There's A Key to Every Door, This One's Under the Doormat {OPEN PATROL!}

The trees were cradling the sky with their thin, wiry branches. The camp was drenched with thick snow, and sickness was almost inevitable. An older warrior sat inside of his nest, tail curled around him and tiredness in his eyes. The sun watched him like an eerie ocular, its rays eyelashes. It sat behind splotchy grey-and-white clouds, only its rim causing the sky to be alight. Blacktwig yawned, the death of Mothstrike still troubling him. Unfortunately for the tomcat, another foe was creeping up on him - illness. He basked in faint sun, until he got up. He decided that a border patrol could do his muscles well.

"If you'd oblige to a hunting patrol," he yowled, "I'd suggest you join me!" Blacktwig padded forwards and peered over some brambles. Although snow glistened freshly on the ground, and prey was scarce, ThunderClan had been doing rather fine for itself. For the first time in a long time, Blacktwig grinned and purred. He couldn't lounge around lazily and wait for any trespassers to invade his territory, after all! Even a hunting patrol provided an opportunity to search for trespassers. Especially with untrustworthy rogues crawling around - nothing like his grandmother, Pepper, of course. He groomed a paw, and waited for willing cats to gather and join him.

His tail swished, and he seemed to blend in with the snow like a shadow - all despite his dark-furred appearance. He felt relieved that his breaths were nowhere near wheezing, and he felt like Mistywater must've when he announced that he had grandkits! He chuckled softly, and continued his wait for ambitious warriors and eager apprentices. He gave a few coughs that transmitted with a puff of grey mist into the air, but thought nothing of it.

Blacktwig gratefully nodded to his adoptive grandson. The larger tomcat looked into the chilly air. They shared the same grief, despite their bloodlines. He preferred not to think about it, but since his talk with Pepper, and the appearance of Goldenpaw to attend this patrol, he started to again. He shuffled in the snow, looking at him. "Thank you," he said. The tom started to walk further into the snow, still waiting for others.

Icepaw got up and ran to them. "Can I come?" she asked. She would blend in perfectly because of her fluffy white coat.

"Of course!" Blacktwig mewed. He noticed the advantage of her fluffy white coat, which would usually hinder a cat's abilities to hunt in Newleaf and Greenleaf. Besides, she was very responsible, and with Goldenpaw, there was no doubt that they would be perfectly able to hunt. He promenaded towards Goldenpaw once more, nodding to the young tom. "Let's wait for some more cats." Blacktwig said, beginning to pad in between the two apprentices, with a reasonable distance between their shoulders. He looked out into camp, blinking.

He thought of his mother, Mistywater, who had recently been slow to patrols. If he was already mildly aging, with his own grandson attending this patrol, he couldn't imagine Mistywater's state; she was a great grandmother. Yet, he thought once more of Pepper, who was doing excellent for her age. Perhaps there was a touch of relief.

Pinewhisker purred as he saw his old friend, Blacktwig. Many things had sepparated them for a long time and he was glad to see his old buddy again. "Blacktwig, Goldenpaw, Icepaw." he greeted them as he sat down, clearly showing that he was claiming a spot in the patrol.

Blacktwig turned to see Pinewhisker. He seemed relieved to see his old friend. The mate of his sister, and a friend of his since apprenticeship. At the sight of the brown tomcat, so much nostalgia flooded back to him. Feeling slightly better, seeing his family and friends, he gave a kind smile to Pinewhisker. "Hello, Pinewhisker," he said. "I assume you're joining the patrol?" Blacktwig asked, although he knew that Pinewhisker would be joining the bracket of felines already there.

Icepaw looked at Pinewhisker. "Hello." She said. Impatiently, she swished her tail.

"Well, guys," Blacktwig said, casting them all an impatient look. The experienced warrior walked ahead. His tail oscillated in the frigid air. "I think we ought to be heading." Blacktwig strode forwards, beckoning Pinewhisker with his tail. "Pinewhisker, you can join me at the front. Let's walk to a less populated area; there are bound to be more prey there." Blacktwig looked over his shoulder at the two apprentices. Icepaw stood, her fluffy white fur uniform to the snow. What considerably helped him cope with his emotions was the other apprentice, also his grandson, Goldenpaw. Perhaps a hunting patrol would help him clear his mind. He dawdled in front for a moment, as he waited for the rest of the cats to join him.

Pinewhisker followed the other warrior in the front, missing sharing some time with his buddy. "I've been given a new apprentice. Maplepaw." he purred next to the other tom. He wondered what news Blacktwig got for him in store. The cats walked through the thick blanket of snow, and Pinewhisker honestly hated the weather, but at least it wss not snowing heavily.

"Oh? How is she?" Blacktwig asked with a purr. He kept trudging through the snow. Blacktwig thought of any news to share with his friend. Finally, he rallied, knowing of what to tell Pinewhisker. "Mottledpaw's becoming a warrior soon," he said proudly. The red-and-white she-cat was the only kit he had left, and was a joy in his life. He purred at the thought of her. As they continued their trek, he spotted a mouse. It was in clear range.

"Hold on," he mewed, confident. The tomcat crept forwards, the snow dappling his pelt. He sunk further down as he did. Finally, he unsheathed his claws. He leapt, paws outstretched, and he caught it. The small, brown rodent was squealing, yet he finished it off with a swift bite to the neck. He carried it back to Pinewhisker, blood seeping from its jugular. "Hey, you can't pass down a chance to hunt," the tom meowed in a muffled voice.

He turned back around and continued walking. The hunt for the average-sized mouse had been no more than a few seconds for the skillful tomcat. "So, yeah. My little Mottledpaw is finally becoming a warrior," he chuckled. "I remember when that's what Mistywater thought at my ceremony." Blacktwig looked down at himself. His coat was full and sable, with rosettes of tawny and speckles of white adorning it. He laughed to himself. That was so long ago, he thought.

The member '7 Secret Dimmehs' has done the following action : Dices roll

---

'Hunting Dice' : 3, 5

Icepaw tasted the air and, following the scent of animal, crept through the snow. She spotted a mouse sitting on a branch. Squinting to keep her blue eyes unseen, Icepaw leaped up, swiped at it, and it fell. The mouse, scrambling to get up, was pinned down and killed. Icepaw padded back with the mouse in her jaws, then dropped it to smell something better. She ran off to see a squirrel digging furiously. She smashed its head onto the ground, killing it. Then she heard a hoot and carried her prey back, only to see something swooping up around towards her.
OOC:Is this how I do it?

The member 'Santa in the Sky' has done the following action : Dices roll

---

'Hunting Dice' : 5, 8, 1