Dig Deep [For RC/TC Apprentices]

Ivypaw dove into the river, swimming in the relatively slow currents like a fish after a water vole. The sleek silver tabby moved like she'd been born for the water, her webbed paws propelling her faster than any possible non-RiverClan cat could be. Ironically, she was better suited to hunt for the icy waters than the thick undergrowth of ThunderClan's territories. Nimbly, she gave chase to the vole which was just tad behind her in speed, and just as it surfaced on Sunningrocks, the she-cat pounced off the riverbed's rocks and clamped her jaws around it's throat. Prey secured, she dove back into the water to swim across to RiverClan territory.

That was when she heard a snap. The sound of a breaking twig. Something the she-cat had become intimately familiar with in her time as an apprentice of ThunderClan. She'd been taught every sound, every smell, Ivypaw knew that a prey animal would have been quieter. Behind in those bushes wasn't a squirrel, but not a warrior either, from the snap, it was an apprentice. A warrior would never make a misstep like that.

Tossing the water vole over onto her side of bank, she called out from where she was standing in the shallows. "Come out. I can hear you, you know."

Swiftpaw ice fished. She looked over and saw Ivypaw looking at a ThunderClan cat. She looked over at the ThunderClan cat. "What are you doing here, ThunderClan fox-heart!" she hissed.

Dewpaw saw the commotion and decided to see what was going on. "Hey Ivypaw whats all this ruckus about?" She questioned, the sudden waft of Thunderclan cat filled her nose and made her fur bristle. "Is someone there?" She hissed crouching down ready to pounce.

OOC- Ivypaw is from RC

IC- Heronpaw had been running about, doing things, hunting, training and everything else before she saw some Riverclan apprentices- her clan. She trotted over and said hello before she looked away, scenting something. It was a Thunderclan apprentice- someone Ivypaw must've noticed. It was easy to see he was... Well, no, he looked a mix between anxiety-ridden and angry.

Blackpaw was hunting a squirrel and had made his way into Riverclan's territory- no big deal. He was going to get out, but then he was spotted. His expression was the same, and seeming it was the only thing he could do, growled. "H-Hey! I'm j-just hunting!" He yowled.

OOC: don't worry I know, i'm sure swiftpaw does too.

IC: Dewpaw spotted the apprentice Blackpaw, "Just hunting? Just hunting on our territory!" She hissed
"Let me guess you wanted to try some fish? Or did you just happen to stumble in our territory?" Dewpaw added and relaxed her muscles.

Swiftpaw made out the fur of Blackpaw. "Just hunting, on our territory!" she hissed.

"Bl- Blackpaw?" The silver tabby meowed quietly to herself, recognising the apprentice on sight. Ivypaw felt a tiny bit of hesitance in threatening the white tom, they'd been clanmates not too long ago. But remembering her father, she shook her head to clear it, no, she was a RiverClan cat now, and he was ThunderClan scum who was hunting in their territory. Considering her clanmates had said everything needed to be said, the silver tabby kept quiet, watching with simmering resentment from the sidelines.

Dewpaw waited for her other clanmates to act but saw the hesitance in Ivypaw. "I hope no blood is spilled over this."The grey she-cat mumbled to herself.

"N-N-No! I'm hunting 'c-cause my p-prey c-came here! S-so... Y-yeah!" He growled, unsheathibg his claws hesitantly. Please don't fight. He tried to keep hostility in his voice and expression, but it failed. He huffed and growled, but it didn't work. "A-And y-you lost m-me my p-prey!" He snarled.

The she-cat was on a solo hunting assignment when she noticed her clanmate's scent trail. It all seemed to be ordinary before the ThunderClan Dewpaw, named in honor of her leader's deceased idol, realized that it was heading out of the territory. It was too suspicious to ignore. The apprentice followed the tom's trail all the way into RiverClan land, observing quietly from the reeds as four rival apprentices challenged his trespassing. They were not being unreasonable, she supposed, but then again Dewpaw would probably get in trouble for leaving her denmate out there to fend for himself.

"Blackpaw." She meowed coolly, alerting the group to her presence while emerging from her hiding place.  "I see you've run into trouble." Blackpaw was, of course, older and much bigger than Dewpaw. Most cats, even other apprentices, were bigger than her. The she-cat wasn't shaken, though, and maintained an icy cold exterior.

OOC: Yay another Dewpaw! Except your name has a much better backstory :P

IC:
"Two cats now?" Dewpaw exclaimed and was slightly intimidated at the coldness of the other she-cat, she did not want to harm them and was hoping her clanmates thought the same. "It's not my fault you weren't fast enough to catch your prey!" She retorted but felt bad after leaving such a rude comment as she wasn't usually like that. "S-sorry." She quickly added under her breath.

"No, you're right, Dewpaw." Ivypaw spoke up finally, silver tail lashing behind her as she stepped forward to confront Blackpaw and put him in his place. To think he had the audacity to berate them for messing up his hunt when he was trespassing. "Firstly, once it crosses the border, it's our prey. And as Dewpaw said, isn't not our fault ThunderClan teaches their apprentices so poorly. You should try practicing basic pounces more, I've seen kittypets with more skill than you."

When another she cat came out of the woods, Ivypaw locked eyes with the newcomer. She was unfamiliar to her, and judging from her size, newly apprenticed. "Pft, who's this? Your mentor?" Each one of her words were clearly barbed, intended to anger and frustrate. The silver she-cat was itching for a fight, fuelled by the need to prove herself to ThunderClan, and her loyalty to RiverClan.

Heronpaw growled, baring her teeth. She stood next to her sister, Ivypaw, now, back arched unless something happened.
-
Blackpaw shot his head to the side to see Dewpaw, and it was easy to see he needed help. He knew he did wrong, but he was a bit nervous now...

OOC- Sorry for the short length

Dewpaw stuck a smile of gratitude to Ivypaw and saw Heronpaw stand next to her sister ready to fight. Dewpaw returned to her position, ready to pounce if needed. "Your choice Thunderclan, what's it gonna be? Admit your loss of prey and poor choices of coming here or..." She trailed off but remained a menacing glare at the two apprentices and showed she meant business. This was most likely not going to be a simple apologies and leave situation but Dewpaw couldn't help thinking about how this was her chance to show how strong she can be as most cats underestimated her maturity due to her humour and efforts to keep things positive.