private In a costume (Cloudedsky)

[Badgermoon]

The wind was brisk and the sun was bright as Badgermoon stood at attention, waiting for his partner-in-crime for the day to join him. A conversation about one of the new tunnels had led into a broader discussion of the work of a warrior, and a plan had been established: why not hunt together, moor-runner and tunneler? Surely combining their skills could only lead them to success. Besides, it was late newleaf, and prey was abundant: even if they didn't catch anything, he wasn't worried about anyone going hungry. At the sound of pawsteps, the bicolor tom turned his head, golden eyes flashing expectantly and a small grin appearing on his white muzzle. "Morning, Cloudedsky." he offered a low purr of greeting. "You ready to chase some rabbits?"

@Cloudedsky​

 

[Cloudedsky]

( ♬ ) Cleaning the last bit of moss that had clung to her pelt, the young warrior would be joining Badgermoon for a nice morning hunt. She glides over towards the larger tom, a pleasant smile pinching at her feathered festures as she joins him. "Morning!" The tunneler chirped, a plumed tail curling for enthusiasm for her excitement today. "Most definitely." The sun was warm as it's light danced over the rolling hills of the moor, with hardly a cloud within sight. A brisk wind fanned around them, causing the sway of gorse and heather and bringing their soft scent along the breeze. Nothing felt better than loving amongst the moorland with a wide expanse of sky above.
Today was going to be a good day, where Tunneler and Moor Runner would come together for a hunt, where both skills could be applied and do good for the clan. She wanted to show her tunneling skills off, wanted to impress the deputy for her hard work. The bi-colored waved her tail in a beckoning motion, and off into the exit of camp she went. Patched paws tingled as she walked along the grass, the wind buffeting at her fur until she descends down into a dip of the moor with Badgermoon in tow. Her mind wonders over the tom, ivory whiskers twitched in thought as her gaze trails over to him. He had been acting a bit off recently she had noticed, more nervous it seemed. Was there something going on with him? Perhaps with the both of them out here alone, maybe he'd be more inclined to talk about it. If he wanted to tell me, that is. "I know you've been through a lot recently," she begins suddenly, breaking the peaceful silence between them. There was no harm in trying right? "With—you know, Tigerfrost. You both were friends, right? He was a well respected lead warrior." She slows her pace to match his own, bright sunburst eyes softening with sympathy. "Are—are we going to find who did it? We have to, right?" He deserved that, didn't he? The scum who sullied him—who tore him and murdered him in cold blood. He deserved retribution, he deserved to have his death avenged. Her blue tinted brows furrowed as a desire for vengeance stirred within her chest, pricking at her like a embedded thorn. It felt foreign, but a burning passion lingered there—lying in wait for the perfect moment.


​

( You should see me in a crown ; I'm gonna run this nothing town )

 

[Badgermoon]

Cloudedsky didn't keep him waiting long, though that was to be expected - Sootstar's daughter seemed just as keen as her mother, and a fair sight less intimidating. The plume-tailed she-cat set off at a brisk clip, and he was content to follow her lead, white-tipped ears standing at attention for any prey-noises that might emerge from the flower-dotted grasses. It wasn't often he got to spend time one-on-one with his Clanmates like this, and as they trotted in pleasant silence he felt a sense of relaxation that he hadn't experienced in what felt like moons. I hope you're watching us, Tigerfrost. he hoped that the chimera was looking down on them now, and that the sparkling plains of StarClan were even finer than those of WindClan. His yellow eyes drifted upward for a moment, sorrowful but hopeful, and by the time he brought his gaze down again, Cloudedsky's eyes were on him.

The black-and-white tom blinked in surprise, his mouth half-opening to ask if everything was alright, but she beat him to the punch. I've been through a lot lately? a jolt of fear made his broad shoulders stiffen. Did she know, somehow, about...everything? About Curlewnose and Scorchstreak and..."Well, we all have." he said after a pause, relief flashing briefly across his face as she carried on. Tigerfrost. She's talking about Tigerfrost. Of course she doesn't know about...that. that was hard, too, it was true. "I didn't know him as well as I might've liked." Badgermoon confessed, allowing a sigh to escape his body, looking somewhat deflated by the thought of his fallen colleague. "But we were both part of Sootstar's council, of course, and I respected him greatly. He was..." the deputy let out a small, somewhat bitter laugh. "He was a magnificent warrior. You should've seen him in battle! He could've made LionClanners turn tail and run..."

The young warrior's next question was unexpected, though not unwelcome. Badgermoon's yellow eyes darkened with something that resembled nothing so much as a ravenous hunger, visible for only a few moments before he shoved the feeling aside. "We will never stop looking for them, Cloudedsky, not 'til their bodies lay broken and bloody at our paws." he meowed, his throat tight with emotion. It felt like a vow. He meant it as one.​

 

[Cloudedsky]

( ♬ ) Why does he look so startled at what I said? An ashen brow raises as the deputy went slack-jawed, the shock upon his features was nonetheless noticeable. What else could he think she was talking about? Her mind itched to pry, but she would refrain. It wasn't her business for the most part, Badgermoon held a private life and that was nothing for her to fiddle around in. She slows her pace to walk in step with the large tom, her eyes leaving him and back onto the rolling moors ahead of them both. I didn't know him as well as I might've liked. She nods in agreement, her chin tilting up towards a near cloudless sky and watched a bird soar overhead, it's silhouette nearly unrecognizable from how high it flew. Cloudedsky listens in silence as her superior spoke of the chimera tom and his ferocity, the tales of him in battle that could make the very likes of LionClan tremble in his wake. Her eyes widened briefly as she looked to the bi-colored tom, awestruck at his words. "Wow. I wish I was that powerful." She mused, mostly to herself albeit her counterpart could hear her clearly. Maybe with Bluepool's training on the side, she could be.

Badgermoon couldn't hide the darkness that shrouded his next words, the declaration of finding the ones who took Tigerfrost from them and unjustly murdered him just because they wanted to. Her own ire showed now as ivory claws, blunted from moons of digging but still strong and sharp, tore up the moorland grass below her. She doesn't say anything else except for a nod in agreement. They would find them, for as long as their was air in her lungs and blood in her veins they would. Tigerfrost was a valued member of WindClan and she could only hope to be just as valued one day.
A movement flitted past her peripheral then, a dark shape flying through the greenery and heather with the familiar delicate smell of a hare. Cloudedsky pauses and lifts her tail, casting Badgermoon a look to see if he also saw the movement. "There's a hare over there." She whispers, pointing with smoked ears in the thicket of gorse it had disappeared into. Should they track it? Perhaps wait for another? But what if another never comes? Within the tunnels, it was common to face your prey head on and chase it within the darkness. There was only so many ways it could go. Out here, well—it was different. The space was wide open and barren, vulnerable with plenty of hiding places. Her paws itched to really let loose upon the moorland, to sprint as hard as she could muster despite her smaller stature. Cloudedsky drops into a hunting crouch, legs cocked and ready to explode at a moment's notice. She looks to Badgermoon then, ready for him to take the lead on this.

​

( You should see me in a crown ; I'm gonna run this nothing town )