Snow play [Open]

[dreamer]

Pebblekit wandered out of the nursery, play-stalking along the leaf-bare ground. Gone was the soft, sweet grass replaced by snow-patched, wet ground which felt strange and cold upon her paws.

Finding a small mound of snow, the kit flattened her ears, paused, eyes eager in anticipation, and then pounced. Both paws tucked under the snow patch, she wiggled her toes a bit, flexing her small claws. The snow wiggled and moved and in her young mind looked like a hiding mouse. Her tail lashed side to side and then she gave a little leap forward. Snow buffeted all around her as she gave a second leap, and then a third, leaving behind a little trail of paw-prints. Glancing behind her, Pebblekit giggled and then licked her maw thoughtfully.

Proceeding forward, this time carefully placing each paw in front of the next to make a new trail of tracks. This made neater tracks since she didn't disturb the snow as much. It was good to know. Her snow play continued in this manner, the kitten being blissfully unaware of the real troubles of leaf-bare.

[Fernie]

It was a grand day, the sun glared down on the snow making the land look like rivers of light. Branchpaw was just leaving the apprentice den when he noticed this. The birds scuffled just outside of the camp trying to find any little crumbs they could. Up in the trees squirrels were sound asleep, waiting for Greenleaf to come. The HailClan camp was Branchpaw's favorite place to be. He was fascinated by the stars and loved being adorned with their faint glow. The apprentice trotted forward to the centre of the camp and let himself lye down on a thin layer of snow in a patch of sunlight. The night had been cold, his paws were extremely cold. It sent a shiver through his body when they touched his warm chest. Looking around the camp Branchpaw could see little movement. Patrols were probably out and about hunting what little prey was out. He himself had yet to go on his first dawn patrol, and he hadn't even set hopes for going to a gathering. Branchpaw always tended to let his mind ponder on the thought of a peaceful meeting with the other clans.

Branchpaw lay there for a few minutes and watched as cats began to start moving. The cat that drew his attention was Pebblekit, he didn't know her well but he could recognize her bright yellow eyes and playful nature anywhere. After seeing her attack on the snow he drew out his paw and batted at the snow himself. He smiled and let out a mrrow of laughter, he had forgotten how wonderful the snow was. He picked himself up and began running into the forest. His concerns about his duties fled from his mind. Branchpaw ran with long strides and a great smile across his maw, the snow flying up behind him. Before he knew it he was tumbling back into the camp with a big pile of snow. He couldn't help himself from laughing. Then, as if a hundred gazing eyes were burning into his pelt he stopped, licked his chest and continued on towards the other side of camp.

His restlessness may have come from his homesickness. It had been almost two moons since he left his family and he missed them more than ever. Below a great oak he sat down to be engulfed by his memories. Moments passed, memories faded and a fierce urge came over the tabby tom. He wanted to hunt! He hunted three suns ago and felt that he needed to. Of coarse he would have needed an escort, but he needed time alone. Just him and the forest. The forest had been his friend for many moons, whispering greetings, warming his heart and it was always there to comfort him. Getting up once again, he walked into the forest and left the clearing that he was beginning to know so well.

Branchpaw's tail hung low but still hovered above the snow and his head lay just in front of his chest, his eyes and ears alert for any little movement. He remembered what little hunting tricks he taught himself and which ones he had learned from HailClan but none could have helped him on this chilly day. Just below a solitary holly bush a vole peered into the world. The sight of the snow hurt its beady eyes and quickly pulled itself back, Branchpaw had jumped at it but landed heavily on its previous position. He hissed under his breath and moved on. Two little walks in one day, already! Branchpaw thought that he should get to his duties, maybe he'd search for some good moss today. Sighing he turned back, dragging his cold paws in the Leafbare snow. When he entered the camp his golden eyes caught the tabby pelt of Pebblekit and then he found something to do for the time being. Coming up behind the young she-cat he changed his pace to hers, stepping into her neat snowy paw-prints. He smiled and said the first thing he had all day.

'The snow isn't really a fair battle now is it?'

ooc; sorry for this post, it really sucked.. I have no muse but I wanted to get Branchpaw in here :3

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[dreamer]

As the shadow of a taller cat fell over her, Pebblekit half-turned and looked up at the apprentice. "Oh, Hi Branchpaw!", she mewed in eager greeting. At his question, she peered at the tracks and the snow piles she'd made.

