development Sold my heart || Hunting gone wrong

[talonpaw.]

Just in case? Mention of injury, blood towards the end//

Please wait for @Amberhaze //

The fog that gathered as he breathed outward was enough to note that it was cold. And unfortunately, that also meant many of their normal prey was sleeping. That meant he had no frogs to gnaw on, and maybe if he dug, he could find their frozen hiding bodies. But that was neither here nor there, and he didn't want to bother digging the frozen mud beneath their feet until finally finding those creatures. Their had to be other things they could manage. Had to be any scents that stuck out besides the frost.

His head lifted, his jaw slung upon slightly to inhale the scents of the marshlands, blue eye flicking to the slights of the wind, hoping to find a morsel. He found himself leading ahead of the patrol, pushing onward as his whiskers twitched and his nose scented. And he almost wanted to say useless, he almost wanted to turn around and give up. But it was his belly that rumbled and churned inside that made him press further. He was not alone in this feeling. Their prey pile dwindling, to almost nothing. What was Ternstars plan? Would they steal more land? He didn't mind digging his frustration into someone else. He didn't mind, despite Amberhazes worry.

"I'm goin' this way," he announced, passing his mentor a glance, before dipping off under a bush and through the foliage, turning from their original trance of steps. It wasn't long before finally, he smelled something. It hit him like a brick wall, his tail lifting slightly as he pressed himself down. His tongue licked at his dried lips hungrily, his blue eye pinning onto the creature that picked at some worms. A large sparrow, a tasty morsel (oh but he would kill for a fish if he could steal one from those riverclanners). And fish were disgusting, to him. But he could not be picky right now.

His white toed paw flexed out claws as he stepped, before he dove forward, slashing at the bird. His paws didn't stop, and his grip into the bird took them both out in a mess of frenzy and feathers. Claws swung through the air as he slid on a patch of ice, the jaws holding the startled bird crashing open as he smacked his head against a tree.

A dizzying moment, blood spraying from the bird and his own head as he felt a crack against the trunk of the tree. The black tabby swirled as he stood, claws digging into the frozen earth that threatened to have him fall, as the ground seemed to move and sway around him. He peeled his good eye open, blinking away the blackness that drenched his vision, and a groan came from the apprentice.

"Amber?" He choked out, rubbing a cold pad against his temple, eye trying to focus ahead of him.

​

 

[Amberhaze]

⚛︎₊˚‧ Amberhaze had lost count of how many minutes- perhaps even hours- had passed since he had set out with his apprentice in an attempt to scour for whatever remaining prey they might find amongst the sea of powder that had snuffed out nearly any other living thing besides themselves. He was ready to head back by now, the chill seeping into his bones causing his limbs to tremble and his breath to hitch. The air stung his lungs with every inhalation, and his paws had grown numb with every step forward. He would cast a tired but anxious glance to his side every now and again, ensuring his apprentice did not stray too far off. Who knows what dangers lurked amidst the shadowy pines- starvation was not only prevalent within their clan, but also within predators and their defenseless young- hunger was something that could make even the most fearsome of animals go mad.

"I'm goin' this way." Amberhaze opened his jaws to say something with a furrowed brow, seemingly in retort- in refusal- but the words of Sharpshadow echoed through his mind. Words about how he could not protect Talonpaw forever, not here in Shadowclan, and especially not beyond their confined walls. He could give him the tools to protect himself, to survive, but he could not do more than that. With a snap of his jaw, he would hold his tongue and simply nod before beginning to turn away to embark on his own search, but whipped around at the last second to call out a hasty "Be careful!" in hopes that the apprentice would hear.

He didn't have much luck on his own, returning to the group with nothing more than a scrawny, half-frozen mouse dangling from his twitching maws. Completely spent and discouraged by the meager catch, he was prepared to call out for Talonpaw so they could all go home and hopefully warm themselves in their uncomfortable winter nests, but before he could the once still air was split by a splitting thunk! from somewhere up ahead. Amberhaze was struck with horror as his good ear perked upwards as far as it could go given its weight, the realization that the noise had come from the direction that Talonpaw had padded off to causing a stone to settle in his stomach.

