[Deleted]

The day was hot and humid and yet it had been the perfect day for catching prey. The large warrior, known as Blackclaw, was quite proud of herself as she made her way back into StoneClan's camp. With a simple squeeze into the entrance, the large molly, shook out her thick black pelt before her wide amber eyes shifted around the camp. It was a mass blur of activity, with her clan mates moving around, carrying along with their daily lives as if they were not concerned with the outside world. Perhaps for the moment, this was the case, but the threats outside were plenty but ignorance was bliss. Shifting forward, the black molly moved towards the fresh kill pile, and placed her kill, a rather large eagle on top. Amber orbs shifted to take in and relish in her own kill, before an almost arrogant grin pulled onto her maw.

The battle between herself and the bird had been a tough one, but she had managed to escape the battle as the victor. The few scrapes against her shoulders, were lost beneath the fur of her shoulders. With no smell of blood she knew she had fared better than her prey and now with nothing else to do, she was more than willing to believe she had earned herself a meal. After providing for her clan and giving them something to be proud of, she moved to pick out a mouse from the pile. With it clutched in her jaws, she moved a tail-length away, swiping her tail to curl around her paws as she settled down. Plopping the mouse down, she leaned down to take a bite, relishing in the cool meat as she chewed and swallowed.

Though it was hardly fresh, unlike her eagle, she thanked StarClan for the meal and the mouse's sacrifice, and continued on to enjoy her meal. While she did, her ears flicked about, taking in the gossip and talk of her clan mates.The objective as she ate was simple. To watch and to listen and then to see what she could learn from her clan mates on the particular matters at hand. Namely, news buzzing around about the possible name of the new deputy for one...

Blackclaw talking

TAG: Hellion / OPEN | WC: 376 | OOC: Sorry for the shortness of this post!

[Hellion]

[googlefont=Satisfy][googlefont=Lato][googlefont=Nanum Myeongjo][googlefont=Montserrat]

Oh all the money that e'er I spent

I spent it in good company

In all their moons as mates, Skunkspots hadn't really been the lecturing type. So as his pretty black and white mate reminded him to take it easy he listened. Age clawed deeply into his hips. Poppyseed eased the tension but never for long. He knew his day as a deputy were numbered but found it difficult to ask Birdstar to call the meeting. He wanted just one more Greenleaf. A few days of working in the sunshine. While the elder's den remained welcoming. He wasn't tired enough to live there yet.

Flicking his tail toward a passing warrior, he instructed him to take a few cats to gather more moss. A curious apprentice piping up that she wanted to join, Valiantstride smiled and made it happen. The worries settled about his age as he watched the young apprentice join with her fellow clanmates, he waited as they left camp.

Turning to continue his work about camp, Valiantstride caught a glimpse of Blackclaw returning to camp. An impressive eagle in her jaw. Curiosity peaked, Valiantstride made his way over to the she-cat, clearing his throat upon her arrival.

"Quite an impressive hunt," He remarked, gesturing toward the eagle as rested proudly on the fresh-kill pile. A few kits admired it with jaws open wide. Plenty of bellies would be filled with such a meal. "I should have you take out a few of the other warriors, help improve their skill. If we can hunt eagles for efficiently we won't have to worry about leafbare" A bit too hopeful for the leafbare, Valiantstride refused to fear the season. It was only natural, and dreaming something that was supposed to happy would only wear someone down.

"Where did you find it? Higher in the mountains or closer to the valley floor?" His voice shifted, back to business. While it was rare, eagles did swoop down and steal kits. If such winged creatures stayed closer to the mountain he'd encourage the periodical exploration and hunting of them, however, if a nest had emerged closer to their home he'd arrange quick dispatching. He would not risk a kit's life.

