sensitive topics BURN OURSELVES TO ASHES [🍂] owl hunt

[FOXPAW]

Apprentices young and experienced of the like trek out into the night. Snow crunches beneath paws as a warning gust of wind tugs at their fur as if begging them to turn back, nature’s warnings fall on deaf young ears.

Foxpaw’s eyes beam with excitement, though the cold nips at her toes she anticipates the look of awe on her clan-mates faces when they return with the news of a dead owl. Even though many of her den-mates strongly advised against this, outright calling her mouse-brained, Foxpaw knew one thing. She could not stand for the new warrior code, she could not stand to be treated like a kit any longer! If this wouldn’t change Howlingstar’s mind, what would?

”I’ve never even seen an owl before!” Foxpaw mews to her litter-mate, bumping his shoulder excitedly. ”Leopardtongue always made them sound so scary… but with all of us, it’ll be easy.” Apprehension is caught for a brief moment in her tone before she finds her confidence again. Though she won’t admit it, she is a little scared… This would be her first ever fight, but it’d be the one her clan-mates told stories of for moons to come!

At the base of the owl tree, she looks up as if to try and peer into it’s hollow. ”It’s not there, I don’t think. Is it?” She looks to one of the older apprentices when in the distance sounds the shriek of a mouse. Foxpaw’s ears perk upward, so fresh into her warrior training she hasn’t the faintest idea what prey that animal came from.

Several moments pass, the apprentices investigate the tree for any recent signs of the owl. Foxpaw hadn’t stood a chance.

She never did. She never even heard it coming.

Talons swipe at her muzzle from above just barely grazing her flesh. Foxpaw bounces back with a startled yelp, ”The owl!” Before it lunges for her again. Barely dodging out of the way Foxpaw jumps upward, swatting an unsheathed paw at the owl, her claws barely making it past its feathers. The owl appears unharmed, only infuriated as it lets out a ear-splitting screech. It dives for her again and this time its thorn-sharp talons find its mark. Planting its foot into her shoulder she feels the bird’s talons cut right through her flesh. With a startling POP Foxpaw falls to the ground under its weight, the girl released a blood curdling scream.

♧ INFO BATTLE

• @bravepaw : ̗̀➛ @lovepaw @joypaw @vixenpaw. @sunshinepaw
  When this thread opens for other cats a new public thread will be made. Please do NOT kill the owl
• 
  » Foxaw
  » ThunderClan Apprentice
  » Mentored by Roeflame
  » She/they . AFAB
  » A red tabby & chocolate sepia she-cat with orange eyes.
  » ”Speech”․ thoughts ․ attack
  
• 
  » An incredibly easy foe with no combat training.
  » Likely to swat or flee depending on the size of foe.
  » Fights defensively and to save herself.
  » May powerplay minor harm. Can powerplay healing

​

 

[lovelight]

As they reach the tree, Lovepaw hangs back, standing beside Joypaw as the others begin to investigate for signs of the owl being present. Yet even hanging back doesn’t give him time to be prepared for the owl’s attack. As he sees its talons dig into Foxpaw, he grits his teeth, and he sets his jaw. He doesn’t complain, doesn’t say I told you so, just darts forward to stand over the fallen form of the young apprentice. ”Get under cover!” he yells to the other small ones; whether they think they’re capable or not, they are easy pickings if they’re not careful. If they hide beneath something, they should have a chance to plan, or form him and Joypaw to hold it off. For now, though, he just crouches slightly, claws unsheathed. He lets out a loud hiss as the owl makes another dive, slashing at it as he ducks his head enough to avoid the possibly-lethal talons it’s attacking with, hoping for his claws to at least deter the bird for long enough that the others can ready themselves.​

 

[braveheart : ̗̀➛]

☀ . ° ✦ A loud laugh burst from Bravepaw's maw in his excitement, keeping up with his sister to lead their denmates out into the forest. He hadn't crossed much of ThunderClan's territory, and what he had seen was now too scarce for him to remember perfectly. Most of it had been near the RiverClan border as Sunningrocks had frequent patrols going back and forth. Now that had been practically an entire moon before!

"I don't think she's ever fought one before! Maybe that's why?" They would soon be regarded for their heroics, using teamwork to drive out this owl. Bravepaw is, as his namesake, fearless in the face of this uncertainty despite not knowing what the winged creature would look like either. It couldn't be too difficult to tell from the descriptions given. A large feathery bird that was near silent as it flew through the sky. Eyes wide like the moon and big clawed feet. It sounded like it was the only creature of its kind.

"Is this the right tree?" He asked at Foxpaw's report before breaking off to do his own investigating. Only a few paces away to nose about the base of the tree, he jumped to see his sister as she yelped in pain. The owl! It wouldn't stand a chance, Bravepaw said to himself as he tensed his legs and looked above them, trying to spot it. Foxpaw made her leap first and it's angry screech had him covering his ears with his paws, teeth clenched as he tried to block out the sound.

"F-Foxpaw! Are you alright?" Bravepaw started for the red tabby when Lovepaw barked his orders. Bravepaw quickly shook his head- he couldn't flee! He couldn't give up!

