Hunting For....(closed)

It was quiet, the vague chill of morning suffusing the air. Minkstream breathed it into his lungs, his breath silent as his eyes flicked over the territory before them, close to fourtrees and a faint rumble that passed by on the Thunderpath, making his hear twitch briefly. The stony hollow close by lay still and silent, the black gaping mouth as solid as if the darkness inside traveled into the depths of the earth. But his eyes weren't on it, instead seeking movement in the bushes close by.

He glanced to the side, at Kerath beside him, his nose telling him the answer to his question before he asked it. "Smell anything?"

Kestrelpaw had gone out to hunt with his mentor, who also happened to be his father, in the crisp hours of the morning. This was the apprentice's preferred time to go out and catch prey. Everything was moving at a more sluggish pace and the territory was at it's most peaceful state. He enjoyed breathing in the fresh air. It was quite soothing and it cleared his head enough for it to be in peak performance for the rest of the day. There were many benefits to waking up early after a decent night's rest. He could go on and on but for now, he had a task awaiting him.

His maw opened a tad to take in more of the smell his father was implying. His head tilted and the corner of his mouth quirked upward, a funny little thing he did when he was processing information. His head turned to look at the older tom beside him. There was indeed prey near them. His mind quickly sifted through the information that had been stored about prey and their distinctive scents. He came to a definitive conclusion only a second later. "I scent a mouse nearby." answered the apprentice, voice barely above a whisper. His eyes refocused on the bushes that had first garnered their attention. He stood as still as a rock while awaiting Minkstream's instructions. He knew the basics of hunting but he was hoping to expand his knowledge.

He watched his son closely as the young tom scented the air, the corner of his maw quirking in that unique way of his. Only a moment later, the reply came, and Minkstream nodded, his own mouth angling upwards. "Good one," He murmured, feeling the edge of a leaf brush against his fur as he breathed - apart from that, he was still. "Remember, with a mouse you have to keep your paws light when you're approaching." He narrowed his eyes slightly at the bush, catching a small flicker of movement. "Best thing to do when it's in a bush is to flick it out - you'll make too much noise trying to flatten it."

Glancing back at Kerath, he invited him to go after it with a tilt of his ear. "Take your time - don't rush it." Though it was probably unnecessary to add that part - Kerath was more methodical in his approach - he could be trusted not to move early. Still, sometimes it was good to give a reminder.

The white and brown tabby tom intently listened to everything Minkstream was telling him. He was keen on performing his task with very minimal to no error. He knew he wasn't perfect but he strives to be particularly good at what he does. It would certainly benefit the clan and himself. Besides, he very much enjoyed learning. To him, it was his leisure. While other apprentices messed around or lazed about in the camp, he was up and about either teaching himself, through trial and error, or being taught, by someone with more experience, some essential skills that allowed him to carry out tasks with max proficiency. It was his 'thing'. It was also another reason for somebody to think of him as rather odd.

'Step lightly and carefully. Hold back as to not create too much disturbance...' The apprentice replayed those thoughts over and over as he began the silent stalk toward the prey. He was doing the best that he could to follow his father's instructions. He made sure to keep as much weight off his paws as he was able to. He even made sure as to not let his tail drag on the ground. His green sight never left the sliver of mouse fur he could spot in the bushes. He had to keep his eyes on the prize after all.

A few moments went by before he had reached a safe distance from the bush the rodent was in. He began to flick it out, like his dad had advised him to do a bit earlier. He deemed it a success when the mouse was away from the foliage for him to attempt the catch. Well, here goes... As soon as it was out, he made haste with a quick, yet decently quiet, pounce.

