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Post by moo on Jul 23, 2007 12:26:41 GMT -5
Asiaticstrike padded up to her favorite spot for hunting, the silver creek. She was hungry and she thought she could catch some food for the fresh-kill pile as well. She peered into the creek to see a few fish. Some small, some big. She waited for a somewhat big fish to get close to her and then, Swoosh! Her paw shot out with extended claws to make the kill. She watched the fish temporarily squirm hooked onto her claws before it gave up and accepted death. She set the fish down so she could repeat the process. Too bad I don't have a patrol with me or at least someone to talk to. She thought heaving a small sigh. For a talkative cat like her, it was hard to go even short periods of time without saying something to somebody.
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Post by | Moonie | on Jul 23, 2007 15:03:15 GMT -5
A large, dark-colored cat wove through the trees, amber eyes sharp and alert as he took in everything around him. DuskClan's leader knew just about every nook and cranny in his territory, but that didn't mean he couldn't be surprised every so often. As he didn't particularly like surprises (in his experience, they were often bad news), he would rather guard against that occurance if at all possible.
Though when he was originally setting out, Tracestar hadn't made a conscious decision as to his destination, his feet seemed to have a mind of their own, directing him towards the Silver Creek. It had been one of his favorite haunts when he was younger (both alone and with friends - this had always been the first place anyone looked for him); habit always seemed to draw him to the area nowadays. Annoying thing.
A familiar scent reached the tom's nose via a 'playful' breeze, drawing him out of his thoughts. Apparently, he wasn't the only one setting their sights on the creek today. Slight amusement seemed to overtake him, although the emotion didn't show on his face. Not changing his easy pace, Tracestar reached the banks of the stream in moments. Asiaticstrike was already there, fishing. She was a good deputy - eager, willing, and able - if rather young and inexperienced. Besides, she was more of a 'people person' than he, better at (diplomatically) interacting with others - a skill he would have no trouble using, if it came to that.
In the few moments he went unnoticed, the brown tom moved confidently down to the water's edge to stand beside the much younger she-cat. "Afternoon, Asiaticstrike," he greeted her. The obvious question to ask next would, of course, have been something along the lines of "Good fishing?" - however, as it was easy to tell that she wasn't having a hard time of it (judging by the fact that she wasn't sopping wet), he would have felt extremely repetetive and more than a little pointless asking such a thing.
Not exactly the type to care whether the conversation lapsed into awkward silence, Tracestar nevertheless kept it going by asking, "Why didn't you bring a patrol out with you?" He didn't bother to explain the reasoning behind his question, figuring it to be relatively obvious: a patrol would have been able to catch more prey, as the fresh-kill pile was near-empty at the moment. Personally, he found this rather silly, since it was the time of year their prey level should be exploding.
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Post by moo on Jul 23, 2007 15:33:13 GMT -5
Asiaticstrike smiled at Tracestar. "Hi! Good afternoon." she said back. After that she somewhat smiled in embarrassment at his next question. "Sorry. I was a bit hungry and thought it would be good to go out and do a bit of hunting by myself. I just wasn't really thinking at the time." she finished rather sheepishly. "So, how are you today?"
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Post by | Moonie | on Jul 23, 2007 16:15:44 GMT -5
He caught the embarrassment, again rather amused. Whenever another was caught in what they considered to be a misstep, they immediately resorted to feeling such things - and really, Tracestar found it pointless to be caught in an action that you wouldn't back up. Even if you agreed with the scorn another directed at you, you could at least pretend confidence in yourself and your impulses. It was the best way to turn the scorn against the other, as they faltered trying to figure out what was wrong with their argument.
Still, he didn't bother to explain this to the youngling as she offered him her excuse: she could figure this out on her own, or not, in time. Nor did he bother to point out that saying she was hungry was a bad excuse, as if he were feeling at all suspicious he might have decided she was disobeying the Warrior Code, although it was a relatively minor rule she would have been breaking (feed the Clan before yourself). Whatever the case, it wasn't his problem.
"So, how are you today?"
Excellent topic-changer, that, if a little dis-spirited. Settling himself into a sitting position, the leader responded with a wry smile, "Same as ever." As he was feeling polite - and though he considered 'small talk' to be a bit of a waste of time - he asked in return, "And you?" He didn't expect her to confide in him, even if there was something troubling her: few cats would. He was seen as a relatively good leader, but not a particularly understanding cat.
To be quite honest, Tracestar liked it far better that way - otherwise, he would have been continually badgered by others' problems, which would probably have an effect along the lines of his exploding. Or else his clawing everyone else to death, neither of which being a particularly pleasant occurance.
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Post by moo on Jul 23, 2007 16:50:27 GMT -5
Asiaticstrike went back to fishing. "That's good." she said concentrating on a big fish that just swam by. With one strike, she caught it and killed it. She set it down by Tracestar. "Are you hungry?" she offered she decided that if Tracestar was, she would take a break and eat something too. She plopped down in front of him to face him. "Oh and in response to your question, I am fine."