The owl made another swoop and Bravepaw jumped to interfere. His claws only catch a few feathers between them but he's left himself open and vulnerable in his jump. Talons latch onto him, digging right into the space between his shoulder and his spine and Bravepaw shrieks as he's lifted from the ground. "H-HELP!! GET IT OFF OF ME!!" He yowled to his denmates as he tried to writhe in its grip. The owl struggled to take off very high with his flailing, trying to adjust its grasp to keep him still all the while earning another yowl of pain with every pinch of his claws.

✧　°　.　✶　.　°　✧​

ooc Information

• ooc: —
• 

  BRAVEPAW — HE/HIM ･ 5 MOONS ･ THUNDERCLAN & APPRENTICE ･ PENNED BY beatae!

  A Longhaired chocolate tabby/blue tabby chimera with deep blue eyes. Very thick coat that has started to develop curls. Paws that seem too big for his little body. Gradually growing into his ears.

​

 

[joypaw]

Each crunching footstep felt like the toll of a death bell, the biting night air splicing his thick pelt. Joypaw didn’t say a word, though the hairs on his neck prickled with electricity. It was a bad, bad idea, but he didn’t object, and now they were here. Maybe he should have, his mind toiling against the memory of Palepaw’s furious expression.

As the younger apprentices began to search the base of the tree, he lingered back with Lovepaw, attention focused to the surroundings. Being caught was the worst case scenario in Joypaw’s mind. Not only would their venture be treacherous, but humilating as well. They were both so close to becoming warriors, and having that taken away by being held back or by dying made Joypaw readily begin to back out of this wild journey.

When Foxpaw swiveled back to ask about the owl’s whereabouts, the tabby tom was only able to open his mouth to answer when the death-squeak of a mouse sounded, lonesome and pitiful in the night. He slammed his jaw back up into his skull, the click of it just in time for large, grasping talons to curl far too close to Foxpaw’s muzzle.

Everything else was a flash — a glint of knives.

Joypaw found he was bellowing something louder than himself as the heavy scent of copper filled his nostrils. “Don’t fight, hide!” This was such a mistake! His sibling’s demand didn’t ward off Bravepaw, who jumped after the owl in defense. There was no time to think about how many his parents should’ve named him Commonsensepaw instead of focusing on his bravery before the older tabby was up after the bird, teeth snapping uselessly at air.

His arms were able to reach farther, though, and he found the owl weighed by its catch. Joypaw snagged parts of it with his claws, but was left unsatisfied with his damage, unable to do anything but perhaps distract the owl from injuring Bravepaw further.
​

 

[sunshinespot]

Sunshinepaw follows dutifully somewhere towards the middle of the parade. In no world would he lead them on their crusade, and he does his damnedest to not be left behind (though his body aches already.) While he feels similarly to those left behind, he cannot avoid the shutter of hope in the back of his mind. Even if he can return with a feather straight off of the hide of that thing - maybe that'll be enough.

His daydreaming is interrupted by shrieks and screaming, and though Sunshinepaw has seen an owl before, he feels shellshocked by viewing one so closely. Their mouth goes dry as both Bravepaw and Foxpaw are maimed by the beast, the former hoisted into the air for a moment, even. They are not a leader, they are incapable - but they are here. So they must do something.

Sunshinepaw rushes towards a nearby tree, rushing up the side of it before launching his hefty body at the beast in hopes to throw it off kilter. The predator is large - much larger than the lot of them combined, and so the mottled apprentice moreso bounces than collides, even when his claws try and score into the owl's feathers. He skids in the snow and the beast's beak snaps towards him, however with the adrenaline in his veins, he doesn't feel it. The blood cascading into his eyes doesn't quite help, either, and the ache in his body has become the new norm.

Disoriented, the calico stands again, unsure on what, if anything, they can do to help scare the damn thing off.​

 

[vixencrown]

"Were going to make everyone proud!" The girl was more than eager to join her comrades in the fight, but the older apprentices did cause slight concern. She couldnt believe it though, they werent mouse brained for this, they were trying to save more clanmates from harm. They were trying to do a good thing, and trying to prove themselves capable! They just didnt understand, they could leave camp whenever they wanted!

Bravepaw went to the side to investigate, and it seemed as they reached the tree- everything happened so fast.

A loud pop, then screech, from the tom beside her, the commanding orders to duck, to hide-

An inhale, a breath as the girl trembled- her shoulders locked up, her eyes were slits in the moonlight. In the matter of a moment, she found herself diving foreward towards the bird. Blood spilled across the ground, her ears echoed the screams around her.

She had to protect her friends now. She had to be a big girl, she couldnt be scared.

The monochrome body wrapped arms around the feathered body in a successful leap, digging tiny teeth into the owls wing. It seemed with ease, it would knock her lose, sending her body flailing to the ground. "You- stupid owl! Ill make you a feast for my clan!" She yowled, lifting her head in anger before quickly getting to her feet.

She misjudged her next leap, or it flew out of the way, she wasnt certain.

But the next thing she knew, a painful yowl escaped her. A screech, and her paws began lifting off the ground. "H-Help! Please! No!" The hold on her tail was sharp, before suddenly, the owl seemed to let go. Her body fell to the ground, the world spinning in a motion that made her want to throw up. Queasiness finally hit her, the smell of the iron and the pain that racketed her body made it hard for the molly to be able to focus.

Her tail was gone, ripped from her, leaving a small nub that sent pain down her spine.

The girl let out a long whimper of fear, before passing out.

/// some of this may be edited later with correct feelings and stuff according to losing her tail, but this is just a guess rip. i wanted to get my post out!

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