Aleuin [Firefly]

Darkspirit dispatched the sluggish snake, hardly moving fast enough to be a threat, but still. He wasn't an expert on which ones were venomous and which ones were not. Until he knew, all snakes were bad ones. He buried it for later and made a mental note to remove the head before bringing it into camp. This was the first dawn patrol for the day, and Darkspirit had put himself on all of the patrols today. No breaks. There was only one tom that he had no intention of patrolling with for today, but some day soon he'd have no choice. He glanced back at Firefly to see how she was doing. "Do you feel like you're making good progress? The days are getting warmer and longer. Hunting will be much easier, and soon." Personally, he couldn't wait for leaf-bare to end. His short, dense fur wasn't suited to the cold.

Green eyes watched as ThunderClan's new deputy rid of what Firefly would only describe as a pest: she knew nothing of snakes, only that one of them could be holding poison. Making good progress...? "I'm stronger than I was as an apprentice, but I aim to grow even stronger." Nothing would be good enough for her beloved ThunderClan. Every day was a new day to train harder than the last.

Black-tipped russet ears pricked at some in the nearby brush, a feathered tail peeking out. All attention on her prey, Firefly crouched low, muscles rippling beneath her short pelt and springing her forwards. A quick nip to the neck and it was lights out for her catch. "I can't wait for this bitter cold to end!" She looked to Darkspirit, a cat she should be getting to know better now that he's climbed the ladder, something she could never
fathom herself being worthy of. Color=#8B0000]"How has bring deputy been?"[/color]

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

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'Hunting Dice' : 4

Darkspirit watched quietly as Firefly caught a bird. "Nice." He commented simply on her catch. They moved on through the territory and Darkspirit kept a close eye on her. He watched how she moved and listened to how she talked. He'd have to analyze each and every one of his clanmates. The thought was both exciting (somehow) and exhausting. He'd spent so much time alone that socializing had become a colossal task on some days. He'd better learn to get out of that mindset as a deputy, and he vowed that he would. One never grew if they never made themselves uncomfortable.

"Deputy has been... busy. Thankfully I'm not allergic to work." He leaped up onto a branch briefly before coming back down to the ground. A quick look around while he'd been higher up was all that he needed to know there wasn't prey slinking around the area for the time being.

"I also am eager for new-leaf. I'm not meant for the snow and the cold." He looked back at Firefly, now closing in on why he wanted her away from the others. "So what would you say you're good at and not so good at, Firefly? If I am going to organize patrols, I'll need to know who to put together so you can all compliment each other's skills. Do you know what I mean?" He kept an ear angled in her direction as he waited to analyze her answer.

Firefly's eyes narrowed as ThunderClan's deputy lept upon a branch to scan the area before hopping back down. That was not... Typical ThunderClan behaviour. The russet warrior eyed Darkspirit suspiciously. Where had he learned  to do that? Surely it wasn't here.

But he had already asked her a question. One she was quick to answer, "Hunting is a hit or miss for me, especially in leaf-bare. But fighting? I-" love the thrill of it. "I would give tooth and claw to defend my home and my family. That being said, any task you have, I will do it." Her scarred face throbbed slightly, her claws flexing on instinct. What had happened at her first gathering with that WindClan creature was something that haunted her dreams. She'd come for Jaypaw one day.

Firefly couldn't let go what she'd seen before with the trees. "Darkspirit... Where did you learn to climb trees like that?"

He made a note about the hunting. It was usually hit or miss for most cats and he took into consideration that maybe it was just a confidence thing. The fighting... he didn't miss her tone or her micro reactions to it. She enjoyed it. He didn't know if that was good or bad yet. He stored that into the back of his mind. He was about to ask more, but she asked first.

"Oh... it's in my blood. My dad was Skyclan. He tried to spend time with me but I wanted nothing to do with him... but I guess my heritage pokes through every now and then." He made a note to keep to the ground. He hated talking about his father, and anytime he touched branches someone inevitably asked. Eager to change the subject, he spit his question out quickly.

"Is fighting something you'd like to improve on? I can always help with that and I'd like to if there is anything you're struggling with." He offered politely and made it very clear he wasn't going to judge her for her shortcomings that she believed she had. He wanted to see for himself. Liking to fight was one thing, but it didn't necessarily mean one was good at it.

Ah. Firefly's face contorted into an expression one would make when accidentally consuming crow-food. At the mention of Darkspirit's father being of SkyClan blood, the russet warrior no longer held any interest in continuing to speak to him or get to know him further. It was taking everything in her not to blast him for having tainted blood, and even more energy to not ask what blood his mother had. Mixed was undesirable, but being born outside of ThunderClan was another thing entirely. Especially when that cat was out in a very important position.

The quick change of subject saved Firefly from even asking. Though it did make it seem like Darkspirit also didnt enjoy that SkyClan ran through his veins. Maybe the inlt saving grace in this newfound knowledge. "No, I don't think I'll be needing your help with much of anything." Mottlestar really just let anyone in, huh? She paused before continuing, "If ThunderClan needs anything, though, let me know." She wanted to dismiss herself, but Darkspirit was still deputy. She'd give him that much respect at the very least. Though she hoped he took the hint.

The change in her mood did not go unnoticed. Darkspirit felt a brief flash of anger, but he hid it well. The moment it was gone it was replaced by understanding. Still, he didn't want this treatment of him to spill over into his siblings. They didn't deserve it. A thought crossed his mind about why he deserved it but not them... and he found he had no answer, but it did no good.

"Most of Thunderclan is of Skyclan blood, or some other kind of blood. You can thank my father for being so... prolific. You'd be hard pressed to not run into someone related to him." That's all he'd say and let her feel however she wanted about the subject. He was done here. It was not his own bias that he felt she wouldn't be a good candidate, which he never wanted to think. If she felt this way about him or his siblings, pairing her up with his intended target wasn't a good idea.

He mentally crossed her off of his list.