a shared pain [closed]

The dawn air was dry but crisp. The breeze carried with scents of a decaying forest which some cats found pleasant but Dawngaze interpreted as a sign of future hardship. She stood just outside the warriors' den, thick fur fluffed up and eyes stinging in protest of her wakefulness. Golden eyes traced the camp, and as her gaze landed on the apprentices' den, her mind fell on a specific she-cat; not her apprentice, who was progressing well in her training, but her neice who had just suffered a traumatic loss. Dawngaze had been there. She saw the carnage. And she didn't blame the young cat at all for her pained reaction. Still, she wondered if Duskpaw knew anything of her heritage or family history. There was Flintfang, of course, but there was an entire half of her bloodline who befell similar fates in seasons past. Maybe Duskpaw didn't need to know. Maybe all she needed was space and fresh air... although none of those things seemed to help Dawngaze as she noted the familair lilts of words spoken just beyond the boundary of her hearing. Either way, Dawngaze had no authority over Duskpaw outside of typical rank heirarchy and decided it was not her place to tell her their family's tale if she did not ask.

Deciding swiftly on a course of action, the tortoiseshell tabby entered the den and paused to search for her niece. She found her curled closely to Dacepaw and carefully prodded the dusty she-cat to alertness. "Meet me outside." Dawngaze meowed simply, her sharp voice lowered to a cold hum. She retreated, settling by the gorse tunnel and getting to work on groomy her untamed fur into some semblence of neatness. Every now and then, a lap of her tongue would reveal a hidden scratch she'd forgotten about.

The night was cold, filled with dreams of foxes and blood. Duskpaw would shift in her nest, close to Dacepaw's side. She wanted to claw and bite with all the force of a beast, but dreams did not allow for such things. Oftentimes Duskpaw would awaken, claws unsheathed, green eyes wild. Her vengeance was not chaotic, but rather cold, calm. She would kill the fox that murdered her sister. But the night was cold, and Dacepaw was warm. The apprentice enjoyed her friend's presence, and found that even her fur could chase the dreams away. She'd fall back asleep, breathing in Dacepaw's scent, comfortable in leaffall's wake.

Morning came, dawn light seeping through the walls of the apprentice's den. The air was crisp and frosty, leaves rolling over the camp's floor. A stray bird would caw somewhere deep in the decaying forest, but Duskpaw kept her eyes closed. She wondered what the day would entail. Maybe she'd find a red tree, or a badger's nest. Whatever was to be, the adventure excited her. And each day she grew stronger, ready to bring down her beast.

A push on her shoulder awakened the apprentice, green eyes sleepy in a haze. The tri-colored frame had left the den, speaking something about "outside." Curiosity heightened, Duskpaw arose to her feet and touched her nose gently to Dacepaw's ear as a farewell. Perhaps they'd share prey again tonight. "Dawngaze?" Duskpaw mewed sleepily as she exited the den, finding the warrior grooming near the enterance. "Where are we going? Are you gonna teach me to walk on leaves like a quiet beast?" The apprentice's mew was hopeful, and she watched Dawngaze's fur. It swirled like the clouds. A giggle was stifled, and Duskpaw padded quickly to her side. "I'm ready!"

Duskpaw had an odd fixation on beasts. But every apprentice had their personal interests, so Dawngaze let the observation pass without comment and nodded stiffly. "Yes, I will teach you how to stalk quietly if that's what you would like to learn." She stood to her paws and shook out her prickling pelt. She'd already decided on the location and started their path as all patrols did: right out the gorse tunnel. "Today's drier weather means Snakerocks will be a good place to check for prey. Less chance of you slipping and cracking your skull open." Snakerocks was usually a more dangerous area in their territory, but the colder weather meant the snakes were much more reluctant to bother them in favor of remaining warm in their crevices. Sometimes badgers and foxes made their nests under the rocks, but the last badger in the area had been chased off after breaking Harefoot's decidedly weak ribcage and no foxes had been spotted in the area for some time. But maybe Duskpaw would take heart in the prospect of a potential 'beast' encounter, and thus Dawngaze did not explain their slim chances of seeing anything interesting.

Their little journey was dotted with the vibrant yellows and oranges of early leaf-fall dotting the trees and the ground around them. Especially dry leaves would be a unique challenge, but it would make for a worthy training session with Duskpaw. They also attracted bugs which attracted prey in turn, which would serve as one last plentiful feast before the winter snows turned the forest cats' plenty into scarcity. Memories of Beartooth's lessons and her own instructions to Dacepaw occupied her mind as she trotted between the trees, preparing her to teach Duskpaw what she knew. The wide trunk of the Great Sycamore greeted the pair of she-cats, and Dawngaze halted to asses the surroundings of the ancient rocks before getting on with the lesson. Her golden glare was distant, as usual.

