The young Bengal she-cat smiled- part of her unsure of how to answer him and the other part felt so at home sitting beside him staring out at the grassland. Butterflies had taken up a permanent home in her belly it seemed, because as soon as Scorchedsky touched her paw- they were fluttering again. "I have faith in Starclan- more so than the rest of my clan-mates do. Sometimes I wonder if it would kill them to let our ancestors take precedent in our lives. I'm not very religious, but I know it would do Eclipseclan some good if they weren't all so hard-headed." She huffed, pale grey orbs drifting up toward the sky. The sun had started it's daily decent and she knew that if they wasted anymore time here they'd miss the battle patrol. Spottedpaw wanted more than anything to stay like this, the warmth of the sun encircling her pelt while she sat beside Scorchedsky and enjoyed the view of Sunclan's territory. Oh Starclan! Why couldn't her mother choose Sunclan over Eclipseclan. She wanted to spend more time with him- talk about everything, learn about his life, and meet his baby sister! However, Spottedpaw had a feeling that the alliance would end sometime soon. With the upcoming battle- whether they won or lost- Eclipseclan and Sunclan would return to their respective camps. All friendships that had been forged between the clans were to stop at once. "I'm gorgeous- it's too hard for you to keep your eyes offa me." She leaned over and swiped his cheek with her tongue before hopping to her paws. "The only cat's attention I want on me is a certain sunclanner." She flicked his shoulder once again, a mischievous grin capturing her face. "We better get back to camp- this rabbit isn't gonna carry itself." The apprentice was finding a lot of joy in teasing Scorchedsky, especially if brought about his flustered reactions. It was cute, seeing the face he'd make before trying to come up with something smooth to say.
Scorchedsky's ears fell, at her heart breaking answer. "I'm so sorry, Spottedpaw. That's a very rough thing to be going through, but I feel your pain." he covered her paw with his own. "I know what it's like to feel lost, like you don't belong. Trying to prove yourself over, and over. Not just to your clan, but to yourself. That's why i'm here after all, taking care of my baby sister. But one look at the plains and I knew I couldn't be anywhere else. Perhaps you just need to find where your meant to be. Starclan will guide your paws." he meowed, Withdrawing his paw at her teasing comment. He grinned back before feigning indignation "Hey now, I've barely spoken to anyone since my joining." Scorchedsky paused, his ears growing hot. She thought him handsome? No cat had ever said anything like that to him before, besides his mother. Ah, no! Now he was thinking about his mom! He looked down at her "I bet you capture the attention of every tom in your clan, though. You and that beautiful face, and spicy aura." he purred, clearly getting flustered. I am really beginning to wish she were a Sunclanner. Scorchedsky thought, his eyes taking in every detail of Spottedpaw's gorgeous spotted coat and picture perfect face.
Spottedpaw began to groom the blood from her paws- the taste different from the mice she was so used to. She liked the taste of rabbit better, a small smile tugging the corners of him lips. It might actually be her new favorite! She glanced at him, amusement written across her face when he started dancing. "You look ridiculous!" She breathed out a laugh, "Is that how I looked." The young Bengal question, shaking her behind again. It felt weird to goof off, especially because she'd be scolded for it if she were with an eclipseclan warrior. It's not like she hated her home, she just never really felt like she fit in. Mosspaw was so different from her- a real warrior, always ready to fight, but Spottedpaw preferred to stay in camp and clean up the clearing. She also now discovered hunting was one of her favorite things to do. Her right ear twitched at the softness in his voice, grey eyes snapping to look at him with concern.
Was she okay? The spotted feline sat back on her haunches as she thought about her answer. Up until now- she thought she'd take her mother's place as the kit giver to Eclipseclan. She could picture it right now, her life spent confined in the nursery walls. While she did want a family, what she didn't want was for that to be her purpose in life. "I'm okay- a little lost on my journey. I'm not sure where I belong anymore. I'm just kinda alone. My mother passed along time ago and my siblings and I don't talk much." Sadness had clouded her eyes, but she cleared her throat. Why was she telling him this? They barely knew each other. "I'm sure you charm all the she-cats back home. You and that stupidly handsome face." She grinned.
