The Two of Us (solo)

Goldenstar padded quickly through the tunnel, brushing lightly against the wall to supplement her hampered vision. Behind her, Lightningpaw stalked like a shadow with equally sure steps. He was growing taller and more muscular despite the ribs showing under his pelt. Leafbare had been a trial for everyone. Thus the reason the duo prowled the dangerous warrens beneath their territory: an effort to feed their Clan while learning the pathways for future use.

“Split in the path. I’ll take the left. I think it leads east towards Fourtrees. You take the right. The other day it lead me to the Flower Field. Be careful.”

“Yes, mother, always. I will return to you.”

She watched his mottled pelt disappear down the other tunnel before making her way in her own direction. Her kits were growing tougher and would prosper when greenleaf cleansed WindClan of hunger and sickness. The piercing stares of the ancient leaders burned in the back of Goldenstar’s mind, almost visible in the shadows if she squinted hard enough. She didn’t want to see them, though. Maybe when she brought home a fat hare for the many bony apprentices she saw cleaning moss beds as the pair left this morning.

A stray, dry scent pulled her guilty thoughts back in front of her. Rabbit. Water filled her mouth at its smell growing stronger, and the molly picked up the pace until she was at a silent trot. Tunnel hunting was different than above land. There were not many options to run, but a cat needed to have eyes on their prey before it took off so they knew which turn it took and how best to corral it into a dead end. When the flash of a fluffy tail down a steep incline alerted her to its presence, she picked up into a near-sprint to try and snag it before it had the chance to flee.

Though the sharp angle downward was disorienting, Goldenstar maintained her excellent agility and used her momentum to tackle the rabbit against the side of a sharp turn. Her body was too close for its claws to effectively hurt her. She closed her jaws around its neck with a definitive crack, and the imagery of the youngest apprentices filling their bellies to satisfaction quelled her desire to tear into it.

133 SP.

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

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'Hunting Dice' : 3

Lightningpaw was on his own, now, feeling a little odd at walking away from his mother and leader. His warm smile dropped immediately after he turned away from her to find his own path. At least she trusted him. She better, after the moon of training he’d put into these stars-forsaken tunnels. They were cramped, but at least they were warm. And the darkness was comforting after escaping the blinding white snow that reflected the sun into his eyes. He wasn’t too keen on the predatory birds above, either. At least the dangers down here couldn’t swoop at him.

Actually, he quite liked being unseen. Something about the feeling of being able to see unsuspecting prey while they were oblivious to him was satisfying, as if he melted into the shadows and saw with piercing yellow-green eyes what no other could see. Lightningpaw’s steps were unlike Goldenstar. Quiet, yes, but slow, more like a warrior patrolling his borders and overseeing the slopes of his territory rather than an apprentice enclosed in the dark and desperate for food. And his lowlight vision was considerably improved compared to his first expeditions underground. Lightningpaw liked to think that he could stir the envy of ShadowClanners, but he wasn’t keen on meeting any just yet.

A distant scratching turned his ears. It was coming from ahead, so no chance that Goldenstar’s own hunt was interfering. It could certainly be another brave Clanmate, or a rival predator, or the prey he hungered for. Soon a wind blown prey-scent, old, was leading him down winding paths until the flicker of movement betrayed a rather large lizard skittering down a quickly narrowing tunnel. It was digging deeper into the earth, likely escaping the freezing weather from a nearby entrance judging by the frost on its back and the sudden visibility of Lightningpaw’s breath. He crouched low, stepping carefully, and continuing to advance even when his target stopped still to scan for danger.

…it scrabbled away, gone through its too-small burrow before the ‘paw could blink. He stared for a moment, still in his crouch, before rising back to his full height. Lightningpaw expected to feel angry at his loss, but he couldn’t be bothered to feel much more than mild dissatisfaction. He would have like to wolf it down before dragging home something more impressive.

53 SP.

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

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'Hunting Dice' : 6