He didn't even realize he had held his breath. He let it out when he felt his unsheathed claws make contact. He didn't waste any time and swiftly killed it with a bite. Afterward, he proudly held it between his jaws as he softly padded back to his mentor. Success! He didn't make a fool of himself. He felt excitement rush through him. This couldn't have gone smoother even if he tried. The younger tom placed the dead rodent by his father's paws and looked up with a small smile, eyes shining with genuine happiness. Hopefully Minkstream was happy with that catch.
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Kestrelpaw:
20/20[HP]
77/80[SP] (-3 SP)

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

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'Hunting Dice' : 4

Minkstream watched as Kestrelpaw began his stalk towards the mouse, eyeing his technique and letting a smile curve up his maw. He's a natural, and he's only getting better. He let his ears stand slightly more erect as his son approached the bush, his paws light as the faintest breeze starting to stir the air, the flicker of the mouse in the mess of leaves and branches moving. Kestrelpaw wasn't fazed - he flicked the little critter out just like Minkstream had advised and the older tom watched him make the pounce, a minor rustle of leaves reaching his ears.

Minkstream grinned at him as Kerath brought it back, quietly purring, "Couldn't have done it better. Great work, 'paw!" A flicker of pride glowed to life in his chest, and he glanced down at the mouse, killed with a neat bite to the neck, and nudged it with a paw. "Let's bury it and go after something else. I have a feeling the Clan won't go hungry today."

Warmth spread throughout the young tom at his father's praise. It always felt good to have positive words directed his way. It was one thing he looked forward to while doing his duties. Gratitude signified a job well done and Kestrelpaw was somebody who strives to do his tasks well. He'd start to internally beat himself up if he made more mistakes than he deemed acceptable or just performed poorly in general. He'd then train himself to do better until he's barely awake on his paws and lacking any coherent thought. It was where he disappears off to every so often. In the back of his mind, where the more rational parts reside, he knew what he did wasn't healthy but currently, it was the only way he knew to discipline himself. He kept the methods to himself in fear of being reprimanded for 'unknowingly' causing harm to himself. Yeah. He wasn't going to spill his secrets anytime soon.

The apprentice swiftly nodded his head in agreement at the older tom's words. They'd surly catch a decent amount of prey to bring back to camp. It was exciting to think about how much they might gather to feed the clan. Before he could slip into his daydream, he bent to pick up the mouse and chose a nice spot to bury the prey. Once finished, he gave Mink a small nod, an indication that he was ready to proceed. He padded toward the other, mouth morphed into the tiniest of smiles. Onward they would go!

This time around, Kestrel was the one to lead them both to a different spot in hopes of finding more critters to take. It wasn't long before he spotted a ThunderClan staple, the squirrel, not too far from them. It seemed to be rather preoccupied with whatever it was holding, most likely it's meal. What was even better was that it was a rather plump one. A real decent catch if they'd be successful. He prayed that it would stay oblivious. It'd be such a shame if they managed to lose it.

"A squirrel's there. Want me to hunt it or do you want to?" asked the brown tabby softly. He made sure to stay still as he awaited a response. He caught something already and Minkstream hasn't yet. It was only polite to offer him the pleasure of catching prey. He couldn't hog up all the fun.

Minkstream let a smile crease his maw at Kestrelpaw's nod, and they headed off again, ghosting through the bushes, faint wisps of mist tangled in clusters of trees and wisping between trunks. He kept his eyes alert, his ears carefully sampling the sounds around them - rustles of leaves in a faint breeze, a distant roar from the Thunderpath, the faintest hint of the distant river that he ignored. And a scuffle from up ahead. His eyes caught the movement of a bushy tail, the scent drifting a moment later to his nose.

He smiled sideways at Kerath and gave a slight nod. "Sure, I'll take it," He murmured back.

Keeping his senses alert, his paws moved smoothly through the undergrowth between, avoiding the crackle of twigs and the rustle of leaves. It had taken him a while to get used to just how much everything here could rustle or snap if you put a paw wrong, and he found himself musing that he'd ever managed to pick it up at all. But... with Dacedream and Batbite to help him.... A trickle of sadness coloured the cool of the morning, and he let out a silent breath, narrowing his eyes as the squirrel twitched its tail again and glanced around itself. He hunkered down against the ground, his chin brushing low threads of grass, his body hidden by the undergrowth close by, a clear line to the squirrel, perfect for the pounce. Tensing his hindquarters, he kept his eyes locked on the small reddish body.

