Firefly Cove

[Fawn]

°•. info & relations ✿ they/them ✿ finder coming soon ✿ challenge mode! [skill-perk free]   .•°

Beachpaw -

Beachpaw frowned as the eggs were evicted from the nest. "Why couldn't we eat them up here?" Sure, a branch wasn't the coziest place for dining, but they didn't get why the eggs had to be on the ground. They twisted to peer down at the eggs, then prepared to... join them on the ground.

Their first instinct was to just jump down onto the ground since the egg survived it fine, but they hesitated. "How to climb down?..." It didn't seem like it'd involve the same climbing motion as going upwards did. They felt like they'd fall on their face.

@BEAR.

[BEAR.]

"I wanna make sure we can open them, it's gonna be a lot harder if you're in the tree." Wolfhive wasn't using his teeth on them, his were damaged enough. As he prepared to jump down, Beachpaw's question made him pause. "You got a couple options - you're low enough you can just jump, or you can climb. You'll wanna grip the tree like you did before getting on the branch, and go backwards instead of forward." He demonstrated the later, figuring a visual would be better than a word vomit.

On the ground, Wolfhive kept a close eye on his pal as he moved to join the eggs. None of them were cracked at a glance, so he carefully picked one up and brought it over to a flat rock. He dropped it against the stone, and repeated the motion until the egg split in two. A yellow goo oozed out.

".. it's not a bird?" He was confused, to say the least.

[ @Fawn ]

[Fawn]

°•. info & relations ✿ they/them ✿ finder coming soon ✿ challenge mode! [skill-perk free]   .•°

Beachpaw -

How hard could opening one be? If it was anything like a kitten sac but slightly more firm, they could just bite one a little bit!

The visual helped, gave them the bravery to actually begin the process. "I can't see!" they complained as an attempt to crane their neck proved futile. They could still see, truly, but not as well as they could when going in the opposite direction. As before, they started to get the hang of it with one placed paw at a time until they twisted to abandon the tree, springing off the bark to land on the ground.

Beachpaw reconvened with Wolfhive at the egg-cracking session. "What's it supposed to be?" Because he was right: it wasn't any bird they'd ever seen. It was goopy. Like water reflecting the sunshine with more... goop involved. "Did we do it wrong?"

They were pretty sure the birds didn't escape before they'd gotten to them. Eggs didn't heal like that.

@BEAR.

[BEAR.]

Beachpaw landed safely, despite some mild complaints over visibility. "I prefer jumping or branch hopping for that, gives you a better view of what's below." A lesson for another time, maybe - right now the eggoop seemed more interesting.

"Dunno..." Wolfhive reached to poke the yellow glop with one of his claws, unintentionally popping it and he watched as it leaked more goop. ".. Nothin' else came out, so I don't think so?" Maybe the bird was nesting somewhere in the goop? A mini bird, smaller than a cat's claw.

He sniffed his paw and tentatively licked where he'd gotten it sticky. It didn't taste bad.. kind of creamy, and rich. "You wanna try?" he shuffled over a bit to give Beachpaw better access.

[Fawn]

°•. info & relations ✿ they/them ✿ finder coming soon ✿ challenge mode! [skill-perk free]   .•°

Beachpaw -

Beachpaw didn't understand what'd happened with the egg and why there wasn't a bird living inside of it, but… there seemed to be a different food, at least. Maybe it was what the bird ate when it lived in there, but without a bird, there was bird-goop-food. The opportunity to try it was met with an enthusiastic "okay!" because they'd done all the work of retrieving the eggs, they may as well enjoy the contents even if unexpected.

They took a rather daring lick of the sticky heavy eggwater and swallowed it down. Weirdly, it was like prey more than like eating a leaf or drinking water. Although they didn't care for its consistency on their muzzle, they continued lapping up the yolk with an approving chitter.

@BEAR.

[BEAR.]

Wolfhive leaned back and let Beachpaw enjoy the gooey snack. "Tasty, isn't it?" He didn't mind it, found it interesting - but would much rather let Beachpaw enjoy it. The other eggs would probably be better off going to the prey pile. Maybe he'd bring them to the nursery for the kits to try.

For now, they could continue to attempt hunting. This was a fair start but Wolfhive wanted to make sure Beachpaw could try hunting in a less unorthodox manner. "When you're done, I'm thinking we should practice some ground hunting."

[ @Fawn ]

[Fawn]

°•. info & relations ✿ they/them ✿ finder coming soon ✿ challenge mode! [skill-perk free]   .•°

Beachpaw -

"Aren't you going to have more?" Beachpaw asked but perhaps only when the egg's contents were nearly gone anyway, granted they didn't consider the idea that Wolfhive intended on bringing their scores back to the rest of the Clan.

Not because they didn't WANT to for any reason, but it was more the practicality of carrying these things.

"Okay! What's first? Smell?" They at least remembered that part and took in a deep breath, noting the shift in scents with incoming sunset. More prey scents. "They're here..." they mumbled under their breath, interested. "Do I just choose one and follow it?"

@BEAR.

[BEAR.]

"I wanted you to have it." Wolfhive reached over to gently bop their ear, before refocusing on the task at paw.

Smell was right. Wolfhive had tried this route earlier, before they got a bit derailed by the... fur thing. "You need to be careful when you follow it, you don't wanna make a lot of noise or you'll scare it. So, you'll want to get into a crouch." Wolfhive dropped into one, paws evenly spread and tail low but not near the ground. "Then follow it, and try to keep your steps light. You don't wanna step on a twig or something similar, the crack will scare your prey. Once you see it, pounce, then bite the neck or back to kill it." That way, Beachpaw could try it without pause, 'n they could go from there.

[ @Fawn ]

[Fawn]

°•. info & relations ✿ they/them ✿ finder coming soon ✿ challenge mode! [skill-perk free]   .•°

Beachpaw -

Beachpaw dropped into a hunting crouch, though perhaps it wasn't as refined as a warrior's would be. Still, they had the basics: sneak, stay off crunchies, keep tail low, don't let underbelly drag. Then they were sleuthing for a nearby animal, the closest (strongest) scent discerned from the intersecting trails, and it came into view eventually: a mouse.

They were at the point of wanting to ensure they'd be able to pounce and land and therefore tempted to keep eliminating the distance, but it came with the much higher risk of alerting the rodent. It wasn't in a super easy place either -- it was nestled under a bit of underbrush, not out in the open.

Taking a leap of faith, they did their best. And deflated when their prey scurried further into the growth, evading their seeking paws followed by a (probably too slow) readiness to bite.

@BEAR.

[BEAR.]

Admittedly, this was Wolfhive's weakest skill since so much of his focus in training was fighting-based. So even if Beachpaw's stance wasn't as perfect as most warriors, it seemed acceptable to him. Their placements looked right, their steps seemed quiet - and they were off in pursuit of the mouse.

Wolfhive kept his distance, but followed to see how things played out. Unfortunately, the mouse had been under the cover of some foliage, making the attempt harder - and unsurprisingly the critter escaped. "Good try!" Wolfhive chirped at him. "It always sucks when they're under cover. You wanna give it another go?"

[ @Fawn ]