no angst THEY CALL ME MR. PIG \ lost baby boar

Between the wind blowing debris into their faces and being perpetually wary of running into boars, the fresh-kill pile has been impressively low as of late. The hunting patrol he’s leading has only just begun their trek into the fierce breath of a storm that never seems to break. Sometimes, the wind is accompanied by a fine mist that stings their flesh, needle-like with the wind’s force, but otherwise the skies remain strangely clear.

Prey scents are difficult to pick up. He finds himself scowling in frustration as a mouse he could not scent or even hear above the cacophony in the air darts for the cover of tree roots. “This is pointless,” he growls, lowering himself into another bit of brush. Movement catches his eye, and he exhales, preparing himself for yet another attempt.

But the creature who greets him is not prey. Blinking right into his face is the tiniest boar he’s seen yet—and he nearly yowls and runs, he’s so startled to find himself face to face with one. But it makes only a muffled squeaking sound, tilting its head at him curiously. Raccoonstripe rises cautiously from his crouch, dark eyes flicking nervously around him.

There are no other boars in sight.

And just what are we meant to do with you?” he wonders aloud, his voice gruff.

// open to any thunderclanners able to be on a patrol! the goal is to somehow get the baby boar back to its herd / mother without disturbing the adults … :)


[ PENNED BY MARQUETTE ]
 
Badgerstrike looks at this little baby pig with its little beady eyes. So small, so innocent. Cute, even. But you know what isn't cute? The way Graystorm was mauled and trampled. The way her brother came back with such a look of horror that she could almost feel it herself. It may be an innocent child for now, but when it grows up, it will be just as vicious as the rest.

"Animals that straggle from their herds are often dinner for someone else." She says, looking down at the piglet. She says it as a suggestion, She knows some may not agree with her, but... That's how life was.

When opportunity is given, it should be taken.

"But I suppose we can try and help it back to it's herd, before it gets upset with us and starts crying." Was she speaking with mercy? Not for the boar, no. If the baby alerts its mother, everyone here is in trouble.​
 
For once, Wolfwind does not instantly jump on an opportunity to bully her uncle. Hunting in this wind is damn - near impossible, and she wouldn't pretend that she's been able to manage much more than a stray mouse or two herself. Wolfwind musters a sigh behind him. "Not sayin' I've given up, buuuut... " –she was kinda gettin' there. When she stops her scanning of the enviornment, she sees the boar.

It's a tiny thing. Doesn't charge at them, or nothin', but damn, if her heartrate doesn't spike on instinct. Being out with her uncles especially has put her on edge as of late. For good reason, she'd think. It's not doin' anythin'. Not doing a thing, really. But Wolfwind watches it with wide eyes anyways. Raccoonstripe wonders what they should do with it.

Animals that straggle from their herds are often dinner for someone else.

I mean, hypothetically they could turn this dud of a hunt into a legendary one, but... She wasn't sure if she wanted to put that much of a target on her own ass. I mean– could boars smell like that? Would the mama know enough to charge into their camp and take 'em down? The thought makes the fur along her neck prickle uncomfortably.

But I suppose we can try and help it back to it's herd. She doesn't like that option, neither. Wolfwind snorts. "You don't got better things to do, Badgerstrike? "
 

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BLIZZARD FANG

Blizzard Fang cannot help but feel glad that the rest of the patrol shares his frustrations. He could feel his senses dulling before the wind, but now with scents being blown every which direction he grew even more confused. It was embarrassing to not offer the clan anything after a hunting patrol… but sometimes that’s the way things go.

The white and gray Tom is startled to find an unusual creature mere mouse-lengths from Raccoonstripe’s paws. The fur along his spine bristles and he stalks forward to join Badgerstrike and Wolfwind, he can’t help but agree with the later… take the thing back to the herd? It sounded mouse-brained. ”You got bees in your brain? The last thing we want to do is go looking for those beasts.” Blizzard Fang huffs. Besides… two more of Howlingstar’s children were on this patrol, he’d not be the one to tell her she’s lost two more because they wanted to return this boar kit back to them!
 
don't try to rush your enemies .
︶꒦꒷♡꒷꒦︶
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Oakfang watched them converse, tail flicking lazily as he sat on his haunches, inspecting his claws. “And what do you suggest we do?” He gazed at Blizzard Fang with a critical eye, brow raised.

“We can’t kill it.” He sighed, leaning to stare at the small thing between Raccoon’s paws. “Pity.” He brushed a claw through his tangled mane. I wonder what it would have tasted like. His nose crinkled, head cocked, staring at the group.

