Chasing Wings [c]

Trufflesnap waited with her usual scowl on her face as the sun made it's way to the highest point in the sky. Today, she was going to go hunting with her sister and deputy Birdchaser. The chosen one. Coughing, Trufflesnap wondered how good her sister really was. To be chosen as deputy so soon? What did StarClan see in her... Or Briarstar. Nevertheless, she was in fact her sister. They had both taken their father's death equally hard, if not Birdchaser more. It was the least she could do- take her relatively estranged sister out hunting.

Birdchaser had been careful not to keep Trufflesnap waiting for long, though her restless paws had kept her busy a bit longer than she'd wanted to. She was pleased to see her sister hadn't gone away without her, though as she jogged over she realized how annoyed the patched tabby looked. Ears lowering, Birdchaser slowed her pace, studying her sister's face as she drew nearer. It was hard to decide whether the look was her perpetual scowl, or if Trufflesnap was going to go through this hunt kicking and screaming. She wouldn't be surprised if it had been the latter; Fogfeather had picked up a strange dislike of her, maybe he'd passed it on to their sister. Shaking her head, the deputy joined Trufflesnap's side, flicking her tail across the other warrior's flank. "Hi, sister. Come on, let's go." She waited a minute, searching Trufflesnap's features for an argument, then just as quickly decided she wanted to be caught in one and ducked out of camp quietly.

She didn't lead them far, just distant enough that whatever prey was about wouldn't be disturbed by the scents and noises from camp. Once she felt they'd reached a good spot, Birdchaser turned, dipping her head in a nod. "We'll have good hunting today, I promise. S- hm. Stay close by, in case there are predators around?" It wasn't an order; rather, a plea not to be left alone. She hoped Trufflesnap would understand, though she didn't wait for a response before turning off to search through the undergrowth.

It wasn't long before the sound of scuffling caught her attention, and Birdchaser's gaze settled on the source of the noise: a rabbit. Odd prey to see on their territory, but it hadn't been the first of them; she certainly wouldn't complain about something larger than a mouse, either. Dropping into a low crouch, she crept along until she was within striking distance. Gathering her muscles, the deputy sprang forward, shooting out a paw... but the rabbit was quicker, and it went racing away with a squeal. Ears lowering, Birdchaser watched it run, turning back to Trufflesnap with a quiet grumble. "Maybe you'll have better luck."

Birdchaser attempted to catch a rabbit. Catch failed. -3 SP.

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

---

'Hunting Dice' : 5

Trufflesnap dutifully followed the most prodigy child of Beechfang's litter and stalked behind her through the territory until Birdchaser stopped. The patched tabby smirked as she watched her sister chose her words when the hunt began before dipping her head out of feigned respect for the not-orders-orders. As Birdchaser spotted a rabbit, Trufflesnap watched with amusement as her sister tried and failed. "Maybe you should try being a SkyClan cat, not a WindClan cat. Might have better luck." Trufflesnap wheezed-chuckled as she turned on the edges of her paws and scented for squirrel. Picking up a trace, Trufflesnap carefully controlled her breathing to prevent any coughing and set to work- proving herself better than her sister.

She was able to sneak up to the squirrel as it was distractedly foraging for fallen tree-goodies on the forest floor. Dropping to a stalk, she slowly moved forward. I hope you're watching real talent work, sister. She all but hissed in her head. The squirrel bent its head down again, blissfully aware the next few bites would be its last. With strong legs granted to her via her mother and the long line of SkyClan ancestors she came from, Trufflesnap leapt the remaining distance from the underbrush and the squirrel, pinning it to the large base of the oak and dispatching it within a heartbeat. It went limp under her paws, and the young warrior took a breath to enjoy the feeling of superiority coursing through her blood before picking it up and rejoining her sister.

Dropping the prey at her sister's paws, she had a look of smugness to her. "You can tell the clan it was yours if you need to. I don't have a reputation to upkeep, afterall." Her tail flicked to accentuate her snarkiness- Trufflesnap was never one to veil insults.

Trufflesnap attempted to hunt a squirrel. She was successful. -3 SP.

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

---

'Hunting Dice' : 7

When she returned to her sister with empty paws and an offer of encouragement, Birdchaser hadn't expected to be near-reprimanded for her choice in prey. Her ears immediately lay flat, and her jaw parted, working up and down as she attempted a response. There was nothing she couldn't say that wasn't snappy, so, scowling, she snapped her maw shut and shook her head. Trufflesnap barely gave her the time to respond, anyway; as quickly as she'd spoken, her sister turned on her heels and padded away.

