WindClan Duties And Patrols(Jan 2024): Hunting

Welcome to the first Duties & Patrols for 2024! The rules are simple: post in a posting order, do your duties well, report any problems encountered during the patrol to a leader or deputy, and enjoy! Please remember that sign-ups have resetted, so please sign up again if you wish to join for next month's Duties & Patrols <3

Quickfrost had been assigned to the hunting patrol with Goldengale, Galepaw, and Cloudypaw. She hadn’t interacted with these cats much, but her brother had so it would be nice to talk. As they started the patrol, she was the first to talk by saying “So, Goldengale how’s Galepaw training going?” she’d known a little bit of Galepaw as a kit so it’s be interesting to hear about his training as an apprentice. She'd also spent a little time with Cloudypaw when they were a kit. However she had never really been around Goldengale, a shame because Tallshadow seemed to enjoy her.

With a conversation started Quickfrost caught the scent of a rabbit and snuck up behind it, with the snow around she blended in perfectly with the ground. Now all she needed was good luck, hopefully Starclan would be on her side. Luckily she did have a bit of luck today and ran after the rabbit catching it with no issues. She quickly buried it in a spot she would remember and headed back over to the patrol.

Quickfrost attempted to catch a rabbit costing 5 SP, Rolling… Success!

The member 'Your Every Day Cat' has done the following action : Dice roll

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'Hunting Dice' : 5

(OOC: sorry if you saw my accidental double post - 7:55am shenanigans for me!)

A soft wheeze exited Cloudypaw's mouth as she tried to keep up with the patrol. Her legs felt wobbly, though she powered on stubbornly behind the rest of them. She couldn't help but feel grateful that they were intermingling among themselves. It gave her more time to pull herself together.

Her eyes shined with inspiration from Quickfrost's catch. "Great job! That was so cool!" She croaked out, the first time witnessing freshkill being caught. She wanted one too. She took a deep breath, sniffling, and to her surprise, there was a second rabbit not too far from the initial catch. She distanced herself away from the patrol towards the scent of the rabbit, dropping into a crouch. Unfortunately, her soft wheezing made it easy for the rabbit to realize what she was trying to do. It quickly fled. She looked back at her patrol with a bit of a pout. She wanted to prove that she was okay enough to actually participate.

Cloudypaw attempted to catch a rabbit costing 5 SP, Rolling… Failure! (please note she's disabled & disadvantaged!)

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

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'Hunting Dice' : 7

“Oh, ‘s going well, right kiddo?” Goldengale answered airily, giving her apprentice a bright grin. “Hey, Galepaw, show Quickfrost and Cloudpaw how it’s done, huh?”

With those words she loped off, eyes set on a brown shape not too far away. When she drew closer, however, it was revealed to be nothing but carrion, long-dead and stinking. Grimacing, Goldengale scraped some dirt over the dead animal and headed back to the patrol with nothing to show but some old blood on her paws.


rollll fail

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

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'Hunting Dice' : 9

Galepaw

Galepaw was thrilled to have been chosen to go on today's hunting patrol. As he grew older, stronger, and bigger, he had been tagging along on more patrols and was beginning to feel more and more like a true warrior of WindClan. Of course, he had no qualms about his other duties as an apprentice, but he loved hunting and providing for his clan, and protecting their borders.

He watched as first Quickfrost easily took down a rabbit, purring his praise at the young warrior. She's come far since I watched her warrior ceremony, he considered, his mind flicking back to that day which felt so long ago now. She must be one of the best hunters in the clan, beside Goldengale.

His fur pricked in anticipation as he observed his sister stalking off toward a hare and blinked his sympathy when it heard her and fled. "It was just bad luck," he said assuringly, "You'll get the next one!"

Galepaw's eyes shone at his mentor's encouragement. "Yes, Goldengale," he nodded, and cast a good-natured competitive look at both Cloudypaw and Quickfrost. He lowered himself into his best crouch, his strong muscles bunching beneath his pale tortoiseshell tebby pelt, and stalked off between the tussocks, away from the patrol in another direction.

He found himself on the trail of a vole. It wasn't as impressive as a rabbit, but prey was prey. The scent was fresh and led him up over a rise, where his ears picked up the faint chewing of the nearby animal. His eyes narrowed in concentration, and he help his tail just above the snow. He followed his nose and his ears and found the vole with its back to him, snuffling through a stash in the snow. Galepaw concentrated hard, bunching his muscles beneath him and wiggling on his haunches...

