ashen forest [closed]

"Wake up, Honeypaw. It's time for your first real training as a SkyClan apprentice."

Redfall was standing outside of his daughter's den. He didn't know what to feel. Sagelight was dead, and he'd let it happen. Daffodilkit had ran off moons ago, just after joining RiverClan, and was presumably dead. Maplekit was missing. Honeypaw, Tigerpaw, and Gingerkit were the only members of his family left. He found it unbearable to dwell on these thoughts, and pushed them aside as much as he could. Someday the behavior could backfire, but that day was not today. He had to be strong for Honeypaw. StarClan knew how she was coping with what was going on. Redfall set his eyes on the camp entrance and territory beyond. The forest was regrowing, but it was still a sea of gray ashes. Hopefully the prey was returning. If the foxes that killed Sagelight could survive, there had to be some.

Redfall shook his coat out as Honeypaw emerged. "Fresh-kill pile's empty. Even if it wasn't, the queens and elders would be getting it. We'll go out on an empty belly. I'll be teaching you how to hunt."

OOC: OKAY THIS IS ONE MONTH


Honeypaw woke up groggily, almost immediately wanting to get back into her nest. Two of her siblings were missing and she did not want to deal with training at this time. Stars I hope Daffodilkit and Maplekit are okay... “Alright Dad. I’m here. Not hungry anyways.” She commented drily, giving herself a quick grooming before looking over at the fresh kill pile. “I can handle it. Let’s just get on with training.”

“You might think you can, we’ll see about that.” Redfall wasn’t going to tell Honeypaw to eat, he’d let her learn by experience and she could suffer the consequences of a rumbling belly. She would have to learn how to focus while hungry anyway, as with leaf-hare coming so soon it was inevitable she would work on an empty belly often. The ginger warrior glanced overhead at the sky as he led Honeypaw out of camp. “We will be exploring the territory and hunting on the way if we encounter an easy catch.”

He started at the outskirts of their territory, the edge with the Moonlit Creek. “It can take a long time to traverse the territory, so keep your senses alert for any prey. Mainly scent.”

He took a deep breath in the air and noted with a fringe of worry eagle feathers lying on the ground. They smelled fresh. He didn’t see a dark form circling them from above, but all the same his steps were more cautious as they continued through the forest. He signaled for Honeypaw to stop and twitched his ears to two mice at the roots of a half-burnt oak. “I’ll circle around and try to drive one over to you,” he murmured softly. “This doesn’t require much technique. I’ll teach you proper form another day.”

Redfall edged around the oak, making sure his paws fell silent on the ashen forest floor, and that he was far enough away the mice didn’t hear him or feel his pawsteps. When he was at the angle opposing Honeypaw, the ginger tomcat leapt forward. One of the mice, the one he’d intended to catch, saw Honeypaw and was smart enough to skirt around her as well. Redfall hit the ground empty-pawed and hoped his daughter could at least catch the remaining mouse.

Redfall failed to catch a mouse for 3sp.
237/240

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

---

'Hunting Dice' : 9

Honeypaw gave Redfall a sideways glance as her father and mentor sniffed the air. Also spotting the feathers, but not saying anything about them, Honeypaw watched as Redfall attempted to catch the mouse. It dashed away from Redfall's paws, but before it could go any further, Honeypaw tried to mimic Redfall's movements. Her pawsteps were a bit heavy on the forest floor and the she-cat winced slightly as she tried not to scare her prey away. Before it could run away once more, Honeypaw leapt at the mouse, killing it with a bite, warm blood filling her maw. Dropping it on the forest floor, the she-cat considered something. Then, she dragged it towards her mentor and looked up with a questioning gaze. "Now what do I do about it? Was that okay, Dad?" Yellow-green eyes shined with a tiny bit of pride as the young apprentice stared at her first catch.

Honeypaw tried to catch a mouse. Success!

77/80

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

---

'Hunting Dice' : 3

He was more than a little salty Honeypaw had caught her catch and he had missed his, though to be fair he had helped flesh out her catch. Redfall nodded at the stump of a burnt tree. “Bury it in the ground until we leave. Keeps the prey fresh. I can remember where it is until you know the territory better.” There was an uncomfortable flick of his ear as he was called ‘Dad’, but he pressed on.

The pair didn’t yet know there was an eagle, eagerly awaiting the right time to strike. It wasn’t a well-fed eagle, and typically ate crow-food or got cats to hunt for it— like right now. It would focus on the red cat first, the bigger one, and then swoop away with the small cat, or kill it too. And in the end, it would get the mouse that the small cat had caught. The two were invested in burying the mouse in the ground, and the eagle started to circle them in the sky. It swooped down with lightning speed and buried its claws into the red cat’s back.

