Fandom A Bird's Path

[prospitest]

Finchpaw's pads were sore from walking on the hard terrain. He felt as if with every step, he was trudging up a hill with rocks on his back, weighing him down. It had been two moons since Pineclan had set out to find a new territory. Their old territory had quickly become invaded by other rogues who saw no use in a clan, eventually teaming together to throw the group out. He scoffed at the thought of the rogues and loners thinking they could survive without a community. He knew that even though they got by, the hunting was bad in leafbare, nearly starving them out as a whole.
He questioned their leader, Daisystar, wondering if she even knew where they were heading. He looked around, trees began to pop up more frequently, this seemed like terrain he was more so used to. He hoped there would be time to hunt, his stomach growled loudly, it almost felt painful. As they continued to walk, Finchpaw scented prey, his hunger making the scent much more noticeable.
He looked up towards the group, thinking to himself whether to risk being lost for a fresh mouse. He thought once and the hunger overcame him. Swiftly he drifted away towards the scent, his paws feeling lighter almost. He found himself amongst weeds, glad that there was no cover, he hated the open moorland, too much could easily spot him. He crawled quietly, making sure each paw he placed was lighter than the last. When he was close enough, and the scent made him basically drool, he pounced swiftly taking the small animal out with a swift bite. He thanked the critter for providing him a a meal and energy before he began to eat. It tasted like the best mouse he had ever had in his life.

 

[Chill Alley Cat]

VulturePaw huffed exasperated, his paws ached with all his weight on them no matter how quickly he paced ahead of the border patrol, sometimes jumping rock to rock to entertain himself before his mentor, FlowerLeap, would stop him from venture too far from the group of warriors.

The tabby couldn't help himself, with how much his father, PantherStep, coddled him, making sure the tom wouldn't stray too far from camp to hunt, it'd make any cat antsy. He was about to trout back to the patrol, annoyed, before he caught something out of the corner of his eye.

A ginger tom, while silent, stuck out like a sore thumb in shadowclan's dark woods. The blue tabby crept towards what he was sure an intruding rouge, ignoring his mentor's calls, edger to catch the cat by surprise.

He kept low to the ground, his long pelt snagging on thorns and brown leaf's undergrowth, but staying on target. Using his darker pelt, slinking around the puddles of morning due, he remained hidden until close enough to the supposed rouge, by now the patrol now picking up pace to catch up with him.

He leaped forward, catching the air, outstretching his back claws towards the ginger's back like his mentor taught him. He did manage to tackle the lone cat, but must have miscalculated his landing as he too stumbled, sprawled on the fall leaves.


As the patrol catches up, seeing what happened, VulturePaw was quick to get back on his feet, used to falling, to avoid embarrassment. One of the warriors, a pale grey tom with a heavy coat, on patrol called out to the apprentice to discipline him-

"What in starclan are you doing Vul-" the solid cat paused, seeing the unknown cat in their territory.

"It's a rouge!" he huffed, edger to impress his clanmates by intercepting the mysterious tom in their territory, his claws retracting as his long tail swayed in anticipation.

 

[prospitest]

The tom had barely managed to sink his teeth into the mouse before he was taken off-guard by another cat. He was pushed to the ground before he could even silence the cowardly yelp that stirred from his mouth. This cat seemed to be a similar build to him, assuming from the weight and size.

He heard the words of the others as he attempted to stand, turning to face the patrol. "I'm no rogue!" The accusation fueled him with anger. After all his clan had gone through, he held contempt for rogues, too cocky to believe they could benefit from clan life.

His tail fluffed out, unconsciously of course, he knew he had no right to be angry, this was not his land after all. "I think this is a misunderstanding, I am new here I had no idea this land was claimed..." Finchpaw awkwardly avoided eye contact with the patrol, knowing his mentor Dusktail would scold him for doing so.

 

[Chill Alley Cat]

"Of course it's claimed mouse brain, have you no sense of smel-" the blue tabby bit back, ready to tear into the cat if given permission, but was interrupted by his mentor.