Scorchedsky's eyes were round as moons in awe of her masterfully executed kill. Her running technique was so close to a Sunclanner that it was hard for him to believe Spottedpaw wasn't Sunclan born. It felt like she was meant to be here, on the warm windy plains chasing rabbits with him. The sandy warrior cracked a broad smile when the bengal celebrated her first catch with the most adorable victory dance he had ever seen, and this caused him to act on impulse, bounding up to her with a playful jig of his own. "What a catch!" he said, grinning all the while. "You're a natural! I especially love the way you stopped it with your claws." He paused as she looked at him with those gorgeous stormy grey eyes, wide and searching, and his heart rate sped up. "Hey," he meowed his voice softer than it had ever been, besides when he spoke to his kit sister Arctickit. "Are you okay, Spottedpaw?" he meowed, concern plain on his face. Was she embarrassed at her celebration? He hoped not, he would never judge her. It was her first kill, and that was a huge milestone for any cat. Could it be about something more? He didn't know what she really thought of her clan, but it was coming to his attention that something was off. He had missed something. The way she had spoken about her battle oriented clan earlier...was she unhappy?
Her pale grey eyes sparkled, warmth hugging her chest at his words. She rarely ever got praises such as these back in Eclipseclan, but that's to be expected. The feeling of being encouraged and told that your ideas are valid gave Spottedpaw a burst of energy. She was determined to impress Scorchedsky and for the life of her she couldn't understand why. She had always thought of herself as an independent feline who didn't need anyone else's acceptance, but her own. Then again, her mother had been a kittypet and that is seen as a weakness. As a result, Spottedpaw craved approval and having this handsome sunclanner's gaze on her made her feel alive. The young she-cat was so lost in her thoughts that she almost forgot what they'd come out here to do. She narrowed her eyes on the movement, ears perked and listening as Scorchedsky enacted their plan. She shifted at the last moment, her weight falling to her back legs as the hare jumped into view. Not yet. She thought, grey eyes focused on the panicked creature. Spottedpaw held her breath and at the exact moment the rabbit took note of her presence, the agile eclipseclanner was off. The apprentice propelled herself forward using her back legs- her momentum turning her into a rocket. Her claws dug into the rear of the rabbit, blood soaking her paws as she brought herself forward to clamp her jaws around it's neck. With as much force as she could muster, she snapped it's neck. This all happened in one fluid motion as she herself and the hare came to stop. Surprise flickered across her pretty face at the sight of the creature dead beneath her. "Wow." She uttered before turning to jump around and do a little victory dance. "let's see any of my clan-mates do that!" She practically yowled, ears flattening against her head immediately after. "Scorchedsky." she turned, searching the plains for the tom.
Scorchedsky purred again, her eagerness made his stomach do back flips. She was so lovely, and he caught himself appreciating her form, the way she crouched was perfect and he was confident any prey would notice her until it was too late. "Splendid idea," he replied. "I'll drive it your way." before he could stop himself he leaned forward and rasped his tongue over one of her perfect pointed ears. He blinked warmly, purple meeting grey for just a heartbeat as his eyes met hers. He then gave her a wicked grin and sped off with quiet, powerful grace. He rushed in to the wind towards the hare Spottedpaw had pointed out, just seeing it's long grey-brown ears over the lush grass. As he neared the unsuspecting prey, he leaped over the patch of grass to land on it's opposite side. Scorchedsky smirked as the hare became startled and launched away in a panicked flurry of fur and powerful back legs. The rabbit tried to veer right, so he dashed over to cut it off, lunging and missing, It took off to the left, and one again he lunged...and missed! All according to plan. The hare rocketed off in Spottedpaw's direction with Scorchedsky hot on it's heels, pushing hard in to the soil with his claws to boost his speed. It was quite a good sized rabbit, he reflected in his chase, the kittens in Eclipseclan could really use this kill after all they had been through this day.
Spottedpaw got lost in the view again, a small smile capturing his lips as she tried to memorize the scene before her. She wanted to remember this moment, because she knew once Eclipseclan and Sunclan departed ways, she'd never see it again. She waited for Scorchedsky's plan of action, but she started to get curious when he remained quiet. She risked a look at the Sunclanner only to find him already staring at her. Her head tilted in question, but he seemed to snap out of his trance because he was turning away from her. The young she-cat grinned- wondering if she had the same affect on him that he was having on her. She chose to stay quiet about it, focusing her attention on the task at hand.
