IF THE WIND TURNS [ hunting phase iv ]

[pebbletail]

(☼) something darkens the gaze of the young man as he forces his way through the heavy snow and underbrush, out toward the river. he is not his usual easy going self, and though his fur is still groomed to perfection, there is a dullness to it, his usually well rounded frame sparser than usual. exhaustion burns like fire in his muscles, alighting his bones with an aching feeling, but still pebbletail forces himself along. moonbeam might not want him out here, he knows - his ears have suffered due to frostbite and their feeling will probably continue to fade, but there is no rest for the son of the river queen. ember eyes blaze with a determined fire as he leads his patrol down the shore, tail kinked over his back. "be careful," he warns the others, knowing the words are futile. they will do their best but there is no tricking the icy weather; it'll attack any time with no guard against it.

padding off, the tomcat scents the air, excitement prickling in his paws as he catches sight of a spot of color in the low branches of the leafless willows. a woodpecker knocks it's beak against the wood, a hollow, cold sound. pebbletail drops into a hunting crouch, slightly clumsy for his cold paws, but that clumsiness slips away in a moment. stalking forward, the young man reached the tree line, eyes gazing up. his mother adores birds, and the feathers may do wonders for his clanmates' nests. with a soft movement of paws, the blue tabby leaps up, claws catching on the unsuspecting bird. snatching it from the air, he cracks it's neck on impact, and watches as it's eyes go glassy. turning to his patrol, the tomcat smiles wanly. "got something at least," he notes, picking the bird back up to pad towards them.

LET ME BE YOUR OWN ☼ ICARION CARRION

• // rolled a 19 (healthy), a 9 (no encounter), a 12 (caught prey), and a 12 (medium prey) for 2 points! " #848DAE"
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• PEBBLETAIL ☼ HE / HIM, WARRIOR OF RIVERCLAN. 12 MOONS OLD, PENNED BY LAVS
  
  
  a large blue tabby with low white and vitiligo. pale blue fur covers the length of pebbletail's stocky body, sliced through with darker tabby stripes and spots. baleful orange eyes peer out of heavy set sockets, and his muzzle, paws, and tail tip are dashed with white.

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[owlcrest]

he couldn't help the chattering of his teeth, even gritting them tightly only caused soreness in his jaws as he felt cold to the bone. but still, the boy padded quietly along with the patrol, flicking his tail in discomfort. "Wh-wh-whut an ice d-day it is," he joked, the inhales of his words burning his lungs as he notoriously began chattering his teeth again through laughter, shaking a bulky head as he pulled a paw over his face. His dark nose felt numb, his paws even number, before tucking his tail close to his side.

"There's snow way we can find anything out here," he frowned, though a light in his eyes gleamed as he tried to tell the jokes through all of the despair. Plus, he noticed Pebbletails demeanor, and he only hoped to cheer his friend up in the best way he could- by ignoring the serious, and laughing it off as if it didn't matter.

"Un- burrrr-ievable! You caught it, great job Pebbletail," he purred out, before tucking his paws closer to himself, letting out a genuine shudder of cold.

1- chills! 1- no prey found! //
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[CRAGPAW]

Cragpaw lags slightly behind the others, his ears pinned flat against his head as the wind cuts through his short fur. Even with Ferngill's familiar presence at his side, the biting cold makes him grouchier than usual. His paws ache as he presses through the snow, every step a challenge in itself. He didn't think he could miss his nest so much. "Couldn't we have stayed at camp?" He grumbles, though he knows full well the answer. Every cat needs to pull their weight this leaf-bare, I know, I know.

When Pebbletail announces his catch, the young tom trudges closer, his blue and gold eyes narrowing at the sight of the limp woodpecker. He suppresses a shudder, trying not to show his disgust. "Ugh. Birds." He wrinkles his nose. Feathers get everywhere, and they smell weird. He glances at Ferngill for support, though he knows he's likely to scold him for his attitude. Still, the sight of the warrior's (gross) success sparks a competitive fire in him. Determined to prove himself, the freckled tom veers off, his ears swiveling as he searches for his own prey. His movements are clumsy at first, his cold, stiff paws catching on hidden roots, but eventually, he freezes. The faint sound of rustling catches his attention. A shrew scurries through the undergrowth, its tiny form just visible against the snow. The apprentice drops into a crouch, his tail twitching with concentration. He edges closer, ignoring the burn in his muscles as he waits for the perfect moment. Finally, with a leap, he lands squarely on the shrew, killing it with a swift bite.

"I got one!" He calls out, his voice tinged with both triumph and relief. He picks up the shrew and pads back toward the group, holding his head high. Dropping the catch in the snow, he shoots Pebbletail a smug look. "Not as flashy as your bird, but at least it's something normal," He quips, though there's a hint of good-natured teasing in his tone. He flicks his tail and turns to Ferngill expectantly, hoping for his approval despite his earlier complaints.

// rolled for small prey but obviously doesn't count for points since it's late!
@FERNGILL
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[ALGAEPAW]

The cold seemed to sear through Algaepaw's wild fur now, like a muzzle that pushed through gossamer strand and sinewy skin, gnawing through his hollowed bones in search of sustenance. Ice dwelled within each crevice of his limbs, behind each purl of ivory-white fur - it had become impossible to separate it from herself, impossible to untangle himself from the weather. He hated to admit it, but... fatigue started to eat at even his lively spirit. With his crown bowed towards the ground, he flicked one curled ear as he searched the barren land for pray. He followed the patrol with spry paws, though found that even his footfall drifted along its intended path, like he were caught in the raging whims of the forthcoming squall. Why couldn't I just stay home? I can't even find anything, anyways. Frustration boiled within, though even fiery emotion were not enough to bay the frigidity that lived within him. He swayed his tail, though the appendage moved a little stiffer, as though it resisted his motions. "H-Hey... Is it, uh, normal to feel like your tail's gonna fall of? Or part of it, at least?" The young apprentice's voice whistled through the bluster, though it was as if it were a mere cry within the roiling avalanche of her home, like she spat into the endless white and expected something in return. Golden eyes glowered with an unreadable expression, like honey rolling over itself upon his sockets. He glanced back at his tail, and it only met him with a biting sensation, thorns shoved deep into the outer vertebrae. It hurts, but it doesn't. Interesting... Was the weather attempting to tell him something, relay some dire precept for only his ears?

𝙻𝙾𝚅𝙴 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙼𝙰𝙳𝙽𝙴𝚂𝚂 𝙾𝙵 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙵𝙴𝙴𝙻𝙸𝙽𝙶 ·₊˚☄ 𝙳𝙾𝙽𝚃 𝚁𝚄𝚂𝙷 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙵𝚁𝙴𝚂𝙷𝙽𝙴𝚂𝚂 𝙾𝙵 𝙱𝙴𝙶𝙸𝙽𝙽𝙸𝙽𝙶

• Didn't roll since this is after the event. Contracted frostbite though <3
• 
• 

  —— ALGAEPAW / He/She / 6 Moons
  —— Apprentice of Riverclan / Sibling to Redpaw and Rivuletpaw / Mentored by Lichenstar
  —— A wiry, wild-furred blue tortoiseshell with high white and freckle-like spotting. Brilliant yellow eyes, like twin molten suns.
  —— Chaotic, obsessive and strange, Algaepaw is a weirdly refreshing character to encounter amongst the sea of her dutiful kin. Beset by nature and her patterns, he is quick to connect the dots even when no such connection truly exists. Somewhat easy to befriend, provided that one can handle his mannerisms and tendency to weave tall tales.
  —— Penned by Tempest. Contact on Discord (naruk4mi) for plots and threads.

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