now pick me up with golden hand | ember

[Flycatcher]

Flycatcher looked skywards, watching with a weary expression as the squirrel he and Emberstar had been watching darted away. A small part of him considered suggesting chasing after it, but he doubted either of them would be able to keep up with it and it's impressive climbing skills.

"Ah, shame we couldn't catch it," Flycatcher mused, turning to the ThinderClan leader. It had been a long day already and this wasn't really a hunting patrol so the loss of one squirrel wouldn't be a huge problem to the clan. Besides, those who had been sent out to hunt in the afternoon had probably brought back enough with them.

"Did you want to head back now?" Flycatcher asked. "Or we could keep going till we get to the WindClan border?" It was only a small suggestion and after the busy afternoon he didn't really expect Emberstar to say yes.

@emberstar just a little something!​

 

[emberstar]

"WE ARE THE BROKEN ONES, WHO CHOSE TO SPARK A FLAME"​

The squirrel darted away just as Emberstar tensed to leap, and her ear flicked. Just a hair to slow. She should have had that, it was unlike her to be too slow. For a moment she didn't respond to Flycatcher, simply watched her prey as it scurried up the trunk. The idea of chasing down another sounded exhausting, all day she had been oh so tired. All moon really.

She needed to keep going though, for her clan. For her family.

Everyone was counting on her.

"I think I'm going to keep going." She told him with an easy smile. Burying her exhaustion under the weight of pure enthusiasm and warmth. No need to trouble him with any of that, or anyone really. "You could head back though, you've done a lot of good work today already!"​

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[Flycatcher]

Emberstar turns to him and says she's going to keep going to which he nods in understanding. She suggests he could head back but Flycatcher is uncertain if he wants to. "That's alright I don't mind staying!" Flycatcher responds briskly. "I'd rather bring back some more prey to camp if we're able." For a few hours out of camp what they had caught thus far was rather...poor to say the least. And whilst Flycatcher was not one to brag, he trusted in his hunting abilities enough that he knew he could do better. But if Emberstar really wanted him to leave or not accompany her he was not about to disobey his leader's orders.​

 

[emberstar]

"WE ARE THE BROKEN ONES, WHO CHOSE TO SPARK A FLAME"​

Emberstar shot him a brilliant grin. As much as she didn't want to put any more work on him, and as confident as she was in her ability to hunt on her own, she was always glad for the company. The more the merrier. "Alrighty then! Let's get going." She declared cheerfully, turning to lead the way toward the Windclan border.

Flycatcher, she knew, would follow as closely behind as was needed. He was quite a capable hunting partner, and they worked quite well together.

Falling back into a crouch, she slipped back into the underbrush, parting her jaws to scent the air for new prey. After a few moments, she caught wind of something. A vole, she thought. Slowly, she crept toward the scent, until a burrow entrance came into sight. She hesitated, grey eyes scanning the area. The creature had to be nearby, but she couldn't find it. After their last failure, however, she was cautious. Any closer and she might frighten it back into its nest.

Instead, she flicked her tail to indicate to her partner to circle around to the other side of the nest. That way, the could move forward together and one of them would chase the vole into the other.​

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[Flycatcher]

He's glad when she does not send him away. Emberstar would have been within her right to ask him to go back to camp but he'd much rather stay with her and help out where he can. With the two of them sticking together for now, Flycatcher falls in behind Emberstar as they continue to make their way through the forest.

After a short while, Emberstar stops and drops into a crouch. Flycatcher keeps his distance for a moment, watching as she scented the air before creeping further forward. He does not see what she's looking at, until she flicked her tail and indicated for him to go around the other side of what he discovered to be a burrow. A vole burrow if the scent that lingered in the air was anything to go by. With a nod, he cautiously made his way around to the other side of the burrow, mindful of how he walked. Once he found himself a good spot, he waited in silence, mirroring Emberstar at that moment. It seemed that neither of them were keen to repeat the earlier failures of that day. They were not kept waiting long when a faint shuffling sound close to Flycatcher indicated that the vole was nearby. Keeping as still as possible, he turned his head to look for it, spotting the small animal walking fairly close to him. He had an inkling of what Emberstar wanted to do, and he knew he would have to be careful with his next movements if he wanted the vole to run towards Emberstar and not dart into its nest where they wouldn't be able to reach it.

He timed the moment carefully, waiting until the vole was a few pawsteps away before leaning back on his hind paws and leaping out from the bushes. He made quick follow up movements to ensure the frightened vole didn't run away, doing his best to guide it in the direction of where Emberstar was hopefully waiting. "It's coming your way, Emberstar!" He called out. "I'll stay here and block it off in case it tries to run back around."​

 

[emberstar]

"WE ARE THE BROKEN ONES, WHO CHOSE TO SPARK A FLAME"​

Emberstar slowed as she got Flycatcher's sign that the vole was near to him. Her eyes affixed themselves on him, putting her faith in her hunting partner to take the lead. With bated breath, she watched him creep forward. Step by agonizing step. Then he leapt. In time with him, she burst into motion, rushing toward the prey that she could not yet see. She flicked an ear in acknowledgement of his words, her eyes narrowing. He had set her up perfectly, now it was all up to her.

The tiny molly rushed forward, searching the grasses for the prey Flycatcher had seen. For a moment her heart sunk when she didn't see it. Then, a flash of brown fur. She didn't hesitate. In a blur, she leapt forward, jaws extended. Snatching the vole from where it scurried along the forest floor. It let out a cry that was quickly silenced.

She stood back to her full height, dropping the prey at her paws to beam at her hunting partner. "Great job Flycatcher!"​

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