pafp snarling on all fours [fox shenanigans]

[SCORCHSTAR]

The dark of the tunnels presses in around them, the path before them black as pitch. But Scorchstreak presses forward without hesitation, comfortable as ever with the walls caging her in as she walks. Her tail flicks carefully with each step she takes, brushing against the walls and occasionally even against Rattleheart’s face (because despite her stoicism, the she-cat hasn’t outgrown the urge to annoy her siblings at least a bit).

It’s just the two of them in the tunnels right now, leaving Liz awaiting their return aboveground. They’d decided to check out this isolated tunnel whilst on a regular patrol with their other sibling, and she wonders what their three-legged brother is doing whilst he waits for the tunnelers to return from their small trek underground. "What do moor runners do all day, anyway," she questions, feeling her way forward. The wall at her side begins to curve, a telltale sign that a turn is coming. Simple, she thinks. But as she slinks around the turn in the tunnel, she’s hit with what seems to be a wall of scent.

It’s stinging, makes her eyes water with the force of it. It smells awful, almost like a skunk. But it’s not a skunk, she’s certain of that. "Shit," she grumbles, stopping in her tracks with no warning to Rattleheart. Her head lifts, scenting the stale air of the tunnels. That smell… It’s recognizable, a scent the calico has encountered many times before after so long spent in the tunnels. But as with most scents down here in the dark, it’s muddled, mixed in with the much thicker scent of rabbit.

She looks to her black and white patched sibling, hoping to catch their eye. Her nose wrinkles, dark ear flicking—the only sign of agitation that the lead warrior displays. Ugh, she thinks, as memory begins to filter in. The scent is familiar because… "That’s a fox, isn’t it?" They should turn around. They should move before the fox scents them, before it charges in this enclosed space. Scorchstreak doesn’t worry for their ability to fight a fox—but just the two of them, pressed into the tight space of the tunnels? She’d much prefer to bring any sort of fight out into the open.


// pls wait for both @RATTLEHEART and @Lizardbounce !!​

[ LIKE A RATTLESNAKE ]​

​

 

[RATTLEHEART]

The prospect of a patrol out with their siblings had been an appealing one, even if the presence of Lizardbounce meant they would likely be more aboveground rather than beneath. As comfortable as the tunnels were for Rattleheart, they could stand weaving through the moors alongside Lizardbounce and Scorchstreak, feeling the wind cut through their fur and the grass brush lightly at their legs and paws. Still, it had been a bit of a relief when Scorchstreak had suggested checking out a tunnel that they came across. They hadn't hesitated for a second before following after her, the sudden shift from light to pitch blackness actually a boon for their sensitive eyes. Their sister's tail tickling occasionally against their muzzle grounded them, even if the minor annoyance did occasionally make them want to stretch forward and chomp down. Not hard, but just enough to annoy.

They were halfway to actually doing so when Scorchstreak's voice cut through the darkness, her question causing a soft rumble of laughter to leave Rattleheart's muzzle, "If our group is to believed, they spend their days frolicking through the grass and rolling around in wildflowers. I think that may be a bit of an exaggeration, though..." They were pondering this when Scorchstreak abruptly stopped in front of them, her lack of warning producing a grunt as they essentially walked into her. Their muzzle was open, ready to question what was wrong, when the wall of scent collided with them as well. It was immediately enough to make them freeze, jaw clenching as they took a tentative step back, "It is... and it seems fresh. We should get to the surface. If it's still here we don't want to fight it in the tunnels." And sure enough, it wasn't long before scratching and scrabbling echoed off the walls.

Rattleheart was quick to turn, tail skimming against Scorchstreak's side in a sign to follow as they headed back towards where they had come from. It at least didn't take long for them to hear her pawsteps following along, breath heavy as they yanked themself up and out of the darkness. The sudden brightness of the moors caused them to squint and recoil, but they pushed through it to call out, "Lizardbounce! We've got a fox down in the tunnels, I think it heard us." The prospect of fighting the creature with the three of them was an unpleasant one, but at least it didn't feel impossible. They were all capable warriors, and it would be three against one - even in an environment Rattleheart was less comfortable in.
​

[ PENNED BY EO ]​

 

[>Twigwhisper]

— //tracking — tags​

 

[Lizardbounce]

( ✧ ) When the opportunity to join his siblings on a patrol had become available, he had been quick to jump on it. With them being tunnelers, and he being a moor runner, he didn't get to spend much time with them anymore since joining the clan. Sometimes he missed the days when they were together all day, but he had grown used to the separation. Being a tunneler had sounded much more interesting to him, but with his missing appendage, Sootstar had seemed the role too dangerous. He was tired of being defined by his missing leg...before joining a clan, it had never been such a big issue.