Redfall felt a shadow fall upon him, and not a moment later did sharp blows of pain rake through the fur on his back. At least it was exposed. Hopefully Honeypaw would have the same instinct for battle that she did for hunting. “Attack while it’s still here! Go for the wings.” It was hard to stay still while talons tore through his flesh, but Honeypaw would have an easier time attacking if he was still. “And do it before my back gets turned into crow-food.”

Eagle used Talon Strike on Redfall, dealing 10hp for 10sp.
Redfall
70/80 [-10]
237/240

Eagle
60/60
190/200 [-10]

Honeypaw
20/20
77/80

Honeypaw nodded as she buried the mouse under the stump of the burnt tree. She barely saw the eagle swoop down until it started attacking her mentor. The young apprentice suddenly froze in fear, not knowing what to do. Oh stars, my first predator. An eagle. Great. I am going to die. Just as she was thinking about all the possible, horrible deaths by eagle she would experience, Redfall's instructions jarred her into action, and Honeypaw started sprinting towards its' wings, using a skill she had seen the apprentice Shrikepaw use. Tackling the unaware eagle, Honeypaw dashed away as soon as possible, waiting for its' next move.

Honeypaw used run-and-tackle, dealing 9 damage (unaware) and costing 10 sp

Redfall
70/80 [-10]
237/240

Eagle
51/60 (-9)
190/200 [-10]

Honeypaw
20/20
67/80 (-9)

She had kind of ran into it, and just ran into it. He’d been looking to pin the eagle, but it was evidently not clear enough. The eagle thrashed, but continued to stay on Redfall’s back. Sharp talons sank deeper into his fur and flesh. It was trying to lift him up, with large wings frantically beating against the air, but he was a full-grown cat and Honeypaw’s attacks had injured it, even if just a little. Redfall swayed a little to the side before violently throwing his body at the ground. The impact hurt, but the eagle was worse off. As the pair rolled over, Redfall flipped over and dug his claws into the belly feathers of the predatory bird. He let it up after a moment, though it stayed circling above them, carefully observing for the next opportunity to strike. It would likely go for Honeypaw next, and she was light enough to be carried off, even injured as the eagle was.

Eagle used Swoop on Redfall, dealing 20hp for 20sp.
Redfall used Belly Rake on Eagle, dealing 14hp for 10sp.
Redfall
50/80 [-20]
227/240 [-10]

Eagle
37/60 [-14]
170/200 [-20]

Honeypaw
20/20
67/80

Honeypaw hissed at the eagle as it clawed at her mentor again. Yowling in fury as the predator attempted to carry Redfall off, Honeypaw's mind whirled with possibilities. Giving up, she ran straight into the face of the eagle and slashed at it's eyes with one unsheathed paw. "Never mess with SkyClan cats, feather-brain." Jumping backwards so that she was out of it's striking zone, Honeypaw watched carefully as the eagle prepared to make it's next move.

Honeypaw used front paw strike!
Redfall
50/80 [-20]
227/240 [-10]

Eagle
31/60 [-6]
170/200 [-20]

Honeypaw
20/20
57/80 (-10)

The eagle let out a loud cat as Honeypaw’s claws narrowly missed its eyes. Blood spurted into the bird’s vision and it took off. It stayed circling above the two cats, eyes locked onto Redfall. The tom arched his mangled back and hissed angrily. He guessed the eagle was close to leaving. Predators like it got to a point where they decided it was worth it to pursue prey somewhere else. That was his goal. He didn’t fancy dragging a giant eagle to the camp. As Redfall watched, eagle stopped tightly circling to dive down, running talons down Redfall’s ears. The tom reared up so it couldn’t touch his back and dug his front claws into the eagle. Stupid piece of foxdung. He managed to thrust it into the ashen ground and bang it around a bit, streaking it with ash and soot. It jerked wildly, eventually managing to get free of his grip.

It hovered above the pair for a minute longer before awkwardly flying away with irregular wing beats. Blood dripped from the eagle’s gray-streaked form. Redfall watched it closely and made sure it had really flown away before turning back to Honeypaw. His tired eyes and mangled pelt did the speaking for him. He dipped his chin towards the burnt tree where the mouse had been, and let out a silent sigh as Honeypaw retrieved it. His voice was gravelly and his throat hurt as he spoke. “Come on. You can drop off the mouse, I’m going to Beechface.” He waited for his daughter to follow him before turning and limping back to camp. It was the usual bruises and scratching; she’d be able to fix it easily enough.

Eagle used Talon Strike on Redfall, dealing 10hp for 10sp
Redfall used Rear-Up to Slash on Eagle, dealing 17hp for 15sp.

Redfall
40/80 [-10]
212/240 [-15]

Eagle
14/60 [-17]
160/200 [-10]

Honeypaw
20/20
57/80

Eagle has fled.