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Post by owlspots on Mar 20, 2019 2:52:25 GMT -5
Flowerpaw nodded determinedly, kneading the tufts of grass beneath her paws. "Rabbits are really fast, so you have to stay downwind at all times when you sneak up on them so they don't see you and run away," she recited, furrowing her brow in concentration, "you have to tread really lightly so you don't make any sound." She sniffed the air, lifting her nose high, and managed to pick up the familiar smell of rabbit. However, she wasn't quite sure which direction it was coming from.
Sweetberry purred and dipped her head to the warrior. "I'd love to have you along," she reassured Ashstorm gently, "I won't keep you away from your warrior duties too long, I only really need watermint and comfrey at the moment." She beckoned Ashstorm with a flick of her ears and trotted towards the camp entrance. When she reached the other side, she paused and waited for Ashstorm.
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Genderqueer
smokey
we out here
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Post by smokey on Mar 20, 2019 8:56:54 GMT -5
(✨ nissabug ✨ your forms are accepted, welcome to the clan!)
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Bisexual
ayylien
I cannot stop cooking
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Post by ayylien on Mar 20, 2019 10:26:11 GMT -5
✨ nissabug ✨ of course he could!)) Cedarpaw padded beside Gingerpaw into the camp. He headed towards the nursery and finished replacing the old nests with what he had gathered. He noticed Flamestep waiting for him by the warrior's den. He walked over to the fresh-kill pile to finish plucking the feathers from the remaining birds so he could quickly go to his mentor.
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Post by owlspots on Mar 20, 2019 11:39:09 GMT -5
Flowerpaw glanced around, making sure to keep herself low as she searched for the rabbit's hole. "I think I see it," she murmured to Cherrytail, spotting a gap between two clumps of grass a little way ahead, slightly off to the right of where the two she-cats were hiding, "so we should approach the rabbit from somewhere on that side, and chase it in the opposite direction." She readied herself in a crouching position, ears pricked for any sudden change in the rabbit's behaviour that might indicate it had scented them.
Sweetberry hopped gracefully over a tree root that protruded from the ground. "Well, watermint and comfrey both grow close to rivers, so we won't have to search too far. I hope the water levels haven't risen over the watermint; drying out the leaves will be a nightmare," she said, glancing briefly at Ashstorm. "Comfrey has a quite distinct smell, but it's not very pleasant to some, whereas watermint smells significantly nicer like regular mint. Watermint smells a little wet though, which ruins the scent," the medicine cat explained, "when we find some you'll see what they look like."
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Genderqueer
smokey
we out here
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Post by smokey on Mar 20, 2019 12:32:58 GMT -5
"That's right." Cherrytail lowered herself and began to slowly creep forwards, down the hill. "You move around to its blind spot," she murmured as she split from her apprentice. "I'll come up from the direction of its hole and chase it towards you. After that, it'll just be a matter of speed." The she-cat stalked in the direction of the rabbit's hole, her eyes never leaving the small creature. It seemed completely unaware of their presence. Good, she thought as she rounded the small opening in the ground. Cherrytail let out a breath and lowered herself further, feeling her belly fur brushing the ground. She turned to look at her apprentice and nodded, signaling for her to move into position.
Ashstorm nodded as she soaked in the information. Like regular mint, but nice... That sounds lovely. She smiled softly as she began to hear the trickling of the river ahead of them. As of late, she spent a lot of time around the river. There was something about the sound that calmed her. It was like the river was telling her that everything would work out fine. "I love the river," she said quietly to herself.
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Post by owlspots on Mar 20, 2019 12:49:40 GMT -5
Flowerpaw beamed, stifling a purr. She watched Cherrytail carefully as her mentor moved into position, and when she gave the signal Flowerpaw wormed her way through the grass, positioning herself just a little bit closer to the rabbit at an angle where she could leap straight into pursuit as it ran past her. She crouched down as low as she could without her belly fur disturbing the grass and waited, determined, eyes locked on the rabbit unblinkingly.