"Calm yourself VulturePaw." the white and hazelnut spotted cat scolded, as she stepped forward, her lean build making her able to slink across the shadows and undergrowth like a viper. The apprentice deflated at his mentor's intrusion.

"What do you mean by 'not a rouge'?" the siamese like cat questioned, her brow raised in curiosity as she sized up to the small ginger tabby, as the patrol instinctively circled the ginger cat like prey.

 

[prospitest]

Finchpaw smirked slightly at the other apprentice being scolded. Though it was childish he could not help it, especially after being talked down to by a cat his age.

"Well I'm in Pineclan, we are basically a group who live with each other and help one another out." He couldn't quite put the words together how to explain what clans were to other cats who may not know them. Daisystar had enough trouble trying to do the same to the rogues who had evicted them.

"You guys aren't rogues yourselves are you?" Finchpaw had noticed the younger cat's name being VulturePaw, perhaps they also had a similar system to Pineclan.

 

[Chill Alley Cat]

The patrol looked at the ginger tom as if he'd grown a second head in front of their very eyes, the two legged tabby being the first to shake out of what every cogged his thoughts.

"Of course we know what a clan is, we're ShadowClan cats after all. The real question is what is PineClan?" the apprenticed stalked his way to front of the apprentice, mimicking his mentor.

The third cat, a brown tabby with bright blue eyes, narrowed his gaze at the apprentice as he spoke to his clan mates.
"He could be lying... how else have we've never heard about this so called 'PineClan'?" he rose suspicion among his fellow warriors with his shrill and snappy tone

The warriors began to speak in a more private tone amongst themselves, leaving the two apprentices out of it. The large blue tabby didn't seen too keen on this however, interrupted their discussion to be included.

"...If there is really a PineClan, wouldn't they try and find a missing apprentice?...Couldn't we just keep them, and chase them out when eventually nobody comes to fetch them?" he offered.

 

[prospitest]

The tom wrinkled his nose when the other apprentice stood in front of him, furrowing his brows he responded to the question. "Well we aren't from around here obviously. We have been traveling for moons searching for new territory."

He flexed his claws at the accusation of being called a liar, "I wouldn't lie, if I knew this prey was called for, I would never have stalked it, that is not what I have been taught!" He said proudly, remembering Dusktail's words and lessons back in their old home.

The tom looked around as the patrol had begun to discuss in secret. He had to get out of here and quick. He hated conflict and all this chatter around him was making him nervous and antsy to simply take off. Slyly he attempted to slowly make his way back, away from the cats, the same way he had come. He knew by now his clan would be much farther ahead. He couldn't waste any more time.

Looking at the patrol one last time he made a run for it. His pelt was surely to get caught on the brambles ahead of him, yet he tore through it with ease as his paws scrambled ahead of him.

 

[Chill Alley Cat]

"What the-" hissed the apprentice, as the ginger barreled past him. 'Oh he's definitely a rouge alright-' he thought with a grimace, as he booked after him, the patrol scrambling out of their huddle to call out for the apprentice.

He kept his eyes on the tom with his lips parted in a snarl, and while the blue tabby knew the land better then the intruder, he couldn't managed to catch up, quickly losing him. Losing elegance in favor of speed, he barrels forward with a burst of energy to snap at the tabby's tail, causing him to lose his balance, fumbling with great moment as he tumbles into the undergrowth harshly.

He gets up as quick as he can, but has already lost sight of the cat's bright pelt, his nose sore, he huffs disappointed. Two patrol cats race past him, but already lost track of the rouge, just running a couple foxtails ahead towards where the ginger stood. His mentor stopping bedside him, with a scowl across her face.

He huffs, knowing his in for a stern scolding, sitting to just ride out her lecture. She paws at his muzzle, wiping blood of with her pads, she grumbles.

"What will PantherStep think of me when you come to camp like this?" he huffed, almost motherly, wiping his muzzle clean with her tongue, much to the apprentice's embarrassment.

