For the Clan!!! [SC Hunting Patrol]

Steadfast grumbled to himself as he was lead further into the shadow's territory. Repairing den walls and helping with predator problems was no issue for the battle-scarred tom, but when it came to hunting Steady was at a disadvantage. The lack of depth perception often lead him to either overshooting his prey or undershooting it. It was a task better suited for Muse or Cherish, and any time they offered their services he wouls gladly take it, but with the black tom demanding his help Steadfast couldn't refuse.

As the the group reached their hunting grounds Steadfast got to work immediately, stalking off towards the scents of prey while keeping himself in view of the Shadowclanners. Even if they were hunting he didn't want to make the clan cats think he was going to take off and do what he wanted on their territory, as if that were an option for him. Steadfast kept quiet as he stalked the red-winged avian poking at a stump, timing his paw steps to each peck against the wood. With a few more steps he closed in on the bird, leaping and catching the distracted creature between his paws easily. It flailed under his grasp until the tom crushed its throat with a mighty bite.

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

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'Hunting Dice' : 4

Sunflare kept one eye on the rogue as he stalked off to hunt. After all, he wasn’t one to let his guard down. Outsiders would never be truly loyal to ShadowClan. A scent on the air caught his attention, and the wiry tom dropped into an expert hunting crouch. A rabbit in the marsh was an excellent meal, one that would feed multiple cats. He kept downwind, moving agonizingly slowly. When would the stupid thing let him chase? No, he couldn’t think like that. That wasn’t how ShadowClan cats hunted.

With a flash, he exploded from the undergrowth, narrowly missing his target. A high-speed chase ensued, with Sunflare streaking through the marsh after his quarry. In the end, he had to give up the chase. Lungs burning, the warrior returned to the patrol.

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

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'Hunting Dice' : 3

The new, strange non-ShadowClan cats made Hedgepaw feel shy. None of them had been mean to her--most of them hadn't even really talked to her at all. But outside of her known Clanmates and family, other cats were an unknown, and things that were unknown always made her a little bit nervous. So the small apprentice hid in her brother's shadow nearly the whole time, watching the loner and the older warrior whose name she'd forgotten dart back and forth in search of prey. I guess I'm supposed to be hunting too, huh? She let out a shaky breath. It would be embarrassing if she failed a catch in front of her brother, and these other cats too. But she offered a wide grin to Fernpaw. "Wish me luck!" Then, with a light cuff on the shoulder from one of her white paws, she darted off into the marsh to get her own catch.

Somewhere around here had to be some food. Hedgepaw did what Mamma taught her, sitting still and listening and scenting the air, until a rustle from the left caught her ear. She turned and saw a scrawny little mouse digging through an old snowdrift. Probably looking for food. Its size was perfect for her, though--small prey for a small cat. Carefully she dropped into a hunting crouch, narrowing her green eyes to slits. Creep forward carefully... don't let it see you. Just like hide-and-seek. Her tail still stuck straight up, a habit from kithood she hadn't managed to shake, but the rest of her body cooperated in her stalking. Then, when she was close enough, she pounced.

Unfortunately, her pinpoint focus on the small mouse meant she didn't quite notice her surroundings. Something else hungry had seen the mouse, too--and as it swooped in for the kill, the little mud-colored apprentice got in the way at just the wrong moment. The horned owl screeched angrily, frustrated that its perfect aim had been foiled. Well, the other thing looked just as edible, and it was bigger than the tiny mouse anyway.

Sharp talons suddenly bit into Hedgepaw's back, and before she knew it, she felt her paws starting to be lifted off the ground. Terror gripped her, and she let out a high-pitched scream. What was happening? It hurt! She scrambled and flailed, managing to barely catch a gnarled tree root with her claws and keep from being completely carried away into the sky. The owl had to readjust its grip, digging even further into her fur and drawing blood, but she'd successfully kept herself within distance of the ground... for now. Her heart was beating so loud she couldn't hear anything. Fear. She'd never felt so scared in her life. As she hyperventilated, she barely managed to wail out a few more desperate words. "Fern! Fern, help me!"

Hedgepaw tried to catch a mouse... rolled a predator! -3 SP
Owl uses Swoop, dealing 9 damage and costing 15 stamina.

Hedgepaw:
11/20 HP
57/60 SP

Owl:
30/30 HP
75/90 SP

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

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'Hunting Dice' : 10

Out on a hunt for herbs with Shadow Clan's wonderful cyclops medicine cat, Virtue's ears perked at the cries for help. His name was not 'Fern', but he was quick to act regardless as he zeroed in on the commotion: a hunting patrol with one of their little apprentice's dangling in the talons of an owl. Slipping into the shadows, his silver pelt faded into the darkness as he drew closer, climbing a pine tree for a better shot.