"Should we split up? Cover my ground just in case." She said while dropping her weight to the ground. Her posture was perfect, but once the hunt started it was all in Starclan's paws. She was confident in her skills and maybe she could translate some of her battle training to this.
Scorchedsky's purple gaze clouded at her words. It seemed to him that maybe she didn't belong in Eclipseclan..fighting for everything was no way for any cat to live, and rage tugged at his heart at the thought of her getting hurt in such a hardy clan. He was about to open his jaws to say as much when he reminded himself that it wasn't his place, and regretfully swallowed his words. She was a strong cat, this much he knew. And it took a lot of courage to come out here in yo another clans territory, and learn to do something you had never been taught. He knew she could handle herself. Silently he watched her pick through the scents of Sunclan 's plains. He was so caught up in his own thoughts, and her rather precious look of concentration that he almost didn't catch what he said.
Scorchedsky broke in to a deep rumbling purr as he followed her gaze, "Well done!" He exclaimed. He noted which way the wind blew. "We're down wind, so it hasn't scented us yet. Now, to hunt rabbits, the best way is in a group of two." He explained. "Keep your paw steps light, a rabbit will here you coming Everytime if you're not careful. Crouch just over the lip of the hill, and I'll drive it right in to your paws." Stormblaze 's
The scents were.. overwhelming and different. A good different. It was all so new to spottedpaw that she could barely contain her excitement. She'd been a babe when Winterjay brought her to Raven's fortress- the outside world a mystery to her little mind. The young Bengal had grown a lot since then and right now, she knew Sunclan territory- the grassy plains- was a sight to behold. The open fields, the space- it all made her want to run until her legs gave out underneath her. It was an odd feeling- especially because of the clan she was born in to. "I know, but it would be nice to know how to hunt. Eclipseclanner's are so battle oriented.. it's not really my thing." She admitted, knowing well that if Tigermask ever heard her say such things she'd be banished for sure. Her pale grey eyes lit up at his proposition and she nodded eagerly. An unknown emotion flickered in her gaze at Scorchedsky's smile, butterflies making themselves known deep in her belly. Spottedpaw cleared her throat and did her best for focus on the sunclanner's words. She did as he said, drinking in all the scents she could. She was a good tracking and even practiced it on her own sometimes, but Eclipseclan didn't have much use for that skill. It took her a few moments to pinpoint the scent he'd described- especially cause she was unfamiliar with the area. She followed the scent with her eyes, her grey orbs pinpointing a movement among the tall grass. "Over there." she nudged him to the left, pointing her tail in the direction the scent was coming from.
Scorchedsky let out a deep mew of sympathy. "Hey, you can't help what you do and don't know. I can help you out. By the end of our hunting trip im going to make sure that you get the killing bite on a rabbit to bring back to your clanmates. This is a difficult time, and some fresh meat will go a long way. Maybe after you can teach me how to scavenge." he winked. His smile fell a bit at her embarrassment, and he touched his tail tip to her shoulder in a sign of comforting support. "You don't have to be embarrassed. It's just your clans way. We're all different, and the things that make us different make us special." Scorchedsky's cheeks heated as he dropped his tail from her, He noted that his tail tip tingled where he had touched her, and it caused him to clear his throat. He started to ponder the reason for this, but decided they had a more important task ahead and forced himself to turn his mind elsewhere. "So, rabbits are fast, and they usually head directly for the nearest bolt hole- be careful of those by the way when your running. It can make for a nasty spill. And if you catch one, watch out for their claws, they have powerful back legs and their claws are sharp."
The tall tom halted at the top of the hill and scanned the horizon with focused lilac eyes. "Taste the air, tell me if you can smell one. They smell rather sweet, yet musky. When we find one, i'll tell you the plan." Scorchedsky looked over at her, her smaller frame and powerful body awash in the sinking sun. He swallowed hard, looking a little dazed as he tried not to touch her again.
