night after night (c)

Nightpaw had watched the ShadowClan cats in her home with no small amount of apprehension. Yes, they had brought kits and elders, cats who couldn't fight if they tried- but what if that was only a diversion or distraction? What if they were planning their attack, right under ThunderClan's noses?

Still, she found herself intrigued by them. They were different, and she was sure that meant the knew different things. They might even have something worth learning, if she was lucky enough. So she tried not to complain when she was left to hunt with them, though she couldn't help some annoyance when she had learned she would be hunting with Nightstalker.

Night was her name, after all. She felt entitled to a bit of sulking that she had to share it, and the only source of comfort was that Nightstalker was at least ShadowClan's deputy. If any cat was going to steal her name, they had best be important. Though it was interesting, to some degree, that they were both black with white- even if Nightpaw had far less white to speak of.

"I might be younger than you are," she said with as much authority as she dared, "and I might not be anyone's deputy yet- but I do know this territory better than you do. So, let me lead."

Her eyes, a bright and shining green, watched for his response. Part of her wondered how he would respond to being told what to do by an apprentice- though her words were true, in that she was sure she did know ThunderClan's territory better than any ShadowClan cat could claim to.

Nightstalker was already greatly bemused by his accompanying Thunderclan cat. Nightpaw carried herself with an authority that would put Minnowstar to shame, and the warrior found nothing but humour in it. "Sure thing, Nightpaw. All Shadowclan cats are to be accompanied by a Thunderclan cat after all." Nightstalker quoted, almost word for word as he opted out of the 'Thunderclan warrior' part of the order. "So where are we going?" He was sure that after a little bit, he could get a feel for the young she-cats personality, and maybe he'd do Thunderclan a favour and try to nurture what should be nurtured, and try to put a pause to any behaviour that would prove problematic. It would be undue to let Nightpaw sully his name after all.

Nightpaw nodded in approval at Nightstalker's response- perhaps there was some hope left for this outing after all, despite the vague and unclear sense that she was somehow being laughed at. "I don't know if hunting in the undergrowth would be easier or harder for you," she mused, "since I don't know what you're used to. But there's plenty of both around, so whatever's easier shouldn't be too hard to manage... I like the undergrowth and the trees, personally."

That was safe information to share, she was pretty sure. It would be hard to use her preferred hunting locations against her, unless he somehow planned on sabotaging her assessment or something absurd like that.

As she spoke, she led the way out into the territory, all the while keeping a careful eye on her companion- she did feel a sense of responsibility, after all, and would feel an incredibly sense of shame if she'd dared to let her guard down and gotten herself hurt- keeping her ears and nose focused on tracking down prey. So long as she didn't stumble across a snake, everything should be fine.

She liked hunting about as well as she liked battle training: they were fun, and they made her feel like she was useful, learning to be a good warrior. Every success was another rush of pride. Before too long she managed to catch the scent of a squirrel, and swiftly fell into a crouch as she stalked through the undergrowth just out of its sight, intending to leap out and snipe it as it tried to scurry back into the tree.

With swift, practiced movement she caught it between her paws and delivered a killing bite, quietly whispering her thanks to StarClan.

When she turned back to Nightstalker, there was a glint of genuine curiosity in her eyes. "How do ShadowClan cats usually hunt? Your territory is different, right? The marsh."

Nightpaw caught a Squirrel, using 3 SP
57/60 SP

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

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'Hunting Dice' : 7

The deputy nodded sagely as the apprentice spoke, listening as she gave her tidbit of advice. Nightstalker watched and observed the apprentice as she scented, stalked, and killed a squirrel just as it was trying to scurry up a tree. It was an impressive bounty he was sure, though he thought Thunderclan's prey was large as a whole, much bigger compared to Shadowclan's lizards, frogs, and rats. "Great catch, Nightpaw." He mewed before he turned his attention away as a delicious warm scent crossed his path.

Nightstalkers tail raised as he beckoned for silence as he focused on the warm smell, his large ears swiveling to track down any noise he could pick up as he worked on pinpointing his prey. And thankfully it did not take long, a rabbit was munching away in a sheltered spot of the growth, and luckily Nightstalker was downwind. Crouching, the young tom made his way as close as he felt comfortable, giving a little more room than he'd normally be comfortable with, as he'd be less skilled maneuvering the terrain with all the sticks and crunchy leaves.

He pounced.

He was on it quickly and swiftly, his powerful legs catapulting him over the dense brambles the rabbit was using to hide behind. Claws unsheathed, and teeth bared, the Shadowclan deputy sank its teeth into the back of its neck while his paws anchored him to the rabbit as it ferociously kicked and writhed underneath him. But its life was snuffed out quickly, without much struggle as its perished.

Nightstalkers neck strained as he hauled it over the brambles, bringing his catch back to Nightpaw. Resting it at the apprentice's paws.

"We hunt quietly and quickly. With scant prey, and even fewer able to fill our bellies, we must be fierce in our hunts. Every second we hesitate is a second our prey gets a chance to escape." Nightstalker gestures to the rabbit now at her paws.

"The Marsh is dangerous and treacherous, even some of our skilled warriors can get sucked into mud-pits, never to come out alive. But that is what makes our territory so safe from outsiders. Let that be a warning in case someday, you or a clan-mate think it wise to go traipsing on Shadowclan land." Nightstalker warned, though there was not any real heat to his tone.


Nightstalker catches a rabbit, using 3 SP

137/140 SP

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

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'Hunting Dice' : 2

For a moment, she could only stare at the rabbit. "Impressive," she admitted.

