You said my words would kill you but you stood there all the same. |
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STAFF GaleClan MCA
INVENTORY
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Post by ♛ 𝔽𝕒𝕓𝕣𝕚𝕔𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 on Mar 18, 2021 18:43:34 GMT -5
[googlefont=Xanh Mono][googlefont=Dosis] RAVENPAW l i g h t n i n g c l a n a p p r e n t i c e
Open your eyes, choking on his breath. Ravenpaw didn’t much like patrols. They involved tramping out into the territory with cats he wasn’t as familiar with as he was with other cats. Often, this was an awkward and frustrating endeavour in which he would find himself in a delicate balancing act, attempting to extend politeness to the other cat while also remaining attentive to his surroundings. At the very least, Galestorm would not be apart of this patrol. She had come down with a bit of a cold and thankfully he was supposed to stay well away from her to prevent its spread. It wasn’t that he hated her, Ravenpaw couldn’t claim to hate anyone, not even his mentor. But the tom and molly just did not have personalities that meshed very well.
As his yellow-green eyes fell upon the cat that waited near the entrance to LightningClan’s sloping camp, he felt surprise prickle through him. Wait… Ravenfrost? The pure black she-cat was like a silhouette of a cat with two bright eyes framed within her dark, shadowy outline. The only break in her dark aura was a small splash of white on her chest. In contrast, Ravenpaw was much lighter, more grey or brown than black. His own white patches extended beyond his chest, down his stomach and to his paws. His mottled fur looked confusing and odd when put alongside such a solid-coloured cat. Ravenpaw felt that her simple appearance reassured him somehow. She was easy to look at, he supposed. The apprentice approached with a somewhat shy demeanour. “Hi, Ravenfrost.” He meowed quietly, uncertain. He didn’t like the initial awkward caution of speaking to another cat for the first time. “Are… are we on the patrol? The hunting one?” He asked. Hunting patrols were better than border patrols. Border patrols reminded Ravenpaw of the outer limits of his home, giving him glimpses of the places where his paws were not allowed to roam and the wildlife he wasn’t allowed to see.
You grimace, then smile.
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MODERATOR - REAPER GorgeClan Deputy
INVENTORY
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Post by Jos on Mar 21, 2021 21:30:33 GMT -5
Ravenfrost was up with the sun that morning. She had already groomed her inky black coat, trimmed her claws with the teeth, and still had time for a bit of prey. She had settled in to warrior life quite nicely, having been made a warrior several moons prior. For a while she simply felt like a big apprentice with a lot of responsibilities, but then she realized that being a warrior was simple: do what the deputy tells you to. She was beginning to look forward to coming in to her own as a senior warrior.
Those cats were something else! They were trusted by the deputy and leader, called upon when a tough decision needed to be made, and were highly respected among the clans. It took more than age to become a senior warrior, though, and Ravenfrost knew that she needed to work hard and be the best warrior she could be.
The she-cat purred at the thought, again feeling like an apprentice whose only goal was to impress their mentor and graduate to warrior-status. She remembered being that plucky young apprentice with boundless energy.
An apprentice! She thought as she waited for the rest of the patrol to arrive. That’s what I need—that’s my next step as a warrior. I could handle an apprentice, I think. It would be fun! Having a little ‘paw around to show them the way of the warrior.
Ravenfrost decided then and there that she would approach Owlstar or Nightrunner and tell them that she was ready.
“Hi, Ravenfrost.” Said a small, timid voice, “Are…we on the patrol? The hunting one?”
Ravenfrost blinked down at the apprentice. Ravenpaw, she remembered. How could she forget? She purred, “Good morning Ravenpaw! Looks like the Ravens are up early, eh?” she chuffed at her own joke, “Yes I guess we are on this patrol! Where is Galestorm? Don’t tell me you beat your mentor to the patrol?”