"Yes," Sweetberry mused in agreement, perking her ears at the sound of the river's steady trickle, "it's lovely out here." She bounded forwards a few strides and rounded a small clump of ferns. The river wove its way through the earth just a few tail-lengths ahead, and she could spot the flash of small fish and their silver scales as they darted beneath the surface. There was, she soon realised, as she looked around that there was no sign of any watermint or comfrey. "We'll have to walk along the bank, hopefully there'll be some nearby," she called out softly to Ashstorm over her shoulder.
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Post by owlspots on Mar 20, 2019 15:06:24 GMT -5
Flowerpaw sprang from her hiding spot, skidding slightly in the grass as she landed. She hurtled after the rabbit as it shot past with Cherrytail closing in. The rabbit squealed in alarm at the intervention of a new pursuer, and Flowerpaw pushed herself to go faster, gaining on her prey just enough to enter pouncing distance. She took a few more moments to enjoy the exhilaration of the chase, ears flat against her head and her heart pounding so loudly she could feel every single beat firmly against her ribcage. The apprentice leaped, propelling herself forward, and her claws came into contact with the rabbit's hindquarters. Flowerpaw was by no means a strong cat with her thin build and narrow shoulders, but the force of her spring was enough to pull the rabbit down as she hit the ground rolling. The rabbit crashed into a nearby clump of grass and, while the creature was wriggling in the dirt, Flowerpaw advanced and swung her paw at its head in the heaviest blow she could muster, trying to stun it. The blow didn't seem to have much of an effect, however - likely because she wasn't strong enough. She lunged forward instead and closed her jaws around the rabbit's neck just as it found its paws again, clamping down as hard as she could. It took a few moments of the rabbit struggling and Flowerpaw's jaw hurting so badly that she was honestly tempted to let the poor creature go, but eventually the rabbit fell still and limp. Her head shot up, eyes wide with glee, and she dropped her catch at her paws. "Cherrytail! Cherrytail I got it! I caught a rabbit!" She exclaimed, bouncing on her paws.
Sweetberry nodded thoughtfully. "Good idea, Ashstorm," she purred warmly, "I didn't think of that." She was glad the warrior had accompanied her; not only would the trip be easier, but Sweetberry enjoyed Ashstorm's company. She understood that the other she-cat had suffered immeasurably, and was trying hard to get back on her paws and make as much of a contribution to her Clan as she could. She hoped that Ashstorm would feel comfortable enough to come to her whenever she was hurting, even if her pain could not be cured by any herb - it was her job as a medicine cat to help her Clanmates, and her inclination as a friend to offer support. Sweetberry lingered around the water's edge, peering into the shallowest depths in case any of the herbs she was looking for lay under the surface of the river. She purred with delight when she spotted a small cluster of watermint, half-submerged a fox-length or so away from where she stood, partially concealed by a rock. "This is watermint," she told Ashstorm as she nosed at the soggy herb, "there's not a lot here, but there should be enough for now." She leaned down and gently clasped her teeth around a few of the steps, nipping carefully. With a bundle of the watermint gripped securely in her jaws she trotted back to where Ashstorm stood.
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Post by owlspots on Mar 20, 2019 16:26:13 GMT -5
Flowerpaw nodded her head, although she was a little bit unsure. She picked up the rabbit and lifted it in her jaws, feeling a little wobbly with the added weight, but she was steady enough. "Yeah," she affirmed around her mouthful of rabbit fur, "I've got it." Her pale amber eyes glowed with pride at her mentor's praise, and her tail swished happily. She'd caught a rabbit, and made Cherrytail proud! The leggy tortoiseshell padded forward a few steps, although she felt herself staggering a little from the weight of the rabbit.
Sweetberry nodded. "Yes, comfrey next. It should grow around here, but it's quite difficult to spot sometimes because I think all the clumps around here grow between the rocks on the damp ground," she said, her voice muffled by the watermint in her jaws, "I think you'll have to carry it." She began to trot further ahead, keeping a keen eye out for the familiar tubular pink flowers. She was having trouble smelling anything other than watermint as her jaws were packed full of the herb, but didn't need to walk very far before she caught sight of a particularly tall plant peeking out from within a clump of tall grass. She bounded over, and stopped in her tracks. The plant had no flowers on it worth taking, and it looked like the rest of the patch had been trampled. "Ashstorm!" she called warily, eyes widening.
