Dashing Through the Snow [Bloodstrike]

Snow had fallen in the night, and about a tail-length of the powdery white stuff lay on the ground. Smokefeather trotted through the white-blanketed forest, downright cheerful with the cold air that ruffled her fur. Her pawsteps were light, fluffy frame maneuvering over the top of the snow with the same ease that most Skyclanners navigated the trees, seemingly natural.

Leaf-fall was slowly-but-surely giving way to leaf-bare, and this was technically supposed to be a hunt. Instead however, she'd found herself slowly relaxing in the chilly air. The forest was quiet, aside from the pawsteps of her and Bloodstrike.

Bloodstrike, who seemed about as disgusted at the fluffy white stuff as Smokefeather was cheerful. Gray-green eyes slid to her companion, a sudden spark of mischief in them that hadn't been there for some time.

Between everything that had happened recently, they hardly seemed to get any real alone time anymore. What little time they had gotten was far too often interrupted or spent focused on other things. But she was out of the medicine den now, and Primroselight had decided to take both her own and Smokefeather's apprentice for the day. Bloodstrike had organized patrols, and both of them had suddenly found themselves with free time to roam the snowy forest.

Bright eyes scanned their surroundings for a moment before returning to Bloodstrike's form, seeming innocent and pure. The pair walked onward, Smokefeather cheerily flitting atop the snowdrifts. A particularly large snowdrift had piled up beneath a tree. Undisturbed by pawprints, immaculate and pristine.

Not for much longer.

Smokefeather slipped over to the snowdrift, carefully and quietly packing some snow together until it formed a solid ball, a kittish spark of delight guiding her paws. Carefully, she lifted the ball of snow... And sent it flying towards Bloodstrike's turned head, eyes sparkling.

Bloodstrike knew it was cold outside, but the instant he looked out and saw the stars-cursed white freezing stuff... well actually he went outside and poked it with his toe. BUT THEN he was upset about it! He had scowled at it like it was literal dung smeared all across the ground in front of the den where he slept... only to look up and see his mate thoroughly enjoying herself in it. With uncertainty consuming him... Bloodstrike stepped out into the snow. He hated the feel of it under his paws, like sand if sand crunched like gravel. His ears rotated flat against his head, at first trying to high step out of it... but eventually giving up and giving in to hopelessness. His paws were wet and cold. When did this stuff go away?

Bloodstrike had done his best to ignore it as he plodded through it... his toes going numb. That was fine. He didn't need his toes. He forced the hateful thoughts towards the snow to the back of his mind and tried to be pleasant with Smokefeather. They rarely got time for just eachother and he wasn't about to let this horrible stuff ruin their evening.

But.

Apparently.

Smokefeather.

Had other ideas.

THWACK!

A snowball hit Bloodstrike right in the noggin. The larger tom spun, his fur bristling at first... but Smokefeather's face... She looked so happy. She looked like a kit with her smiling the way she did. With the recent loss of their daughter Dustpaw, Bloodstrike welcomed the new look in his mate's eyes. She had been angry, frustrated and upset for days... but today was different. He couldn't possibly yell at her to stop like he wanted to.

So....

Bloodstrike smirked at her instead and forced his brain to change gears. A snowball war she wanted... pelted with snow she would get! Bloodstrike charged at her, his powerful muscles flexing with every stride. Just at a moment where he should have pounced or maybe switched direction on her, Bloodstrike whipped himself sideways 180 degress and slammed on the brakes, sending a wave of snow directly for his mate. If that hit her... maybe that would teach her not to pick fights that she couldn't win!

As the snowball left her paws, Smokefeather was quickly making another.

Smokefeather almost felt bad as Bloodstrike's ears flattened and he spun to face her. Almost. The two stood facing each other for a moment, and Bloodstrike met her smirk with one of his own. And then he started towards her.

