Cicadas Singing in the Marsh [Closed]

Training had been going well. He felt like he was picking things up easily and becoming a fitting Shadowclan cat. However, becoming the best would not happen if he simply trained like normal. Perhaps it was kittish of him to still have that dream of being the best warrior and to follow it so religiously, but it was his only driving force. He had cats to live up to, cats to impress. Being average, or worse, mediocre was not an option for him. Cicadapaw refused.

During a night where Burningwing had not called for him, Cicadapaw carefully slipped out of the apprentice den as to not wake any of the other apprentices. Cats being up in the dead of night may be more common in Shadowclan than any other, but he still didn't want to run the risk of getting caught by his mentor and told to go back to his nest. With the rogues about, it was probably dangerous to go out alone, but he was confident in his abilities already. He could take one mangy rogue on his own, they lacked the training and courage a warrior had. Besides, he wouldn't stray too far from camp, the cowards should know better than to get too close

He lifted his nose to the air as he was taught, tasting the air for prey. He wanted to see how well he could hunt without his mentor's guidance. Burningwing didn't hold his tail any, but the tom was always close by if need be. Cicadapaw wanted to be independent, and to him, this was the best way to train it.

OOC: No rogues for now!

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

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'Hunting Dice' : 4

Marshpaw had made a habit out of leaving the camp to train on her own. She left the den a little earlier than usual, so most cats were still asleep. The black and white she-cat noticed an empty nest, and after glancing around, she came to the conclusion that one of the newer apprentices, Seacaydapaw? Was the one that left. She slowly stepped over the still-asleep apprentices and began to wonder what a 'seacayda' even was, she tried to pronounce it in her head a few times and then realised it was actually... "Cicada!" She muttered, slightly louder than she had hoped. "That makes much more sense..." She muttered to herself, paws carrying her through the territory. She wanted to hunt and was following the noise of a frog, when suddenly she bumped into a tortoiseshell cat.

She stepped back blinking. "O- Oh sorry. Cicadapaw? Is it?" More and more cats were trusting her and she felt it would be easy to get this one to become her 'friend'.

Cicadapaw tensed at the sound of a voice behind him, half expecting to see a kit behind him when he turned around. But no, it was another apprentice. One older than him at that. His gaze rested on the other apprentice for a moment, not expecting to have been caught outside at this time of night.

"Marshpaw? What are you-..." He trailed off at the realization she had the opportunity to ask the same thing. He didn't have the permission of his mentor and he sincerely doubted she had the permission of hers either. She didn't seem like much of a threat though, with her high-pitched, stuttering voice. She might be a tattle-tail, but he was sure he could scare her out of it if she made any moves to do so. "I'm just getting some hunting in. A Shadowclan warrior does best at night anyway, it would be a waste to sleep through it. You can join me if you want, but it's dangerous out here if you don't know what you're doing." He flicked his torn ear for emphasis. He had gotten it from an owl on his first night out as an apprentice, and frankly he was quite proud of his battle scar.

Marshpaw flicked an ear as Cicadapaw explained himself. "Okay, but you're not a warrior, are you? Cicadapaw." She teased lightly her paw raising with a smile. "Oh, yes, I'd love to join you... Danger? Well, I was almost killed by a Thunderclan warrior and survived." She glanced at one of her scarred shoulders. "I'm older than you, too, so I wouldn't be too.. afraid." She stepped around Cicadapaw. "Unless you were just reminding yourself? Hah, anyway, let's go. Don't want to be eaten by a rogue just standing around, would you?" She might as well start chatting, see what he likes and what he dislikes. She stalked through the grass, her black and white tail twitching around the blades of grass to avoid making noise.

She heard something, a... She glanced around, trying to find it, her ears leading the way. Finally, her multicoloured eyes spotting the creature. A mouse, an ugly brown looking thing, it looked older but mice were mice, she thought. Led by her nose, she crept closer. Finally, she leapt. Her legs kicking out and catching the older thing with ease. She almost dropped it because of how uncomfortable it felt in her mouse, it's fur was patchy and it tasted like dirt, urk... she hoped the insides tasted better for whoever got the mouse. She carried it back dropping it back at her paws. "Your turn, don't comment about it.." She signalled at her prey. "Prey is prey." Marshpaw sat down, an ear flicking.

Marshpaw attempted to catch a rodent and... Succeeded! -3 SP (Marshpaw)

Marshpaw -
57/60 SP (-3)

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

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'Hunting Dice' : 6

His nose wrinkled, the beginnings of a snarl that he swallowed down. "If you were beaten by a Thunderclan cat, then maybe you should take my warning more seriously," he muttered. He wasn't going to take such sass from another apprentice. Besides, he could take on a rogue if one were to show up. They were untrained heretics, it would be downright shameful to lose to one of them.