The two toms walk back to the two, out of breath, grumbling about the 'rouge' getting away.
"I knew it was a fib-" spat the shrill tortoiseshell tom
"Yeah yeah, you act like you're a genius for figuring it out when that loner had no cat fooled" huffed the bigger pale tom, bantering back and forth before reporting to the lean she-cat.

"That little ginger piece of crow food is faster then a song bird." the black and red tom, TwistedThorn, sighed as he dragged his paws back to camp, the large gray tom, StoneTuff, following suit.


As the patrol began to walk, FlowerLeap gave her apprentice one last lick upside the head to give him a more presentable look as VulturePaw groaned.

"So close to a gathering too.." she sighs, following her clanmates back home.

 

[prospitest]

The ginger tom had kept running for quite awhile, making sure he had not continued to be chased by the clan cats. His breath was rapid, he felt as if he had run out of all the air in the world. He laid down as he caught his breath, his stomach falling and filling rapidly with each gulp of air.

His attention was taken by the sound of someone approaching through the tall grass, their pawsteps light and cautious. He quickly turned his head to the direction, to his relief he was met by a familiar black and white coat. It was his mentor, Dusktail. He quickly sprang up, allowing himself to nuzzle his face into the older cat's fur.

"Oh starclan! What happened to you Finchpaw? I keep my eye of you for one second and you look like you got caught in a storm." The worried mentor groomed Finchpaw's unkempt fur, making sure to keep an eye out for injuries. Small scratches were left from brambles in his orange pelt.

"I ran into other clan cats....They weren't happy to see me is all I'll say." He said, still between raspy breaths. Dusktail shook his head disapprovingly, he knew Finchpaw was reckless at times but never had it reached this level of stupidity.

"You must remember this is not our home yet, none of this belongs to us, our mere existence right now here, brings imbalance. You should not disrespect the land in such a manner." Dusktail was disappointed, Finchpaw looked down at his paws, knowing his mentor was right.

"I know...but I think this might be a place where we can live, theres others like us!" They might not be so keen to let him join as he broke one of their rules but, theres some hope! Finchpaw thought to himself.

 

[Chill Alley Cat]

As soon as the apprentice set foot in the camp, his father was their to smother him and drench the blue tabby in worry. VulturePaw playfully batted his dad away, as the the tan and white tabby tom groomed his son's injuries.

"Starclan! What happened to you?" exclaimed PantherStep, looking over his kin, questioning both the apprentice and the mentor about how the patrol went. The other two toms making quick pace to avoid the father's rambles and report to the leader what they saw.

As FlowerLeap explained what happened, ensuring the father his son's safety, VulturePaw couldn't help but wiggle out of his dad's protective grip. While he understood why PantherStep was the way he was, with his brother and sister dying so early, and how his so called mother treated him... he couldn't help but feel humiliated. Already sticking out like a white crow, and being born in the winter left most cats much too young or too old to want to hang out with him, he didn't need PantherStep making it worse.

Using the opportunity, as the clan gave the blue tabby no attention, he slipped out through camp's borders of dark oak and thorn, looking for prey to take his frustration out on and perhaps this so called PineClan. Stepping out of camp, feeling brown leaf's breeze refreshing his mind from constant clutter, he smells the air looking for an unfortunate piece of prey.



Searching with his sense of smell and keen eyesight, he crept on the cold hard ground between shadowclan's thorns to the further parts of Shadowclan territory. He caught his eyes on a little song bird, pecking away at the undergrowth before bare leaf left the forest nothing, he licks his lips in anticipation.

Stalking close to the ground, blending with the shade of the woods, pressing closer to the brown colored bird before pouncing, finally taking a sprinting jump when in range. He pulls his head back, stretching out his legs forward, his claws like hawk talon, he jumps on the finch with a snap.

He savors as the bird flaps against the ground and his paws, proud to have catch something, but also huffing in disappointment as no cat was there to see it. His disappointment turns to annoyance, his claws digging into the finch before lowing his head down to snap at base of the finch's neck, silencing it's movements.