Smokefeather's tail twitched, and her body tensed to spring out of the way as he neared her. Instead of pouncing as she'd expected him to, he turned sideways and stopped short. Smokefeather's paws left the ground (or rather, the snow she stood atop of) and she twisted, leaping out of the way with a slightly-muffled laugh. Well, mostly out of the way.

Snow dusted the top of her head, the bridge of her nose and along her shoulders, and a feathered ear twitched as she gazed up at Bloodstrike, the corner of her mouth quirking upward in amusement. He surely couldn't think that that would deter her. No, he was too smart for that. He knew what he was doing, and he'd declared war. It was only fair that she reciprocate.

Deliberately, Smokefeather took a step back, then hurled the second snowball at him. Then promptly turned, darting through the trees away from him. Normally he was faster than she was, but in the snow her paws allowed her quicker movement. Still, he'd have time to get closer as she stopped to make another snowball. That was fine. She had other tricks up her tail if he did get close enough to trip.

Bloodstrike honestly wasn't surprised that he missed as bad as he did. Ah well. There would be more opportunities to get her back. He charged after her, even knowing it could be a trap and probably was. Upon the hurling of the second snowball, Bloodstrike ducked out of the way and kept charging forward. He glanced up at trees that were near her and he headed straight for those. Maybe she could launch snowballs at him... but how high? Bloodstrike jumped into a tree and scaled it quickly. With the prowess that only Skyclan warriors could boast, he easily leaped from tree branch to tree branch. In turn... varying piles of snow was shaken from the fire-hardy pines to the ground below... possibly to hit Smokefeather as he pursued her from above.

Upon landing on one of these branches, Bloodstrike scared up a squirrel that in turn... scared him. He lashed out swiftly with claws, knocking the squirrel off balance for a moment. He may as well finish the job. He dropped from the tree after the squirrel, intending to land on it and swiftly end it's life. It was a successful move. His claws buried into the squirrel on the ground and his jaws pierced it's throat to stop it from moving. The squirrel had died quickly but...

Bloodstrike was back on the ground where Smokefeather could easily reach him.

Uh oh...

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

---

'Hunting Dice' : 7

The sound of trembling branches as snow hit the ground had Smokefeather looking skyward to see her mate pursuing her from the trees. Well, she definitely wouldn't be able to reach him from that height. Smokefeather led him onwards, ducking out of the way of the falling snow as she led him in a winding path, appreciatively glancing upward every so often at the dark tom. She'd slowed her pace slightly, allowing him to not-quite catch up to her in the trees, and looked up just in time to see him startle a squirrel. The squirrel fell to his surprised claws, naturally, and Smokefeather casually began packing together another snowball.

"Nice catch." She smirked as the tom landed on the ground, not-very-far from where she'd slowed her pace and turned to watch.

The third snowball was thrown, and Smokefeather spun on her heel once more, Smokefeather glancing briefly over her shoulder with a grin as she bounded through the snow once more.

Bloodstrike looked at her just in time to see another snowball whirling toward him. This time, he ducked aside and it sailed passed him. Conflicted, he looked from the squirrel to a retreating Smokefeather. He'd... remember where the squirrel was and come back for it in a minute. He sprinted after her and started to close the distance. Once he was sure he was close enough, he kicked off of the ground and tried to take her to the ground with him. If he managed that, he was going to pile as much snow on her as he possibly could and then sit on her to make her think about what she had done! All in good fun, of course.

Smokefeather weaved her way through the trees, path circling back towards where their merry chase had started. The snowdrift she'd been eyeing earlier came into view, and her pace slowly slightly as she allowed Bloodstrike to catch up to her. She glanced back at him, whiskers twitching in amusement as he leapt for her.

Quickly, the fluffy tortoiseshell ducked, then shot out a forepaw aiming to trip him. It would, if he didn't manage to keep his balance, send him face-first into that snowdrift. Or so she hoped. He hated the snow, sure, but it was too much of a good opportunity to waste.