[smear:DAA520]VALIANT[/smear:f8eed3]STRIDE
DEPUTY OF STONECLAN

tags /:@jen/ wonky sorry| words

[Deleted]

Blackclaw's ears had caught the approaching of footsteps, long before her ears had caught the deputy's words. She finished her meal with another bite, and swallow before she finally flicked her head towards Valiantstride. Her tongue flicked itself over her mouth, to both savor in the taste of her meal and to lick the blood from her chops before she dipped her head in both greeting and respect. She slowly pulled herself into a sitting position, her amber eyes clearly stationed on the tom before her. She hadn't expected her catch to have gained such attention but truth be told, it had been hard not to take notice in stares and the soft whispers of both excitement and surprise buzzing in her large ears. Like the loud buzz of cicadas, that could be heard calling into the forest beyond camp. Yet this was less annoying and made both her heart and ego burst to the surface. It was good to provide for her clan, and it was good to be praised for a job well done, also.  

"Thank you so much, Valiantstride, but it is all thanks to StarClan for allowing me to catch such a meal," She purled with a soft and almost whisper like tone to her voice, "Perhaps I attracted a little too much attention with it?" She chuckled softly, before moving to curl her thick tail around her paws. Her eyes moved from the older warrior towards the kits admiring her prey, and she gave a small snort of amusement before she pulled her eyes back to her deputy. When he started to speak about possibly having her take out a few other warriors to teach them, there was a small edging pull deep within her gut. She had never had the opportunity to do something like that before. Sure, she had had an apprentice, several moons before, but the idea of teaching warriors, well that sounded a lot more pleasing. And oddly satisfyingly. Oh, what would Coppertalon think of her if she managed to get such a responsibility? Still, she would have to wait on answering that, because her deputy had started to speak again. The topic had been pulled back to her eagle and where she had found it.

The truth of the matter was that the fight in itself was vaguely remembered. The victory had been what had gotten to the large molly and she had allowed this, in itself to take over her mind. To cloud her mind of a seemingly simple victory, even when the battle hadn't been simple at all. The scratches beneath the pelt of her shoulders were marks of that. Still. "I found it closer to the valley floor," She spoke without hesitation, and simply to the point,"It had been hovering above in the sky, eyeing something before it came down. I suspected it was about to prey upon something before I caught it off guard" She allowed herself to fall silent at that moment, as a question came to mind. "Do you think that it may have come this way for a reason?" While the mountains was far for a cat and certainly not a easy walk, the flight for an eagle would have been easier. But why hunt this far from the mountains when she was sure there was prey out there also. Wouldn't it have been more of a hassle to do so than to just hunt around their own territory? It was a good question, that Blackclaw had no answer to.

Blackclaw talking

TAG: Hellion / OPEN | WC: 599| OOC: sorry for the wait!

[Hellion]

[googlefont=Satisfy][googlefont=Lato][googlefont=Nanum Myeongjo][googlefont=Montserrat]

Oh all the money that e'er I spent

I spent it in good company

He chuckled alongside the warrior she-cat, eyes closing in delight. "A catch like that deserves all the attention," He remarked. In his youth, he had his fair share of excellent hunts that would leave him boastful for several days afterword. In contrast, Blackclaw seemed more humble. A valuable trait in a cat. One he hoped she could pass down onto the next generation, should she take on another apprentice.

As she shifted to answering the question about were the eagle came from, concern formed in his brow. Knowing such a creature had been hunting near the valley floor meant it was likely nesting nearby. Not only was it threatening the camp as a whole but the clan's way of life. The cold winds of change often stiffened his joints, reminding him of the moons he had left. Which also meant the eagle would be taking prey from the ever-growing mouth of StoneClan cats. He couldn't allow it to continue, but it would be a discussion had with Birdstar at a later time.

Blackclaw had her own valid questions, which Valiantstride didn't hesitate to answer. "It might be that the mountains don't have enough prey to feed the eagles up there and they are coming down here to hunt in the valley. We need to still vigilant," He answered, his attention glancing to the sky above.

"We should also warn the queens, not to cause fear but to ensure the kits are well looked over," His comment came with the brief reminder of his own son's injury at the jaws of a fox.

"Thank you again Blackclaw, you had a successful hunt and brought back valuable information. Rest well you've earned it," His words were parting, dipping his head in farewell as he headed toward Birdstar's usual hang out during this time of day.

[smear:DAA520]VALIANT[/smear:f8eed3]STRIDE
DEPUTY OF STONECLAN

tags /:@jen/ words

_{we can end this thread here! or you can reply, I'm wrapping up Valiantstride's thread since he is dying middle leaf-fall}