sensitive topics Run Rabbit Run Rabbit RUN RUN RUN // pafp

[Periwinklebreeze.]

IS IT OVER YET - CAN I OPEN MY EYES?​

periwinklepaw | 04 months | demi-boy | he/they | physically easy (pacifist) | mentally easy | attack in bold #ccccff​

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A moment is all it takes.

Periwinklepaw had simply wanted some time to breathe. Some time to get away from the hopeful eyes and proud expressions of his family back at camp. It wasn't as though he'd wandered off on his own - he'd gone with a group of others, to go enjoy what little warmth the sun warmed pool might still have to offer these days. He hadn't meant to wander so far - he'd only wanted to practice his hunting moves away from the rest of the group. Hadn't wanted to disturb the other's rest when it had become clear that once more sleep wouldn't find him. His limbs ached with disuse and he felt twitchy and restless - he needed to do something, anything.

It's only been half a moon, but his apprenticeship is not going the way he had hoped. Jaggedoak was a great mentor, really, but Peri jsut couldn't find it in himself to let his gaurd down so soon. Training was hard when his heart was only half in it, even harder when he stopped to acknowledge what learning it meant. Someday, he'd be expected to fight other cats. To fight and hurt and maim and maybe even kill them. And he doesn't want that. And so he put all his efforts towards what he can do, as if that will maybe save him from what seems to be his inevitable fate. Hunting.

Things had started out well - easily dropping into a hunters crouch, still a bit sloppy but he was working on it with his mentors help, getting better and improving it by the day. Then a deep breath and he'd find his 'prey' - a lone rush that had seeded a little ways from the rest. Clear blue gaze narrows, and with a wriggle he's leaping forwards - paws finding home on his target. A quiet exclamation of pride slips past his lips, and he spins around, looking for his next target. He pounces again, this time chasing after a leaf that rustles in the wind. He misses and darts after it with childlike excitement - picturing it to be a bird to bring back for lunch. It dances about in the wind until finally, with a mighty leap, he snags it in his claws.

As it crunches underpaw, the wind suddenly shifts, and the scent hits him just a moment to late. The rancid smell is unlike anything he's ever encountered, choking him with it's stench, but he knows immediately, instictively, that it can mean nothing good. All it takes is one little second of hesitation, a single moment where he freezes, and it's upon him in the blink of an eye. The creature of fangs and claws and tawny toned fur is hardly more than a blur as it pounces and strikes. Teeth sink into his haunches, narrowly grazing his skin, and he tries to flee.

He doesn't make it very far. The snapping of jaws and an unholy screaming noise is the only warning he gets as the starving canine bears down on him once more - this time accompanied by the feeling of fur and flesh tearing from his flanks. A pained wail slips past his lips, teeth clashing harsly and nearly biting through his tongue - he tastes blood. He wriggles and writhes in a panic, desperate and utterly terrified, until suddenly he's on his back staring up at the fox. Bright yellow eyes meet blue, and as saliva splatters against his cheek he wonders if this is really how it ends. ' I never should have wandered off '

// please wait for @LEECHPAW

 

[VULTUREMASK]

Leechpaw had been one of these cats who had been on that patrol but his mind had been elsewhere to distracted with dealing with his own problems that he had forgotten about to keep a eye on Periwinklepaw, to have let his sight off them for a moment. By the time he catch himself having drifted away it was already to late. Periwinklepaw was nowhere to be seen as he started to look around after them. Leechpaw instantly grow worried and without even telling the rest of the patrol he had left the group behind to go and search for the three month old apprentice while having this uneasy feeling inside of his guts that something was wrong.

Thank the stars for the snow. It made it easy for him to trace Periwinklepaw's paw prints to the locationg he was at by following the traces he had left behind. The closer he got the stronger the scent of a fox being present close by chilled him to the core. Leechpaw increased his speed the moment he realized the scent was coming from the location Periwinklepaw had headed of to!. It was when he heard it, the cry of a cat in pain and agony.

That cry send him flying through the moors trying to get himself there as fast as possible, begging and pleading that he would make it there in time and he wouldn't arrive to late.