He sighs, hunting helpfully relieving him of his pent of stress, as he eats the finch wings first, unaware of how close he might be to the original sighting of the so called Pineclan cat.

 

[prospitest]

Eventually the two cats trekked back to the Pineclan. While Finchpaw was creating mischief, his clan got to work at building a shelter. He looked around as cats brought brambles and moss to their new camp. This had seemed to be a good spot, hidden amongst the tall pines, in a large nook.

"While you were running around we decided to maybe make this a more permanent camp. There's plenty of prey and shelter. Doesn't it remind you of our old territory?" Dusktail looked around, a tired expression on his face. Finchpaw knew he missed their old home. It was similar yes, but never as close to the place in which they were born. Nothing could replace it. It might be the reason they're still traveling to this day.

Daisystar, the warriors and elders simply can't imagine a place better than the original. Finchpaw wasn't nearly there long enough to really call it his home. Yet he still missed the basking stones, his nest, and not having to walk for days on end. The tom was brought back to the world when he felt Dusktail brush his tail against his shoulder. "Why don't you go hunting? Make sure there's no scent markers this time." Finchpaw recoiled at the idea of hunting again, especially after today's incident.

He couldn't stop thinking about how much cooler the other apprentice must have seemed compared to him...Though that tumble he took was a bit funny, his cold gaze was enough to send a shiver through him. He hoped not to see him again for as long as they camped here.

His paws carried him to a hunting spot, he could smell rabbits, and this time thankfully no other cats.

 

[Chill Alley Cat]

VulturePaw picked at the bones in his teeth, playfully carrying the remains of his prey along and tossing it up in the air to catch, as he ventured to the thunderclan border.

He peered over the hill, seeming to mark the distant difference in territory’s from the twisting pines of shadowclan to the strong oaks of thunderclan. He’s realized he’s ventured so far, he’d have to race back to reach camp before his father would start a search.

He huffed, all relaxation gone from his body causing his guard to rise again. With the new sense of awareness, he smelt something strong, very strong.

He couldn’t believe he didn’t smell it before, as it must have been a massive amount of cats that have dented the area recently. He wasn’t close enough to shadowclan or thunderclan to be able to sense anything like this, so he consumed by curiosity dove deeper into the woods, following the scent.

It wasn’t thunderclan bold scent and it definitely wasn’t the smell of home, he tracked it through the trees defining it at best as earthy and wild. He felt a surge of braver, picking up pace, feeling ambitious enough to chase what must have been a couple of rouges out of shadowclan.

He couldn’t wait to return home, perhaps carrying battle scars as proof, showing himself worthy to his clan mates as he battled rouges ferocious off of the land.
So stuck in his own fantasy, he doesn’t notice the drop.

He yells at the sudden fall, failing to catch himself on bramble and the sides of the rocky cliff, he flips over to try land on his feet. He groans, deeply disoriented, as he lifts his head in the clearing.

Once fully aware, he utters in panic, his eyes wide, as he found himself surrounded by what was the source of the smell. All confidence gone, as he found himself caught surrounded by a clan sized group of rouges, each looking at him for his peculiar entrance.

He was as good as dead.

 

[prospitest]

Dusktail had been the closest to the young cat that had fallen down their new home. At once every cat stirred to their feet, their pelts sticking up on edge. Normally the large group wouldn't have been spooked alone by the lone cat, but this cat seemed to have fallen from Starclan.

Thistlepelt, a grumpy elder had been the first cat to calm down and speak up. Perhaps it was from years of experience or simply because that is just how Thistlepelt is. "Where'd you come from you scrawny piece of fur!?" His voice was hoarse and clear that he had been disturbed from his nap.

Daisystar gave a stern glance at the elder, clearly viewing the new cat as more of a guest rather than an invader. "Everybody keep your pelts on it's just an apprentice. Surely he doesn't mean us any harm, isn't that right little one?" Daisystar padded up to the smaller tom, kindness behind her eyes and a sweetness in her tone.

 

[Chill Alley Cat]

The blue tabby put on his bravest face, quick to get back on his feet, his pelt bristling to size up to the group, snapping at any cat to come forward accusatorially.

