Sticks and Stones (closed)

Appledapple loved her new name. It surrounded her with an invisible aura of happiness, shining brightly as if she was a new cat. Not even her brother could dampen her spirits today. Speaking of which, why exactly had she asked him to patrol with her? It wasn't just out of smugness or a desire to one-up him, though that may have been their ongoing little contest. It certainly wasn't just because she liked spending time with him. So for what reason was she walking alone with Prickletail to the Stony Hollow? We're on equal footing now, she told herself, or at least it feels like we are. We're both warriors. I guess I was thinking... maybe, if I extended a gesture of friendship, we could begin to be together against the world, rather than against each other. Though that didn't mean she wouldn't still tease him occasionally, of course. "So, Prickletail, ready for some hunting?" the small tortoiseshell she-cat asked him brightly, turning around to make sure that he had-- in fact-- followed her.

Prickletail flicked his tail as he padded along behind Applepapple- er, Appledapple. It was hard to say even in his head. Luckily for both of them, he was in a good mood today. He’d killed an owl the other day on patrol, with hardly any help from Orangeheart. He could do this. Not that he ever doubted himself… well… his sister’s voice jerked him from his thoughts. “So ready. I killed an owl the other day on patrol. This’ll be a breeze.” For once, his tone wasn’t antagonistic, more light-hearted and somewhat lazy. It was a slightly warmer than usual day, and he felt laid-back and easy-going. For now, at least. She was lucky he felt like indulging her. His other sisters were nice, and he supposed that, just maybe, he could get along with Appledapple. At least until she did something mouse-brained.

A skittering to the left caught his attention immediately. A squirrel or something, most likely… and then he caught sight of two telltale white ears he’d become rather acquainted with lately. A hare. He’d catch it this time. With a flick of his tail, he dropped into a hunting crouch, slowly stalking forwards. To his annoyance, it heard him coming, somehow, and bounded off. He cursed under his breath and walked back to his sister, tail lashing. “Hare-brains. I’ve been trying to catch one for a while and just can’t figure it out,” he mewed, trying to explain his failed catch. Stars knew he didn’t need Applepaw- er, Appledapple thinking he was mouse-brained as well as vastly superior.

Prickletail attempted to catch a hare, catch was unsuccessful.

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

---

'Hunting Dice' : 4

Killed an owl, huh? Prickletail always had the worst luck with predators, then he'd come out on top regardless. He'd certainly had his fair share of foxes as an apprentice, and now an owl. Was he trying to depopulate ThunderClan's population of antagonistic animals single-pawed? Well, she certainly wouldn't stop him. She couldn't stifle a smirk, however, as her brother ran after a hare and missed it by about the distance from here to Fourtrees. "What are you, a WindClanner?" she teased him, but the smile on her face bore no malice, just amusement. "You'll get it one of these days. I prefer to stick to normal prey, though."

As a matter of fact, as she started talking, a familiar scent drifted to her on the light leaf-fall breeze. A vole! Her favorite. "Watch this," Appledapple grinned over her shoulder at him, slipping into the familiarly cocky, but warm, tone that she usually took with her brother. Able to quickly pinpoint the direction her prey was, she dropped down to her haunches almost on instinct, slowly stepping forward towards it. Her paws landed on soft moss, just as Minkstar had trained her, until she got within striking distance. However, she missed it. Slipping on a recently fallen leaf, her face landed inches from the startled vole, who fled immediately. A hot rage began to prickle up beneath her pelt. How dare it get away? She should have caught it easily! "Nothing to catch over there, the vole was too small," she meowed flippantly, trying her best to calm the anger that usually burst so quickly to the surface. It boiled slowly in her blood, but that was preferable to exploding at Prickletail just when they'd been having a nice patrol together. Not only had she missed the prey, but now her chin hurt. But she refused to explode. If her brother didn't provoke her maybe she could calm down. "Maybe we should try catching the same type of prey next. We'd both have better luck finding something actually worth eating. How about a bird?" She turned to nonchalantly lick a tiny spot of mud off of her pretty tortoiseshell pelt.

Appledapple attempted to catch a vole, but she was unsuccessful.

