This would be his first time going out on a hunt patrol with Sunnyday, his first time being in action under their watchful eye. Shallowpaw had been training hard every single day since he had become an apprentice to improve and get better but he was yet far away from having done any big improvements. Even if he hadn't been an apprentice for long he couldn't help but feel a bit annoyed he hadn't captured anything yet. The snow was too difficult to run in and just founding anything out there turned out to be a challenge on itself. Didn't made it any better to see how much better Wildpaw was doing in compare to him. Tch. If only he had four legs he for sure would have found it easier to move around in the snow, to have one extra leg to move himself forward with.
Shallowpaw was unsurprisingly silent as he followed the senior warrior around in the snow that day his gaze down at the snow as he struggled himself through it. What he hated the most was how the snow stuck itself in his fur sometimes, underneath his belly, and pawpads. Shallowpaw was not a fan of having to bite to get them out of his fur afterwards. Still his sulky mood was not present upon his features, looking just the same like always. Unfazed and indifferent to the world. Never complaining.
" Where are we going to hunt today?" he actually was the one who broke the silence wondering if he would get to see a new or familiar hunting ground today.
☀ - WHILST MY HEART STILL BEATS
Things had been tense as of late within the clan, and even Sunnyday had found himself in a dark place mentally. However, he wasn't keen on wallowing in it and he sought to have a good day. Though he had no intention of having it alone, so when he found that Shallowpaw was free that day he jumped on the opportunity without hesitation.
The thin tom could hardly contain his smile as he led the way through the snow dusted forest, a spring in his step. Where he had normally scoured the thunderpath for easy meals he instead opted to try elsewhere for the day's hunt; the river. Fish wasn't on his agenda, but rather he hoped to catch out any prey going to the river for a drink. When Shallowpaw broke the silence he glanced back over his shoulder at the youth. "Down by the river, my lad! Don't fret, we're not going for a swim." It was too cold for that, even though the opportunity to catch fish was tempting.
As they neared the intended hunting site he spied something that got his hopes up. The warrior slowed and he indicted to some tracks in the snow with a toss of his nose. "Look, quail tracks. Small and easy to miss, but it looks like a large group heading for the river. We might be in luck today." He wouldn't lie, he loved quail meat. They were tasty birds, but skittish and hard to catch at times.
Uh, the river?. Shallowpaw was about to point out that he had never been in the water before beside that one time when he had got pushed into a small riverbank by some other kits who not had liked him. This was back when he had been in the rogue group. Since then he had never gotten close to water not because he was scared but he had not been fond of that experience so didn't wish to repeat it. Fortunately, the warrior was quick to inform him that they were not going down there for a swim. That made him close his mouth again, feeling relieved that not had been the case. But now next question stood on the line. What where they going to do down there then?. So close to riverclan as well.
He decided not to ask knowing Sunnyday sooner or later would explain it to him probably once they got down there.
After a while of walking and more struggling in the snow for the three-legged tom they had reached down by the river, and this was admittedly his first time down here. Shallowpaw took the new environment in as they walked until the warrior suddenly signaled for him to stop, so he did. Paying them attention now took a step forward so he could take a good look on the small tracks in the snow the warrior was showing him. Sunnyday had right. This track was easily to miss. In fact he might not even have noticed them if it not had been for the cat that shined like the sun. Once again he was amazed by their knowledge and skills. He would stare at the small bird prints for a while so add them into his memory so he could remember this lesson to next time.
Following the tracks saw too they lead down to the riverbank. It was then he would stood up straight again having bend down without really realising it. " What do you want me to do?." he asked, seeking guidence from them. He had never captured a bird before. HIs experience on hunting was limited. Out there alone he had not had much of luck since he had have no one there to teach him. His own parents hadn't been the best examples to teach from either. He looked up at them now, waiting for instructions.
// sorry for how late this is but you know christmas a busy time <33
☀ - WHILST MY HEART STILL BEATS
//That's quite alright, there's never a rush at this time of year. I know how things are :)
"Well, the problem with quails are that they are skittish critters and quite fast. We'll need to work together and fan out. The more escape routes we can close off the better, and if we can pin them against the river edge they'll have less places to run." Sunnyday explained as he tried to reflect back on all that he had learned during his life. Quails weren't something he often caught, but this was a rare opportunity where the environment was in their favour. They just needed a solid plan now.
