We're gonna see some ice! [Open Patrol]

Icepaw longed to go out the camp and hunt some prey for the clan. He had recently become an apprentice and most of his clanmates were injured in the battle with RiverClan. Worst, they had lost. He had seen everything clearly from the nursery, Smokepelt being dragged away, Ashstar losing a life. It was too horrible to think about it. Almost everybody was wounded badly and he knew he had to bring enough food for them to recover their strength. But leaf-bare wouldn't allow it, the coldness would scare all the prey back to their nest and catching a tiny mouse could be luck. I can't stand it anymore! I hate RiverClan, they ruined us!

Stretching his stiff legs, he padded out the apprentice den and paced around the entrance. He could go hunting, yes, and he could also look for some catmint. With most of the warriors injured and leaf-bare arriving, greencough was spreading. Where do catmint grow? He was about to ask Cindercloud if there was any catmint in their territory when he decided against it. She was busying enough caring for the wounds of his clanmates, it wouldn't be a good idea to bother her now. She'll ask for help when she needs it, I should focus on hunting for the clan now!

The black striped tom sat down and began grooming his fur, a patrol was what he needed. So few cats we're fit enough to go hunting, he knew that it could be only another warrior with him on this patrol. Why did they have to attack us so late in leaf-bare? A selfish leader with fox-hearted clanmates!

Thistlefall noticed Icepaw pacing near the entrance to camp. The newly appointed warrior had been an apprentice when they battle took place, and he had urged himself not to fight.

From the edges of camp he had watched the fight, how RiverClan slowly took out each WindClan warrior and apprentice. In that moment, he knew it was too late, their rivals were winning, and at that point, he knew the best he could do was stay fit and maintain the energy to feed his injured clan.

The grey tabby tom padded up over to the apprentice, slowing down as he grew closer. "Can't sit still? How about a patrol? We need prey more than anything right now, and I'd enjoy your help in hunting."

Duskstorm still injured from fighting limped over to Thistlefall and Icepaw. He knew he wasn't going to be very good but he would try anyway. "Did I hear a hunting patrol? Can i join you guys?"

Sprucepaw followed behind his friend Duskstorm.His bushy brown tail held high as he padded over to Icepaw.Unlike most cats he hadn't taken part in the fight against RiverClan and he truly regretted being out hunting when they came.

The tom dipped his head in greeting to Thiatlepaw and Icepaw."You mind if I join your patrol?he asked.Sprucepaw was surprised so many cats wanted to join after their recent fight with RiverClan.

Thistlefall nodded, "of course you can join us, the more the merrier, no?" He smiled slightly, lightening the mood. "Let's go then, I think we're good on hunters." He turned, but before heading through the gorse tunnel, he glanced at Duskstorm. "You going to be okay?" He asked, making sure the warrior should actually be leaving the camp.

"Wait! Mind if I come?" Willowwhisker said, running towards what she was sure was a patrol, noticing her apprentice as well. She hadn't been on a patrol since she was an apprentice and longed to go on one.  She also had just recovered from the harsh fight and was ready to begin her normal routine, she had not done anything normal since she was healed. She hadn't been hurt too badly and needed to finish recovering. She had something rather important to tell Thistlefall, her mate, anyway.

"Aye- wait for me! I need to get out of camp before I'm driven mad." Brindlepaw puffed out, hurrying after Willowwhisker and the others. Barely-healed claw marks were still fresh on her soft fur, and her tail still was missing parts of its thick fur- but her eyes shone brightly at the prospect of leaving the camp. "I need to get out of camp and stop mulling over Smokepelt." Brindlepaw had coached herself into busy work such as cleaning the elders den or the nursery, but no matter how much work her paws did, she couldn't rid herself of the sight of her kin being dragged away by Riverclan. "I need to do at least something- sitting around all day in camp makes me worry too much." She mewed, tail flicking as she eyed Willowwhisker, Thistlefall, Duskstorm, Icepaw, and Sprucepaw- they all looked rather weary as well.

Sprucepaw padded out of camp,scenting the air as he walked.His tail was still held high and emerald green eyes full of energy.How long had it beem since last left camp?A moon maybe two at the least.His whiskers twitched slightly,what if RiverClan came back?What if they attacked them as they went on their usaul routine.He wouldn't be surprised if they did.Or any of the other clans.The tom dropped his tail if they were he didn't want them to be more obvious.His happy,proud strut quickly turned into a slink,dragging his brown bushy tail along the cold,snowy ground.

"I'll be okay." Duskstorm replied glancing at his injured leg. "Do you want to split the patrol in half so that we don't make as much noise?" His amber eyes dropped to the snowy ground as he realized how much noise the apprentices were making.

Thistlefall glanced at the two joiner, not saying anything, but he was happy to see his mate, Willowwhisker, come along.

Then looking to Duskstorm, he slowly began to nod. "I think that's a good idea."

"Let's get on with it then!" Icepaw mewed cheerily, his first patrol was a lot bigger than he had thought. Duskstorm looked hurt, but he didn't try to stop him. Why bother with him? He'll be ok! He padded out the entrance and glanced around. He wasn't familiar with the territories but he already knew where the lone stump was, perhaps they might catch a prey or two. The ground was covered with a thin sleet of snow, his paws sink into the soft whiteness and he enjoyed it. "Shall we go to the lone stump?" Tiny snowflakes fell onto his nose and he giggled with delight.

"Sprucepaw your coming as well!" Duskstorm called to his friend he nodded to Icepaw. "Sure. Me, you and Sprucepaw can come and Willowwhisker, Thistlefall and Brindlepaw can go in the opposite direction." He started walking to the stump and scenting the air for prey. The snow was so thick on the ground he could even barely lift his paws because of his long fur.

"That's unsafe" He replied. "There might be RiverClan cats!" He stated. The thought of going to the lone stump with a injured warrior and another apprentice didn't sound like a good idea to him. He still had nightmares about the battle, and every time he wakes up he would be scared. "Maybe we should go together, that way we might catch more prey as a group" He insisted. I'm not experienced enough yet, maybe if we go as a group then Willowwhisker can teach me some hunting techniques! He lift his nose just as Duskstorm had did and could only make out the scent of cold snow.

Duskstorm usually calm and passive didn't like being challenge. "Fine i want to hunt alone." he hissed as he walked off into the opposite direction. He scented the air for prey and caught a faint rabbit scent as he found a burrow and waited out side for it to come out, a few minutes later it popped out and Duskstorm was caught off guard. He leaped quickly onto the juicy prey recovering ever so slightly and killed it by stabbing it in both eyes making it a clean kill. It was his strangest way of hunting but he didn't care, the rabbit was scrawny but any prey was prey.