Spottedpaw glanced at Scorchedsky as he caught up with her, cheeks warming at his close proximity. She couldn't understand why she was feeling this way. Just a few moments ago- Curlypaw, a tom, had annoyed the living dung out of her. Maybe it was because the sunclannerwas older, more mature and knew how to speak to her without getting on her nerves. They were closer in age as well- the young Bengal was so close to being named a warrior- her training almost finished and she could not wait to call herself an official warrior of Eclipseclan.
His question caught her off-guard, embarrassment warming her already hot cheeks. "I've never actually hunted before." She admitted, avoiding his gaze. "Eclipseclanners don't need to worry about something like that. We focus our time on battle training." The Bengal brushed past him, the tip of her tail flicking his shoulder, as she disappeared into the tall grass. The light beige color of her pelt helped her to blend in here far better than she had in Eclipseclan's territory.
Scorchedsky's whiskers twitched at her words, surprised by the genuine curiosity in her voice. "Rabbit, mostly or as we call them 'hares'." the sandy red warrior replied, a faint purr in his voice. "Have you ever hunted hare before?" the tom questioned. If this was her first time, then he would need to warn her of their powerful hind legs and claws. Even experienced warriors were known to get a nasty scratch from them ever now and again. The most extreme case he had seen in the mountains had resulted in the loss of the apprentices left eye.
Scorchedsky picked up the pace a little to catch up to her side as they started up the slight incline to a grassy hill. He opened his jaws to drink in the scents of heather and grass. The sweet and pungent scents of new plants washed over his senses. New leaf was always one of his favorite times of year, and the chill in the air was almost gone. The afternoon sun warmed his thick red pelt as they crested the hill, but what made him feel warmer still, to his surprise, was Spottedpaw's company.
The young Bengal she-cat padded through the territory- a little embarrassed that they were out here to hunt. Eclipseclanners rarely ever hunt, all their food is basically given to them on a silver platter. Living in an abandoned Two-leg nest gives you access to all the mouse you could ever want. She also wasn't entirely sure what Sunclan hunted, so she was really out of her element. Seeing the grasslands of Sunclan's territory was amazing. She'd only caught glimpse's of it from Eclipseclan's borders- when she would sneak out of camp as a kitten. "Wow, this is amazing." Spottedpaw mewed, glancing over her shoulder at Scorchedsky. "What do you hunt here?"
"At least it's not too far," Pretty shrugged and started northeast toward Raven's Fortress. She plodded along at an easy pace, still lingering a bit to draw out the time she had with Rumblepaw. [EcC-SC Camp]
The tabby's ear twitched slightly. Pretty didn't seem to understand that Rumblepaw was worried for her, and not at all about getting in trouble. She didn't even feel too upset anymore about not meeting any StarClan cats. She decided against saying anything else about it. "You're right, it wouldn't be any good if we both got sick over this." She picked up the small, wet rabbit and looked at the other she-cat, waiting to follow her lead.
"Hey, don't be sad," Pretty meowed, misinterpreting the she-cat's change in demeanor. "We can come back out here tomorrow, I don't think Veinpool's going to hold me up over a little scratch. It really isn't a big deal-- though we should maybe be hurrying back, it's getting kinda chilly and I'm just about soaked to my bones."
"But, I did, too!" Rumblepaw frowned, "I was having so much fun with you, and I didn't wanna ruin it for either of us... but, now it's raining and you're in pain, and... the StarClan cats aren't here." She paused for a moment, her brow furrowed in thought. "You are, though. And Clanmates should take care of each other."
"No, no, really-- it's fine!" Pretty assured her, giving a little smile that didn't quite reach ehr eyes. "I was the one who wanted to stay out here in the first place!"
Rumblepaw was instantly overwhelmed with concern. "Are you okay? Does it hurt bad?" she asked, moving closer to get a look at the bite mark. "I'm sorry, Pretty. We should have gone back to camp sooner."
"I guess..." Pretty sighed, her disappointment clear on her tone as she got stiffly back up to her feet. She winced as she placed weight on her injured shoulder and hobbled a few steps. "Foxdung, I let it get all stiff..." She complained, running her tongue over the wound.