Leechpaw came rushing out from some tall grass finally seeing the red furred beast in front of him, and he saw the kit that was pinned underneath them. It made him completely lose it. Leechpaw lost himself to a feral-like state only having one thing in mind. To protect Periwinklepaw. With a furious battlecry Leechpaw lunged himself at the fox to land right on its back and sinked his teeths right into the back of its neck while clinging on top of it with his claws. The fox let out a startled snarl in pain, and his attach served its purpose.

The fox stepped away from Periwinklepaw as they got busy trying to get Leechpaw of them. The fox snapped their jaws after the dark pelted apprentice who clung on to them like their life depended on it. Unfortunately the fox was able to shake the apprentice of them soon enough as Leechpaw lost his grip, and he would crash to the ground. The fox came for him with its jaws out to get him. Leechpaw was able to get back up on his paws just in time to throw himself away from the deadly jaws. The fox contunie to come for him and Leechpaw fought the fox with fierceness using his claws and teeths, battling with the power from thier own ancestors. Tired and wounded, Leechpaw would dodge the next coming attack and he would circle around the fox so he could place himself between the fox and Periwinklepaw. Panting, Leechpaw looked exhausted and blood was dripping down from his injures, and he knew he was at his limit. But he refuses to back down. He was gonna fight and protect Periwinklepaw until the very end!. A loud hiss would soon follow from the apprentice who's fur was standing on no end to make himself look bigger and more intimating looking just like Echolight had taught him. Stay away! Was his warning.

The fox took steps closer, and Leechpaw bared his teeth and made himself ready for another attack, all while his legs were shaking. He couldn't keep this fight up for much longer....

// gonna give other people a chance to help drive the fox away!


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[Dustpaw | Duststorm]

I'VE BEEN RUNNIN THROUGH THIS STRANGE LIFE,
CHASIN' ALL THEM GREEN LIGHTS
THROWING OUT THE SHADE FOR A LITTLE BIT OF SUNSHINE​

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Hunting with Brightshine was easily one of Dustpaws favorite passtime activities. Not only did the shecat always find a way to encourage him or keep things lively, but he knew that hunting was his weakest skillset thanks to his big, clumsy paws. He'd come leaps and bounds since taking his first pounce at Brightshine all those weeks ago, but practice could only do you so good when you kept outgrowing the body you were trying to perfect your craft in. Everytime Dustpaw thought he was getting a handle on things he'd grow another inch and feel just a bit too big for himself.

Still, that never kept the boy from trying.

With Brighthsine no doubt watching him from a distance, the charcoal mink tomcat had been crouching down in some tall grass, getting ready to pounce on a vole, when a sudden shriek sent his prey running and him jolting upward. His blood seemed to freeze and set itself on fire at the same time as a second pained, terrified shrieking filled the air, and this time grey eyes widened in realization as the fur along his spine bristled in alarm.

"Peri?"

Mouse forgotten, Brightshine forgotten, Dustpaw broke into a full out sprint in the direction the yowling had come from. He had never heard his friend make a noise that terrible before, but he was certain beyond a doubt that it was Periwinklepaw, and that something horrible was happening to them right now. That thought alone made him run faster than he'd ever ran before, heart thundering in his chest like a herd of horses at the thought of the other in danger.

The smell of blood and the sound of the fighting reached him before he actually saw what was happening. Snarling, a cats furious yowls, pained cries. Dust crested the hill just in time to see an exhausted Leechpaw place himself in between the snapping jaws of a fox, and the bloody, crumpled form of his friend.

And that was the first time in his life he ever saw red.

While he'd always known it somewhere inside, he'd never openly acknowledged that Peri was different from him and the other apprentices. He overlooked the constant sickness, turned a blind eye to their unwillingness to participate in sparring sessions, and had never been bothered by the fact that even some of the kits could probably snap Peri like a twig if they'd tried. But seeing them there, soaked in their own blood, crying in agony, it made something in him snap.

