pafp LET THE BELLS KEEP ON RINGING 𓆩♡𓆪 failed hunt

[DARKWHISKER]

ੈ♡˳ . ° ✦ “Thistles and thorns!”

The curse comes from Darkwhisker, who watches a mouse disappear into a burrow… and away from his claws. He tries not to let the disappointment of a failed catch dampen his spirits. But his twitching tail tip and flattened ears betray him, souring the smile he forces when he turns to Foxtail. “Ah… I’m sure we’ll find something else, StarClan willing.” Will they? With the river covered in a thin sheet of ice and the fresh blanket of snow interfering with Darkwhisker’s already-poor tracking, it’s too easy for doubts to invite themselves into his mind.

He shakes out his dark fur as if to dispel those doubts. RiverClan survived their first leaf-bare, and they’d survive their second, too.

“Can you smell anything?” Darkwhisker tries scenting the air again, but all he can pick up is the crisp leaf-bare air. Maybe Foxtail is better at tracking than he is…?

StarClan, bless our hunt...

✧　°　.　✶　.　°　✧​

ooc information

• please wait for @FOXTAIL !
• 

  DARKWHISKER — HE/HIM ･ 18 MOONS ･ RIVERCLAN WARRIOR ･ PENNED BY NICO

  tall, lithe dusky brown tom with splashes of white. a cheerful tom who tries to put a smile on the face of everyone he talks to, darkwhisker's life is devoted to spreading positivity in a world full of negativity. though his words may be fanciful— and coated in the sugar of white lies, at times— he is a well-intentioned, albeit overly idealistic, young warrior.

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[FOXTAIL]

Foxtail thought he was quite good at tracking, until quite literally now. The young warrior found himself tasting the air, trying to find a scent among the fresh-blanket of snow. Prey is more scarce during leaf-bare— they lose the river as a viable fishing source as the water freezes, and lots of land prey go into hibernation. Ironically enough as a cat who has a fear of water, Foxtail is the most proficient at fishing. He'd give anything to swipe his paw into the water and yank some fish out of the river, all from the safety of the dry shore. Though, his expertise in hunting land prey could definitely use some work.

He tastes the air for a second time, eyes widening as a prey scent manages to seep through the barriers. "...I think I might smell a rabbit," He meows in response, his ears pricking upward at the sound of a twig snapping. His head practically snaps over in the direction, green eyes landing on the rabbit his nose caught on to. This isn't going to be easy, Foxtail thinks to himself for a moment, Why did I have to catch the scent of a rabbit? A mouse would've been so much easier. He doesn't allow himself to fret pver it for very long, this rabbit might be their only opportunity! He can't let down Darkwhisker, they've already had so much bad luck today!

He races forward, the snow crunches beneath his paws. The rabbit's gaze snaps in his direction, before quickly racing off itself. It's so fast! Foxtail realizes as he tries to reach the rabbit, but it's strong legs kept it going. "Almost got it!" He yowls out, but he isn't certain how close he is to reaching it and digging his claws into it's flesh. He wasn't built for chasing rabbits like those terrifying WindClanners— he'd be much closer to reaching it if he had a small frame fit for speed. It seemed like he was racing after it forever, and his eyes widen as the rabbit leaps into a burrow, disappearing from sight.

Foxtail skids to a stop, ruining the fresh blanket of snow that goes flying into the air. "Mouse-dung!" The timid warrior meows in disappointment, "I felt like had it."​

₊ ⋆ * ⊹ ₊ —— 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦

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  credit to raphaelion for the artwork <3
  
• Foxtail

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  warrior
  warmhearted
  timid
  experience: trained
  backstory: tbd
  biography: [HYPERLINK]
  credit to nopeita for the pixel <3
  

  cisgender male [he / him]
  eyes: green
  pelt: torbie
  fur length: long
  parents: dawnflower and redfur (riverclan npcs)
  14 moons
  

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  ​

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[Nettlepaw-]

NETTLEPAW ♂
RIVERCLAN
APPRENTICE
FOUR MOONS
BLIND IN BOTH EYES
BIOGRAPHY AND TAGS
APPRENTICED TO PIKESPLASH
PLAYED BY SHEOGORATH​

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Nearby, it seemed Nettlepaw was having better luck. He isn't sure how pleased his mentor is with him, but leaf-bare needed all the hunters it could get, even if one of them was a stubborn, rebellious, blind apprentice of RiverClan. The white of the snow is even more disorienting than usual, and though Nettlepaw is unable to make out any shapes or vibrant colors, he can certainly detect the brightness of their bleached surroundings. An ear twitches as the sightless tom hears Darkwhisker's curse, and a flurry of racing paws before it seems Foxtail had lost his catch as well. That didn't sound too promising. Nettlepaw, however, makes not a sound in reply to either of them. His focus remains undisturbed, his senses heightened as he listens to his freezing surroundings.

There, a flutter of feathers against the breeze. Talons scratching through snow. The scent of a bird.

Nostrils flare as the boy narrows his clouded eyes in concentration, quietly placing each paw upon the bitter earth as he creeps through dead undergrowth, where frost gleams in the light of day. He's close, the boy realizes. The sounds are louder than ever, piercing his mind as if screaming at him to seize the moment and make his pounce. In a rare moment of patience, Nettlepaw wills his paws to remain still as he crouches low, a silent predator within the wintry shadow. After several heart-beats, he thinks... he might be able to tell the distance between his paws and the bird. He nearly leaps then, before realization floods his mind. Birds had wings. They could fly. A bird's first attempt to escape a hunter would be to take off into the sky, right?

Nettlepaw corrects himself a mere half-second before the jump, aiming higher than initially planned.

In an instant, he feels as if everything has suddenly changed. His paws crash down upon the bird, and though he fumbles for a moment in shock, teeth find the robin's neck to kill it cleanly. The swell of victory makes the boy feel as if his heart may burst. He wonders if anyone had seen it, wonders how he must have looked, soaring through the air with such near-perfect precision. He hadn't thought he'd ever be able to manage it, in truth. My first catch, Nettlepaw purrs to himself. And then, the moment seems shattered, the peace fading. He had been scavenging crowfood for a few weeks now. To the rest of the clan, this wouldn't be his first catch...

Only Nettlepaw would ever know the truth, he guesses bitterly. Guilt, shame, regret, it washes through his mind like a flood of dark, muddy water. Still, Nettlepaw can't help the pride that lingers within his spirit. He tries to push the negative feelings down with a small smile, leaning down to pick up his fresh robin, before making his way back to the rest of the patrol. Despite everything, he could not deny the sense of hope that now coiled itself within his spirit, like the warm glow of an ember. I'll be a RiverClan warrior, after all.

((mentor tag - @PIKESPLASH ))
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