The older tom pressed his paw into the snow before swiping a line just above it. "Imagine that's the river, and that my paw print is the quail-..." He began before he made another mark to signal where they would approach from, seemingly head on, that is until he drew a 'V' shape to signal when they would spread out towards the quail's location. "-... this is us. We'll keep together until we've confirmed where the quail are located. At which point we'll spread out and close in. Eventually we'll need the birds to panic, and with luck they'll run right for us during the chaos. All you gotta do then is grab one." It sounded easy in theory but the reality was quite different. "You're going to do great." He added as he aimed to ruffle the fur on the top of Shallowpaw's head with a paw.
Without waiting any longer he began to lead the way towards the river, ensuring to keep tabs on where the tracks led. Sure enough the sound of water reached his ears and past some reeds he spotted the quail having a drink and foraging through the debris along the river's bank. Instinctively he sank down low as he prepared for the heart of the hunt to begin. He gestured with his nose at the direction that he wished Shallowpaw to take before he slunk off along his own route, clinging to the reeds and what few clumps of longer grass remained.
Skittish and fast...Hmh. He would have to put that in the back of his head to remember this for the future. That meant they had to be careful in the way they approached them if they easily took flight. Sunnyday stated they had to work together on this and he would nod his head in understanding although he admittedly wasn't good with working together with others. He was just not used to it but he guess he had to learn. Shallowpaw would lean himself down so he got closer to the ground so he could watch what Sunnyday was drawing in the snow to explain the plan. So simply put they would sneak up on them in two different directions and hope they would fly to either ones direction.
He would stare down at the plan, ears twitching as he looked it over one more time... Because of this he was unprepared for Sunnyday's mischevious plan. Suddenly he felt the top of his head get ruffled around in a playful manner along with encouraging words, 'you will do great'. He was not sure if he ever would get used to Sunnyday's ambush attacks like this but it was not like he disliked it just unused with it. At the same time though it made his chest feel strange. He looked off towards the side feeling timid all of the sudden. All he did was give another shy nod of his head, and once the warrior had removed the paw away from his paw again Shallow would place his own paw on top of his head lost birefly in his own thoughts.
Blinking his eyes awake noticed Sunnyday was on the move and so he quickly followed after them. He would watch them carefully as he walked behind them while focusing at the same time on the tracks so he could try to remember the scent and the prints in the snow so he one day too could be able to know what sort of bird he was trailing. Just like Sunnyday had predicted the quails had escaped down to the riverbank for a drink. Shallowpaw would peek at them through some of the reeds he was hiding in observing them for a brief moment until his mentor for the day instructed him to go left. Now it was time for them to do the 'v'. He would give them a nod before he quietly went of to his own direction using the reeds to hide in and was carefully with where he placed his paws so he could get himself around them to their left side. He would than crouch himself down when he had the birds right in front of him.
Now what?. Somehow they had to scare the quail to get them to fly towards them. That was what Sunnyday had said but Shallowpaw did not realise until now the warrior had never told them how they should do it. Was one of them suppose to run forward and scare the birds to ones direction or... Shallowpaw looked puzzled until he felt unsure. Perhaps what he should have done was wait for Sunnyday's further directions or let them make the move but the former rogue was not used with having others making the decisions for him. Out there on his own Shallow had been forced to figure everything out by himself with nobody else to have his back. So that was what he did. Coming up with something himself.
Shallowpaw started to look around him after something he could use in the reeds, and to his luck find a small stone. That would be perfect to use. He would pick the stone up and since the river was close enough to where he stood he would throw the rock right into the water... That seemed to do the trick as the quails paniced and all of them at once took flight into the air, flying at all different directions...Shallowpaw looked wide-eyed at the chaos that happened right into his eyes.
// ugh this took me forever to write because my brain is so SLOW in the thinking process right now, i will make him go for one of them in my next post instead xD
☀ - WHILST MY HEART STILL BEATS
Sunnyday felt a tickle growing in the back of his throat and it brought with it the threat of the cough to come. The warrior strained to subdue it, near enough bringing himself to the brink of choking as he lurked within the cover of the reeds. He wasn't ready for the main event, so when he heard the splash in the water he broke into a choked splutter of surprise. The quails sprang off in all directions, not quite flying but not yet touching the ground. Panic was in the air and it was all around.
Instinct took over, and despite still struggling to suck in a full breath he sprang forth with a mighty kick of his hind legs. He reached forth and swatted one of the birds out of the air, stunning it with the impact alone. Once it dropped down he lunged for it and dealt the killing bite. However, he didn't stop there as his focus turned to that of the other quails. But they were fast and now spilling beyond his reach. He focused on Shallowpaw and he looked on with an expression that urged the apprentice to act. To seize the opportunity to make a kill of his very own.
"The clan is depending on us, make the leap, my boy!"
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