Galepaw catches the vole! (55/60 SP)

...Galepaw sprung, landing square on top of his vole, and ended its life with a swift nip to the back of its neck. Satisfied, he picked up his freshkill and bounded back to the trail with the rest of the patrol. There he covered his catch with snow to retrieve later. He didn't want to flaunt his catch in front of Cloudypaw and make her feel more self-conscious than she already did. He flashed his mentor a proud look, his amber eyes shining and his tail held high, then padded back to his sister, trailing a bit behind the patrol.

"Hey, Cloudypaw," he started, "Would you want to try hunting together? I know a great spot nearby where there's a whole warren of rabbits. I could show you the move Goldengale showed me on our first outing. It takes teamwork," he suggested, with a friendly nudge. He hoped his sister wouldn't be offended by his help.

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

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'Hunting Dice' : 3

OOC: me realizing 3 people have been waiting on me for 3 days

Quickfrost was glad that Cloudypaw thought her catch was cool, it was rare for another cat to be amazed at a catch, even if it was an apprentice. “Thanks, Cloudypaw” she smiled at her to show appreciation. Then Cloudypaw had seemed to find a rabbit of her own. She looked expecting chase. Then she realized how sick Cloudypaw had been since the gathering. Her sickly breath caught the attention of the rabbit and it was over from there. She felt bad for the young she-cat but nothing could be done.

Goldengale was next to hunt. Unfortunately when she returned there was only old blood on her paws. She had said that training with Galepaw was going well, good to hear. She was making progress on training her apprentice as well. Galepaw was ready to prove his training setting his sights on a vole. “Wow Galepaw that’s the best catch I’ve seen in awhile” she praised. Of course the apprentice had cast her a competitive look, which meant she had to have the better next catch, might be hard but possible.

Before she could attempt to find a rabbit she noticed Galepaw giving encouraging words to Cloudypaw, she thought of how sweet that was, but it also reminded her of when she couldn’t hunt for the life of her. Then once Nectarflower had helped her out using teamwork, she was able to catch a rabbit at last. She hadn’t missed a catch since then. Back to her next catch she found another rabbit nearby. Quickly she hid in a nearby bush. Then she snuck around like Nectarflower had taught her until she reached the rabbit's burrow. Then she ran at it, no way it’d escape now.

She caught it same as last time, no issues almost disappointing how easy it could be with her fast legs. She went back to the patrol casting a 'you can do it!' Expression towards Cloudypaw. “Alright Cloudypaw, I believe you can do this, trust yourself.” she wanted to be sure the apprentice had another chance at doing hunting by herself if she wanted. Maybe throw some encouragement her way and if she caught one now, she’d imagine it’d be a good feeling.

Quickfrost attempted to catch a rabbit costing 5 SP, rolling… Success!

The member 'Your Every Day Cat' has done the following action : Dice roll

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'Hunting Dice' : 5

Cloudypaw felt embarrassed when she was contrasted against her healthier brother. Her pelt felt hot and uncomfortable. Her legs were shaky, and she just generally didn't feel good. She watched the other cats hunt with dull eyes. "Great job, everyone!" She mewed, attempting to be enthusiastic despite how she felt on the inside. They were doing amazing. Of course they were! Meanwhile, she yearned to be back in her nest in the medicine den.

Even worse, her relationship with her brother was not on the mend. She briefly flicked her ears back as he approached her with his proposition. He kept trying to be close again - but it felt off. It was like he ripped into her ear all over again every time he tried. It stings just as bad. The best thing she could do here is try, at least, to hold up the 'siblings joined at the hip' reputation they've developed.

"Please show me!" She croaked out with almost artificial and overexaggerated enthusiasm and kindness, though her eyes told the truth. She was tired and the damaged relationship was a lot to handle. "Eaglefly hasn't shown me how to catch real prey yet since I've been sick. I had to fight with Daisypaw to even come on a patrol." She admitted. It wasn't Eaglefly's fault. He was an incredible mentor and it was just unfortunate timing. She shot an appreciative glance at Quickfrost for her encouragement, giving her a small smile.

Goldengale grinned right back at her apprentice, proud as a mother hen. “She’s right, kiddo, that was a splendid catch. I better be careful, else the student surpass the master, eh?”