Is she... just trying to be friendly? Birdchaser wondered as she watched her sister creep between the trees. Trufflesnap was certainly their mother's child. Maybe her snipes were just an attempt at making a joke, at making the hunt go by quicker. There was still the creeping worry that it was personal, nestled between her more rational thoughts. It made Birdchaser shift uncomfortably between paws, watching through narrowed eyes as Trufflesnap closed her paws around a squirrel.

There was praise waiting on her tongue as her sister returned, but it died before she could even open her mouth. Now, she was certain it was an insult, it was personal. Batting the squirrel away with a heavy paw, uncaring of where she sent it rolling too, Birdchaser jerked her head forward until there was only a breath separating her nose from Trufflesnap's. "Do you have a problem with me? Is there something I've done to you?" Birdchaser hissed, her tail lashing behind her while she stared her sister down. Unconsciously, she flexed her claws, pressing them into the packed earth underpaw. "What made you decide you hate me? Or are you just bitter you spent most of your apprenticeship stuck with Fogfeather and Plumpaw?"

Trufflesnap watched her sister kick the squirrel side to side with a smirk, which only grew as she came nose to nose with her. Her tail swished casually, but inside she was filled with smug satisfaction. Birdchaser had just fallen into her vindictive trap, much like the squirrel Trufflesnap had cornered and pinned only mere moments before against the trunk of the tree. "That's no way to treat an animal that gave its life to feed our clan." Her head casually cocked to the side, pointing out the dirtied pelt of the squirrel that had been thrown and caught in brambles. Birdchaser was her squirrel, and her words were her brambles. She chuckled a chuckle dripping with the vile she was conjuring in her mind.

"Ah, trying to insult me for something out of my control. It's a cute attempt, but really, I think you're just projecting here. I think you're jealous that our siblings can stand to be around me that long." Trufflesnap's expression sprouted an exaggerated sympathetic face before she leaned in to whisper into her sister's ear, tail still swishing.

"It's cute you still think the family trusts you. Adorable, really." Her breath came out in a low murmur, her breath tickling the long furs on Birdchaser's ear. She drew her head away before standing to her full height and sitting down, pulling a paw up to groom herself, the smugness never leaving her splotched face.

The agitated twitching of Birdchaser's tail had turned into a proper lash, whipping left-right-left as Trufflesnap nodded towards the squirrel. The only acknowledgement she gave it was a twitch of her whiskers and a low, rough growl. It's not going anywhere, she wanted to spit. But she was caught off guard by Trufflesnap's next words. The soft growl rolling in the back of her throat turned to a proper snarl, deep and loud.

"You don't know what you're talking about," Birdchaser hissed. There was a tremor to her words, slight, and she hoped desperately Trufflesnap wouldn't pick up on it. The thought that her family did hate her... as angry as she was with Trufflesnap, it just made her sad, too. What had she ever done to them? Any and everything she could to make sure they were taken care of, along with the rest of the Clan. What had she done to earn this?

Hot breath ghosted past her ear, and the words it carried were enough to snap the thin line holding together her patience. With a yowl, she lurched forward, bodying her sister away from her. "You don't know what you're talking about," Birdchaser repeated, voice high and taut with dismay. "Don't act like you can speak for the whole family. The only one that can put up with your horrible temper is Fogfeather, and he's almost as bad as you." As she spoke, she threw herself forward headfirst, barreling into her sister's shoulder with all her weight.

Birdchaser used Headbutt on Trufflesnap, dealing 6 damage and costing 5 SP.

Birdchaser
40/40 HP
92/100 (-5) SP

Trufflesnap
24/30 (-6) HP
77/80 SP

Trufflesnap felt the air rush out of her lungs as Birdchaser connected with her ribs with her head. It took her a little off-guard, so she struggled back to her feet. She snickered as her sister lost her mind and she turned and faced her sister once more. "How would you know? You're too busy grooming the rear end of the 'leader' who kicked our mother out with no remorse? Not to mention, isn't it ironic that you also found our father dead? Do you think we didn't notice? Did you really get rid of both of our parents just for your power grab?" Her snarled voice only grew more and more intense as the words came spitting out of her lips. Her mouth was almost frothing in anger. As her sister took in her words, Trufflesnap took the advantage of that fact and returned the headbutt directly into her own rib cage. Standing back, she stared at the deputy, pure hatred in her eyes.

Trufflesnap used Headbutt on Birdchaser, dealing 5 damage and costing 5 SP.

Birdchaser
35/40 HP (-5)
92/100 SP

Trufflesnap
24/30 HP
72/80 SP (-5 SP)