Keep Moving Forward [Yewpaw]

Beechfang led the way out of camp with an apprentice and a number of foul creatures in tow. She was quiet, glancing back briefly to make sure that Yewpaw was following, but unsure of what to even say to him. Oliverain had been a friend, and Yewpaw's mentor, but she was gone and had been for some time. Still, training needed to be kept up with, and Beechfang would see to it that that happened. And... Maybe it would help distract her from the looming shadows that surrounded them. They had to keep moving somehow, right?

Her paws eventually came to a stop as she turned and glanced at Yewpaw, tail twitching in uncertainty. She had no idea what the apprentice thought of her, though Beechfang was sure it couldn't have been any worse than what some of her other clanmates thought... Or what she herself thought at the moment. Really someone else ought to have taken Yewpaw on patrol, someone who didn't have the blood of their own clanmate and kin on their paws. But she was what Yewpaw was stuck with for better or worse. Yewpaw had been an apprentice for some time, so he should be well beyond just the basics, at least. Still, she knew first-paw how losing a mentor could impact one's training, as well. At least he had other warriors to help guide him.

"Alright... Let's see what you can catch." Her voice was rough with disuse, the former medicine cat having done her best to avoid talking to her clanmates beyond necessities since Dawnhawk's bloody takeover.

Yewpaw could hardly focus anymore. His paws and tail, they were numb. He could not hear the whistling of the breeze through the tree-tops, nor the murmurs of songbirds far off. He wished they could stay in the true silence Leafbare brought, instead of moving forward to Newleaf. To him, the snow held memories he couldn't bear to see melt away, the peace he'd felt with Oliverain, Crickethop, and Elkpaw. They still lived then, under the snow-heavy boughs. What was he supposed to do? He pretended to be responsible but taking over his own training had been a dud.

Yet why should he feel the need to mourn? SkyClan, no, the whole forest was under the claws of the Dark Forest. How selfish and childish could he possibly be when there were many others in the same position. His shadowed green gaze felt like it moved at a snail's pace as he looked to Beechfang. Even now she had lived through terrible things, and forced to do far worse. What right did he have to cry? What right. Like hers, his voice too creaked from prolonged silence. "Ah."

He split off from their group of living and undead, though it took great effort to force himself to focus. Though finally he came across a wren rifling through the leaf litter, tossing debris this way and that. It was distracted. Every time it took a leaf in its beak and tossed it aside, he moved forward one step. Eventually he was in striking distance. As it descended once more to pick another leaf, Yewpaw leapt forward - right where the startled thing had begun to flee towards. All it could do was let out a startled cry before he finished the job with one final crack.

The member 'Knight' has done the following action : Dice roll

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'Hunting Dice' : 2

Yewpaw, she noted, looked lost. Grief for his mentor and brother, or the weight of everything else that had happened recently... Beechfang thought she could sympathize. Maybe he didn't want to patrol with the cat who'd killed her own mother. Beechfang could sympathize with that, too. Instead of commenting on the slow response, Beechfang said nothing, falling silent as the tom turned away from her and began to track a bird. A wren, she noted wryly. She wondered if her mate was watching from the stars, or if their abandonment was true this time. Even before the dark forest Beechfang had never looked to the stars for guidance or comfort. Knowing Wrenspring was there now... She shook her head, struggling to focus on Yewpaw's hunting instead.

"Good catch." She congratulated softly, nodding in approval as the tom cut off the bird's escape. She'd continue forward in search of prey, waving her tail at him to do the same. Words hovered on the tip of her tongue, but she kept quiet.

He slowly released his clawhold on the bird, his gaze fixated on its little form until it lost its vital heat, almost as if he couldn't believe that he'd done it. Like he had just been plopped down into this situation and the deed had been done by someone else. Yewpaw's gaze shifted about for a heartbeat before Beechfang's words woke him once more. Praise felt odd. Wasn't he only doing what was expected of him? He opened his mouth a few times, unsure of what to say, but settled on a quiet, "Thank you."

