Hunting in the Dark {Closed}

The fluffy deputy flexed his claws, watching with disinterest as they sunk into the soft dirt ground. He was waiting for Adderfeather and Flamewish to join him on a dawn patrol. The fresh-kill pile was looking alarmingly low; after a night, the few pieces of prey had also become stiff and stale. While it was supposed to be the dawn patrol, the sky was still as dark as midnight. Scorchclaw was fortunate that the eclipse had not altered his sleep schedule by much. Even without the sun's light, he still woke up at the same time. He could not say the same for all of his clanmates, but they were all struggling to cope with the changes. Stifling a yawn that threatened to escape him, he swept his pale-green gaze across the camp central.

Where were the other two?

Flamewish was trying to shake the sleep out of her fur. She shoved her face into the cold water and that woke her up. Finally ready, she padded over to Scorchclaw. "I'd forgotten what it was like to be cooler." She murmured. Her short fur didn't keep out the cold terribly well, and night's influence was still there... Not that it ever wasn't, with the eclipse.

Crystalline flecks of ice hung heavily from Adderfeather's fur, chiming together in a faint song that went entirely unnoticed by all those unfortunate to be awake at such an hour. Jaws splitting in a rueful yawn, the long-furred molly's rueful gaze was directed towards the eclipsed morning sun for the briefest moment. Sleep was difficult enough to find in such a time, but it was made even more scarce by the fact that every time she drifted off to a restless sleep she often awoke to find her whiskers drooping beneath the weight of an early frost. How could any cat be expected to find sleep during days such as these? Grogginess giving way to an uncharacteristically tetchy attitude, it was difficult to resist the urge to release a grandiose sigh as she finally made her way up to Scorchclaw and Flamewish.

Hardly even giving the former ThunderClanner more than a cold, disinterested glance, Adderfeather promptly turned her scarred features away. The mere sight of the ginger molly was enough to bring forth too many unpleasant memories, it was almost as if she was just looking at a different version of Reedheart. Still just as foolish and cruel. "Where are we heading?" She quietly questioned Scorchclaw, voice still raspy under the weight of her exhaustion. Casting her singular eye up towards the ominously dark sky, Adderfeather's tail gave a restless flick.

At the sight of his clanmates, Scorchclaw mewed an unenthusiastic greeting. Flamewish's face was soaking wet, little rivulets of water still trickling down her tabby fur. It was an odd sight to look at, one that momentarily surprised the fluffy deputy. Surely the ginger warrior could feel the chill in the air, more so now that her fur was wet. Right afterwards, Adderfeather emerged into view. Red light glimmered faintly off the ice in her thick pelt, casting her in a crimson hue. Exhaustion was practically written on her features. Scorchclaw made it out in a glance, and couldn't help the twinge of concern that he felt. Sleep did not seem to have been favoring his best friend. Silently, he made a mental note to speak with her later. Now that all the members of the patrol were gathered, they could set out. "Towards ThunderClan territory." He stated simply. "There's no need to go too far from camp." The silent tension that passed briefly between the two she-cats had not escaped his attention, but he made no indication of having noticed it.

With Scorchclaw in the lead, the trio soon departed from the island. Out in RiverClan territory, dried leaves and twigs crunched underpaw. While they should have held the color of leaf fall, the thick shadows swathed them in obscurity. The brown tabby tom walked at a steady pace, his fluffy tail swinging in a leisurely manner. Apart from the occasional crackle in the darkness, the forest was fairly quiet that morning. Prey should have already stirred from their sleep. A frown flashing briefly across his maw, Scorchclaw shot his clanmates a glance. His large paws drew to a halt. "Two pieces of prey each is enough." He announced solemnly. "We can split up here, but don't get too far away from one another." Somewhere in the distance, the dull rushing of water could be heard. They couldn't be far from the main river.

ooc: ughguhgughg sorry

Flamewish knew that Adderfeather was one of the cats that didn't trust her yet, so she made sure to keep her distance. At the word Thunderclan territory, she winced a little. If there was anywhere she didn't want to go, it was there. But she tried not to show it. She was supposed to have cut off all her Thunderclan ties a long time ago. It was quiet, unnaturally, but the unusual had become the usual. Not far away, she was sniffing out a mouse when a new scent came in. With a sigh, she called out- "Scorchclaw, Adderfeather, there's a fox." And attacked it from behind. It had also caught onto her mouse, but not her.

Flamewish used Run and Tackle on Fox, using 10 stamina and dealing 11 damage.

Fox used Iron Bite of Flamewish, using 20 stamina and doing 30 damage.

