Hunting Patrol (OPEN)

Smokepaw woke up while the sun was still hidden behind the rows of willows surrounding camp, the sky pale blue and the air chilly. After he managed to convince himself to come out the den, he stretched him body and started grooming him fur. It was pleasant, to wake up in the morning, when only the warriors were up. It made him feel special that he could be at the same level of a warrior.

As the sun started to show from the east side of camp, Smokepaw got up and walked back towards the apprentices' den, peeking inside with his big, orange eyes. "Hey, guys, anyone want to go hunting?" he whispered inside. Before heading out to wait in front of the den for his clanmates to join.

Tawnystorm had woken up early as she always did, the chilly dawn air filling her lungs. She loved the mornings, fresh and crisp, perfect for getting things done. She padded out of the warrior's den into the camp, noticing Smokepaw. It was unusual for apprentices to be awake this early, so she supposed he wanted to do something.

"Dawn patrol?" she asked. It would be a good use of both their time, and though she was not Smokepaw's mentor, she could teach him a few tricks.

Smokepaw's eyes lightened as Tawnystorm, which he had known before as Tawnypaw, on their first meeting, approached him. He had always had a nice feeling around that she-cat, no that they had met many times. But she was nice, and he couldn't help but like her.

"Oh, yeah. I thought I could round up some cats for a patrol, it would be nice." he said, feeling a little weary around the she-cat he had fancied since he was little kit.

(When he's a warrior the two might be mates if you want, depends on how things will work out with Crowpaw)

"We'll wait around for others, then." Tawnystorm replied. Like almost all things she said, it was spoken like a command, albeit a slightly gentler one. "I'm going to assume you like the mornings, which is....let's just say, unusual for apprentices. I've always enjoyed them, too. Less other cats to interfere with whatever I'm doing. I know StarClan's back, but I frankly don't trust half the cats here still." She thought of Crowpaw for a second, and the Dark Forest.

"Eh, sorry about my rambling on. I can't say I've liked having to work in a team, but if it will benefit the Clan, I'm fine with it. I don't think anyone's gone on a dawn patrol yet. This is your first dawn patrol, right?"

Willowbreeze woke up when she heard muffled voices outside the Warriors den, one she recognized as her sister. She yawned and got to her paws before passing out to see what was happening so early in the morning. She saw her talking to an apprentice and realized it was probably a patrol. She padded over to them, stopping beside her sister, ""Hey guys. Patrol? If so mind if I join?" she asked warmly.

Smokepaw listened to Tawnystorm's words silently. He had been born almost right before the Dark forest had been driven away, but he had had a bad experience with those cats. That's how he met Tawnystorm.

"It's okay." he assured her, trying his best to sound nice without actually wounding like he was in love with her. Which he basically was.

He was almost relieved when another cat joined them, a warrior, Willowbreeze. She was Tawnystorm's sister, from what he knew. "Yeah, and of course you can come." he told the she-cat, smiling.

Crowpaw padded up to the group of cats, seeing Tawnystorm in their midsts. "I'm coming," he said, brushing up along Tawnystorm as he past her.

"I think we have enough of us to head off. We'll need to catch some fresh kill, and checking the borders won't hurt." Tawnystorm said, heading over to the camp entrance. She gave Crowpaw a wayward smirk, one that she'd become famous for with him.

Smokepaw felt his whole body twist and his stomach clutch as Crowpaw brushed his fur to Tawnystorm. He gave the apprentice a burning look before he took a place next to Tawnystorm, beginning to lead the group towards the exit of the camp.

"Sounds good." he told the she-cat as he began to trot towards the tunnel that led outside.

OOC: It's on, Crowpaw, it's on.

Willowbreeze gave a curious and amused look at the two toms who seemed to vying for her sisters attention. "Yep sounds good." she mewed, holding in an amused laugh. She followed behind the group out of camp. She kept her gaze on the two toms, curious as to if anything would happen between them.

His amber eyes flamed as he glared at Smokepaw. How dare he look at Crowpaw like that! The black tom padded on the other side of Tawnystorm, walking so close next to her that their pelts almost touched. "Good idea, Tawnystorm," he purred in a deep rumble. Tawnystorm didn't have feelings for Smokepaw, did she? Well, if she did, Crowpaw wouldn't care, right? Wrong.

(this is gonna be funny)
Tawnystorm simply nodded, looking at Smokepaw, before her gaze shifted back to Crowpaw beside her. "Come on, we'd better pick up the pace then." She turned back to Smokepaw. "We'll start on the SkyClan border, I think. We can catch anything we find on the way, and then go hunt in the river. You know where to go, right?" She returned her attention back to Crowpaw, speaking in a hushed whisper. "Is it just me, or does Smokepaw....like me?" She half frowned - this was a bit awkward.

Smokepaw shock his head awkwardly at Tawnystorm's question, careful to avoid meeting eyes with Crowpaw. He was more than sure that he and the second tom were on the wrong side even at their first meeting.

So what. If he thought he'd bump in and start brushing his dirty fur to Tawnystorm's he was more than wrong. Oh, he was terribly wrong.

"Erm... I haven't actually been in the territory much, I thought maybe Willowbreeze could take the lead? I'll be right behind." he said and took a few steps towards the second she-cat. Heck yeah he's going to be right behind. He needed answers.

Willowbreeze listened to the three as she padded behind them quietly. Her gaze swept around their territory as the padded along and her mind wandered to Muddyfang. She thought she ought to go see him soon. She had some exciting news to tell him. She looked up as Smokepaw said her name, bringing her out of her thoughts and she nodded to him, "Sure. It's this way." she mewed, flicking her tail in the direction of the border between them and SkyClan.