Lessons ran through his head, the whispers of his mate and cousin running through his mind, and the moment came. Perfect. Cleanly, as if he was slicing a paw through the water to scoop up a fish from the depths below, he pounced, claws meeting in fur and his teeth neatly sliding into its neck. It died without a sound, barely a rustle to mark that he'd caught anything, and he stood, its body dangling from his jaws as a grin slid up the side of his maw, and he glanced back at Kerath with a wink before setting it down and gently scooping loose dirt and leaves over its body to conceal it. We're on track to feed the whole Clan today.

Minkstream attempted to catch Squirrel and succeeded, using -3 SP.

Minkstream
HP: 100/100
SP: 277/280

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

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'Hunting Dice' : 1

The young tom stepped back and began to observe his mentor's movements as he stalked the reddish mammal. Only a couple moments after, Kerath could sense his father's mood dampen for a few seconds. He couldn't help but frown in worry and confusion. His mind began to ponder the possibilities that could've caused the drop in mood. What had lowered Mink's spirits? Something was clearly bothering the older tom but as an unknowing act of mercy, Kestrelpaw wasn't going to ask today. It didn't mean that he'd drop it but he felt like now wasn't a good time to pry. His father was trying to concentrate on the current objective. He quickly shook his head to rid of any oncoming thoughts and focused back on Minkstream's progress. He was hoping for another successful catch.

It was indeed a success. He let out a quiet sigh of relief. His father appeared to back to his old self again. The apprentice's shoulder's relaxed. He didn't even know he'd gotten tense. He offered a small grin of his own as he beckoned the other to follow but after he buried his catch. They were on a roll and hopefully it'd stay a streak. He really wanted to bring a sizable amount of prey back to camp.

The brown and white tabby was on alert for any movements nearby as well as any particular scents as they walked around. It wasn't long until their next target was spotted. It was another decently sized squirrel. You could never go wrong with more squirrels. Just like the others, it appeared to be preoccupied with something. In this case, it was burying a nut in the ground. It sort of mimicked the way cats hid their prey. Quite fascinating really. It was unfortunate that it had a good chance of never getting back to it. Unbeknownst to it, what it was doing made it an easier target to snatch as something else's meal. He exchanged silent words with his father before dropping down into a crouch. It was his turn to attempt to catch. He was as ready as he'll ever be.

Kestrelpaw sucked in a breath as he began to stalk the reddish-brown critter as silently as he could. He was real low to the ground as he'd seen his father do. He was well hidden. It'd only be bad luck if it managed to slip away from him.

His green gaze never left the 'prize' as he slowly inched his way toward it. Once he reached a safe distance, he readied his haunches. His chest pounded when he noticed the twitchy prey snap it's head up and scan around. He really couldn't wait anymore. It looked like it was about to bound off. He sprung on it, paws outstretched and claws ready to snag.

Their luck had just run out as he collided into a large orange object. His whole body tensed and his eyes widened as he stared directly into the fierce eyes of an intimidating fox. Oh dear StarClan! They had both been after the same prey. That was rotten luck. Now they had to fend against a pissed off fox. He scrambled back and arched his back in warning. His fur spiked as the beast gave an awful sounding cry. This was going to be his first battle and his racing mind wasn't helping him in any way. He rapidly looked back at his father and pleaded for assistance. He was blank on what to even begin to do.
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Kestrelpaw failed in catching a Squirrel and instead encountered a Fox costing 3 SP.

