Lets try again [Hunting Patrol / Open]

Hawkstrike stretched as he walked out of the warrior’s den. It felt oh-so-nice to get some warrior duties back.

His throat still ached a bit from the whole process of taking off the cursed collar, his gums and claws were still sore from the long process that was to free himself from the twoleg’s nest, but it was nothing but a minor inconvenience. He had endured far worse, and this wasn’t going to be the thing to bring him down.

If anything, he was a bit mad with himself for having overslept and missed the morning patrols. Had the forced kittypet life he had during the past couple moons really affected him this bad? He would need to readapt, and fast.

His paws carried him to the entrance of camp. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before turning around, his green gaze falling on some of the cats around camp, those that seemed to be free at the time “Anyone up for a quick hunting patrol?”.

Foxfire sat curled outside of the warrior's den, gaze fixed on his paws as he faintly listened to his Clanmates go around their business. He found himself lost in thought, that is until he heard a voice calling out. He glanced up with a blink, seeing Hawkstrike standing at the entrance of the camp. It was a bit weird getting used to the tom being back in the camp, but with leaf-bare in full force, the extra paws were welcomed. "I'll come!" he called out as he realized that the tom had been asking for others to join him. With being a warrior again, he wanted to prove himself as well as he could. Prove that he could flourish and be happy as just a warrior, that he didn't need any fancy rank to be useful to his Clan. He quickly trotted over the tabby's side, pausing to see if anybody else was going to join the pair.

Hawkstrike smiled and nodded as Foxfire approached to go hunting with him before turning to face the rest of the camp, an ear flicking lightly with unspoken frustration as none else seemed to be answering to his call.

He tried to not judge, though. Most of them probably just returned from their own and were tired, or were reading themselves for a scheduled patrol not long after, so couldn’t go out hunting with him at the time.

“Looks like it will be just you and me this time. If anyone else wants to come, they will need to catch up” He flicked his tail as a way to signal him to follow. True, he probably could’ve waited a bit longer, but after all the time spent stuck in that twolegs den, unable to hunt or eat anything but the flavorless pellets that he could only compare to rabbit droppings, his whole body was aching to catch literally anything. Even one if the foul tasting rats of the Carrionplace he had learned to despise during his past in ShadowClan would make him oh so happy at the time.

Foxfire shifted nervously on his paws as he waited for somebody else to join them, before almost jumping as Hawkstrike suddenly spoke up. He glanced at the tabby, giving a soft nod of his head. "Oh! Al-Alright," he sputtered as the warrior noted that it seemed the two were on his own, quickly following after him and into the territory proper. It was...A bit strange, being alone with Hawkstrike as he wasn't used to the tom's presence back in camp quite yet but...Well, he supposed it was good bonding time! He guessed. Hawkstrike was just like everybody else, even if he wasn't back into his old fighting shape from his moons from being a kittypet. "So...Uh, how are you holding up?" he asked as they padded, wanting to make a little small-talk before they split up to go hunting. "I mean, it has to be weird being a warrior again after being gone for so long."

Hawkstrike’s whole body seemed to embrace the many ways the pine forest greeted him upon stepping out from camp. They say that you can never truly value something until you lose it, and after his forced stay in the twoleg’s nest, he could definitely confirm that. Something as mundane as the still cold and somewhat crunchy Leafbare soil under his paws, the chilly breeze and the many scents it carried….oh so many things  to enjoy and feel grateful for….

If there was one thing he could complain about, though, it would be how out of shape he was. From being forced to stay in one place with very little to keep him entertained or even to train on, and the disgusting kittypet food he was forced to invest just to survive, he could feel the effects on his every action. This hunt was going to be especially challenging for him, he could already tell.

He didn’t stop until he reached one of his favorite hunting spots, taking a deep breath as he allowed the breeze to carry the information he needed to know where prey was hiding. It was almost like he was I. Dome kind of trance, which was only broken by Foxfire’s voice “Not weird. I might’ve been forced to taste the lifestyle of a kitty pet, but I never stopped being a warrior. It feels so liberating to be able yo return to my duties…even if I’m a bit out of shape”

"Oh! That's good," Foxfire mused as he came to a stop, glancing around at the area they were in. This would make do for a good hunting spot - perhaps that is why Hawkstrike had come to a stop. It was nice to see that the tom felt at home again, knowing the territory like the stripes on his tail. "I...Yeah, I can't imagine how strange it must be to be out of shape. I've had some long stays in Sagelight's den but never long enough to be even close to what happened to you. But I'm sure it won't take long until you are back hunting like your old self!" he added, before he drifting off. "...A-Anyways, speaking of I guess we are out here to hunt. Good luck," he said as he turned, padding away as he taste the air.

