*+:｡.｡ Wrathpaw is determined to do good on his first patrol as an apprentice. Head held high, he hurries after the rest of the patrol, keeping his pants and wheezes quiet lest they send him back home for being too easily exhausted. His still too-large ears perk up as Racconstripe's teachings drift through the breeze. Although not specifically directed at Wrathpaw, the boy does his best to strain his ears to catch every word from the stand-in deputy. The patrols haven't been by yet...wow, how'd Racconstripe know? Wrathpaw studies him, but only catches the whisk of his plumy, striped tail. Eagerly, Wrathpaw tries to replicate the movement, assuming that by doing so he'll somehow also be able to identify the time in which the last Skyclan patrol had passed through here.
He only manages to
smack Wildheart with his tail instead. "
A-ah! Sorry!" he gasps, quickly shoving his tail between his legs.
Then, Racconstripe speaks.
He...he's
so cool Wrathpaw thinks, eyes balloons of pure deep blue awe. He speaks like a true hero, determined to keep the kits and queens safe from hungry nights, no matter the cost! Having been a kit himself not a few weeks ago, Wrathpaw feels particularly spoken to, his chest swelling with gratitude knowing he has such a cool guy like Racconstripe as his clan's stand-in deputy! Maybe, when Flamewhisker is ready to take back the rank, Howlingstar will let Raccoonstripe stay as like, a second deputy!
Although Wrathpaw feels like he could stare in wonder at Raccoonstripe forever, the second coolest tom in the whole patrol catches his attention.
Stick close to me Wildheart says, making Wrathpaw jerk and stiffen to attention, intent on being a good apprentice. He listens closely to every word his mentor says, deep blue eyes splashing upwards toward the treetops. In - in the canopy? That...so awesome...Shaking his head, he forces himself to refocus. Y'know what
isn't awesome? Letting his clanmates go hungry! The sudden weight of responsibility makes his stomach churn, dragging into focus his all-too tight chest. He doesn't want to leave the kits hungry!
So he pours all of his attention onto Wildheart. Skyclan above, prey below, trust your ears and use your nose! Right!
He sniffs the air.
It's so unlike the nursery. No milk or familiar kitten-down to ground him, instead he's assaulted by the wilds of flora and fauna, scents that he'd only caught glimpses of perfumed on the pelts of returning patrol cats. The scents were so much stronger in real life. So much more
alive! He flicks his long tail over his missing hind leg and sets his expression into one of determination. He'll ensure he makes his clan proud!
Wrathpaw hasn't yet learned the importance of borders - the bigger importance of
not crossing them. Though he does pause to consider why there's a scent line here, he figures it was important Wildheart would've said something. Instead, Wrathpaw happily tramples the line, bounding after his mentor before dropping into a crouch, carefully mimicking everything Wildheart does. Although the cream boy winces when the shrew's life is expunged, he can't deny the watering in his mouth at the smell of food. He'd never known before what it took to fill up the prey pile, suddenly all his memories of complaining about taste or refusing to eat any of the cold ones made his heart twist with guilt.
Thank you, Starclan, for this shrew's sacrifice he thinks to himself, sending a prayer to the stars for this shrew's specific arrival to a peaceful afterlife.
Now, it was Wrathpaw's turn.
First step - follow your nose.
Wrathpaw sniffs the air, opening his mouth to allow every minute of chemical stimuli to reach the right scent glands. It smells like dirt and unfamiliar cats, ageless trees and yet-to-be-named prey and plant life. Amongst it all, he smells the shrew's blood, then the shrew itself. Searching the air, swinging his head left and right, he pushes through everything to find that shrew's scent again - this time, a little ways ahead, and a lot more alive.
"
I-I've got something, Wildheart! I've got something!" he hissed excitedly, shooting his mentor a beaming look, seeking permission, before he pushes through the undergrowth to trail after the prey's scent.
Second step - keep low.
He almost forgets this step, nearly running full-sprint into the unknown wilderness ahead. Instead, he quickly drops onto his belly and stalks forth. His pose is a bit wonky, a bit unbalanced. He has to pause every few moments to wiggle his rump and shoulders, sore and stiff from lack of experience holding this pose for so long. But he remains determined, shoving onwards, looking back only to make sure Wildheart approves and follows. He remains unaware that he's padding deeper and deeper into enemy territory.
Third step - listen to your surroundings.
His long ears swivel back and forth. The rustle of leaves, the crunch of them underpaw. He does his best to ensure the noise he produces is minimal, mostly so he doesn't miss out on the tell-tell sporadic whisper of quicker paws on the same materials. There, just ahead, popping in and out of a patch of long grass - another shrew! Wrathpaw shoots Wildheart one final, eager look, before training all his attention on the prey item. He pulls the image of Wildheart's crouch, his tensed hind legs, and his quick pounce, and does his best to replicate it all despite missing one of those hind feet.
With a mighty shove of his back leg, Wrathpaw sends himself flying after the shrew -
Only to miss it entirely and smash his face onto the dirt, having tripped on his front paw before he'd even lifted off the ground!
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GENERAL:
♡ Wrathpaw
♡ DMAB— He/Him
♡ Thunderclan — apprentice
♡ 6 moons — Ages 1 moon every month real-time
♡ Brother to Lovepaw, Joypaw, Gigglepaw
♡ Mentored by Wildheart
COMBAT:
♡Physically easy | mentally easy
♡ Attack in bold #191961
injuries: None currently
