sneaking out (open)

[pear]

swiftpaw
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The ferns shimmered in the golden sun. Leaves whispered gently at the oncoming breeze as summer settled into a bearable heat. The woods had grown quiet because of the human intrusion over the last year. Heavy footsteps, people shouting and the metallic clang of cages closing caused fear deep into Shadowclan territory . Birds were just now beginning to twitter from branch to branch rather pleased at the capture of their predators because very few cats had left the safety of camp. Now however the forest seemed ready to burst with hunted and hunter. Toads wallowed in shallow water for bugs. Squirrels chattered over nuts. Moles dove for worms in the deep earth. Bees hummed around yellow flowers. Magpies gazed for shiny bits left behind. And then something bumbled it's way into the ferns. Everything scattered deeper into the woods.

Thunk. Thunk. Clunk. Scrrrrp. A rather chubby black-and-white kitten stomped into the green undergrowth taking no care to be silent. She was a bored! It should have been her summer to train, to hunt, to fight! Instead she was forced to clear out moss for the elders and queens. The whole clan had been busy regulating new patrols, mentors, warriors, clan borders and blah blah blah. More excuses as to why her mentor hadn't been assigned yet. Swiftpaw just knew it was because they didn't believe in her. Even as a kitten she had no predisposed talent toward fighting or hunting. No one took her natural bossiness as future leader material. The queens had cooed about how cute it was that she took charge of the younger ones!

Cats were bustling around camp readying for hunting parties or preparing for something? She hadn't been positive what clan members did around camp. Most of her youth she spent hiding away from chores only to be given more chores as punishment, only then to ignore the chores, then to be given even more and so on. It was unfair. Finally becoming an apprentice only to treated like kitten. Most cats tended to ignore Swiftpaw not wanting to deal with a snarky brat. So easily she slipped from camp. Or so she thought. But her uncle merely shook his head thinking that his young niece had been sent to scour the edges of camp for fresh moss for the elders.

“I am not cute! I am a warrior!” Black butt wiggled in a strange half raised crouch, eyes intent on a floating leaf. The leaf swayed side to side, swirling it's way down unaware of it's death by kitten claws. BAM! WHACK! Little claws pricked the leaf successfully, sh Nearby a fat toad watched the young kitten. It's body trembling in fear for it had grown lazy during the months when few predators lurked. Nestled under the shade with one bulging eye on the pond and the other on the kitten. Only a few short hops for the toad to escape. If only Swiftpaw had been observant she would have noticed a gently shaking fern where the toad was hidden. But she had sidled out of camp with no training of any kind.

If no one trained her, she'd just do it herself. Green ferns dotted the flat area, a fallen log and a few rocks. There wouldn't be many places for her to hide if anyone came looking for her. Golden eyes flashed angrily at a fallen over log. Kitten butt started to wiggle in the air, a single paw inched forward in preparation for her leap. The tail flickered back and forth. Paused. Then started to lift up. Then down. Swiftpaw hesitated for a moment unsure of exactly what her tail was suppose to be doing while she hunted. Maybe she'll curl it around her feet. No prey would notice to her tail, it wouldn't swish the grass around her.

Butt up high, tail curled dangerously around her back legs, one paw raised ready to launch forward. There! A grasshopper lingered near the pond just past the fallen log (also near the hidden toad). Perfect prey to practice on. The tiny kitten suddenly leapt forward tripping over the tail, careening off to the side toward the hidden creature. Toad leaping up croaked loudly into her face. Together, both frightened by one another, they launched into the pond. The toad for safety and Swiftpaw by accident.

“Aaahrgg fppfhf” The black-and-white kitten fell face forward into the mud. Her mouth swallowing the disgusting pond scum. "Ribbbt. Rbbt rbbt rbbt." The toad seemed to be laughing at the young apprentice. One golden eye cast such burning hatred at the amphibian that it sunk furthering into the water before swimming far far away. Swiftpaw sat heavily down heaving with a mix of rage and embarrassment. "At least," Licking the mud from her whiskers, "No one saw that. Maybe I will bring back moss...say that I fell into a puddle. Yeah they'll buy back. Right?" She asked the clearing. Attention solely on the mud encrusted face. 

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ooc:  open for anything! plotting, funnsies, scolding lol 

[Christalclear]

 

Haunteyes

    Haunteyes had walked over to the fern clearing for a brief moment in between hunting sessions. It was all she ever did these days, trying to make up for the loss of prey while the twolegs were stomping around with their crazy mechanical contraptions and scaring every piece of prey within the vicinity. Haunteyes had once again fasted to ensure that Shadowclan would have enough food to go around. She did not skip as many meals in a row as the last crisis, but that came at the cost of the clan members disappearing - most likely in the control of the twolegs. 