“What in starclan are you doing here?” He turns the statement around at the elder, ignoring the more reasonable leader calming him down.

“Don’t you rouges know you’re in shadowclan territory!” He scowled, hiding his horror at being surrounded by replacing it with aggression, all the while his eyes passing back and forth through the crowd for an escape.

 

[prospitest]

The elder looked away from the tom in disgust, "Don't they teach you manners in Shadowclan!" Daisystar flicked her tail in annoyance, asking for silence among the crowding cats.

"We never intended to intrude on the land, perhaps we can negotiate something with your leader? It is quite rude to make ourselves at home unannounced." She said looking around at the perfect dugout for her clan. There was even a freshkill pile that was already looking bountiful.

Finchpaw had managed to catch the rabbit and a couple small birds, surely this would make up for his first disaster of a hunting mission. As he made his way down the steep decline that led to their new camp he saw a familiar cat. It was the apprentice from Shadowclan! He would have given everything in the world to have avoided him for longer than it took.

Finchpaw began to accelerate his descend down the chasm, yelling "What's he doing here? Pineclan has no time for tumbling fools! Just kick him out already Daisystar." He skidded to a halt before swiping the tabby tom on his ear with claws sheathed. He would admit that having his clan surround him this time boosted his confidence in his interaction with the tom.

Daisystar lashed her tail once more, her felt bristling, just as she grew, Finchpaw began to draw in to seem smaller. He messed up big, Daisystar never got mad like THIS. "Did I get a clan full of cat's or mice, have you all no sense?" She sighed, licking a paw and bringing it up to her ear. "Please leave, and make sure you ask your leader for a meeting, we can not travel any longer. We intend to make this our home."

 

[Chill Alley Cat]

Hearing the elders and familiar apprentice’s word reminded him of his own clan’s disapproval, his growing scowl and glare barely hidden. VulturePaw stopped brisling for a moment with much effort, standing tall to the leader to be taken seriously, his tail flicking ever so slightly antsy to to leave but not before advising the clan.

“…Why is it my job to bring shadowclan to you, when you’re the strangers to the forest.” he spoke his thoughts calmly. His long tail swayed back and forth, scrapping across the ground.

He eyed as more of the supposing clan cats gathered around, his guard still up but now keeping calm enough to speak without striking anything that comes too close.

“What stops the four clans from chasing you out? We’d have to share and split our land for… some cats we don’t know?” He stares sternly at the so called clan leader, having his doubts about the group as a whole.

 

[prospitest]

Daisystar nodded her head in agreement with the apprentice, "We are honorable cats, we can not intrude on your territory without permission, we may meet in a neutral ground of course. I ask that you please just ask your leader. We may negotiate with the rest of the clans, but it is my decision that we will stay here." Daisystar's voice was stern and much colder to the apprentice than before.

Finchpaw had made a mental note to himself about the rest of the three clans, perhaps Daisystar could strike up an alliance with one of them, the other apprentice was spot on with them being strangers. Though if they were to build a relationship, perhaps it could be easier to stake their claim to some land.

 

[Chill Alley Cat]

VulturePaw saw that the sun was setting, internally hitting himself for making pantherstep so worried for him. He huffed tired and determined to get this all sort out.

“I’m just an apprentice! I’m sure with foggedgaze whispering into Curlstar’s ear, no way any cat would believe me…” she huffs Edgar to leave but also making sure that they understood his predicament.

“Listen…I think if you truly want a good relationship with clans of this forest, you meet us before we find you.” He spoke sternly trying to be on equal standing to the leader, perhaps too brave considering his situation but also too stubborn to get his point across.

He pushes past the ginger apprentice harshly needing to get home soon, looking to the stars and almost full moon to guide him back to camp.

“There is a gathering, if you really are a clan then you’ll meet us on the island in the lake across the fallen tree.” He quickly adds, bounding across the entrance with a lack of grace as he rushed back home.