Racing down the hillside at full speed, he let out a furious roar as he slammed full-force into the foxes side and latched on, spitting and clawing with everything he was worth. Somewhere in the back of his mind he knew Brightshine was coming for them, and until she got here he'd give everything he had to help Leechpaw protect Peri.

There was something satisfying about claws meeting flesh, in knowing that this animal that had attacked his friend was getting a taste of it's own medicine, but it only lasted a moment before the fox was rounding on him, teeth getting him by the loose fur of the scruff and yanking him off to give him a teeth-rattling shake before dropping him to the ground. The back of his neck stung terribly, but he was quick to regain his footing, lashing out with a well time slash just as the fox snapped at him again. It's nose burst open in a spray of red as his claws ripped through the tender skin, hooking a nostril and flaying it open.

It was enough to send the fox reeling back with a yelp, pawing painfully at its face while Dustpaw rushed over to stand beside Leechpaw, puffing up with a hiss as he helped the older apprentice block it's path to Peri.

@BRIGHTSHINE! sorry to do this to ya, buuuuuut lol

---

dustpaw - windclan - single - mentored by Brightshine - a large, handsome charcoal minx tomcat with blue eyes​

 

[Snowshadow]

[ ☾ ] A figure moved across the moorland with a speed only some could imagine, long legs taking great leaps in the direction of a rabbit. Though as they rounded the corner to pounce on the rabbit a yowl broke out amongst the quiet of the moor. It wasn't a prey cry either and confusion crossed over angular features; what was that sound? Then the cat of snow and shadow forgot about their chase of the rabbit for the following of the sound. Ears perked up as they walked with caution before turning down a hillside and froze in place for just a brief moment.

Before him was Dustpaw, Leechpaw and Periwinklepaw in the face of a fox. Snowshadow didn't take another moment to hesitate and bared his teeth before rushing forward. The lanky tomcat took a white paw to score it over the foxes' face to get its attention away from the group of young cats. There was a low growl from the black and white tom that sounded unreal as he bundled up his knightly skills, "Dustpaw, you take the right, Leechpaw with me! Peri, you stay were you are," He practically barked in response before leaping for the fox once more. Clinging onto its muzzle with front claws and was shook with vigor before being thrown from the fox.

The red creature gave chase to Snowshadow as he landed hard on the cold ground, and the warrior was a second behind getting up onto his claws when teeth clashed with his shoulder. There was an outcry from the tom before he wiggled his way from the fox, taking his back claws to pull himself away.

——————————————————[---☾---]——————————————————​

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[ASPENPAW_]

( ♬ ) Rather than hang around in camp weaving nests and checking elders for ticks while surrounded by the suffocating feeling of rising tensions, Aspenpaw instead finds herself tagging along last minute on a hunting patrol. She doesn't have any plans to attempt anything strenuous, not wanting to irritate her still-fresh scratch or Dandelionwish himself, but she figures just trying to scent prey will still be good practice, even if she's not chasing it down herself. It's nice, spending time out on the moors, and it's even nicer to spend it with Periwinklepaw, especially considering they hadn't spent much time together since his apprenticeship began. Perhaps they could both take some time soon to catch up, though as she catches what seems like the far-off scent of a rabbit one direction and Peri starts off another way, Aspenpaw quickly realizes that today probably won't be that time - at least, not on this patrol. She thinks nothing of it as she turns to seek out the scent, assuming her brother is just weaving his own path, or maybe he's even caught a scent of his own.

Following the scent, she takes notice of Dustpaw stalking his prey, making sure to give a wide berth so as not to disturb his own hunt, especially when she's confident it will be a successful one. After chasing rabbits with him, Aspenpaw's started to see him in a bit of a new light - still the same cat he's always been, of course, but it's easy to recognize just how much work her friend has put into his training. Gone are the days of chasing mossballs, and she's certain that soon Dustpaw will be making more catches than he misses. The thought stirs within her a bit of a competitive spirit - she hasn't been slacking on her training, either, and even if today is just searching for prey, she plans to give it her all, too. The closer to the scent and the farther from the rest of the patrol she wanders, however, it's becoming increasingly clear that the rabbit scent is old, most likely too old for them to reasonably catch up to. While her whiskers droop slightly at the realization, Aspenpaw tries to at least retain a small hint of pride at her assessment - only moons ago, she would have had no idea what direction the rabbit had gone, let alone anything about the age of the trail, and that had to count for something.

