Hunting in the Meadow

[Aleen]

A small breeze blew past Ashfur, ruffling her fur slightly and sharpening her senses with the smell of fresh prey. It's time to hunt. The gray she-cat kept forcing those words through her head, stopping anything else to enter her mind. The Clan needed food and she knew she was capable of catching it, knew she should go and catch it. The guilt of doing nothing had kept tugging at her until she could ignore it no longer, dragging herself out of camp and onto the open meadow. It appeared to be free of any other cat, which was just what she had been hoping for. She didn't get along with other cats well, end of story, no questions asked.

Ashfur had an incredibly bad temper. Time and time again she had tried to tame it, and time and time again she failed. It had often got her in trouble, and it was easily her worst quality. Nothing seemed to be able to stop it. It was like a forest fire: it spread fast and it was extremely dangerous. Also like a forest fire, it seemed to have mind of its own. Other cats learned to avoid it and those who didn't quickly learned their lesson. She hated it, simply loathed it, even if that didn't do much good. Frequently, it found ways to keep her from making friends with any other cat, pushing her the position of loner within her clan and she wished more than anything that she could conquer it, if that was possible.

As the smell of prey became greater and the gray cat crouched lower to the ground, she tried to keep her mind on the hunt. With a swish of her tail, she pounced, coming down hard on the vole she had been stalking, knocking it out of its wits. She killed it with a swift sweep of her paws, slightly taming the feeling of guilt that had brought her out. As she was bending down to pick up her catch, her nose caught the faint scent of another cat. Leaving the vole where it was, she spun around to face whoever it was who had managed to sneak up on her.

[Katze]

Once the cat had looked straight at him, Krova decided that it was hopeless to stay there, in hiding, any longer. He peaked his head out of the bushes he was standing behind. When he stepped out, he saw the cat entirely. Krova could tell that the cat was a she-cat, and he immediately recognized that she was from RiverClan. Knowing her personality and her bad temper, he tried to test her. "Either you are a fine hunter, or that vole was dumb." His eyes flashed and his paws scratched the ground. He knew of what her reaction would be, but he had never truly pointed at him before.

He tried to take another step forward, but there was a strong gust of wind that almost knocked him off of his paws. "Strange weather lately." He mewed looking at the cat. In the camp, Krova wouldn't usually talk to her, for unlike Krova, this cat, named Ashfur, would not take lightly to sarcasm. And that was all that Krova had in him. True, he could be a tad be sympathetic, but it takes a lot of friendship to get him to that stage. So far, he has not gotten there. He had no friends, really. He would call himself a loner, but he belongs to a Clan.

[Aleen]

Ashfur's eyes flashed and anger flared up in her at the tom's remark, but she fought to control her temper. Her voice being a warning she answered, "both. I am a fine hunter, but that vole was stupid enough a kit could of caught it. If I didn't catch it, it would be an insult to its existance."

Who was this tom? she wondered. The wind was still blowing against her, making it near impossible to catch his clan scent. She'd barely been able to smell anything other than vole in the first place, so she could only guess which clan this cat belonged to. He didn't look familar, but that didn't mean anything. Ashfur never payed much attention to the other cats in her clan. The only ones she really knew were her mother, the clan leader, the deputy, her old mentor, and the cats she'd grown up with. Beyond that the she-cat really didn't care who it was she was snapping at. They all were the same in her mind: smart enough to avoid her. She thought about this for a moment as she waited for the other cat's answer.

[Katze]

Krova smirked. True, he had known that Ashfur was a skilled hunter, but he couldn't help it. "Which ever reason that you had been able to catch it, either stupidity or fine hunter skills, one thing to point out is that if you want to feed your Clan, you might want to go somewhere that you know has more prey than scrawny morsels." When he had stopped mewing, he heard a faint sound in the distance. His ears perked and he tried to pinpoint the noise. He dropped into a crouch, not a hunters' crouch but a silent stalk. Whatever he was looking for, he didn't want to scare it.

Before he went any farther, he stopped and murmured something to Ashfur, "Did you hear that?" Krova didn't wait for a reply. He went back into his stalking position and made way for the sound. The only thing he was focused on was the sound. He didn't even realize that he was upwind.

[Aleen]

Ashfur glared at the younger cats back. She didn't enjoy his sarcasm, but that was understandable for such a bad tempered cat. It was infuriating to be a victim to his smart-alecky behavior, but she didn't dare fight him until she could guaranty that he was RiverClan. Hurriedly she scraped some dirt over the dead vole to keep others from finding it. Then she crouched down beside him, close enough to catch his scent: RiverClan. Ashfur relaxed a little. Glancing at his crouch, she realized something. "Are you really so mouse-brained?" she hissed in his ear. "We're upwind, and you should know what that means, whether you actually do or not." Inside she was celebrating at the chance the young tom had given her. The chance to insult him while being truthful, and that was one she didn't usually get with any cat. She waited for his response.

