Cattail Pond

[Zero]

- @AmberShadow

Fenpaw hissed awkwardly through his teeth at Sparrowfrost's words. Easy for him to say! He was floating like a duck while Fenpaw felt like the water was trying to pull him down and eat him alive. The apprentice did try to control his flailing limbs though and found that it was a little bit easier if he didn't panic and just fell into a rhythm... kind of like walking at a steady pace.

However, even though he had kinda gotten the hang of it near the end, he was still grateful for the ground underneath his paws as his mentor pushed him back toward the shore. "T-thanks." He sputtered, eyes adverted, once there was no possibility of him getting a mouthful of water by talking.

[AmberShadow]

@Zero

"Not a problem," he breathed, letting the water drip from his pelt. "Next time, keep the rhythm going. It'll be easier if you just pretend you're walking." Swiping a paw along his eyes to rid himself of the fuzzy look, he walked away from the pond and back to land.

"How about we practice some hunting? Better for us both to dry off. Besides," he swiped his tongue along his chest, "I think I've done enough swimming. Frogs at least come on land."

[Mayflower]

Originally Posted by Mumble

Honeytuft nods and turns to Berrybreeze, "Are you fit to travel?" he asked, his eyebrows furrowing together in worry. He wasn't completely sure if the taller warrior would be able to make it back across the river and into their territory, but they really needed to try. He knew lionstar was kind, ut not kind enough to let them linger on Riverclan territory.

@Mayflower

Berrybreeze groaned, testing out his shoulder. It was definitely still dislocated, and the burns had scabbed over, but he'd be fine. He had to be, after all. "So much travel, if I had wanted to explore this much I would have skipped the burnt down camp part!" He smiled softly, tail brushing onto Honeytuft's fur in comfort. "I'll... be fine. Let's go!"

[Quasar]

Originally Posted by Mayflower

Berrybreeze groaned, testing out his shoulder. It was definitely still dislocated, and the burns had scabbed over, but he'd be fine. He had to be, after all. "So much travel, if I had wanted to explore this much I would have skipped the burnt down camp part!" He smiled softly, tail brushing onto Honeytuft's fur in comfort. "I'll... be fine. Let's go!"

Honeytuft hesitantly nodded. "Well, if you say so..." he mewed, his lips pressed into a tight frown. He slowly started to pad back through the river and into thunderclan's territory, following the steady flow of cats that were heading into the forest. He laughed weakly at his crushes-er, friends joke.

[Quasar]

Originally Posted by Rani

Willowpaw barely had the time to look up at Snowfern in confusion from her call, she had drawn away from Snowfern slightly following a water vole scent. She let out a pained and terrified shriek as the hawk sunk its claws into her shoulders and refused to let go. She thrashed around and tried to free herself futilely, panicking as she clawed at the hawk before realising she was being lifted off the ground and sinking her claws into a root to try and hang on. "Snowfern! Help!" She wailed feeling the pull on her small body. The hawk seemed like it was determined to die before it let go of her.

Snowfern watched, frozen in horror as the hawk tried to pull Willowpaw away from her. What was she supposed to do? What if she accidentally hurt Willowpaw? When she heard her apprentices pained cry, rage started to surge through her body, from her tail to the tips of her whiskers. She would not allow this...this wretched piece of crowfood to get out of this alive! Letting out a loud roar, she charged towards the large bird, her teeth bared and her claws unsheathed. How dare this hawk try to hurt her apprentice! Bunching up her haunches, she took a large leap towards it, her claws outstretched. She latched onto the bird, struggling to hold on as it flailed around an attempted to push her off, "HOW DARE YOU!" she roared, her features twisted with pure rage. She lunged towards its throat, her jaws widely opened. Before she could bit down on its neck, the hawk twisted it's head and lunged for her face, it's beak closing on her left eye. With a yank, her eye flew out of its socket and onto the grassy floor. She let out a loud yowl of pain, her face scrunching up as blood spewed from her empty eye socket. With pain surging through her, she pushed onwards and bit down hard onto its neck, killing it. The hawk, along with her, fell to the ground with a this, and she immediately looked towards Willowpaw, praying that she was okay. "Willowpaw!" she gasped out, struggling to stay conscious as black dotted her vision, the pain stemming from her eye socket making her dizzy. "are you okay?" she mewed, her voice full of panic.