 

[prospitest]

Finchpaw dug his claws into the dirt, that damn apprentice was too cocky for his own good. Even if he was right with what he said. Their best bet would be in showing up to this "gathering" and announcing them as here to stay for good.

Daisystar scoffed quietly to herself, she was dissappointed that their newfound home had already come with such conflict. Though she knew she would be stupid to give it up, it had her beloved cover of trees, a stream right nearby and a perfect camp that was easily guarded. It was too good to give it up, and she wouldn't.

"Very well, I hope I can trust all of the cats I choose to go to this gathering have better attitude than they did today. We can not let these cat's see us as other, we must conform and blend with them, am I understood?"

Finchpaw and several of the cats in the clearing nodded. Though he knew it would be hard to comply with Daisystar's order. Especially after seeing the attitude the Shadowclan cats held.

 

[Chill Alley Cat]

VulturePaw raced back home as best as he could, feeling an awful guilt for being missing so long as he pushed past thorns and twigs as the wind caught on his fur.

He stumbles into the camp, barely preventing himself from falling as he skidded into the camp entrance. Where pantherstep was anxiously pacing, pouncing on the apprentice when he returned home.

“Where were you, and out so late by yourself?” The tan Tom scolded as he groomed the blue tabby, ridding him of all the twigs and thistles stuck in his pelt.

“Pineclan’s real! That rouge was telling the truth-“ he begins to utter, while pushing his father off of him to speak. He paused as he clans mates gathered, turning there heads at the apprentice with a mix of disbelief and pity for pantherstep.

Despite being criticized, he couldn’t keep it from his clan, taking a breath to say more until he got his eyes caught on FoggedGaze. The impossibly large dark she cat, slinking out like darkness from the warrior’s den, her eyes filled with a familiar distain.

VulturePaw shut his mouth, not wanting to humiliate his dad any further, the Tom looking at him with questioning eyes.

“…but it’s nothing.” He said trotting back to the apprentice den after the clan regain it’s normality, his dad sending him off with a loving smile. To the apprentice den, passing by the black she-cat on the way caused his pelt to spike subtly in hatred.

She can find out on her own when she’s leading on border patrol. And though he knew it wasn’t right to wish I’ll on her, being the deputy, she hoped he wouldn’t return after.

 

[prospitest]

Finchpaw had finally made himself comfortable in his new nest, as the sky around him grew darker. He made a mental note to himself to check for more moss or feathers for his nest, he could still feel the hard ground underneath him. He sighed as he rested his head onto his paws. He held little confidence that Pineclan would convince the other clans to allow them to stay.

If there were anything like that apprentice... they would surely never get their way. Deep in thought he eventually started to drift away into sleep. He opened his eyes when he could hear rushing water. It alarmed him, he didn't remember being this close to a river or body of water before falling asleep.

He got to his paws and walked towards the sound, it was cold and loud. In between the water there was a sound of yowling cats coming from the water, he began to panic as he saw the shadows of cats being overtaken by the flooding water. He turned at the sensation of a cat brushing their tail against his shoulder. "United the two clans of Pines will become stronger, first the water will rise." Finchpaw stared in disbelief at the starlit cat, glimmering on the water, as it bounded away.

With that he was awakened from his sleep, utterly disturbed and not knowing what to do. He had never heard of a dream so surreal, he could still feel the wetness on his face.

 

[Chill Alley Cat]

VulturePaw awoke to the sound of kits playing outside the apprentice den, the sunshine trickling through the thorns and scatter bark of the den. He sit ups clumsily, his mouth stretching wide before snapping close with a satisfying clink of his canines, his mind groggily thinking up his task.

Stepping out into the morning sun, he sees the two youngest members of shadowclan tumbling around, the red sister, ScorchKit, gnawing at her brother's, SunKit, ear as he whined to be let free. While the tom just couldn't seem to make friends with just about and of the older apprentices or warriors, he always had the more gentle members of the clan like the queens and medicine cats gravitate towards him, something he'd rather not look or think deeper on.

