I'll Be Complete (Open hunting patrol)

Curlyfeather knew she had been kept in the medicine den for too long. Nearly an entire moon. It hadn't even taken half a moon for her fever to start to go away, but for whatever reason, she had been kept in there. Everyone had probably been hoping her hearing would return as well, and had probably had given up hope. As much as she tried to deny the fact that her deafness was permanent, she had known in her heart her hearing was lost for a while now. She knew she could never be as great of warrior as she would have been, and now she was next to useless. So the night before she had insisted she returned to her warrior duties instead of wasting away in the medicine den. She could't be a burden to her clan. The fact that she was deaf didn't alter her sense of smell or sight, so wouldn't change her ability to hunt. She had learned a few simple tail movements that meant different things, and though they weren't the most helpful, at least she could understand some things. She had to prove that she wasn't held back by her disability. She had to prove that she was still strong. Even though she had always thought apprentices were annoying and stupid, it hurt her to see cats younger and less experienced receive kits to train when she just sat there unhearing. Today she was going to prove to Magpiestar, her family, the whole clan that she was just a much of a warrior as everyone else. She would patrol more and work harder than any other cat in the clan. And if anyone doubted her, she wouldn't hesitate to put them in their place. The lack of ears did not mean she was incomplete. It was either be a better warrior, fade away into the background, or worst of all, be pitied. The choice was obvious. The gray tabby stepped out of the den, her formerly weak and fever ridden body now stronger, albeit in need of exercise. As she padded over to the exit of camp, she did her best to stand tall and defiantly, ready for her first patrol since the battle. She could do this.
"Hey! Does anyone want to go on a patrol?" As the call rang loudly and commandingly through camp, Curlyfeather winced. There was nothing worse than not hearing her own voice. Even after having a moon to get used to it, she hadn't been able to do so. But that was the least of her worries. The task of leading a patrol had once seemed so trivial, and now felt like it would determine her fate. She prayed that she wouldn't fail miserably at hunting due to her long break from it. That would be embarrassing. If any cat came here in hopes of helping her, she felt sure that no matter how hard she tried not to, she would blow up at them. Not that she would try hard. Those obsessors would deserve it.

Rosepaw came out of the apprentice den at curlyfeather's call. She smiled at the cat and almost talked before remembering she was deaf. She said hi with her tail and walked over. She nodded at curlyfeather saying she would go with.

OOC: omg she has never been with a disability cat before this will be awesome for her :D

Tansyheart padded out of the warrior den at the sound of Curlyfeather's voice. At the sight of the grey she-cat forming a patrol, she sucked in a breath before slowly joining her. The blue-eyed feline glanced briefly at the deaf cat, trying to figure out what she was planning. Was this just an innocent patrol, or was she trying to prove something? Either way, she hoped it went well, and the grey warrior would accomplish whatever she was trying to do. The dark-pelted she-cat sat wordlessly beside Rosepaw, nodding in greeting to both other cats.


ooc: I am guilty

Finpaw yelped awake and skittered over to where the patrol was. He was always succumbing to loud and commanding voices, and Curlyfeather sounded almost harsh. He didn't understand why a deaf cat wasn't in the elder's den, but he didn't ask questions. Curlyfeather was a higher rank than he was after all.

Curlyfeather narrowed her eyes as Rosepaw approached her. Ever since that annoying patrol at the Thunderpath, she had considered the apprentice as a troublemaker and too emotional to succeed in this harsh world. But at least she had the common courtesy to use tail signals instead of talking. At Tansyheart's arrival, she met the new warrior's gaze, seeing almost suspicion. She looked back defiantly. This patrol was to prove herself, not to be discouraged by some cat younger than she was. She snorted slightly at Finpaw's style of joining. His quick stumbling seemed almost flustered. Well, this would be enough for the patrol. Hopefully, none of them would attempt to help her out. That would be extremely embarrassing and unnecessary. She looked at the three of them and noticed that they were all not speaking, or at least their mouths weren't moving. She rolled her eyes and flicked her tail in a sign for them to follow her. She had never seen young cats that untalkative and knew it was because of her. That was not needed in the slightest.
"You know, just because I can't hear doesn't mean I'm offended if you talk to each other. Now c'mon, we should get going." This time she did not visibly show any of her disgust at not hearing herself. Though that was something she hadn't and wouldn't ever get used to, she had a lot of time to practice not showing it. Curlyfeather walked out of camp, a sudden almost kit-like excitement filling her. She hadn't been out of camp in a moon, and now everything once again held its original wonder. It was weird how she suddenly felt both free and at home as she stepped into the marshy pine forest.