    She was attempting to rest. A word the previous medicine cat had urged her to do more to prevent her body from failing her again. It was always difficult to talk herself into doing when there was always just so much to do. Haunteyes recognized that she was one of the older warriors still in the clan and she did not wish for the younger warriors to risk their lives as often. They deserved to live. Whether that meant she did not deserve to live still remained to be seen under Starclan's eyes. 

    For now she was alive, and she immediately noticed the small white paws of another cat from her hiding spot underneath a lusciously large fern that provided shade and a good view of the pond. It was one of the only decent hiding spots for something larger than a rabbit here in the fern clearing, but it was rather obvious which is why the area was rather dangerous. If you could spot anything around here, it meant that they could see you too. Her black nose raised in the air for a moment - another Shadowclan cat, but a scent she did not recognize. Probably an apprentice. She bent her triangular black head down to get a better view of the new cat and watched in surprise at a small black and white cat fumbling about hunting... a leaf? Haunteyes could not see another cat with her sharp fog-green eyes. Odd. It was not  inherently a rule, but almost no cat - especially an inexperienced cat like an apprentice - went out of the clan camp anymore due to the threats. And this cat was playing in the open? If it was any later in the day, an owl would scoop up the little thing and be its dinner. 
    
    She had thought about stepping out, but for some reason paused. Her striking eyes followed the apprentice foolishly hunt a grasshopper and trip over themselves. The black warrior chuckled softly, knowingly giving her position away. It was not the apprentice's fault, not really. There was almost no training going on in the camp when basic survival had become everyone's priority. The ones that had mentors were not guaranteed they would be trained fully because the mentors would disappear. The new leader had their paws full and Haunteyes did not envy them. 

    "You are not a warrior, until you earn it. So earn it by surviving."  Her paws raked through the damp ground as she pulled herself out from her hiding spot and stretched her thin body. She could feel the skin at her ribs ripple with the contraction. "It is unwise for an apprentice to wander away from camp alone during these times - even if it is close by. The fern clearing is known for misrepresenting itself. A fox, owl, or badger could spot you from far away here. In the case of an owl, the minute your body lifts off the ground no one close by would able to save you." She unconsciously stretched her claw-raked hindlegs. Haunteyes knew to most young ones she looked intimidating, maybe frightening to the right kitten even, which was the main reason why she stayed away from the queen's den and the apprentices. The warrior looked at the poor apprentice up and down - assessing. She might be harsh, but it is important for all Shadowclanners to know the reality. The smart ones learned from their experienced and lived another day. "Now, you could bring back moss if you want, or you could bring back prey to the camp. Your choice."

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pear

[pear]

swiftpaw
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The plump black-and-white kitten paused from her licking to glare at the water. She could feel the smug snicker of the toad. Tiny bubbles danced on the surface of the water as if taunting her to come closer. Foul taste of rotten plants, dead fish, and refuse from all sorts of disgusting creatures would haunt her dreams for moons. Though a lazy kitten she was extremely particular at the cleanliness of her fur. Deepest black shone magnificently underneath the golden sun, shimmer blue like the night sky. Primrose pink nose, ear and toes meticulously washed every day. Then the blazing white fur that rarely had a speck on it. Oh she was devastated! The gunk would stain her fur for weeks.

Mid lick at the center white of her chest the kitten paused. That...did not sound like a toad chuckling. In fact that sounded very much like a cat. Golden eyes spotted a small black cat resting underneath a fern. It was difficult to discern the cat in the dark shade uncertain at who it was the confident kitten slunk back. Yet the more the she-cat lectured the more bristled the kitten became. Oooh she hated being lectured! Watch the kittens you're the oldest, make sure everyone stays near the den, don't let them wonder away, or how could you lose track of time! All of the queen henpecking for responsibility! As if she wasn't a kit as well!

Puffing up, the kitten natural defense to scolding, eyes glaring straight at...at....who? Head cocked to the side as the anger subsided for a moment. She really only knew a few in the clan, far too focused on herself than others in the clan. Black cat, black cat, black she-cat, skinny cat, uh, uh, oh mouse-dung. She couldn't remember anyone like that! Not that it mattered because she fluffed back up in annoyance. It must not be anyone important. Probably just a dumb warrior that would go back to ignoring her when they got back to camp.

“Yeah well I've been trapped in camp every since I became an apprentice!” Snapping back at the other cat or rather at the two glowing green eyes deep in the darkness of the ferns. “What's the point in becoming a warrior if every cat is too busy! Or too scared to leave the camp!” Anger seethed at every word as the frustration of solitude, boredom and loneliness came pouring out. She tried to remain righteous in her frustration yet it began to sound more and more like a pouty kitten on the verge of tears. “And I don't need anyone to rescue me! I can take on an owl!” Kitten voice squeak out the protest getting higher and higher in pitch. “And I can scare off a fox!” Swiftpaw had never seen either of these creatures in real life.

