WindClan: Life Before 2023's Fire

[Aster]

Originally Posted by Tiabirb

Appleshine wasn't fooled. She could see the tiniest reaction from him, and she knew she had struck a nerve. Now to soothe it. "Pfft, yeah okay, hotshot," The speckled she-cat purred followed after him. "Hunting practice? What part of chasing rabbits requires patience? Have you taken so many hits to the head you can't remember that we don't even need to stalk prey?" Appleshine trotted along beside him, "But if you did want to..you know, catch up on your practice, I can always help you." The molly smiled at him cheerfully, her tail flicking over his flank, "Whattya say? I can help you out now, if you like. I'm taking Echopaw to see the territory tomorrow, so I'm free all afternoon."

Bristle was the opposite of a patient cat, his temper being about half the fuse of your average cat. Though, with Apple it was like a damp fuse that a stubborn individual was insistently attempting to light over and over, shortening it slightly more with each feeble ember. Though, with her last statement he felt a bit of sincerity that prodded the slumbering beast in his chest that yearned for such connection.

He turned his head, able to look her in the eye whilst the hot feeling in his cheeks dissipated finally and said: "I can catch bunnies. I just... Happen to be bad at it as of late. Maybe my hunting skills are dull, I've been spending too much time training for combat." BristleThorn rolled his shoulders as they walked he felt the heat return once more as she brushed him with her tail, it seemed even the slightest touch got his heart racing. How in the name of Starclan was he going to concentrate with his heart going out of control every few seconds? Bristle took a deep breath and forced a quick reply. "Well I-I don't see why not, you are pretty adept at catching prey when you want to be. Though are you sure you've gotten your few moons of grooming in before we head out?" Bristle had his moments of prodding back it seemed.

[Tiabirb]

Originally Posted by Aster

Bristle was the opposite of a patient cat, his temper being about half the fuse of your average cat. Though, with Apple it was like a damp fuse that a stubborn individual was insistently attempting to light over and over, shortening it slightly more with each feeble ember. Though, with her last statement he felt a bit of sincerity that prodded the slumbering beast in his chest that yearned for such connection.

He turned his head, able to look her in the eye whilst the hot feeling in his cheeks dissipated finally and said: "I can catch bunnies. I just... Happen to be bad at it as of late. Maybe my hunting skills are dull, I've been spending too much time training for combat." BristleThorn rolled his shoulders as they walked he felt the heat return once more as she brushed him with her tail, it seemed even the slightest touch got his heart racing. How in the name of Starclan was he going to concentrate with his heart going out of control every few seconds? Bristle took a deep breath and forced a quick reply. "Well I-I don't see why not, you are pretty adept at catching prey when you want to be. Though are you sure you've gotten your few moons of grooming in before we head out?" Bristle had his moments of prodding back it seemed.

Nerve struck. Appleshine shot him a cold glare. "Oh very funny. I'll be sure to check for any mud holes before we start practice." Her tone was tart and sharp, indicating her irritation toward the tom. How could he just pluck her nerves like that? Of course, she took great care of her fur, but she never took moons! "Come on then." She already had a great plan in place. It totally wouldn't have any repercussions!

With a last wink, Apple bounded from camp, heading out into the territory to begin practice.

[Sweetie]

Brindlejaw eyes watched as the leader rubbed her face as if she was rubbing the sleep away. Did she still like to lay around and snooze? Well, that didn't matter at the moment but he did keep the fresh scars in mind.

The tom also noticed the displeasure in her voice but he...Brindlejaw looked at the molly in front of him with slight annoyance. I'm back here because I'm done searching for a molly that vanished in thin air with my kits and taking care of my sole daughter." Dear Starclan, the warrior never spoke to anyone like that before with such a passive-aggressiveness. "Cypress, my daughter died no thanks to you." Now with that he placed slight venom in that comment. "I was on a patrol near the Shadowclan border when I found the kit and it smelled like her mother and Windclan. It was after you turned Cypress away. I waited for a moon for Shadowclan to notice their lost kit and they never did. I nursed her back to health but the harsh winter got the best of us." Brindlejaw broke eye contact and looked away, not allowing the molly to see the tears threatening to show. "I'm back here because I have nothing else to do." The tortoiseshell hated that he had to explain himself to her.

-----

Songbird heard that slight huff, how rude! Twilightstar was the leader who dealt with more crap and this queen was the least of it. The mottled queen wanted to scoff at the leader but refrained from doing so and calmly walked into the den.
Even though Songbird was presentable the queen wanted to groom herself once more. "I was out on a walk out on the territory with my mate, Whitesong, when we were surprised by a landslide and got lost." Gosh, Songbird was embarrassed. What kind of Windclanner is she if she didn't know her own land? Well, the queen hadn't been out of the camp in moons but still. "I couldn't find Whitesong and it took me a while to find my way back."

@Moonraven

[Aster]

Originally Posted by Tiabirb

Nerve struck. Appleshine shot him a cold glare. "Oh very funny. I'll be sure to check for any mud holes before we start practice." Her tone was tart and sharp, indicating her irritation toward the tom. How could he just pluck her nerves like that? Of course, she took great care of her fur, but she never took moons! "Come on then." She already had a great plan in place. It totally wouldn't have any repercussions!

With a last wink, Apple bounded from camp, heading out into the territory to begin practice.

