sharpening skills {solo, training}

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

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'Hunting Dice' : 2

Amazingly, Sagepaw caught up to the hare and took it down with no trouble. It was the biggest animal she had ever caught and it was a mouthful as she dragged it to her pile.

Now, she was getting tired. She couldn't keep going for much longer, but she wasn't going to give up while she still had energy to hunt.

The sky was beginning to lighten very subtly. Maybe a squirrel would be out scavenging around the roots of a tree.

Sagepaw's bright yellow eyes swept over the pine grove. It was the chitter of an excited squirrel who had found something which gave it away.

While the squirrel was busy at foraging, Sagepaw crept closer on the lightest paws. A silent shadow, she suddenly pounced forward.

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

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'Hunting Dice' : 2

The squirrel didn't even know she was coming. She buried it thankfully with her other catches.

Just before dawn, the birds had begun to sing. It reminded Sagepaw of her older sister and mentor Dawnbright. She would be happy to show her, and mama, and papa, and Moonpaw everything she had caught.

It also reminded Sagepaw she still had a chance to hunt a bird. These animals were noisy, so if she missed, it would call out to warn all the other birds and prey animals. Then everything would hide away.

It was a risk she determined was okay to take. The warriors on her patrol were hunting further away and most of her clan would be in their nests soon.

Sagepaw would see if there were any easier catches pecking on the forest floor before she would attempt to climb a tree.

She spotted a small bird, its plumage indistinguishable in the slowly lightening greyness. Creeping close enough for an accurate pounce, but far enough away that she had a run up to leap if the bird took off, Sagepaw got into position.

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

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'Hunting Dice' : 8

Sagepaw's leap was not nearly strong enough to catch the bird, even at a run up. After all, she was built lightly for stealth and not with the powerful back legs and big tough paws of SkyClan.

Sagepaw shrugged as the bird flew away with a warning squawk. However, looking at its ascent gave her an idea.

She padded stealthily through the pine grove, enjoying the rarity of hearing the dawn song, her bright yellow eyes fixed on the birds still perched safely on the branches above.

Finding a healthy, mature, sturdy tree, Sagepaw scrambled up the pine at the opposite side to the bird she was stalking. It sang cheerfully and obliviously on an easily reachable low branch.

Sagepaw picked her way along the rough bark, careful to place her paws well and smoothly along the tricky surface.

She would need to get very close to catch it since she wasn't going to risk pouncing at it from up in the air.

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

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'Hunting Dice' : 5

The bird was so close, a claws-length away, when it took off to the neighbouring tree. Sagepaw dropped to the ground empty-jawed. Birds were mostly feathers anyway.

As her paws hit the pine needles covering the earth, her patrol emerged from the shrinking shadows, praising her warmly.

Sagepaw blinked at them. The warriors had all certainly hunted but not nearly as much as Sagepaw. They had been busy watching her. "That was a test?"

It had been her warrior assessment! The older cats praised her patience and persistence. Her sensible attitude to more unusual and dangerous tasks. Sagepaw had demonstrated consistent skill.

She had caught more prey than she had missed. She had focused on defence when faced with an enemy, fighting it off without getting hurt, and allowing her to continue. She had attempted many skills and hunted every animal in the forest.

"Thank you," she replied earnestly with a dip of her head. She chuffed with happiness, it was lucky her patrol had been busy watching and not hunting themselves so it was possible to carry home everything Sagepaw had caught.

The young she-cat suddenly found herself all grown up. As satisfaction for her hard work washed over her, she felt her tiredness catch up to her. She would fall into her nest as soon as she was home and would sleep well today.