“Best to return it without disturbing the herd.” If only things were that simple. “Unless you want an entire herd searching for its missing kit, no doubt putting the rest of camp and us in danger.” His brow rose, pulling himself to calloused paw pads.

“Of course—” He hummed. “If you prefer leaving it here to babble for its mother, drawing more attention to us, then go for it.” Molten hues narrowed, paw waving in a go-ahead motion, staring at Wolfwind and Blizzard Fang.

He gazes at Badgerstrike, offering a nod of respect. The only one with enough brains to see the bigger picture. “Have any ideas, mhm?” He directed to Badgerstrike, head vered to see what Raccoonstripe wanted to do with the baby boar.

“Shall we find out where the herd is?” He inquired. Better to find them before they find us. He’d rather not be boar food this soon, no less on a hunting patrol. He enjoyed living, even if his eyesight / hearing was starting to waver.

thought speech
 
The frustrated air that had settled over the patrol bothered Cloudyfur. If only so their spirits would improve, she had hoped that Raccoonstripe had finally made a catch when she heard his voice. Instead, she appeared on the scene to find him regarding a tiny, squeaking creature. "Huh." She blinked, regarding the tiny boar with bewilderment. Despite the devastation its kin had wrought, she almost felt bad for it. It was just so tiny and lost.

Not sure what to do, for a few moments she listened to the more experienced warriors deliberate. She almost felt like an apprentice again.

The idea of a stampede of big angry mama boars tearing right through the center of camp sent a shiver down her spine and shook her from her silence. She had seen what the herd had done to the rest of the territory, and that was without the incentive of a missing child. The camp walls would do nothing to stop them. It would be a massacre. They couldn't risk that. "Badgerstrike and Oakheart are right." The young warrior insisted. "We can't risk it. Reuniting it with the rest of them would be safest."

Though she said that, the task seemed near impossible. Keeping track of the herd was a task in and of itself, and one few among their patrol seemed eager to take up. Nevermind returning the child unseen.

"I'll go get eyes on the herd and report back. Hopefully you can figure out something by then?" Cloudyfur offered to Badgerstrike and Oakheart, even though the very thought made her stomach turn. This was to keep her family and friends safe, she reminded herself. She was a warrior now, and that meant doing what needed to be done. No second guessing.

Before she could get cold feet, she turned to race off and try and find the herd.​
 

as the hunt dragged on, she could only feel her frustrations growing larger. they were stuck, it seemed. return empty handed, or stay and fall victim to a loose branch. both were equally draining to imagine. nightbird pulled herself onwards, flicking an ear in agreement to raccoonstripe and wolfwind's sentiments. they were doing nothing but exhausting themselves, morale was lost with each step into the berating winds.

there was no more discussion, however. something else decided to offer input in the form of muffled squeaks. she glared at the small pig, wrinkled her nose at it's wretched scent. of course this thing would stumble up to them. this patrol was close to being full of the least gentle cats to grace thunderclan, starclan was just laughing in their faces at this point.

trapped between a thorn bush and a roaring gorge, to reunite the boar with its herd would be incredibly dangerous, to do nothing and leave it would be a gamble. "lets just bring it to the nursery. i'm sure wrenflutter wouldn't mind another mouth to feed," she huffs, sarcasm dripped from her tone as she inputted another idea. equal to all those that came before it insanity.

she turned her head to face cloudyfur as she offered to scope out the heard, dipping her head into a slight nod. it was a good first step to whatever they decided to do. returning to the group she finally decided to bring a solution to the table that still felt crazy, but a little bit less of a death wish. "if we draw it close enough to be heard by it's group and get it yelling, we could retreat to the trees while they come searching and make a very quiet run for it." none of this was her idea of ideal, but it was apparent they had to do something. "or we just wait til it gets hungry and screams for mommy, brings her in real close to camp." nightbird shrugged, sardonically of course, and sat back waiting for discussion to continue.
 
Wolfwind nods along with Blizzardfang. Not only would stringing this thing along probably take for-damn-ever, but it was blatantly putting them in risk too. She tries not to show how uncomfortable the thought of approaching these things made her, but she can't keep the grimace from her face as the conversation begins moving in that direction. Wolfwind would aim an unimpressed look at Oakfang's gesture, the guy implying a go ahead as if he wasn't the one wanting to spend the whole fuckin' day trying to communicate with this thing

Cloudyfur, fresh as she was, decides to proclaim that they are in fact right. Wolfwind openly frowns at her. She nearly yells after her that literally no one had told her to do that, once she declares she'll scout ahead and runs off with no further word.