[Katze]

Krova turned his head, but he wasn't looking at Ashfur. His eyes were still focused on the up ahead, but his head was turned and facing her. "What?" He mewed silently and with a hint of question. He had not heard what she had said, but had only heard a faint sound from behind him. "What did you say?" Suddenly, he snapped back into reality. "Oh. Well of course I know we are upwind!" He hissed silently. " I just wasn't thinking..." He stopped in his words to go back to looking forward. He could hear nothing, but the direction of the wind had changed. Krova sighed. He didn't want Ashfur to think that he was an idiotic cat.

When the grasses started to thin out, Krova slowed down. He could just barely see out, and all he could see was blurs of what seemed to be, a feast?. What Krova saw, was a bunch of animals; mice, rats, rabbits, everything. He hopped out, not realizing what he was doing. The animals scattered around, and he tried to pinpoint one. Just then, something hard hit him in the head. He closed his eyes from the pain.

When he opened them again, he could only see more grass in front of him. He looked behind him to see Ashfur. Okay. That was weird. He thought to himself. Was that a dream, or had Krova really done that, sometime or other. He chugged. Whatever it was, it was over. HE tried to twist his ears that he heard the noise in his 'dream'. Nothing, Krova sighed and mewed to Ashfur, "Have anything to do for awhile?"

[Aleen]

Ashfur stared at the tom in silence for a moment. Something had just happened, though she didn't know what, and it seemed to be disturbing the other cat. She dwelt on it a moment longer before she realized he was still waiting for her answer. With a flick of her tail she answered, "no, just hunting. Why? Would you like to join me?" The she-cat was enjoying herself more than she had in a long time, though she was careful not to show it. The young tom didn't seem to know how to act around her. He was behaving like at any moment she might pounce on him and claw his eyes out. It probably isn't me she thought. It didn't matter though. It was still entertaining to see what he'd do next. Her anger swallowed up for the time she continued sarcastically. "Are you sure you'll be able to keep up with an experienced warrior like me?" Ashfur had no idea why she was being nice to the tom. My anger can take over at anytime she reminded herself. Enjoy this while you can. It probably won't last.

[Katze]

Krova stared at her. "What have you caught so far?" He mewed. Ashfur had been out here for some time, or so he thought. "Sure, I'll join you. What time do you want to go back to camp?? Taintedstar might wonder where you have if you had been out here for most of the day." Krova looked around in search of prey. He spotted a mouse, but he didn't want to charge off to get it while he was talking to Ashfur. That would be rude. "Where do you want to star? There are some places where the prey is wealthy and some places where prey is poor. I don't really care." Krova's white eyes were gleaming. He knew he would have fun on this hunt.

[Aleen]

"To answer your first question," Ashfur began, "I've only caught this vole. That's because I just barely came out, so I haven't had time to catch much. Second, I don't care when we head back, just whenever you've worn yourself out is good. I don't care where we start, and," her eyes flashed dangerously, "I know perfectly well about the prey quantity on RiverClan territory." She turned around with a flick of her tail and opened her mouth slightly, catching the scent of mouse. Immediately, she dropped into a hunting position. Trying to keep her steps light and quiet she crept closer toward the scent. When she had got close enough, she pounced, killing the fat little creature with a quick snap of her jaws. After scraping some earth over her kill, The she-cat turned back to the younger tom. "What's your name? I'm afraid I don't pay much attention to the younger cats." Her question was polite, though she couldn't stop a tiny bit of sarcasm to slip into the remark that followed. She flicked her tail impatiently as she waited for the answer.

[Katze]

OOC: We are in RiverClan 'sweetheart'(-Kagit), not WindClan. Bwahahahahaha

Krova narrowed his eyes. "That will take a while. Seeing that I am younger, it will be you to be tired out first. That's a promise." Krova turned around a couple of times before lying down. "Having fun catching mice? I have to admit that you have an excellent stalking crouch. But, I go back when we first met, that mouse could've been dumb. As for my name, I am Krova." He stood up to arch his back and made way for a hole in the bushes. There would be more prey father along. Any prey that was near now was going to be deaf, from hearing that entire racket they made.

OOC: Bad post I know, but I am irritated by now with someone.

