here we are once more [c]

A silvery shadow skulked in the shadows of the snow-dusted marshes. The muddy water covered near every tussock and island: in places it was only paw-deep, in others it could drown a monster. There was no way to see into the murky water, and Astraeus didn’t quite fancy jumping in. The silver tom stayed on the outskirts of ShadowClan territory, not far from Highstones, glorying in the advent of the first snow. It wouldn’t stick, not in such a wet and muddy area, but against it he was nigh-invisible, glorying in the camouflage it granted him, to flit like a silvery shade across any background. Not matter the territory, snow would turn it into cover for the silvery tom. His thick pelt would shield him from the worst of the wind and biting regardless- ah, the Season of Silent Snows truly was his favorite.

Lighttail was cold. Cold, wet, and famished. Tonight she was out on a solo hunting patrol, but rather than enjoying the time alone with her thoughts she was just lonely. Perhaps it was because she didn’t have many thoughts as of late. The fresh snow chilled her pawpads as she silently stalked, but she was soon distracted by a scent. This wasn’t a prey-scent, though. This was a cat, a familiar cat. And the smell was fresh. Lifting her head, she softly called, “Astraeus?”

A familiar voice hit his ears, and Astraeus turned, warm yellow gaze sparkling. Lighttail. What a beautiful pelt, that one. She seemed down, tired and rattled, likely from the Twoleg invasion. “Lighttail?” his voice drifted across the marsh’s still pools, soothing calm and fond recollection. “Isn’t it rather chilly for you to be out and about? I’d hate to see you catch cold,” he purred, stalking slowly forward to join the silver she-cat. His pelt was longer and thicker, and besides he was accustomed to the chilling cold. But she- she was unaccustomed to the cold. Yet the Clan, no doubt, required her to be out and hunting for those who could not. Stars…

“I found a frozen frog earlier, if you need a meal.” Astraeus’ warm yellow gaze flickered in the fading light, taking in the she-cat before him. She looked tired. And cold. And hungry. “The marshes are hardly safe at the moment… you’re more surefooted than I!” The very tip of his tail flicked, to indicate where he’d buried the frog earlier. The marshes were dangerous in the Season of Silent Snows, but they were also a rich bounty, full of drowned prey perfectly preserved by the frost.

There he was. The handsome wanderer who seemed to occupy her thoughts quite a bit lately. “Hello again,” she purred, blinking a greeting. “Thanks. Say, maybe we could hunt together? I could use the company. We can each keep whatever we catch.” Her green eyes warmed just a bit, her expression just a little less tired. “It’s rough hunting these days.” She flexed her claws in and out of the snow. This stuff was pretty weird.

Astraeus smiled at the suggestion, warm yellow gaze sparkling. “I’d love to,” he purred, turning to survey the territory and brushing his tail against her flank for a moment. “You can keep whatever I catch, Lighttail- I’m sure your Clan needs it more than I do.” That was truth, that- he was well-fed and strong, better that he’d ever been in the city, and his pelt was glossy and well-groomed. “The Season of Silent Snows is easier on me than most.” A sharp hawk’s gaze sized up the territory. Too early to find much drowned prey in the not-quite frozen marshes as of yet.

“Why don’t you show me how you do it?” He suggested, the very tip of his tail flicking. “I would hate to fall in the marsh- oh, and watch out for Twoleg traps! I’ve glimpsed a few.” More instruction… perfect. Besides, he never grudged spending time with Lighttail- at least, not yet- such a pretty molly, with a pelt not unlike his own and a certain freedom to her thoughts. His gaze grew warm when he looked at her- such a free spirit should not be tied down to a Clan, should it not? That conversation, he supposed, could wait. For now, he’d let her lead the way.

Lighttail smiled gratefully. “Thanks. You’re right, we’re having a hard time lately.” She lowered herself into her hunting crouch and began searching for a scent trail. Soon enough, she had one. A mouse. Stalking turned out to be harder with the snow crunching beneath her paws, but Lighttail did her best.

Unfortunately the mouse heard her coming. Lighttail sprang into action, chasing her prey through the marsh. It took a minute for her to catch it and kill it. She padded back to Astraeus. “Usually we stalk as long as we can and then pounce. We don’t chase our prey that much, but I had to this time.”

