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Post by pookakin on Sept 24, 2014 13:42:41 GMT -5
Redpaw shuffled her paws. Was Firetail embarassed? She'd been overzealous with those tackles. She wouldn't be fighting weak & hungry warriors in a real battle.
"Um, should we keep going? I'm okay if we stop," she said. They hadn't been going very long, but Redpaw felt like she was about to fall over. And Firetail already had!
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Post by Twilidramon on Sept 24, 2014 17:21:53 GMT -5
Firetail felt shame creeping up his pelt. How embarrassing that he would be beaten by his apprentice!
"I'm sorry," Firetail offered. "Would you like to try hunting?"
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Post by pookakin on Sept 25, 2014 10:49:11 GMT -5
Redpaw nodded. "Sounds fine."
What she wanted to do was crawl into a shaded corner and sleep, but this had all started with the prey shortage. If she could drag something back to camp, it would help a little.
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Post by Twilidramon on Sept 25, 2014 18:26:47 GMT -5
Firetail sighed again. It felt like that was all he ever did lately.
"We'll try near the gorge," he meowed, "close to the Moontree." It was a trek, but there would be water - and a teensy bit of shade - at the end of it. Hopefully it would draw out some prey.
This training session can't be worth nothing, he thought as he led the way. He kept his pace quick to escape the beating sun.
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Post by pookakin on Sept 26, 2014 17:47:50 GMT -5
Redpaw limped wordlessly after Firetail. It felt like they had been training for hours, but the sun had barely moved.
Would she even be able to catch anything? She could track prey all she wanted, but there never seemed to actually be anything aboveground. Smart prey, for staying out of this wretched sun!
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Post by Twilidramon on Sept 26, 2014 19:13:04 GMT -5
Firetail crossed the territory, keeping his pace brisk and his stride long. Redpaw was growing - she seemed to be able to keep up. The Moontree shimmered before them in the sunshine, its leaves always white like starlight. They never fell during leaf-fall or leaf-bare - they clung like the stars in the sky.
The sound and smell of water touched Firetail's nose. He raised his tail and opened his jaws. He did smell prey - it was far off, probably nearer to the Gathering grounds themselves. So long as it was in their territory, though, it was fair game.
"See what you can find," Firetail offered. He flicked his tail in the direction of the stream between them and MountainClan. "I'll look near the ForestClan border."
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Post by pookakin on Sept 28, 2014 20:51:08 GMT -5
Redpaw nodded, trying not to look too tired. She padded off, lowering to a half-crouch in the grass. She tasted the air, ears rotating. There was a faint smell of grouse, but it seemed like the birds had left long ago. Mouse scent was sparsely scattered about. Redpaw continued towards the stream, keeping low to the ground.
She had moved a good ways away from Firetail. Her limbs trembled a little from the effort of keeping her suspended so low to the ground.
She could rest later. Redpaw turned, heading in a new direction. A faint, fresh rabbit scent hit her nose. She froze, gaze drifting slowly ahead. She could see a few, rustling about the grasses many foxlengths ahead of her. The breeze blew parallel to them both- now was her chance! She dug her back paws in and shot forward. Exhaustion blurred her vision and her breath came slow. She powered through, dashing after the rabbit nearest to her as the group broke and scattered.
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Post by Twilidramon on Sept 28, 2014 22:14:05 GMT -5
Firetail breathed in the air. ForestClan's stench overpowered most other smells, and Firetail could identify ten different bits of prey just sitting on the other side. He flicked his tail irritably. It's as if they know we can't catch them! he sighed.
But soon enough he caught a glimpse of something near a pine up ahead. It was on their side of the border, and Firetail smelled blackbird. He focused all his senses, dropping into the bird-stalking crouch. He kept his pawsteps quiet as he approached the pecking bird. One more step, and... pounce!
Firetail felt a surge of triumph as he lifted his head, blackbird heavy in his jaws. ForestClan's faint scent was on the bird - it must have nested in their territory, to be so big! He turned back, paw on his catch, to call out to Redpaw - but he saw the grass sway, and saw Redpaw's puffed tail.
"Redpaw?" he called. "Are you all right?"
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Post by pookakin on Sept 29, 2014 19:07:06 GMT -5
Redpaw stumbled, hearing her mentor's call. The rabbit gained a precious few mouselengths ahead of her. Firetail could wait- she couldn't afford to miss another rabbit!
Dredging up her remaining energy, Redpaw surged forward, swatting her paw at the rabbit's hind legs. It shrieked, toppling. She fell on it, snapping its neck with a swift jerk. She sunk to the ground, rabbit still hanging from between her teeth. Sides heaving, she flopped onto her side, dropping the rabbit. It was a scrawny thing, and appeared to already have an existing injury. Still, it was a feast, compared to the intake her clan had had in the past moons.
"I'm fine," she croaked back. She'd survive- it might be a while before she had it in her to crawl back to camp.
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Post by Twilidramon on Sept 29, 2014 20:13:23 GMT -5
Firetail was relieved - they didn't need trouble with MountainClan or cats falling in the river. He picked up his blackbird and trotted back to Redpaw. From the racket she'd accidentally made, Firetail figured there wouldn't be prey around this area for a while.
His eyes widened in surprise at the rabbit - it was scrawny, but it was something. It, coupled with his blackbird, was more than he'd brought back in what felt like moons. The scent of rabbit permeated the area, but Firetail wasn't upset about missed rabbits - their patrol wasn't big enough to take out a whole nest.
Maybe the prey is starting to come back, Firetail wondered. He put down the blackbird and mewed, "You look beat. Take a breather." Any cat who catches prey needs a moment to relax!
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