The cat stretched causally from the shade meowing even more at the young apprentice. Moss? Moss! Moss. Moss. Moss. That is all any cat had wanted form her. But what did the warrior say? The black cat asked her to bring back prey. “I was going to bring back prey! I mean I am. I will.” White paws faced toward a clump of grass determined to show off. Crouching down low, whisker's twitching madly the kitten began to hunt. Only she stayed down low for quite sometime. Listening to the pond gurgle with life. The wind causing the ferns to shake gently. Or was it a mouse? Or a frog? Eyes glanced left to right rapidly unsure of which direction to leap toward. Was that glimmer a beady mole eye?

Perhaps the best thing to do was to wait. Swiftpaw would never ask for help. She didn't need it. Though if the warrior decided to help it was her prerogative. The apprentice would allow the warrior to guide her. There in the grass! Something brown shuffled low to the ground tempting death.

"AAAAH" A war cry as the kitten dove headfirst into the brown lump in the grass. Needle sharp fang dug into stuff soft yet hairy. Ah it tasted familiar! The metallic taste of dirt, dried grass and worms. It was dead moss hanging from the kitten mouth. She glared at the black warrior daring the she-cat to say anything.

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ooc:Christalclear sorry it's a little sloppy, i'll edit it better when i get back home! just thought i'd throw something up since you've waited so long!

[Christalclear]

 Haunteyes

To be quite frank, the warrior did not know what exactly she was seeing. Part of her was amused, part of her was horrified at the sheer clumsiness and boldness this kit - no, apprentice - had. She knew that the apprentices did not get out much, but this was all the training they had? Hunting... worms? 

No wonder she hunted all day long to feed the clan.

"It would be wise to humble you, dear..." Her voice trailed off as she realized that she had no idea the name of the apprentice before her. Haunteyes knew she did not associate with the kits or apprentices in Shadowclan. Had she been so aloof that she no longer even knew the members of the clan anymore? She cleared her throat and tried again, this time more proper. She straightened her back and sat as still as an thick trunk on the windiest of days. "My name is Haunteyes. If you have not heard of me," she didn't know if her history was still told as a scary story to kits, "I shall tell you about myself. Not to brag, but to give you your first lesson as an apprentice. Owls have a keen sense of hearing, they can hear prey like mice moving around under snow. We can see at night better than them, however, they are silent when they fly. If you do not observe your surroundings better, they could easily sneak up on you and take hold of you in their talons. And do not argue with me about how you have been paying attention to your surroundings when you did not notice me." 

She continued her lecture. "Foxes can retract their claws like we can." The Shadowclanner demonstrated for the apprentice by sheathing and unsheathing her sharp white claws. "This makes it harder to hear them. They are cunning and opportunistic, so even if they have recently eaten and are quite full, they will hunt you if you are in their path." 

The warrior closed her eyes for a moment that may be construed as dramatic. She didn't mind telling the tale after so many moons, but it always brought up bad feelings along with it. "Now comes my story, young one. Badgers are one of the most fierce opponents we come across. They are opportunistic just like a fox, but they are not as easily scared off as a fox. They have big sharp claws mostly used for digging their tunnels. However, they can - and will - use them in a fight. Their fur is thicker than any cat I've ever known and their skin is looser than ours, making any bite seem like a mosquito." The last part might have been an exaggeration, but it would do some good to instill some sense of fear into the apprentice. Haunteyes remembered her tiny teeth biting again and again and again into the flesh of the small badger and it doing nothing. "When I was your age, maybe a little older, I was foolish. I thought I could be a hero of Shadowclan. The badger was not an adult. It was the scariest day of my life." That part was true. For not having nine lives, Haunteyes had almost died more times than she could count. But that day felt like her life was over before it had even started. "I remember when I came to in the Medicine Cat's Den how everyone said I was lucky. It had not been as bad as it could have been." 

Had she really been talking for so long? The sun had moved positions since her lecture began. She hadn't meant it too. If she were to grab enough prey for the clan today, she would have to enlist in the help of the apprentice. "Now, if you would like to get something more than a mouthful of dirt, close your eyes - just for right now - and focus on one of the sounds you were picking up on. A mouse sounds very different from a toad and they both sound different than a mole. When you hone in on a distinct sound - keep your eyes closed - and focus on where the sound is coming from. Lift your nose slightly to the air to find the scent of it. Only then should you open your eyes to try to see the prey. A cat's sense of smell and hearing is often better than our vision. Keep your body low and still until necessary. Try again."

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pear sorry for the lecture again, haha. Haunteyes doesn't usually get much conversation from other cats.