Take your mind off things. (Open Hunting Patrol)

Dewpaw licked over the last of her injuries from the war. Her light grey coat now bore small patches where the other apprentice had dug in and pinned her down. The dark stripe on her back was nearly the only place her fur was untouched. The worst or her wounds had healed decently enough for her to get out camp and begin to hunt again. She looked around the area and observed the apprentice den with some worry. She glanced at the fresh-kill pile and made a decision. She walked over until she was sat near the camp entrance, in the usual spot where cats gathered before patrols.

She was certain that a good hunting patrol could put her racing mind at ease. Her head turned towards the warrior's den. Maybe Lillytail would come with her, but then she didn't need her mentor for everything... really she should learn to do things on her own, right? She shifted her paws uneasily. Whoever came over, she'd be happy to let them lead the hunt.

Spotpaw stretched and blinked awake from his nap. He had been hunting a fish, but it kept getting away! He saw Dewpaw over, possibly forming a patrol. He walked over to Dewpaw. "Hunting patrol, then?" He asked. He blinked a couple times again, because his right eye's sight was getting foggy and blurry again.

"Yes, we should stock up on more fresh-kill." Dewpaw agreed cheerfully. She tilted her head when he blinked his eyes, but kept quiet about it. She looked around for anymore cats coming, but not seeing any sighed and turned to lead the way into the quiet territory outside of camp.

She thought about how nice it would be to be able to breathe again. The atmosphere of the camp had been made her tense and uneasy. Her war-hungry clanmates concerned her, but she shoved those aside for thoughts of what she might catch today instead.
"Should we try by the riverbank? Maybe we can flush out a few water voles." She suggested, forcing herself to sound like she was in good cheer.

Spotpaw was relieved Dewpaw didn't just want to catch fish like everyone else. "YES, water voles would be amazing compared to all that scaly fish." He looked around. "Do you want to see if anyone else wants to come?"

Snailbelly heard talk of prey and assumed they had returned with some, but alas, they were going out. It was too late for him to walk away unnoticed, so he said, "I'll come...?"

Dewpaw heard Snailbelly before she saw him, intent on leaving she had her head turned towards the entrance. She turned and nodded cheerfully at Snailbelly. Having a full-warrior with them would be a huge help. She shuddered to think of the owl she encountered her last hunt.

"Please do. The more of us the better." She acknowledged, then looked up towards the clanmates for any stragglers. Finally, she decided they had waited for enough time and began to lead to where she and Spotpaw had been discussing. "They can follow our pawprints if they want to come." Dewpaw said slowly since no snow was currently falling, it was safe to assume that her other clanmates could just track them. The crackling of snow under her paws and the frost that covered everything left the territory looking beautiful, but deadly.

"What are you hoping to catch Snailbelly?" She asked the other tom curiously.