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Post by Whitemuzzle on Dec 28, 2019 19:02:15 GMT -5
New snow had fallen overnight, blanketing the territory in it's glistening whiteness. Pantherclaw enjoyed the snow but not so much while she was hunting. Her black coat stuck out like a sore paw against it's brilliance. Sighing, she made her way to the main stream. If it wasn't frozen over she'd try her luck at fishing from the bank today instead. She hoped she wouldn't have to return to the camp empty pawed.
"For once I blend in and you don't!," Poppypaw chirped, slipping occasionally as she forced her way through the snow without any kind of grace or composure. This was her first winter and, while most SummerClan cats were naturally opposed to it, she was having a pretty good time. The young she-cat appreciated her vacation from gardening; however, it did mean she had to step up and do more patrols like this one. She was not a very good hunter mainly because she couldn't keep her mouth shut, "How do you think prey keeps warm when it's so cold outside? They are so small, smaller than my paws, which I can't even feel they are so cold."
Post by Whitemuzzle on Dec 29, 2019 8:13:02 GMT -5
"They stay in their burrows," Pantherclaw sighed. "That's why it's so hard to find food during Leafbare." This was the black she cat's second cold season. The wonder she felt the first time she saw snow is now long gone. Two and half more moons of this, she thought dismally as she approached the main stream. The thought of getting her paws wet by fishing didn't appeal to her either but the clan needed fed. She was pleased however that the stream wasn't frozen over yet. "Let's see if we can catch some fish." Her stomach growled at the thought of food.
"Oh, I guess that makes sense," Poppypaw replied thoughtfully. Her fur was covered with little flecks snow at this point even though it was not actively snowing. It was a mystery as to how it happened, even to her. When Pantherclaw said something about fishing, she made a face, "It's too cold to get our paws wet, though. But I am pretty good at fishing so I guess it's not the worst idea."
Post by Whitemuzzle on Dec 30, 2019 14:18:30 GMT -5
"Living here in SummerClan, you have to get used to some discomforts, especially cold ones in Leafbare," Pantherclaw meowed remembering how she felt about the cold weather when she was an apprentice only a year ago. She thought she was the happiest cat ever when Newleaf had finally come. "Cold paws, cold noses, cold everything. In order to be a warrior you have to overlook these discomforts." She made her way to the stream bank and looked in the water. She spotted a few long shapes moving past. "Here's good place to start."
Poppypaw leaned over the edge of the stream, watching the long shapes with wide, curious eyes. She loved how shiny fish scales were, especially when they were just under the surface, the way the sunlight and the ripples in the water mixed together was truly a beautiful sight. Poppypaw wished that fish did not have such a strong odor once harvested - she would have loved to use some of these scales for flower crowns or broaches.
A couple fish were pretty close to her but they were small. The problem with fishing was that once you catch a couple, the rest of them tended to scatter, that is, assuming you were as crummy a hunter as Poppypaw here. She sat down as still as she could while she watched her target fish dance just outside of her range. In an unusual stroke of common sense, she turned to Pantherclaw and whispered, totally serious, "Maybe you should go first, last time I tried to catch a fish I fell in."
Post by Whitemuzzle on Dec 31, 2019 17:07:31 GMT -5
"We don't want that happening," Pantherclaw replied with a slight note of alarm in her voice. She knew a dunking wouldn't be good for any cat in this weather. Illnesses came quicker to cats who got wet in these temperatures. And my brother wouldn't appreciate me bring him more work, she thought ruefully. "Okay then, stay back a little," she continued in a soft voice. The fish were still swimming past a couple at a time. The black she cat positioned herself near the water's edge with her paw poised to strike. It seemed like an eternity but a larger fish approached where she waited. As quick as lightening, her paw shot into the water and in one continuous motion, she swiped the fish into the air. The only problem - it was headed straight toward Poppypaw's head. "Look out!"
Poppypaw was an absolute klutz. This was something the entire Clan knew. It was endearing sometimes, but most of the time it was a huge liability. When the fish went flying toward her head, however, it seemed as if the entire world was suddenly moving in slow motion. He bondi blue eyes widened, her hackles raised just a little bit. Something within her just clicked - instinct, perhaps? - and she lifted her right paw up, claws unsheathed. She felt the pressure of the fish weigh in on her paw and she redirected it, like a well-placed blow in battle, flinging the prey clear of the bank and a few tail-lengths away. It fell into a pile of snow, trying with all its might to swim away, its mighty fins shimming against the hard ground. Time returned to normal speed. Poppypaw looked from Pantherclaw to the fish and back again, a huge smile breaking across her face, "Did you SEE that? Who knew fish could just so high!"
