Rise with the Fish (closed)

A glimmer of light stained the sky as Minkstream padded across the clearing to the apprentice's den, the light beginnings of a usual headache aching at the back of his mind. At least it wasn't full-bore throbbing. Hopefully he could manage this one task. StarClan willing - their lazy tails deigning to bless him just this once. It was all he asked.

He shook his mind back to the task at paw, picking his way around sleeping forms and poking a dark-pelted one. "Time for your first day as an apprentice. Come on, let's get going."

Admiral looked up through the blur of his eyes. "What do you mean? I know I'm an apprentice but I'm also a full grown cat, why do I need to do the apprentice's chores?" The black fluffy tom didn't mean to be grumpy however when it was this early in the morning he didn't want to get up.
Too early for him was determined as high noon. He twitched his ear at Minkstream and went back to sleep fully aware that the tom was right there, but not willing to get up.

Minkstream's eyes narrowed as the tom spoke... and then promptly went back to sleep without letting him get even a word in edgewise. He raised his eyes to Silverpelt and let out a sigh, carefully pushing back the annoyance that threatened. This time, his poke was a lot firmer, and straight in the ribs. "Hey, it's your first day, so I'll clear you some water, but I'm not talking about apprentice chores. We're going on a patrol around the territory to get you used to it, and I don't care if you think it's too early." He practically loomed over the younger cat's nest, his eyes set and determined as they stared down with an intensity that demanded the other pay attention. "Warriors don't get up early for fun, you know. What do you think will happen if a predator attacks and we all keep snoozing away because we never got used to waking up at the snap of a twig? Believe me, you'll thank me for this later."

He added mildly, "And if you go back to sleep again, I'll sit on you."

Admiral put his paw over his head as the tom poked him in the ribs. "Yes, I realize that if a predator invaded the camp that the warrior's would have to get up but I'm just an apprentice and that means that I get to sleep in." he muttered, rolled over and went back to sleep not caring if the warrior had to sit on him or not.
The black tom could feel his mentor's eye staring at him intensly, but he really wanted his sleep.

This had gone far enough. Arrogant eel-tail.... His kids were better behaved than this. Barely restraining his annoyance, Minkstream reached down and gripped the other tom's scruff, his strong muscles working smoothly as he hauled him bodily out of his nest and toward the den's entrance, making sure he got at least halfway before spitting him out roughly.

By now almost the whole apprentice den was stirring, wide-eyed apprentices raising their heads, some of them scrambling out of the way. "There's one other thing you're missing, kit," He growled down at the dark-furred loner, ignoring the others. "When your leader tells you to get the foxdung out of your nest, you move your tail. If you want to be a part of this Clan - and it looks like you really don't right now - you do what your leadership tells you." His head was throbbing from all the exertion now - something that definitely didn't help improve his mood. If it were Mottledspark, this cat would've been crowfood long ago. "And sadly for you, I don't feel like taking in a lazy furball who can't even get up before sunhigh."

(ooc: I'm sorry, Minkstream is having a bad day XD You weren't kidding when you said Admiral was stubborn! I like this guy)

OCC: No problem, Admiral needs to learn.

Admiral looked up after being dragged around and out of the apprentice's den. Although he didn't have any hard feelings towards Minkstream he did now. "And you are the leader I suppose that took my poor lost soul into the clan?" he asked calmly despite the ranging storm inside of him. He was intentionally provoking the tom just to see how far he could actually go without getting clawed in the face.
Besides, the black cat reasoned that his 'mentor' wouldn't claw him in camp with all of these cats watching, too many witnesses and younger cats to set an example to.

At this point, he really didn't care anymore. Looking the other right in the eyes as he leaned down to barely a whisker's length away, he let his voice lower to a more mild tone. "I am. I'm also the one who can kick your poor, lost soul straight back out again. Is that what you want?"

