Forging family ties (GoldenSilver + kits!)

Goldenfang lead the patrol through the ice and snow with her ears pinned back. The wind made her thin-furred ears sting, and every step through the white powder paradoxically burned her paw pads until they went numb. Her spirits were not diminished, however; behind the recently recovered queen was her family. She hadn’t had a family in seasons. But there was Silverlight, his charming green eyes bright, and alongside him were Daisypaw, Coyotepaw, and Lightningpaw. The little scraps of fur that wailed for her warmth now pounced about with lengthy limbs and glowing personalities. A warm purr flickered in her chest at the future the three of them promised: Daisypaw, brimming with questions; Coyotepaw, headstrong but ambitious; Lightningpaw, quiet and kind. Was it fair to be proud of them.

“I never had snow growing up. It still takes me some time to get used to it, especially hunting in it. How are you all doing on your hunts? What was your first prey, kits?” Goldenfang asked, curious how her kits and mate were getting along. This season was much more difficult than any she had experienced. If her kits were learning well now, they would be quite skilled in the bountiful seasons.

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Lightningpaw traipsed after his parents and sisters, legs sinking deep in the snow in some places. He smiled brightly when Goldenfang looked back to ask them about their hunting training. He stayed silent, though. Perhaps in the time his over-eager sisters answer their mother’s question, he would have come up with something more impressive than some tiny ice-encrusted vole that had wandered too far from the Fourtrees clearing.

Trudging through the snow right beside her brother, Lightningpaw, Daisypaw was enjoying the family patrol. Her long fur did a fairly good job of keeping the cold out, so the weather didn't bother her too much today. Snowflakes dancing in the air reminded her of her last hunting session with Swiftspirit, but she shook away the thought to listen to what her mother was saying.

"Mom, we're not kits anymore!! We're apprentices now.. " she pointed out from the back of the patrol, unaware of how much she sounded like a kit. Her little gait of energetic hops sent snow spraying behind her. Now matching her pace to that of her mother's, she spilled the story of her eagle battle.

"It took me a few tries to catch a piece of prey.. but it was worth it! Because if I hadn't missed, my first prey wouldn't have been an eagle! It was going to be a hare, but then the eagle scared it away and attacked me instead! Its talons, they were so sharp, were latched on my back but I fought back! I think there's a scar on my back now.. it's probably covered by my fur though. Swiftspirit and I took it down together! It was no match for us.." she rambled, beaming with pride.

Waiting for some kind of reaction, she fell back behind her mother and padded behind her, sinking her own paws into her mother's pawsteps in the snow.

Coyotepaw trudged behind Goldenfang closely. She admired her mother greatly, and it was truly an honor to be her kit. A whole deputy as a mother! Goldenfang was strong, smart, and beloved by the clan. It was a lot to fill, but Coyotepaw was more than willing to follow in her mother's paw steps. Her ears perked at Goldenfang's question then twitched in annoyance as Daisypaw chimed in sounding like a spoiled kit as she went on and on about her amazing 'hunt'. She found it hard to believe. Ignoring her sister, Coyotepaw spoke up about her own first prey. "I caught a rabbit." She said proudly, puffing up her chest. "A little scrawny, but that's prey right now. I'm pretty fast, it was easy." StarClan, she wanted Goldenfang to acknowledge her speed. It was her best asset afterall.

Lightningpaw rolled his eyes at Daisypaw’s recounting of her fight with the eagle. That doesn’t count! Swiftspirit probably did all the fighting anyway. Coyotepaw was more believable, and he found himself construction something similar. “Yeah, I chased down a hare the first time I went out with Daystar. She helped me kill it, though.” He added, considering that even leafbare hares were long and strong. He figured that would be believable, even if he’d never brought home anything more than a few rodents.

Goldenfang laughed at Daisypaw’s protest. “You’re my kits, like it or not. Well done on taking down the eagle, my little killer! A warrior’s first battle is always something to celebrate. Those thieving birds will think twice about crossing you.” She meowed, an easy smile on her muzzle. Her litter seemed full of eager energy, and she was glowing with pride at their reports. “Good work, Coyotepaw. We must remember to be grateful for the prey that give their lives to feed us. Even thin rabbits are worthy catches. I hope you’ll show me your speed today, darling, I’m looking forward to watching you go!” Lightningpaw’s voice piped up from the back, and Goldenfang nodded as he spoke. “I’m glad Daystar was right there to help. Your mentors are all strong, reliable warriors, and they’re with you to help you become the best you could possibly be. It’s easy to become prideful, and we should be proud of our hard work, but we should all remember that asking for help from trustworthy cats makes us stronger together. I suppose I need to remember that myself.” The molly pondered, hoping her kits were absorbing her words. Lectures were boring. She knew that from personal experience.

Her pleasure in crowing over her children’s successes greatly outweighed the frustrations of the snow. Occasionally a step sank deeper than she expected, but if it guided the ‘paws to a safer path, she was willing to lead the way. Soon they would reach the flattest area of their territory, and then they could run the frozen moor without losing sight of one another.

When the sloping hills evened out and the territory plateaued before the patrol, Goldenfang paused to allow her family to gather around. She shook the snow from her fur before addressing them. “Alright, it’s time to spread out. Remember to watch your steps, and… oh, you already know what to do. Don’t wander too far.” She dismissed the apprentices with a flick of her tail, gazing over the area to see what hints of prey stuck out against the snow.

A rabbit and a hare. It came as no surprise; her siblings were speedy after all! Pride radiated from the tip of her nose to the tip of her bushy tail. Her mother was proud of her and that was all she needed to know. As the family continued trekking towards the frozen moor, Goldenfang spoke about pridefulness. Daisypaw supposed it was slightly directed at her. She had only wanted to prove that she could be something more than her voice... I'll try not to brag next time.

The thoughts in her mind quickly evaporated as they arrived at their destination. Time to hunt! As soon as they were given to signal to go, the she-cat scented the air. Silently, she stalked towards a patch of snow. A soft scrabbling sound could be heard nearby. Trying to pinpoint the source, her ears twitched, swiveling in different directions. Finally, she spotted the creature, a rather small rabbit, looking for food. Making sure she was downwind, she edged forward, her crouch well-practiced. The rabbit turned away for a brief moment and she lunged. Daisypaw was not quick enough. She chased after the furry animal, streaking across the moor. Unfortunately, it skidded down a rabbit hole and left the apprentice inhaling for breath.

Daisypaw attempted to catch a rabbit.

Daisypaw
HP: 20/20
SP: 53/60

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

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'Hunting Dice' : 4

Coyotespaw nodded to her mother, proud. "Of course, mother. I was proud to carry it back to camp. Hawkpaw and I enjoyed it together in celebration." As the group spread out to hunt, Coyotepaw slunk away quietly. Tasting the wind, she scented a hare conveniently downwind to her. Making sure to be extra quiet on the crunching snow, Coyotepaw approached. Quite unfortunately, the wind changed as she began to run towards the hare. With a soft groan, she skidded to a stop. The hare was already too far away to catch up to.

Coyotepaw
20/20 HP
55/60 SP

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

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'Hunting Dice' : 7