The young Bengal she-cat smiled- part of her unsure of how to answer him and the other part felt so at home sitting beside him staring out at the grassland. Butterflies had taken up a permanent home in her belly it seemed, because as soon as Scorchedsky touched her paw- they were fluttering again. "I have faith in Starclan- more so than the rest of my clan-mates do. Sometimes I wonder if it would kill them to let our ancestors take precedent in our lives. I'm not very religious, but I know it would do Eclipseclan some good if they weren't all so hard-headed." She huffed, pale grey orbs drifting up toward the sky. The sun had started it's daily decent and she knew that if they wasted anymore time here they'd miss the battle patrol. Spottedpaw wanted more than anything to stay like this, the warmth of the sun encircling her pelt while she sat beside Scorchedsky and enjoyed the view of Sunclan's territory. Oh Starclan! Why couldn't her mother choose Sunclan over Eclipseclan. She wanted to spend more time with him- talk about everything, learn about his life, and meet his baby sister! However, Spottedpaw had a feeling that the alliance would end sometime soon. With the upcoming battle- whether they won or lost- Eclipseclan and Sunclan would return to their respective camps. All friendships that had been forged between the clans were to stop at once. "I'm gorgeous- it's too hard for you to keep your eyes offa me." She leaned over and swiped his cheek with her tongue before hopping to her paws. "The only cat's attention I want on me is a certain sunclanner." She flicked his shoulder once again, a mischievous grin capturing her face. "We better get back to camp- this rabbit isn't gonna carry itself." The apprentice was finding a lot of joy in teasing Scorchedsky, especially if brought about his flustered reactions. It was cute, seeing the face he'd make before trying to come up with something smooth to say.
Scorchedsky's ears fell, at her heart breaking answer. "I'm so sorry, Spottedpaw. That's a very rough thing to be going through, but I feel your pain." he covered her paw with his own. "I know what it's like to feel lost, like you don't belong. Trying to prove yourself over, and over. Not just to your clan, but to yourself. That's why i'm here after all, taking care of my baby sister. But one look at the plains and I knew I couldn't be anywhere else. Perhaps you just need to find where your meant to be. Starclan will guide your paws." he meowed, Withdrawing his paw at her teasing comment. He grinned back before feigning indignation "Hey now, I've barely spoken to anyone since my joining." Scorchedsky paused, his ears growing hot. She thought him handsome? No cat had ever said anything like that to him before, besides his mother. Ah, no! Now he was thinking about his mom! He looked down at her "I bet you capture the attention of every tom in your clan, though. You and that beautiful face, and spicy aura." he purred, clearly getting flustered. I am really beginning to wish she were a Sunclanner. Scorchedsky thought, his eyes taking in every detail of Spottedpaw's gorgeous spotted coat and picture perfect face.
Spottedpaw began to groom the blood from her paws- the taste different from the mice she was so used to. She liked the taste of rabbit better, a small smile tugging the corners of him lips. It might actually be her new favorite! She glanced at him, amusement written across her face when he started dancing. "You look ridiculous!" She breathed out a laugh, "Is that how I looked." The young Bengal question, shaking her behind again. It felt weird to goof off, especially because she'd be scolded for it if she were with an eclipseclan warrior. It's not like she hated her home, she just never really felt like she fit in. Mosspaw was so different from her- a real warrior, always ready to fight, but Spottedpaw preferred to stay in camp and clean up the clearing. She also now discovered hunting was one of her favorite things to do. Her right ear twitched at the softness in his voice, grey eyes snapping to look at him with concern.
Was she okay? The spotted feline sat back on her haunches as she thought about her answer. Up until now- she thought she'd take her mother's place as the kit giver to Eclipseclan. She could picture it right now, her life spent confined in the nursery walls. While she did want a family, what she didn't want was for that to be her purpose in life. "I'm okay- a little lost on my journey. I'm not sure where I belong anymore. I'm just kinda alone. My mother passed along time ago and my siblings and I don't talk much." Sadness had clouded her eyes, but she cleared her throat. Why was she telling him this? They barely knew each other. "I'm sure you charm all the she-cats back home. You and that stupidly handsome face." She grinned.
