Hunting Hard Mode

Fire erupted across her shoulder, iron-sharp talons gripping her fur and Honeypaw screamed -- fear jolting through every fiery nerve -- but the eagle's grip slipped. The apprentice felt the skin of her shoulder scald as she was thrown through the grass, tumbling in the painful throw.

She sucked in breaths, winded like she'd never breath again -- but through bleary eyes she saw a sleek white form hurl through the air. The eagle screeched and Honeypaw gasped -- the snarl so familiar to her ears filling the air. Sedgestrike!

Her unsheathed claws scraped the dirt as she dragged herself to her paws. Panting heavily, she grit her teeth. He can't fight it alone!

The fear that filled her veins gripped her heart, squeezing. But it only made Honeypaw's fangs bare. Breath barely filling her lungs, Honeypaw rushed the flailing bird -- tackling it across its side!

The eagle screeched, pain ripping through her feathers -- a large, filthy clawed creature throwing itself at her! In rage, she reared and slashed her talons, satisfaction lighting inside her at how her claws met soft, delicate flesh.

Her talons were just digging in, pained wings flapping furiously, when a force hit her across the ribs -- throwing the eagle to the side.

-------

The eagle used Talon Strike on Sedgestrike, dealing 10 damage and costing 10 SP.

Honeypaw used Run and Tackle, dealing 9 damage and costing 10 SP.

Eagle
41/60 HP
180/200 SP

Honeypaw
10/20 HP
70/80 SP

Sedgestrike
35/45 HP
145/160 SP

The moment the talons dug into his flesh, Sedgestrike tightened his grip. His body twisted with the eagle's as it was thrown off course by a well-aimed blow by his apprentice. His claws lost their grip on it's flesh, but the moment his hindpaws touched the ground he leapt up once more, delivering sturdy and powerful blows to the beast with his foreclaws.

"You've made a mistake today, beast." He snarled at it lowly while Honeypaw landed from her blow, his green eyes narrowed in hatred and disgust for the bird that had almost dared to make a meal out of his apprentice. Like it really thought it could.


Sedgestrike used Rear-up to slash on Eagle

Sedgestrike
35/45 HP
120/160 SP (-15)

Eagle
30/60 HP (-11)
190/200 SP

Blood rushed through Honeypaw's ears as the eagle gave before her -- Sedgestrike's snarl reaching her as his claws slashing fiercely across the beast. The apprentice reeled from her strike, feeling her vision start to blur and the pain in her shoulder flare, but Honeypaw refused to let it stop her -- raking dagger-like claws across its face!

The eagle screeched as the food creatures attacked viciously -- agony erupting beneath her feathers and between her eyes. Her wings flapped heavily, desperately, and they had thankfully been spared from the onslaught -- carrying her above the ground.

Crimson dripped into her eyes, hunger still gnawing at her but the eagle had lost the will. She recognized the fierceness in the white one -- the timber of its growl. The little food creature howled as the eagle sent it tumbling, she remembered keenly -- the eagle had been ready to carry it off for a meal. But the male was defending its young.

Feeling her wounds drain from her with every moment, she forced her wings to carry her higher -- fleeing with feathers and red falling from her flight.

Honeypaw used Front Paw Strike, dealing 6 damage and costing 10 SP.

The eagle fled.

Eagle
24/60 HP
180/200 SP

Sedgestrike snarled at the eagle's retreating form. His tail lashed as his pelt remained bristled until he was certain it had actually left. Then he turned to Honeypaw. His chest puffed proudly as he padded towards her and gently nudged her side. The sight of his apprentice bleeding left him feeling angry and bitter towards the foul bird that had dared.

For now, however, he had a duty. He nudged her up with a firm growl, then stood and began to walk towards the fresh-kill they had already caught. Her wounds did not look grievious, and it would be dangerous to just leave the prey sitting around to attract foxes.
"Hunting is over for today." He meowed firmly, then paused. His green eyes looking down at hers. "You fought well, like a true warrior, but now it is time to go see Mintbreath." Sedgestrike looked up at the tree canopy, then down at Honeypaw.

It would be unnessecarily arduous and dangerous to take the trees. However, in times of battle, it would be what was needed. So he bit back his judgement that rang in his ears and hauled himself up the trunk of the tree. To wait expectantly for her to join him.

Honeypaw stood shakily in the grass, head jutted proudly as the eagle fled with a fearful screech. They had done it!

"You better run!" she called after it, amber eyes blazing. The gripping fear had been blown away by the gusts of the creature's wings -- the ones carrying its defeated feathers into the distance.

At Sedgestrike's words, her gaze tore away from the brightness of the sun. A glow filled her chest, warming her -- almost soothing the throbbing across her battered form. But -- what did he say?

"Mintbreath?" Honeypaw mewed, unable to help a muffled purr. That was what he called their little medicine cat? She summoned Rippedstar's daughter in her mind. How in Starclan did she get that name?

But then Sedgestrike beckoned her into the trees, leaping with his powerful kick. Shaking her head and vowing to ask her mentor about the moniker later, Honeypaw didn't think before bracing herself to jump in his pawsteps.

She'd done it without hesitation, but as her limbs hit the solid wood the apprentice suppressed a pained yowl -- just barely hooking her claws in. The leap burned through her aching shoulder and flank; agony dripping in little spikes across the wounds, still fresh. It only intensified as she grit her teeth and pulled herself higher, but the apprentice bore it stubbornly; wetness forming at the edges of her eyes.

She remember Sedgestrike's torn shoulder, their first training session -- how he leaped from branch to branch without so much flinching. How did Sedgestrike do it? It felt like she was being burned!

Sedgestrike smirked back at Honeypaw with arrogance bright in his green eyes. Despite his limp as he leapt from branch to branch.
"I've called her that from the day I left the nursery." He confided calmly while he waited for her to make a particularly large leap. Even though he trusted her now to make it to camp on her own, she was still young and injured.
"At the time, it was an insult, now..." He refrained from saying it, but his smirk said it for him. Now it was true. Her breath really would be covered in mint. It was a humourous thought to him, but he refrained from the idea of saying as such in front of her. Making an enemy of the medicine cat seemed an unwise choice in action.