He tossed the kit aside gently to make his way past, which they respond with squeals of joy as they clawed onto his legs. Huffing he bluntly grab them by the scruffs to toss the siblings a fox tail away, much to the kits delight and their mother's annoyance at the rough treatment, both of which the apprentice pays no mind to.

Making his way to hunt for the nursery before he can eat, he was stopped by the gray patched medicine cat, OliveDew, looking to either chat or make him do chores, he groans at the thought of either as the tom pads besides him cheerfully.

"You know VulturePaw, I heard you ventured out pretty far last night, you wouldn't mind fetching some herbs for me an-" the tom spoke with a sunshine filled tone, his tail swaying in the air. VulturePaw wasn't there to hear the rest of his request, as he picked up his pace to dash past him to the camp exit, something that he unfortunately wasn't able to do with subtlety.

It's not that the apprentice had anything against OliveDew, but any chance they had for a good relationship was destroyed all those moons ago when FoggedGaze forced him under medicine cat's wing before his real training could begin. It wasn't personal, but every time he was around the tom he was reminded of the odor of herbs, sickness, and the terrible feeling of being caged.


It was a warm morning, uncommon for brown leaves, the solar rays heating his blue pelt up nicely. The day was practically had the whole clan cozy, and yet here the tom was finding a way for it to be fox dung for no good reason. He sighs, he hoped with hunting and perhaps some wrestling with a larger piece of prey would ease his internal frustration.




All the while OliveDew was back in camp, and while a great healer, was painfully forgetfully. He could've sworn he had something much more interesting on his mind other then herbs, the odd dream completely leaving his mind.

 

[prospitest]

Finchpaw shook scraps of moss from his fur, his mind still reeling from his dream. He stretched as he stood up, this was no ordinary dream and he could tell by the pit he felt in his stomach. He had to tell someone, his mind immediately landing on Dusktail. He was always ready to listen to any stupid thing that popped onto Finchpaw's mind, surely something more serious would be enough for his attention.

"Finchpaw!" It was a sweet voice, almost like how the sun felt on your pelt after a long day. He perked up instantly knowing that Fennelpaw was calling for him. He wouldn't admit to enjoying spending time with her, she would probably tease him for it, as well as the rest of the clan.

Finch and Fennel had been the only two apprentices that seemed to get along, Nightpaw and Fawnpaw always seemed to keep to themselves. The clan had spread rumors, Finchpaw assumed Thistlepelt was the root. Thistlepelt never showed it but he was a gossip at heart, it seemed the only thing he enjoyed other than freshkill ever since he became an elder. Regardless it spread that Finchpaw and Fennelpaw were likely to become mates, Finch wasn't to warm to the idea. He saw her as a sister, a very very annoying sister at times.

"Hey Fennelpaw, what do you need?" He responded with a small yawn to end his sentence. "Wanna go hunting? Everyone tore into the fresh kill pile already." Fennelpaw said sweetly with a hint of a giggle towards the end. Finchpaw was conflicted, he would love to go hunting but he didn't think he could do so comfortably. But perhaps it would be what he needed...He couldn't just sit around thinking about it.

"Maybe... Is Dusktail busy? I have to speak with him." Fennelpaw looked at the tabby curiously, her nose wrinkling slightly. "Sadly he is, he went out on the dawn patrol. He should be back after we come back though!"

"I suppose we can go hunting then." Finchpaw responded, not the most enthusiastic, yet trying to play off his disappointment and the worry building in his stomach.

 

[Chill Alley Cat]

VulturePaw clumsily rolled onto his face, his chin dragging through the undergrowth as he landed ungracefully, watching pitifully as his third mouse skittered away into the abandon bark and roots of the forest floor with a huff. He just knows that Starclan must be having a laugh at him, getting up and shaking the eaves from his pelt. He was trotting the northen part of the territories, hopping that the shade would bring him luck with hunting.

The lack of shade and the cold blowing in from Riverclan's made it impossible to hunt in southern shadowclan, and with the coming of this new clan in the north between shadowclan and thunderclan he couldn't help but wonder if Shadowclan would ever be able to survive a winter without strife again.