Scorchedsky's eyes were round as moons in awe of her masterfully executed kill. Her running technique was so close to a Sunclanner that it was hard for him to believe Spottedpaw wasn't Sunclan born. It felt like she was meant to be here, on the warm windy plains chasing rabbits with him. The sandy warrior cracked a broad smile when the bengal celebrated her first catch with the most adorable victory dance he had ever seen, and this caused him to act on impulse, bounding up to her with a playful jig of his own. "What a catch!" he said, grinning all the while. "You're a natural! I especially love the way you stopped it with your claws." He paused as she looked at him with those gorgeous stormy grey eyes, wide and searching, and his heart rate sped up. "Hey," he meowed his voice softer than it had ever been, besides when he spoke to his kit sister Arctickit. "Are you okay, Spottedpaw?" he meowed, concern plain on his face. Was she embarrassed at her celebration? He hoped not, he would never judge her. It was her first kill, and that was a huge milestone for any cat. Could it be about something more? He didn't know what she really thought of her clan, but it was coming to his attention that something was off. He had missed something. The way she had spoken about her battle oriented clan earlier...was she unhappy?
Her pale grey eyes sparkled, warmth hugging her chest at his words. She rarely ever got praises such as these back in Eclipseclan, but that's to be expected. The feeling of being encouraged and told that your ideas are valid gave Spottedpaw a burst of energy. She was determined to impress Scorchedsky and for the life of her she couldn't understand why. She had always thought of herself as an independent feline who didn't need anyone else's acceptance, but her own. Then again, her mother had been a kittypet and that is seen as a weakness. As a result, Spottedpaw craved approval and having this handsome sunclanner's gaze on her made her feel alive. The young she-cat was so lost in her thoughts that she almost forgot what they'd come out here to do. She narrowed her eyes on the movement, ears perked and listening as Scorchedsky enacted their plan. She shifted at the last moment, her weight falling to her back legs as the hare jumped into view. Not yet. She thought, grey eyes focused on the panicked creature. Spottedpaw held her breath and at the exact moment the rabbit took note of her presence, the agile eclipseclanner was off. The apprentice propelled herself forward using her back legs- her momentum turning her into a rocket. Her claws dug into the rear of the rabbit, blood soaking her paws as she brought herself forward to clamp her jaws around it's neck. With as much force as she could muster, she snapped it's neck. This all happened in one fluid motion as she herself and the hare came to stop. Surprise flickered across her pretty face at the sight of the creature dead beneath her. "Wow." She uttered before turning to jump around and do a little victory dance. "let's see any of my clan-mates do that!" She practically yowled, ears flattening against her head immediately after. "Scorchedsky." she turned, searching the plains for the tom.
Scorchedsky purred again, her eagerness made his stomach do back flips. She was so lovely, and he caught himself appreciating her form, the way she crouched was perfect and he was confident any prey would notice her until it was too late. "Splendid idea," he replied. "I'll drive it your way." before he could stop himself he leaned forward and rasped his tongue over one of her perfect pointed ears. He blinked warmly, purple meeting grey for just a heartbeat as his eyes met hers. He then gave her a wicked grin and sped off with quiet, powerful grace. He rushed in to the wind towards the hare Spottedpaw had pointed out, just seeing it's long grey-brown ears over the lush grass. As he neared the unsuspecting prey, he leaped over the patch of grass to land on it's opposite side. Scorchedsky smirked as the hare became startled and launched away in a panicked flurry of fur and powerful back legs. The rabbit tried to veer right, so he dashed over to cut it off, lunging and missing, It took off to the left, and one again he lunged...and missed! All according to plan. The hare rocketed off in Spottedpaw's direction with Scorchedsky hot on it's heels, pushing hard in to the soil with his claws to boost his speed. It was quite a good sized rabbit, he reflected in his chase, the kittens in Eclipseclan could really use this kill after all they had been through this day.
Spottedpaw got lost in the view again, a small smile capturing his lips as she tried to memorize the scene before her. She wanted to remember this moment, because she knew once Eclipseclan and Sunclan departed ways, she'd never see it again. She waited for Scorchedsky's plan of action, but she started to get curious when he remained quiet. She risked a look at the Sunclanner only to find him already staring at her. Her head tilted in question, but he seemed to snap out of his trance because he was turning away from her. The young she-cat grinned- wondering if she had the same affect on him that he was having on her. She chose to stay quiet about it, focusing her attention on the task at hand.