The wind ruffled his fur as they padded through the moorland, and the sun warmed his pelt. The fresh air here was relaxing compared to their old home, and that was probably his favorite part about being a moor runner. Whenever he thought about wanting to be underground, he reminded himself of the purity of the air, and the warm sunlight. The tunnels were probably damp and full of bugs...that didn't sound too appealing.

He waited patiently as his brother and sister headed down into a tunnel. Part of him wanted to follow, but he knew that he would just be a hindrance if he did. Instead, he decided to see if there were any prey trails nearby...it would be better than sitting idle. The three legged tom padded several tail lengths away from the tunnel's mouth, but he stayed far enough to be able to keep an eye on the entrance. As far as he knew this was the way out too...but who knew with tunnelers, he wouldn't put it past them to pop out of another hole and startle him.

The smell of a bird caught his attention, and just as he was about to follow it, he heard the voice of Rattleheart. His head whipped around, and he hurried over to them...something sounded off. The fur on his neck bristled, and he glanced at the tunnel, half expecting to see it jump out on cue. They could take it...but it wouldn't be pretty. "If we go get reinforcements, we risk it following our trail back to the camp." ​

( YOU GOTTA BE SO COLD ; TO MAKE IT IN THIS WORLD )

 

[SCORCHSTAR]

Rattleheart is in agreement, thankfully—they don’t want to face down a predator in the confines of the tunnels, and it’s easier to go to the surface and fight alongside their brother anyway. Quick paws follow behind Rattleheart as they both turn and run, breaking into the daylight with little of the wince that’s normally present with the sudden brightness. Though she’s blinded for a moment as her eyes adjust, Scorchstreak looks to the ink-blotched shape of her brother, dark ear flicking as Rattleheart explains the situation with haste.

"It definitely heard us," she asserts, tail lashing behind her. She’d heard the scraping and scrabbling of paws against dirt, the shifting of a much larger body through the winding paths below ground. She looks between her siblings, and the slight widening of her eyes is the only betrayal of her nerves. Even on three legs, Liz is a moor runner and is likely quicker to cross the moor than the tunnelers. If anyone had to run back to camp for reinforcements, it should be him. But he’s right. Running for reinforcements could lead a danger like this directly to WindClan’s camp—directly to her kits, to all their injured warriors and apprentices, to Spiderbloom and her litter.

If anything happened to someone back at camp because of her… she’d never forgive herself. She is a lead warrior, and it is her duty to defend her clanmates.

A growl leaves her maw as the calico turns to face the tunnel’s entrance, golden eyes narrowing at the shape that shifts within. The first thing to appear is a long, thin snout, teeth bared in a snarl, dribbling with drool that tells of its fury at being disturbed. Then, carefully, gradually, a pair of black paws emerge, and at last the enemy is revealed in full. The sun’s shine glistens across grizzled red and white fur—it’s young, obviously not fully grown, but no less of a threat. Still, Scorchstreak trusts each of her siblings implicitly; they will always have one another’s backs, even against threats as large as a fox. Larger threats, even.

The beast charges for her first, and the calico springs backward just in time to avoid the snapping of sharp teeth at her face. It’s bold where a mature fox would be cautious, and Scorchstreak manages to sink claws into the soft of its nose as it lashes out as one of the other warriors in the vicinity. "Keep clear of its mouth!" She calls to the others—the claws of the beast can only do so much damage, but a bite could mean severe damage. She thinks of Snakepaw, of the way that he could have easily lost a leg. She adores Lizardbounce, but WindClan doesn’t need any more warriors missing legs.​

[ LIKE A RATTLESNAKE ]​

​