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You said my words would kill you but you stood there all the same. |
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STAFF GaleClan MCA
INVENTORY
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Post by ♛ 𝔽𝕒𝕓𝕣𝕚𝕔𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 on Apr 14, 2021 5:16:45 GMT -5
[googlefont=Xanh Mono][googlefont=Dosis] RAVENPAW l i g h t n i n g c l a n a p p r e n t i c e
Open your eyes, choking on his breath. The ground was cold against his paw-pads, much colder than the warm sun that filtered down upon the two cats lingering near the edge of camp. Though the grip of Leaf-bare was weakening, the cold still bit at the air like the last strength of a dying but stubborn animal. It reminded Ravenpaw of the ever-present reminder that change was an inevitable and forever rotating force in his life, no matter how much he turned tail to try and run from it. If the small mottled-brown and black tom could erase change from his life entirely and live with the comforting familiarity of the every day, then he would. But unfortunately, he was powerless in the face of the changes that came sweeping in through the camp entrance with each passing day.
Even now, an abrupt change to his training schedule had caused him inevitable stress. He wasn’t fond of Galestorm in the slightest, but at least she was familiar. The black molly that stood before him with stark orange eyes was an entity of unexpected change, and already, he wished he could simply wander the territory on his own and find some feathers and bones to collect. Or perhaps he could wander the very edges of the forest to see if he could find any discarded antlers. But no, according to his unwanted schedule, he was to go hunting with a cat he did not know. He wished he didn’t have to leave his feather behind in his nest.
Ravenfrost did not seem phased by his awkward introduction, but Ravenpaw was never entirely sure if he had read another cat correctly. There had been times where his heart had misunderstood mockery for politeness or distress for neutrality. He didn’t understand why interacting with his Clanmates was so hard when it seemed to come so naturally to his peers, why they seemed to enjoy this kind of posturing while he shied away from it. He would much rather be out scouring for crowfood right now, to see if maybe a bird of prey had been hunting out on the moors. That would be much, much more interesting. With a rumbling purr and a voice that was so much friendlier than the intense tones of his own mentor, Ravenfrost said, “Good morning, Ravenpaw! Looks like the ravens are up early, eh?” She chuckled, and Ravenpaw found himself looking about with excitement. He’d never seen a raven before, and he was desperate to get a glimpse of his own namesake in the flesh. After finding the sky to be empty of dark, large birds, Ravenpaw realised with a surge of embarrassment that Ravenfrost had been making a joke. Ah, right. We’re both named after ravens. He thought, feeling his dark cheeks flush under his fur. He nodded and gave a small laugh, hoping to cover up the fact that he’d misunderstood. He didn’t want to be viewed as bee-brained.
“Yes I guess we are on this patrol! Where is Galestorm? Don’t tell me you beat your mentor to the patrol?” Oh! Right, Ravenfrost didn’t know. Ravenpaw shuffled his paws. “Galestorm is… uh, sick. She can’t make it.” He meowed, shrugging his shoulders helplessly. “I don’t know who’s replacing her.” He added, which honestly made this whole “going on patrol” thing so much worse. Maybe if he knew who Galestorm had asked to cover for her, he wouldn’t feel so nervous. “I don’t know if she even asked anyone to replace her...” He added, seemingly dismayed. This whole patrol was already going awry, and it was all because of him. Why didn't he double-check with Galestorm before even coming over here?
You grimace, then smile.
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MODERATOR - REAPER GorgeClan Deputy
INVENTORY
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Post by Jos on Apr 21, 2021 21:42:34 GMT -5
“Galestorm is… uh, sick. She can’t make it. I don’t know who’s replacing her. I don’t know if she even asked anyone to replace her...”
That did not sound right. A mentor has a responsibility to their apprentices, even when they are sick they should find some cat to take over their training for the day. Lightningclan could not afford to have apprentices out of training even for a day. Not only that, she noticed, but Ravenpaw was looking rather upset about the situation. It sounded as though Galestorm did not even want an apprentice, which Ravenfrost could not sympathize with—she would have loved her own apprentice.
The jet black she-cat ran her tail along Ravenpaw’s side for comfort, “That’s alright. You can stick with me! Maybe after the patrol we can practice some battle moves, that was always my favorite part of apprentice training. Not that being in a battle is any fun but…well, you know what I mean!”
Just then Mudpelt, one of Lightningclan’s senior warriors, stalked up to the group which now included Foxswipe as well as Ravenfrost and Ravenpaw. “All right,” Mudpelt said, “We are going to be hunting the Flooded Grasses today to see what Newleaf has to offer now that the snow has melted and the sun is warm again. Ravenpaw, where is your mentor?”