Bristle felt a detached sense of satisfaction that he had tugged at a nerve finally. Cracking a slight grin that was immediately felled upon her assertion that she had a plan. He would have to pay for his indiscretions... Wondering what sort of laborious exercises she had in mind, Bristle started off behind her, dreading and feeling somewhat excited at their training!

[Tiabirb]

The moor was breezy and the grass was springy under Appleshine's paws as she bounded over the rising slope. There was a little hollow that was perfect for stalking practice over the ridge, and she slowed to a stop as she crested the final rise. Looking down into it, she surveyed for any mud. She hadn't been joking. Appleshine did not trust Bristlethorn when it came to mud...and her.

"We're here!" She meowed and scampered down the slope, Slipping through the thick gorse bushes that line the hollow. Trees grew in clumps with thick undergrowth around them, and a small stream trickled into a pool near the far side.

@Aster

[Aster]

He had been here a few times before in search of prey, and in the past many moons ago on training expeditions. This was the first time he had been here with Apple however, and that fact made it seem like a foreign place where unexpected events could arise quite easily. He followed behind her, less confident in his steps but still following moderately close behind.

"Yeah, we made it alright." Bristle murmured to himself, still harboring misgivings about what sort of training she had in mind. "So. Uh, Apple. What sort of practice did you have in mind?" His amber eyes gazed wearily upon the she-cat. @Tiabirb

[Tiabirb]

Originally Posted by Aster

He had been here a few times before in search of prey, and in the past many moons ago on training expeditions. This was the first time he had been here with Apple however, and that fact made it seem like a foreign place where unexpected events could arise quite easily. He followed behind her, less confident in his steps but still following moderately close behind.

"Yeah, we made it alright." Bristle murmured to himself, still harboring misgivings about what sort of training she had in mind. "So. Uh, Apple. What sort of practice did you have in mind?" His amber eyes gazed wearily upon the she-cat. @Tiabirb

"I'm so glad you asked!" Appleshine's tail curled over her back. "Since you need to remember how to stalk like a cat and not lumber around like a badger, your mission...is to stalk and catch me." With a flirtatious grin, Appleshine spun around and sprang into the bushes, disappearing from sight.

Once out of sight, she would weave her way to a tendril of jasmine, and with her brilliantly quick thinking, brushed herself over the aromatic flowers and headed deeper into the brush. She wasn't going to make it easy for him, after all~

[Aster]

Originally Posted by Tiabirb

"I'm so glad you asked!" Appleshine's tail curled over her back. "Since you need to remember how to stalk like a cat and not lumber around like a badger, your mission...is to stalk and catch me." With a flirtatious grin, Appleshine spun around and sprang into the bushes, disappearing from sight.

Once out of sight, she would weave her way to a tendril of jasmine, and with her brilliantly quick thinking, brushed herself over the aromatic flowers and headed deeper into the brush. She wasn't going to make it easy for him, after all~

Her grin coupled with the flirtatious tone was enough to get his heart racing again, so much so that Bristle had no time to react to her bolting off into the brush. It was enough for him to process her words only a few moments later, shaking his head and stamping the ground with an annoyed paw. She ALWAYS did stuff like this! But now, she had the benefit of prodding his hormones to get him thrown off. With nothing but irkedness in his brain, Bristle sprinted into the bush, clawing his way out of it and looking around. Her scent was fading and the smell of flowers was now pervading his senses. She had hid her scent from him quite effectively, and given her speed was off in who knows what direction. Taking a deep breath and sighing, Bristle looked around for the flower's scent, finding a brush of Jasmine. The leaves and tendrils looked like they might've been twinged slightly. Taking a guess, Bristle began in the direction adjacent to Apple in hopes to catch some sort of clue.

[Tiabirb]

Originally Posted by Aster

Her grin coupled with the flirtatious tone was enough to get his heart racing again, so much so that Bristle had no time to react to her bolting off into the brush. It was enough for him to process her words only a few moments later, shaking his head and stamping the ground with an annoyed paw. She ALWAYS did stuff like this! But now, she had the benefit of prodding his hormones to get him thrown off. With nothing but irkedness in his brain, Bristle sprinted into the bush, clawing his way out of it and looking around. Her scent was fading and the smell of flowers was now pervading his senses. She had hid her scent from him quite effectively, and given her speed was off in who knows what direction. Taking a deep breath and sighing, Bristle looked around for the flower's scent, finding a brush of Jasmine. The leaves and tendrils looked like they might've been twinged slightly. Taking a guess, Bristle began in the direction adjacent to Apple in hopes to catch some sort of clue.

Appleshine had done a few loops, a couple of turns, and then she sat down under a shady bush and waited. If he could track her through that and sneak up on her, mission success. But now, behind him near the stream, Appleshine would pretend to be...a squirrel! She flicked her tail and curled it over her back and crouched, nosing the ground as though she was looking for nuts. One had to get into character, and she was supposed to be prey after all!

[Aster]

The area had a fair bit of jasmine, but that scent coupled with the faintness of Apple's still in the air gave him a fair idea of where she was. Bristle had very keen senses, and he wasn't about to let Apple take advantage of his anger to get away from him! Bristle kept his paws silent yet swift, moving along the terrain, trying to find that perfect balance between the flora and Apple's well maintained fur. He followed what might've been her looping around, and maybe even caught some indents in the earth below. He would find her if it took him all day!
@Tiabirb