Owlstar

"Excellent. Let's go. I was planning to go hunt in the denser parts of the woods, so we can use the tree cover and stay out of the sun." Owlstar set off, tail raised confidently as he left the camp, brushing past the small ferns and young trees that lined the entrance. It would be a good day for hunting, with the scent of oncoming rain hanging in the air, enough to draw out birds and small rodents to forage before the rain fell. Even with the heat of Sunhigh, it was peaceful and shady under the trees, a perfect environment to stalk under the trees.

They followed a small trail, no doubt made by some large animal, perhaps a deer, towards the thicker, older part of the forest. It was this place that reminded him most of shadowclan territory, and where his hunting patrols found the most success. He cast a quick glance around at the other cats on patrol, before stepping fully under the larger trees. "Feel free to split up, or stick nearby. We've already had one hunting competition today." Owlstar flashed a quick smile, hopeing that at least one of the cats out hunting with him would get the joke.

He moved forward a few paces, lifting his nose to the breeze, searching for the scent of prey.

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Considering all things Rustbelly was surprised the conversation has been going so well. She hadn’t expected to receive any compassion. Life had taught her that living was a harsh reality, at any turn kindness would not be given and instead despair would follow. It just proves once more that Rustbelly had pre-judged the she-cat before giving her a chance. They weren’t friends just yet but maybe with time that could change. Rustbelly tilted her head in confusion. What could the other she-cat have to ask her? “Sure what is it?”.

(sorry it's a day late, haven't been feeling well))

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Palewind

"How.....what was she like? How did you know she was the one for you? to be your mate?' She asked tilting her head. Her mother never talked about her mate or at least the tom that was her father. She wasn't sure how someone was supposed to tell who the right mate for them was. She cat stared with interest as she awaited the response. She didn't want to seem like she was being nosy even though that was what she normally does." I'm sorry if that's too personal I'm just always curious about how you knew she was the one for you." she stated dipping her head respectfully for Rustbelly.

(i hope you feel better!)

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Nettlesnap

He shot a confused look at what owlstar said, not sure how to respond so just running off. The leader had said they could split up didn't he?

The tom padded briskly over the grassy floor with his gaze pointed up towards the trees, watching the birds. The subtle rustles of rodents rustling over the leaves made his ears swivel and he could see a few fallen feathers littered over the ground. either something had hunted a bird or a bird had hunted something else, though the telltale torn off rat tail answered that question for him. His lip curled back and he recoiled in disgust, backing away from the ugly scene.

It took him a moment to remember he was supposed to be hunting. to prove himself and whatnot. the tom sighed, dragging his gaze over the tree above the littered body parts of the rat. A kestrel. Perched above the branches above and picking away at little bits of its caught prey, completely unaware that it'd soon end up like that rat much sooner then expected. Nettlesnap slowly crouched down and positioned himself at an angle he would be able to jump up and simply catch the bird between his jaws. easy.

The tom winced as he sprung up, having to put pressure on his injured paw. he nearly crashed into the branch but was just able to latch his claws over the bark. This action was followed by the incredibly loud alarm call from the bird, making Nettlesnap's ears lower. he caught its foot with his claws and threw the kestrel onto the ground, killing it with the height of the fall and cutting its screeches short.

(sorry was in a exp wcue rp and this is a once in a life time occurrence)

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Hemlockshade shakes his head at the attempt at the joke, making a mental note to tell the other to stop making them. They were definitely something, and not a good something either.

He turns and heads off on his own, relieved to be by himself. It reminded him of the days back in Shadowclan, where he'd slip out of camp and walk for hours with no destination; nothing but his paws and instincts to go off of. It was a bittersweet memory, but he pushes that to the back of his mind.

Ears pricked, they flicker back and forth, sounds of the forest filling them. He had always been an efficient hunter, so the moment he hears the soft steps of mouse, he drops into a crouch; head swiveling to that direction.

Mouse. Not his favorite prey, but food was food, it sustained the body one way or the other. With silent steps he creeps towards the critter, tail lifting up as to not drag against the forest floor. He pounces, and with a bite, that's the end of that.

He sets the mouse down by a bush, kicking some leaves over it and carrying on. Sure, it was a quick hunt, but he was fairly certain he could find something else before they made their way back to camp.

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Owlstar

He watched Nettlesnap run off, noticing the slight limp that interrupted the other tom's normally even stride. Hopefully this hadn't been a mistake. He looked over at Hemlockshade, before studying the clearing closer, looking for the telltale signs of small animals. "Are you going to sprint off as well?" Owlstar sniffed the air once more, making sure he could track Nettlesnap's scent trail, before walking off in search of his own little area to hunt in. Hemlockshade clearly wanted a little space, and Owlstar didn't want to step on any cat's paws.