Before Ravenpaw could answer, Ravenfrost replied “I am taking Ravenpaw on patrol today.”
Mudpelt looked a tad bit confused, but nodded, “All right. You and Ravenpaw will hunt the far side, Foxswipe and I will hunt the near side. Let’s head out!”
The patrol broke into a swift gallop as soon as they left the confines of camp. Ravenfrost reveled in the feeling of the wind streaking over her pelt and shot glances at Ravenpaw as though challenging him to race her. The best part about being a Lightningclan cat, in her opinion, was being able to run as fast as possible, pushing herself harder and harder. Granted, Ravenfrost was not the best runner and was actually a better tunneler, but that did not stop her from enjoying the feeling.
Once they arrived at the Flooded Grasses, Ravenfrost pulled Ravenpaw to a stop and allowed for a moment or two to catch their breath. “Okay. So. What do you know about hunting in the Flooded Grasses? What prey can we find here, and how do we catch it?”
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You said my words would kill you but you stood there all the same. |
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STAFF GaleClan MCA
INVENTORY
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Post by ♛ 𝔽𝕒𝕓𝕣𝕚𝕔𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 on Jul 10, 2021 12:09:37 GMT -5
[googlefont=Xanh Mono][googlefont=Dosis] RAVENPAW l i g h t n i n g c l a n a p p r e n t i c e
Open your eyes, choking on his breath. [attr="class","raven-content"]He felt ashamed on behalf of his mentor, feeling as though Ravenfrost's frowning concern was partially his fault somehow. As if he had contributed to his mentor not wanting to go on patrol with Ravenpaw. There was a certain level of frustration there; Galestorm just couldn't put up with a personality such as Ravenpaw's. They weren't a good matchup as mentor and apprentice. Galestorm had quickly discovered that the bright young apprentice Galepaw had been was very different from how he was.
Suddenly, he felt a slender black tail brush his side, a gentle touch that seemed magnified somehow, like suddenly the rest of him had ceased to exist and his side noticing the considerate gesture was all there was. His green-gold eyes flashed with something, a mixture of uneasiness but also of gratitude. It was a strange feeling, like not being sure whether you liked something or not just yet. Either way, he relaxed, glad to be sure that Ravenfrost wasn't annoyed with him or that she didn't think he was dishonest about Galestorm. If there was anything that upset Ravenpaw deeply, it was the implication that he was a liar. Honesty was crucial to the mottled little tom. He nodded, glad that at least he'd be able to train with someone who wasn't as harsh or overbearing as Galestorm was, and then smiled slightly to himself as he realised something. "When you were an apprentice, you would've been Ravenpaw too." He pointed out. The thought made him feel connected to her somehow, as if by sharing the same name at one point, maybe they'd understand each other a little better. No... that was silly. But still. It felt nice.
When Mudpelt plodded over, Ravenpaw watched him with a curious eye. He'd heard from other cats that Mudpelt was a bit of a stickler for the rules... whatever that meant. Cloudpaw told him it meant he had a stick up his tail. Ravenpaw's past conversations with his brother said to him that this meant he was "annoying" and "naggy". But Ravenpaw liked to make up his mind about cats, so he shoved those thoughts aside and dipped his head respectfully to the warrior. At the question, his mouth fell open, but no sound came out. Ravenfrost answered for him, which made the dark little tom turn towards her with gratitude in the twitch of his whiskers. Foxswipe was almost as small as he was, and she had a long, bushy and dark tail that flowed out behind her like billowing grass in the wind. He waited for the warriors to decide where they should go, glad he'd been paired up with Ravenfrost at least. He liked her.
{Diceroll (Speed check)}YO|Q8wIL17-17 -1 = 16 Ravenpaw managed to keep up with the patrol of warriors as they streamed out into the moor. The wind ruffled through his pelt as his paws flew over the ground, he felt light and nimble and free. When they arrived at the flooded grasses, Ravenpaw marvelled at the lush smells rising up from the marshy ground. Ferns and herbs grew among the scattered grasses, betraying the life that flourished here to the feline hunters. When he regained his stamina, he twitched his ears towards Ravenfrost's question, his mind churning. He was glad she'd asked him something that he felt like he knew. What prey did live here?
