hide his young age, though his had not been the easiest kithood.

When had he and Skunkspots gotten so old? With a flick of his tail, he blinked and collected his thoughts. Back to business. “We can have two cats at the exits and two cats atop the rock pile, trying to dig into their shelter from above. That should send them scattering.” And if it didn’t, well, theirs was a large territory; there were always more mice to catch.

“I’m not sure how many mice there are, but I have seen at least three disappear into there. With any luck, we will know shortly.” Another tail flick. “Squirrelpaw, how about you take one exit.” The apprentice was here to hunt, after all. “Beetlejaw and Cicadasong, you can decide who takes the other. I’ll dig.” Or perhaps Beetlejaw should stay with his apprentice and Cicadasong should take the other exit and he could work on uncovering the nest alone? It wasn’t as if it mattered whether he truly destroyed the nest as much as he made it seem unsafe for the mice to remain – a single cat could accomplish that on his own. Yellow eyes found his nephew’s gaze, silently conveying that if he wanted to wait beside his apprentice, he could. Paws light, they took their positions. He glanced around again at the patrol. “Remember, like Squirrelpaw said, mice can feel you before they hear you or scent you. Stay still, and they’ll run right into your claws. Ready?”

And then he began to dig.

I don't care if heaven won't take me back

Ospreywing

Jos Fawn | background image | would this plan work irl? no idea

But I rolled some dice for this!
Number of exits = 1d4, rolled 2
Number of mice = 1d8, rolled 6
Third exit? 1d20 with DC 8, rolled 12 - no third exit

[Fawn]

BeetlejaW

Will you be my breath through the deep, deep water

Beetlejaw grunted in acknowledgement and then maneuvered until he was standing a few rabbit-lengths behind Squirrelpaw. This was the apprentice's chance to learn, and Squirrelpaw getting the hang of this took priority, but Beetlejaw felt a burning sensation in his throat that refused to take a back seat. Catch one. Prove to everyone you can hunt. A warrior name should have been proof enough, but Ashtail's return rattled him.

Made him doubt himself.

"Get ready!" Cicadasong whispered from the second exit, his sister noticing his distracted, brooding look.

Beetlejaw snapped out of it. He parted his jaws to maybe say a few words to Squirrelpaw, but the faint sound of madly scrabbling mouse feet threw him into action. One mouse shot out of the exit directly in front of Squirrelpaw - and a second.

For all their panic, they were fast. Beetlejaw's heart tightened, bracing him for disappointment as he aimed for the second mouse that had arced wide around Squirrelpaw's body, desperate to reach the scrubland many foxlengths beyond. Beetlejaw lunged, dust kicked up behind him as he put all his power into his remaining back leg, pushing off and landing heavily on top of his prey.

The mouse squealed at the impact, but it wasn't stunned like he'd intended. The mouse slipped from between his paws in a drunken lurch and Beetlejaw hastily grabbed it again, this time biting down on the back of it's neck until the taste of mouse blood bathed his tongue.

Beetlejaw panted, his chest and underbelly lightened by the dust now hugging his fur from his sloppy catch. His ears burned, self-criticisms prickling at him as if he'd landed in a gorse bush, not caught a mouse.

"Sorry Ospreywing, I missed mine." Said Cicadasong, her embarrassment obvious in the slant of her ears. Beetlejaw turned to see how the youngest of their group had done, and he chided himself a little on not watching more closely.

But at least he had caught something. He could return to camp with his head held high. And covered in dust, said a little voice wryly. Beetlejaw set down his catch, forcing himself to focus on what deserved his attention most. "How did you do, Squirrelpaw?"

Can't stay in the shallows, please tell me I won't wash away

Jos Phoenix (Feel free to have a second wave of mice scurry out, Nix!) || 30 Moons || StoneClan || 367 Words

[Jos]

Squirrelpaw

Stoneclan Apprentice

326 words

Fawn
Phoenix

Squirrelpaw was buzzing with anticipation. He crouched low in position and focused on the ground beneath the pads of his paws, feeling for any slight changes, trying to become one with the earth. He lowered his hunting crouch and shifted his weight between his hind legs to make sure he was ready to pounce when the mice arrived. His pupils widened and narrowed, adjusting to the slight variance of light between the sunny and shadowy parts of the tree.



Then it happened.



Squirrelpaw saw the first mouse dart directly towards him, panic in its eyes. He was not prepared for the prey to run into him, and he chased the mouse around himself, almost tying himself in a knot. He hared after the mouse and dove into a nearby pile of leaf litter, scattering it all around.



Missed!



Then, by chance, he saw the second mouse. He skidded to a start, digging his back claws into the soil and kicking up more leaf litter. Squirrelpaw did not notice he was chasing the mouse far away from the others, so intent was he on catching something. He was gaining on it. He could almost taste it. The young tom reached out with his right paw to trip the creature up and it tumbled helplessly on its side, its paws still churning.



Squirrelpaw descended upon the mouse, pinned it with one paw, and dispatched it with a quick bite the neck. He stood there, breathing heavily through his nose, the mouse dangling from his jaws. I did it! He thought to himself, I caught a mouse! He dropped it only when he was sure it was dead, and said a prayer of thanks, “Thank you Starclan for this prey that has given its life for my clan.” He muttered. Then he picked up the small body and trotted back towards the others.



Looking exceptionally pleased with himself, he dropped the small body in front of Beetlejaw and Ospreywing, “My first mouse!” he purred.

Made by Riley at THQ!