"Should we split up? Cover my ground just in case." She said while dropping her weight to the ground. Her posture was perfect, but once the hunt started it was all in Starclan's paws. She was confident in her skills and maybe she could translate some of her battle training to this.
Scorchedsky's purple gaze clouded at her words. It seemed to him that maybe she didn't belong in Eclipseclan..fighting for everything was no way for any cat to live, and rage tugged at his heart at the thought of her getting hurt in such a hardy clan. He was about to open his jaws to say as much when he reminded himself that it wasn't his place, and regretfully swallowed his words. She was a strong cat, this much he knew. And it took a lot of courage to come out here in yo another clans territory, and learn to do something you had never been taught. He knew she could handle herself. Silently he watched her pick through the scents of Sunclan 's plains. He was so caught up in his own thoughts, and her rather precious look of concentration that he almost didn't catch what he said.
Scorchedsky broke in to a deep rumbling purr as he followed her gaze, "Well done!" He exclaimed. He noted which way the wind blew. "We're down wind, so it hasn't scented us yet. Now, to hunt rabbits, the best way is in a group of two." He explained. "Keep your paw steps light, a rabbit will here you coming Everytime if you're not careful. Crouch just over the lip of the hill, and I'll drive it right in to your paws." Stormblaze 's
The scents were.. overwhelming and different. A good different. It was all so new to spottedpaw that she could barely contain her excitement. She'd been a babe when Winterjay brought her to Raven's fortress- the outside world a mystery to her little mind. The young Bengal had grown a lot since then and right now, she knew Sunclan territory- the grassy plains- was a sight to behold. The open fields, the space- it all made her want to run until her legs gave out underneath her. It was an odd feeling- especially because of the clan she was born in to. "I know, but it would be nice to know how to hunt. Eclipseclanner's are so battle oriented.. it's not really my thing." She admitted, knowing well that if Tigermask ever heard her say such things she'd be banished for sure. Her pale grey eyes lit up at his proposition and she nodded eagerly. An unknown emotion flickered in her gaze at Scorchedsky's smile, butterflies making themselves known deep in her belly. Spottedpaw cleared her throat and did her best for focus on the sunclanner's words. She did as he said, drinking in all the scents she could. She was a good tracking and even practiced it on her own sometimes, but Eclipseclan didn't have much use for that skill. It took her a few moments to pinpoint the scent he'd described- especially cause she was unfamiliar with the area. She followed the scent with her eyes, her grey orbs pinpointing a movement among the tall grass. "Over there." she nudged him to the left, pointing her tail in the direction the scent was coming from.
Scorchedsky let out a deep mew of sympathy. "Hey, you can't help what you do and don't know. I can help you out. By the end of our hunting trip im going to make sure that you get the killing bite on a rabbit to bring back to your clanmates. This is a difficult time, and some fresh meat will go a long way. Maybe after you can teach me how to scavenge." he winked. His smile fell a bit at her embarrassment, and he touched his tail tip to her shoulder in a sign of comforting support. "You don't have to be embarrassed. It's just your clans way. We're all different, and the things that make us different make us special." Scorchedsky's cheeks heated as he dropped his tail from her, He noted that his tail tip tingled where he had touched her, and it caused him to clear his throat. He started to ponder the reason for this, but decided they had a more important task ahead and forced himself to turn his mind elsewhere. "So, rabbits are fast, and they usually head directly for the nearest bolt hole- be careful of those by the way when your running. It can make for a nasty spill. And if you catch one, watch out for their claws, they have powerful back legs and their claws are sharp."
The tall tom halted at the top of the hill and scanned the horizon with focused lilac eyes. "Taste the air, tell me if you can smell one. They smell rather sweet, yet musky. When we find one, i'll tell you the plan." Scorchedsky looked over at her, her smaller frame and powerful body awash in the sinking sun. He swallowed hard, looking a little dazed as he tried not to touch her again.