{Diceroll (Intellect check)}18-18 +2 = 20 "Well... it's too wet here for rabbit burrows, so they probably don't have warrens here." He answered hesitantly. He hadn't been taught much about tunnelling, but he knew that extremely damp soil tended to cause cave-ins, so expert diggers like rabbits likely wouldn't waste their time here. "Field mice and shrews would like all the extra food and water. Hares are faster than rabbits, so they probably don't mind coming far from their holes." Facts and information flew through his mind so quick it was hard to grab at them and fling them at Ravenfrost fast enough. "Uh... birds, magpies, wrens, blackbirds, wagtails. They'd come here for all the insects." He looked at her hopefully, not sure if he'd said what she was looking for. But then, he realised he hadn't finished answering her questions. "I've never hunted here before. It's very wet." He admitted, holding up a white paw that had browned with the soft mud. "I guess we probably can't just run in like we usually do on the drier hills?" He assumed, looking at the lush, grassy surroundings.
You grimace, then smile. [newclass=".raven-content b"]color:#9679ff;[/newclass] 17-17·18-18
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MODERATOR - REAPER GorgeClan Deputy
INVENTORY
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Post by Jos on Aug 25, 2021 14:34:17 GMT -5
"Well... it's too wet here for rabbit burrows, so they probably don't have warrens here.”
Ravenfrost nodded. She was relieved that he already knew the basics of tunneling safety. She had heard horror stories of cats who had made some small mistake that ended their lives. Drowning in mud was a terrible way to join Starclan.
“Field mice and shrews would like all the extra food and water. Hares are faster than rabbits, so they probably don't mind coming far from their holes. Uh... birds, magpies, wrens, blackbirds, wagtails. They'd come here for all the insects. I've never hunted here before. It's very wet. I guess we probably can't just run in like we usually do on the drier hills?"
The snows had just begun to melt in the mounting heat of the newleaf sun, and now the field had become a cold, muddy, slushy mess. Ravenfrost fought the compulsion to groom herself, knowing it would be an impossible task to keep her pelt clean on this particular hunt. “Correct!” she meowed, “If we tried to run like we did on the way here, we would slip and fall and have to pay a visit to Kindleflare, and you know how busy medicine cats are in Newleaf. So!” she gave in and began to groom herself, talking between tongue licks, “What we need to do in this case is stalk slowly, stay upwind, and save the running for the kill; you will not be able to rely on your speed in these conditions. Watch me carefully, I’ll try to demonstrate it for you.”
Ravenfrost gave herself a quick shake, crouched, and began to stalk further into the field. She parted her jaws and drew air over her tongue, tasting every scent. The smell of fresh earth was strong, along with new grass and old mouldy plant matter. It was the scent of Newleaf, of a fresh start, and she allowed herself a moment to relish in it. Then she set the scent aside, storing it in her memory to enjoy later should she ever need something pleasant to look back on.
It wasn’t long before she caught the trail of a mouse, just as Ravenpaw had predicted. In fact, the field was simply crawling with mice, for they had emerged from their winter dens as excited for the fresh growth as the clans were excited for the return of prey. She dropped into a hunting crouch and followed the scent, careful not to make a squelching noise in the mud, easing her paws into the ground until she could see the little brown creature. It was perched on a stick, nibbling on a blade of grass and rooting around for seeds and bugs. Ravenfrost kept her tail low and stiff as she closed the gap. The mouse looked up and for a moment, their eyes locked.
Then, as if it had been rehearsed, cat and mouse moved in the same instant. The mouse made a mad dash for cover while Ravenfrost launched herself forward, forepaws stretched out before her. She brought her paw down hard on the mouse which stunned it, and gave her the opportunity to dispatch it with a quick bite to the neck. When she was sure it was dead, she muttered a prayer of thanks to Starclan, and then brought the mouse back to Ravenpaw.
“Did you see how I moved my paws? I was careful not to splash, or the mice would hear me. Now,” she nodded to the field, “It's your turn! Try for a mouse—there are plenty!”