She bounded after curlyfeather with excitement. She wanted to prove that she was loyal clan cat even though she had others friends in other clans. "hey finpaw I'm thinking about catching a big lizard what about you?" she asked after hearing they where aloud to talk.

Finpaw's eyes darted around, searching for any danger. "Uh... I was thinking... a mouse?" He wasn't sure if he should be embarrassed by his frog dislike, but he did like mice. Curlyfeather was definitely annoyed at something, maybe frustrated that she couldn't hear? If anything, she wouldn't be able to hear a predator and cats didn't take kindly to weakness very often. Curlyfeather wouldn't like it if any cat barreled into her, trying to save her from something like an eagle... or an owl... or a badger... or a fox, or even a Thunderclan, Skyclan or Windclan cat!

Tansyheart sighed and padded off after Curlyfeather and the two chattering apprentices. Why had she volunteered to hunt with them, again? Now she was stuck with some annoying apprentices and a deaf warrior, who she doubted would be able to catch anything, although she would never suggest it. She wanted to support Curlyfeather as much as she could, without making the grey warrior feel bad, but sometimes it was hard not to help her in obvious ways. "Let's get this over with," she muttered to herself.

As they walked, Curlyfeather noticed that two apprentice immediately starting socializes with each other, while she and Tansyheart just separated and didn't even try to communicate. Maybe Rosepaw and Finpaw would someday realize that talking didn't solve all of the world's problems and stop doing it at every opportunity. Once they were a good distance away from camp, she had once again gotten used to the squish of mud underfoot and the scent of mice and pines that laced the area. An amazing change from old prey a bitter herbs. Feeling that they were at a good place to hunt, she lifted her nose and scented the air. Her sense of smell was still just as keen as ever, and soon detected a mouse. Those were easier to hunt and more filling. Though she doubted she would catch any squirrels or birds that day, a mouse would be a good once to start with. Reliable enough so she knew she wouldn't make a fool of herself, and hard enough to prove her hunting skills were as keen as ever. She tracked the scent a little ways, and saw that mice didn't look like how she remembered. This one was extremely thin, not the plump creatures that she had known. Leaf-bare was effecting more than just cats it seemed. She quickly slid into a crouch, and though she hadn't hunted in a moon and couldn't hear if her balance was correct, stalked it until she was close enough to pounce. This was the moment of truth. She had trained hard and practiced this so many times as an apprentice, but would that be good enough to help her through even after a moon of no hunting or hearing? It had to be. She was going to catch this. So she leaped. It was a neat arch, and though she couldn't tell the sound, was hidden enough in the shadow of the pines. The mouse didn't register what was going on until it was too late. Her unsheathed claws swung hard at its neck, killing it quickly. It wasn't the neatest catch ever, but it was her first catch in a moon. For a second she just sat there, shocked that something in her life had gone right for once. Then a grin spread out across her face.
"Yes! StarClan, thank you! Yes! Oh StarClan yes!" Curlyfeather didn't care who heard her or how much prey she scared away. Even not hearing her voice didn't bother her. She had caught a mouse. It was an easy catch, but she was deaf, it was Leaf-bare, and she hadn't had exercise (let alone hunting practice) in a moon. It was a success in her mind. Her blue eyes lit up with joy as she carried the mouse back to the patrol and buried it. She had done it.

The member 'Squirrelnose the Snowman' has done the following action : Dices roll

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'Hunting Dice' : 1

Tansyheart turned her head to hide her smile from Curlyfeather. The deaf warrior had caught her first quarry, which she found somewhat impressive, but it was her reaction that was funny. To avoid offending the grey she-cat with her amusement, she bounded a short distance away to sniff out her own prey. The blue-eyed feline's ears twitched to the side as she noted a shrew to her left, scuffling in the dirt only a fox-length away. Memories from training with Cedarstorm flooded into her mind as she dropped into a crouch, stalking the shrew until she was close enough to pounce. She landed with her paws on its neck, killing it instantly. She hastily kicked dirt over her prey before turning to continue hunting.

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

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'Hunting Dice' : 6

Finpaw looked back over to the other cats. The warriors had already caught stuff, so he went for a mouse. He sniffed it out and stalked it as quietly as possible. Then he pounced and landed... about a whole tail-length away. That was embarrassing.

The member 'Jade Wings' has done the following action : Dices roll

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'Hunting Dice' : 8

Rosepaw went after prey also and stalked a mouse. She pounced on it and killed it. She bounded up to the others with her kill.