Shadows in the Moonlight [closed]

Nightfall was creeping over the forest, the last of the sun's dying rays raking dusky gold fingers across a deep purple sky. Wolfcall was just now waking from an afternoon nap, after taking the dawn patrol and then spending most of the day hunting on his own. He was reluctant to admit he hadn't been very successful, bringing home only a couple of scrawny, frigid mice. The snow made tracking easy - it didn't take a genius to follow prints - but it also made stealth difficult, especially for a stark-black cat that stuck out like a sore paw. Birds saw him before he could get anywhere near them on the ground, and the trees were slippery with snow and ice, proving dangerous to cats who tried to hunt there. Not that Wolfcall ever really did, anyway - Foxfire had never trained him to hunt in the trees... he assumed it was because the ex-deputy figured all SkyClan cats were natural climbers, and that he wouldn't need more training there. And he didn't necessarily mind, either, as he was usually adept at ground-hunting... but now that he thought about it, it did strike him as a little odd.

Crawling from his nest and into the camp, the deputy stretched his limbs each in turn before giving his whole body a shake, immediately alert and awake thanks to the chill of leaf-bare. Now that it was dark, and he had a bit more cover in the darkness, it was time to go back out again. And maybe this time, be a little more lucky with what he brought back. His stomach clenched with hunger, but a quick glance at the fresh-kill pile immediately discouraged his appetite. The rest of the clan needed it more, and he could eat when he came back with more prey. He'd started to move towards the clearing when he noticed Juniperpaw was still awake. Wolfcall tilted his head in thought, and then called out to his brother, beckoning him over with a flick of his tail. "Juniperpaw, want to go hunting with me? You don't have to, of course. If you're tired."

Juniperpaw had spent most of the day attending to chores in camp like assembling nests, repairing dens, fortifying the camp walls, and sweeping loose snow out of Sagelight's medicine den. It was not exciting work but somebody had to do it. The white flakes and wet ice, although no longer new to Juniperpaw, was exciting. He enjoyed the odd sensation of rolling in snow which was firm upon first contact but quickly gave way under his body weight and warmth. It left his pelt wet, but soon enough he would huddle against Featherpaw in the apprentices' den and steal some warmth from his littermate. The small apprentice was lying on his back in a deep snow bank near the den when Wolfcall's invitation floated through the clearing. Juniperpaw rolled to his paws, shaking excess snow from his fur, and trotted happily over to the deputy. A hunt would be a great way to get some of his excessive energy out, and Juniperpaw purred his agreement as he rubbed against Wolfcall's flank, tail high in the air.

A short swipe of his tongue over his brother's ear signaled Wolfcall's satisfaction. It would be nice to get some bonding time with Juniperpaw, though he did feel a tad guilty for taking him out to do more work after he'd been busy all day. But then again... the apprentice didn't look even a little bit tired. Young cats and all their energy.

Leading them out of camp and towards the creek, Wolfcall kept a constant ear out for both prey or danger. The icy air burned his lungs, and made it difficult to scent, but he didn't really need to - the night was silent, aside from their breathing, and the snow was still soft enough to muffle their footsteps. Using the cover of darkness, Wolfcall slid from shadow to shadow along the bank of the creek, looking for a portion that was rough enough to not have frozen yet. "We're looking for a section of unblocked water," he said quietly. "Anything in the area will come there to drink, since the rest is frozen over."

Juniperpaw followed energetically after his big brother, a perfect picture of obedience and enthusiasm. Like Wolfcall, he appreciated the blanket of darkness that hid him from view, but he was far less aware of the potential of danger that could also be hiding. He only knew danger from other cats, specifically another apprentice at the border with ShadowClan. And Beanheart and Leaftwirl had returned, breathless and unseeing, from a similar encounter with the same clan. Danger had ShadowClan's smell, and Juniperpaw wasn't looking for it in the heart of his own territory. Instead, his mind wandered as they walked, absently flicking from the way Wolfcall's near-soundless footsteps in the snow sounded different from his to how the breath from his mouth made a bigger cloud than from his nose. 

His attention returned to Wolfcall when the deputy spoke softly, directing his focus to the creek before them. Juniperpaw's ears perked and his mouth widened into a large grin. He was excited to have a specific task, and he set about his goal, golden eyes tracing every curve of the bank. Wolfcall clearly didn't want to scare away potential prey, though, so the apprentice made sure to keep his distance from the bank. Roughly three foxlengths up the creek, the tomcat's ears picked up the gentle flowing of water beneath ice and he located the small gap close by the bank. Hopefully that was what his brother was looking for. "Wolfcall! I found water!" He meowed quietly.

