PRIMAL // hunting patrol

[Sunnyday]

☀ - WHILST MY HEART STILL BEATS
//Tagging his apprentices @LICHENPAW and @sandpaw but others are free to join the hunting patrol.

Those who were spared from injury would need to pick up the slack until those confined to the medicine den healed up and returned to duty. Sunnyday was very much free from injury given that he had remained behind when the battle for Sunningrocks had taken place, so it made sense for him to go out hunting. However, despite the recent territory gains made from the conflict he held no intention of utilising it. Something he hoped he wouldn't questioned on.

"We're about to head out on a hunt up near the sycamore. If anyone wishes to accompany us please make yourselves known as we're about to depart." Sunnyday announced as he moved through the centre of the camp towards the entrance. He expected his apprentices to follow of course, though he also hoped that others would hurry over otherwise it was going to be a long tense hunt.
​

 

[crowflower]

It was unusual that Crowflower ever joined other cats on patrol unless it was assigned to her, but she had been in process of slinking past when Sunnyday made his announcement and her sense of justice obligated her to join the warrior and his apprentices. It would be rude to keep walking and pretend as if she were busy, but that would be a lie. As much as she wanted to retreat to her nest and sleep away the busiest part of the day, she didn't think that was a good enough reason to justify any other decision. Her reluctance was soothed a little by her friendly acquaintance with Sunnyday. She had always known him to be polite and somewhat intriguing. There were many questions that she wanted to ask him, but she valiantly resisted her curiosity. "Hello," she greeted the others simply with a small smile. It was clear from her stance that she felt a little out of place, but her expression was pleasant. "I'm ready whenever you are."​

 

[PEBBLESTEP]

Pebblepaw was free of injury, except for his pride, which burned with a shame the likes of which he hadn't felt since he confused a squirrel with a pheasant. When there was a clan that needed feeding whilst wounds were being licked though, personal dilemmas hardly mattered. His head was quick to poke out of the apprentice's den at Sunnyday's announcement, wide copper eyes settled on the warrior. Crowflower announced her intentions first and the lilac tom was quick to scurry on over afterward, shaking like a particularly caffeinated chihuahua. Pebblepaw didn't look more or less nervous than usual, but his eyes were wide as he considered asking the warrior a question. It was only after a glance of acknowledgment and a long hard look at the senior warrior that Pebblepaw decided to swallow that growing lump in his throat. "Um... my mentor is currently... not available." Howlingstar wouldn't be out of the medic's den for some time, he wagered. Pebblepaw hated that his training was limited by the injuries their poor leader received, but doubly hated how selfish such a statement was. Guilt and frustration battled like RiverClanners and ThunderClanners in Pebblepaw's head, and he scuffed his paws against the soft camp earth.

"Can I join you anyways? I will try not to be a nuisance."

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[sandthorn]

sandpaw felt disheartened at the denial to help her clan to victory. she wanted to be there for them, more than anything. an opportunity to prove herself amongst her peers. it was embarrassing that cats younger than her, ones who had only just been apprenticed, were there fighting riverclan while she remained stationed in camp. the molly had tried to see the reasoning behind it, tried to understand why she wasn't allowed to help her home, but little made sense.

her paws dragged as she joined the patrol, hunting was helping but it lacked the honor battle brought. at least that was all she could believe, after all her claws had never met another feline with intent to harm. she sat waiting, that was starting to feel like all she did. waiting for her clanmates to come home, waiting until the day she would be in their spot. yellow gaze drew up at crowflower and pebblepaw's approaches, the latter's promise to remain helpful. each of them were granted a smile before her attention returned to sunnyday in preparation for their departure.​

[ 𖤓 ]​

 

[Sunnyday]

☀ - WHILST MY HEART STILL BEATS
Sunnyday honestly looked surprised that he had volunteers already. Crowflower was somewhat a relief given that she had been nothing but kind towards him as of late, so he hoped her presence would lighten spirits among the group. Though there was also Pebblepaw coming forward to help. Between two warriors he suspected that they could manage the additional apprentice in the group, so he offered a nod of confirmation. "You may join us, of course. Until your mentor returns to duties don't hesitate to ask myself and the other warriors to join in our patrols." It just made sense for them to take up the slack.

"Right, once we reach the sycamore don't stray too far from Crowflower and myself. Now then, lets catch plenty of prey for our clanmates." Nodding to Crowflower he then began to lead the way out of the camp. Fortunately no one had questioned his choice of hunting ground thus far, and he hoped it stayed that way. Picking a route he knew well he knew it wouldn't take long to reach the familiar tree. Once there he signalled with a flick of his tail for the patrol to spread out.
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[LICHENPAW ❁]

.°❁ YOU TOLD ME 'BOUT NOWHERE

---

It does not escape Lichenpaw's notice that his mentor has chosen the sycamore, not Sunningrocks, as his hunting grounds. As if it'll make any difference, as if ignoring it will make it go away. Like Sandpaw, Lichenpaw still feels slighted by Sunnyday denying their place in the fight for their new scrap of territory, but rather than being discouraged, there is a tense sort of energy to the apprentice. Faux cheer radiates from him as he readies himself for the hunting patrol. He greets Pebblepaw with a smile, a "'Course you can join!" spoken in tandem with Sunnyday. "Good to -- to have you along, Pebble." Not a nuisance at all. He means it, he's glad to have a friend here. Sandpaw seems discouraged, but he doesn't quite know the words to soothe the hurt they both feel. He's got a different plan in mind, anyway.