"I don't need to trespass," Nightpaw purred. "Everything I could ever want is right here in ThunderClan, and I certainly don't need to be wading in mud. I do care about how I look."

Well, she thought but didn't say, everything except Milkpaw and Shadepaw.

But the death of her kin wasn't something she could let weigh her down forever, and she wasn't alone in the world. Besides, they were in StarClan, and StarClan was everywhere, so her words were still true. Everything she could want: the forest and her family, opportunities to learn, all of it was right in front of her already.

More importantly, Nightstalker had answered her question. She had half-expected him to cite Clan secrets or something like that, but she was glad to learn something new. "Still, if anyone else has such a mouse-brained idea I'll be sure to warn them away. Swear by the stars."

Not wanting to be unkind, she spoke again. "You seem... Competent. At what you do."

Meanwhile- not wanting to be outdone- she set about hunting once again as she considered what she had learned about ShadowClan. It was true that she had no desire to trespass, but she enjoyed knowledge and the process of learning it.

A bird caught her eye, and she was confident that she could at least make a solid attempt at catching it as it took flight. Spotting a brief moment of opportunity, she made her move; but she just barely missed, her paws brushing under the bird and swiping only a few feathers. Well, at the very least, she could deliver those to the nursery for kits to play with- not a complete loss.

Nightpaw failed to catch a Bird, costing 3 SP!
54/60 SP

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

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'Hunting Dice' : 9

"Why thank you. You seem quite competent yourself." Nightstalker mewed with a soft chuckle, watching her stalk a bird, though unfortunately missing it with just a whiskers distance. "Every second counts." He reminded of what he had said briefly before. His ears picked up the slight sound of something being chewed on. Slowly he approached until he sighted it, what he had come to understand to be a vole, chomping on some seeds next to its burrow.

Nightstalker adjusted himself before pouncing for it. Nightstalker's paws slammed into dirt, his teeth clacking around the air where the vole had been. With a huff and a shrug, he padded back to the rabbit and sat next to it. Looking rather unannoyed despite losing his catch. "It's only fair I lose a catch if you do, I suppose."

Nightstalker missed a vole(rodent), using 3 SP

134/140 SP

OOC: I forgot to dice roll :)

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

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'Hunting Dice' : 8

"Accepting failure with grace is important," Nightpaw agreed. She carefully placed her feathers, tucked under the squirrel so they wouldn't be blown away by a light breeze- she'd hate to disappoint the kits, after all. "As is taking the initiative to try again."

With those words, she returned to her search for prey, catching the scent of a rabbit on the breeze. This was something that relied more on skill than tactics, in her admittedly limited experience- squirrels could be chased up trees, birds could be caught taking flight, but rabbits were large and swift- and dangerous, if they could get their own claws in. Nightpaw had no intention of being shown up by her own prey, however, so she fell into a hunting crouch and moved quickly, though she was careful not to disturb the undergrowth too much- every rustled bush and cracked twig was a signal, after all.

She was so focused on being swift and cautious that, as the rabbit spooked and dashed away, she didn't realize why at first- at least, not until the owl swooped down on her, entirely unnoticed.

Nightpaw tried to catch a Rabbit, but was attacked by an Owl!
The Owl used Swoop on Nightpaw, dealing 9 damage and costing 15 SP!

Owl
30/30 HP
75/90 SP (-15)

Nightpaw
11/20 HP (-9)
51/60 SP (-3)

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

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'Hunting Dice' : 10

"You are wise beyond your years. I hope that this world has not forced you to grow up so fast." Nightstalker mewed sentimentally before the young apprentice departed, his attention straying once more to scour for a new catch. It took just mere milliseconds for Nightstalker to notice the owl just as it was preparing to swoop Nightpaw. And it only took seconds for Nightstalker to bound over bracken, and race past thorny thickets on his way to Nightpaw. He knew how awful owls were, and he had ample experience with them, while he reckoned that Nightpaw had little to none.

He did not have enough time to collide with the owl before it reached the Thunderclan apprentice, but he knew where to aim. He wasted no time, slamming his weight into Nightpaw, the owl's talons simultaneously ripping through the fresh scars on his back, eliciting a groan from him. But he could brush it off, for now, but he had a new priority, and that was to keep the apprentice safe. "Nightpaw! Are you okay?" He mewed, rushing over to pull her back up from the collision if need be.

Nightstalker used Blocking Leap, taking 9 damage and costing 5 SP

Owl
30/30 HP
75/90 SP

Nightpaw
20/20 HP (+9)
51/60 SP

Nightstalker
51/60 HP
129/140 SP

The apprentice had been about to respond to Nightstalker's words when it happened, her paws no longer on the ground; but a moment later she was safe enough and steadying herself again. There would be a moment to think through the warrior's actions once the battle was won. "I'm alright now, I think... I know we can take this thing down. Let me just..."

She leapt as she had to catch the bird before, with a different goal in mind- or the same, perhaps, since she did intend to catch it in her claws, raking through feathers until she couldn't keep her grip; struggling to regain her footing as the bird descended on Nightstalker. "Careful-!"

Nightpaw used Front Paw Strike on the Owl, dealing 6 damage and costing 7 SP!

Owl used Talon Strike on Nightstalker, dealing 7 damage and costing 10 SP!

Owl
24/30 HP (-6)
65/90 SP (-10)

Nightpaw
20/20 HP
44/60 SP (-7)

Nightstalker
44/60 HP (-7)
129/140 SP