Just as she's contemplating giving up on the scent, a distant cry reaches her, ears swiveling back the way she had come. It's like nothing she's ever heard before, and it puts her on edge immediately. Only a moment and she's made up her mind, turning to retrace her path to rejoin the rest of the patrol, and then a second sound hits her, something that sets her paws running. A cry of pain that, though still far off, unmistakably belongs to Periwinklepaw, unlike anything she's ever heard from him before. All else forgotten, Aspenpaw races across the moor, pushing herself as fast as she can go and cursing the seconds that tick by until finally she's close to see the scene - to see her clanmates squaring off against some sort of beast, (a fox, her mind distantly supplies, though this the first she's seen of one), and there lies her brother, on the ground, splattered with red. More red, much too soon after the confrontation with Riverclan, and it's almost enough to send her into despair right then and there.

It's so much worse than when he had collapsed in camp, seeing his blood-soaked fur, the blood welling up on the pelts of everyone else, and Aspenpaw lets loose a cry as she closes the distance. Her first instinct is to run to her brother, to help him, and she sends out a silent prayer to Starclan that he's not dead, that the others can keep the fox away, that they're not too late. They've pushed the fox far enough away that it's no longer bearing down directly on Peri, and while Snowshadow calls out orders to Leechpaw and Dustpaw she slips by, ignoring the fox in favor of skidding to a halt beside her brother. "Peri! Are you - c-can you...?" she cries out, words escaping her as her gaze rakes over the wounds inflicted upon him, over the slashes through his dark pelt. Trying to swallow down her panic, Aspenpaw glances back over at the scene of the battle for a moment before turning her full attention to Periwinklepaw. Unwilling to leave him, she gingerly attempts to start moving him back towards the direction of camp, hoping that he's able to move with her but dragging him if she has to, doing her best to avoid irritating what wounds she can see. If they can make it back to camp, even just within shouting distance, Dandy can help, he can fix this, or so she desperately hopes.​

( WE'RE ALL JUST SEARCHING FOR SOMETHING ☾ )

 

[Periwinklebreeze.]

IS IT OVER YET - CAN I OPEN MY EYES?​

periwinklepaw | 04 months | demi-boy | he/they | physically easy (pacifist) | mentally easy | attack in bold #ccccff​

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Before he knows what's happening, the fox is gone, the sound of snapping and snarling and fighting still heavy in the winter air. Leechpaw. The relief that fills him has him sagging for a moment, melting into a pile of nothingness, before the shock wears off and the adrenaline is kicking in. Blood rushing, head pounding, it takes all his effort to stand - the world is blurry, the scent of blood causing him to choke, breathe coming out n short pants. no no no no nonononono... runs through his head like a mantra as he watches the battle take place before him.

Leechpaw is fighting off the canine, is is getting hurt because if his stupidity. Dustpaw's sudden appearance is a terrifying, awing sight - the bigger tom fearlessly, effortlessly throwing himself into the fray despite their small age difference. Snowshadow swoops in next, barking out orders authoritively, confidently - finally, an adult who knows what their doing. His friends, his brothers, are saving him. Where he should feel gratitude, guilt is already tearing through him, threatening to send him tumbling right back down onto the earth below his paws.

It is only the tug of teeth and the jolt of a shove that snaps him out of it, watery gaze wide and near-vacant as he turns to find aspenpaw beside him. He doesn't remember her getting there. There's no time to think, to ask questions - they need to leave. He doesn't want to leave the others, but he is of no use. He'll only be a distraction. Only get them hurt. Paw steps slowly quicken until he's no longer limping along but running, fleeing, hardly paying mind to the searing pain of his limbs. He just wants to go home - he needs to go home, needs to get help!