Stone-Faced (OPEN)

Perchfall sat by the camp entrance, waiting for the rest of the dusk patrol to join her. Since the sudden high rank appointment struck her like a bolt of lightning, she'd had very little time to do anything. She'd also assigned an apprentice to herself, which had seemed like a good idea at the time. It was still logically a good idea... but the she-cat found herself already exhausted a few days into her duties. No wonder Dewlight had seemed so frazzled all the time. However, she wouldn't let it get to her. It wasn't like most RiverClan warriors had "leisure time" in leaf-bare, anyway. She'd assigned herself and Beetlepaw to the dusk patrol, so that they could get used to patrolling with other warriors. However, she found herself dreading the other warriors' arrival. What did they think of her? Would she ever be accepted among their ranks as a "Clanmate" due to these fish-brained circumstances? She would pretend not to let it affect her, either way, but just because she acted like her heart was made of stone didn't mean it truly was.

Robinpatch had decided that enough was enough. He'd mourned his sister's death enough. Although the wound of Ivy's loss would never heal within him, he needed to move forward. He now had more family than he could even count and that was what mattered most...or should've at least. He didn't want to drag them down being such a pathetic old tom. As a warrior he needed to keep his cool and maintain a clear head. It's why he'd jumped at the chance to be on the dusk patrol with the new deputy. It'd be good for his health to get to know others better. He didn't have any solid opinions of her but hopefully that'd change soon.

The calico tom briskly arrived to the designated place and offered the new deputy a hesitant smile and a respectful nod. "Perchfall." he greeted roughly yet with a warmth undertone, voice a bit scratchy from the lack of use. "You...You really don't mind me coming along do you?" A few seconds passed before he let out a breathy chuckle. "I'll try not to let a bag o' bones like me slow the patrol down." He offered he a crooked smile before settling down to wait for the rest of the members.

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"Ack! Don't wanna be late!" muttered a breathy voice as it's owner crashed out of the apprentice's den and hurried to where he could see the patrol congregating. So far there seemed to be only two, the new deputy and a tom he was unfamiliar with, but he assumed that the others were on their way as well. Blackpaw relaxed a tad as he processed the information and finally realized that he still had time. "Hey! M'here!" he called cheerily as he slowed his pace once he reached their presence. "Blackpaw's here reporting for duty!" he purred as he puffed out his chest then gave them both an exaggerated wink. He then cleared his throat before composing his disheveled self. He needed to make a good impression...However, that tiny moment of peace didn't last long before he broke out into a toothy grin, eyes wide with delight. "I-I'm super excited to be here cause it's my first ever patrol! I practiced my hunting and stuff and I just gotta say that I'm ready!" He was about to speak again when he realized that he'd been rambling their ears off. He instantly shut his mouth with an audible click and looked at anywhere but the two in front of him. He was...embarrassed, to put it lightly. He'd always been told that he could be a little much for others and he had tried his hardest to not be that way but apparently that was a bit too hard for him.

The young apprentice breathed in a deep breath before letting it out, an effective method he found out that calms him down. He gave them both a sheepish grin and began to apologize, "S-Sorry 'bout that. I can get carried away and stuff. I'll try to be...less like that on the patrol if ya want..." The tom bowed his head at the older cats then sat himself down, face still hot with embarrassment. He began to shuffle his paws as he waited. He wasn't very good at sitting still and quiet but he'll try anyway -mostly for the others' sakes.

Perchfall nodded at the older tom who approached. Of all the warriors in RiverClan, Robinpatch was not one who she knew much about. He was far more experienced than her, but he had a kind and good-natured attitude that surprised her. "It's no trouble," she said simply, choosing to keep her words to a minimum as she normally did. It was strange to her that such a well-seasoned warrior would suffer from feelings of inadequacy, but it made her feel slightly better about her own self-deprecating inner voice.

The pleasantly short conversation didn't last long before one of the Clan's more... energetic apprentices burst in. Blackpaw was the brother of her own little apprentice, and just as full of vivacity and, uh, noise. Training an apprentice had given Perchfall a new appreciation for the beauty of silence. She found it cute how embarrassed the little tom got after his outburst. "No need," she told him, features still not outwardly smiling but softer than the usual impassive mask.

Then of course her own apprentice arrived, Beetlepaw striding in with the trademark wide grin on their face. However, she was taken aback by the momentary display of affection. Huh. So... that's how that feels. She couldn't honestly say that anyone had initiated physical contact with her before, since her mother's grooming when she was a kit. It left a strange warm tingle on her fur where the small apprentice had bumped her. After a moment of shock, where her blue eyes were almost imperceptibly wider than usual, she shook it off and returned to her impassive deputy face. "We'll be doing a regular hunting patrol today, catching some fish at the river," she said without acknowledging whatever flip-flops her heart had just been doing. "If we're all ready to leave, then let's head out." With that, she turned tail and began heading out into the territory.

