ThunderClan Territory

[Role]

Originally Posted by Charmer

Morningblue saw the she-cat perk up and felt her nudge him for attention before she began to stalk off. He followed behind her and parted his jaws, but couldn't imagine what she must be smelling. There wasn't a whiff of mouse, shrew or any other rodents around as far as he could tell. Suddenly, Rosebelly halted as if she had spotted what she'd been tracking and he crouched beside her, not wanting to frighten off whatever she found. But what had she found exactly? The tom watched the forest floor carefully for any scuttling movement, but there was nothing. Then he heard it. The distinct croak of a tiny frog broke the silence. It was there on the ground in front of them, plain as day. Morningblue was stunned that she'd been able to track it. To him, frogs just smelled like water. He saw the shecat extended her claws and decided to keep still, ready to assist in case she missed, though he had a feeling she could handle it just fine.

Rosebelly wiggled her haunches, and pounced. The frog was slimy, and almost made Rosebelly recoil with disgust. With a swift nip, the frog stopped struggling. "Dinner," she chuckled. "There's probably tons of these around." Rosebelly dropped her frog, dug a hole, and buried the frog. With that, she parted her jaws and took another deep breath. Her ears craned to listen for the slightest rustling of leaves, or the slightest sniffling of prey. "Can you hear anything?" Her gleaming, amber eyes rested on Morningblue.

[lone]

Originally Posted by Random Melody

"Ha ha!" For the small time that Mintkit was "pinning" Marshpaw, she had her nose pressed to his, grinning in a teasing manner. "Who's the Champion now, Marshy-- Whoa!" A surprised squeal escaped her when he began pushing her off, only to lift her up into the air slightly. Gasping, the she-kit clung to his paws, looking down at him through wide ice blue eyes. But they held no fear, just surprise at first, and then amazement. Was she that small, where he could lift her up so easily? A laugh escaped her lips, a grin spreading across her maw in an instant. "I feel like im flying." She admitted, mostly to herself. She continued holding onto him, though, not too keen on falling even though it wasn't that much of a height difference. Okay. That was a lie. Compared to how close she usually was to the ground, this was like standing on top of the Highpeak! Not that she'd ever been on top of the Highpeak, having sneaked out while her mother was asleep... No, definitely not.

So maybe she had more of an adventurous streak than she'd given herself credit for. She wrinkled her nose and drew her whiskers back playfully when he teased her, sticking her tongue out at him again. "Cutie? I'm not cute. I'm vicious. Rawr!" As if to prove a point, she let out what was probably the most squeaky growl ever as she flicked her paws down, attempting to bat at his nose, but it was obvious she would fail. At least until he lowered her to the ground, then she managed to deliver a few gentle bats to his nose, scampering forward since he was still on the ground.

"You tired?" Mintkit sat down in front of him, reaching out to poke his nose gently with a paw, then his ears, then his forehead, giggling to herself. She didn't exactly know why she was acting like such a kit, but she liked it. It felt like she was still young and immature, but also a little too intelligent for her age. The blue-point Siamese laid down as well, the tips of her paws lightly pressed to Marshpaw's chest as she stretched her head out to rest it over his shoulder, peering down at him through soft ice blue eyes. "I'm not tired." She boasted, a smirk tugging at her maw. "I'm pretty energized actually. But if you're tired, I wouldn't mind if you wanna go back." She offered kindly, tilting her head at him. She wasn't sure if he'd want to head back to camp for a nap or not; Hopefully not. She wanted to continue the sparring match, but he hadn't gotten up, so she assumed he was either tired or wanted to do something else. If that was the case, Mintkit let her eyes flicker around, What else could we do? Hm.

Well, Marshpaw thought that Mintkit was just absolutely adorable. Especially her reaction to him lifting her up, the look on her face was priceless! The darkly colored tom smiled at her, his eyes sparkling cheerfully as he held her there. "Flying, huh?" Gently he swayed his paws side to side, as though giving her the sensation that she actually was flying. Marshpaw would have loved to be able to fly. Of course he was too big for Mintkit to lift him up - wouldn't that be something? The sight of him, Marshpaw, being lifted in the air by a kit! Now that really would be priceless. Bright eyes twinkled and snapped as he looked up at her. "Oh. My. Gosh." He mewed slowly, his expression suddenly changing and then his eyes widened in a surprised manner, something that made him look almost more innocent then he actually was, and then it changed back to his normal (playful and excited) expression.

