Hunting [OPEN]

Hollypaw it seemed, was eager to prove herself just as Beechfang was. The scarred she-cat nodded, offering her a wry smile. "Oh, sure." Beechfang shrugged. "I'm sure Ravenclaw's taught you well, it's just bad luck, is all. Catching anything in this weather is difficult." She added. Ravenclaw had taught Birdsong well... Hopefully she was doing alright, wherever she was. She shook her head to clear it, setting the hawk down so she could scent the air.

"I can scent another squirrel, why don't you try going after it?"

Beechfang’s easy acceptance made her brighten; Ravenclaw had been trying to teach her. But with Beechfang watching, she had to do better, didn’t she? It was like… she was given a chance.

The young molly sniffed, and at the scent her eyes sharpened. In the cold, her sense of smell felt fainter, but… while she was used to it — and her mom would never let her go hungry, even as an apprentice — in this weather, prey made every cat salivate.

She was padding closer before she even realized it, and then — with a flush — remembered her hunting crouches. (It wasn’t Holly’s fault she was naturally loud!) Downwind, downwind... she reminded herself, feeling a bit of nerves as she tried to locate her prey. It must be close, right?

She crossed a snowdrift, having to remind herself it was not the time to slide down one. And kept herself alert... until she saw it! At the base of a tree skittering. And it, miraculously, hadn’t seen her. Part of her froze up and part of her zeroed in, eyes narrowing. She’d sunk, belly brushing the snow — tail sticking up, legs too high — and went for it!

Maybe too soon, because suddenly the squirrel whipped around to look at her and Hollypaw froze, half a fox-length away.

They looked at each other.

And then it ran. And scrambling, Holly ran for it too, kicking over snow. It went for the tree and — hah! — Hollypaw cut it off, teeth flashing. The scrawny squirrel pivoted seamlessly though, racing around, as if trying to scale it anyway and it barely made it up the tree when Hollypaw struck.

It was a paw’s blow, not even claws — Hollypaw wasn’t thinking that hard — but it hit squarely and the squirrel dropped. It hit the snow and she was surprised, I — did I actually get it?! When she hesitantly stepped forward, though, it wasn’t dead and in her haste she snatched the squirrel by the tail. By the neck, Hollypaw! she chided herself and then just like the hawk, pinned it with a paw and took its neck.

And then it was hers. She’d — actually caught it?!

“I did it!” Hollypaw squealed. Her fur fluffed, tail curled, and practically bounced in victory. The prized squirrel — missing fur and scrawny, and also a bit messy — was held proud.

Setting it near her Aunt Beechfang’s squirrel, she couldn’t contain her elation. Even if Beechfang’s kills were obviously more impressive... but then, Beechfang was a predator killer. It was bound to be! “I bet my mom would be impressed, huh? Don’t you think so?”

With a bit of a shyness, she hoped Beechfang thought so too.

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

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'Hunting Dice' : 8

Beechfang stepped back as Hollypaw picked up on the squirrel, beginning to track the faint scent through the snow. She wanted no chance of interference, but with how their luck had already gone today Beechfang was ready and willing to fight off another predator, even if her wounds did sting a bit.

...Okay, yeah, Hollypaw's form definitely needed work. Surely it couldn't have been on Ravenclaw, she'd trained Birdsong and other apprentices so well. No, Hollypaw was probably just rattled from the fight and her earlier miss. And the snow did make moving around difficult. Like Ravenclaw, Hollypaw's dark fur stood out against the paleness of their surroundings, too. Hunting in this stuff would've been all the more difficult for it.

She did catch the squirrel, though. "You'll improve with practice." She mewed with a purr. "And I'm sure Prim would love it. You can take it to her when we get back to camp." Maybe it would lift her spirits a bit. Primroselight was good at putting on a cheerful face, but Beechfang knew better. Recent events were wearing on her.

“Yeah, I will!” she mewed. She didn’t see her mom as much as she’d like, these days — but surely Primeroselight would want to see her daughter’s brilliant, amazing catch! Hollypaw would even recount the story (plus the part about helping her Aunt Beechfang bring down a hawk). Oh — and Ravenclaw. She’d have to show her mentor too. “Thanks for helping me. I mean, maybe someday...”

Hollypaw considered it — asking if Beechfang would let Hollypaw come hunting with her more often. And... you know... if she ever went looking for the beast who ripped her face off. (Which, again, she hadn’t asked — maybe the beast was dead! But then why train as a warrior?!) And then she closed her mouth. It was probably too soon. “...anyway. Um, yeah! Let’s get back to camp!”

She hurriedly grabbed her squirrel, and then started off toward camp. It had been a pretty good hunt.