As he left Hawkstrike to hunt on his own, he spared a glance up at the branches above. On one paw, it was tempting to attempt to climb up there for his hunting but...Even if he was doing much better with his fear of heights, it still wasn't a keen place he wanted to go if he could help it. So, he decided to stick with the undergrowth as he carefully stalked forward. The scent of squirrel hit him, causing him to pause as he glanced over to see one scampering down a tree trunk - tail puffed out as it braved the cold weather. While its eyes seemed to trace the snow, it must not have seen the warrior as he dropped into a crouch and stalked forward...Before he leap at it. A claw hooked into its side as he tugged it away from the trunk, pinning it and killing it just as quickly. A happy sigh escaped him as he gently picked it up, trotting back to find somewhere to bury it until he and Hawkstrike were done with their patrol.

Foxfire caught a squirrel, costing 5 stamina.

Foxfire:
80/80 HP
235/240 SP (-5)

The member 'Honey Badger' has done the following action : Dices roll

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'Hunting Dice' : 8

Hawkstrike chuckled and nodded politely with Foxfire’s words, it felt nice to have someone believe in your abilities like that “I hope so too” He allowed himself to watch his start hunting for a second or two before his attention shifted from him to the snowy landscape around them.

He closed his eyes and took in a long deep breath with half-open muzzle. The many scents of the forest overflowed his senses. He allowed himself to enjoy them for a couple seconds before isolating scents from each other to find what he was looking for…

And he found it...

Peeking its little nose from a burrow under the snow, a mouse seemed to be hungry enough to try and challenge its luck. The brown tabby smirked as it slowly and silently approached the foraging mouse, eyes locked on the small rodent. He pounced and...his face hit the snow.

He cursed under his breath as the small critter ran off, barely avoiding his sharp claws as it returned into its burrow. Hawkstrike was sure he had gained a few pounds during his time captive, as even if he wasn't the best hunter in the clan, he usually didn't miscalculate his jumps like this. With a frustrated hiss, he got back on his paws, shaking the snow off his long fur rather aggressively....at least now he knew he had to keep this annoying extra weight in mind until he could lose it.


Hawkstrike failed to catch a mouse, costing 5 stamina.

Hawkstrike:
80/80 HP
235/240 SP

The member 'Smiling Advocate Ink' has done the following action : Dices roll

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'Hunting Dice' : 6

It hadn't taken long to find somewhere to hide the squirrel, certain that it would be safe from any prying eyes until the two were ready to head back. Foxfire straighten up, giving his pelt a little shake as he bristled against the cold air. He glanced up at the sky, wondering how long the leaf-bare was going to last. The cold season was...Annoying, his thin fur wasn't built to withstand it and it made hunting a bit more difficult. His eyes drifted up to the snow-covered branches, wondering if it would actually be harder to hunt up there - after all, any snow that fell from the branches could serve to reveal their position to their prey. Perhaps this was one time where staying on the ground was the best move.

He shook his head, pulling his gaze back to the ground as he trotted forward and kept his mouth open for any taste that would alert him to a nearby prey. There was a faint fluttering sound that caught his tattered ears, glancing off to see a lone bird had fluttered to the snow covered ground and was pecking uselessly at the snow - perhaps trying to find something to eat beneath it all. He didn't put much thought past that into questioning the bird's motive, dropping into a crouch as he stalked forward before he made his leap. The bird  noticed him at the last second - but that was all it needed as it suddenly took into the air. He threw out a paw, attempting to catch it mid-flight but was only rewarded with a feather as the bird disappear into the canopy. He sighed at his loss of prey, shaking the feather from where it had been hooked on his claw.

Ah well, he couldn't have expected to catch everything he saw.

OOC: Gonna drop using the dice cause requirement has been gotten and neither of us need a battle encounter so why risk it?