Chatty Crickets [Cricketpaw]

Beechpaw followed the rest of the patrol out into the territory, fighting the urge to dive into the scattered piles of leaves that now dotted the forest floor. The fallen leaves were just one of the signs that the days were growing shorter and colder, and the clan needed to prepare for leafbare as best they could. Making sure Skyclan remained well-fed was a good start to that, so hunting they would go today. She wasn't nearly as familiar with her new denmates as she was with the older warriors of the clan, and to say it was awkward was a bit of an understatement. Still, the former medicine cat was happy to go along with the patrol.

Spotting a squirrel on the ground, Beechpaw slid into a crouch. The movements were coming back to her and slowly becoming easier, though she had yet to build back the strength and stamina she'd had before. Judging distance was still difficult, and the large tabby found herself cocking her head slightly in an effort to make up for her lost vision.

She managed to get close without clumsily stepping on something or tripping, and bunching her muscles, Beechpaw hesitated less than she had on that first hunt with Bloodstar. When she landed, it was with her forepaws firmly pinning the squirrel to the ground, and her teeth quickly closed around the prey's throat before it could do much in the way of try to escape. Her catches had been infuriatingly hit or miss recently, but Beechpaw thought she was improving. She kicked leaves over the squirrel, then turned back towards her patrolmates.

Cricketpaw bounded after the rest of the patrol, his tail streaming out behind him and flickering enthusiastically. He had yet to grow tired of endless patrol, and was too naive to fret over the growing cold. Instead, he simply longed to scale trees and pounce on what prey could be found. His apprenticeship was something that hadn't gone on for long; he wanted to train more with his mentor, see all there was to see, fight cats of every clan but... there was plenty of interest here too. Namely, Beechfa- Beechpaw.

It would take some getting used to, not calling the former medicine cat by the name she had earned. As he followed after the patrol, Cricketpaw watched the she-cat in brief snatches. There were so many questions he wanted to ask his new denmate to the point he couldn't even decipher which would be first. He pulled away for a moment in pursuit of a skinny robin that seemed to be searching for something at the trunk of a tree, flitting about the lower branches. Apparently his approach was too noisy, as the prey fluttered away with a rustle of wings.

The tom shrugged it away easily, turning his gaze back to Beechpaw before leaping down in front of her. Green eyes glanced over her pelt, her ugly scars, and the bulk of her frame. Tipping his head slightly, the tabby apprentice took this as the opportunity that he had been waiting for, "You're pretty big for an apprentice." It was far from the most tactful introduction but Cricketpaw wasn't known for his tact, rather speaking what came to his tongue as it was conjured.

His ears ducked slightly, perhaps realizing his own mistake, but he opted to ignore his own stupidity, carrying on, "I'm Cricketpaw in case you didn't know. I like to know everyone in the den and it's hard not to notice you around."

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

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'Hunting Dice' : 8

A bird fluttered overhead, the rustling of wings indicating that someone hadn't found luck in their pursuits. Feeling eyes on her, Beechpaw turned, finding herself face-to-face with Cricketpaw... Who seemed to be in a talkative mood.

Big for an apprentice? Really, who would've thought. Beechpaw's ears flicked back in annoyance at the comment, doubtless made only because the tom was young and stupid. He was lucky that he was a Skyclanner... An actual Skyclanner, unlike Spottedfrog. "You have about as much tact as I did, at your age." Beechpaw remarked, tail twitching. "Let me guess, you're wondering why I'm out here and not making myself miserable in that stuffy medicine den?"

He grinned cheekily in response to her first remark. The apprentice had heard that Skyclan's former medicine cat was rathet prickly in nature, but she seemed fine enough so far. Shifting his weight between his paws, Cricketpaw shook his head quickly to her question, "Nah, I get why you'd want to get out. I can't imagine sitting around picking herbs anyways. Who would want to do such a thing?" Nose wrinkling slightly, the slender tom expressed his disdain. Glancing back over his shoulder, he could see the rest of the patrol off in the distance, trying their paw at catching something. Maybe they'd be luckier than him.

As if remembering something, the tom's head snapped back to regard the strange she-cat again, "I mean, if Muddythorn is into that kind of thing, good for him, I guess. I see why you wanted out, though. I'm more interested in learning if you could beat me in a fight... being Skyclan's newest apprentice and all." Another flash of teeth as he crouched, steel in his gaze, but wriggling his haunches playfully.

"I was thrilled when Muddy actually wanted the position." Beechpaw mewed, "stars know I never did." Understatement, really. Though she wasn't sure how much the younger apprentices would have known. Perhaps it was best if they didn't know much, at least with that situation.