Spottedpaw glanced at Scorchedsky as he caught up with her, cheeks warming at his close proximity. She couldn't understand why she was feeling this way. Just a few moments ago- Curlypaw, a tom, had annoyed the living dung out of her. Maybe it was because the sunclannerwas older, more mature and knew how to speak to her without getting on her nerves. They were closer in age as well- the young Bengal was so close to being named a warrior- her training almost finished and she could not wait to call herself an official warrior of Eclipseclan.
His question caught her off-guard, embarrassment warming her already hot cheeks. "I've never actually hunted before." She admitted, avoiding his gaze. "Eclipseclanners don't need to worry about something like that. We focus our time on battle training." The Bengal brushed past him, the tip of her tail flicking his shoulder, as she disappeared into the tall grass. The light beige color of her pelt helped her to blend in here far better than she had in Eclipseclan's territory.
Scorchedsky's whiskers twitched at her words, surprised by the genuine curiosity in her voice. "Rabbit, mostly or as we call them 'hares'." the sandy red warrior replied, a faint purr in his voice. "Have you ever hunted hare before?" the tom questioned. If this was her first time, then he would need to warn her of their powerful hind legs and claws. Even experienced warriors were known to get a nasty scratch from them ever now and again. The most extreme case he had seen in the mountains had resulted in the loss of the apprentices left eye.
Scorchedsky picked up the pace a little to catch up to her side as they started up the slight incline to a grassy hill. He opened his jaws to drink in the scents of heather and grass. The sweet and pungent scents of new plants washed over his senses. New leaf was always one of his favorite times of year, and the chill in the air was almost gone. The afternoon sun warmed his thick red pelt as they crested the hill, but what made him feel warmer still, to his surprise, was Spottedpaw's company.
The young Bengal she-cat padded through the territory- a little embarrassed that they were out here to hunt. Eclipseclanners rarely ever hunt, all their food is basically given to them on a silver platter. Living in an abandoned Two-leg nest gives you access to all the mouse you could ever want. She also wasn't entirely sure what Sunclan hunted, so she was really out of her element. Seeing the grasslands of Sunclan's territory was amazing. She'd only caught glimpse's of it from Eclipseclan's borders- when she would sneak out of camp as a kitten. "Wow, this is amazing." Spottedpaw mewed, glancing over her shoulder at Scorchedsky. "What do you hunt here?"
"At least it's not too far," Pretty shrugged and started northeast toward Raven's Fortress. She plodded along at an easy pace, still lingering a bit to draw out the time she had with Rumblepaw. [EcC-SC Camp]
The tabby's ear twitched slightly. Pretty didn't seem to understand that Rumblepaw was worried for her, and not at all about getting in trouble. She didn't even feel too upset anymore about not meeting any StarClan cats. She decided against saying anything else about it. "You're right, it wouldn't be any good if we both got sick over this." She picked up the small, wet rabbit and looked at the other she-cat, waiting to follow her lead.
"Hey, don't be sad," Pretty meowed, misinterpreting the she-cat's change in demeanor. "We can come back out here tomorrow, I don't think Veinpool's going to hold me up over a little scratch. It really isn't a big deal-- though we should maybe be hurrying back, it's getting kinda chilly and I'm just about soaked to my bones."
"But, I did, too!" Rumblepaw frowned, "I was having so much fun with you, and I didn't wanna ruin it for either of us... but, now it's raining and you're in pain, and... the StarClan cats aren't here." She paused for a moment, her brow furrowed in thought. "You are, though. And Clanmates should take care of each other."
"No, no, really-- it's fine!" Pretty assured her, giving a little smile that didn't quite reach ehr eyes. "I was the one who wanted to stay out here in the first place!"
Rumblepaw was instantly overwhelmed with concern. "Are you okay? Does it hurt bad?" she asked, moving closer to get a look at the bite mark. "I'm sorry, Pretty. We should have gone back to camp sooner."
"I guess..." Pretty sighed, her disappointment clear on her tone as she got stiffly back up to her feet. She winced as she placed weight on her injured shoulder and hobbled a few steps. "Foxdung, I let it get all stiff..." She complained, running her tongue over the wound.