under the same stars [solo patrol]

The moon was high in the sky, and the stars were sparkling as they often did, providing twinkling lights to the distant earth below.

A single warrior rose from her nest with practiced silence, unable to sleep peacefully, and slipped out of the den. Brushing past the night guard with a pleasant greeting - her nighttime hunts and strolls were a common enough occurrence - she didn't bother taking shelter in the undergrowth. Instead she followed in the pawsteps of the daytime patrols, for the most part; glancing up occasionally at the cold, uncaring sky. The stars shone in the distance, but they were always so far out of reach, and now it felt like perhaps they'd never cared at all.

She sighed, a soft sound in an empty forest, and wondered if they were watching. Not the Righteous Few, whose eyes were almost certainly on her as she hunted in the quiet hours, but the rest of them. If they felt anything for the forest-dwellers, if they cared for the cats that had been struck down.

If her father was up there. Was Leopardstar watching? What did he think?

She watched the shadows in silent contemplation, her mind elsewhere as her eyes searched for prey.

Her paws carried her in no particular direction, though she kept clear of the borders. Every pawstep felt like thunder, every rustled leaf a howling wind. The feeling of solitude was something she often sought out on purpose, but tonight it felt almost deafening in the worst sort of way. Maybe it was that her nest was empty, or that she felt she could no longer trust her own denmates. Whatever the reason, she didn't like it at all.

The sound of rustling leaves that wasn't caused by her pawsteps or the swish of her tail sounded in her ears, and she narrowed her gaze. Instead of something fearsome, however, she found herself looking at a squirrel. An unassuming creature, living its life the only way it knew how. Not knowing of the figure that lurked in the shadows.

Without making a sound, she pounced; landing on her prey with practiced ease.

The killing bite was swift, merciful. She thanked their starry ancestors, as warriors were meant to do, but she thought of her father in particular.

Was it possible, to pick and choose your prayers? She could try, at least. So many things seemed impossible until they happened.

Batbite caught a squirrel, costing 3 SP.

Batbite
40/40 HP
117/120 SP

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

---

'Hunting Dice' : 3

Burying the squirrel to retrieve on her way back, she carried on her way. The stars shone, unblinking, above her, as if mocking her thoughts.

She wondered if that was how the Righteous Few saw the clans. If they laid in wait at the borders as she did in the shadows, if warriors were little more than easy prey. Was she just a squirrel, believing herself to be safe as they waited to strike?

The thought left a bitter taste in her mouth, though the newleaf air was sweet.

Once again, the telltale sound of company reached her ears: a bird, its dark feathers almost blending into the shadows. But only almost.

This time, she misjudged her pounce, and while her paws grazed its feathers the bird was already in the air.

Batbite attempted to catch a bird and failed, costing 3 stamina.

Batbite
40/40 HP
114/120 SP

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

---

'Hunting Dice' : 8

Another soft sigh escaped her, more a breath than anything. The squirrel would be enough, at least, but she wasn't going back to camp just yet. She would wander the forest and savor the silence, as much as she could when every sound was deafening but the silence was somehow more so.

Her paws carried her in circles, ever-repeating. She followed in her own pawsteps, over and over, until she could finally set her thoughts aside.

Just before the dawn began to break, she brushed past the night guard once more, this time in silence; depositing the squirrel gently onto the fresh-kill pile and returning to her nest.