Kestrelpaw:
20/20[HP]
74/80[SP] (-3 SP)

Fox:
90/90[HP]
280/280[SP]

Minkstream:
100/100[HP]
277/280[SP]

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

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'Hunting Dice' : 10

Kerath beckoned his tail, and Minkstream nodded, pushing a last leaf over the squirrel and padding silently back to join his son. He could sense the eagerness, muted though it often was with Kestrelpaw, in the way he looked around for more prey, and Minkstream couldn't deny that he himself was looking forward to making this more than a couple of pieces for the prey pile. You can always use more with leaf-bare coming up.

They brushed through the undergrowth like shadows, cool drops of morning dew sticking to fur and leaving behind a familiar dampness that felt good on his paws and legs. There was another twitch ahead, the scent of squirrel drifting through the sweet of chilled grass and leaves a moment later. He twitched his whiskers and glanced at Kerath, the younger tom replying and moving forwards softly, smoothly. Nothing in how he stalked should have alerted the rodent, even if it hadn't been absorbed in burying its nut.

But its head snapped up just when Kerath was almost in range, and Minkstream felt his own muscles tense, eyes flicking between his son and the prey, quickly trying to figure out what had alerted it. The wind's right, it shouldn't- For just an instant, a scent brushed on the edge of the breeze, and his fur stood on end.

"Kerath!"

His hiss cut through the air just as Kestrelpaw leapt forwards, and his heart pounded as he started to scramble forwards, claws out, muscles tense. No no no! Red fur leapt from the bushes to their side, Kerath almost crashing into it before he reared back. A snarling, bristling red-furred face. Yellow eyes, a rumbling growl.

StarClan no.

Minkstream froze, his legs stuttering to a stiff halt, every hair on his pelt raised, pounding the only sound in his ears. The world faded to cold, white creeping at the edges of his vision, drifts of snow. No forest, but a dark, choking alleyway, the acrid scent of Twolegplace burning his nostrils. A sick, rancid stink of fox. A rumble in his ears, sickly yellow eyes boring into him, foam flecked jaws snarling as it leapt for his throat.

Blood in the snow. Sharptooth's teeth in its throat, red spraying. Yellow boring into his soul. He could see those eyes real as day. More real.

STOP!

His heart wouldn't stop pounding, his claws dug into the earth painfully, ears flattened against his head. Kerath needed him, but Minkstream couldn't move. Icy cold crawled through his veins, trapping him.

He could only watch, once again, as yellow eyes fixed on them.

Kestrel's blood ran cold as his father had seemingly frozen where he stood. Uh oh. This was definitely not good. Not good in the slightest. He glanced back one more time before putting his whole focus on the beast ahead, which, scarily enough, had moved even closer to the pair. It's eyes had locked onto his catatonic father, deeming him a bit more desirable than the bristling young cat that stood closer in front. Oh no you don't! No way was he letting this fox come near dad. Guess he's going to have to try and stall it while Minkstream snaps out of whatever state he got into and hurries to help out. StarClan protect us all...

The apprentice had to think of something and think of it fast. His mind scrambled for any ideas. He shook all thoughts away when he noticed the fox finally rush toward them, teeth bared in plain hostility. No! "DAD!" he cried out in panic. He wouldn't let this mangy thing have his father. It wasn't gonna happen. No way! He wasn't even going to think. He was just going to act! Before it could have the twisted pleasure of tearing into Minkstream, Kerath leaped up onto it's back and brute forced it's stop. He had it pinned. Good. He returned the angry snarl with an irritated hiss of his own. He let his claws dig in deep. He took this opportunity to mercilessly rake his claws wherever he could reach. This should help keep it down! Now to just get his father out of his own head...

"I-I got the fox pinned! I just need your help dad. I can't do this on my own! Please. I NEED you!" Desperate green eyes searched the other's face in hopes of a signal that Mink was still there. he wouldn't be able to hold it down for too much longer. Oh please StarClan! Hear his prayers and get his dad to stir from his trance. He was in dire need of another paw or two.
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Kestrelpaw used Leap-and-Hold on the Fox, dealing 6 damage and using 10 SP. Fox is stunned for 2 turns!

