Forum - The Stars Above (26RP09, Open)

Batswift padded through the Gorse Tunnel with a red squirrel in her jaws. She wondered if greenleaf was better for cats with shorter fur. It was probably the fur's thickness, she thought, that really mattered. She passed by Hopestorm on her way to the fresh-kill pile, but paused mid-stride and turned around when she saw how her aunt was looking at the sky. The blue warrior set the squirrel down and mewed "Are you looking for something particular up there? You might have better luck from the Highrock."

Among all forms of mistake prophecy is the most gratuitous.
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"Alot of things and nothing at all, Batswift." Hopestorm took her eyes from the night sky to look at her neice. She was sleeker than her father, but certainly something about her face brought Fiercestar to mind. The eyes, though, made her think of Bloodstar. 8 Moons he'd been with StarClan and left her and Fiercestar with the responsibility for ThunderClan. "I don't think being a little closer will bring me any more answers than I'm getting from here. How was tonight's hunting?" She decided to deflect for now, changing the subject instead of tackling anything too complicated out loud in the heart of camp.

Eagleflight's head throbbed as he awoke to the quiet dark of the warriors' den. Sucking in his breath between gritted teeth, he clamped his eyes shut again and tried to return to sleep, but pain flared up suddenly even with that little movement as he moved his eyes.

The feeling of cold fear snaked its way like an adder into his stomach. But no, it couldn't be. He was better, now. The headache meant nothing. He was probably just dehydrated - he'd get a drink of water and then finish the night's sleep...no need to panic. His head injury had long since healed. Definitely.

Eagleflight cautiously rose to his paws, feeling lightheaded and woozy and unbalanced as the ground seemed to lurch beneath him. Dizzy, he nevertheless made his way from the warriors' den as silent as a spider traversing the length of its web, though he could feel his heartbeat hammering away within his skull so loudly he thought he'd alert anycat nearby.

Scowling slightly - the headache was not improving his mood any - Eagleflight managed to make his way more or less steadily into camp before he noticed the deputy and Batswift.

He didn't really feeling like talking - what if they noticed something was wrong with him? - but he couldn't stalk by without acknowledging them without seeming rude. He might have ignored Batswift, but his deputy was another matter altogether.

So Eagleflight nodded as courteously as he could towards Hopestorm and Batswift, trying to stifle his wince at the fresh pain that brought to his head.

Batswift looked up at the sky as she listened to Hopestorm's answer, then nodded after the subject changed. "Hunting wasn't bad," she decided. "I caught this one not far from the Twolegplace border. Made me wonder how many of them get fat off the trees over there." When Eagleflight arrived, Batswift noticed his silence. "Hey," she mewed to him, but kept the conversation open. '"How's the day been for you two?"

Eagleflight paused, but did not take a seat. Maybe if he was brusque enough, the two she-cats would leave him and his raging headache alone. His thoughts were becoming clearer, but even the friendly overtures of Batswift brushed his fur the wrong way as her voice brought on more dull throbs of pain.

"Hot. Went hunting 'fore daybreak to beat the sun." Eagleflight gave a slight feline shrug, not in the mood to brag just now, yet still wanting to establish that he remained a valuable warrior to ThunderClan. "I caught a young hare in the underbrush of the Northforest and a fat mouse later." He'd been surprised when he'd caught scent of the hare. Though it wasn't prey he normally went after, since his build and training didn't give him much talent for giving chase, he'd caught the mottled brown-and-white hare in the brush of the forest, not yet out in the open, and managed to stalk it successfully before the fatal pounce. The plump mouse that followed had nearly run into his claws as the black warrior headed home.

He'd renewed the borders around the ThunderClan Clearing, just because it was on the way, and upon depositing his catch on the prey pile and picking out a choice meal from the variety of freshkill available, napped away the miserable heat of the day in the cool dark of the warrior's den. He'd entertained notions of going on a hunting patrol or volunteering for a later border patrol after he awoke refreshed, but refreshed was just about the last thing he felt right now.

Maybe he hadn't drunk enough water today . . .

Blackhush padded into camp clutching three bats in his mouth, each held by one leathery wing. The combined bundle of fur and flesh obscured most of Blackhush's face and forced him to walk awkwardly, craning his neck so the bat bodies didn't drag on the ground or trip him. As he passed the others, he made a garbled noise that was probably supposed to be words, but his mouth was entirely too full of bat to make himself understood.

He reached the fresh-kill pile and dropped the bats with an audible sigh of relief. "You would not believe how long it took to get them all arranged like that," he said. "Woulda been easier if I'd gone for the littler ones, I guess, but they've got no meat on 'em."
He stepped around the fresh-kill pile and joined Hopestorm, Batswift, and Eagleflight. The latter, he thought, looked a bit off. A bit squinty-eyed, was that it? Or was it some small thing in his body language? Either way he did not seem happy. Probably the heat, Blackhush assumed. It was killer, even at night.

Before he could stop it, he opened his mouth and said, "So Eagleflight, what's eating you?"

- • - • - • - • -
"two steps forward, one step back" is less discouraging
if you think of it as more of a cha-cha

Among all forms of mistake prophecy is the most gratuitous.
‹‹‹‹ ♦ ››››

Hopestorm looked a Blackhush's catch. Hunting bats was really a waste of time in her opinion, even if it did show off a cat's hunting prowess. As little meat as a bird, but with the added danger of the quarries' nighttime existence. Batswift's squirrel was the better catch, even if it was more common.

"They'll feed a cat for a day." She was the deputy, she couldn't complain that he'd hunted. Of course she had to be complimentary. "It's good that the prey is running strongly. We may want to send more to hunt those two-leg fattened squirrels on the border, Batswift. Maybe tomorrow I'll have you lead a hunting patrol out that way. If you think the population is strong enough to bear a serious hunt."

If Eagleflight hadn't been "squinty-eyed" before, he definitely was now, blue eyes narrowed with displeasure into shards of ice aimed at Blackhush. He didn't appreciate attention being called to him in front of not only young Batswift, but his deputy as well, not when his head was pounding like a woodpecker was busy rattling his brain in there.

He cut a cold, quelling glance at Blackhush then slide his gaze away, hope to forestall further queries on that quarter. His mood, which hadn't been that great to begin with, had taken a sharp dive at Blackhush's question, but he was relieved at being spared fumbling for a suitable answer since Hopestorm started commenting on Blackhush's catch. He wrested down a twinge of envy at the sight of all the bats; he'd never caught so many, had never even tried.

Hmmmmph. I'm a plenty good hunter. Just 'cause bats aren't my forte---and really, who has the energy and focus and, and impeccable timing to snag those tiny winged mice in the pitch black?---doesn't mean I can't feed my clan!

Determined to prove his worth, head injury ache---I'm still tired and thirsty from hunting earlier, that's all, nothing to worry about---or no, Eagleflight straightened up to his full height.

"Count me in, too" he mewed as confidently as he could to Hopestorm, wanting in on the action tomorrow, certain that he'd be back to his clear-headed, fully functioning warrior self after a full night's sleep.

Batswift looked over as Blackhush joined them and added his catch to the pile. "Nice bats," she meowed, impressed and a little envious. She loved hunting bats, but hadn't gone after any that night. The squirrel was too good a target. When Hopestorm brought up leading a patrol, Batswift's meow was more excited than she realized. "Sure!" She shifted and swept a quick lick over a tuft of chestfur. "I mean, yes," she purred more maturely. "I will gladly do so. There's definitely more of them over there."