Home At Last [hunting] [c]

Whether it was ShadowClan's own territory, Highstones or even a simple hole in the ground, Harrierpaw would call it home as long as ShadowClan themselves were with her. Though it was preferred that Leopardsun be among them.

Speaking of Leopardsun, Harrierpaw was eager to reunite with her adoptive mother again. Sleepless nights of wondering if Leopardsun had gotten away with the others and if she had... Had the deputy been worrying about her all this time? The apprentice had hoped no one thought she had run away out of disloyalty.


Highstones was nothing like the forest itself: rocks everywhere that somehow made her teeth hurt as her unnaturally long claws scraped against them as she wandered the area. Her destination was, of course, wherever Leopardsun was. Her green eyes scanned the area only stopping when she caught sight of the spotted she-cat.

"Leopardsun!" Harrierpaw called out to the ShadowClan deputy with joy.

Leopardsun had almost given up on seeing most of the vanished cats again, enough so that she paused when she heard a familiar voice as she was about to go hunting; but when she slowly turned to look, she was met with an unmistakable sight. "...Harrierpaw?"

There was her adopted daughter, easy to see as the starlit sky. The one who had vanished just as she resolved to spend more time with her, to clear their relationship and treat her as she deserved. Against all odds, she had returned after all.

"Harrierpaw!" She moved forward as swiftly as she could, circling the apprentice with no small amount of concern. "Are you alright? Did they hurt you? I was- I was so worried, when they caught you. I'm sorry that I couldn't have been fast enough to save us both."

She sat down, content that Harrierpaw was more or less in one piece.

"You came back," she sighed, a breath of relief that she'd been holding in for- well, as long as it had taken her to return, metaphorically speaking at least. "My daughter... I missed you. Welcome home."

It was now that Harrierpaw allowed the tears to flow. She headbutted Leopardsun's shoulder, relieved to just be in the spotted warriors presence. "I saw them grab Nightstar... If you got captured too, I don't think ShadowClan would have survived." She laughed, but it was well known how most the cats of ShadowClan behaved. The struggle for power would not have ended well.

Sniffling, the apprentice stepping back to get a good look at Leopardsun. "The food was terrible and the place they put us all in was crowded and reeked... There were so many cats... Quite a few clan cats as well." Her eyes saddened for a moment, thinking back on how she had ran to save herself. She couldn't bring herself to mention it. "I'm fine, though. Really!" She wouldn't mention her missing toes or the purple collar around her neck. This was about their reunion.

"W-Where were you off to?"

Leopardsun paused, then laughed at Harrierpaw's comment too. She wasn't wrong, was she? Things had gotten quite heated even while she was present. "I suppose you might be right. Things weren't exactly easy to manage in his absence, I hesitate to think how things would have gone otherwise. He returned to us just recently- with a loner kit, if you can believe it... And now you have returned to us as well."

She listened as Harrierpaw spoke briefly of her experiences: terrible Twoleg food, a crowded place that reeked. The strange thing around her neck that she chose not to comment on. "I don't suppose you came across any of the other ShadowClan cats while they captured you? More have vanished since Fourtrees. Sablestrike and Honeylight are both gone, but they're not the only ones."

As Harrierpaw insisted she was fine and questioned what she'd been doing, Leopardsun purred. She'd almost forgotten.

"I was going to go hunting. Care to join me? I promise we won't catch any Twoleg food."

Nightstar brought a kit back...? Thinking on her first time seeing the ShadowClan leader, she felt the kit must have been even a little scared about it, too.
Her green eyes widened in surprise."Sablestrike and Honeylight were taken, too?!" Her heart hurt for the two. She didn't know if this was a blessing or a curse that she hadn't seen any other ShadowClan cats where she had been. "Unfortunately, I didn't see either of them... I hope- No. I know they'll return safe." If she and Nightstar could return (maybe neither in one piece, but still) then for sure the stubborn Sablestrike would come back with Honeylight in tow.

Hunting! "I would love to join you, Leopardsun." She laughed a little at the twoleg food comment. She really wanted to sink her teeth into some fresh mouse. Maybe even a rat if she were lucky!

--

A quiet stroll beside Leopardsun felt comfortable and warm to Harrierpaw even in Leafbare. They'd found an okay spot with good coverage, stopping and listening intently for any little sound indicating life.

There was no creatures scent caught on the gentle breeze, but rather something that smelled... Familiar. A bad familiar. Cold. Perhaps a scent of old blood mixed in? On investigation, it was a busted twoleg trap nestled under some dead leaves and twigs looking to have been... well used. The apprentice took multiple steps back, crouching low. "Get down, Leopardsun! It's one of those... Those twoleg things!" She hissed under her breath.

The member 'Flybot' has done the following action : Dice roll

---

'Hunting Dice' : 8

Leopardsun heeded Harrierpaw's warning quickly and efficiently, leaping back. Familiarity did her some good when it came to avoiding the cursed things, she supposed; but the trap-littered ground was certainly not worth that otherwise useless advantage. "Another one? I'll have to mention it to the Clan when we get back- I don't want anyone else getting captured if we can prevent it. Be careful- they're everywhere."

She recovered from the near-encounter quickly, scenting the air and searching with her eyes and ears until she caught wind of a rat. Swift reflexes and the talent of a natural-born hunter served her well as she leapt for it, pinning it in place for the kill quickly and easily.

"A lot has happened since Fourtrees, hasn't it?"

Leopardsun attempted to catch a Rat!
135/140 SP (-5)

The member 'Holly' has done the following action : Dice roll

---

'Hunting Dice' : 2

Backing away slowly with ears pressed firmly against her skull, Harrierpaw got as far away from the twoleg contraption as she could.

Her green eyes were trained on Leopardsun, watching her sleek form move with ease in the spotted she-cats favour. Harrierpaw smiled to herself, proud that this cat was not only ShadowClans future, but also her mother. She followed suit, scenting the breeze once again. A rabbit?

Yes, it was a rabbit for sure. It's pointed ears poking out over the brush and only barely blending in with it's rock
and snow covered surroundings. She lept, already long claws extended and aiming for her prey.

Harrierpaw successfully caught a rabbit.

The member 'Flybot' has done the following action : Dice roll

---

'Hunting Dice' : 2