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You said my words would kill you but you stood there all the same. |
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STAFF GaleClan MCA
INVENTORY
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Post by ♛ 𝔽𝕒𝕓𝕣𝕚𝕔𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 on Sept 5, 2021 12:34:46 GMT -5
[googlefont=Xanh Mono][googlefont=Dosis] RAVENPAW l i g h t n i n g c l a n a p p r e n t i c e
Open your eyes, choking on his breath. [attr="class","raven-content"]He noticed her nod in the corner of his eye, feeling glad that he had earned her approval. His ears swivelled at every slight noise, including Ravenfrost's voice. A chirp of a cricket, a lilting song from a distant moorland bird. "I never hunted by stalking before." He added with a note of nervousness. Galestorm had focused on the moor-hunting method of speedily running down and overpowering prey, or the use of teamwork to drive an animal into a trap. The idea of slowly prowling up on an unsuspecting animal was an entirely new beast. Ravenfrost herself seemed confident, however. He watched the ebon molly drop low, parting her jaws to allow the information of the world reach her tongue and the roof of her mouth. Pearly white canines exposed to the languid breeze, contrasting with her shadowy coat. Ravenpaw found himself instinctively copying her, inhaling deep through his nose to draw in the staggering number of aromas.
{Diceroll (Tracking check)}TIkRXEUE18-18 -2 = 16 The distinctive scent of mouse passed over his tongue, a stark difference to the musky smell of rabbit he was used to. He hadn't yet picked up a trail, though, this was a cloud of scent hanging in the air, a strong indicator of just how populated this field was. He stuck close to Ravenfrost's side as she moved in among the soggy ground. Ravenpaw winced as his white paws sunk into the unpleasant, cold sludge. It's like walking on cat dirt. He thought discontentedly. His ears flicked forward as he heard the soft chittering of a little rodent. Following the direction Ravenfrost's snout was pointing, he spotted it. It was so tiny, Ravenpaw almost felt sorry for it. Its tiny whiskers trembled with every beat of its rapid heart. Black, beady eyes met sharp feline eyes and in a flash, the hunt was over. Ravenfrost carried the dead rodent back to the apprentice, its tail dangling from her mouth. Don't splash. He noted to himself, nodding.
The mottled black and white tom lowered his nose close to the ground, wrinkling his snout at the smell of the earth. It wasn't the most pleasant thing to inhale.
{Diceroll (Tracking check)}1-1 -2 = -1 It was hard to make anything out over the unpleasant stench of the dirt. I know there's mice here, but where? He thought in frustration, keeping his nose low to the ground, trying to detect an individual trail.
{Diceroll (Tracking check)}6-6 -2 = 4 He looked up at his tutor, helplessness in his green gaze. It was no use, the smells were too overwhelming. There were just so many mice, and the earth stank. It was so different from tracking across dry ground. His whiskers twitched with embarrassment. "I-I'm having trouble making out all the different scents." He whispered, his heart speeding up. She was going to think he was a complete hare-brain!
You grimace, then smile. [newclass=".raven-content b"]color:#9679ff;[/newclass] 18-18·1-1·6-6
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MODERATOR - REAPER GorgeClan Deputy
INVENTORY
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Post by Jos on Sept 17, 2021 19:15:56 GMT -5
The struggle was a familiar one.
After a rain all scents, even fresh ones, get washed away or mixed together into a confusing jumble. It was a difficult day to try hunting in the meadow but Ravenpaw would need to be able to hunt in these kinds of conditions. She watched the mottled tom perform every action to her satisfaction, but then get discouraged when the scent trail got confused. Don’t give up Ravenpaw, she cheered inside her own thoughts.
After a few tense moments of scenting, though, the apprentice cast her a helpless look. She gave her chest a lick, buying herself some time to think of what to do now. Having never had an apprentice of her own before, Ravenfrost was unsure of how to encourage one to keep learning.
Should she yell at him? No, she couldn’t do that. Maybe they should go back to camp? But then he would feel like a failure… they needed to end the session with a success.
“It happens… I know that, for me, I lose scents a lot easier if I am thinking too hard about it. When I’m tracking something in weather like this, I need to make an effort to stay on track. Other scents will come along—don’t ignore them, just acknowledge them and move on. If it’s not a mouse, or a rabbit, or whatever you’re looking for, let it go. Does that make sense?” Oh Starclan I hope that makes sense!