FOX
89/90 HP
260/280

FLAME
10/40 HP
110/120 SP

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

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'Hunting Dice' : 10

The probability of good fortune ever falling into Adderfeather's grasp was embarrassingly low, yet on this chilly dawn, luck seemed willing to grant her a minuscule kindness. Neither Scorchclaw or Flamewish seemed willing to bother with the front of idle conversations, each merely preferring to set out into the strange darkness with silence as their companion. The gratitude was staggering- the last thing she felt like doing on such a dreary morning was attempting to curb unpleasant attitude throughout unnecessary conversation. Jaws splitting into a second feature straining yawn, the grey-furred molly quietly followed closely behind Scorchclaw. Giving herself a brisk shake in an attempt to thrust the sluggish currents of exhaustion away, she nodded in response to her companion's directions. You'd think that the cold would help wake you up, not only tire you out even more. Quietly picking her way into a direction that was opposite to Flamewish's, Adderfeather's tail swayed to and fro in a leisurely manner. Easily pulling herself across a decaying nest of branches that curled like brittle tendrils of heat-stiffened grass, the young molly's exposed underbelly was lightly grazed by the claws of hardened foliage. The unfavorable sensation made her fur prickle slightly, muscles unsure of how to react to such awkward stimulation.

It felt like she hardly had a single moment to herself whenever a voice was rising above the desolate atmosphere, crying out a plaintive warning. A frustration-fueled curse slipped past Adderfeather's lips, singular eye drifting into a narrowed glare as the small woodland creature her gaze had been set upon scuttled away. Heaving herself upright, the molly's tail began to twitch in a frenzied mixture of irritation and apprehension. As much as she disliked the former ThunderClan cat, a fox was a fox and she wasn't like Reedheart. But how can you help? A voice murmured within the dark recesses of her mind, an unwarranted intrusion that wreathed around her as she hurried towards the sounds of conflict, you haven't fought since you lost your eye, nearly a full season ago. Vigorously shaking her head, Adderfeather plunged through a swath of stiffened reeds with outstretched forepaws. The scents and sounds of the ensuing fight made her dizzy with fear, the rush of unpleasant memories threatening to overtaking her dwindling sense of control. It felt like the currents of the river after torrential rain, easily able to sweep away the most competent of swimmers.

Forcing her voice to rise to a challenging cry that wavered, Adderfeather lunged at the fox.

Adderfeather used Jumping Strike, Dealing -10 in Damage & Costing -20 in Stamina.

Adderfeather
40/40 [HP]
110/130 [SP]

FOX
79/90 [HP]
110/120 [SP]

Scorchclaw watched silently as the other two warriors headed off in opposite directions. The looming darkness was quick to envelop them. Before long, they had completely vanished from sight. When he could no longer see them, the fluffy deputy turned away. Randomly choosing a direction, he set off in search of his own prey. His large paws disturbed the grass, leaving a faint path behind on the forest ground. Due to the poor lighting, he had to choose his steps carefully. Ghostly, barren branches arced overhead, creating a tangled mesh of shadows against the pale red sky; he had ventured into what seemed to be a thick copse of trees. Scorchclaw's large ears were pricked, ready to detect even the slightest of sounds. Shimmering green gaze swept slowly from side to side. Fish were easier to catch, but he was trying his paw at land prey yet again. Patience was a necessary virtue when it came to hunting. Quite a few minutes had passed when the quiet of his surroundings was broken by the frantic beating of wings. Materializing from the darkness, a feathered creature zipped over his head. Startled, he reacted on instinct and ducked. Just as quickly as it had appeared, the unidentified bird was gone. Scorchclaw stared after it, a somewhat puzzled expression quirking his maw. Then from the direction it had come, Flamewish's cry rang out. In response, he growled in frustration.

A fox. It had been a while since he had last encountered one; he had almost forgotten how much he hated them. The brutish creatures had already snatched away too many lives from RiverClan. Were either of two she-cats hurt? At the frightening thought, his chest tightened. Abandoning all attempts at stealth, he hurtled in the direction in Flamewish's direction. Stray twigs snagged at the fur of his forelegs, but he paid them no mind. When the fox finally entered his vision, he was simultaneously hit by its foul stench. He wrinkled his nose, baring his teeth in a vicious snarl. He was just in time to see Adderfeather leap at the fox. She seemed unhurt, a sight that caused relief to well up from within. Flamewish, however, wasn't as fortunate. Blood stained her pelt a much darker shade of ginger. It was worrying, but the poor lighting kept him from accurately judging her state. Hissing ferociously, he tackled the beast. His large size gained quite a bit of momentum, and he was able to knock the fox to the ground.

