Midnight Excursion [open hunting topic]

The night sky sparkled with hundreds of stars as the small SkyClan hunting patrol made their way through the territory. Spottedfrog hung at the back, her eyes wide, her ears pricked for any sound that could mean prey was nearby. It was quiet, and the night breeze held the threat of chill that had been growing with each day that passed. Greenleaf was coming to an end, and before long, the trees would shed their greenery, the branches would be bare, and food would start becoming scarcer and scarcer. Spottedfrog had never truly experienced a Leafbare - she was still young, after all - but some instinctive part of the she-cat told her that the colder weather was something that deserved a healthy fear.

Pulling back, she spoke, her voice quiet, "I'm going to go this way." Without waiting for a response, she broke away from the group, belly low to the ground, ears slicked back, nostrils flared. Her quiet pawsteps brought her towards the creek, and there, she spied a fat hare sating its thirst. Spottedfrog stepped forward, one pawstep, two, three, each bringing her closer and closer until she was at the edge of the underbrush, and only a few fox-lengths separated her from her prey.

She adjusted her position, wiggling her shoulders, her haunches, and then sprinted forward, but the hare heard her as she parted from the foliage and darted away, quicker than she thought possible. Spottedfrog snarled as she skidded to a stop, whiskers twitching irritably.

dicedicedice

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

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'Hunting Dice' : 7

As Spottedfrog broke off away from the patrol, Bloodstrike paused for a moment before turning to follow. He made sure to take quiet steps so as not to scare off any prey for her. He didn't want to say it out loud, but ever since he had come home from battle to see one of his daughters slaughtered by his son... he didn't want to let any of his children out of his sight. He obviously couldn't be everywhere all at once, but where he could be, he was watchful and protective. Bloodstrike watched as Spottedfrog missed a hare... one that he immediately bolted after. However, it became apparent quickly that the hare was far too fast for him and Bloodstrike slowed himself to a stop. He turned back around and joined Spottedfrog with a shrug.

"They're certainly quite fast. They're not easy to catch." He reassured her. His eyes went to the trees, searching for something easier. There were afew squirrels and birds, but he wasn't about to tell Spottedfrog what she should hunt. "I'm getting a drink." He informed her before he dipped his head to the creek. He hadn't spent as much time with Spottedfrog as he would have liked. He hadn't spent enough time with any of his children really... That was something that needed to be remedied. A part of him hoped that the patrol might move off a little further ahead without them, but if they didn't, then so be it. He would be sure to schedule Spottedfrog to patrol with him again in the near future.

Bloodstrike attempted to catch the hare. He was Unsuccessful!

-3SP

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

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'Hunting Dice' : 7

Newtspring had been tailing the patrol, taking every step slow so he could enjoy the cool breeze. It warned of colder weather to come, and he was sure he would hate when Leafbare arrived, but for now, the chill felt nice. Really, he wasn't even that keen on catching anything; he was far more eager to sit at the creek's edge and relax than he was to do any real work. But Spottedfrog had split off with her sights on a hare, and his eyes glittered with interest– and a bit of mischief. He couldn't just let her show off without doing anything himself.

His sister's quarry darted away, and Bloodstrike– much to Newtspring's amusement –went barreling forward, hurtling after it with all his bulk. But the hare was faster, and before Newtspring could throw himself after it, he disappeared out of sight. Chuckling, he padded over to them, whisking his tail against Spottedfrog's shoulder. "Good try," he purred, looking over his shoulder at their father. "An' good show. Y'guys did great, but... how 'bout we actually catch somethin'?" Another laugh, and Newtspring trotted away, leaving Bloodstrike to drink and Spottedfrog to catch up.

It wasn't quite as impressive as a hare, but as Newtspring passed through the foliage, the sight of a fat squirrel caught his attention. Grinning, the tom dropped low, pulling himself forward through the ferns on careful, quiet paws. The little thing kept scratching at the roots of a tree, entirely unaware of its soon-to-be fate.

Focused as he was on his own catch, the tabby failed to notice he wasn't the only one hunting it. An arc of russet flashed out of the undergrowth just as Newtspring bolted forward– sending the squirrel racing up the tree, and the cat barreling headfirst into a fox. He collided with its chest and staggered, blinking to figure out what had happened.