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Silkgrass
New Kit
DuskClan Medicine Cat
++ Search the stars and you may see why we're here today ++
Posts: 26
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Post by Silkgrass on Jul 23, 2007 17:39:51 GMT -5
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Post by | Moonie | on Jul 24, 2007 11:21:36 GMT -5
The leader was already somewhat annoyed with himself for participating in the ordinary pointless chatter of two that didn't know each other well - but that was the problem with living in a Clan. You had to be polite; in some ways, he envied the rogues and loners their freedom in that regard. On the other hand, as a member of a Clan, you got other benefits...but you didn't get the fun of clawing idiots to death. Unfortunately.
Figuring the conversation over, the tom turned his attention to the real reason he had come out here: to hunt. Rather than joining his deputy at the water's edge, however, he focused on land prey. Ears and eyes simultaneously picking up on a vole off food-gathering by the edge of the stream, he slid into a hunter's crouch with the ease of long practice. He had come up behind the creature in moments and - before it knew what hit it - pounced, killing it with a swift bite to the neck.
The leader stood, watching for a moment or two as Asiaticstrike returned to fishing. He once again debated joining her, before figuring that she didn't particularly need help and this way they could return a mixture of creatures to the fresh-kill pile. Besides, it was a cool enough day that he felt no particular urge to get wet - he wasn't melting out of his fur or anything.
Tracestar was, quite honestly, more than a little surprised when Asiaticstrike asked if he was hungry and offered him the fish. Were he human, he would have raised his eyebrows in his Clanmate's direction. Apparently someone's mentor hadn't drilled her in the Warrior Code enough times, Tracestar thought blandly, considering.
"I will be once we return to camp," he retorted coolly after a second's pause. It was a nice enough thought (and in truth, he was rather hungry now), but kits and elders had to be fed first - then the rest of the Clan could eat. If she didn't pick up on the hint, he would phrase it in terms that were far more blunt. That would, of course, be perfectly fine with him, although it might make the she-cat somewhat uncomfortable, if his asking why she hadn't brought a patrol with her had made her as uncomfortable as it had.
As the wind shifted, Tracestar caught another familiar scent; Silkgrass, DuskClan's medicine cat. Looking up, he caught sight of the tawny she-cat a ways away - it appeared that she had noticed them, but decided to see to her own job rather than socializing for the moment. Smart. Turning the majority of his attention back to Asiaticstrike, he paused, waiting for the younger cat's response.
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Post by moo on Jul 24, 2007 12:08:29 GMT -5
Asiaticstrike shrugged. "I guess we have enough to take back to camp. I can take that fish back to the elders then." she decided. "Are you going to head back to camp?" she asked. She was already starting to gather her fish in her jaws. She had caught seven, semi-big fish.
While Asiaticstrike prepared to go back to camp, she was just beginning to wonder why Tracestar wasn't so talkative. But, from what she could remember, he never was. And she could tell he was trying to at least be polite. It must be hard for him to be around someone like her that always loved to talk.
After Asiaticstrike was ready to leave, a mouth full of fish, she noticed Tracestar look in a different direction. What was he looking at? Then Asiaticstrike caught the scent of Silkgrass, the Duskclan medicine cat. Too bad she hadn't noticed her earlier. Then she would've had two clanmates to talk to.
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Silkgrass
New Kit
DuskClan Medicine Cat
++ Search the stars and you may see why we're here today ++
Posts: 26
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Post by Silkgrass on Jul 24, 2007 13:39:23 GMT -5
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Post by | Moonie | on Jul 24, 2007 14:06:55 GMT -5
"I guess we have enough to take back to camp. I can take that fish back to the elders, then. Are you going to head back to camp?"
Quite honestly, he didn't particularly want to return to camp: he had just left, after all, and didn't feel as if he had done anything productive on this particular outing. On the other hand, Asiaticstrike obviously couldn't bring all of the fish she had managed to catch back on her own. The final verdict? It would make sense for him to go, even if he didn't relish the idea.
Actually, the leader would rather go running off into the forest with a grin and a shake of his head as he might have back when he was a young apprentice. He was too conscious of the example he had to set to do that anymore, of course - rather unfortunately, at least in his mind. Certainly it would be amusing to see the deputy and medicine cat's reactions to such an act; however, he wasn't feeling like enough of a carefree idiot to try that today. Or any day.
At the moment, he rather envied Silkgrass, who had an excuse to stay out on her own for the moment. Sadly, the leader couldn't use the same excuse for himself. It wasn't like he could help gather herbs - he knew nothing about the things - and he and Asiaticstrike (mostly the latter) had managed to gather up enough prey for the moment, sadly.
Getting to his feet in a swift movement, Tracestar nodded in Asiaticstrike's direction. "Yes, I'm coming." Grabbing his vole and a couple of the she-cat's fish, he headed off in the direction of camp without checking to see if his companion was following. Whether or not she did, as this was what they (she, mostly) had decided to do, the leader figured that they might as well not dawdle.
TO: Camp
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Post by moo on Jul 24, 2007 14:43:20 GMT -5
Asiaticstrike nodded a thank you to Tracestar for helping her carry her fish before he headed for camp. For once she was actually hoping not to run into any other cats as she padded back to camp since that would be rude to keep Tracestar waiting.
She followed Tracestar's scent back to camp as he had left before her and she'd lost sight of him. She wondered if Silkgrass was still by the creek gathering herbs. If she hadn't already met Tracestar, she may have offered to help her.
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