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

---

'Hunting Dice' : 9

Prickletail huffed with annoyance as she teased him, but at least she had the wit to acknowledge the fact that, one day, he would catch it. He just had to keep trying. Appledapple went after a vole, and Prickletail sniffed around nearby where he’d found the hare, just to see if there was any pattern to its movements. There didn’t seem to be, but a very faint thud from Appledapple’s direction caused him to whip around. “If it’s another fox I will get StarClan to exterminate them all,” he muttered, looking over. Thankfully, Appledapple appeared, empty-jawed… hey, at least they’d both missed. It had not been a fox and she’d missed too…

”Too small?” he queried, the thud he’d heard coming to mind. “I thought a branch fell or something… either way, we can both agree the last minute or so never happened. Birds sound fine.” He would’ve goaded her, if they had both been kits… but back then there was always Mother to separate them, and Appledapple’s claws had been plenty sharp enough as a kit. As a warrior… eergh. He did not want to end up on the wrong side of them and ruin his pelt.

He scented a bird, a dove of some kind, nearby on the ground. He dropped into a hunting crouch… and it flew off as soon as he got near. ”Mouse-brained birdfeathers! Aaargh!” He clawed angrily at the dirt for a moment before returning to his sister. “That never happened either,” he grumbled.

Prickletail attempted to catch a birdie. Catch was unsuccessful.

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

---

'Hunting Dice' : 9

Wow, this just wasn't a good hunting day for either of them, was it? Appledapple winced as her brother missed the bird he'd gone for. "Guess nothing wants to be caught today," she sympathized. "Don't worry, we'll find something." How were they supposed to have a good time if not even she could get a single piece of prey? Out of the corner of her eye, a fat sparrow caught her attention. Perfect. "Let's try this again," she murmured, eyes narrowing in focus. One had to be really careful with birds. If they noticed so much as a stray breath from you, they were gone, and cats couldn't fly. The tortoiseshell stalked up carefully, placing each paw with slow care, eyes fixed on her target.

However, unluckily, the bird just happened to glance in her direction when she was only a few pawsteps away, fluttering off right in front of her face as she snapped at it angrily. "Ugh!" She had literally never done this badly before! What was wrong with her? What was wrong with this patrol?! Why couldn't they catch anything? Feeling the boiling in her blood grow stronger, she stormed back to Prickletail. "Nothing again," she snarled, feeling her hackles begin to raise almost instinctively. "Are we cursed? What's with this luck?" She had half a mind to blame her brother, but she knew logically it wasn't his fault... and yet, logic wouldn't have a hold on her for much longer.

Appledapple attempted to catch a bird, but she failed somehow

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

---

'Hunting Dice' : 8

Prickletail nodded, wisely keeping his maw shut as Dappleapple… er, Appledapple stormed back to him. He knew that look. He also knew he’d better get his tail out of here for long enough for his sister to calm down… it was a lot less fun taunting her than it was back when she was a kit. ”I will go over this way…” he mewed, already edging away from her. “There might be predators spooking the prey. If I run into anything I’ll yowl.” Then she can attack it, not me.

The tabby tom hurried off, the dappled shade under the trees serving as perfect camouflage. The familiar scent of squirrel hit his nose, a nice, homey smell that reminded him of camp. He soon spied the little creature perched on a branch, seemingly unaware of his presence. And… he managed to scrape his claws down its side. With a cheeping sound it fell off the branch, and Prickletail managed to pin it by its bushy tail and finish it off with a sense of relief.

Prickle attempted to catch a squirrel, catch was successful, praise StarClan.

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

---

'Hunting Dice' : 9

Of course he would catch something successfully. His catch did nothing to improve Appledapple's mood, but it didn't quite worsen it, since he hadn't been rubbing her failures in her face. "Good job," she said shortly, trying to head off the mounting anger that had been building within her. Usually she just relieved her rage immediately, but she was trying with everything she had to not attack her brother for something that wasn't his fault. With that said, a little bit of aggressive edge slipped into her tone that she couldn't keep neutral. "The prey just aren't running well today," she growled with frustration, looking at the tiny squirrel that had been all they'd collectively managed to catch. "Maybe this is a sign that we'll start doing better, though." As annoyed as she was, she couldn't stop herself from adding, "maybe if I walk further away I can catch something. I think your presence is cursing me. Don't follow me, Prickletail, or I'll probably miss again."