As they set out, Lichenpaw draws closer to his mentor, a glint in his eye. "Y'know," he starts, conversationally, "didn't, uh, didn't Flycatcher suggest we use the, the 'new hunting grounds'?" He watches his mentor's face for a reaction. "Since we just got Sunningrocks 'n all, we should probably, um, use it, right? I think so, at least. Our clanmates fought and, and bled for this, don't, um, don't want to waste it!" Test his limits, push his luck. Sunnyday can't get angry here. (And how far, Lichenpaw wonders, how far can he push until that fiery anger comes out again?)

"Don't you agree, Sunnyday?" Innocent smile, bright and cheery. Just repeating the deputy's suggestion, no harm in that.

---

WELL IT SOUNDS LIKE SOMEPLACE I'D LIKE TO GO ! .°❁

⟪ OOC ⟫ ⟪ INFO ⟫ ⟪ REF ⟫

• //​
• LICHENPAW named for the lichen on the trees of his home.
  — he/him or they/them. 9 moons.
  — thunderclan apprentice, mentored by sunnyday.
  — bears a near-permanent nervous grin.
  
  primary character, medium-high activity. penned by saturnid.​
• 

​

 

[crowflower]

Crowflower drifted toward the middle of the patrol group, keeping pace with Pebblepaw while Lichenpaw and Sunnyday paced up ahead. "I don't mind filling in for today," she offered to Howlingstar's apprentice with a shy smile. Her skills probably would never compare to the leader's prowess, but she knew quite a bit about hunting at the Great Sycamore that she would love to pass on to someone. New Leaf was the perfect time to prowl the sycamore's many branches for birds' nests: only the smallest one, or the ones that don't hatch. Never the entire nest. The same could be said for squirrels and rabbit dens.

Although the young warrior tried her best to keep her nose out of other cats' business, she couldn't help but drift closer to listen to Lichenpaw's conversation with Sunnyday. It wasn't like Lichenpaw was whispering--so what if she wanted to be a silent participant? Nothing Starclan would frown upon, right? Besides, she had already committed and what the apprentice had to say was curious, indeed. Now that he mentioned it, Crowflower remembered that Flycatcher had suggested that Sunnyday lead the patrol to Sunningrocks, but it had never been a direct instruction. If ignoring suggestions was a challenge, Crowflower would be the champion. Anything less than a direct suggestion resulted in Crowflower following the will of her whims.

"But the Great Sycamore is great for hunting this time of year," Crowflower interjected, sounding a little uncertain. She wasn't sure what possessed her to open her big mouth, but she was being honest. Sunningrocks was great and all, but Crow didn't mind going somewhere else. "Lots of patrols have been to Sunningrocks already," she added, unable to stop her commentary despite her primal desire to shut up please shut up they weren't even talking to you please please please. "It's smart to avoid overhunting it." She really wanted to hunt at the Sycamore. She had already set her heart on hunting there, but realized that her opinion probably didn't matter. Her voice trailed off into awkward silence, gaze flickering from Lichenpaw to her paws and then back. She offered him an apologetic smile and hoped he didn't mind that she butted in on his conversation with his mentor before quickly averting her gaze elsewhere.​

 

[Sunnyday]

☀ - WHILST MY HEART STILL BEATS
Sensing a presence drawing in close he spared a glance back over his shoulder to confirm who happened to be there, though Lichenpaw was already running his mouth and pressing on the obvious. His face pulled into the beginnings of a snarl as his revved himself to have a snap at his apprentice, but Crowflower was already stating a valid case in his favour. It was enough to subdue his ire and he actually found himself starting to smirk with a renewed confidence. "Crowflower is right, if we focus all our efforts in one location the prey will disappear, either from overhunting or from fleeing the area. We have multiple hunting grounds for a reason, we need to alternate where we go to maintain balance."

Technically this was all a valid lesson, not just a clean way of evading the subject of Sunningrocks. "So yes, clanmates might have fought and bled for those rocks, but it would be an insult to them if those rocks became barren of prey. We must be careful about how we use them." Was his smugness showing in that moment? Probably, though at least his demeanour had brightened somewhat. "I should really take Crowflower with me on patrols more often..." She was smart, very much so, though he feared that her kind heart might get stepped on or insulted if she wasn't careful. "Don't turn into another me."
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