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Post by Blueflame123 on Mar 21, 2019 10:00:45 GMT -5
Gingerpaw walked into camp and went to bed down the elders, they were mostly sleeping so she made it quick before walking out of the den. She yawned when she joined Cedarpaw. "Are you going training?" She asked when she glanced toward his mentors direction. She loved watching cats train, it was a great way to learn more moves and practice! She might go watch if her her own mentor didn't have anything for her to do.
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Post by owlspots on Mar 21, 2019 11:07:33 GMT -5
Alice had never seen this part of the forest before. She could hear the trickle of a stream or a river somewhere nearby, deeper into the woods, and for a second she thought she picked up the sound of cats talking. Surely not, they probably live much further into the forest, she reasoned, shaking her head. She carried on walking, ears pricked and eyes wide, hoping to pick up some trace of cats sooner or later.
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Genderqueer
smokey
we out here
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Post by smokey on Mar 21, 2019 13:34:59 GMT -5
(sorry for the wait, y'all. had a long d&d session last night)
Cherrytail purred, whiskers twitching with amusement. "Don't worry, I'll take it." She carefully took the heavy prey from her apprentice's jaws and guided her towards the crossing rocks. She gracefully lept across the buldging stones, skidding to a halt on the opposite back. The calico she-cat turned around, watching Flowerpaw with concern. "Be careful crossing! The rocks are slippery!" Cherrytail called through the rabbit's scruff.
"Hm?" Ashstorm quickly scurried over to where Sweetberry was, startled by the sudden alertness in the medicine cat's voice. "What's the matter?" She followed Sweetberry's gaze towards the lightly trampled plant and gave it a sniff. Her noise wrinkled and she recoiled. "I guess they don't usually look like this? Can anything be salvaged?"
Freyja returned to the small hollow that her group had decided to call home, Otto hot on her tail. She carried a squirrel while the younger cat carried a mouse. Her eyes raked across the clearing, silently noting who was there. The large she-cat turned and gave Otto her squirrel. "Make sure everyone is fed," she ordered before turning back around. With an irritated sigh, Freyja noted that Sylvester wasn't in the clearing. What has he gotten himself into now? "Has anyone seen Sylvester?" she called out, her voice echoing slightly.
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Post by owlspots on Mar 21, 2019 13:47:47 GMT -5
Flowerpaw purred in gratitude, if a little embarrassed by the fact that she couldn't carry her own prey. She paused on the bank and took a moment to calculate her leap before springing, and fortunately she made it safely to the other side, with the smallest stumble as her paws met the slippery surface of the rocks on her way over. She over-shot her landing a little and had to dig her claws into the dirt to stop herself from tumbling over. She beamed at Cherrytail after righting herself, her tail swishing to and fro.
Sweetberry shook her head fretfully. "No, they've been destroyed," she murmured, nosing at the broken stems. She frowned, gently setting her bundle of watermint down on top of the flat rock by her paws, and parted her jaws to taste the air around the plant. "It smells like cat, but not from our Clan." Her ears flattened as she whipped her head around, scanning the undergrowth on their side of the river and the opposite bank. There was nothing. "I'll report this to Leopardstar when we return," she decided, lashing her tail. She dipped her head to pick up the watermint again and beckoned to Ashstorm to follow her further towards the lake. "It looks like we'll have to search the lakeshore," she called, voice muffled.
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Post by ✨ nissabug ✨ on Mar 21, 2019 15:36:30 GMT -5
((thanks for letting me join!! ive been busy these past couple days but now i can post some starters :3c ))
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Post by ✨ nissabug ✨ on Mar 21, 2019 21:42:56 GMT -5
Shadepaw woke up later than Sweetberry did, rolling out of his nest with bits of moss all over his fur. He noticed his mentor was already gone; she must have gone to get herbs before the weather got hot. He was disappointed he didn't get to go at first, but then shrugged it off and pulled out the herbs they gathered yesterday. He brushed through the moss overhang and started laying the leaves in the sun, out of the shade of the beech tree. He was soon focused on his work and zoned out everything around him.
