>>ku.
New Member
Posts: 12
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Post by >>ku. on Dec 6, 2009 16:23:34 GMT -5
 He didn't make a sound, didn't move, just crouched there, staring at the same spot of grass. There was a rabbit there. He hadn't seen a rabbit in days, and it would feed more cats then a simply mouse or two. But his skills needed brushing up for rabbits. Mice were relatively simple, they didn't change, but rabbits...Some of then looked up and listened more then others, some had things wrong with their eyes, and some simply ran for no good reason. No, he hadn't caught a rabbit in a while. The most annoying thing about this rabbit was that there was soft areas of land around it. One wrong footing and he'd go down on his face into the mud. He'd just finished washing as well.
Carefully, oh so carefully, he moved. One paw off the ground, only to be placed softly back onto the ground, nudging a twig out of the way before he moved the other one. Hesitant at first, he soon grew more confident as he realised he had remembered how to stalk a rabit. It was different from stalking a mouse, you could place your feet more firmly. The rabbit couldn't smell him, either, he noted, suddenly remembering more then he'd thought. Then why...
Lightfoot shot after the rabbit as it began to move, bounding over the few soft patches of ground he could remember, and grateful when the rabbit didn't. It stumbled, feet sinking as it turned around too fast and then - his teeth bit sharply into the back of it's neck, killing it quickly. He sneezed through the fur as he then tried t slow down, the pride at having caught the animal - no matter how skinny - warm in his chest. Embarrassment was cold then as he slipped over and tripped over the fresh kill.
Tumbling to his feet he yowled, a sharp hiss coming as he ended up sliding through damp soil, dirt covering his fur. 'Starclan help me,' he thought miserably before sliding to his feet, paws treading lightly on the ground as he did so, back to his usual light footedness. The prey would be gone now, so he might as well head back. It wasn't like he had anything to pick up on the way back. Sighing, he bit back into the rabbit as he began to carefully retrace his steps.
------ ooc ; he's got a mouthful of fur and a faceful of dirt!
word count ; 402
song ; none
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Post by Mint on Dec 11, 2009 17:36:13 GMT -5
 i'd rather stay awake while i'm asleep
The swamp hissed softly, squishing under his paw. Whiskers twitching with annoyance, Rootstar forced himself to focus. This wasn't the time to forget how to hunt- not went a relatively pump muskrat was perched at the edge of the water. Every paw step had to be calculated, because a catch like that could feed five cats.
Muskrats were slow, making them easy to catch if you could get up close to them. But this one was perched near the water's edge, chewing at the sickly grass. The tabby tom was nearly four fox lengths away, his pelt blending partially with the bark of the tree he was inching around. There was only so much closer he could sneak to the muskrat; the ground became soggier, the closer to the Green Pool you got.
Another paw step... good! The leader launched himself forward, his front paws dancing lightly over the ground. No matter how good his paw work was though, the soggy grass splashed as he planted his weight on it, eyes locked on the muskrat that had just noticed him.
For a second, Rootstar feared he wasn't fast enough. Then a second later, he barreled into the large brown creature, fixing his teeth onto the back of it's neck. Below him, the muskrat squealed and kicked, it's own claws raking down his stomach. A sicking crunch sounded out as the tabby tom succeeded.
Standing up, Rootstar sighed. Muskrats were difficult prey, but it was all worth it. Grabbing the prey by it's neck, he began to drag it back to the camp. There was no way he'd be able to carry more, which was fine since this was the first thing he'd caught all day.
A slice of light gray caused the leader to pause. An intruder? Ears pricked, he wandered a tad closer. No, he recognized those markings. Letting go of the muskrat's neck, Rootstar called out. "Good morning, Lightfoot!"
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cause everything is never how it seems
OOC // Wheee.^^
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>>ku.
New Member
Posts: 12
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Post by >>ku. on Dec 12, 2009 11:45:13 GMT -5
He sighed as he padded through the mud, eyes fixed softly on the ground as he picked out the spots he most definately should not step on. The ground was getting more and more solid though, very soon he wouldn't even have to look. All he wanted to do was go back to the camp, find a spot of sunlight with the elders, and wash the mud off his fur. It was drying now, and cracking, so it would brush right off with a little pursuasian. But it was still wet over his face, and his whiskers tickled. He sighed again, shaking the damp off one paw as he stopped to listen for the sound of anything - he'd very much like at least one mouse to take back with the rabbit - that he could catch. One rabbit...The clan would not be very happy with that.