But Nightbird offers her a nod, and with Racconstripe's opinion undeclared, Wolfwind can't really contest. The warrior looks after her, muscles bunched as she considers running after her. None of them should be facing those things alone. Despite that, she speaks again before just running off, voice strained. " How do ya'll suppose we simply lead the guy away without putting ourselves at risk, huh? " She'd flash another glance to where Cloudyfur had disappeared to.

" It's quiet enough now. For all we know, it'll make more of a fuss when we start pokin' it. But if mama were to come runnin' while we're not here, with no scary ThunderClanners around to defeat, why wouldn't it just lead the kid back to the herd? " These weren't like foxes– lone and looking for a quick kit snack, they had others to get back too as well. Why would they just linger around here? " Meanwhile, if we approach their herd, well, imagine what the hell we'd do if RiverClan suddenly charged into our camp. We'd flay them. "

Wolfwind sighs, her nerves unable to keep her from Cloudyfur for long. She'd already nearly - died to dogs. Wolfwind wasn't about to let her succumb to some beasts, now. " I'm going after her– because I don't want another one of us to die. This is a stupid idea " she says, frowning to Nightbird before racing after Cloudyfur.

[ ooc: out! ]
 
It’s Badgerstrike who first notices his ‘capture.’ She suggests they try and help it back to its herd—and Raccoonstripe shares Wolfwind and Blizzard Fang’s initial reaction. “And risk being cleaved by its mother’s tusks?” He lashes his tail, doing his best to keep the image of Graystorm’s bloodied body out of his mind. Nightbird’s approach—and her comment about letting the thing nurse on Wrenflutter—earns a snort. He turns his eyes back to the baby pig thoughtfully. “But…” Admittedly, he doesn’t like the idea of leaving it loose in their territory. “If it doesn’t get back somehow, those beasts will come looking for it, right? And we’ll potentially be putting more cats in danger.

He sighs. He does not willingly agree with Oakfang and Badgerstrike, but it seems their options are of the lose / lose variety. He looks at Cloudyfur with narrow eyes, listening with a flicking ear as she says she’ll go look at the herd. He opens his mouth to tell her not to do anything mousebrained, but she takes off before she can listen to reason. His jaw drops, and anger burns in his dark gaze. “I’m going to smack her upside the head—if she comes back alive,” he snarls.

And then his niece is tearing after Cloudyfur. He yells after her, “What am I going to tell Howlingstar and Flycatcher if both of you get killed?” He lowers his voice again. “Worse than mousebrains.

With another snort—this one of contempt rather than amusement—Raccoonstripe turns back to the remaining members of the patrol. “Nightbird has the best idea so far. While those idiots gawk at boars, we’ll try and guide this thing back in the general direction and get rid of it.




[ PENNED BY MARQUETTE ]
 

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BLIZZARD FANG

Blizzard Fang meets Oakfang’s gaze back with furrowed brows, but anything to argue back is stated well by Wolfwind. How did they know the boar kit would for sure draw the entirety of the herd over? How did they know the mother wouldn’t just usher it away from the area, away from their camp? He resists the urge to defend himself and looks at Nightbird, then to Raccoonstripe as Cloudyfur runs off with Wolfwind in tow.

”I don’t like it. Not one bit.” Blizzard Fang meows with a shake of his head, ”But I’m with you. All of you. Let’s get the kit back to its kind.”
 

although vehemently disagreed with, she listens to wolfwind's input calmly, ears slightly tilted back. the blue molly had points, valid ones, but she did not hear another solution offered. she was not so egotistical to believe her idea was the only permissible one, but it seemed as though wolfwind was not open for any criticism of her own, quickly leaving to chase after cloudyfur. "chews us out for suggestin' to find the herd only to tear after it like her tail's on fire," nightbird grumbled, fur prickling slightly at the aggravating irony.

she nods at raccoonstripe's final decision, twitching an ear to listen to blizzard fang's grievances. of course he didn't like it, nobody did. their job was to keep thunderclan safe, it felt like the risk of leaving the thing here would put that at jeopardy. the lead warrior wasn't a fan of unnecessary risk, reckless endangerment. although it was her suggestion, that did not mean she didn't notice the flaws. any number of things could go wrong. at least the older feline was also vocal about his willingness to help rather than scurrying off into the woods, she sends him a thankful nod.

now, there was only one matter left to tend to. how to get the kit moving. sure it sounded easy, if it were anything like their own kits all they needed to do was wave their tail around in front of it's face. "you heard us, get movin' piggy," she prompted the bite-sized boar, moving to tap her tail against its side.