Post by Whitemuzzle on Jan 2, 2020 11:53:52 GMT -5
"That was great!" Pantherclaw meowed in both admiration and relief. She bounded through the snow and pounced on the fish before it could make it's way back to the stream. She was relieved the fish didn't hit the apprentice and cause her an injury. She could just see herself trying to explain that to the rest of the clan - and especially to her grumpy brother. She was only just beginning to rid herself of her reckless reputation. "You sure moved fast to deflect this fish away. I bet you do well during your battle training sessions. That's a move that'll serve you well in a fight."
"Heh heh, you think so?" Poppypaw gloated, fluffing out her pale gold chest in pride, "Maybe I should reconsider being a garden keeper. I've always been like super agile, it's a waste if I don't get to be on the front lines!"
As if a cream-puff like Poppypaw had the guts for a true fight. She had the reflexes, sure, but she couldn't stomach violence. A real fight made her mind hazy and weak in the knees. Perhaps she would grow stronger in time; presently she was too pampered, evident in her soft, puffy body. She had a pound or two on other cats her same age and let's just say it's not from muscle.
The flame-point apprentice pranced over to Pantherclaw and the fish, examining the prey with curiosity. It was not nearly as pretty out of the water as it had been in, but it still had an otherworldly beauty, she could not quite pin it down. Poppypaw could hardly wait to dug her claws into it, "It wouldn't hurt anybody for us to eat this one real quick, there's plenty more."
Post by Whitemuzzle on Jan 4, 2020 10:51:17 GMT -5
The black she cat shook her head as she spoke. "You know the Code," she said but not in a stern voice. She remembered how she wanted to eat her catches when she was an apprentice. "The clan eats first." She had forgotten Poppypaw was training to be a garden keeper. That was a pretty tame line of work in her book. Pantherclaw would go absolutely crazy if she had to do that job all the time. But certainly her mentor would teach her the Warrior's Code even if she wouldn't be a first line defender.
"Tell you what," she continued. "Let's catch three more to take back to camp. Like you said, there seems to be plenty of fish around here today. Besides it'll be good practice for you. And wouldn't your mentor be pleased to see you bringing in such a nice catch?" Pantherclaw always enjoyed the praise of her clanmates especially when she brought in an exceptional catch. "And then we can share one together when we get back."
"Umm, okay! Good idea! I should be able to get them quickly. Like you said, I'm really talented, this'll be easy..." Poppypaw purred with pride as she approached the edge of the stream, her voice getting quieter and quieter as she got closer to her prey. She peeked over, careful of her shadow, and saw a few small fish up closer, a few larger ones further out, same as when they first arrived. They really must be stupid to stick around after losing one of their kin. Poppypaw knew that fish schooled together much like cats did, but they never seemed sad to lose a "loved" one, making them an easy target.
Enough of such thoughts, time to get busy. She crouched and watched, same as Pantherclaw had, waiting for a big fish to come up close. Unfortunately, she did not have the patience of her senior. The second a larger fish so much as edged in her direction she lashed out, her reach to shallow and force too great. She lost her balance and her front paw slammed into a water, creating a bigger splash than Pantherclaw had without even scrapping the side of a single fish. Ice cold water droplets sprayed across her face and she let out a yelp as she stepped back, shaking her thick pelt, already feeling quite chilled and more than a little ashamed.
Post by Whitemuzzle on Jan 6, 2020 18:51:24 GMT -5
Pantherclaw smiled at Poppypaw's self assurance in her fishing prowess. She knew fishing took time and practice to get the hang of scooping fish out of the water. But she didn't know how much practice the apprentice had in fishing so she said nothing and decided to wait and see how well she actually did.
She moved farther downstream from Poppypaw's fishing spot so she wouldn't disturb her. After seeing her splash herself, the black she cat came closer again. "You stretched out too far over the water causing your strike to unbalance you. Wait for the fish to come to you. That way your other three feet can maintain your balance more easily." She looked in the water and saw the fish were frightened off. "We'll need to find another spot to fish. I know of a good one farther upstream."
"I didn't stretch my paw too far out, it just moved away right when I went to swipe," Poppypaw lied, convincing herself as each falsehood left her mouth, "I lost my balance because I had started to strike it but stopped when I saw it moved. I just lost my balance is all, the ground is so slick, I'm lucky I didn't fall all the way in!"