[Rani]

Originally Posted by Mumble

Snowfern watched, frozen in horror as the hawk tried to pull Willowpaw away from her. What was she supposed to do? What if she accidentally hurt Willowpaw? When she heard her apprentices pained cry, rage started to surge through her body, from her tail to the tips of her whiskers. She would not allow this...this wretched piece of crowfood to get out of this alive! Letting out a loud roar, she charged towards the large bird, her teeth bared and her claws unsheathed. How dare this hawk try to hurt her apprentice! Bunching up her haunches, she took a large leap towards it, her claws outstretched. She latched onto the bird, struggling to hold on as it claimed around an attempted to push her off, "HOW DARE YOU!" she roared, her features twisted with pure rage. She lunged towards its throat, her jaws widely opened. Before she could bit down on its neck, the hawk twisted it's head and lunged for her face, it's beak closing on her left eye. With a yank, her eye flew out of its socket and onto the grassy floor. She let out a loud yowl of pain, her face scrunching up as blood spewed from her empty eye socket. With pain surging through her, she pushed onwards and bit down hard onto its neck, killing it. The hawk, along with her, fell to the ground with a this, and she immediately looked towards Willowpaw, praying that she was okay. "Willowpaw!" she gasped out, struggling to stay conscious as black dotted her vision, the pain stemming from her eye socket making her dizzy. "are you okay?" she mewed, her voice full of panic.

Despite the growing pain in her shoulder Willowpaw held strong as the bird tried to carry her off. Her heart soared as she saw her mentor try come to her rescue before her vision was obscured by the leap bringing Snowfern too far above her head for Willowpaw to see. She had to help! Willowpaw bit down hard on the hawks feet trying to drag it off her by force. Getting a good grip her plan seemed to be working, things were looking up!
Until they weren't. Willowpaws blood ran cold as she heard the pained cry and she swore she felt her heart stop when she saw... That was... No.
She almost couldn't feel the spray of hawks blood across her back as the beast finally died mind unable to understand the weight of what just happened.

Freed she stood on the blood soaked ground and could only just look at Snowfern at her mentors words in shock for a beat. Then something clicked, and she wasn't panicking, not anymore. "We need to get you to the medicine cat den now!" She yowled at Snowfern showing her body under her to support the larger cat and starting to try and haul her back to camp. Willowpaw didn't know where this strength came from but she knew what she had to do. Get Snowfern to the medicine cat den, make sure Fawnsqueak was there to help her, go tell Lionstar.
"Keep moving you just need to stay awake! You're gonna be ok, Im fine so you have to be too! Just keep moving!" She barked at the warrior frantic to help her but strangely calm.

[Quasar]

Originally Posted by Rani

Despite the growing pain in her shoulder Willowpaw held strong as the bird tried to carry her off. Her heart soared as she saw her mentor try come to her rescue before her vision was obscured by the leap bringing Snowfern too far above her head for Willowpaw to see. She had to help! Willowpaw bit down hard on the hawks feet trying to drag it off her by force. Getting a good grip her plan seemed to be working, things were looking up!
Until they weren't. Willowpaws blood ran cold as she heard the pained cry and she swore she felt her heart stop when she saw... That was... No.
She almost couldn't feel the spray of hawks blood across her back as the beast finally died mind unable to understand the weight of what just happened.

Freed she stood on the blood soaked ground and could only just look at Snowfern at her mentors words in shock for a beat. Then something clicked, and she wasn't panicking, not anymore. "We need to get you to the medicine cat den now!" She yowled at Snowfern showing her body under her to support the larger cat and starting to try and haul her back to camp. Willowpaw didn't know where this strength came from but she knew what she had to do. Get Snowfern to the medicine cat den, make sure Fawnsqueak was there to help her, go tell Lionstar.
"Keep moving you just need to stay awake! You're gonna be ok, Im fine so you have to be too! Just keep moving!" She barked at the warrior frantic to help her but strangely calm.

