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Post by thistle on Aug 10, 2010 18:44:33 GMT -5
A sleeping shadow lay curled up in the corner of a blackened den. Moss cushioned her flank from the cool dirt wall and allowed the she-cat to have a comfortable evenings sleep without waking up to find her muscles aching. As much as the she-cat appreciated her sleep there was work to be done and her internal clock was nagging at her to open her eyes. Squirming, Cricketsong lay on her back and stretched her limbs upwards, her claws only just skimming the roof that sheltered her as they roused from their sheathes for the day. Finally forcing her eyes open, her pupils wide, she looked to the daylight that was filtering through the exit to the den. Her spirits were dampened as she noticed the gloom that only just managed to light the den. Jumping to her paws the she-cat shook out her soft grey pelt to dispose of any loose bits of moss and opened her maw to scent the air. Not only could she scent her clan mates but she could also scent a dampness hanging overhead. Daintily her paws picked their way through the sleeping warriors and along the tunnel to exit the warriors den. Sinking her claws into the earth above Cricketsong pulled herself from the underground shelter only to be greeted by the drizzle falling from Starclan.
Taking time to look around her she noticed that she wasn't alone, but the camp was still deserted. Maybe Ashstar or Thistleheart would have something for her to do if she managed to run into either one of them. Moving away from the hole in the earth that she called her den she firstly checked the fresh kill pile. There lay scraps of what would have made a tasty meal the previous day. It was a shame there were no queens within the clan at this present time that could make use of the scraps, and as a warrior she had to hunt before she ate. Lying down the smokey she-cat flicked her tail back and forward, hoping that a hunting partner or her apprentice would show up soon. It wasn't the best of weather but these things had to be done. As the she-cat felt her belly rumble she knew that she was willing to go out and hunt if not for her clan then so that she could eat sooner rather than later. Maybe she could be a little selfish at times but it wasn't as if she was planning on breaking the warrior code.
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Willow
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Post by Willow on Aug 10, 2010 18:56:37 GMT -5
Morninglight was awoken by the soft rustling of pawsteps as Cricketsong left the den, and the brightness of sunlight on her eyes. She instinctively drew them to slits, blocking out most of the morning light, as her eyes gradually grew used to it. Still feeling a little drowsy but knowing she wouldn't be able to get any more sleep now even if she wanted to, she lifted herself to her paws, and trying not to wake anymore sleepy warriors, left the den for the sun-filled clearing in the middle of camp.
It was mostly empty, and the first cat she noticed was Cricketsong, sunning, but still looking fairly impatient. She was right beside the almost empty fresh-kill pile, and it immediately became obvious what the warrior's intention's were. She padded silently over to the other she-cat, and promptly flopped down next to her while flashing her a kind smile.
"I suppose you want to fill up the fresh-kill pile too?" She asked, even though it was quite obvious what the answer would be. "Do you want to hunt with me?" She wondered briefly whether maybe she should have waited a bit longer with that question. It was actually quite nice here.. in the sand, under a cloudless, sunny sky.
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Post by thistle on Aug 10, 2010 19:15:23 GMT -5
It was a short while before her senses picked up another cat, by the sounds of their tread she guessed it was a she-cat. Quickly she scented the air only to find out it was Morninglight. Cricketsong liked to know what to expect before she was faced with anything. The she-cat may have interrupted her sunning, which irritated her slightly but she did want to go hunting and well, it was on offer she couldn't refuse. It was a moment before she opened her eyes to reveal amber coloured orbs. Her pupils quickly went from being large black pools to narrowed slits. Turning to face Morninglight she did a once over before she began a conversation. The younger she-cat was predictable to her, sweet, innocent and looking to settle down. Although Morninglight wasn't one of her closest friends she was overall a nice she-cat and before long the edges of Cricketsong's maw twitched upwards. The beginnings of a friendly expression.
"Good morning, Morninglight." She meowed softly. This was partly true, but her paws still felt slightly weary from the previous day. "Yes, I could do with something to eat I didn't exactly get my fill yesterday." She added in a friendly tone. She sat for a minute longer, enjoying the sunlight, before she got to her paws and looked down at Morninglight expectantly. "Shall we see if another cat wishes to join us before we leave?" Cricketsong suggested. The more help the better, but she was skilled so she didn't need a lot of help.
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Willow
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Post by Willow on Aug 10, 2010 19:29:23 GMT -5
Morninglight thought she saw hints of annoyance in Cricketsong as she had interrupted the she-cat, but she tried not to dwell on that too much, and turned to her tendency to always look at things on the bright side. Cricketsong is a kind she-cat, and she won't eat you, Morninglight. The optimist inside her murmured.
"Shall we see if another cat wishes to join us before we leave?"
