Paws off the ground (c)

Lighttail and Newtpaw were on a simple patrol today, just a little hunting. “Now,” Lighttail instructed, “the key to hunting in the trees is instinct. The hunting crouch is useful on the ground, but it won’t do you much good on a branch. What you want to do is move your body with the tree and the wind, and keep balance with your tail. Any questions before we start? If not, you can go ahead and try.”

Needle-sharp claws sank into the bark of the tree beneath her paws. Newtpaw was tensed, her body shifting back and forth as she struggled to adjust to the swaying of the limb she'd established herself on. There was a bit of a breeze today, and it was enough to complicate her climbing lessons, but Newtpaw was determined to get it right.

She sank down to her belly on the branch, readjusted her paws, and then stretched out, slinking along the limb one paw at a time until she neared the next. Her breath caught as she left the safety of one branch and leaped to the next, and then the next.

A bird spooked nearby, and the black kitten froze, her ears flicking towards the branch it had fled to. Target acquired, she began creeping from branch to branch, suddenly far more confident in her footwork. She was above the bird now. One paw in front of the other, she crept... until she was close enough to strike... and then she did, dropping from her loft position directly on top of the unsuspecting bird. It tool only one crunch for the thing to go still in her jaws, and with it hanging from her mouth, Newtpaw looked around to see if Lighttail had noticed.

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

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'Hunting Dice' : 1

Lighttail had made her way up her own tree, a bird of her own in sight. A bittersweet memory crossed her mind. Snowfoot had always liked bird, even if it wasn’t common prey in ShadowClan.

So engrossed was she in her hunt and her memories that she failed to notice the hawk until it was on top of her, slamming the hapless cat out of the tree and onto the ground.

Lighttail has been attacked! Hawk used Swoop, dealing 10 damage and costing 15 EP.

Lighttail
50/60 HP (-10)
170/170 EP

Hawk
40/40 HP
110/125 EP (-15)

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

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'Hunting Dice' : 10

In the blink of an eye, Newtpaw's expression turned from pride to horror as a feathery blur slammed into Lighttail. She watched her mentor lose her footing and tumble off the branch, twisting in the air before finally landing with a dull thud. She dropped the bird, and carefully, as quickly as she could manage, climbed to the ground to her mentor's side and crouched there, tail lashing, copper eyes trained on the hawk as it swooped up into the sky to realign for another attack.

It dove again, talons outstretched, and as it neared, Newtpaw prepared for a pounce. This was a BIG bird, but it was still a bird, right? Just at the moment it dove into reach, the black kitten sprung up and met it in the air, claws scrabbling for purchase.

Newtpaw used Claw on Hawk, dealing 6 damage at the cost of 5 energy.

Newtpaw
30/30 HP
75/80 EP (-5)

Lighttail
50/60 HP
170/170 EP

Hawk
34/40 HP (-6)
110/125 EP

Lighttail’s reflexes were quick, and the silver warrior wasn’t grounded for very long. She leapt alongside Newtpaw, claws aimed to tear the bird’s breast open. The bird let out a wild screech as it and the cats fell, scrabbling at Lighttail with its talons.

Lighttail used Belly Rake, dealing 16 damage and costing 10 EP. Hawk retaliated with Talon Strike, dealing 5 damage and costing 10 EP.

Newtpaw
30/30 HP
75/80 EP

Lighttail
45/60 HP (-5)
160/170 EP (-10)

Hawk
18/40 HP (-16)
100/125 EP (-10)

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

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'Effect Dice' : 6