The forest around him was quiet, and he began to feel somewhat irritated as he stalked the forest floor, unable to really find a scent. The only thing he could smell was the stink of crowfood, wafting from a forgotten fox's den. Whatever was down there was definitely unfit to eat. Finally, a slight breeze pierced the still forest air, carrying with it the scent of... Was that frog?

Finally, something that would be good, without all of the fur and feathers he had to choke down. He sunk into a crouch, moving slowly towards the small algae covered pond, eyes focused on the large frog that sat next to it, seemingly basking in the sun. His claws unsheathed as he leaped, landing on the frog with a slight thump, breaking its spine as he landed. A swift blow to the back of its head with unsheathed claws, and the frog was dead. An easy kill, one that would feed the clan.

It reminded him of his days as a kit, when he had spent days begging his mother to let him join the warriors on their hunts, practicing on pinecones and small pebbles. Owlstar picked up the frog, pushing the thoughts of his past from his mind. He had prey to catch, and there wasn't time to dwell on his memories.

//Nobody likes Owlstar's jokes lol

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Nettlesnap

The tom purred with satisfaction, leaping down from the high branch. His limbs shook as he unsteadily landed a few paces away from the dead bird, prompting an annoyed hiss. He limped over to the catch, a sense of pride welling in his chest as he dug his teeth into the cooling body of the kestrel. Feathers brushed against his snout and he had to stop himself from sneezing whilst he walked, following the scent of the clan bloods to meet up with the patrol again. Nettlesnap knew he couldn't expect any praise for his catch; he was definitely still proud of himself for managing to hunt it though.

His muscles relaxed, the only noise being the soft chirps of birds in the higher branches, pine needles littering onto the floor. It was nice. The quiet held the memory of his life before joining this clan, when he'd venture out the barn and chase the mice inbetween the animal pens, or steal the eggs from nearby hen coops. Sure, the solitary life had been more then a little boring, but it was easy. And he had never had to worry about the lives of others. The tom's thoughts were cut off as he stumbled upon the scent of the patrol, forcing him to snap back into the present and remember where he was.

The reality made him curl his lip back in a soft snarl and he dragged his paws over the soil, following the scent to catch up with Owlstar and the other warriors. The memory he longed for was gone and he knew it. The barn had burnt to ashes and he would never feel the familiar sense of belonging. These thoughts swarmed in his mind and he hissed bitterly under his breath, stopping for a moment. There were... a lot of things to think about, that was clear. Nettlesnap lowers his ears in frustration and glared up at Starclan for a split second, claws unsheathing into the dry soil below him.
The tom sighed and forced himself to move on, carrying himself over the still weirdly unfamiliar terrain in search of the older clan bloods. He hadn't had a particularly riveting conversation in a while and he'd even tolerate an argument at this point, anything to atleast slightly bond with the cats he was supposed to be willing to die for.

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Gentlebreeze

She glanced outside the den. It was nearing sundown. Her eyes widened, she had planned to meet up with a cat today, and she couldn't be late! The feline looked at Morningecho. "I'm gonna go out and look for some herbs. I'll be back later." she made up an excuse. Her heart hurt as she lied to her own clanmate. It definitely wasn't something she was proud of. Gentlebreeze was not the type of cat to lie for her own needs, but this was different. She needed to see *him*. Her heart longed for the tom, he was such a sweetheart and a polite cat. His beautiful green eyes seemed to make Gentlebreeze's heart pound. His sleek, and well-groomed orange tabby coat. She needed to be with him.

The flame-pointed siamese turned quickly, and padded out of the den. She kept her head down, trying to not make eye contact with any cat. Her tail swayed behind her, and her ears swiveled. The she-cat padded out of the camp, and she took a deep breath. Gentlebreeze continued on her trek, her paws leaving prints in the damp soil.

if anyone wants to, you can follow her ))

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Owlstar

He had managed to find another frog, half buried in the mud that lined the pond, and with a little digging, he soon had another easy catch. It was time to return to where the patrol had split, and check in on his clanmates. He still moved quietly through the forest, but he was less focused on catching prey, the two frogs dangling from his jaws preventing him from carrying anything more, even if he was able to catch it. He took almost the same path back, tail held high, as he returned to the meeting spot.

His nose twitched slightly as he noticed Nettlesnap, sitting in the clearing with a large bird, a kestrel, hanging from his jaws. An impressive catch, although Owlstar did wonder how Nettlesnap had managed to climb high enough to make the kill. "Oh, Nettlesnap! How did your hunt go? I see you've got a nice kestrel there."