OOC) I don't know if it's alright but you guys can have your charas try to hunt something before going into the battle so the hunting req would be fulfilled. If it's not allowed then ignore this lol

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A whisper of a smile had overtaken the tom's face as he watched the apprentices' differing personalities on display. He nodded at the two energetic newcomers and grunted out a, "Name's Robinpatch. Nice meeting ya kids." Perchfall seemed as reserved as he so at least he wasn't going to be the only quiet one out of the bunch. It was often awkward when he was in the patrol with a bunch of chatterboxes and he rarely added anything to the conversations. He was trying to improve his social skills but he felt like it just isn't for him. He could do okay in one-on-one talks but in ones with more participants? He'll be a bit awkward but he'll still do his best. Perhaps he'll have to use his voice more with two excitable apprentices in the group.

His attention turned back to the deputy. He nodded as she explained what they'd be doing and then proceeded to stand up. He stretched his limbs, satisfying himself when he heard a pop or two from his bones before nodding to the molly. He was ready. He was sure the others were ready too so he followed right behind Perchfall, pace steady.

Once they'd arrived to the river, the tom began to address the she-cat, "Do they know how to hunt fish? I can give 'em a show just in case." He signaled to the two apprentices to stand closer. He then turned to address the two youngsters. "Okay. I ain't too sure if either of you know how to hunt in the river but I'll quickly demonstrate anyway. Watch closely so we don't waste time with me repeating. Got it?" He then got into position near the edge of the riverbank. "Okay. Gather 'round and watch." Once they were a good distance, he pressed on, "First find a good spot to settle down -careful to not slip into the water like clumsy kits. Then, look down into the water so adjust your position so that your shadow doesn't cast over it. Fish get spooked by them. Once that's good, make sure your claws are out and ready. We need those buggers to snatch the fish from the water." He showed them that his claws were out before he continued, "Now, wait for a fish to pass right under you and do this motion with your paw." He lifted a paw and made a quick and deep scooping motion. above the water. He didn't want to disrupt the water just for his demonstration. "If your able to balance on your hind legs well, you can try trapping a fish with both paws. Either way, once you got one, throw it onto land and as far from the water so it doesn't flop back in. Kill it as soon as it's a safe distance away. You can even snatch one then bring it right to your mouth so you can kill it with a quick bite. It's a bit harder since they tend to wiggle aroun' and are quite slippery. Always make sure your claws have 'em hooked good. Gotta sink them deep into the fish or risk it dropping back in. Don't worry much if ya don't get it on the first try. It could take time to learn. If ya have beginner's luck then I envy ya." His green gaze twinkled with mirth before he settled down. "You kids ready to try? Perch and I won't be too far so if you need help or sense trouble, either come straight to us or call for us. I mean it. Don't take anything on by yourselves. It's a stupid thing to do when you got backup waiting not too far." He gave the two apprentices a serious look before getting up and walking up to them. On his way to the deputy he nudged them both with friendly affection. "Go on and have fun kiddos. Do your best. I gotta talk to Perch for a sec."

"Sorry if I took over some of Beetlepaw's training for a bit...I'm not sure if you've already taught him this stuff or not but I'm still sorry all the same." he said sheepishly once he'd reached her side. "I just thought that since Blackpaw's mentor isn't here right now to guide his training that I could just quickly show them the basics so we can get straight to the hunting." He offered the younger cat a crooked smile before turning to walk away. "I'll be right over here if you need me for something." he meowed over his shoulder with a warm look in his eyes. He greatly appreciated her accepting him into the patrol. He missed teaching others the ropes. Made him feel good. He was a sucker for kits and apprentices. Even an old grouch like him can't help but smile at the youngsters.

After finding a good spot for him to start his fishing, the tom settled down and watched the water closely. He kept the rest of his senses open for any danger that may lurk nearby. It only took a minute or so when he spotted a shadow nearing his vicinity. Alright. Time to put those dusty fishing skills to use. He prayed to Starclan that he would at least get one fish during the hunting session.

Aha! He's still got it! The warrior grinned inwardly as he scooped the fish out of the water and killed it. Thank the stars for the luck! He placed it down behind him and got ready to try again when he heard a honk then a yowl that came from the direction of the apprentices. The warrior's fur stood on end as he assumed the worst. A goose! He shuddered at the thought of 'em. No! Now was not the time for that! He needed to hurry over and fast! He knew that Perchfall would get there first.

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Relieved that neither of the older cats had been too bothered by his energy, he smiled brightly. He opened his maw to speak again when Beetlepaw's voice beat him to it. "Beetly! I'm happy you're coming with us!" he purred, torso bouncing with excitement. The sight of his siblings always made his days better. "Hunting? Cool! Ya hear that Beetly? We're going to do some fishin'!" He got up onto his paws and puffed out his chest. "I'm more than ready to go! Let's do this!" He hurried after Robinpatch and Perchfall, roaring to go out and try his paw at hunting.

The whole trip to the river, the young apprentice had kept pace with Beetlepaw as he gushed to them about how lovely the territory looked and how excited he was to catch his first prey. He took in all the new sights and sounds as well as the scents. He was about to ask his sibling a question before Robin's voice had cut through. "Huh? Oh! Coming!" he called back as he rushed over.

