colors of the wind [c]

Gender: Male
Rank: Apprentice

Bearpaw stalked out of the camp, his tail whipping behind him as he went. The days were growing colder, though it was a welcome change thanks to his thick, fluffy fur that often caused him to overheat in greenleaf. At least, now, he could hunt in peace without feeling dragged down and hot all of the time. Or, rather, he would hunt if there was any Starclan-cursed prey in the forest to sink his teeth into. As days passed and the sun rose and set, the hope for prey to return began to seem like a distant dream to Bearpaw. He longed for something, even a fox, to cross his path so he could satiate that nagging little part of his brain that yearned for excitement.

Day in and day out, he trekked across the territory, only rarely getting lucky and finding some meager snack to bring back to the clan. It was tiring and he frequently wished to go back to easier times when the forest was abundant and rich with prey. It was useless, though, to wish for something that may never come. So here Bearpaw was, in the woods with his muzzle lifted into the air as he searched hopelessly for something, anything to satisfy his hunger.

However, while the scent that drifted toward him wasn't prey, it was intriguing, nonetheless. Blue eyes glinting with something a little darker than curiosity, the brown and white tom followed the scent to the creek where he spotted his quarry. He watched the she-cat for a few moments, thinking back to when they were kits and they had spent some time getting to know each other. After a few more seconds, he padded out from the undergrowth, his whiskers twitching thoughtfully.

Thymepaw, while not the most exciting cat, had a good head on her shoulders. She'd come to Skyclan as a kit, and though he couldn't discredit her for not being born in there, he could dislike her for her soft nature. She tried her best and had become a...useful member of the clan, though, so she had that going for her. Perhaps, if they worked together, they could dredge up something to eat? Clearing his throat to announce his presence, Bearpaw approached the she-cat. "Hey Thymepaw."

Gender: Male
Rank: Apprentice

Bearpaw didn't noticed the twitch, the little moment of surprise that fluttered through Thymepaw at the sound of his voice. He rolled his eyes and examined the she-cat curiously. She didn't appear to be doing much of anything - was she planning on just sitting out here twiddling her paws? He held his tongue though, not wanting to offend her. She and his sisters seemed pretty close, and he wasn't all that keen on drawing their ire. Despite being too gentle for the life of a warrior, in his opinion, she hadn't done anything to personally slight him or Skyclan, so Thymepaw was okay in his book.

Ears twitching, he sniffed, annoyed. "Well, I'm not out here for fun." He muttered before he could stop himself. Ah, that was a touch rude, but oh well. If it bothered her then she was softer than he thought. The tom stared at Thymepaw as she spoke, his tail-tip twitching. Oh, so she wanted to swap pleasantries...how exciting. With a shrug, he followed her gaze, unsurprised to find that there wasn't anything interesting. "We're as well as anyone could be."

Then, a noise both sudden and intriguing caught both of their attention. Bearpaw peered over at the she-cat, waiting for her to make a move. She seemed to already be zeroed in on it, so he would let her have this one. If nothing else than to make herself useful. After a moment of consideration, Thymepaw lowered into a crouch, and he blinked approvingly. Good. It was best to assume that anything was a possible meal - especially with prey running so poorly lately.

While she was off tracking down what seemed to be a squirrel, Bearpaw turned his nose to the sky, trying to discern any prey-scent from the rest of the smells of the forest. His clanmates were already beginning to look a little thin so he ought to put his all into hunting. The thin, scraggly appearance of his clanmates really wasn't something he enjoyed...particularly when it came to his sisters.

Then, the scent of a thrush drifted past, catching Bearpaw's attention. With little more than a glance in Thymepaw's direction, the blue-eyed tom set off toward the bird, his tail vibrating with excitement. It didn't take long to locate the meager thing, which was pecking at the ground, likely as hungry as he was. Salivating at the thought of blood on his tongue, Bearpaw crept closer to the feathered creature, pupils dilated. In a blur of movement, he lurched forward, a paw out to secure the thrush.

His paw slammed down on its back, pinning it to the dirt, and without wasting another moment, Bearpaw bit down on its neck, savoring the metallic tang of blood that dripped into his mouth. It wasn't much, but he would take what he could get. Clearing his throat, he lifted his head, catch hanging from his jaws, and strode back to where he'd last seen Thymepaw, eager to see if she had succeeded as well.

Bearpaw is attempting to find and catch a bird. Success! -5 SP

Gender: Male
Rank: Apprentice

Bearpaw's blue eyes scanned the undergrowth before eventually finding Thymepaw with a squirrel at her paws. He dropped the thrush, licking the blood from his lips, and nodded approvingly. He closed his jaws, patiently waiting for the she-cat to say something. She clearly seemed to want to speak, but something was holding her back. It was a little unnatural to see her floundering for words. The silence seemed to stretch on for a long time and Bearpaw, for one, was none too eager to break it.