He deliberately kept his stance casual, claws sheathed as he stood above the other - practically daring him to retaliate in a more physical way. This cat didn't seem like the type for that; all of his actions up until now had simply been out of lazy disobedience, more than anything. But if he did, Minkstream would be happy to oblige. So much for getting off on the right paw this time.

Admiral shrugged but he really had no desire to get kicked out of this new home. "I mean, you couldn't physically kick me out of the clan since you are not the leader nor the deputy but it's whatever." He slunk back and then slunk out of the den into the sunlight where he was being really grumpy. "Let's go then Minkstream where you want to train."

Not the leader nor the- Minkstream found himself speechless for a precious few seconds, biting back a growl as the other sauntered his way out into the sunlight beginning to glimmer over the edge of the ravine. ...He's really not wrong, though. Mismatched eyes glared into his fragmented memory, and he quickly let it slide, letting out a quiet sigh as he flicked his tail and mentally shaking himself. "Good." He padded past the other for the entrance to the camp. That was a good question - what had he been planning, again? "We're heading for the... borders. You'll need to know where every other Clan is so you don't start a war by wandering into the middle of their territory. We'll test your hunting skills on the way."

Admiral flicked his tail. "Alright, that sounds good." he yawned and padded out of camp ready- well kinda ready-to start the day and to finally get some breakfast. He looked at Minkstream with a question in his eyes. "Why do you all separate yourselves? If you were all one clan none of you would have any problems, you would all be fed and it would be easier for you to defend your borders." he observed.

Minkstream flicked an ear and gave his apprentice a sideways glance as they climbed to the top of the ravine. At least he was being more amiable, now. Progress, sort of. "Because we're stubborn. In some ways you're right; we'd be better defended and more peaceful that way, but I think I've come to understand a little of why we haven't." In days gone past, he'd definitely wondered the same thing. Now, though.... He brushed past the leaves of a fern, morning dew shivering off onto his pelt. "Our territories are different, and generally split along natural lines, like the river. If we were all one Clan we'd have to live in Fourtrees and do extended patrols through tree-lengths of forests, marshes, and whatever else. Or have some sort of over-leader who lords it over the rest of us while we live practically the same way we do now."

The memory of Asylum echoed in his mind, and the tip of his tail flicked. "I don't know about you, but things like that have never worked out well for us." Opening his maw, he drew in the scent of the forest around them, a faint rustle catching his ears at the same time a hint of mouse touched his tongue. He dropped his voice to a murmur and gestured to the other to stop. "Besides, we do have alliances to stop all-out war. Can you sense that?"

Admiral flicked his ears. "I do understand that, but why not send messengers from day to day to communicate with the other camps? It would be a designated cat, like an elder or an older warrior." He explained. "Would that not be easier?"

The green-eyed tom was not asking just to be spiteful, but out of pure curiosity. He had heard the elders talk of stories where the clans banded together and everyone and everything seemed so much stronger.

Did this tom ever stop talking? Minkstream mentally sighed, keeping an ear trained on the sound of rustling and reluctantly deciding that answering all the former loner's questions were probably more important right now. If only his head would stop throbbing and let him concentrate better... messengers to communicate between Clans? "We do that in emergencies, but usually younger cats, as elders aren't... as strong as they used to be, and I wouldn't put it on them to trudge around all day carrying messages from Clan to Clan. Besides, we'd all have to agree to that, and most of us like to keep some form of privacy. Having cats from another Clan, messenger or not, wouldn't be so good for keeping secrets." He glanced into the bushes, the sound of the mouse fossicking around still seeming completely oblivious to their presence. It didn't stop his fur from prickling slightly with impatience, though. "Maybe you could suggest some sort of idea at the gathering, if you can catch another leader. Personally, I'm not against it, but the problem is bringing something like that up to the others."

He cleared his throat quietly but purposefully, gesturing in the direction of the still-oblivious mouse. "In the meantime, how about you show me you can catch something?"