Duskpaw shivered in the morning air, walking close by Dawngaze's side as the two padded through the reddening forest. "Dawngaze?" Duskpaw asked, inquiring about the warrior's earlier statement of 'snakerocks' and 'slipping.' "What happens if your skull cracks? Does the blood come out? I want to learn to take the blood out of foxes." Her words were dark but Duskpaw's tone didn't change one bit. The pep remained in her gait as she padded through the leaves contentedly. Her voice was eerily melodic as she inquired of the ways to kill a fox. Snakerocks sat ahead, a great slope of slate and shale, cracked ominously with holes, perfect for snakes. Duskpaw's eyes grew wide as an involuntary shiver was sent down her spine. She didn't need to be told that little holes held bigger beasts. But the apprentice wasn't scared.

"Are there any snakes Dawngaze?" She whispered, padding warily in a circle around one of the larger openings. "Are we going to hunt and eat them? I think they'd be slimy, like fish." Duskpaw shook out her pelt and ran a licked paw over her ear, kneading the ground with warmth. Her cream-gray coat was tipped with white light in the coming morning. The wind was chilly and the ground felt like hard stone. Gracefully, the apprentice made her way over to Dawngaze and took a seat by her side, tail flicking mindlessly. Contentment.

She nodded, speaking casually of graphic scenarios. "Yes, lots of blood. You can't see straight and you have dizziness and headaches for moons. Sounds and light hurt you. Sometimes you can't even eat from all the pain." Dawngaze drew her answer from personal experience; the flood had done a number on her, from injuring her back legs to slamming her head on numerous surfaces. She didn't know if her skull had been cracked, but she imagined it would be very similar. Duskpaw's next question wasn't exactly startling, and she answered honestly as usual. "There are a lot of ways to take the blood out of foxes. You can cut them open with claws or teeth or you can ram them into sharp things like thorn bushes. If you get close enough, you can headbutt them and break skin with enough power. The best way to kill a fox is to corner it with a small group and go for the throat. Sometimes, though, you can rip open their stomachs and gut them."

The warrior watched Duskpaw explore the area, examining snake dens and then returning to Dawngaze's side. "There probably are a few snakes around, but they become very slow in the cold. I don't particularly want to hunt them, but in times of need, we may anyway. Right now the bones of prey left behind by the owls that perch in the Great Sycamore are good bait for scavenger birds like crows, kites, and ravens." She paused to pad a few steps closer to the tree, looking up into its broad branches. The leaves were turning, showcasing bright shades of yellow, but had not yet fully browned or dropped. There was plenty of opportunity for prey to be hiding among its foliage, but also equal chance for something more sinister to lurk up there. "And rodents show up here to eat seeds from the tree. I wouldn't be surprised if we spotted a squirrel or two as well."

She looked back down to her niece, returning her thoughts to their true purpose this morning. Duskpaw wanted to learn to stalk silently, and Dawngaze would comply. Settling into a comfortable hunter's crouch, the older she-cat slowly approached Duskpaw with gentle, soft footsteps and steady breathing. It was slow and meticulous, but it was as silent as a shadow. "When you stalk prey, or perhaps a fox, you must first recognize the direction the wind blows. After you determine that you are downwind, you need to approach silently. The key to not being heard is control. Your steps must be slow enough to stifle the crunch of any leaves or twigs beneath you. Your tail must move only enough to keep your balance, and not a whisker more. I've told Dacepaw to keep hers perfectly still, and she's had some luck. If it helps you, you may try the same." Dawngaze pulled herself back into a sitting position and nodded firmly to Duskpaw. "Give it a try. You won't learn until you practice."

Duskpaw nodded with understanding as Dawngaze explained the ways to kill a fox. She pawed at the ground and imagined her claws sinking into red russet fur. Soon. Her gaze lifted however as the warrior went on to explain leaffall's lack of snakes. The apprentice smiled and peered deeper into one of the crevices in the rock, still hoping she'd get the chance to glimpse one as the day progressed. "Bones." The she-cat repeated, watching Dawngaze with interest. Perhaps her fox's bones would litter the ground someday as well. But today they were learning to stalk, and today, Duskpaw wished to catch a bird. An impulsive desire, yes, however her mind never stayed in the same place for too long. The world was too vast to dolly on one subject or the other.

"Squirrels are my favorite." Duskpaw stated, following Dawngaze to the tree, wondering what she was looking at. A giggle escaped the apprentice as the warrior dropped into a low stance, shoulders bunched and muscular. Duskpaw's green eyes grew wide as Dawngaze explained her movements, each and every blush of fur was ever so interesting. Time seemed to slow as the she-cat analyzed every mannerism, and at the end, her paws were itching to do the same.

Wordlessly, she attempted to mimic Dawngaze's pose, crouching low into the drying grass, trying with all her might to still her tail despite the excitement that was coursing through her. "Is this okay, Dawngaze?" The apprentice whispered, padding slowly forward over the undergrowth. She imagined herself finding a squirrel and purred. Perhaps Dawngaze would like to share.