//bit of a shorter one, got some yardwork to do

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Rustbelly's eyes widened, shock written all over her face. That…That was a good question. She felt heat spread throughout her cot, suddenly self conscious. This was new. Palewind was looking to her for matters of the heart. She wasn’t the most experienced, only having one lover and even then their love was short lived. She averted her gaze now bashful about the whole encounter. How did she know Gorsepetal was the one? As Rustbely receded into her mind, visions of the past played. Scenes of her and Gorsepetal hunting together, grooming each other, and even sneaking away from camp feeling as if they were the only two in the world. The memories brought a small smile to her face.

“Her name was Gorsepetal. We grew up in the same clan but we didn’t really talk until our mentors trained us together”. Rustbelly looked to the skies, a faraway look in her eye. “She was kind, far kinder than I ever could be…And far too excitable. She could never stay still, always volunteering to hunt no matter the time of day”. Rustbelly let out a hum. “When any bad day becomes instantly better from just their presence, when it feels like you can’t live without the other…You’ll know”. The rusty cat tail flickered to and fro, her nerves getting the better of her. Usually this topic was reserved for herself, when she needed a reminder for what she was fighting for. But it was nice to express the love she had for her deceased mate with someone.

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Nettlesnap

The tom flinches, whipping his head to face where the voice was coming from. Just Owlstar. He breathed a sigh of relief and dropped the dead bird to speak, pinning it under his paw with an instinctual fear of it being taken. 'I'm surprised you didn't hear it, the dumb bird nearly made my ears shatter.' He huffed, flicking his gaze to the frogs in the leader's jaws. 'You had a good hunt as well?' He meowed hopefully, hiding his disgust at the sight of the dead prey. Frog flesh felt horrible on his teeth and it made him feel squirmy. Anything that lacked any fur or feathers made him feel squirmy, actually. like baby birds. ew.

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Palewind

The she cat listened quietly feeling a little sad that Rustbellys mate was now deceased.” She sounded lovely.” She stated offering the she cat a comforting purr.” Do you suppose they’re cats that never find that?” She asked tilting her head a little. She wondered if the right Tom or she cat would ever come along. Perhaps that would and perhaps they wouldn’t. She looked up at the sky a little.” She’s watching over you from starclan. She’s very proud of you I’m sure.” She stated as she looked back at the she cat.

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Hemlockshade finds a squirrel resting near a tree digging for food and he makes a wide arch around the tree from behind, shooting out from behind a bush and snatching it up. His gaze lifts towards the sky, deciding that the quick hunt was over now.

He collects his prey and retraces his steps to where they previously split up from and slinks over on light paw steps. Nothing like a good hunt to loosen the muscles and give him a little workout. They had the beaver and then this additional prey; which meant there would be no worry about food for awhile.

(Sorry Owl, but your jokes are gonna get boos every time )

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Hawktalon

Hawktalon was stalking through the lower parts of the pines, looking for cobwebs before anything. She occasionally found the abandoned spiderwebs taking her paw and gently gathering them. After some time, she had a pretty sizeable amount. It was hard to find a place to save them while she hunted, so the she-cat found a low branch among the trees to hang them. "Don't forget." She muttered to herself, shifting gears to start trailing what smelled like a mouse. Stalking silently among the fallen pine needles, she listened to a rustle nearby. The thought of the mouse caught in her jaws had her zeroed in, her steps soft and her haunches prepared. Waiting for a few seconds, hearing nothing but silence, she lunged towards the unsuspecting prey, only to collide with another well sized furry body-

(Sorry I've been sparse today, had a lot of stuff to take care of )

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Owlstar

He dropped his frogs carefully, making sure they didn't hit any rocks before looking back over at Nettlesnap."I didn't really hear anything besides the normal forest sounds. The trees might've muffled the noise a little." Owlstar absent mindedly scratched his ear with a claw, his tail moving slowly from side to side as he thought. "It went pretty well. I hadn't known that there was a pond back there, so it was a bit of a surprise. Got my paws a bit wet and muddy, but the frogs were worth it." Owlstar smiled, already picturing the delicious flavor. "Reminds me a good deal of my apprentice days, looking for frogs by the thunderpath to give to the elders..." His smile faded slightly, and he cleared his throat, glancing around for Hemlockshade.

"Do you have a favorite kind of prey? Or did you just eat pretty much anything?" It was a pitiful attempt to change the subject, but hopefully Nettlesnap would take it. It was strange to think he was older than most of the clan's warriors, strange that most of them hadn't been able to see Shadowclan when it still had some semblance of power. He shouldn't be dwelling on thoughts like these, he should focus on strengthening his clan. A slight rustle in the bushes alerted him to Hemlockshade's arrival. It was finally time to get back to camp.

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