Wolfcall knew where the creek churned the most, preventing the formation of ice, but he let Juniperpaw move ahead of him and find it, smiling when the apprentice returned with its location. "Great job," he praised, beckoning his brother to follow him with a tilt of his head. Together, they settled down inside the treeline, sharing warmth beneath the cover of a nearly-bare bush. "And now we wait, for something to come to the water," he explained, tucking his paws under him. It was a different way of hunting than the typical stalk-and-leap they were used to, but Wolfcall had found it fruitful in the past, so hopefully tonight would be no different.

They didn't have to wait too long, warm bodies melting the snow beneath the bush, before an opportunity presented itself: a fat squirrel, creeping along the open area between the trees and the creek. Wolfcall nudged his brother, voice barely even a whisper, "there's your chance."

Juniperpaw was content to rest next to Wolfcall, especially glad to have time with the deputy all to himself. Even the silence as they waited for prey was comforting. Their father often wandered off, tending to duties or otherwise, and their other siblings trained on different schedules. Their mother... well, she was a whole different beast. Independent as he was, Juniperpaw appreciated Wolfcall's brotherly affection. It made crouching silently in the freezing snow much more bearable, and even enjoyable. 

His ears perked when he spotted the squirrel as it skittered towards the creek. He grinned widely, eager to bring it in for the elders. At Wolfcall's urging, Juniperpaw slithered from their hiding place, jet black fur sleekly shadowed in the darkness of the dusk. Soft pawsteps prevented his quarry from hearing his approach. Hesitant to get too close, the apprentice stole a glance back at Wolfcall while he was still a short distance away and prepared a powerful leap by crouching low into the snow. However, as he stalked the squirrel, he was strikingly oblivious to everything else around him. He didn't even know that he was another creature's prey until a starling burning sensation tore into his back. Juniperpaw shrieked, rolling instincitvely on his back to protect it, and beheld the large speckled owl that had swooped upon him. He flailed, batting at the giant bird with flashing claws, and cried out for Wolfcall to save him.

The owl used Talon Strike on Juniperpaw, dealing 10 damage and using 10 stamina.

Juniperpaw used Front Paw Strike on the owl, dealing 6 damage and using 10 stamina. (-5 SP for the hunting attempt)


Owl:
44/50 HP
110/120 SP


Juniperpaw:
10/20 HP
65/80 SP

The member 'Sun' has done the following action : Dices roll

---

'Hunting Dice' : 10

He would have had the squirrel - Wolfcall could tell by his brother's skillfull crouch, his expert stealth, that the rodent didn't stand a chance. The deputy was impressed, Juniperpaw's mentor was doing great by him, that was for sure. But like his brother, Wolfcall also didn't see, or hear, the third predator - until it was too late, and the bird was looking to make a snack out of the small black tom.

He opened his mouth to call a warning, but the owl struck Juniperpaw before sound could escape, and the next audible sound was his brother's frantic cry for help. "NO!" Wolfcall snarled, leaping forward with his heart in his throat at the scent of Juniperpaw's blood. He connected with the owl in a mass of screeching fur and feathers, raking it with both paws and trying to drive it away from the apprentice at any cost.

Wolfcall used Rear up to Slash on the owl, costing 10 stamina and dealing 17 damage.

Owl:
27/50 HP (-17)
110/120 SP

Juniperpaw:
10/20 HP
65/80 SP

Wolfcall
100/100 HP
270/280 SP (-10)

Wolfcall was there in a flash, and Juniperpaw would have been relieved if terror hadn't gripped him so strongly. He'd never seen a bird this big, or one as angry, and it was flapping and screeching like a phantom from the elders' stories. The pristine snow beneath him turned dark red with his blood. The owl, whipped into a frenzy by the scent and by the new cat that challenged its easy meal. It lashed out again, striking Juniperpaw in the face with its talons, and the world around him faded to black. 

The owl used Talon Strike on Juniperpaw, dealing 10 damage and using 10 stamina.


Owl:
27/50 HP
100/120 SP

Juniperpaw:
0/20 HP
65/80 SP

Wolfcall:
100/100 HP
270/280 SP

Until now, Wolfcall had never really seen owls as a huge threat - typically the large birds kept to themselves, only coming out at night when most cats were asleep. By the time the deputy had begun with his late-night wanderings, he'd already been too big a target for an owl to bother with. But that was not the case with Juniperpaw, and the apprentice was definitely meal-sized.

He failed to stop the first strike, as the bird had caught them both by surprise, but he was NOT going to let this feathered jerk hurt his brother further.

Leaping forward, he slipped in between Juniperpaw and the owl just as it slashed out with its claws. He saw his brother go backwards, buffeted by the struggle between the deputy and the predator, but Wolfcall caught the brunt of the injury, claws raking down the side of his neck. He snarled, shoving it backwards and away from the smaller tom.

Wolfcall used Blocking Leap, taking the damage from the owl's previous attack and expending 15 SP.

Owl:
27/50 HP
100/120 SP

Juniperpaw:
10/20 HP (+10)
65/80 SP

Wolfcall:
90/100 HP (-10)
255/280 SP (-15)