The words sounded absent in her ears. She hadn't been paying attention, as she had been distracting herself. She blinked for a moment, letting the words sink in, before replying, now making sure her mind wasn't wandering off anymore as it just had.
"Yes, that sounds great." Morninglight smiled, and immediately cast her glance around the clearing for any available cats. Unfortunately, it was still early in the morning, and besides the two of them, the camp was empty. "I suppose we'll have to wait, though." She replied, her eyes still shooting from one side to the other, until they rested on the warriors den, in the hope that a warrior might just come trotting out, having chosen the perfect timing.
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Post by xxshadelle on Aug 10, 2010 19:40:19 GMT -5
The absence of warmth on both of Blackflame's flanks alerted her that both her Clanmates had risen from their nests. The young cat's sleep-drowsy brain slowly focused into wakefulness, mentally preparing its body for the endavours of the day. Summoning what strength she had gained from the previous night's sleep, the black calico she-cat cracked open her alert cyan eyes and rose on all fours. She let out a yawn and a lucious stretch, arching her spine and enjoying the relaxing feel of her muscles loosening beneath her pelt, but not for long. Blackflame neatened up her nest with a few sweeps of her brilliant tail and flattened some ruffled fur before loping outside, purring at the feel of sunlight on her back.
The calico warrior detected the scent of her Clanmates before she saw them; her eyes needed time to adjust to the bright light of day. Blackflame let a small smile take hold of her muzzle as she padded towards them on dainty white paws, tail bobbing back and forth to the steady rythem of her steps. Bypassing the fresh-kill pile, Blackflame sat on the free side of Cricketsong, dipping her head politely to Morninglight as she did so. She did not know Morninglight personally, or very well at all for that matter, but none the less Blackflame respected her fellow warrior as she would respect anyone.
"Are you two thinking of setting up a hunting patrol?" came the outright question. The calico warrior's voice was smoother than pebbles over water on normal occasions, but any cat who had heard her when she was agitated would know that Blackflame's voice could transform from a purr to a furious rasp in a heartbeat. Waiting for a reply from her fellow warriors with a seemingly endless patience, Blackflame turned her cyan gaze to the sadly almost bare kill pile; some cat would have to send a patrol to stock up soon, seeing as the Clan was growing at an alarming rate. What Blackflame had found peculiar was that loners and rouges had been appearing more frequently, too. She never paid much attention to it, and she didn't think of them as much of a threat at all. But the black calico she-cat still harbored an awful feeling deep inside her, crowded in with the very manifesting of her instincts that something would go horribly wrong if the non-Clan cats were not dealt with.
She shoved the thoughts to the back of her mind for further processing, and then once again took notice of the two warriors sitting before her, still waiting on a reply from either one.
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Vespera
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Post by Vespera on Aug 10, 2010 19:52:07 GMT -5
Copperpaw, out of his good deeds, friendly demeanor, longing to please and gentlemanly behavior, was not a good morning cat. It wasn't that he hated the morning. On the contrary, he loved the peace and quiet it offered. No, that wasn't the problem. The problem was that, with the heat of the other apprentices soaking into his thick fur and the drowsy fog still befuddling his mind, it took a mass of self control in order to get himself too wake up. But, alas, he did. His eyes slowly drew open, as slow as the sun was coming over the horizon. Before he had even removed his tail from his nose, his eyes did a sweep over the apprentice den. No one else was awake. Now that was a first. Like he said, Copperpaw was never the first to rise - or shine - first. In fact, his shining time was around noon. That was when his eyes shone with full alertness. Now, his eyes were half lidded as he stood slowly, as if his joints were old and creaking, and stretched. His side was a little sore - apparently someone had pushed him into the wall while he slept. Copperpaw decided it was best to walk it off - so he stepped as lightly as his mind would allow him without full cognition. He crept out of the den - the warmth, the fur, the sleep - and into the cold morning light. He yawned and stretched and shook himself out, shivering from the lack of warmth the sun offered. That was when he noticed the others. Three warriors. And he noticed something else... a dwindling fresh-kill pile.
(No dialogue! I typed this as fast as I could .xD))
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Post by thistle on Aug 11, 2010 8:14:59 GMT -5
Cricketsong had never intended to come across as unfriendly but sometimes that just happened. She was calculating and had a habit of surveying body language like a hawk. Yes, Morninglight was her clan mate but she hadn't gotten to know the she-cat properly. As a result of this she was unable to trust her properly, even though she was clearly a perfectly honorable warrior. "Hm yes, our clan mates appear to be a little lazy." She joked warm-heartedly. Just as Cricketsong was preparing to settle down again they were joined by her mottled friend Blackflame.