"That is the cutest growl ever! You just can't be fierce, you're too precious!" Marshpaw mewed. This was part of the reason why he loved kits so much. They were absolutely precious. They were miracles of nature, if you asked him - although it wasn't really like anybody ever did. Marshpaw purred, his tail sort of flopping against the cold, hard ground - and it would have been swishing from side to side, had the tom been able to get it far enough up. As it was, it was more or less flopping, and looking quite ungraceful. It looked like a fish, or a dying bird, or a snake - in any case, something that Marshpaw didn't care to have his tail looking like. And had it been anyone else, he might have fixed that right away. Possibly stopped. Or he could have kept going, who knew? But Marshpaw didn't care. And he was positive his companion wouldn't. Why should she, when they were having the time of their lives? And honestly, that seemed pretty accurate to Marshpaw. The time of their lives. That was exactly what this was.

Another purr rumbled in his throat as he watched her. After putting her down, amusement sparkled in his optics as she eagerly bounced around, batting at his nose (which made him almost sneeze several times), and then jumping away in the most kit-like way possible. The tom had always known it was there, because after all - if she had been acting all mature and calm around her family, well, there was bound to be some part of her that was crazy! No one just acted calm for fun. It wasn't fun. They acted that way because it was either how they had been taught, or they had been born that way (parents' genes) or they had picked it up from someone else. Sounded like Mintkit had a couple of calmer influences in her life, maybe they had convinced her that it was the "cool" thing to do.

Again a purr rumbled in his throat, and he put his head on the ground until he heard her question. Him? Tired? Ha, that was funny! Marshpaw was never tired! Although, if he were being honest, he did feel a little worn out after the sparring match with Mintkit. Yet he wanted to do it again. And again. On and on and on until the day was over and it was time for her to head back to her family, he wanted to do it. "Me? Tired? You wish!" He laughed, and with that, the tom sprang to his paws. His tail was twitching back and forth and his eyes gleamed with excitement as he watched his companion. If she thought he was tired, she had another thing coming.

True, he might have been a little worn out, but again - since when had he passed up a game? Since never, that was when. "Let's go!" He crouched down, tail lashing back and forth in a traditional battle stance, and got ready to spring at the other cat.

[Charmer]

Originally Posted by Role

Rosebelly wiggled her haunches, and pounced. The frog was slimy, and almost made Rosebelly recoil with disgust. With a swift nip, the frog stopped struggling. "Dinner," she chuckled. "There's probably tons of these around." Rosebelly dropped her frog, dug a hole, and buried the frog. With that, she parted her jaws and took another deep breath. Her ears craned to listen for the slightest rustling of leaves, or the slightest sniffling of prey. "Can you hear anything?" Her gleaming, amber eyes rested on Morningblue.

Morningblue watched as Rosebelly easily dispatched the frog and buried it to pick up later. It would be a small meal, but welcome in these prey-short times, and he was grateful that she had thought to look for it. As she looked at him, he felt his ear twitch. Those amber eyes felt a bit like they were looking right into him. Still, he perked up his ears and listened. "Crickets," he meowed sarcastically as he listened to the night, unable to hear any scuttling or prey in the underbrush. But he continued to listen and all at once, he sat up, alert. There was a rumbling scratching sound, very low and very faint. He turned, trying to spot to source of the noise. He lowered his head, and found that the rumbling was coming from the ground. "I think I can hear a mole nearby."

[Role]

Originally Posted by Charmer

Morningblue watched as Rosebelly easily dispatched the frog and buried it to pick up later. It would be a small meal, but welcome in these prey-short times, and he was grateful that she had thought to look for it. As she looked at him, he felt his ear twitch. Those amber eyes felt a bit like they were looking right into him. Still, he perked up his ears and listened. "Crickets," he meowed sarcastically as he listened to the night, unable to hear any scuttling or prey in the underbrush. But he continued to listen and all at once, he sat up, alert. There was a rumbling scratching sound, very low and very faint. He turned, trying to spot to source of the noise. He lowered his head, and found that the rumbling was coming from the ground. "I think I can hear a mole nearby."