Kestrelpaw:
20/20[HP]
64/80[SP] (-10 SP)

Fox:
84/90[HP] (-6 HP)
280/280[SP]

Minkstream:
100/100[HP]
277/280[SP]
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Vicious yellow eyes stared up angrily at the force that held him down. How dare this pathetic cat keep him from his meals! He struggled to free himself from the cat's clutches. He could feel the hold loosening little by little. This cat was going to pay. It was the cause of both of his unsuccessful hunts and he wasn't going to rest until he got his revenge!

Fox is stunned for 1 more turn!

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

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'Effect Dice' : 4

StarClan, it was happening all over again. Teeth bared in a snarl, yellow eyes like a cat's and burning with hate locked on him. It sprang.

Somewhere, somewhere in his mind locked beneath the ice of terror, he knew it wasn't the same. He knew he was standing in the forest of ThunderClan territory, in the chill leaf-fall morning air, trees and bushes, not a narrow twoleg alleyway. Not snow, not ice in his lungs. But it played over and over, it wound with reality and twisted it. Blood on snow, face twisted with pain, yellow eyes locked on young Strom's own, boring into his soul and tearing him apart.

He braced, cringing into the ground, nothing but raging panic in his veins.

A brown-and-white pelt barreled into it, and he felt his lungs freeze. Sharptooth! The cry never went past his maw. She'd die, the fox would tear her apart. He knew, he'd seen it in his nightmares. Was this a nightmare?

"DAD!"

Blood. Blood spraying into the snow.

Someone was yowling. He couldn't turn his head away to see where Lynxpaw and Batpaw were. Batpaw? Batbite! Where is she? We have to help Sharptooth! She was still alive. But hadn't she-? Something wavered. Teeth in its throat, teeth in her back. There was... less blood... here....

"I-I got the fox pinned! I just need your help dad."

"Kerath?" He couldn't recognize his own rasping voice whispering in his ears. The pounding in his ears, it wouldn't stop, but something... Pain in his paws from where his claws clenched the earth. Earth, not snow?

"I can't do this on my own!"

This... this isn't the same.

"Please."

His head reeled, a flicker of reality breaking through, edges of whirling snow torn back for a moment. It was Kestrelpaw on the fox, desperately holding it down. Kerath. His son. Not Sharptooth. A different kind of panic bolted through him, his eyes tearing from the fox's to green pleading ones, Kerath's desperate yowl breaking over the snarls and the chaotic beating of Minkstream's heart.

"I NEED you!"

He could see that his son couldn't hold the fox much longer, it was breaking free, too strong to keep down. No! Somehow, he tore his claws from the ground, fleeing from the cold whirling in his mind as much as leaping forward, every hair on his body prickling, his limbs threatening to lock up again as it snarled at him and heaved to break free, Kerath's grip slipping.

THIS ISN'T THE SAME.

Minkstream's own lips drew back, his heart pounding so hard it felt like it might leap up and run away without him. He couldn't let it. Wildly, he slashed out, feeling flesh tear under his claws. Blood torn in lines. By his own claws. The whirling white retreated.

He blinked, almost surprised for an instant that the vision had broken its set pattern. It's not real. The fear still ran like fire through his veins, churning inside him, but something had broken. It wasn't real. The snow, they sickly yellow eyes, the blood, Sharptooth. It was a memory, nothing more. Determination flamed up beside the cold fear, and he leapt backwards from the fox into a ready stance, maw open in a snarling hiss.

I can fight something real.

Minkstream finally got his butt into gear and used Rear-Up to Slash, costing 15 SP and dealing -17 damage.

Kestrelpaw:
20/20[HP]
64/80[SP]

Fox:
67/90[HP] (-17)
280/280[SP]

Minkstream:
100/100[HP]
262/280[SP] (-15)

Minkstream
HP: 100/100
SP: 262/280(-15)