pafp Tonight, it's a hunter's moon ✶ Hunting differences

[Owlheart]

Tracking and hunting was a favoured pastime for Owlheart, she loved the rush of wind as she gave chase and the thrill of managing a difficult catch. She liked to believe that Dovescar had taught her well in all that they knew. She firmly believes that her experiences with her mentor had moulded her into who she is now. The tangerine tabby often wondered if she had been mentored by someone else that may have been different. She shuddered at the thought of it, much preferring the life that she was living now. Happy to be adept at what she was, but often she wondered about those who were from outside of the clan.

Especially the older joiners, did their experiences shape how they hunt? She considers Bat and his capabilities and wonders if others' experiences were differing. She wasn't too sure if rogues all learnt from similar experiences or how different everything truly was. Copia was a joining warrior that she hadn't spoken to before apart from pleasantries. She hadn't been one to pass by him when hunting so what his skill set consisted of was a mystery to her. Today marked change though, today she and Copia had broken off from the hunting patrol together.

“Were you taught to hunt before joining?” Her question isn't pointed. Blunt in phrasing but her pleasant tone worked hard to soften the harsher edges to it. She smiles as she speaks, glancing around their surroundings for any obvious visual signs of prey. No obvious tracks marked on the ground but usually they could only be so lucky when muddy ground preserved tracks. She shifts her jaw with a click from one side to the other as she trudges deeper through the pines.

“I'd like to see how you used to hunt… if you don't mind? Everyone in SkyClan hunts a little differently so I'd like to see how you do it” Owlheart had always been direct and to the point with her statements. Not trying to make pleasantries while doing something that she deemed so important such as hunting. Taking in the air around her she inhales to try and find a scent, a fresh squirrel scent catching her attention.

She lifts a paw to gesture to her left “there should be a squirrel there, if you don't mind could you show me how you'd catch that?” Her meow is quiet, trying to stay hushed while there was the possibility of scaring off prey. Her feathery tail flutters behind her as she stalks alongside Copia. Unsure if what she had asked of him was too much, curiosity takes hold of any form of politeness she carries in this moment.

// Please wait for @COPIA
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[COPIA]

Despite the fact that he and Owlheart were raised into very different life styles, the older tom couldn't think more similarly to her. The black smoke feline was raised on the streets of the twolegplace; living in the dark and secluded alleyways. One would think you would be on your own in the twolegplace; but he hadn't been, no. He had his relatives, and other strays that devoted themselves to Nox— the small group of cats is nothing when compared to SkyClan, but he had them. In a way, he guesses he was 'mentored' by his brother, Terzo. It was nothing like an apprenticeship here, He thinks back to his late brother as he follows along after Owlheart, as the two break away from their hunting patrol.

Copia was taught how to survive by his brother. Living in the twolegplace, and not within the walls of a warm nest, is nothing but dangerous. He was taught how to hunt, to scavenge prey, and how to defend himself. Unlike the clans in the vast forest, rogues do not know— nor care —for borders. You always had to be on your guard while trekking through the alleyways. Even around those you supposedly trust; and his heart twists at the thought.

She speaks up as the two look around for any nearby prey, and the black smoke looks over at her with his mismatched eyes. "Were you taught to hunt before joining?" The older tom blinks at the words that leave her maw. Her tone might be soft, and it's supposed to soften the blow, but the tom briefly debates if she's being sincere or condescending. His tail twitches slightly, and the former rogue formulates a response. "I was taught, eh, to hunt, yes." Copia's torn ear flicks as they trudge further into the pines, and the young warrior speaks again.

How I used to hunt? His paws shift as her question reaches his ears, How is it any different than how I hunt now? (Well— the one difference is the more abundance of prey here, ha!) "Er, sure? I can show you," He almost sounds uncertain in his mew; wondering if it would really be that different. He sniffs the air after her her, his nose wrinkling at the fresh scent squirrel nearby. He looks to his left, and her quiet mew reaches his ears as he crouches down to the earthly floor.

Hunting live prey was a luxury back in the twolegplace. Mice often try to live in twoleg nests, and rats lurk in twoleg dumpsters; and can leave quite a nasty bite. He always had to have concern about food being poisoned by twolegs, as they never seemed to like having rodents in, or even lurking by, their nests. Thus, if they were to scavenge for food— whether prey or twoleg junk— they had to be desperate for a meal.