In spite of the icy coldness that forever threatened to consume her, Dawngaze permitted a soft smile to grace her thick muzzle. Duskpaw was a good cat. She might even have admitted to herself that she enjoyed taking the time to train with her and building some semblance of a relationship with her kin. It was far preferable to being alone, anyhow; the whisperings had become fierce, threatening, and downright scary after her encounter at Fourtrees. Being with other cats made those voices go away, and teaching Duskpaw to stalk was much more fulfilling than being subjected to Houndheart's incessant yammering. She, at least, had some respect for Dawngaze and other warriors. She said whatever was on her mind, but it was rarely something stupid. "Most ThunderClan cats do. I rather like lizards, though."

She examined the apprentice's form, walking in circles and nudging every now and then to test Duskpaw's stance and balance. Dawngaze nipped the tip of her fluffy tail, slyly but softly, to see if she could throw off her concentration. "As long as you are constantly aware of your surroundings, and only if you stay completely silent, you'll catch all your enemies unaware." The younger she-cat's steps were careful, her breath slow, her eyes wide open. Her energy would need to be contained, but if Duskpaw demonstrated self-control, she would find success. "Go use what you've learned and kill something for me."

Claws flexed into the dirt as Dawngaze nipped the tip of Duskpaw's tail. Her back legs kicked out from instinct, but the apprentice growled at herself and readjusted. She couldn't let a tail bite hurt her. The fox may bite her tail as well. Duskpaw's aunt spoke of silence, and being aware of the environment around her. Duskpaw nodded vigorously, breaking her stance to sit up and lick a paw. "I'll be quiet Dawngaze. Thank you." She breathed, watching the tortishell's yellow eyes with interest. Dawngaze tasked her with killing, and the apprentice readily accepted, bounding off excitedly near the higher slopes of snakerocks, tail high.

Duskpaw had hunted before with Beartooth, and with Houndheart and Dacepaw as well. Oftentimes she'd go by herself in the darkness, feeling small underneath the tall black trees. It was a fun thing to do. It made her feel like a mouse. A fox would never hear a mouse coming. Duskpaw giggled quietly and dropped into a stalking stance, like the one Dawngaze had taught her. She watched the ground, peering for leaves and sticks, thinking of what she'd tell Dacepaw at her return. Perhaps the fuzzy she-cat would like a fish. With a frown, Duskpaw determined there would be no fish in a forest, and carried on. Scenting the air, the apprentice caught whiff of something like rocks, but it was warm. Perhaps scaly, like a snake.

With a smile, Duskpaw slinked further towards the smell, hoping to find a large snake-worm. She very much enjoyed worms, however the thought of a beast-worm was very interesting indeed. Fantasies aside, what did rustle the leaf cover was not a snake, but rather a lizard. Dawngaze had said she liked lizards. Green eyes wide, the apprentice stifled her flicking tail and moved forward wordlessly, ears pounding with adrenaline. Her hind paws kicked up leaves as her front ones landed squarely on the scaly beast. A swift bite to the throat finished him off, and the apprentice let it fall to the ground, staring blankly at the small thing for a moment, watching the blood come out. Not a worm.

A few moments later, Duskpaw emerged from the higher slope, lizard in tow. Her grin was wide as she deposited it at Dawngaze's feet, smiling. "You like lizards Dawngaze." She spoke simply, kneading the ground from excitement.

Duskpaw caught a lizard, costing 3 stamina.

Duskpaw
HP: 20/20
SP: 77/80 (-3)

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

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'Hunting Dice' : 4

"I see you were paying attention. Thank you, and well done." She meowed, pleased both with the apprentice's success as well as the unexpected gift. But it wouldn't do to go out for a hunt and return with prey only for oneself, so Dawngaze instructed Duskpaw to bury it somewhere memorable. She would snag a piece or two to provide for the clan as well as keep her own instincts sharp. It would have been a formality for any other warrior, but for Dawngaze, the threat of losing her touch with reality had been too real lately. The rare silence of the forest was a welcome reprieve. She stalked through the dead leaves, frost prickling at her paw pads, and breathed in the scents around her. A particular target caught her attention, the sly ida of repaying a gift with a gift budding in her mind. Dawngaze's razor-sharp focus centered on her prey, locating it by scent quickly and tracking it down to a narrow crevice between two stones.

Crouching low, nearly pressed flat to the ground, Dawngaze steadied herself for the pounce. Her eyes spread from narrow slits to wide circles, body anticipating the kill, and she rocked back against the smooh surface beneath her. She launched, the gap between herself and her prey closing in less than a heartbeat, claws extended and mouth open to go for the kill in an instant. She slammed down on it with one of her paws, a heavy blow to the back, but it skirted just barely away from her. The squirrel, her target, had slipped into the crevice faster than she could get a grip on it, and no amount of reaching or thrashing would bring it back to the surface for her. Dawngaze's nose wrinkled in distate at having lost her prey, but gracefully sat up. It happened. She couldn't change it. Now she had to make sure Duskpaw didn't make the same mistakes she did.

-3 SP; 297/300 SP

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

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'Hunting Dice' : 9