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

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'Hunting Dice' : 6

The silvery tom dipped his head, watching Lighttail’s practiced movements with shrewd yellow eyes. He could’ve warned her about the sound of the snow underpaw- but it seemed there was no reason to do so, as she leapt into motion, chasing down her quarry and finishing it off quickly. “That was impressive,” he mewed, flicking the very tip of his tail. ”I wouldn’t dare dash around the marshes with such confidence.” Time for him to catch something… he inhaled, tasting the scents that muddled in the marsh-air. Rodents would be easier to catch than frogs or toads, hidden as the latter would be at the advent of such chill as covered the Clans.

The scent of a mouse led him to a thick, firm tussock, half-covered by marsh-grass. It was the work of a moment to position himself, then to leap through the air, pinning the rodent firmly and finishing it off with a solid bite to the neck. With the prey in his jaws, Astraeus returned to Lighttail, dropping it gently at her paws. She needed it more than he did. ”How is ShadowClan faring? I hear you are at Highstones… that cannot be easy hunting.” A sympathetic smile- even that rude WindClanner he’d tussled with had his uses.

Rolling for mouse, roll success!

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

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'Hunting Dice' : 4

Lighttail rolled her eyes. “You can say that again. There’s basically no prey at all, and you pretty much have to have rock-hard paws not to get cracked pads. Not to mention, WindClan are so noisy! They’re diurnal, y’know, and it’s so hard to sleep during the day with those yammering loudmouths barely a fox-length away. Still better than all the clans being at Fourtrees, though, I must admit.”

Astraeus winced sympathetically, though not without an inwards spark of amusement. Lighttail… oh, Lighttail. She spoke like it was the end of the world to have cracked pads. Well, to give her the benefit of the doubt, that did sound painful. He himself had experienced the rock-hard surfaces of Twolegplace and it was hardly pleasant. Still… at least she was alive, and though the trek down to the marsh to find prey might be long, it was doable, and the marshes had more than enough prey to sustain the Clanners… he hoped. For all his generosity and fondness towards Lighttail, helping one Clan out was, frankly, more than enough.

“That was certainly an experience and a half,” he agreed, flicking the very tip of his tail. Why did she stop hunting so swiftly? Hmm… perhaps ShadowClan was not as bad off as he thought… though he doubted any deception was purposeful. Lighttail wore her heart on her sleeve. ”That must’ve been quite the shock, showing up to Highstones only to find WindClan already there.”

Lighttail grunted a bit. “Yeah, I mean at the time  it wasn’t nearly as bad as finding out several cats had been captured, but it’s certainly a problem now. Oh great, I’m supposed to be hunting,” she mewed, realizing she’d definitely gotten distracted. “I’m sorry, you’re just so easy to talk to.” Was she being too forward? She didn’t really know.

“I probably better have more prey than this to show when I get back, give me a minute.” She began searching for a scent, and soon enough detected another mouse. This time, she nearly had it, no need for chasing. The silver tabby stalked to within a whisker of her mark in true ShadowClan form.

Unfortunately, the mouse saw her at the last second. Lighttail frantically tried to reposition herself in midair, only to land herself on a hard, unfamiliar object. Yowch, that was gonna bruise.

Getting up, she cautiously sniffed the contraption. “Hey, Astraeus, have you ever seen anything like this before?”

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

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'Hunting Dice' : 7

“This isn’t all my fault,” Astraeus retorted playfully, flicking an ear. ”A good conversation needs more than one cat who’s easy to talk to. I don’t think we can blame this all on me.” Lighttail headed off to hunt, and so Astraeus did the same, nosing around for some piece of prey, preferably half-frozen and not able to flee. He was following the scent of a mouse when a yelp of pain that sounded suspiciously like Lighttail hit his ears. The silvery tom turned and rushed over to where Lighttail was on top of a trap? At least she wasn’t in it- phew. “Careful, Lighttail,” he called, backing up. “Can you- can you leap off? Make sure to land as far away as possible… that’s a trap, but I don’t think you’re supposed to land on top of it,” he added with an amused purr. Lighttail wasn’t in any danger, as long as she didn’t absolutely fumble this leap.