Once secure on one of the trees branches, Virtue launched himself at the owl, sharp teeth piercing one of the owls legs.

Virtue use Ankle Biter, dealing 8 damage and using 30 SP.
Owl deals half damage for 2 turns!

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Heatherberry chose not to engage with the predator, but would be there for after the fight was over. Fear was heavy on her coat as she watched one of Pineblossom's kits clutched between the sharp talons of the owl.

Friendly territory defense buff of +3 HP to all friendly cats is active!

Hedgepaw:
14/20 HP (+3)
57/60 SP

Owl: deals half damage for 2 turns!
22/30 HP (-8)
75/90 SP

Virtue:
68 / 68 HP (+3)
110 / 140 SP (-30)

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

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'Effect Dice' : 6

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

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'Effect Dice' : 5

Just as he could feel eyes on his pelt, Steadfast kept the shadows in his peripherals at all times. It was unlikely, but if any of them got injured he was sure the blackened warrior would try to blame him for letting the shadows get hurt. His unlikely fear was realized however as one of the young ones managed to get herself caught up in an owl's talons. Steadfast disregarded the carcass at his paws as he rushed to join his brother- an unexpected yet welcomed arrival- in dislodging the winged creature from poor Hedgepaw. Jumping at the thing and dislodging it by force could hurt the apprentice, which left him with very little choices in approaching this situation, but all that mattered was that the bird died, right? Best to play it safe. Steadfast followed the actions of the rest, swiping at the owl from below with outstretched claws.

Steadfast used Front Paw Strike, Dealing 10 HP and Costing 7 SP

Owl: deals half damage for 2 turns!
2/30 HP (-10)
75/90 SP

Hedgepaw:
14/20 HP
57/60 SP

Fernpaw: Defense Buff Active
23/20 HP
35/60 SP

Virtue:
68 / 68 HP
110 / 140 SP

Steadfast:
68 / 68 HP (+3)
130 / 140 SP (-7)

Sunflare showed up just in time to find the entire patrol fighting an owl, and not a one of them ending it. Flea-brains. In a blur of cinnamon, Sunflare lunged forward, digging his teeth into the owl’s throat and pulling it off of its target. He stood, jaws locked in a pool of blood and feathers, until the already-exhausted owl fell still.

Sunflare has used Killing Bite on the owl.

Everything happened quickly. The stinging, painful sensation in Hedgepaw's back went away, as did the force lifting her, so she toppled suddenly back to the ground. It hadn't been a far fall, so the sensation of landing didn't hurt; she hardly even noticed it with the strangeness of the fear in her veins and the small wounds on her back. She'd never really been hurt before--not like this. One or two play-fighting accidents, or tumbling too far during the journey, but... not the warm, wet sensation of whatever the talons piercing into her back had caused. Someone was saying her name--Fernpaw, probably. She wanted to look and see if he was okay. But her heart was beating so quickly that she couldn't focus on anything else. Dazed, still in shock, she couldn't do anything other than stare at her paws with a vision that swam and fuzzed with bright spots.

The owl never stood a chance. Once three full-grown cats and a surprisingly vicious younger one piled on it, it didn't even had a chance to escape. It let go of the cat it held in its talons when its leg was bitten, but by then it was too late. With a loud screech, it thumped to the ground, right next to its attempted victim.

It was over. Everything was fine now. So why was her head still spinning? Instinctively, Hedgepaw felt the desire to hide. She darted behind Fernpaw--that had to be Fernpaw, right, she recognized his scent--and curled up as close to him as possible. The other cats nearby were her Clanmates; she didn't need to hide from them. But the pain and shock deleted most rational thought from her mind. Her small form trembled as she hid, trying to catch her breath. She was safe now. Everything was fine. But the scared feeling that made her paws shake hadn't gone away, nor had the sharp and unfamiliar pain. Everyone else had helped her. The wounds were small and shallow, and would heal easily. But everything that she'd been told as a kit had come to life. There were scary things in the woods that wanted to eat her. One of them had tried. If she'd been all alone she would've been eaten. And Mamma had taught her to be polite, so even above the tangled mess of choking sour fear, Hedgepaw did her best to squeak out a few words. "Th-thank... thank you." She'd interrupted their hunting patrol by not looking carefully enough for scary things. Another unfamiliar feeling--guilt, sharp and bitter--rose up in her throat. "Sorry."