[Aleen]

OOC- I know that. I'm having a day and Windclan just keeps slipping in there ever time I mean to put RiverClan

Dislike for Krova flared up inside Ashfur momentarily. He was one of those cats that ignored the old ways. With an attitude like that how could he avoid it? she thought. She, of course, was not the best cat to be speaking about attitudes, with her fiery anger, but still.... She shook the thoughts from her head. After saying that she would hunt with the tom, she was going to do it.

Ashfur quietly hurried up to Krova's side. "On the contrary, Wasting your breath on useless comments will most definately wear you out first," she retorted, her voice barely audible. "Now if you'll excuse me..." she again dropped into a hunter's crouch. You're lucky you caught me in a good mood she thought. Or else you might not have you're eyes still.

[Katze]

Krova narrowed his eyes. "Like I am the one talking more?" He murmured under his breath. Shrugging, he followed Ashfur into a crouch. "Lead the way, Ashfur." He hissed to Ashfur. He didn't wait for an argumentum reply before sitting back up. Paw by paw he brought them up to his mouth and began to wash.

Krova looked up into the sky to see that the sun was turning the whole place yellow like fire burning from a bush. "Ashfur," He began, "Think we have enough to go back?" So far, Krova had only caught a few fish and a couple of mice. "What have you caught so far?"

[Aleen]

Ashfur sat up and thought for a moment. "I've got a couple mice, that vole I caught earlier, and a squirrel that I happened to see." She casually began cleaning her chest. "I didn't feel like fishing." After a moment, she sat up and looked over at the Krova. "I think it's enough, considering it's near sunset. I'm going to go gather mine." After somehow managing to carry all she'd caught, even the plump vole, Ashfur made her way back over to where the tom was. "Are you ready?" she asked, her voice muffled and barely understandable through all the prey she had. Not waiting for an answer, she started back to wards camp. She wasn't sure how well she'd be able to carry everything, especially if she lost her temper because of some sharp remark from Krova. She paused for a moment, hoping he'd hurry up so it didn't look like she had been worn out from hunting, for it had really been quite refreshing. Where is that lazy tom? she wondered.

[Katze]

Krova shrugged and began to stuff all of the prey he had caught into his mouth. With all of the prey scents flowing in his glands, his mouth began to water. It was almost like have catnip shoved into your mouth and being dared not to eat it for on whole day. He hoped that they would hurry to the camp. He didn't know if he could manage not chopping down on the succulent prey. He narrowed his eyes at Ashfur once he made his way over to her with most of his prey in his mouth. He had left a mouse and two voles and had buried them underground to come back for. "Come on." He murmured through hair and morsels. As he spoke, a shrew came flying out of his grip and landed right next to a puddle. In Open Meadow, a puddle on the grass was bad. Mud would get into your fur; it would suction you in if you got to close. The Clan needed the shrew to eat but he dared not go near the pool of water and get stuck. He tried to move away but noticed that both foreleg and back leg on his left right side were not moving with the rest of his body, which made him fall. Prey scattered everywhere as his legs twisted and his back arched leaving him writhering next to mud. He tried to scramble away, but both legs were still stuck and a pain was growing at the joint of paw and leg.

OOC: Hope you don't mind, but I had to... >
Add a little 'oumph' to all posts. Death. Drama. Tragady. Love. Bleh. Anything!

[Aleen]

OOC: Oh yeah, everything needs a little "oomph". It makes life interesting.

IC:
Ashfur grew impatient fast and so, her mouth still full of prey, she headed off to find Krova. Finally seeing his black pelt, she sped up. She stopped in her tracks as she saw he was struggling. Dropping all the prey in her mouth, the she-cat ran up to Krova. Her heart skipped a beat as she found that he was stuck in a puddle and sinking deeper slowly but surely. "This will probably hurt," she said quickly, "but bear with me." With that said, the older cat gripped a patch of fur on his back and pulled gradually, hoping it might help. Her brain pleaded with the rest of her body to save the young tom, every bit in her body willing to oblige. Yes, she had found him irritating, and his sarcastic manner had gotten on her nerves, but she definitely didn't want him dead. Even though he had rejected the Warrior Code and everything it stood for, he was young and deserved to live. Even if all he did was make more mistakes, he deserved the chance to make and deal with them, He deserved a chance to love, to hate, to feel. He deserved it, and besides, whether she liked it or not, Krova was a part of the old warrior. He was part of the Clan, and she couldn't let one of her Clan die, no matter who it was.

Her fear rising, Ashfur cried angrily, "I never thought any cat could be mouse-brained enough to get in a mess like this!" With a grunt she added, "don't answer that!" Saving the tom by herself was hopeless, and she knew it, but maybe they would be lucky enough to be spotted by a patrol. If only she could hold onto him a little longer... that's what she kept thinking: A little bit longer.