The warrior was going to show them how to hunt fish? That was good! He hadn't really had a chance to practice that skill yet since he'd been confined in the camp as a kit and never got to see the river until now. It was pretty nice of him to do this. "Alright! I'm watching and I'm ready to learn!" he said as he shuffled close to the older tom but kept enough distance as to not disrupt him. Once everything settled, Robin began his explanation and Blackpaw began to take mental notes.

Blackpaw had been able to grasp the warrior's instructions fairly quickly. His good memory was to thank for that. "I think I got it. Thanks Robinpatch! You're right that it's my first time doing this and you've taught me so much already! Now I can't wait to try it out! Also, don't worry. We'll try to be careful." The apprentice then turned to Beetlepaw. "Let's go over there!" he said as he eagerly pointed to his intended direction with his nose. "It ain't too far from the others but we still got space to try out some fishing moves." He gave Beetle's nose a playful boop with a gentle paw and hurried over to where he'd planned to go, head looking back on occasion to see if his sibling was following. Once there he sat down. Okay! It was time to start!

First things first, his position! He settled down properly then took a peek at the water. His shadow needed to be shuffled back. Okay. Now, his claws. The apprentice unsheathed his claws and grinned. Step two was done! Now, he needed to wait.

He didn't have to wait long before he spotted a fish heading his way. Okay! He lifted a paw and held it steady. Here goes nothing! If all went well, this would be his first catch! Just the thought of that made him giddy!

He timed it as best as he could but before he could even get the swipe in, a long shadow loomed over him and the water. The fish dove deeper into the water. His prey had escaped. "Hey! What's the big idea?" he huffed as he turned to look at the one who made him lose his catch. His eyes widened. He'd heard of these things before. A lot of warriors told frightening stories about their experiences with them. This did not bode well.

"Goose!" Was all he managed to yowl before the thing's beak came crashing down on his head. His face was knocked into the ground and he let out an "OUCH!" That was...painful. He opened his eyes to see it descend it's beak back down upon him and he made haste to scramble away. Oh no it didn't! "Take this!" he growled as he slashed at it's face with his claws before turning tail and running before he could get smacked with it's wings. It looked real angry now. Yikes! "Run Beetly! This thing's vicious!" he cried as he nudged his brother back toward the older cats. He did not want to experience that head bonk again, nor did he want Beetle to. Once they could safely make it to the others, they can all gang up on it and beat it up!


★Goose used Beaked Thrust on Blackpaw dealing -10 [HP] and using -15 [SP].
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∎Goose:
[HP]: 55
[SP]: 155 (170-15)

∎Blackpaw:
[HP]: 10 (20-10)
[SP]: 57

∎Beetlepaw:
[HP]: 20
[SP]: 60

∎Perchfall:
[HP]: 30
[SP]: 80

∎Robinpatch:
[HP]: 50
[SP]: 117
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★Blackpaw used Front Paw Strike on Goose dealing -6 [HP] and using -7 [SP].
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∎Blackpaw:
[HP]: 10
[SP]: 50 (57-7)

∎Goose:
[HP]: 49 (55-6)
[SP]: 155

∎Beetlepaw:
[HP]: 20
[SP]: 60

∎Perchfall:
[HP]: 30
[SP]: 80

∎Robinpatch:
[HP]: 50
[SP]: 117

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

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'Hunting Dice' : 1, 10

Perchfall was silent as Robinpatch talked to the two apprentices about fishing. She hadn't taught Beetlepaw yet, so it was good that he was learning... still, she felt slightly strange at the warrior's actions. Did he not trust her to train her apprentice? Or was he just being helpful? His words when he walked up and smiled awkwardly suggested the latter. Either way, Beetlepaw and Blackpaw were being taught, and that was the important thing. The deputy filed away a mental note to give Robinpatch an apprentice at the earliest opportunity, given his skills in teaching.

However, she was drawn swiftly out of her reverie by the young apprentice's yowl. Here, now? A predator? Really? Despite the shock, her mind made a quick switch from leisurely hunting patrol to fighting an enemy. As the apprentices ran back towards them, the gray and white she-cat ran forward, heading for the large white bird that loomed over the river, eyes fixed on the younger cats. Taking advantage of its lack of focus on her, she seized its throat with her paws and forced its head underwater, pushing it down into the river. Hopefully Robinpatch could capitalize on this advantage, and let the apprentices stay safely behind.

Perchfall used Underwater Clinch on Goose, dealing 7 damage and costing 10 stamina. Goose is stunned for one turn.

Perchfall:
30/30 HP
70/80 SP

Goose (stunned):
42/55 HP
155/170 SP

Blackpaw:
10/20 HP
50/60 SP

Robinpatch:
50/50 HP
117/120 SP

Beetlepaw:
20/20 HP
60/60 SP

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

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'Hunting Dice' : 10

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

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'Effect Dice' : 1