The sudden call of his name had him choking on rabbit fur as he jumped, cursing himself for not having noticed there was an intruder nearby, quickly he turned his head, spitting fur and staring over towards the location of the voice to peer through the plants. Oh...Oh! Rootstar was there...With a miserable stare at his rabbit he sighed again, leaning forwards to bite it again and drag it towards the voice, treading lightly so as not to step on anything painful.
”Rootstar, good morning,” he mewed, a touch miserable as he stared at the not mud covered leader of his clan. How did a long haired cat not end up mattered, while him, a short haired cat, ended up covered in mud? It made very little sense to the tom, but he kept his mouth closed as he gazed at something he hadn't seen for even longer then a rabbit.
Dropping it out of surprise he blinked at the leader, tilting his head to try and sent past the smell of the swamp. ”A muskrat," he said slowly, glancing back at what now looked to be a rather pathetic rabbit. ”Good eating, hard to catch. Where did you find him? I've found nothing but the rabbit." By the end he sounded a little more then miserable, almost sad, but still it was said slowly as he thought over things. Would the leader invite him hunting? He'd just finished, and that warm spot in the light before the days got colder was what he was really looking for...But if the clan demanded it he supposed. But as the cold weather came in, his pelt became darker, and he'd be able to blend in a little better in the darker swamp. He really hoped he wouldn't have to roll in mud this leaf-bare to catch anything, maybe it would snow...
------ ooc ; whee indeed!
word count ; 456
song ; edie ; leddra chapman
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Post by Mint on Dec 12, 2009 13:53:45 GMT -5
i'd rather stay awake while i'm asleep
As the younger warrior drew closer, Rootstar blinked in surprise. Lightfoot's usually light pelt was covered with mud, along with the rabbit he was dragging. The prey being mud covered the leader could understand- the muskrat too was covered with swamp and dirt. Warriors though, tended to avoid getting messy.
Lightfoot had always been a bit of a strange kit. Very calm, even while other kits rolled and pounced and squealed. It made for a very good warrior, especially a good hunter. Maybe not the best mentor, though. Not that the apprentice Rootstar had given the sedate warrior hadn't become an amazing warrior; sure, she had. But mentoring didn't seem to be Lightfoot's thing.
Deciding not to comment on the mud slathering Lightfoot's pelt, Rootstar nodded and let out a light purr. "By the Green Pool." Flicking his tail, the leader recalled the lucky catch. "It was trying to eat some of the yellowing grass." There were a steady population of muskrats by the Green Pool, but like Lightfoot said, they were difficult to catch. Rarely did they venture too far away from the water; but usually there was grass near the edge of the water for them. The chill had killed most of that grass.
"A gift from Starclan." The brown tabby added, glancing down at his catch. Surely his ancestors had something to do with the fat prey. The thought made Rootstar's whiskers twitch happily. StarClan had always been there for him, in the hardest of times. Even now, when they seemed gone.
Pushing the small devilish thought, the thought that it had just been luck and StarClan was gone, out of his mind, Rootstar pricked his ears. The forest was quiet, other then the two toms. They could both hunt more, but perhaps it was good as ever to stop for the day.
"I think I've finished hunting today." The long haired cat said with a small sigh. Pausing, the tom turned his head to the sky, trying to see the sun through the leaves. "Maybe," said the leader slowly, squinting as he pinpointed the sun. "you can join me for dusk patrol?"
"Ofcourse," Rootstar added cordially, his eyes gleaming briefly with amusement, "We'll go back to camp and clean up first."
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cause everything is never how it seems
OOC // Wheee.^^
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>>ku.