Dropping the pathetic excuse of a mouse, he burst forth with so much force that it sent a flurry of snow showering onto anyone unfortunate enough to be standing nearby, tearing through the forest like a thunderpath monster, all traces of exhaustion and discomfort disappearing and consumed by fear and adrenaline. "Talonpaw! Talonpaw, where are you?" Thoughts raced through his head now, none of them reassuring. Is he safe? Did he get hurt? What if he was attacked by a predator? Or a twoleg? I told them not to take Snapper in! Oh man, or maybe a car passed through here and hit him? I've seen some on grass before, maybe it was one of those? Did he break a bone? Multiple bones? Lose a limb? His other eye? Is he dead? Amberhaze couldn't tell if his struggle to breathe was due to running or his own trepidation. Maybe both. I need to find him.

Time seemed to slow as the frantic oriental skittered this way and that in a kind of zig-zag pattern, looking inside any hole or crevice cast from the trees or brush, climbing onto anything of higher altitude in an attempt to better scan the area, pushing himself into burrows and openings without a single thought about what might be lurking there. For once, he cast aside the prospect of what dangers could be laying in wait for him. All for the sake of his apprentice who he willed to hang on until he found him. And he would find him, he silently vowed, even if he had to tear apart the entire forest to do it. And if nobody would help him, he would do it alone.

"Amber?" A calm amidst the storm, a choking symphony that was the purest music to Amberhaze's ears which roared with the sound of his own blood rushing through him. Talonpaw. Once again, he became a blur of black motion against the purest of white, following the sound of his apprentice's strained voice and not letting it go until he arrived on the scene. Relief would not give him a moment of grace however, the sight of blood heavily laden against bark, ground and flesh causing bile to spew up into his mouth before he could swallow it down. It was as he had feared- possibly worse- the fact that he was correct in his suspicions about Talonpaw being put in harms way...it was too much to bear. He should have said no when he had the chance, advised him to stay close.

"Talonpaw! Oooh, man... A-Are you okay?" Amberhaze rushed to his side, sniffing him up and down and allowing his pelt to brush comfortingly against the younger tom's side. "How did- W-What happened? Um- Here, s-sit down. Let me see." He felt absolutely sick as he took in the sight of Talonpaw's wound, the gash upon his head gaping and gushing an endless sea of red. "Um...C-Can you walk? We need to g-get you to- to Marblepaw." Any thought about prey was forgotten now, his priority having shifted entirely to the wellbeing of Talonpaw. He didn't know how to help- he was no medicine cat- but it didn't take a genius to know that being out here in the frost with such a severe ailment wouldn't do him any favors.

✧ ° . ⚠︎ . ° ✧​

ooc Information

• ooc: im sorry for the wait! </3
• 

  AMBERHAZE — HE/HIM ･ 19 MOONS ･ WARRIOR OF SHADOWCLAN ･ PENNED BY SLOANE

  black oriental shorthair. a short but lengthy black cat with a boney build and striking ocher eyes filled with unveiled trepidation.

 

[talonpaw.]

Talon is not seeing things clearly! He is not in the right mind, having been concussed. Hopefully my writing conveys properly! But yeah many possibly triggering things ahead. Read with caution! Thanks!//

The bird was dead. With the blood that lay across the deadened frozen grass and against the bark of the tree, it had to be. But one image was blood, and it shifted, green and red, between reality and hallucinations. The warmth on his head was only the blood of the bird. A paw gingerly touched it, as amberhaze approached, his vision swirling in a dizziness, and his blue eye darting to amber then to his ruddy paw pad. Frames of vision, as if slow motion as greenish hued viscous liquid dripped off his paw, his eye squinting to it and sniffing. "Berries?" He asks, lifting his white dipped muzzle to the warrior before setting a paw down. It was the only thing that made sense to be green. The hurried and frantic words were garbled, his body swaying with the vision he was clouded by.

Talonpaw!..Okay? What... Sit. Marblepaw. Huh? His blue eye narrowed, torn ears pulling back on his skull as he pinched brows together, lifting his head to the bird that seemed dead. (It was still moving, twitching, but his vision was slow.) Frames, as he set a clawed paw upon its head, pressing down until a snap sounded. Just to ensure his large catch. "Bring this to marblepaw? Is she hungry?" He asked, tilting a head as the movement sent him in a spiral of further dizziness.

Slowly it started registering, as he looked at his white tipped paws, the greenish hue turning red on a visage, and the blood dripping down his face. Blue eyes met large saucers of worry, the closeness Amberhaze was, sniffing at his forehead. This isn't the birds. You're over worrying again, Amberhaze.