She padded over to him and opened her jaws again to let the scents flood over her tongue. “On the other paw, sometimes it’s good not to hunt in the same place twice. The mice might be hiding around here. You should try looking further afield. I’ll watch from a distance, so I don’t accidentally scare it off on you.”
There, she thought to herself, that seemed good. Instructional and encouraging but not coddling. Maybe. Maybe I should have been a bit tougher? Oh, I’m such a pushover sometimes! But, then again, I hated it when warriors would get cross with me when I was learning something new and I don’t want to do that to Ravenpaw. Besides, he’s not my apprentice anyways; I’m doing Galestorm a favor, so if she doesn’t like my mentoring style well, then, tough ticks to her!
She nodded resolutely to herself, winning the imaginary argument.
“You can do it Ravenpaw! Just relax.”
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You said my words would kill you but you stood there all the same. |
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STAFF GaleClan MCA
INVENTORY
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Post by ♛ 𝔽𝕒𝕓𝕣𝕚𝕔𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 on Sept 19, 2021 5:55:33 GMT -5
[googlefont=Xanh Mono][googlefont=Dosis] RAVENPAW l i g h t n i n g c l a n a p p r e n t i c e
Open your eyes, choking on his breath. [attr="class","raven-content"]The taste of failure was a bitter one. Ravenpaw looked up at Ravenfrost helplessly, like a kitten stranded out of camp, not knowing which way was home. He found it hard to believe that the slender black molly had ever been at such a loss before in her life. He couldn't picture her standing where he stood, not knowing where in the name of StarClan all the mice were. He nodded at her advice, his green eyes round with sudden uncertainty. His confidence had risen and fallen like a cresting wave! He had been so proud that he had answered her questions so well, and now...
Try somewhere else. Okay. He could do that. Wandering slightly afield of Ravenfrost, he once again opened his mouth cautiously to sample the surrounding scents. Reminding himself not to fight the flood of aromas that surrounded him and instead take note of them, writing them off one by one in his head as he went. His white paws sank into the soft ground, making him wince with displeasure, but he did not make a sound for fear of scaring off the mice.
{Diceroll (Tracking check)}YU2fPldu11-11 -2 = 9 Still, he could not place an individual trail. Once or twice, he thought he picked up a patch where the scent was stronger, but when he doubled back he couldn't regain the momentary victory. It's okay. It's okay. Just... just keep trying. He repeated to himself, aware of Ravenfrost's eyes on him several metres away.
The mottled black and white tom lowered his nose close to the ground, wrinkling his snout at the smell of the earth. It wasn't the most pleasant thing to inhale.
{Diceroll (Tracking check)}18-18 -2 = 16 There! He halted this time, the scent of mouse so clear in his mind that his heart raced at the sudden clarity. He'd found one! A clear trail! Perhaps it was fresher than the others, perhaps fewer creatures had crossed over the scent and muddled it. Regardless of the reason for this success, Ravenpaw had found his target. His ears pricked up as he kept himself awkwardly lowered to the ground, moving so slowly he felt as though he'd turned to stone. He heard the mouse before he saw it. His ears swivelled towards the sound, a low nibbling that indicated his quarry was distracted. He inched forward at an agonising pace, eyes sparking with adrenaline.
{Diceroll (Stealth check)}2-2 -2 = 0 His paw plunged into the soft earth, making a "plop" sound. Abruptly, the nibbling of the concealed mouse halted as it realised how close danger lurked. Ravenpaw surged forward as he heard the skittering paws, not wanting to lose this one after how hard it had been to even find it.
{Diceroll (Speed check & Hunting check)}20-20 -1 = 19 13-13 -2 = 11 Ravenpaw was a blurry streak of mottled dark fur as he lunged for the fleeing mouse. A combination of determination and his sleek body allowed him to catch up to it in a matter of heartbeats. His white paws landed on the mouse, pinning it to the wet earth. It let out a panicked shriek, causing Ravenpaw to almost release it in surprise before his unsheathed claws plunged into the tiny animal and it was still. Not the neatest kill. Quite sloppy, really. But still, Ravenpaw couldn't help glancing back at Ravenfrost with an expression of deep pride as the dead mouse dangled from his mouth.
You grimace, then smile. [newclass=".raven-content b"]color:#9679ff;[/newclass] 11-11·18-18·2-2·20-20·13-13
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