New Member
Posts: 12
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Post by >>ku. on Dec 12, 2009 15:20:40 GMT -5
Lightfoot blinked slowly at the leader, grateful that he'd said nothing about the mud. He wasn't quite sure he would have been able to walk into the camp with his head held high if he had. Not that people wouldn't point it out when he got there, most liekly some hyperactive kit who thought it was clever to ask the first warrior he saw as many questions as he could. Lightfoot had never understood why kits wanted to do that. He'd never done it, but his sister had, and it hadn't put her ahead in her warrior training what so ever, so he saw no point in it. It was just irritating for the warrior who merely wanted to relax and share tougues with a few friends before sleping. Which was what he wanted to do when he got back. Mildly, he wondered how many of the warriors would be out and hunting for more prey. He wondered if they'd over hunted in previous years. That would explain why there was so little now...
He nodded miserably at the tom, shoulder drooping slightly before he straightened. Why had he not looked there? Of course prey would be by the Greenpool, and he had to choose one of the areas with the least green plants. He caught himself almost kneading the ground like some embarrassed apprentice, paws relaxing as he told himself not to. 'Why should I have gone? Let other warriors hunt there, ones who hunt larger prey,' he mused, nodding slowly to the older cat as he sat stood there, the single rabbit at his foot. The warrior had caught a muskrat, and he had caught a rabbit - barely enough fat on it's bones for two warriors. But then again, as he continued to look at the other cat's kill, his rabbit got smaller by the minute.
”A gift from Starclan indeed,” Lightfoot murmered steadily, thinking of the lack of mention of them recently. There was little to praise Starclan about at all nowadays, with the prey getting slimmer by the day, and leaf-bare still to come. Perhaps they'd bless Swampclan with advice when the time came that Starclan decided they needed it - but until then they would make do with what they had. Greencough hadn't gotten into the camp at least, but perhaps it might spread.
Thoughts somber he almost jumped at Rootstar's voice, body tensing as he looked up - he hadn't even been aware he'd looked down - to blink at him. Prey was prey, he told himself, and any prey was good enough for the Clan in meager times. He almost wanted to pur at the realisation that Rootstar didn't want to invite him hunting, and his shoulder relaxed just a a little. He would be able to clean up after all.His relaxed stance tensed up with embarrassment as he took in the rest of the cat's words. He said nothing for a moment as he realised in horror that he'd said good morning to the tom, not realising the time and how long he had truly been out. He'd caught three mice and taken them back earlier on...Another one that he'd taken back before having a nap...And now the rabbit. Had it really ben an entire day already?
”Thank you, Rootstar, I will,” he responded slowly, tail flicking in slight annoyance at the Leader's amusement at his appearance, though he rumbled a light purr to join in before he stretched slightly. Dusk patrol...He'd done that once before, usually he merely hunted. 'A change will be good,' he thought to himself, tilting his head to await the leader's next move as he himself lifted the rabbit from the ground.
------ ooc ; murrrr
word count ; 613
song ; edie ; leddra chapman
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Post by Mint on Dec 12, 2009 22:07:17 GMT -5
i'd rather stay awake while i'm asleep
Inspecting the younger warrior thoughtfully, Rootstar wondered how often he patroled. Lightfoot was an excellent hunter, his hunting crouch flawless. In fact, it was the light pelted warrior's hunting skills that earned him his warrior name.
The rabbit Lightfoot had made was a good catch; Rootstar noticed it as he picked up his muskrat and padded closer to his warrior. It was on the small side, but all the food was. Truth be told, his muskrat wasn't exactly Santa Claus-fat. Luckily muskrats were just all around bigger.
There was pride in his gaze, as he nodded at Lightfoot. The tom wasn't one to get excited over things, but a nice rabbit catch in times like these should be exciting. Rootstar hadn't seen a rabbit in several sunrises, to the point where it honestly was starting to annoy him.
Continuing on, Rootstar winded through the trees, heading for camp where he planned to eat, rest, perhaps share a few tongues, then finally organize a good dusk patrol.
It wasn't often that the leader led patrols. Only when there were apprentices to be inspected did he take out patrols of cats; patroling was a job for his head warriors, and his deputy. The long furred cat either patroled by himself, or hunted. Though he tended to stay in camp, where his Clan needed him.
Through the trees above him, the tabby could see the sun speckling through the leaves. He'd have to eat fast.
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cause everything is never how it seems
OOC // Shift to ze patrol.>3
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