let the kids be kids

Emberpaw waited by the camp entrance, stretched out just a little. Was what she was planning even allowed? ...Probably not. But she was reckless and rarely thought things through, and certainly hadn't bothered to check before deciding on this. She just wanted to act like the apprentice she was, and forget about all her self-doubt for a little while.

She knew that hunting alone was dangerous - she had learned that much during her assessment - but this wasn't alone, so it was objectively less dangerous. Besides, it was an opportunity to make more friends - she had bonded with Heatherpaw, and certainly considered the apprentice her first (only) friend, but having just one cat she considered a friend out of the entire Clan was a little depressing. And besides, her success there made her willing to try again.

Heatherpaw approached Emberpaw with her tail raised happily in the air. She seemed to carry herself with confidence rather than timidity; ever since her trip to the Moonstone she seemed more sure of herself. Well, most of the time anyway. She rubbed her cheek against her best friend's in greeting. "Hi, Emberpaw! I heard about that owl you caught the other day. That was absolutely incredible!"

Emberpaw purred as her best (and only, but she didn't like remembering that part) friend joined her, and couldn't help the way her eyes lit up at Heatherpaw's words. "You heard about that, huh? What exactly did you hear?" She had been so caught up in planning this, she hadn't paid much attention to the Clan's gossiping. But she had to admit that she was curious about what they thought of the incident. Heatherpaw especially, since she seemed impressed.

"Some of the apprentices told their friends how Specklefang watched you nearly single-pawed take down an owl when it attacked you during your assessment," she replied. "She seemed to be very impressed with you if she decided to tell other cats about your accomplishment. Of course, I was away at the Moonstone with Leopardclaw while this happened, so I didn't get to see it for myself." Her eyes suddenly narrowed playfully. "Hey, maybe you should catch another one just so I can see you do it for myself!"

Emberpaw shuddered. "Sorry, but I don't think I ever want to repeat that experience. It was terrifying." She knew her friend was joking, really she did, but... There had been a point during her assessment when she honestly thought she wouldn't make it back alive - just before Specklefang had stepped in. "Oh, that's right! That's why I couldn't find you when I got back," Emberpaw nodded to herself - the pieces were fitting together now. "You were the first one I wanted to tell about it."

"Oops, sorry, didn't mean to spook you like that." Heatherpaw's gaze brightened. "Aww, that's so nice of you! Well, even if we can't catch another owl, we can still hunt other prey. Is that what you're standing here for? Is someone else taking you hunting while Specklefang recovers from that badger attack?"

"I was thinking about having a few apprentices go out hunting. Originally I was gonna do it alone, but after the owl... I get why it's dangerous. But if there's more of us we'll be fine, right?" she pointed out. "After all, even though I wasn't exactly okay I almost took down the owl on my own, right? So if there's two or three or four of us, we'll be fine for sure, and if something happens we can take care of it. What do you think?"

"Well, I definitely need to work on my hunting skills, so would it be okay if I came with you?" Heatherpaw swished her tail eagerly behind her. She suddenly looked a little sheepish, ducking her head a little. "And, uh, if no other apprentice wants to come with, could just the two of us go together?"

"Sure! I think between you and me we'll do just fine," Emberpaw agreed. "Should we head out, then?"

ooc: i swear the next post won't be depressingly small

Heatherpaw nodded excitedly. "Ready when you are!" With her tail raised high in the air, she trotted out of the camp with her best friend by her side. She wouldn't say it out loud, but she was glad just the two of them were going hunting together alone. She really wanted to spend more time with her.

"So, how was your moonstone journey?" Emberpaw asked conversationally as she scanned the territory for prey, not seeing anything that caught her eye just yet. Well, she did see a bird, but made a point of ignoring it - the last time she had pounced for a bird had been her asessment, after all. Regardless, her question to her friend didn't come out of nowhere - she had certainly noticed the change in the way Heatherpaw carried herself.

"Well... I don't know if I'm allowed to say anything about my dreams with StarClan... oh, but I can't help it!" The sandy-colored apprentice gave a little excited leap. "I actually met a genuine StarClan warrior! Her name was Flowerpetal and she was a RiverClan warrior, but she gave me such valuable advice on how to be confident. Also, it helps that I've proven myself a worthy warrior in StarClan's eyes, so I know I'm already doing well as a warrior in ThunderClan's eyes. I mean, no one kicked me out yet..."

Her ears perked at a sudden scampering in the undergrowth, and moments later a white rabbit bolted out from the bushes. She broke into a sprint and chased after it. It was too quick for her, however, and it dived into a warren. She skidded to a halt over the snowy leaves and lashed her tail in frustration. She knew fully well she was possibly the worst hunter in ThunderClan, only ever having caught a piece of fresh-kill once during her entire apprenticeship. She looked back at Emberpaw, ducking her head in embarrassment. "Sorry for losing it like that..."

The member 'Yoshachu' has done the following action : Dices roll

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'Hunting Dice' : 7

Emberpaw snorted. "It's not as bad as disturbing an owl while trying to catch a thrush," she assured her friend. She still wasn't entirely sure how she had managed it, terrifying and awesome though the experience had been. "Besides, I'm sure you'll get the next one!"

She was about to continue reassuring her friend when she saw it. A large squirrel on a low tree branch. She made her way up the other side of the tree as silently as possible, grateful that this was the one aspect of Clan life she was particularly skilled in. If there was one thing Emberpaw knew, it was climbing. When she felt she had the timing just right, she jumped for it, bringing the squirrel with her back to the ground and delivering a bite to its neck.

The member 'Holly' has done the following action : Dices roll

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'Hunting Dice' : 6