"Amber- Amberhaze, I'm okay." It felt like a lie. It twisted as he took a step back, and wobbled in his life as he looked up to the warrior, eyebrows furrowing and he continues his life lasting lie. "I'm okay." Was he reassuring himself, or Amberhaze? His wobble turned into landing quite harshly on his haunches, grounding himself. His head lulled.

He was reassuring Amberhaze. That's all it was this entire time, even with his stern voice, devoid of the emotions of actual care and more anger. Always anger as he rejected that something might actually be wrong. "Well be fed. Kinda, hungry." He tries to turn the conversation, looking upon the sparrow, squinting his gaze at the bright glinting light.

But Amberhaze was a looming figure, staring at him. Worry filling the always anxiety ridden warrior. And he felt amber get nearer, get louder as suddenly, everything was loud. Shuffling in the bushes from following patrol members, the crying voice of amberhaze getting louder, how they must go, and they must go now-

And his paw slammed down. A sharp bark of anger flooded from his chest. "STOP. I'm simply FINE AMBERHAZE. I'm not a stars damned CHILD." He roared into his mentors face, his teeth snapping mere inches from the others muzzle as the other neared closer and closer, spewing anxiety- emotions the apprentice couldn't fathom to understand. If only he did understand them, maybe he could console the warrior better. If only he could cease the others worries. That's all he wanted to do, with no real way or knowledge on actually how to do so.

But instead, he pulled himself back, nearly snarling as the white splotched dark apprentice with scars covering his body. If only the ground would stop moving-

His body lurched as suddenly he spewed his last nights dinner from his stomach. His arms braced himself as his body wobbled, his teeth clenched, and claws digging into the dirt. It's not your fault, stop thinking it's your fault. "Let'... go take-."

A frantic look would appear on the apprentice, one more as his blue eye met orange, and his body would hit the dust as he tried to step. Ragged breaths escaped the male. Harsh breathing as he fought more urge of sickness threatening to come forth.

"Youre-" you can't admit he's right. There's nothing wrong. Denial at its finest, he had to be strong. "Shaking." For Amberhaze.

"Don't.. be scared." Im scared.
​

 

[Halfsun]

Hunting was a frustrating chore, especially so when you spent hours at it and had nothing to show for it. Halfsun's frustration makes her sloppy, she knows, but she can't help it. She's tired and hungry, same as everyone else. Her tail flicking with unhidden annoyance at her own empty paws, she rejoins the rest of the patrol at their pre-agreed upon meeting point. Her jaws part to ask if anyone had better luck, but before she could get the words out there's a loud thunk that alerts the whole forest. She swears under her breath as birds go flying from the trees, cawing out a warning to any prey that might be nearby. There went any chance of bringing something home... Not to mention the fact that they could be down a hunter, depending on if the source of the sound was indeed Talonpaw. She sends up to the stars a quick prayer for the young toms safety before following Amberhaze into the trees. She's not certain she could bury another canmate, let alone an apprentice.

But as they come upon the young tom, it is clear he's alright, just disoriented. "Bold words coming from someone with -paw still in their name" she muses with a huff. If Talonpaw were her apprentice, a comment like that would earn him a swift cuff to the ears. Amberhaze was as annoying as a fly buzzing in one's ear, yes, but in this case he was infuriatingly right. It was in Talonpaws best interest to go get seen by their medicine cat.

But then she watches as the apprentice tries to walk and its clear something is wrong, terribly wrong. The amusement slips from her features and she's forward in an instant. Do they move him? Would that make it worse? She is not a medicine cat, nor had she ever truly paid attention when Starlingheart had given first aid lessons to the clan. "We need to get him back to camp" she decides "Cmon Talonpaw, you can lean on me." she says, shoving her shoulder underneath him and hoisting him up. Really, she was half-carrying him but she didn't mind. What good was training all day if not for situations like this?

( ˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ ) smile for me when you set me free

• 
  
  
• 
  HALFSUN SHADOWCLAN WARRIOR; SHE / HER ; SISTER TO APPLEJAW, ASHENFALL, SWANSONG, GARLICHEART, AND LAURELGRIN
  

  A tall and well-toned she cat with a long half-and half pelt, one side being a dark blue tabby and the other a bright cream, split by a pool of white at her center and travelling up her face like flames she is fire and ice simultaneously swirling into one. Her eyes are a mismatched shade of blue, with one being bright like the daytime sky and the other dark like the depths of the river.

  ✦ Difficult in battle + a skilled fighter