As soon as it clicked, Newtspring let out a yowl and started to backpedal, but the fox had already set its sights on him. With a lunge, its sharp fangs sank into his scruff and it lifted him off the ground. With flailing paws, he swiped at it wildly, hoping a single blow would connect, but the fox had already started to shake its head, whipping his body fiercely as he shrieked.

Newtspring attempted to catch a squirrel. Catch was unsuccessful... and summoned a fox!
Fox used Thrash on Newtspring, dealing 10 damage and costing 15 SP. Newtspring is stunned for two turns.

Newtspring
20/30 | 77/80

Fox
60/60 | 165/80

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

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'Hunting Dice' : 10

fox dice roll

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

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'Effect Dice' : 6

As Bloodstrike charged past her in pursuit of the hare, Spottedfrog's lips twitched. Her father could scare the quills off a porcupine, sure, but there was no way he was catching that thing. She dipped her head at his words, "I had to try, though, it was right there... maybe if I'd been a little quieter..." she trailed off, thinking back and trying to remember exactly how she'd been walking, and if she could change her stance at all to prevent from scaring prey off again... but Newtspring's appearance, and subsequent jab, made her pin her ears and turn towards him, "You couldn't catch a hare if its paws were stuck in mud," she snapped, but though the tone was harsh there was no real malice in the words. His tail thumped against her side, and Spottedfrog whipped around, attempting to swat a sheathed paw over his head, but her brother was too far out of the way already, so she settled for a quiet "hmph" and began searching for something else.

As her nose lifted, she opened her mouth, letting the scents wash over her tongue in hopes that there was something else worthwhile in the area... until... an acrid, heavy scent flooded her nostrils, and Spottedfrog's heart skipped a beat. "Fox-" she started to say, but Newtspring's yowl, and then the immediate smell of blood that followed, made her realize that her warning had come too late.

"Dad!" she cried, trying to get his attention, and then barreling towards where her brother's voice had come from. She burst through the underbrush to see the russet-furred canid with her brother in its jaws, shaking him like a warrior would a mouse. Without even thinking, she flung herself at it, raking claws across its eyes, and yowling, "DROP HIM!"

Spottedfrog used Jumping Strike on the Fox, dealing 8 damage and costing 7 SP.

Newtspring
20/30
77/80

Fox
52/60
165/180

Spottedfrog
30/30
70/80

Bloodstrike rolled his eyes at their banter, but it brought a small smile to his face too. There was some pain as well as he remembered Mistrain and how much he still missed her. Once he lifted his head from the creek... everything happened so fast. A fox grabbed Newtspring. Spottedfrog yelled for him and attacked. Bloodstrike whirled on his heel and charged the predator. Foxes... oh how he hated foxes. An eternal symbol of all of his failures rolled into one vile creature.

He made a lot of noise with his massive, heavy paws galloping madly across the forest floor. He wanted the fox's attention. He sprang at it with claws outstretched and let a deep yowl rip from his throat. No fox will take another family member from me again. Never. Again. He thought as the hatred burned bright and obvious in his green gaze. He landed on top of the russet creature and tore his claws and teeth deep into it's flesh with unrelenting, merciless force. He didn't intend for this fox to survive this battle.

Bloodstrike used Leap and Hold, dealing 10 damage and -15SP

Bloodstrike
70HP / 145SP (-15SP)

Fox
Stunned for two turns
42HP / 165SP (-10HP)

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

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'Effect Dice' : 5

Familiar voices echoed in through the ringing of his ears, and a blur shot past. Newtspring tried to register it, but his world was spinning too fast. Whoever it'd been, they dislodged him from the fox's iron grasp, and he hit the forest floor, skidding a few fox-lengths away before regaining himself.

"Spot– dad?" He called out, rising to stand on shaky legs. It still felt like he was being thrashed around like a kit, and as determined as he was to charge back into battle, to keep his family from getting caught by the fox the same way he had, one step forward almost had his legs buckling.

Slumping, Newtspring let his body rest against the earth, every muscle tense and tail waving furiously. "You guys handle it, 'kay? I'll, uh–" He squeezed his eyes shut, his swimming vision starting to make his head hurt, "I need a sec. Lemme, uh, get not dizzy." He cracked open an eye to watch, and seeing Bloodstrike tear into the fox like it was nothing, Newtspring decided the two of them had it handled and dropped his head with a heavy breath.

Newtspring is stunned for one more turn.

Newtspring
20/30 | 77/80

Spottedfrog
30/30 | 70/80

Bloodstrike
70/70 | 145/160

Fox
42/60 | 165/180