Her whiskers twitches with amusement. Of course there were crickets around! Then, Rosebelly immediately straightened as he spoke again. "Is it below us? Or is it ahead?" The ginger she-cat stood rigid, careful not to move. Moving could alert the mole through vibrations. She knew this from experience. A couple of moons ago she had been tracking the blind creatures, but as soon as she took a few clumsy paw steps, they all stopped. Not moving as they located the rodents was the best idea, in her opinion. Rosebelly craned her ears to listen for the mole. There was, in fact, a distant scuffling noise. Rosebelly grinned, her mouth watering at the thought of prey.

[Charmer]

Originally Posted by Role

Her whiskers twitches with amusement. Of course there were crickets around! Then, Rosebelly immediately straightened as he spoke again. "Is it below us? Or is it ahead?" The ginger she-cat stood rigid, careful not to move. Moving could alert the mole through vibrations. She knew this from experience. A couple of moons ago she had been tracking the blind creatures, but as soon as she took a few clumsy paw steps, they all stopped. Not moving as they located the rodents was the best idea, in her opinion. Rosebelly craned her ears to listen for the mole. There was, in fact, a distant scuffling noise. Rosebelly grinned, her mouth watering at the thought of prey.

"I'm having trouble telling..." Morningblue stood straight, listened to the air, then dipping his head to the ground again. He began to feel a little frantic as he listened. A mole could grow to be quite large and might provide the clan with a much needed piece of prey. He couldn't miss this. He couldn't afford to. He listened hard, but the worry growing within him threatened to overtake his senses. "This way, I think," as he stepped forward, the scuffling stopped and he froze. For an agonizing moment, he thought he had scared it off, but a moment later, the soft sound resumed and gave him a much more precise idea of it's location. The tom crouched and began to creep forward. "This way," he whispered.

[Random Melody]

Originally Posted by Lonestar23

Well, Marshpaw thought that Mintkit was just absolutely adorable. Especially her reaction to him lifting her up, the look on her face was priceless! The darkly colored tom smiled at her, his eyes sparkling cheerfully as he held her there. "Flying, huh?" Gently he swayed his paws side to side, as though giving her the sensation that she actually was flying. Marshpaw would have loved to be able to fly. Of course he was too big for Mintkit to lift him up - wouldn't that be something? The sight of him, Marshpaw, being lifted in the air by a kit! Now that really would be priceless. Bright eyes twinkled and snapped as he looked up at her. "Oh. My. Gosh." He mewed slowly, his expression suddenly changing and then his eyes widened in a surprised manner, something that made him look almost more innocent then he actually was, and then it changed back to his normal (playful and excited) expression.

"That is the cutest growl ever! You just can't be fierce, you're too precious!" Marshpaw mewed. This was part of the reason why he loved kits so much. They were absolutely precious. They were miracles of nature, if you asked him - although it wasn't really like anybody ever did. Marshpaw purred, his tail sort of flopping against the cold, hard ground - and it would have been swishing from side to side, had the tom been able to get it far enough up. As it was, it was more or less flopping, and looking quite ungraceful. It looked like a fish, or a dying bird, or a snake - in any case, something that Marshpaw didn't care to have his tail looking like. And had it been anyone else, he might have fixed that right away. Possibly stopped. Or he could have kept going, who knew? But Marshpaw didn't care. And he was positive his companion wouldn't. Why should she, when they were having the time of their lives? And honestly, that seemed pretty accurate to Marshpaw. The time of their lives. That was exactly what this was.

Another purr rumbled in his throat as he watched her. After putting her down, amusement sparkled in his optics as she eagerly bounced around, batting at his nose (which made him almost sneeze several times), and then jumping away in the most kit-like way possible. The tom had always known it was there, because after all - if she had been acting all mature and calm around her family, well, there was bound to be some part of her that was crazy! No one just acted calm for fun. It wasn't fun. They acted that way because it was either how they had been taught, or they had been born that way (parents' genes) or they had picked it up from someone else. Sounded like Mintkit had a couple of calmer influences in her life, maybe they had convinced her that it was the "cool" thing to do.

