WATCH YOUR BACK — hunting patrol

[Orangestar]

Orangestar hasn't led a hunting patrol in moons. She's never particularly liked them, preferring the security of knowing where her Clanmates are at all times like she does on a border patrol. But now, with a haphazard group of SkyClanners who are shades of eager to hunt in the waning leafbare and her apprentice so close to being free from camp duties, she tries to approach the task with new eyes.

They're hunting near twolegplace today, she's decided. Maybe they'll manage to find some mice, flushed into the territory by screeching twolegs (she'd seen it happen once; why in StarClan's name would something as big as a twoleg be afraid of a little mouse?).

What she doesn't expect to find, however, is the reek of dog. Orangestar flattens her ears as the wind changes, head jerking to her left. Right on cue, she sees a dark shape thump to the ground through the trees. Her teeth grit. Immediately she's glancing around, hoping to find a quick escape route, but ... there seems to be no need.

Orangestar can feel its heavy gaze upon her, but it hasn't stood up. The brindled dog hasn't lunged forward with frothing jaws baring sharp teeth. There's no rustle of movement from it at all aside from a steadily rising flank, though the reek of this beast must have scared away half the prey between here and twolegplace.

"... Give it a wide berth. If it stands, get up a tree."

// prompt: your patrol encounters a non-aggressive dog, that just seems to be watching from a distance.​

 

[Ekat]

Ekat has encountered more than enough dangers during her time within the forest as a loner. Whether it was the treachery of other cats who'd rather fight tooth and claw than set foot within the same hunting grounds, or the silent threat of nature's power that loomed over their heads with static-heavy storm clouds or the crack of ice underpaw — it made the young she-cat startle at every little sound during the patrol, fur prick along her spine with each flitting shadow.

And so, when the hunting patrol feels the weight of a canine's eyes on them, the sudden scent of the creature hitting the roofs of their mouths with the shifting of the breeze, Ekat flattens herself to the dying grass beneath them in panic, the hair of her pelt rising as she trembles. Normally, the midnight-furred feline would be inclined to make a run for it, but Orangestar's voice keeps her itching paws from bolting. It isn't just her and her father anymore, the she-cat reminds herself. She has the rest of the SkyClan patrol with her, and they won't leave her behind just as she shouldn't abandon them to save her own skin, either. With a nervous gulp, Ekat turns her attention to the leader — ready to continue following Orangestar's directions despite her trembling limbs.​

 

[SILVERSMOKE]

Doubling up on patrols wasn't uncommon for the tom, once his duty in the Twolegplace was over, he'd insisted on following Orangeblossom out into the territory to catch something other than kittypets hoping to join. Being so close to the no-furs again was unfortunate, but not as unfortunate as the distinct canid smell that wafted through the air. Orangestar spotted it first and Silversmoke's gaze quickly followed, claws unsheathed as it met the dark blob peering through a gap in the trees. Fur bristled and stood to attention, the Lead Warrior's tail lashing at how unnerving the sight was - Twolegs finding it acceptable to keep such wretched beasts felt like more evidence of their cruelty, even as it remained motionless, Silver could only wonder how much prey the clan would lose due to its presence. Spine arched and body sideways to the dog, the tom listened to Orangestar's words with the twitch of tufted ears. His attention briefly shot to the treelines, then once more to the canine. "If it goes for us, I'll lead it back to the Twolegplace." He would just have to trust that not every Twoleg was a monster, that one would notice the dog and take pity on the fleeing cat - Stars, it sounded like an awful plan now that he thought about it.


[ @CROWPAW! ]
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