Needle In A Haystack | Hunting Patrol

[Cindershade]

The lead warrior had gathered her patrol with a sweep of her tail, moving along a spindly path of lush growing grass and reeds. She'd decided to try their hand further down stream where the willows grew more closely and the undergrowth over ran the shoreline. Surely, with New-Leaf upon them, there would be plenty of choices as far as prey went. The haze of morning mist seeps into her glossy pelt as she walked with the others, ears flicking at the sound of murmuring voices from idle chatter. Rain was on the horizon, the smell of the air developed a tang of wetness—thick clouds ready to spill and spill they did. It did not take long before the familiar pitter patter of rain soon began to fall and soaked the greenery around them. Cindershade's ears sloped against her helm, chartreuse eyes narrowing as water dribbled down her face and dribbled off her whiskers.
"Dammit." She hissed lowly, barely audible over the rains own sound of hissing against the waters edge. Fishing would certainly be trickier now with the waters edge constantly disturbed, but it'd also be harder for fish to detect them from the waters edge. The molly cast a glance towards her patrol, eyeing them individually. "I know the rain will make things a bit more difficult sitting along the edge. Perhaps diving would suffice better." Her eyes land on Sablepaw now, studying the shallow wounds upon her chest. "Are you ready to try your hand at a proper dive, Sablepaw? You will watch me first." She instructs as they neared their destination finally.

"Spread out. @DogTeeth , try a bit further downstream. If my luck falters, then at least I'd be sending the fish your way." She nods to the sand colored tom before turning her gaze to Lakemoon. "Try underneath those willows, @Lakemoon . . Be mindful of that shoulder as well." With a flick of her tail, the lead warrior stares at the constant rippling of water from pattering drops. " @Sablepaw , follow me. Don't get out too far to where you can't touch though. You will observe for this time." The lead warrior slowly wades into the river, careful not to disturb the slick algae covered stones or kick up too much silt underpaw until she was up to her abdomen. A large flash entered her vision after what felt like being poised for an eternity, sweeping past her paws. Muscles bunched and a deep inhale of breath is taken, in one fell swoop she's diving into deeper waters like the very otters they fought not too long ago. Sand and silt churned around her, blurring her vision to what was usually a halfway clear experience. The showers upon them had definitely made things a bit more difficult and for a moment, she's blinded. Cindershade paddles forth, claws reaching and she feels her prey within her grasp. It's large—a mature trout from what she could barely see. It's tail whips out frantically, yanking itself from her grasp and whisks away. A growl rumbles in her throat, bubbles billowing around her head as she lurches forth with another swipe. This time, her claws take seige and she flexing her fore arm, anchoring herself onto the fish before dragging it back up. "Gotcha!"

//this is open! Tagged patrol members! But all are welcome to reply as well!<3

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[ SILENCE IS DEAFENING ]​

 

[LAKEMOON]

LAKEMOON — me and the devil, walking side by side.
Despite her historic fear of the rivers current, Lakemoon surprisingly did not mind the rain, spare for situations like this.
She trails behind Cindershade, seeing the ground in front of her dim gradually, until their world was almost cast in blue.
When the rain begun, Lakemoons attention shifted from where she was walking to Cindershade as the warrior began to strategize, a flicker of relief dwindling in the back of her mind that she seemed to know what she was doing. When Cindershade turned to her, Lakemoon was more than ready to follow.
Where the others eyes almost glowed against their shaded surroundings, Lakemoons darkened, creating the illusion of almost black.
She’s given her instructions, and nods. Catching a scent trail would be difficult against the sheet of rain, but not impossible for the silvery warrior.
She peels away while her clanmates would slip into the river, long legs bent to make herself smaller as she’d slide through the foliage, any rustling she’d make silenced with the weather.
Her head hovers only a whisker-length above the ground as she scouts for a morsel of a scent.
There!
It’s faint, and Lakemoon almost misses it, but the lingering scent of a vole is there.
Unable to pinpoint an exact direction, Lakemoon is left with a guessing game. She veers to her left, closer to the rivers bank.
Coward under a leaf, bent miserably with the rains fall, her target shuffles about.
The pounce is quick, a mere push off of her hind legs, and the prey is hers.
Fresh-kill clamped in her jaws, she heads back towards where the patrol had split, watching as Cindershade grappled with her own freshly-caught fish.
"Toss it to me, I’ll put it somewhere." She finally speaks, nodding towards Cindershade to catch her attention, not seeing the point in having the she-cat wade all the way back just to toss it onto the bank.