Again a purr rumbled in his throat, and he put his head on the ground until he heard her question. Him? Tired? Ha, that was funny! Marshpaw was never tired! Although, if he were being honest, he did feel a little worn out after the sparring match with Mintkit. Yet he wanted to do it again. And again. On and on and on until the day was over and it was time for her to head back to her family, he wanted to do it. "Me? Tired? You wish!" He laughed, and with that, the tom sprang to his paws. His tail was twitching back and forth and his eyes gleamed with excitement as he watched his companion. If she thought he was tired, she had another thing coming.

True, he might have been a little worn out, but again - since when had he passed up a game? Since never, that was when. "Let's go!" He crouched down, tail lashing back and forth in a traditional battle stance, and got ready to spring at the other cat.

Mintkit squealed out a laugh when he began moving her like she was actually flying, squealing as she clung to the Tom's paws. "Marshpaw!" She choked out between giggles, becoming the slightest bit dizzy. But it was a good feeling. She laughed a little bit more, but it all came crashing down at the look on his face after she had growled. Her breath left her, laughs and giggles mixing. She squeezed her eyes shut when she felt them fill with tears from laughing so hard, for the second time that day. Her breath was running away but she wasn't giving chase, too busy laughing as his expression to worry about breathing at the moment. The Tom certainly knew how to make her laugh.

"You- You should've seen- The look- On your-" Mintkit broke off in her sentence several times to laugh as she continued. "Face!" Another mrroow of laughter escaped her lips, gasping softly. His words made her smile even more, ice blue eyes sparkling with warmth and amusement. "Ha! Say that to my precious little face!" She let out another squeaky growl as she ducked her head as close as she could to his, her tongue sticking out playfully and her eyes narrowed in amusement. Then she was on her paws again, batting at him and dancing away happily, delighted laughter escaping her. Her ice blue eyes gleamed as she tickled his nose with her tail, trying to make him sneeze, if only once.

She felt unbelievably light. Like a kit should. But she also felt like an apprentice. Just because Marshpaw had brought out the fun-loving side of her, it didn't exactly take away the mature side. But she found out, for the first time, she could be both. Mature, and playful. Like an apprentice, but also like a kit. A victorious little smile danced across her face. Nobody had ever told her she had to act mature. In fact, her siblings, and even her parents, aunts and uncles encouraged her to act her age, lighten up and have some fun once in a while. But Mintkit had shaken them off with ease. Playing wasn't her style. Not the kit-games her brothers played. Not moss-ball. Or hide-n-seek. Or play-fighting. No, this was real. This was more training than playing. And yet, Mintkit still felt so happy - Like it was a game. But at the same time, like it wasn't.

Her head nuzzled into his shoulder fur, breathing in his warm scent. It was a nice change to the milky smell she constantly smelled in the nursery. It was more woodsy, like trees. She definitely liked that. When he spoke, declaring he wasn't tired, she bounced away before he could spring to her paws, not intent on allowing him to pin her again. She crouched swiftly just as he was getting to his paws, her lips pulled back into a delighted little grin. "Great. That means we can spar a bit more!" She laughed eagerly, fluffing up her fur. Of course it was naturally short, but it made her look a bit more fuzzier - It only added to the adorable kit-look she already had.

"Bring it on, Marshy!" Mintkit challenged to his "Lets go!". "Rawr." She added that squeaky growl in with a teasing little smile, winking at her friend. The she-kit balanced herself, paws spread out, ready to launch herself forward as well. Her tiny tail whipped across the ground, and her teeth gleamed as she grinned, warmth in her eyes, but also a challenge as she settled there, waiting for him to lunge. Her eyes never left his face, calculating, deciding what she would do when he leapt.