He silently stalks forward, mismatched eyes locked onto the oblivious squirrel. He ensures he doesn't step onto anything that'll give him away, and as he gets close enough to pounce, he can almost taste the squirrel in his mouth as his nose wrinkles. Ears pinning to his skull, the black smoke feline pounces at his target— swiftly killing the squirrel with a bite to the neck. His tail swishes, and the prey goes limp; but the former rogue does not give thanks, or praise, to StarClan.

His belly rumbles at the taste in his mouth, and the black smoke pads back over to her. He drops the prey at her paws, and he wonders how closely she was watching him. "Would you like to have some?" He asks as he prods the squirrel, do they really have to wait? It's just one squirrel.​

𝐨𝐨𝐜 ――― 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭

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  artwork by me
  
• Copia

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  warrior
  33 moons
  awkward
  clumsy
  experience: shadowing
  backstory: [HYPERLINK]
  biography: [HYPERLINK]
  pixel by nopeita <3
  

  cisgender male [he / him]
  eyes: green & white
  pelt: black smoke with low white
  fur length: long
  parents: sorella and nihil (rogue npcs)
  

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[TWITCHBOLT]

Twitchbolt was branchborne, as ever. it would be no surprise to anyone who knew him to find him in the arms of the pine needles. Always had he been a proficient climber- it was an interest he'd first voiced to Daisyflight, in fact, the first day they went out to train together. Since then, he'd always felt most at home among the trees, scruffy fur whipped by the kind winds. The higher he went, the more of SkyClan there was to see- the more clouds loomed overhead, the more connection he felt in his heart to SkyClan.

And maybe it was stupid to feel so grounded by being up in the air, but ... he was SkyClan born, SkyClan raised. Hunting, battle, life- it all revolved around being up there.

It would be different for a cat raised in the streets- like many of SkyClan's founding members, like many of those they took in now. Hearing the slight buzz of conversation nearby, Twitchbolt prepared to descend to meet Copia and Owlheart ... but upon seeing the hunched hunting crouch of the dark tom, he stopped in his tracks. A nearby squirrel was caught with efficiency, the sort of desperate but effective speed he expected from someone unused to forest prey for much of his life. What really grabbed his attention was Copia's next offer...

Good at hunting, yes. The Warrior Code... not quite.

Disapproval flickered dark in olivine eyes, but he kept still for the moment, swivelling his attention to Owlheart. He could trust her to refuse, he was sure of it ... but he was there in case she didn't have the foresight to stop Copia from taking a bit out of it, too.​

penned by pin ✧​

 

[Owlheart]

She smiles at the fact that Copia agrees, she would have understood if he did say no, dissapointed but she'd undestand. The curiosity is evident as a shimmer in her golden eyes as she watches him close enough in his element. That glimmer changes to looking impressed, a soft exhale escaping her as she nods in approval. A ginger ear flicks as her tail lashes in curiosity, arching with her fur puffed, some form of excitement. A second hand adrenalin from witnessing the hunt, it appears that he handled himself fine in the streets of Twolegplace, at least in regards to hunting. She wonders for a brief moment if the taste of Twolegplace mice is different to the mice of the pines, that isn't what his prize is though. Instead he jumps for a squirrel, it looks rather plump and should happily feed a kit or two in the nursery, maybe even a queen.

That isn't what Copia had in mind it seems, she could swear that she heard his stomach rumble from here. That neutral smile fades into something as close to stern as Owlheart could muster, which wasn't really stern at all. Rather just something impassive, unreadable as she looks him up and down. Was this some kind of test? Was he being serious or was he just joking, she couldn't really tell. Unsure of how much of the Warrior Code has been implemented into his mind yet, it takes some getting used to. She can excuse a lack of verbal thanks given to StarClan, as she knew a lot of warriors claimed to do that mentally.

As she stared at the squirrel laid at her paws she felt a creep crawl up her spine, eyes were on her somewhere but she couldn't place it. They wouldn't be the only ones hunting in these pines and she hoped that someone else would butt in but... just in case no one did she needed to set a firm stance. "I uh. That goes against the Warrior Code Copia" she reminds him with a soft tone, looking down at the prey then back at the tom. "We have to take it back to the fresh-kill pile, queens, kits, elders, sick or injured cats eat before us" with one swift movement she picks the prey up and places it in front of his own paws. She wasn't sure if anyone in SkyClan was injured or sick currently but thought it might be best to lay out the code in full.

A silent challenge, a silent hope that he can be trusted to follow the code. "Lets take this back, we can share a meal after everyone else has eaten, how does that sound?" She didn't see the point in solely reprimanding him for what she hoped was an honest mistake. Maybe trying to reach a compromise wasn't the best idea either but she thought that it would feel like he could be trusted here.
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