TAG, YOU'RE IT // failed hunt?

[HOWLINGSTAR]

Under the red sunset, Howlingstar moves gracefully through the underbrush. Like a true ThunderClan warrior, she is well-versed in the stealth needed to traverse this forest. Her seasoned paws step lightly, her senses acutely attuned to the subtlest of sounds and scents. The sun's burning glow paints her tabby pelt in a fiery glow as she stalks after a trail that promises a juicy rabbit at the end of it. Already, she can imagine the excited squealing of her grandchildren and great grandchildren when she drags this to the nursery! The rustling of ferns alerts her to the spot where the prey nibbles, and through the undergrowth she can spot it, fat with greenleaf grasses.

The she-cat crouches low and poises herself for pouncing, her muscles bunched and her tail still. Focused eyes do not leave her unaware target that sits eating clover, her ears pricked as the forest's peaceful symphony of birdsong and buzzing insects surrounds her. But then, suddenly, a sharp crack splits the tranquility - a twig snapping under unknown paws. Alerted by the sound, the rabbit is quick to jerk away from the scene, fleeing into the brush. Howlingstar's muscles tense as instincts honed by seasons of experience snap her into action. Every sinew is alive as she scans the shadows around her, the shock of what just happened clear on her expression. "Who's there?"

// Uh oh! Someone ruined her hunt on purpose. Open to several villains who were the ruiners, but anyone else can arrive at the same time!​

 

[BRIARSONG]

☆⋅⋆ ── skyclaw had given her clear instruction. 'find your way onto a patrol with howlingstar'. done, it was easy enough. she headed out with the patrol, finally, when they split to follow their own trails, briarsong watched eagerly where howlingstar had gone. stalked the leader like a mouse in her own territory alongside other like minded cats.

'ensure that she brings nothing home'. a little more... difficult. she almost felt an ounce of jealousy when the leader caught a trail, she didn't smell it herself for many moments later. but she watched as white paws came to a fluid halt, a banded tail stood still and haunches bunched in preparation to pounce. she was running out of time, she realized. if she didn't act, the first mission skyclaw had granted her would embarrassingly go to waste.

fortunately, the newly minted warrior was quick of mind. she remained hidden in the brush, brought heavy forepaws down on a twig. she didn't see the rabbit, but heard it plow fern and bramble as it made a desperate escape. she too, fled the scene. much slower, more calculated. if she were seen, the whole thing would go to ruin. carefully, briarsong places herself in opposite direction of the noise she created, playing the perfect picture of a concerned warrior when she finally raised her head from the brush. "howlingstar. is something wrong?" a yellow gaze scans the area, a feigned search for the perpetrator. she had no issue with speaking up, if questioned directly one of her 'friends' would certainly provide an alibi.

‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎┌── PRAISE ME FOR MARTYR ⋅☆⋅ PRAISE ME FOR SIN ──┐‎

• OOC ⋆ ─
  
  

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• BRIARSONG ✩ she/her, warrior of thunderclan, twelve moons.
  ⭃ a well built solid black longhair with white markings and narrowed yellow eyes.
  ⭃ NPC x NPC / / former apprentice to saffronpounce
  ⭃ peaceful and healing powerplay permitted / / underline and tag when attacking ↛ battle info
  ⭃ penned by vayle ↛ @vayl3 on discord, feel free to dm for plots.
  

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[HOWLINGSTAR]

There is no answer. Tabby ears flick back in confusion as green eyes narrow, trying to pinpoint what had caused the disturbance, but finding nothing. How does a twig snap out of nowhere with no patrolmates there? Instinctively, she crouches low again, her tail lashing lightly against the forest floor. If it's not a clanmate, it could be a predator that shattered the calm of the hunt. Her gaze sweeps her surroundings cautiously, waiting for the smallest movement, before there is a rustle behind her.

Briarsong emerges from the brush and the leader jerks her head around in surprise before relaxing at the site of the young warrior. All too trusting in her clanmates, Howlingstar does not notice the satisfaction hidden behind the veil of worry. Regaining her composure, she stands up again and steps closer to the black she-cat, "Something startled my prey." As she speaks, she continues to scan the area, her senses on high alert. "Keep your guard up," She instructs in a low murmur, tone firm but carrying that same hint of confusion. "We'll...continue the patrol. Let's find another trail."​

 

[PALEFIRE]

There had been a shift in the air recently. The atmosphere in Thunderclan had grown unusually tense, arguably even more so than when they were dealing with the aftermath of the wolves. This was something different, somehow darker… Palefire couldn’t quite put her paw on it, but something was amiss. She only hoped that it would eventually sort its self out, whatever it was.

The lynx-pointed warrior had tagged along on Howlingstar’s hunting patrol, grateful for any opportunity to improve her skills and also show that she could be useful. Bringing back prey to feed their youngest was the best thing she could do to redeem herself, and she took it very seriously. Knowing that she might also get to impress Howlingstar, who had trailed ahead to follow her own prey, well… that was just an added bonus.

Palefire hadn’t really interacted much with Briarsong, and had never found anything particularly interesting about the new warrior, but otherwise she seemed alright. The black and white molly also peeled off from the group, leaving Palefire to pursue a mouse on her own. Within moments she’d managed to snatch the tiny creature between her jaws, and scrawny as it was, she was glad to know she wouldn’t be returning home empty-pawed today.

But Howlingstar’s sudden call startled her, head whipping around to find the elder tabby through the brush. Concern rippled across her skin as Briarsong asked if she was alright, and the she-cat gathered her mouse and hurried towards the pair of them. She appeared at Howlingstar’s shoulder just as the leader was explaining that she’d heard something in the forest. Brow furrowing, Palefire laid her kill at her paws to free up her voice. “Do you think it’s one of the other clans, stealing prey? Maybe we should come back later with a larger patrol.” After all, Thunderclanners had been guilty of the very same recently; it wouldn’t be a surprise if one of their neighbors decided to retaliate.

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‎‎ooc ♡ info

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  PALEFIRE ♡ she / her, warrior of thunderclan, 17 moons
  ⭃ lh lilac lynx point w/ low white and blue eyes
  ⭃ single, padding after skyclaw / npc x npc / sister to bluestride
  ⭃ mentoring meadowpaw & ivorypaw / formerly mentored by nightbird
  ⭃ peaceful and healing powerplay permitted / all opinions ic
  ⭃ underline and tag when attacking
  ⭃ penned by limerence ↛ @limericks. on discord, dm for plots.

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