[Role]

Originally Posted by Charmer

"I'm having trouble telling..." Morningblue stood straight, listened to the air, then dipping his head to the ground again. He began to feel a little frantic as he listened. A mole could grow to be quite large and might provide the clan with a much needed piece of prey. He couldn't miss this. He couldn't afford to. He listened hard, but the worry growing within him threatened to overtake his senses. "This way, I think," as he stepped forward, the scuffling stopped and he froze. For an agonizing moment, he thought he had scared it off, but a moment later, the soft sound resumed and gave him a much more precise idea of it's location. The tom crouched and began to creep forward. "This way," he whispered.

"Step lighter," she warned quietly as she too creeped forward. The ginger she-cat could almost taste the blind rodent. Rosebelly's pupils widened with anticipation. What now? Her mind searched and searched for a time when she caught the mole, but it was all a blur. Why did she forget things so easily? Mentally cuffing herself, Rosebelly held in a sigh. What if neither of them caught it. No. Focus, Rosebelly. Your Clan is starving, YOU'RE starving. Focus, she told herself. Determination was evident on her expression.

[Risenphoenix]

A very thin ginger she-cat, looking about six moons old, was limping through the undergrowth, a scent of crowfood and illness likely carrying downwind from her. Pausing for a short series of coughs, she lifted her head and looked around, her eyes and nose streaming from her bout of greencough. She looked exhausted, and as if a stiff breeze would blow her over, but she seemed determined to carry on.

She sat down a minute, carefully drawing her tongue across the pads of her infected left forepaw before craning her head 'round to try to clean the hot, swollen and infected rat bite on her right flank, sighing softly afterwards,

"Oh, Fern... this past moon has been awful without you. Now I don't even know where I am. I wish you were here." She murmured, then snorted softly at herself, yeah, talking to a dead cat. That's reasonable. Heaving herself to her paws with a grunt of effort and a cough, she ventured deeper into Thunderclan territory, unknowing that she was in it at all to begin with, every step an agonizing challenge for the sick and starving cat.

[Captain Toad]

Originally Posted by Socks

@Captain Toad

Basilstripe broke through the bramble barrier of the camp, feeling it tug at her pelt. She took a moment to shake her fur out and in that moment she was quickly passed by her companion. "Hey, wait up." She laughed, leaping up and pelting after the dark ginger tom with a bright smile. The wind made her eyes water but she continued on regardless.

She saw Chilidash enter her favorite clearing and opened her mouth to breathe in the familiar scent only to smell it had been slightly tainted by the monster's stank by the thunderpath. In a way to push past that sad point and distract herself for a moment, she leaped as soon as she got into the clearing, landing on the tom with claws sheathed for a kit-like scuffle.

It was quivk, but Chilidash could see her face fall slightly at the stench of thunderpath. He trotted up to her and flicked her nose lightly. "Hey," he said, looking into her eyes. "It'll be okay," he held this sincere look for a moment, then leaped away, telling her he bet he could catch something first.

[Charmer]

Originally Posted by Role

"Step lighter," she warned quietly as she too creeped forward. The ginger she-cat could almost taste the blind rodent. Rosebelly's pupils widened with anticipation. What now? Her mind searched and searched for a time when she caught the mole, but it was all a blur. Why did she forget things so easily? Mentally cuffing herself, Rosebelly held in a sigh. What if neither of them caught it. No. Focus, Rosebelly. Your Clan is starving, YOU'RE starving. Focus, she told herself. Determination was evident on her expression.

Morningblue began to step lighter. Rosebelly was right to remind him, a mouse was sensitive to vibration, sure, but a mole, more so and he had to be careful. One false move could lose this piece of prey. He stood still and listened again. The vibrations were now easier to hear, and though it may have been his imagination, he through he could almost feel them now in the earth under his paws. Then all at once, the scratching grew very frantic, and sounded close. It's surfacing! He glanced around, knowing that this would be the perfect chance to catch it it only her could see it in time. Then there was quiet again, followed by a snuffling sound and earth being pushed aside. There! He pointed with his tail, praying that Rosebelly would see it, before he made an awful realization at the same moment he saw the mole stiffen. They were upwind. No! No sooner did he have the thought then he saw the spray of earth that told him the creature was diving underground again and darted. "No no no!" The creature was already back underground before he could reach it and desperate, the tom began to dig where he had seen it, hoping to catch it before it got away. "Help me!" he called out to Rosebelly.