pricklepaw
ShadowClan
Posts: 6
Rank: apprentice
Age: 11
Gender: tom
Mate: mudpaw
Crush: mudpaw
Played By: crescendo
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Post by pricklepaw on Jul 27, 2015 23:38:57 GMT -5
pricklepaw
out of body and out of mind, kiss the demons out of my dreams
The only way Pricklepaw could seem to keep his headaches at bay anymore--or guilt from hovering over his scrawny tail--was to exhaust himself hunting. The apprentice had been hunting all afternoon and had managed to snag a pathetically scrawny mouse and a sparrow so far. They were buried back where he could pick them up for the Clan at any time, and the routine of hunting--of scenting and peering through the undergrowth for anything at all soothed the young cat. Pricklepaw would have liked to do this constantly, tracking and hunting was what he was best at. He felt like he was useful, a mouse didn't care if he was smaller than most apprentices.
He'd been out since dawn--sleep was becoming a stranger to Pricklepaw and even in something he was good at he could feel it. The apprentice kept pausing in his scenting to stretch his jaws wide in silent yawns, and his head buzzed with a strange kind of dizziness that told him he'd be asleep on his paws if he wasn't careful. So, he figured, he'd be careful. The black apprentice crept forward cautiously, mouth dropping open to try and scent something else. He'd like to bring something big back to camp.
Maybe I could even give it to Boarstar, Pricklepaw thought, feeling his chest warm with pride. Pricklepaw knew he was likely a hard apprentice to notice among the others in the Clan--ShadowClan had many apprentices training alongside him now. He couldn't help but feel a tingle of excitement at the idea of his hero noticing him in even the smallest of ways.
Pricklepaw caught a scent and froze--there was a squirrel a few pawsteps away. The apprentice slid easily into his crouch and made sure he was downwind from the creature. Cautiously, he rounded around the creature intending to cut it off if it strayed too far from the tree. He crept, slow and patient, his attention riveted on the small creature in front of him.
For a few heartbeats, Pricklepaw remained where he was. The squirrel hadn't noticed him yet, and he found himself tensing--well-trained muscles coiled underneath his dark pelt. He flexed his claws and bared his teeth, and then he sprang! Pricklepaw hissed through his teeth, knowing before he landed and as the squirrel darted for the tree that he was going to be short. Desperately he lunged for it, trying to use his position between it and the tree to his advantage.
His paw snagged on a root and Pricklepaw crashed to the ground with a startled yowl. The squirrel, confused, ran right over the top of him and then leaped off his hind-end for the tree. A heartbeat later it had scrambled to safety and Pricklepaw was scrambling to his paws. His right forepaw throbbed and he hissed, shaking it furiously. "Foxdung!" Pricklepaw spat, clearly disgruntled, "You idiot, you let it crawl right over the top of you! Some hunter I'm turning out to be, Great StarClan."
At least no cat had been around to see it, right?
notes: I'm crying Pricklepaw LMFAO YOU DORK
tagged: boarstar
d10 rolls: 5, 2 (previous catches mentioned)
6 - scents decent-sized prey nearby (squirrel)
8 - his crouch is really good
9 - he manages to creep around it
3 - oof, even with his bonus that's not a good spring
1 - OUCH woops we crit failed way 2 go that's embarrassing pricklepaw
1 - reflex check for the crit fail and we crit failed our reflex oh m y god
wc: 515
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Post by boarstar on Aug 2, 2015 17:55:22 GMT -5
indeed, with an abundance of apprentices on shadowclan's shoulders, boarstar had to think long and hard about if he were to mentor one himself. however, after a talk to his deputy, onyxfeather had assured him he could take one on alongside his deputy duties. or else that was until spiderstep had passed. leaving the dark furred apprentice alone, boarstar had announced to his clan that he would take the prickly tom under his wing. it was an honor to any apprentice to be taught under the clan's leader, however boarstar might've just made the slim apprentice's life. with his troubles of mentors in the past, the robust tom only had to fill in the gaps the others had done poorly in or never finished... not that he didn't have trust in his warriors but that was why he sent pricklepaw out on a hunting patrol with another mentor and their apprentice. but, as pricklepaw hadn't come back with them, boarstar went out to search for him alone.
he knew enough of his apprentice by having just watched him around camp. pricklepaw worked himself down to the bone, worked himself to he couldn't think and although he had no idea of the black tom's headaches just yet, it was to help those as well. stepping through his familiar territory, boarstar had luckily caught his scent near the shaded pines and followed it on quiet paws. if pricklepaw was hunting, he might disturb a lucky catch. jaws parted as he stalked, ears pricked and thick pelt sliding easily through the needles, boarstar had found the tom by his scent and when he poked through the grass, he could see him moving around a tree to try and lure prey into his claws. staying put, boarstar's eyes narrowed. now was a perfect time to gauge his apprentice, watch his movements and see what needed improvement.
eyeing the dark furred apprentice as he crouched and leapt, boarstar could already tell that his pounce had been off. a displeased sound vibrated in the back of his throat as he dug himself a deeper hole, tripping over a root and crashing into the pine needles over the floor. eyes following the creature as it sprang off pricklepaw's haunches, boarstar's gaze snapped back to the tom as he began to... scold himself? relaxing his expression, he slunk from the grass with yellow eyes meeting a more lighter, fresher pair. tail tip flicking, boarstar sat back on his haunches in front of him, silence still thick in the air.
“what did you do wrong?"
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