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66 posts
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Aug 16, 2014 8:52:54 GMT -8
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Apprentice
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Post by Twilidramon on May 11, 2014 13:13:07 GMT -8
Tigertail couldn't deny that Hollowstar's praise meant something to her - being praised for her skill in general was nice, but being praised by the leader? That was great. She trotted over to Hollowstar's stash and buried her mouse by his robin.
She turned back to Hollowstar and asked, "Should we move on, or stay here?" If they stayed here too long then no hunter would be able to hunt here for the rest of the day - the prey would know that this was a spot frequented by hunters.
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151 posts
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3 likes
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Jul 28, 2014 19:43:19 GMT -8
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Leader
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Post by Spade♠ on May 12, 2014 13:52:56 GMT -8
Hollowstar's tail swished slowly back and forth as he thought about Tigertail's question. "Maybe we should try for just one more featherless thing somewhere else and then head back. Someone else will enjoy this robin, I'm sure, but we don't need to catch a whole lot." He paused and looked around for a moment. "We're not a hunting patrol after all."
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66 posts
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2 likes
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Aug 16, 2014 8:52:54 GMT -8
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Apprentice
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Post by Twilidramon on May 12, 2014 16:57:10 GMT -8
Tigertail blinked at Hollowstar. True, they weren't a hunting patrol. They could take their catch and leave anytime they wanted.
"Let's get some more," Tigertail meowed. "Adderpaw might want something that isn't waterlogged... or feathered."
She nodded towards where the undergrowth grew a little thicker. "Let's try there," she suggested.
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151 posts
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3 likes
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Jul 28, 2014 19:43:19 GMT -8
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Leader
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Post by Spade♠ on May 13, 2014 19:21:14 GMT -8
Hollowstar smiled gently. It was good that Adderpaw had Tigertail to look after him, the young cat seemed too focused to remember to eat sometimes. The leader couldn't imagine accidentally skipping meals, especially given how ravenous he had always been in his younger moons. "Kind of you to think of your brother," he observed with a nod. "Lead on, then!"
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66 posts
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2 likes
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Aug 16, 2014 8:52:54 GMT -8
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Apprentice
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Post by Twilidramon on May 14, 2014 5:20:35 GMT -8
Tigertail raised her tail at Hollowstar's approval and then headed off for thicker undergrowth. She kept her pawsteps light and careful - ShadowClan weren't ThunderClan, and it wasn't common for them to hunt where the ground was tangled with roots and leaves; but Tigertail could hear prey here, deep in her ear fur. They would be warmer and drier with a thicker canopy of leaves covering them - more appealing to the cats who aimed for a meal.
Just one or two more here, she thought, then we can fetch what we caught already and take it back. It would be unfortunate if they tarried long enough for something to eat their caught prey.
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151 posts
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3 likes
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Jul 28, 2014 19:43:19 GMT -8
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Leader
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Post by Spade♠ on May 15, 2014 20:31:47 GMT -8
Hollowstar followed Tigertail into the thicker undergrowth. It wasn't as thick as ThunderClan, but he still grimaced with the branches of bushes grabbed at his long fur or a leaf brushed against his face. He didn't want to be in the complete open, but he was most comfortable in the sparse cover of the pines. His belly grumbled and he picked up his pace slightly until he was walking beside Tigertail. He was excited to eat. "Maybe there's some squirrels around here," he whispered. His ears twitched slightly as he listened for the sound of tiny paws scrabbling at the bases of trees.
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66 posts
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Aug 16, 2014 8:52:54 GMT -8
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Apprentice
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Post by Twilidramon on May 16, 2014 17:05:28 GMT -8
Tigertail wondered if Adderpaw would prefer a squirrel. She scented the air, smelling the undergrowth and leaf-mold. Prey-scent was here and there, and Tigertail scented squirrel not far off, near the base of a young oak. Tigertail dropped into a squirrel stalking crouch and crept towards it, spotting it among the debris.
The squirrel was busy washing itself, its paws working over its ears and nose. Tigertail felt confidence swell up within her as she grew closer...
And then her paw snapped a twig.
The squirrel shot up the tree, and Tigertail shot up after it. Adrenaline coursed through her veins as she clawed her way up the tree, following the squirrel onto a branch. She had to force herself to stop, however, when the squirrel leaped - flew, even - to the branches of another tree.
Tigertail's claws clung to the branch as it swayed with her weight, and she cursed herself. She looked down and felt a wave of disorientation sweep through her. She looked back up and swallowed, hard.
Well, she thought. This didn't go how I planned...
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151 posts
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3 likes
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Jul 28, 2014 19:43:19 GMT -8
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Leader
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Post by Spade♠ on May 19, 2014 11:01:26 GMT -8
Hollowstar paced under Tigertail's branch like a worried queen. The expression on his face was half concern, half amusement. One one paw, she looked like she was fine, just a little spooked by the swaying branch. On the other, it also looked like she might be about to lose her balance and fall. "Are you okay?" he called. He'd seen the squirrel jump off into another tree and was more worried about his Clanmate's safety than scaring off prey. "Do you need any help?" The whole time he hadn't stopped pacing in circles and looking up at her.
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66 posts
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Aug 16, 2014 8:52:54 GMT -8
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Apprentice
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Post by Twilidramon on May 19, 2014 16:16:56 GMT -8
Tigertail swallowed, her throat suddenly dry. She gripped her branch with all the ferocity she could imagine. Hollowstar was pacing down below, his eyes wide as small suns.
"I-I'm fine!" Tigertail called down, shakily. Her limbs were quaking, causing the branch beneath her to shiver. She recalled that she had been given a tree-climbing lesson once in her apprenticeship - ShadowClan cats didn't climb trees often, if at all, and nearly all the trees around them were straight-trunked pines whose branches didn't start for lengths.
She tried backing herself up, moving each limb as slowly as she could manage. Her heart was beating loudly in her ears. Her paw slipped once, though, and for a moment the horror of plummeting to the ground caused Tigertail to freeze. She quickly regained her hold and dug her claws into the soft bark until they hurt.
She panted, "J-Just... Just give me a moment!"
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151 posts
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3 likes
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Jul 28, 2014 19:43:19 GMT -8
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Leader
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Post by Spade♠ on May 20, 2014 11:53:42 GMT -8
Hollowstar reared up so he was standing on his hind paws with his front ones on the trunk of the tree, still looking up at Tigertail. The thought crossed his mind that he should just climb up and take her down himself but there were a few problems with that idea. For one, he was a big cat and had never been that great at climbing trees in the first place and he didn't want to end up stuck like the tabby in the tree seemed to be. Not to mention that that was a plan that would work for a stuck kit, not really a full grown warrior. The black tom dropped back down to all fours, his tail tip twitching. He reared back onto his haunches like a ground squirrel again when he saw her paw slip. If he was being honest, he had no idea what to do to help, but if she fell at least he could try and position himself to break her fall. Again, he lowered himself to all fours. "Are you sure you're not stuck?" he called, seemingly unaware of how unhelpful the question was.
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