There was a time to speak and a time to be silent. More often than not, he preferred the peace that came from a little silence. Huffing, he looked away, feeling a little awkward simply standing there staring at her. Whatever was going on in her mind at the moment, it was none of his business and none of his concern. Ever since she came to Skyclan, she'd been trying to find a way into his family, into the hearts of his sisters and, if he was being honest with himself, he hated her for it. When was the last time he'd gotten a chance to hang out with any of his littermates? It was always Thymepaw, Thymepaw, Thymepaw.

To make matter worse, he'd even noticed her hanging around Wolfblossom, trying to get closer to her. What a joke. It was like she was dead set on worming her way into his family...much to his detriment. Ploverpaw in particular seemed to have grown rather close to Thymepaw already, something the brown and white tom was a little bitter about. Finally, the she-cat deigned it worthy to speak to him - a measly little congratulations at that. He couldn't stand her.

Eyes narrowed, Bearpaw watched as the other apprentice creep away, the scent of prey having caught her attention. With a single lash of his tail, Bearpaw turned around and stared in the opposite direction, his claws curled deep into the cool soil. He wasn't sure when it began - this bone deep hatred of the pale she-cat. Maybe it was when she first came to Skyclan or maybe it was when she set her sights on his family. On trying to replace him. Well, if that was her goal, she was doing an astounding job of it. No matter, he would win in the end. His sisters would tire of Thymepaw eventually, he was sure of it.

Just then, a strange sound caught his ear. Something was going on in the direction Thymepaw had run off in...and that smell...it was familiar. Bearpaw's lip curled back, revealing sharp teeth. Fox. Those no-good mange pelts were back in Skyclan territory! At Thymepaw's call, Bearpaw whirled around and raced towards the gentle she-cat, ignoring the branches and tendrils that snagged at his fur. A fox on Skyclan territory...it was absurd! Would they never learn their lesson!?

As he pushed through the undergrowth blocking him from getting to the fox and Thymepaw, Bearpaw stopped, his pupils tiny pinpricks. There, in the middle of the small clearing, was Thymepaw. Her fur was on end, claws unsheathed as she faced the fox. He was a little surprised that she hadn't turned tail and fled already but, more than that, he was indecisive. Never before had Bearpaw not known what to do. A tiny little voice in the back of his mind whispered for him to turn and leave Thymepaw to the fox. It would undoubtedly have an easy time killing her.

One less mouth to feed and one less cat trying to ruin his life...it was perfect. He smirked slightly, staring at the scene before him which was moving as if in slow motion. Then, reason. Clarity. A tiny bit of empathy. He couldn't leave her here to die, she was his clanmate. And as much as he loathed her, he had sworn to protect his clanmates. Besides, Ploverpaw would be heartbroken. So, after several seconds that felt like eons, Bearpaw ripped his gaze from Thymepaw, his attention on the fox.

It would regret coming here. Silently, Bearpaw slunk around Thymepaw and the fox until finally coming to a stop behind the red-furred beast. Thymepaw launched herself at the fox, tearing into it with more ferocity than he'd expected. However, Bearpaw didn't pause to admire her show of bravery - there was a fox to kill. So, the moment Thymepaw was clear of the fox, he darted forward, jaws wide, and clamped down on the predator's soft, white tail-tip. With a victorious purr, Bearpaw dug his paws in to the ground and yanked his head sharply to the side, knocking the beast nearly clear off of its paws. He was stronger now than when they first attacked.

Bearpaw used "Tail Yank" on the fox at the cost of 15 stamina! -7HP

Bearpaw:
20/20 HP
(-15) 40/60 SP

Thymepaw:
20/20 HP
48/60 SP

Fox:
(-7) 44/60 HP
180/180 SP

Gender: Male
Rank: Apprentice

Bearpaw lips curled into a thinly veiled grin at the sight of Thymepaw slashing and gnashing at the fox's increasingly red coat. It was a large beast, larger than either of them, so he wasn't surprised that their attacks hadn't chipped away at its stamina all that much. Though, he was happy to see that it was still a bit disoriented. Perhaps the lack of prey was making it a little weaker and thick-headed than usual? Regardless, it wouldn't be leaving their forest alive - he would make sure of that.

Claws glinting, Bearpaw lashed out at the fox's hindquarters, slicing through fur and flesh with ease. His nose twitched at the metallic tang in the air - it was heavenly. Fur bristling, Bearpaw glanced past the fox's shoulder, his icy blue eyes making contact with Thymepaw's. "You're doing well!" He announced, almost surprised.

If it wasn't for the terrified gleam in her eye, he almost would have been impressed. However, this was no act of bravery or hatred, it was simply her survival instincts. Perhaps, if she were a Windclanner, she would have simply run away. Or, maybe, she would have hidden in the darkness like Shadowclan. Well, it was a good thing she hadn't ended up there then. At least here, in Skyclan, they could make her into a true warrior. One who was worthy of earning their name.

Bearpaw used "Front Paw Strike" and "Desperate Blows" on the fox at the cost of 14 stamina! -10 HP

Bearpaw:
20/20 HP
(-14) 26/60 SP

Thymepaw:
20/20 HP
34/60 SP

Fox:
(-10) 24/60 HP
180/180 SP