Now, she wasn’t quite the best when it came to, like, feelings and scat, but even Goldengale could pick up on some of the tension in the air. Huh. Weird. Wait, had Cloudpaw not been taught how to really hunt yet? Ptcha. They’d have to fix that now, wouldn’t they?

“Well, time to learn then!” She announced, head held high. “Why don’t we all follow Galepaw’s suggestion? Cloudpaw can get in some practice, and Quickfleet and I can help you out. C’mon, Cloudpaw, head up and shoulders back!”

She knocked her shoulder against the younger molly’s, grinning. “We’ll have you huntin’ like a real WindClanner before you can say rabbit scat. Lead the way, Galepaw!”

Galepaw

Galepaw wasn't oblivious to the obvious tension underlying his sister's unusual response to his offer, but he was grateful that she didn't stubbornly turn him down. He felt a pang in his heart as he realized things weren't easing up between the two of them, despite his best efforts. Guilt gnawed at his stomach as he saw the exhausted look in Cloudypaw's hazel eyes. His gaze softened and he shook his head.

"That won't do," he meowed as she went on, "We can't let you fall too far behind me in training," he purred, the competitive look returning to his amber gaze. "When Eaglefly brings you out for a hunting patrol, he will be impressed at the moves you'll learn today, you'll see."

His mentors's praise only served to boost his growing ego. He held his chin up and puffed out his chest, his tail high and hanging over his back. Lead the way? he thought jubilantly, It'll be like I'm leading the patrol! Guilt and shame forgotten for the moment, pride blossomed in his chest as he nodded acknowledgement to Goldengale's words. He started off up the hill, lowering himself tactfully into a crouch. Just before reaching the rise, he glanced over his shoulder to make sure the rest of the patrol - my patrol, he thought assuredly - was doing the same. His tail flicked a signal as he crested the rise, not far now from the rabbit warren he had been shown on his first day out with Goldengale. It had been nearly three moons since then, how time passed. The prey had certainly forgotten the presence of cats by now and returned to their homes. The scent here was strong. Galepaw's mouth watered.

He turned to Cloudypaw just behind him.
"I'm going to scare them out. You watch that hole over there." he signalled with a flick of his tail toward a low lying shrub, and turned to Quickfrost and Goldengale. "There's other holes spread out over there," he gestured. "Once you're all in position, I'll start digging and yowl to scare them out towards all you three." Watching to ensure everyone had the idea, he looked back at Cloudypaw and gave her a charming little wink. "Maybe we can bring back the clan's weight in prey today."

Galepaw got into position, watching the other three cats make their way to their respective holes. I have a good feeling about this, he thought hopefully. The last time he was here, his hunt had been a failure. But this time they had two more cats with them - two more cats to catch two more rabbits. He glanced at each of the patrol in turn.

Now!

Galepaw started thrashing wildly at the rabbit hole, scattering snow and dirt behind him. He reached his muzzle down into the tunnel and yowled his loudest yowl. He felt the ground beneath his paws vibrating with the movements of the rabbits down below - there had to be a whole burrow-full of them this time! He released the ugliest, loudest caterwauling he could manage, mimicking what Goldengale had done on their first hunt. This is it!

"Get them! May StarClan guide our claws!!"

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Quickfrost realizing her attempt to give encouraging words was not very good, she took a step back slightly embarrassed, giving Cloudypaw a Quick nod. She then liste to Goldengale some more and then… she called her Quickfleet… not cool. She shot a stare at her for that got rid of it before Goldengale noticed, she could call her Goldengate later, it was fine. Then it clicked when Galepaw responded, she finally realized the tension that was behind Cloudypaw when she was with Galepaw, it made sense now, something had clearly happened. Best not to bother them though, while her and Dustpaw had their sibling squabbles and they resolved them fine, she quickly thought to herself ‘oh Dustpaw where did you go..’ before snapping back to the present with the situation at hand.

Suddenly Galepaw was telling her what to do, now Quickfrost didn’t exactly like this, but the apprentice seemed to know what he was doing, so she went ahead to the nearest hole that wasn’t the one he redirected Cloudypaw to. Once Galepaw had scared the rabbits out. She immediately ran after the first one out. Caught right at the neck after it jumped out, now that was a good feeling, she didn’t get a catch like that everyday.

Quickfrost attempted to catch a rabbit costing 5 SP and Rolling…Success!