Cloverpaw lounged in front of the apprentice's den, her eyes half closed as she gazed around the camp. She hadn't found anything to do since she woke up, having watched Gingerpaw and Cedarpaw take care of moss duties themselves. They probably didn't need a third cat getting in the way. And she hadn't seen her mentor Brackentuft yet, either. She watched the younger apprentices flit about the camp, wondering if she should move to join them.
((im not sure where to put hollybranch or bloomingtail lol, if anyone has open cats to respond to they're open too!))
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Post by owlspots on Mar 22, 2019 14:48:50 GMT -5
Brackentuft raised his head as he spotted Cloverpaw exiting the apprentices' den out of the corner of his eye. He took a moment to decide what they would do today, and then pushed himself to his paws. "Cloverpaw!" the ginger tom called out, approaching his apprentice.
Flowerpaw purred with delight. She stooped to pick up the rabbit and held her head high, eyes gleaming as she followed her mentor into the camp with her prey dangling from her jaws. She tottered on unsteady legs straight towards the freshkill-pile and released her grip on the rabbit, letting it drop on top of the pile with the rest of the prey. It was definitely the biggest catch on the pile, she noticed, making her chest swell with pride.
Sweetberry hummed with agreement, still partially lost in thought. When they emerged onto the lakeshore the medicine cat was quick to find a nook between two stones to tuck away the watermint she had gathered. "The lakeshore is very long, perhaps we should split up and search? If you find anything that looks even remotely useful - comfrey or not - then I'll come and have a look," she told Ashstorm, twitching an ear. She began to make her way to the left of where they were stood, picking carefully along the pebbles and stones.
Dewpaw anxiously kneaded his paws in the grass where he sat. Specklepool was still not back from patrol, so the tiny tom had nothing to do. Gingerpaw and Cedarpaw had already taken care of the moss duties, and Flowerpaw had just dragged a rabbit back from hunting with Cherrytail. Cloverpaw had been doing nothing for a moment, but now her mentor Brackentuft was approaching her. Dewpaw sighed, shuffling his hindquarters and flattening his ears to his head.
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Post by ✨ nissabug ✨ on Mar 22, 2019 18:06:49 GMT -5
Cloverpaw swiveled her ears toward Brackentuft, then slowly got to her paws. She gave her pelt a shake, then padded toward her mentor. “Good morning,” she mewed as she approached, blinking kindly at him.
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Post by owlspots on Mar 22, 2019 18:36:45 GMT -5
Brackentuft greeted his apprentice with a rumbling purr as she approached. "Did you sleep well?" he asked kindly, blinking down at her. He thought for a moment and then spoke again, twitching his whiskers. "Are you up for some battle training today? I think the other apprentices are mostly busy, so it'll be just you and me I believe." He glanced around to make sure he was right in saying that: Cedarpaw and Gingerpaw were busy with their moss duty, Flowerpaw had just returned from hunting and so would be taking a break, and Dewpaw was...somewhere - Brackentuft couldn't quite spot the tiny tom, wherever he was.
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Post by ✨ nissabug ✨ on Mar 22, 2019 19:53:01 GMT -5
Cloverpaw nodded. "I did," she mewed, complimented with a quick backstretch. She gazed around the clearing as her mentor did. The one cat she couldn't see was Dewpaw, although she swore she saw him a moment ago. Her ear flicked, then she turned back to Brackentuft and said, "That's alright." She liked one on one training with him; it wasn't that she wasn't social or anything, she just felt she focused better by herself.
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Genderqueer
smokey
we out here
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Post by smokey on Mar 22, 2019 19:58:16 GMT -5
Flamestep stood when he noticed Cedarpaw approaching. "Good afternoon, Cedarpaw," he greeted the young tom with a nod. "Let's get to the clearing, shall we?" Without giving him a second to reply, the ginger tom began to make his way towards the camp entrance. He paused near the bramble tunnel to glance over his shoulder before moving on.