Sparring? Hmm. That sounded like an invitation. "Well... I could use the practice. All that time spent in the medicine den... I'm out of shape." Beechpaw hated that fact, but it wasn't exactly something she could hide. And the only way she'd get her strength and stamina back was to practice. And practice some more.

"Then lets see how you fight, Beechpaw." Cricketpaw teased, crouching to wriggle his rump and lash his tail in inticipation. It took little to no time before he was launching himself forward in a rather untrained attack. The tom was decent at picking up on things, he had a natural ability due to his physique, but lacked the tact that Beechpaw spoke of. Instead of trying something fancy, the gray and tan tabby lashed out with wild claws, seeking to glance a blow at the larger cat's cheeks.

Beechpaw grinned at Cricketpaw's words, sinking into a crouch. He rushed her with wild blows and she ducked, his paws catching the side of her head briefly before she launched herself forward. "Is that all you got?" She taunted, tone cheerful as a large paw lifted, swiping at the younger tom's shoulder with enough force to potentially knock him off balance, but not do any real harm.

Cricketpaw stumbled, trying to regain his footing, which he did in a few pawsteps. His sides heaved and he panted for a moment before recovering his breath as well. Such a reckless move had been over exerting with little strategy behind it. He hissed lowly, playfully, "Oh absolutely not! As an older apprentice I have to show you how its done, right?" This time he right himself, straightening up and stretching his tail, as if in an attempt to make himself more imposing. After only a brief second in this out of place pose, he crouched, leaping forward with a false swipe at her bad eye before butting his head into the she-cat's shoulder. It wasn't a very powerful attack and it caused his teeth to clatter together. But Cricketpaw was satisfied and bounded back, "I don't want to hurt you too hard. Wouldn't want to need to summon a medicine cat or something." A teasing grin painted his maw.

Beechpaw outright laughed at his words, whiskers twitching. Older apprentice? Riiiight. She'd fought a dog that had to be five times Bloodstar's size easily. before the apprentice was even a thought. Cricketpaw was cute.

Summon a medicine cat? Her eyes narrowed, tail flicking back and forth. "I can take care of myself. You, on the other paw... I'm sure Muddythorn would be happy to help you." Beechpaw smirked, then lunged for Cricketpaw, fully intending to wrestle him to the ground.

She was faster than her bulk suggested and his eyes widened as he was wrestled to the ground. As Cricketpaw's paws went out from underneath him and he was thrown onto his back, it the the first time the tom had begun to consider than his self-confidence might be a tad misplaced. Regardless, he flashed a toothy grin up and Beechpaw and meowed, "I don't need a medicine cat! I'll just rub dirt in my wounds and move on like a real warrior. Can't slow down for something like healing." As he chattered on, the tom wriggled, slipped up slightly and aiming to kick his hindlegs into her soft underbelly.

Beechpaw rolled her eye at Cricketpaw's words, "And then they'll become infected, and you'll make more work for Muddythorn." As a medicine cat, Beechpaw had gone to great lengths to ensure that none of Skyclan's warriors were that stupid. Not that they listened to her most of the time. Seeing warriors with easily-preventable infections just because they didn't want to bother the medicine cats was infuriating.

Cricketpaw wriggled, and his paws caught her in the belly while she'd been distracted by her own thoughts. "Foxdung, you- ugh!" She half-growled at him, a sheathed forepaw aiming for the side of his head.

"How do you- oh." A protest to her rebuttal had budded on his tongue before the swift realization dawned on him. Beechpaw did indeed know what she was talking about, unlike him. Cricketpaw's whiskers twitched slightly, finding humor in the situation. There was also satisfaction at the decently timed lash of his hindpaws into her bulky mass. But she was swift to swipe back, knocking the apprentice in the size of his head. It caused him to reel slightly from the impact. Big paws meant big blows. Cricketpaw shook and battered back at her chest will ill-aimed blows, "Get off you big lug before you squish me like you're a badger! Who would be able to heal something like that?"

How di she know? Really? He'd been a kit when she was a medicine cat, but surely his memory wasn't that bad, right? He seemed to figure it out quickly enough, though. Soon enough there would be kits who didn't know she was a medicine cat at all... That was a strange thought. One she liked.

"Featherbrain." Whiskers twitching in poorly-disguised amusement as he batted at her chest, Beechpaw graciously stepped back and allowed the tom up.

"Couldn't be me." She smirked, "Come on, we may as well start making our way back to camp."