He watched the she-cat disappear into the bushes, waiting impatiently for her arrival. The rustle of the bushes sounded a few minutes later, Cicadapaw turning to find Marshpaw returning... with a mangy-looking mouse. He scoffed. "Sure, the elders will be happy to have it. They're all nose-blind anyway," he purred, a bit more playful in tone than his earlier comment. He had an upper paw now, he could definitely catch something better than that.

Cicadapaw shifted his attention elsewhere, his nose catching the scent of a reptile. He purred to himself, melding into the undergrowth as he crept closer. Lizards and snakes were easy to catch this time of year, the cold creeping into their bones like an elder and making them slow. And, sure enough, was a fat snake within the bushes, its lidless eyes staring off blankly in his direction. It was asleep, right? It was always so hard to tell with these things. He took a few more steps forward before pouncing, claws outstretched to pin it too the floor.

Yet, as his paws struck home, the snake quickly whipped its head back, its jaws snapping shut on his wrist. "Agh, foxdung!" Cicadapaw hissed in pain, flailing his paw in an attempt to loosen his attacker. He was the one hunting, not the stupid snake! Its teeth released his foreleg, dropping back before him and coiling rhythmically as it prepared to strike again.

OOC: I swear I have the worst luck with dice >:[
Cicadapaw attempted to catch a reptile, but was unsuccessful and spawned a predator instead! (-3SP)

Snake used Serpentine strike, costing -10SP and dealing 6 damage!

Cicadapaw:
14/20HP (-6)
57/60SP (-3 from hunting)

Snake: Serpentine Movement: All of the cat's attacks must be rolled with the effect dice. 4, 5, 6 misses while 1, 2, 3 hits. This ability is lost if stunned or pinned
15/15HP
65/75SP (-10)

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

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'Hunting Dice' : 10

Marshpaw let out an exaggerated huff, before giggling. She flicked her tail as Cicadapaw disappeared. Shortly after, she heard the other apprentice curse and went to see what happened. She just expected the prey to have ran away, but instead it had turned around and started fighting back. Marshpaw watched Cicadapaw struggle for a bit, fully prepared to leave him there. She rolled her eyes and stepped forwards anyway. "At least I can catch something." She glanced at he snake, it was hissing like crazy. She blinked at the tom. "Maybe I should just leave you there, seeing as you're fully capable of fighting fully grown cats with infected claws all on your own." She licked a paw and pushed it over her head. Cicadapaw didn't seem to mind her light teasing, it was all apart of being an apprentice, after all.

"You're lucky I'm nice." She aimed at the snake. Her paw lifting up with her claws out. She slammed it down, originally at the snake's head, but the snake had simply moved out the way. "Slippery thing, aren't ya?" She huffed, stepping away. "It's going to be a waste of time to fight it, Cicadapaw." She turned her head to the tom, her black and white tail flicking. She kept glancing back at the snake, just in case it tried to get her.

Marshpaw used Front Paw Strike!... But it failed, due to Serpentine Movement. -7 SP (Marshpaw)

Marshpaw -
20/20 HP
50/60 SP (-7)

Cicadapaw -
14/20HP
57/60SP

Snake - (Serpentine Movement: All of the cat's attacks must be rolled with the effect dice. 4, 5, 6 misses while 1, 2, 3 hits. This ability is lost if stunned or pinned)
15/15HP
65/75SP

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

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'Effect Dice' : 5

Hearing his companion come to his aid was both a blessing and a curse. He wanted Marshpaw's help, but by Starclan he also lothed her help. It didn't make him feel like a capable warrior at all when he got attacked on his first time hunting with her. Her light ribbing didn't help by making sure he was dropped a few pegs. "Fully grown cats are easier to hit than this too! Foxing thing won't sit still!"

If it hadn't been a dangerous thing, watching the snake coil and slither might have been memorizing. How did it even move without legs? However, now it was just a frustration. He needed to get rid of it. He leaped forward, attempting to pin the stupid thing down. His claws dug into the reptile's scales, holding it firmly in his paws. It wasn't going anywhere, no matter how hard it tried.

"I'm not fleeing unless I have to, I'm holding a grudge," he declared, glaring down at the writhing snake with disdain. "You're welcome to run with your tail between your legs if you aren't up for a challenge though." His eyes lifted to meet Marshpaw's with a teasing grin.

Cicadapaw used Leap-and-Hold, costing -15SP and dealing 6 damage! (+1 for Night Finesse) The snake is now pinned for 1 turn!

Cicadapaw:
14/20HP
42/60SP (-15)

Snake: Pinned! (1/1)
8/15HP (-7)
65/75SP

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

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'Effect Dice' : 2, 1