Admiral smiled in understanding mentally checking away the information that he could speak at a gathering to maybe add a little something to this 'code of the clans.' He swished his tail and then sniffed the wind to make sure that he was downwind where the mouse couldn't scent him. Then, crouching down he slowly made his way towards the mouse, careful not to brush up on anything that might leave his strong scent or that might leave a footprint that could identify him. As soon as the mouse was within pouncing distance, he leaped crashing down on the mouse and killing it with a loud ruckus. Off in the distance he could hear a crow 'talking' and felt satisfaction that he had managed to catch a mouse in front of his 'mentor' for the first time.

After killing the mouse Admiral sat up and then looked back at his mentor. "Yes, although it would probably be a medicine cat or a medicine cat apprentice on second thought?" he asked with his ears twitching, continuing the conversation as though he hadn't just killed a mouse. He knew himself when he had gotten older that he wouldn't want to deal with all kinds of messages and walking around the clan territory all day just to please other cats when there was nothing in it for him except for sore paws. "I have observed that they are generally safe wherever they go because even though they may work for the different clans they all have one job, to heal." he mused slightly.


OCC: sorry for writing the short posts, I'm still getting to know Admiral :)

(Sorry for the wait, I kinda completely forgot this topic existed... ^^;
But anyway, I was thinking we'd use the hunting system, just to get you your reqs so that Admiral can be accepted as a warrior sooner and whatnot. You'll only have to roll once, so hopefully we won't get any predators [and if we do there are always snakes, which Minkstream can one-hit kill]. On the other hand, if you've already done a hunting patrol with the hunting system, we could summon something a little harder that you can use the battle system on....)

Minkstream noted his technique with vague curiosity - especially the way he went to hide his scent. A hold-over from his loner days? That would make sense. Still, he managed to kill it cleanly enough, even if he probably scared off half the prey from there to Fourtrees in the process. A decent hunter. Better than some new apprentices - at least he checked wind direction and didn't rush it.

When the tom came back, he twitched his whiskers. "Decent catch - your skills show promise. You'll want to bury it until we come back - remind me if I forget." At the other's words, though, he gave a slight frown. Medicine cat or medicine cat apprentice for what? Hunting? A sneaking suspicion that they'd been talking about something before the dark-pelted tom went after the mouse crept over him, and he fought to remember. "Uh, yeah. Probably."

As he mused on, though, Minkstream relaxed slightly, his tail flicking as he beckoned the other to follow him, keeping his senses alert for anything else as they walked. "They are. Medicine cats are different from the rest of us, and they take on different oaths to help all cats instead of getting tangled up in territorial disputes."

A scent caught his nose, and he paused, twitching an ear at the other tom in a signal for him to lay off any answers or movement for now, falling into a crouch and moving silently through the undergrowth towards a soft rustle. The dusky ginger pelt of a squirrel appeared through the leaves, and he slowed, bunching his hind legs and taking in half a breath as he tensed to pounce-

Something beat him to it. A sudden flash from the side flickered across his vision just as he leapt, and he twisted, overshooting and landing awkwardly with a hiss of pain as his head protested the movement. What in the stars- A fierce, serpentine hiss reflected his own, and he found himself looking straight into the cold eyes of a snake as it snapped at him, latching onto his leg. Automatically, he leapt back from the sting of its fangs, paw flashing out as a spark of panic jolted through him.

Minkstream attempted to hunt a squirrel. It was unsuccessful. -3 SP.

A wild snake has appeared! And used Gripping Bite, dealing -10 damage and using -30 SP!

Minkstream:
110/120 (-10)
297/300 (-3)

Snakey:
10/10
50/80 (-30)

Minkstream used Front Paw Blow, dealing -15 damage and costing -5 SP! Snake is dead :(

Minkstream:
110/120
292/300 (-5)

Snakey:
-5/10 (-15)
50/80

(Okay, so we did get a predator encounter, and a handy demonstration of how the battle system works XD ahhhh, i just love dice....)