Leopardstar eyed the strange cat for some time before he spoke again. "We are DawnClan, a group of cats who live by the warrior code, here in the forest. This territory is our hunting ground," he explained slowly. He looked back towards his clanmates for a moment, then back towards the tom. "My name is Leopardstar and I am DawnClan's leader. Come with us and we will show you our life." Hesitantly, he turned around and headed back towards the forest. As he passed his clanmates, he murmured, "Keep him flanked, but don't be aggressive. Be friendly and learn as much as you can on the walk."
Sylvester's ears twitched and he hopped after the patrol. His eyes shone as he watched how well the cats seemed to work together. Maybe we'll all be like this with Freyja some day! he thought excitedly. "Wow, you guys hunt all around here? There's so much forest!"
Ashstorm walked in the opposite direction of Sweetberry, eyes raking across the lakefront. She poked and sniffed at every plant she came across, but nothing quite reminded her of anything she'd smelled in the medicine cat's den. A little closer to the water, she found a small plant that cause her nose to wrinkle with disgust. "Hey, Sweetberry! Is this of any use?" she called, eyes glued to that plant.
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Post by Blueflame123 on Mar 22, 2019 20:33:23 GMT -5
When he had finished plucking the last of the birds Cedarpaw glanced towards Gingerpaw and said excitedly "Yeah, Flamestep said he would take me to do some battle training!" Cedarpaw wasn't very good at hunting so he always looked forwards to battle training. It was one of the few things that just clicked for him. "I should go talk to him now." Cedarpaw said getting up. "I'll see you later!" He started padding up to Flamestep. Specklepool watched the exchange nervously. She felt her body stiffen as she heard the rougue's reply. She didn't like the fact that the cat was part of a group or the fact the tom didn't seem to care about the borders. Gingerpaw watched him leave, a little sad. She kind of wished he would notice her more. Gingerpaw sighed as she said goodbye and walked out of camp. Maybe some hunting would do her good, she wanted to catch something for the clan as well as something for herself. She walked through the forest now far from camp, her ears open for any prey, she doubted any would dare be so close to the camp.
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Post by owlspots on Mar 23, 2019 7:30:26 GMT -5
Brackentuft beckoned her with a flick of his tail. "Come on then," he encouraged, "let's get going. We'll be able to spend a good bit of time there if we hurry up." He made his way over to the camp entrance and slipped outside, pausing to wait for Cloverpaw when he emerged into the territory.
Sweetberry lifted her head and trotted over. She peered at the plant and gave it a sniff. "That's thyme," she declared with a purr, "it has a really strong, distinct smell." She was certain Shadepaw had found a good amount of thyme last time they'd been out, but Sweetberry was never one to say they had enough of any herb. She quickly gathered a bundle and set it down, pushing it towards Ashstorm. "If you can carry that, I'll carry the watermint. I'll have another look for some comfrey tomorrow," she decided, "I doubt we'll have any broken bones between now and then." She returned to where she'd stored the watermint and picked up the bundle, padding back to where Ashstorm stood.
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Post by owlspots on Mar 23, 2019 17:53:04 GMT -5
Sweetberry purred warmly, glancing at Ashstorm over her shoulder. "I'd love that," she assured the warrior, "your company is always delightful, Ashstorm, and I truly mean that." She brushed the tip of her tail against Ashstorm's side in a kind gesture. The trip back to camp seemed a lot shorter than the one out to the lake, Sweetberry noticed, and she was rather surprised by how quickly they found themselves facing the entrance. She headed into the tunnel and emerged inside the camp, looking back to make sure Ashstorm was behind her. "Let's take these to the medicine den, Shadepaw will be awake by now."
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Post by ✨ nissabug ✨ on Mar 23, 2019 20:55:22 GMT -5
Cloverpaw nodded and hurried to follow Brackentuft. She slipped through the entrance to fall into step behind him and gave a contented sigh. She loved the newleaf air, the way the sun soaked into her pelt. It was way better than leafbare, for sure. She glanced at all the little blooms they passed by as they walked to the training clearing, not finding anything to say at the moment.
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