Snowfern took in quick, shaking breaths as her head started to spin. She swallowed the bile that was rising in her throat and staggered to her paws with the help of Willowpaw, barely registering her words. The adrenaline from the brief fight with the hawk had long worn off, leaving her feeling more exhausted and in pain then she ever had been if her life. Leaning heavily on Willowpaw, she started to unsteadily staggering in the direction of camp, her head spinning. Before they got too far away, she slowly turned and stretched her neck out to rip a large feather from the tail of the hawk. She shakily turned back to face Willowpaw, "f..or yo-your nest..." she weakly mewed, forcing a smile onto her face. She had to stay strong! She had to be there for Willowpaw! She had to be the one protecting and supporting her apprentice, not the other way around!

[Rani]

Originally Posted by Mumble

Snowfern took in quick, shaking breaths as her head started to spin. She swallowed the bike that was rising in her throat and staggered to her paws with the help of Willowpaw, barely registering her words. The adrenaline from the brief fight with the hawk had long worn off, leaving her feeling more exhausted and in pain then she ever had been if her life. Leaning heavily on Willowpaw, she started to unsteadily staggering in the direction of camp, her head spinning. Before they got too far away, she slowly turned and stretched her neck out to rip a large feather from the tail of the hawk. She shakily turned back to face Willowpaw, "f..or yo-your nest..." she weakly mewed, forcing a smile onto her face. She had to stay strong! She had to be there for Willowpaw! She had to be the one protecting and supporting her apprentice, not the other way around!

Willowpaw bit back a mournful unhappy whine at the kind gesture taking the feather before putting all her weight in trying to move her too compassionate mentor somewhere safe. Still hysterical strength was something special as Willowpaw was able to shoulder much more of her mentors weight than shed normally be able to determined to pull Snowfern to the medicine cats den no matter what. "Th-thanks but you need to focus on getting back ok? That stupid bird didnt hurt me so you gotta focus on being ok too!" Willowpaw tried to reassure the older she cat unknowing pf the tear tracks cutting through the hawks blood soaking her pelt. "Just keep moving! Please keep moving!" She begged trying to force herself to move Snowfern faster.

[Zero]

Originally Posted by AmberShadow

@Zero

"Not a problem," he breathed, letting the water drip from his pelt. "Next time, keep the rhythm going. It'll be easier if you just pretend you're walking." Swiping a paw along his eyes to rid himself of the fuzzy look, he walked away from the pond and back to land.

"How about we practice some hunting? Better for us both to dry off. Besides," he swiped his tongue along his chest, "I think I've done enough swimming. Frogs at least come on land."

Fenpaw followed his mentor out of the pond, looking more his age with his fluffy fur weighed down by the water. He shook as much as he could from his fur, but still looked kind of like a drowned rat.

"Land hunting, not fishing?" He asked finally, giving his chest fur a few quick licks before giving up on fixing his appearance.

[Quasar]

Originally Posted by Rani

Willowpaw bit back a mournful unhappy whine at the kind gesture taking the feather before putting all her weight in trying to move her too compassionate mentor somewhere safe. Still hysterical strength was something special as Willowpaw was able to shoulder much more of her mentors weight than shed normally be able to determined to pull Snowfern to the medicine cats den no matter what. "Th-thanks but you need to focus on getting back ok? That stupid bird didnt hurt me so you gotta focus on being ok too!" Willowpaw tried to reassure the older she cat unknowing pf the tear tracks cutting through the hawks blood soaking her pelt. "Just keep moving! Please keep moving!" She begged trying to force herself to move Snowfern faster.

Snowfern shakily smiled as willowpaw took the feather, her eyes briefly closing for a second as exhaustion overwhelmed her. She was barely able to stand, or even think straight. Her mind just an endless loop of confusion. It was like nothing else existed except her, and she hated every second of it. She just wanted the pain to be over. she wanted this to just be like ant other patrol. Why did that even happen in the first place? She hated it, stars dammit! "Thats...g-good" she shakily sighed, turning her gaze to look affectionately at Willowpaw.