Scorchclaw used Run and Tackle, dealing 16 (13+3) damage and costing 10 stamina.

Scorchclaw
100/100 HP
270/280 SP

Fox
63/90 HP
110/120 SP

Flamewish winced, limping on her back left leg, but still raking at its belly relentlessly. She couldn't let it win.


Fox used Iron Bite on Scorchclaw, using 20 stamina and dealing 30 damage!
Flamewish used Belly Rake, using 10 stamina and dealing 9 damage.

Scorchclaw
70/100 HP
270/280 SP

Fox
56/90 HP
110/120 SP

Flamewish
10/40 HP
100/120 SP

An amalgamation of torrential memories and dwindling experience seemed likely to ravage the skill set that Adderfeather detested so greatly, yet the irrefutable spark of fright bestowed the necessary speed to keep her out of noteworthy danger. Wrenching herself free of immediate proximity of the raging fox, the molly plunged backwards once again, sudden movements parrying Scorchclaw's own. The instantaneous appearance of her companion, whom appeared to be perfectly content with leaping into the battle, did little to quell her nerves nor soothe the horrendous recollections that hung heavily upon the brims of her conscious. It was foolish to ever try to deny the fact that Scorchclaw could handle himself, yet rational seemed to evade her in such a moment. She didn't want to see him have to handle himself in such circumstances, regardless of how peculiar it seemed- if it was up to her, Scorchclaw would find himself bundled up in feathers every moment away from the camp!

Mildly caught-off guard by the musings, Adderfeather's ears swayed and tipped precariously as she rigorously shook her head. This wasn't what she needed to be focusing on! Her mind was already drifting enough due to factors she had no control over, she didn't need to be squandering what little focus she still retained. Single pupil dilating remarkably wide, the long-furred molly's attention was solely redirected to the battle at a rather unfortunate moment. A stricken expression overcame her features as the fox rounded upon Scorchclaw, yellowed teeth gleaming mutely in the dim light of the morning for the briefest of moments as it dove at him. Within those incredibly quick moments, something seemed to shift; suddenly, it was much more than a mere nuisance, stakes wholly more personal. It had been quite sometime since Adderfeather had felt such a daunting rage, yet the inevitable wince that graced Scorchclaw's features stirred an emotion that had laid dormant for quite sometime.

Movements guided by instincts and fury, Adderfeather was suddenly across the limited space in a flash, hackles raised. Hardly acknowledging Flamewish's presence and blatantly visible injury as she dove beneath the thrashing fox, the grey-furred molly left a blizzard of matted white fur hanging in her immediate wake as she tore violently at the creature's exposed underbelly. "Don't you dare touch him!"  


Adderfeather used Half-Turn Belly Rake, Dealing -11 in Damage & Costing -20 in Stamina.

Adderfeather
40/40 [HP]
90/120 [SP]

FOX
45/90 [HP]
240/280 [SP]

The warriors' combined attacks seemed to have brought forth some effect. Their sharp claws tore deep wounds in the fox's flesh, and it was obvious that it had taken quite a bit of damage. Nevertheless, the vile beast would not be deterred that easily. As his fortune would have it, the fox directed its rage towards him. Scorchclaw clenched his jaws, choking back the pained cry as jagged teeth sunk into his shoulder. In that instance, his features contorted into a grimace. It hurt, probably a lot more than words could describe. Nevertheless, there was the brief flash of relief that it had been him the fox had gone after. If he had served to shield the other two, then it wasn't too bad. As if in response to his thoughts, Adderfeather's furious screech suddenly pierced the air. A whirlwind of gray fur and claws, she shot beneath the fox's belly. Blood splashed unto the forest floor, the fox shrieking in pain. The iron grip that the creature had on him was suddenly released. Stumbling back, Scorchclaw blinked, startled. A word of thanks rose on his tongue, but he held it back. There was no time. Fox and cat were in startling close proximity. He could not, would not, let her get hurt. Darting forward without a second thought, he bit viciously into the fox's plumy tail. Setting his paws firmly against the ground, he yanked the predator backwards and away from his clanmates.

Scorchclaw used Tail Yank, dealing 9 damage and costing 10 stamina. Fox is stunned for one turn.

Scorchclaw
70/100 HP
260/280 SP

Fox
36/90 HP
240/280 SP

Flamewish attacked it again, the fox snarling at Scorchclaw, then whimpering at its tail.

Flamewish used Run and Tackle on Fox, using 10 stamina and dealing 11 damage.

Fox
25/90 HP
240/280 SP

Flamewish
10/40 HP
90/120 SP