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Post by Twilidramon on Aug 18, 2014 16:04:52 GMT -5
Note: Decided to make this thread now. Cats who are known to be involved - Raventail (as leader), Silvertail, Wrenstorm, Wolfheart, Crowtail, and Fogwhisker; too many to list out in the title. This is the thread about investigating the fox carcass, and looking for signs of the wolf. This thread takes place after the Gathering. Only Raventail knows that Squirrelstar has considered asking Foggystar for help.
Wolfheart took a deep breath, picking her way down the stones carefully. Squirrelstar's and Nightflight's scents still hung here from the other day, only a little stale. Raventail was leading the way, the veritable battle-party following behind. Squirrelstar wanted no lack of defense for their medicine cat.
Keep your eyes peeled, Wolfheart told herself. That wolf could just as easily come back.
Dawn was just breaking over the mountains - they would be there before sunhigh at this pace, and have more than enough daylight to search every nook and cranny for the wolf while Raventail tried to ascertain why the fox was left intact. Wolfheart knew they ought to make the most of this time.
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Post by Fox on Aug 18, 2014 16:23:54 GMT -5
Silvertail padded after Raventail, her tail raised slightly off the ground and her ears pricked. She tried to walk near her brother, Fogwhisker. I'm surprised he join the patrol. He usally doesn't do things like this. Silvertail thought to herself. The patrol was strong, with loyal cats who would do anything to protect their clan. I just hope no one gets hurt. She thought. She carfully placed each paw on each stone- one mistake could let her tumble down. She noticed Wolfheart ahead of her, carfully placing her paws on each stone too. She looked behind her for a second to make sure every other cat was going down okay.
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Post by pookakin on Aug 18, 2014 16:47:32 GMT -5
Crowtail padded just behind Silvertail, casting suspicious glances at the surrounding area frequently. The fox carcass smelled none too pleasant, but it was a minor distaste in the face of the potential danger of the wolf. Hopefully, if it lurked somewhere near by, the scent wouldn't mask it. She probably should bring up the possibility once Raventail set to work.
She was grateful for the mass of cats around her. In the back of her head, fearful thoughts circled and bit each other. The image of a wolf's snapping jaws breaking the bodies of- no, she would keep a cool head. Her clanmates were solid like the mountains they lived in. No overgrown twoleg dog would be able to hurt them.
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Post by Spade on Aug 18, 2014 17:05:49 GMT -5
Raventail had started off by following the stale scent trail left by Squirrelstar and Nightflight, but it wasn't long before he could just follow the potent stink of the dead fox itself. He glanced briefly over his shoulder at his companions to make sure they were still there. Of course, there was no reason to think they would all up and desert him. Squirrelstar would have their pelts if they did. There was no guarantee that it had been a wolf that killed the fox, Squirrelstar had said that the rotting smell of the fox had covered up any other nearby scents. He was hoping he would find the fox had died from natural causes. If that was the case, then they wouldn't have to go to OceanClan looking for help which the medicine cat would like to avoid.
The smell of dead fox was growing stronger and stronger until Raventail finally spotted the creature lying on the stone. "There it is," he grunted, more to himself than his escorts. He tried tasting the air for danger, but, as Squirrelstar had said, the smell of the fox drowned out everything else. Instead he listened. He didn't hear anything out of the ordinary so he approached it and began examining.
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Post by Pancakes on Aug 18, 2014 17:46:01 GMT -5
Fogwhisker kept sneaking glances at his sister, making sure that she hadn't fallen behind, or done something worse. Given all of the time that he'd spent out here, he was slightly at ease with his environment, it would help, though, if there wasn't a supposed wolf on the prowl.
Wrinkling his nose in distaste, he paused at Raventail's grunt. The smell of death, decay, and overall fox filled his nose, even a kittypet could smell this from a while away.
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Post by Twilidramon on Aug 18, 2014 18:57:15 GMT -5
Wolfheart wrinkled her nose at the smell. It was definitely a dead fox, for sure!
The worst thing a smell can do is block out other smells, Wolfheart thought. She turned to her companions and suggested, "One of us ought to stay near where the smell isn't so bad - just in case something is coming that we can't scent."
She glanced at Raventail, aware that he was leading this patrol. "If that's all right with you, Raventail," she meowed respectfully.
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Post by Spade on Aug 20, 2014 17:37:39 GMT -5
Raventail nodded at Wolfheart. "Yes, that's a good idea," he agreed. "Don't lose sight of anyone else," he addressed the whole patrol. The medicine cat turned back to the fox, bracing himself to investigate the rotting carcass. It was rare for a full grown wolf to kill something as small as a fox and leave it partially uneaten. Bigger animals he could understand, especially if the wolf was alone, but an adult could finish off a fox in one go. He could tell that crows and other scavangers had been enjoying the free meal and it was hard to say exactly what killed it until he spotted something that worried him. There were bites on the fox that were definitely canine, but much too small to be a fully grown wolf.
Curious, he began searching the ground nearby for tracks that might tell him what kind of animals had been around the body in the days since it died. There were the usual, some small prey, birds, the pawprints of Squirrelstar and Nightflight. He was about to stop looking when he noticed small, faded pawprints leading away from the fox. They grew more defined as he followed them away where they weren't being scuffed away by the feet of scavengers. Soon it was easy to tell there were at least two sets of smaller tracks weaving around another set, the same but larger.
So much for hoping it hadn't been a wolf that killed the fox. From what the black tom could tell a wolf had killed it, not for itself, but for its pups. One wolf, the Clan could deal with. But a mother and possibly father protecting pups? That was a different story entirely. He turned to the nearest warrior. "Get the patrol back together, we need to get back to Squirrelstar."
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Post by pookakin on Aug 20, 2014 18:26:21 GMT -5
After hearing the exchange between Raventail and Wolfheart, Crowtail didn't lose any time loping out of the strongest of the smell to stand watch. Some tracks and a small bone fragment lay on the ground, but otherwise, the area was clear.
Nothing disturbed the landscape beyond some scruffy mountain goats in the distance. Perhaps at least this expidition would leave them unscathed, in regards to the wolf. Glory and honor might be appealing to the young warriors and apprentices, but Crowtail wasn't having any of that. She did her job as a MountainClan warrior, and didn't need to prove it by losing her life foolishly.
Behind her, she heard Raventail's mew. Glancing back, she saw him addressing another cat. Had he found something? She turned back to surveying the surrounding area- she'd find out what was going on soon enough.
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Post by Twilidramon on Aug 20, 2014 19:01:23 GMT -5
Wolfheart flicked her ears. He'd found something so soon? Looking at the corpse, Wolfheart tipped her head. She supposed that a medicine would be able to make better sense of it than she would.
Still wrinkling her nose against the stench, she asked, "What's happened?"
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Post by Spade on Aug 20, 2014 22:05:37 GMT -5
"It was a wolf," Raventail mewed in response. "It looks like the adult killed this fox to feed its pups. It could mean that they're just passing through with their young, but it could also mean that they've established a den nearby to raise them. We need to tell Squirrelstar to see what she wants to do about it."
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