That said, she immediately left so that she could find more prey, worried that she would look for something-- or someone-- on which to sharpen her claws if she couldn't relieve her anger quickly. To her surprise, she ended up stumbling upon the same vole that had initially fled from her! She could tell because of the small notch in its tail, indicating that it had survived a near brush with her claws. You won't get away this time! She stalked quietly toward it, using her hunting skills for the third time this patrol, focusing as hard as she could with the frustration boiling beneath her pelt.

She managed to catch it, paws landing directly on it-- but then, she was immediately hit from behind. Stunned by the massive blow, she collapsed to the ground, right next to the vole as it ran away again. Her wrath could no longer be contained, now that blood had been shed. "How dare you?!" she yowled at whatever had hit her. It was an enormous badger! If she was smart, she would have run away from it. But she was far too angry to think straight. "First I catch nothing, then some stupid badger makes me miss my one chance at catching prey?" Appledapple seethed, her claws already unsheathed and ready to attack. She paid no attention to the gaping wound that had been opened on her shoulder. "I try to go on a patrol with Prickletail and this is what happens? Is StarClan trying to send me a sign? Is my mouse-brained brother not worth spending time with? What do you want from me??" Thoughtless, angry words spilled from her maw as she turned to face the predator, more than twice as big as she was. "I'll turn you into crowfood, you fox-hearted mouse-brained piece of foxdung!" She leapt forward and began to claw at its pelt, seeing nothing but red.

Badger used Heavy Blow, dealing 13 damage and costing 20 SP.

Appledapple used Front Paw Strike, dealing 7 damage and costing 7 SP.

Appledapple:
13/30 HP
73/80 SP

Badger:
83/90 HP
130/150 SP

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

---

'Hunting Dice' : 10

“That makes no sense,” he muttered to himself, carefully keeping his voice low enough so she couldn’t hear. “I’m the only one who’s caught anything and yet I’m the one cursing her? Oh, no, why would I expect anything remotely resembling rational thought from her.” He huffed and spun around, heading out in the opposite direction, muttering under his breath. Although frustrated, he wasn’t seriously annoyed. After all, he’d caught the only prey they’d had the luck of catching on this entire patrol.

Then came the yowling.

Why do my sisters keep getting attacked every patrol we’re on? Despite that, he pelted through the underbrush, ready to come to the rescue yet again. Oh. Oh. Oh wow. That… that was big. A badger… what was Appledapple thinking, the mouse-brain. Only then did her faint yowls register in his ears… oh, so it was his fault, was it? Well, just for that, he’d let her fight it alone. When she collapsed to the ground he would drag her by her scruff up a tree. Badgers didn’t eat cats, by all accounts. He was bigger than Appledapple… but the pure power of the fox’s thrashing came to mind. That had been a fox, and a young one. By all rights he couldn’t let her fight it alone… with a sigh, he cannoned into the badger’s side before leaping back, ready to dodge if it turned its attention on him. He wasn’t about to take the blow for his uncaring sister, but he’d drag her up a tree if it landed.

Prickletail used Jumping Strike on Badger, dealing 8 (5+3) damage and costing 7 stamina.

Appledapple:
13/30 HP
73/80 SP

Badger:
75/90 HP (-8)
130/150 SP

Prickletail:
30/30 HP
73/80 SP (-7)

Appledapple barely even registered that her brother was there. All she saw was red. The pent up rage from her hunting failures, combined with the pain that burst through her shoulder wound, was all-consuming. Of course she couldn't take on a badger herself. But with how angry she was, she honestly felt like she could. When the anger took over, she had no sense of her usual personality or logic. The only thing she could think or feel or do or say was only wrath. "Die, you mouse-brained badger!" she yowled, slashing at it again. This was all Prickletail's fault. She didn't know why, but it was. She was sure of that.

The badger was focused on the small cat in front of it who had invaded its territory, but was momentarily distracted by another cat leaping on top of it. With fleeting annoyance, it turned and aimed a swipe at the newcoming cat, lumbering around just to get hit again by the cat it had originally targeted. What a bother.

Badger used Heavy Blow on Prickletail, dealing 17 damage and costing 22 stamina.

Appledapple used Front Paw Strike and Desperate Blows on Badger, dealing 14 (7+7) damage and costing 12 (7+5) stamina.

Appledapple:
13/30 HP
61/80 SP

Badger:
61/90 HP
108/150 SP

Prickletail:
13/30 HP
73/80 SP