While PineClan seemed nice enough, despite that little cowardly apprentice who had a knack for trespassing, he hoped during the gathering the leaders would decide that PineClan was no fit for this forest because he knew if PineClan would join them at the four trees, it would always be ShadowClan that got the short end of the stick.

So stuck in thought, he barely registered that he has crossed over the Thunderclan border. The blue tabby making a quick turn around to run back to the shadows, away from the great oaks, but was interrupted by his own temptation as he hears rustling just behiend him. A plump rabbit, white as snow, hopped about among the orange oak leaves, as if teasing the apprentice with it's hide.

ScorchKit and SunKit needed to eat something, and with how openly the prey hopped about it was no wonder Thunderclan's success when they had prey this dumb. He gets into a crouch, his dark pelt a starch contrast to the bright yellows of the new territory, being ever so careful to not make a sound as he stepped between obstacles.

The rabbit, so oblivious, stayed unaware as the cat drew closer preparing his strike. He became so close that he could almost taste the flesh on his tongue, forcing to keep his tail still from anticipation.

He launched at the rabbit, legs first and talons outward, the rabbit squealing in realization but silenced as Vulture brought his weight upon the creature's furry skull, it releasing a dying cry out into the wild.


"Did you hear that?" announced a passing thunderclan cat, the whole patrol muttering in response as they pick up their pace towards the sound, sending the two legged cat into a panic as his eye quickly search for an exit.

Unable to think clearly, he grabs ahold of his kill, racing forward to reach the shadowclan border, the patrol following hot on his tail as they listening to his clumsy footsteps.


He pants out of breath around the rabbit fur, the patrol zooming in, forcing him to quickly turn away from his destination in favor of a hiding place. The fall leaves cracking loudly behind him, in short follow to thunderclan exclamations.

He raced forward, towards the edge of a more shallow hill, diving under roots to do so, tumbling straight into a ginger pelt which he dragged to the ground, dirtying both their pelts.


The adrenaline pumping through his blood as the patrol surrounded him, he quickly get's up, standing face to face with a familiar ginger apprentice and a she-cat. He was about to continue dashing for an escape, ignoring the two he'd stumbled upon, but his breathing hitched as he could hear the patrol right above them.

Barely hidden among the orange leave behind thin wispy roots, he glares at the two apprentice sized cat's demanding their silence as to not cost his pelt. He was a fool to put his trust in some strange cats he crashed in on, but he had no other choice as he clutched on to his rabbit, holding a breath.

 

[prospitest]

The orange tabby was startled by the familiar tabby who barreled into him once again. He wondered how such a klutz of a cat got around at all, let alone into his path every single time. This time with company, their scent giving off the fact that they were less than pleased. Fennelpaw had begun to open her mouth to ask a question before Finchpaw covered her mouth with his tail to keep her quiet.

As much as Finchpaw would love to rat out the apprentice, he knew it better to keep their relations...neutral, if he wanted his clan to be accepted. There was a shuffling heard from above, they were clearly trying to locate the missing cat they had attempted to catch. Judging by the rabbit in his mouth it seemed he had become a bit more of a hypocrite than he was the day before.

Finchpaw nodded his head towards the deeper edge of the hill where the apprentice had fallen into, it would be harder to spot the group if they hid inward. Carefully and quietly they all edged towards it. It seemed to have work as they heard disappointed sighs from above once more, as well as the slowly disappearing sound of paw steps.

Finchpaw's ears perked up as he attempted to listen to check if they had truly gone for sure, when he confirmed that they had he turned his attention to the blue tabby. "Looks like someone hasn't been following their own rules after all." The orange tabby said somewhat smuggly. Fennelpaw cuffed him around the ear with a sheathed paw, Finchpaw turned to her in disbelief. "C'mon Finchpaw there's no need to be rude, we all make mistakes, you of all cat's are guilty of it the most." Finchpaw's tail lashed in embarrassment, Fennelpaw looked towards the other apprentice and asked, "Are you alright?"