The cream she-cat shook her pelt for a second time, although this time she was shaking off nerves, not water. Yes, that's right, it wasn't her fault she missed the fish. She would get the next one. She looked upstream, then back at Pantherclaw, "Lead the way, if you would!"
Post by Whitemuzzle on Jan 9, 2020 16:28:05 GMT -5
Pantherclaw eyed Poppypaw dubiously. Why can't she just own up to the truth? She knew what she saw - an overextended apprentice who nearly toppled into the water. "Just remember what I told you anyway," she meowed. Gathering up her fish, she led the way farther upstream to another one of her favorite fishing spots. An old oak tree had fallen into the water long ago. Half of it's branches were submerged into the gently flowing stream leaving the substantial tree trunk as well as two of its other branches as wonderful perching spots for fishing.
After leaving her first catch on the bank, Pantherclaw stopped at the exposed oak's roots. "Here's a great place to fish. They seem to like swimming amoungst the branches. I've caught several here in the past and it's easy footing too. Just sink your claws into the tree to hold on."
Poppypaw licked her lips and mounted the partially submerged tree carefully. She found the foot-holds easily enough and, thanks to the tree behind her, her shadow was completely hidden. What a fantastic fishing spot! She looked down into the water and saw some fish well within her reach; however, each step she took on the branch sent ripples into the water below, so she had to be very, very careful as to not alarm her prey. She would also have to catch and hold onto it if she didn't want it to fall right back into the water.
She gulped. Yes, this was a much better location, but it came with disadvantages. Her claw, still healing from a digging incident a few weeks ago, ached from clinging the the bark. Poppypaw held her breath and stayed as still as she possibly could, waiting for the right moment and, when it came she went for it. The flame point she-cat actually attacked with her jaws instead of her claws and fully submerged her head to pull out a medium sized bluegill. She smiled, beaming with pride, and pushed away from her branch to bring her catch back to Pantherclaw. Or, that was the plan. In her haste and excitement, she slipped and fell into the shallow water.
Post by Whitemuzzle on Jan 13, 2020 15:03:43 GMT -5
Pantherclaw watched from the bank as Poppypaw walked out onto the fallen tree. She's doing well, she thought. "Great catch!" she exclaimed when she saw her come up with the blue tinted fish. "Not too many cats want to fish by mouth but you did fine!" It was just then when Poppypaw slipped into the water. Immediately she sprung into action and helped pull the apprentice back onto the bank. The fish Poppypaw had caught was flipping around in paw deep water near the edge where it had been flung. A quick paw swipe tossed it out of the water and onto the land. Holding the bluegill down with one paw she meowed, "Start grooming the water out of your fur right away so you won't get chilled." After killing the fish, Pantherclaw went over to Poppypaw to help her groom her coat.
Poppypaw was cursing up a storm. Not because she was angry about being wet, or even angry about being cold; no, she was upset that the precious leaves she had been wearing were washed away for good. They were collected during her very first fall and she had hoped to have them forever but, no, nature had reclaimed them and left her a soggy mess on the bank. She shook her pelt a few times but was already shivering, her thick fur not helping much against this frigid cold now that it was thoroughly soaked. She fervently groomed her pale fur as Pantherclaw helped and mewed between strokes, "I can't believe how icy that log was, it sure did not look it! I had better not catch a cough, the last thing I want to do is spend a few days in Graythorn's den."
Post by Whitemuzzle on Jan 15, 2020 17:02:15 GMT -5
"I didn't realize it was icy," Pantherclaw replied between licks. In fact the part where she had stood was not. But perhaps it was icy farther out. "I know how well you and my brother get along," she laughed. "Like badgers and foxes! It even seems he's even grumpier around you than with other cats. Why is it that you seem to rub his fur the wrong way all the time?" That was a well known fact around the camp which often was the source of merriment among their clanmates. Ha! Ha! Those two are at it again! she had heard more than once.
"He's just too mean and makes me do all his dirty work," Poppypaw grumbled while Pantherclaw groomed her, "One time he made me sort through his old gross herbs when my claw was basically ripped out. It was so mean!"
Her fur was drying pretty quickly; while not particularly water resistant, it was very thick, so the water had failed to truly soak her. Not that that put her at any less of a risk for hypothermia. The weather was favorable today, sure, but the wind still bore an icy chill that made her shiver. Maybe fishing was not sure a great idea, but prey was scarce, and they had not been hunting long as all but already had two of them. She really couldn't wait to dig into one, and she felt her eyes drawn to the one Pantherclaw had just killed...
