The Mighty Fish-Chasers (Open Hunting Patrol)

Finchpaw sat down near the camp entrance and looked around. Her paws were itching to go outside and run, to feel the breeze in her silky fur. There were many cats in the camp at this hour, soaking up the mid-day sun, and Finchpaw gathered her courage to approach them. The small she-cat was naturally very shy, and hated speaking to big crowds. The statement that she had intended to shout came out as a meek mew that only nearby cats could hear. "D..does anyone want to go hunting?"

Smokeface made his way with a soft smile towards the shy apprentice. "I'll come." the smoky tomcat meowed, excited at the prospect of a hunt in the fresh new-leaf undergrowth, or a dip in the icy river whose dark banks finally broke free of ice. He sat down besides Fallowstripe's daughter.

Sootwhisper’s ear raised at the mention of the hunting patrol, and after stretching a bit, he walked from his shady spot around the edges of camp, greeting the two cats silently through a polite nod, his different colored eyes saying more than enough on their own. He never had been much of a talker, and that wasn’t going to change anytime soon.

Finchpaw smiled at the two toms who walked up to join her, and she began to feel a little bit braver. She knew Smokeface quite well, he was friends with her mother, but the other tom not so much. What was his name again....Sootwhisper? Looking around with a friendly gaze, she meowed confidently to the crowd; "Anyone else want to join?"

Fracturedhawk approached the waiting group, his bent tail trailing after him. "I wouldn't mind a quick patrol." He spoke up as he grew nearer, glancing between his daughter, Finchpaw, then to sootwhisper and smokeface. He offered a warm smile to the three, flicking his ear.

Finchpaw purred a friendly greeting when her father joined the group, and nodded.  Stepping aside, she gave way for one of the warriors to head the patrol.  Excitement bubbling in her, she could barely keep from bouncing on her paws.  She hadn't been out of camp for a few days, and had been craving to feel the breeze in her fur.  Yellow eyes sparkling, she meowed "Lets go!"

Smokeface purred as Fracturedhawk joined them, longing to talk again to his former apprentice, letting Sootwhisper ahead. He had mixed feelings about the maybe too quiet tom, but her was just another loyal RiverClan warrior, nontheless.

"Wait up!" Sparkpaw meowed, the calico shot past the warriors to flank Finchpaw, shooting the fellow apprentice a friendly look. She'd been shovelling snow out of the way of the warrior den when she'd heard the apprentice's calling. Nothing was more tedious than snow shovelling, so the apprentice was more than happy to bolt out of her duties.

Sootwhisper had started waking when the shout of Sparkpaw caused him to stop abruptly and turn around to look at her. He just nodded politely as a greeting once more before going back to the path he knew would take them to RiverClan’s hunting spots. The aloof tom had no trouble leading a patrol, but neither had to just walk behind them, as long as he kept at least a tail-length of distance between the group and himself to not feel uncomfortable.

Finchpaw purred a friendly greeting when Sparkpaw dashed up to join the departing patrol. The young she-cat didn't know the other apprentice very well, but she seemed nice; and very energetic. Trotting alongside her denmate, she gazed around the still snowy landscape for a place where they could stop and fish. Noticing a small cove, she flicked her tail. "How about over there?"