Preparing for Winter [OPEN]

It had been a while since the RiverClan had last gotten the chance to join a hunting patrol. He needed to stretch his legs, and while solo trips through the forest usually suited him just fine, Torrentstar felt a particular urge to take part in a hunting patrol that afternoon. Too much had happened of late; the chance to refresh his mind could not possibly be a bad thing. Despite the fact that he had not informed Ivybrook, he was unconcerned. She was usually in charge of the patrols; however, if there did not exist a pre-arranged one, he simply had to wait for members. Thus the large tabby found himself by the camp exit after sunhigh, striped tail flicking back and forth on the sandy ground. He was not exactly looking for conversation--only like-minded cats who were in the mood to hunt.

Leaf-fall was in full swing, painting the forest in all the dusky colours that signified the coming of harsher times. As Torrentstar waited, he lifted his gaze up by force of habit. The sky was remarkably clear that afternoon, marked only by an idle cloud or two.

Honeytongue had been carefully keeping an eye on her father for a short while as she had been relaxing outside of the warrior's den. She had been basking in what warmth the sun could offer in the chilly morning, curious on what her father was up to...But it hadn't taken long for her to realize that he was waiting for others - perhaps ready to go on a patrol. She pushed herself onto her paws, padding over with a slight smile. "Are you planning on going out, father?" she asked with a slight tilt of her head, eyes bright. It felt like other than for gatherings, Torrentstar never really left the camp - the burden of leadership making him to busy to indulge in simple warrior duties, so the idea that she could take a walk with him - perhaps do some hunting if that was what he was planning...Well, she couldn't pass that up! "May I join you?"

Stormbringer pushed herself out of the warriors' den, her amber eyes landing on her friend and leader standing by the camp entrance. A patrol? Curious the blue gray warrior made her way closer to the two cats. If it was a patrol then she was all for it. "Is this a patrol? May I join?" Despite being on the dawn patrol this morning, a short nap was all she needed to be ready for something else again. She didn't want to lay in camp all day. That was boring.

Ivybrook only assigned so many patrols in a day. More often than not, Mudfrost had to invent her own reasons to leave camp. Leaf-fall made it easier—if someone stopped her, she only had to say the fresh-kill pile seemed a little low, and she’d be given a free pass—but she was learning that, some days, she preferred having someone to patrol with. Maybe it was a holdover from apprenticeship. Maybe it was just her realizing she liked her Clanmates now that she’d gotten to know a pawful of them, and she was making up for lost time. The exact reason was unimportant. What mattered was that hearing the word “patrol” from across the camp made her spotted ears stand tall.

Leaders hadn’t left her starstruck since the earliest days of her apprenticeship, and Torrentstar, being the one she knew best, was the least remarkable of them besides. Still, Torrentstar didn’t leave the camp much… At least, not with his Clanmates. This was an opportunity. What kind of opportunity, Mudfrost hadn’t decided; she only knew she couldn’t miss it. In a few moments, her long, even stride brought her to the group of warriors. ”Let’s stay away from Sunningrocks this time,” she said, as if it was a given Torrentstar would let her join, and nudged Stormbringer’s shoulder with her own.

As soon as she had been re-accepted back into the ranks, it had been evident to Featherpaw that she would need to do more. She wasn't just a normal apprentice anymore - the inevitable peering and leering had made this distinct. To most RiverClan cats, she was simply the one who had deserted her clan. The coward who had fled, only to return seeking and begging for a place of refuge. Those long-lasting moons had taken a toll on her morale, and she felt as if she didn't know where her real home was. Perhaps this would be made clear in its due time, but until then, it was no puzzle that she'd have to work to truely regain her place in RiverClan. Through sweat and tears, it could be possible - and that started now.

Diffidently, and with uncertainty sprouting all over her gait, the apprentice inched towards the camp entrance. She dipped her head tensely to the patrol, maw strained awkwardly, before quietly inquiring, "M-May I please join?" Her feathery tail twitched with hesitance as she awaited a reply, rigidly avoiding eye contact with any of her Clanmates. She subconsiously felt that she had something to prove to Torrentstar and Mudfrost, and with the other two warriors - Honeytongue and Stormbringer, she believed - it would be nice to create a positive first impression.

All she knew was that she couldn't mess up.

It did not take long for his clanmates to take notice and gather around. Despite the later hour, Torrentstar did not find himself at a loss for patrol mates. Five cats made up a rather large patrol, but he did not consider that fact sufficient reason to reject anyone. If there was something that concerned him, it was not the numbers, but the cats themselves. Apart from his daughter Honeytongue, the rest were clanmates that he did not know very well. Stormbringer and Mudfrost―he knew their names, their faces, but... not much else. Here was a problem, and he understood. He was not a particularly social cat. Even so, that excuse was not one for a leader. He had to put more effort into getting to know his clanmates. Inwardly, he sighed to himself... When Featherpaw approached, he did not turn her away, only narrowing his eyes slightly. "Yes." He uttered, after a brief pause. His green gaze swept the gathered cats. "This number will suffice. Let us be off."

Leaf fall made fine weather to patrol in, if only because the cooler temperatures were more comfortable for a long-furred cat. The group had padded along in silence for a moment or two, when Torrentstar found himself asking, "How has life treated you all?" There was a barely audible strain in his voice, perhaps due to the fact that the question was not one he would usually ask. The large tabby disliked small talk, considering it a waste of time. But he was not merely trying to make small talk here; he was genuinely trying to be concerned about his clanmates.

Honeytongue's ears perked at the sound of approaching paws, turning to find both Stormbringer and Mudfrost approaching. At the sight of her friends, a happy purr arose from her as she swished her tail, dipping her head in greetings. Her purr broke out for a second when Featherpaw sheepishly asked to join as well. She...Didn't know Featherpaw all that well, being once a RiverClan cat who had disappeared long before she was born and had just recently returned. However, her purr soon started up again when Torrentstar agreed to take out the gathered cats, overjoyed at the opportunity to get to bond with them all - mostly Featherpaw, seeing how she knew the least about her.

As her father turned to lead them from the camp, the warrior allowed her pawsteps to fall in line with Mudfrost and Stormbringer, comfortable settling between them as they walked. "Oh, things have been good for me," she meowed, blinking at her father's question. She was a bit surprised at it but it was...Nice. But yes, things had been rather peaceful for RiverClan...At least compared to the other Clans it seemed. It wasn't the best still, but they weren't dealing with drama or predators. At least not to the scale of the other Clans. "How about you, father? How have you been doing?"