The two warriors had grown up together, Cricketsong being only a moon older. Her tail flicked Blackflame on the shoulder as in informal greeting before she replied to her friends question. "How did you guess?" She purred knowingly. "Actually you are welcome to join us, we were just waiting for someone to appear." She added, glancing at Morninglight out of the corner of her eye to make sure she was ok with this. Whether or not she was though was a totally different matter, Blackflame was her friend and she wanted her to join them. Taking a minute to swipe her tongue over her pelt she noticed a red coloured tom lurking.
"Copperpaw?" She called out to the apprentice. Cricketsong has a quick glance around to see if Heatherfur was around, but surely the she-cat wouldn't be mad if they were to take her apprentice out. Her tail flicked as a signal that the apprentice should come and join the three warriors. "Would you like to come hunting with us?" She asked. Looking at the tom she couldn't help but notice their eyes were level in height which intimidated her a little considering the tom was only an apprentice, but she wasn't the tallest she-cat around.
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Ember
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Post by Ember on Aug 11, 2010 18:32:11 GMT -5
Bright sunlight filtered through the entrance to the warrior's den, making Emberfall wince and cover his eyes with his paws. He hated mornings. Hiding from it only seemed to make the light angrier, as it seemed to heat up and glare at the drowsy tom. He let out a muffled groan, moving his paws away and lifting his head up slowly, amber eyes fluttering open. He stayed there for a moment, in that exact position, just thinking about the things sure to come that day. Hunting, patrolling, eating, then starting all over again. Letting out another groan, though this time a little quieter and less begrudging, he dragged himself to his paws and padded out of the den. Shivering slightly, he realized that indeed it was not hot and the sun was not all that bright, it had just been reflecting off of the snow and right at him. He flicked one ear back, feeling a bit on the stupid side. Suddenly something caught his eye. There was a small group of cats gathered together by the faltering fresh-kill pile... They were probably going on a hunt. The tom glanced around camp, his gaze finally settling on his paws, trying to decide whether or not he wanted to go hunting with these cats. Really his soul ached to do so, but he was a bit frightened to approach them. He felt inferior compared to the group of warriors (and Copperpaw). They probably didn't wnat him to go. They probably already had enough cats. But really, could another hurt? He flattened both ears back against his head, fretting over the situation. "Hey! Mind if I join you guys? The more the merrier." He gave them a bright, cheery smile, though on the inside he was sort of terrified of what their response would be to him.
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Post by lazer on Aug 11, 2010 18:51:07 GMT -5
Feeling the heat leaving the warrior's den quickly, Dawnfur opened one golden eye, watching as yet another cat left the den. The female sighed, lifting her head fully from where it was, hidden behind her tail and hind paws.
The chocolate female pushed herself up into a sitting position, yawning slightly and licking one paw. As the cold started to touch her fur, she sighed softly, rising fully to her paws and moving out into the camp.
She twitched one ear as she watched a few of the cats stirring about, and then she smiled softly, seeing the fuzzy brown quad colored tom apprentice bounding towards her.
The hyper little cat slid to a stop just before crashing into Dawnfur, letting out a quick mew of good morning. Before Dawnfur could respond, Cicadapaw had dashed back off, running at full speed. She let out a soft laugh, seeing Cicadapaw bounce over to a, what seemed to be, large patrol.
He came powering back quickly though, his sister appearing from the apprentice den. Cicadapaw sat down by Dawnfur for a few seconds, and then he jumped up, his eyes hyper.
"Dawnfur, can we ask Thistleheart if you, Adderdance, and me can go on Dawn Patrol? Pllleeeeeaaaasssseee?"
She watched the little tom dance around and sighed, nodding her head, a smile touching her muzzle.
"Alright Cicadapaw. When I see Thistleheart and Adderdance, I'll find out. For now, let's leave the hunting patrol alone, they have a lot of cats already, plus Rabbitpaw."
Dawnfur had to add this since Rabbitpaw was padding her way towards the hunting patrol from the apprentice den.
Being within ear shot, Dawnfur heard the female ask Cricketsong if she could come.
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Willow
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Post by Willow on Aug 11, 2010 19:09:44 GMT -5
Morninglight had already been all too happy to accept Blackflame and Copper into the hunting party, but Cricketsong had been ahead of her. Now she was left with the decision for Emberfall. There was truth in the tom's words, however. The more the merrier.
But no matter, she soon decided she didn't have to heart to say no even if she wanted to. Not that she did.
"Of course!" She smiled at the warrior taking him in more thoroughly. He was large, and obviously had the looks of a great and valuable hunter. His size made him look a little imposing, but the fear in his amber eyes betrayed him.
Lowering her eyes to the sandy ground, and a little ashamed of herself for carrying that awful scrutinizing look on her face, again, she lifted herself to her paws. She hoped he hadn't noticed, but she tried to keep her mind on the assumption that they were now ready to leave on a good hunting patrol. Her eyes darted over the remaining cats, still sitting, expectantly.
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