"speech"

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[Sablemist]

In every situation you give me peace

The light sheet of rain they found themselves in came much quicker than she'd anticipated. There were times where she found herself pausing to shake out her dual toned coat now heavy laden with moisture. It left her fur standing like menacing spikes stretching skyward rather than slick like her mentor's. Rainwater dribbles down the curve of her jaw and drips from her chin as Cindershade instructs her to watch. Paying careful attention to the dark molly's technique she strides closer to the edge, squinting as the distorted water becomes murky underneath. Before long the lead warrior emerges with a large trout, leaving Sablepaw to blink with clear surprise. "You made it look so easy." She murmurs, voice teetering on notes of apprehension as she peers into the waters depths.

Ebony paws lead her into the river's grasp, careful to place her paws where she would not sink too far into the silt beneath her toes. She stops once the water is chest height, periwinkle eyes frantically darting to catch a glimpse of shadow beneath the waves. Finally she spots something, a small fish drifting lazily by. Her muscle bunch, judging her timing before lunging forward. Her claws barely graze the slippery creature before it shoots out of reach. Sablepaw breaches the surface empty handed, expression tightening with annoyance as she shakes her head and rids her eyes of streaming liquid."I-I'll catch the next one..." She voices softly, moving into position for another possible fish. ​

Don't gotta be afraid because you're in the lead​

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[Cindershade]

Even with claws clutched tightly to her catch, it's ferocity still hardly wavered under her grasp. She brings the trout closer to her, incisors piercing through mucus-like slime and scale—placing enough pressure to silence it for good. A glowing pride sparkles within her irises, hauling her catch up till the familiar voice of Lakemoon calls to her. Cindershade nods in acknowledgement, maneuvering her head and neck to sling the trout onto the bank for her fellow warrior to place it onto. It seemed she wasn't the only one to already catch something as a tawny brown creature lay across the banks—now growing wet from the cascading rain fall. Despite the difficulties of hunting under the showers of New-Leaf, Cindershade enjoyed the ambience. "Thanks. Hopefully a couple of more and we'll be on our way back home." She calls back to her before wading towards Sablepaw, her comment pulling a huff of laughter from the leader warrior. "I make it easy because of training and practice, Sablepaw. You will a fisher before you know it." A twinge of a smile pinches at her dark lips, droplets of rain sliding graciously down ivory whiskers before nodding at her.
The young molly tries to take initiative, crouching and becoming still. Cindershade doesn't make a move, becoming still as if she were one of the wayward stones that sit along the banks, peridot eyes practically glowing with anticipation and vigor. A launch is made and Sablepaw dices beneath the surface for a moment and the warrior awaits with baited breath. Did she catch one? A bobbing shaded head then rips from the bubbling surface with empty paws, agitation clouding her streaked festures. I-I'll catch the next one..."You're doing fine. Just breathe. You have the rain at a disadvantage right now. Try to aim where the fish is going to go instead of on top of it." She wades closer to Sablepaw and halts just behind her to not squander her next chance of her catching a fish. "Again."


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[ SILENCE IS DEAFENING ]​

 

[DogTeeth]

droplets settle on twisted tendrils as they would the tufts of dry reed seedlings, a shiny blonde coat dancing like wind through the wheat. Eyes shielding a mind of quiet thoughts and wonderings. He stands among the gathered with a squinting smile, a polite calmness and slight tilt of his chin. Loving the feel of the rain on his maw, he trusts his clanmates footfalls to lead as he follows with his eyes closed. A certain serenity in that.

Given his orders, Dogteeth’s distanced stare blinks rapidly without recognition. Having spaced out for a moment he falters, " wh- oh. Okay, yes ma’am " he chirps towards the dark molly with a light smile and patters against the ground with a few bounces that lead him carefully but quickly. The water wiggles and rings out with the patter of rain, as Cindershade said- it’d be best to dive.

He slithers out on his belly against the cold stones, webbed toes tugging him forward carefully and his glacial eyes peering into the greens and refractions of the surface. He naturally shifts the point of his nose towards Sablepaw and Cindershade, their dark pelts narrowly blending if not for the floating silhouettes. He blinks in mild amusement as a fish is thrusted into the air toward the bank. What a team, he smirks but shifts back around and lowers his ears and pushes his skull under the surface with a swirl of bubbles and waves.

He breaks the surface again, with a gleaming set of silver scales in his teeth. Fins wedged a bit painfully on his tongue, but he pulls himself to the shore and drops it to the ground still flailing. He bites it quickly and coughs out a bit. " look at her, born to fish out the biggest bass I bet " he whisper hisses his praise and slight cheer toward the young inky molly.

" If I hgn- " he coughs, " don’t accidentally drink the whole river every time I catch a fish " he jokes now with another light burst of air from his irritated lungs.

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OOC INFO REF

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• — Dogteeth PINTEREST
  — twenty-eight moons
  — 2023 VOICE & ACCENT
  — warrior of Riverclan
  — gay | crushing on n/a
  — small curly-furred blonde and tan tom with blue eyes.
  — very gentle voice and laugh
  — deals a nasty bite
  BIOGRAPHY——— ✧
  
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