He laid a layer of fallen pine needles on his catch and moved on. It took a little longer to locate something else, but after a while his nose picked up the scent of a vole somewhere nearby. With careful, soundless steps he followed the trail until finally he came upon a little rocky ledge. One peering look down confirmed that the creature was flitting in and out of a little crack in the stone, perhaps building a nest inside. Yewpaw aligned himself just right so he could jump down onto it, but it scurried right into the hole before he'd landed. Annoyed, he stuck his paw - rather foolishly - after it, swatting about and hoping he'd snag it. Despite the poor decision, it worked. His claws hit something warm and furry and he dragged the terrified thing out. It too met a swift end. Maybe these little victories were making him feel a bit better.

forgot to take SP last time oops, -4 SP total 56/60 remaining

The member 'Knight' has done the following action : Dice roll

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'Hunting Dice' : 5

Beechfang studied Yewpaw for a moment, but words had never been her strong suit. She wouldn't have been the best at consoling someone on a good day, and today was not that. So instead of speaking the words that lodged in her throat, she remained silent, turning away to find her own prey and keeping an eye on the tom as he brought down a vole in rather... unconventional fashion. The vole had trapped itself in that nest it seemed to be building, but of course that was no match for the sharp claws of a Skyclanner.

Instead of finding prey herself, the rush of wind above her head alerted Beechfang to something else. "Hawk!" She warned Yewpaw, though it was going after her so he should be fine anyways. With a growl, she lunged upward as the hawk swooped, claws raking across the bird's feathers in annoyance. Talons drew blood along her shoulder. If it was trying to grab her and fly off, the hawk might've had worse vision than Beechfang... Or maybe as much bloodthirst.

Beechfang used Jumping Strike on Hawk for -7 sp, dealing -10+3 damage.
Hawk used Swoop on Beechfang for -15 sp, dealing -9 damage.

Hawk
27 / 40 hp (40 - 13)
110 / 125 sp (125 - 15)

Beechfang
46 / 55 hp (55 - 9)
103 / 110 sp (110 - 7)

Yewpaw
20 / 20 hp
60 / 60 sp

Yewpaw's head whipped around at Beechfang's call just in time to watch the older she-cat and the bird clash paw-to-talon. Though in his head he knew he should've been alarmed, but his heart was oddly still. No time to think about that now, though. There came something worth fighting. He left his vole where it lay and sprinted towards the scuffle. When the hawk began to swing back upwards he leapt, paws outstretched, but it was his jaws that made contact. Yet he'd only caught some tail feathers. 'Scat.' The bird let out a shriek as if surprised from his sudden appearance. Blood scattered when the bird regained its balance in the air, damaged tail dripping and bouncing in the breeze. It seemed to be foolishly turning back towards them. The tom said nothing, but his eyes were unblinking, fixed unflinchingly on their adversary. If it wanted a fight, it'd get one.

Yewpaw used Snap on Hawk! He used 7 stamina and dealt 6 damage.

Hawk
HP: 21/40
SP: 110/125

Yewpaw
HP: 20/20
SP: 47/60 (i miscalculated earlier while deducting for the hunting cost)

Beechfang
HP: 46/55
SP: 103/110

Yewpaw had joined the fight, snapping at the bird's tail. The bird it seemed, was too dumb to take the hint and circled back toward them, though Beechfang was pleased to see it was very clearly injured. Rearing back, she swiped at the hawk with practiced, controlled claws. She wasn't at all impressed by it still trying to fight, the only sound she made a low hiss of annoyance as talons grazed her shoulder in retaliation. The wounds would sting, but better it go after her than the apprentice she fought beside.

Beechfang used Front Paw Strike for -7 stamina, dealing -10 damage.
Hawk used Talon Strike for -10 stamina, dealing -7 damage.

Hawk
11 / 40 hp (21 - 10)
103 / 125 sp (110 - 7)

Beechfang
39 / 55 hp (46 - 7)
96 / 110 sp (103 - 7)

Yewpaw
20 / 20 hp
47 / 60 sp