"No." she agreed about the fairness of the battle, and her reasoning was, "There is much more of snow than there is of me. But look, look!" She hoped over to her line of tracks in front of where Branchpaw now stood. "You can't really hide your tracks in the snow, but if you walk one paw in front of the other, prey won't know how cats there are. I'm going to tell the warriors that. But...oh..." On examining her trail, she leaned her little nose down near Branchpaw's foot, which, being larger than her own, covered her own print. "I guess it doesn't work if cats are different sizes," she pondered disappointed.

The kit didn't stay disappointed for too long however, because her nose picked up on the forest scents that still clung to the older cat's fur. Pebblekit's eyes widened, "Were you out hunting? What fresh-kill did you catch?"

[Fernie]

Branchpaw's heart pounded at the drop of the kit's question. He hadn't caught anything and yet she could still smell the forest on him. It wasn't the toughest scent to deturmine but even at three moons she could scent it. He could feel she'd be a good scenter. He looked at his feet and created a small snow pile while he pondered about what he'd say. That vole he'd almost caught was the only thing he could say he'd caught, but Branchpaw wasn't the kind of cat who'd lie. So he told the kit the truth.

"I.. er.. um, caught nothing.. I almost caught a vole though! It slipped from under my paws at the last second.."

He felt very awkward, normally he'd have something good to say about his outings but in this case he didn't. He wasn't even allowed to have been out of the camp! What if Pebblekit told Oakstripe, or Hailstar, or any clan member at that? Would he have his apprenticeship postponed? Branchpaw was already twelve moons, how much longer could he wait before he became a true apprentice? Well, whatever happens will happen and pass. Time will take its toll and keep on moving.

Branchpaw wanted to change his thoughts and the conversation to Pebblekit's previous message. It was about her tactic idea. The pawprints in the snow were indeed a good idea, but it may pose a few problems. He thought Pebblekit may already know the first one, the size of the cats' paws. They'd most likely vary, though the small animal may not be able to tell, more observant animals may be able to. He also thought it would work well. If cats could consider it, maybe make their scent the same by wallowing in something, it could be used in Leafbare!

"I think it could be a good idea!"

He threw the words into the quiet puddle of a conversation. Pebblekit had talked more than he had in the past two suns and all he could say was a little comment. But then it jumped into his mind, wouldn't it be fun to practise some apprentice lessons with Pebblekit? Sure he'd like it, and Pebblekit may too but would he last through the whole thing? She may have more energy than he could handle. Branchpaw would have to deal with that when it came because he made up his mind for what he would say and strung two questions together.

"Do you want to be a warrior? Would you like to try some apprentice moves?"

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[dreamer]

Branchpaw may have been disappointed not to have caught anything, but Pebblekit's eyes still widened. After all, she'd never even 'almost caught' anything, except for snow and leaves. She sat down on the churned up snow, curling her tail around her paws for added warmth. Her head was still cocked up toward Branchpaw with eyes round and expectant to hear more of his forest adventure.

His change of topic was accepted with a small but excited twitch of her ears. "You really think so?" While his thoughts may have been moving on, she babbled, "Well, maybe if cats walked big cat to small cat in the line... I don't know, I'll have to practice some more. Maybe I can try sneaking up on Snowkit."

When Branchpaw interrupted her own thoughts with his next idea, Pebblekit hopped up to her paws, "Oh yes! I defiantly want to be a warrior. Can we really? Oh, yes please Branchpaw!"

[Fernie]

Branchpaw looked at the kit and smiled, it was true that he'd love to 'play train' the kit. It was now sun-high and the day was covered with a veil of serenity and a blanket of mild warmth. The tom got up beside the kit and tossed his head towards the edge of the clearing. He thought a bit of training in hunting would be a good starter. He wouldn't take the kit into the forest, he was forbidden to go himself as an apprentice and to take the kit would be far worse than just himself. His saffron eyes flashed with mischievous light. If he couldn't go into the forest with the kit, he may just go again himself later on. Maybe once the stars shone, for tonight was the night of a new moon. A smile grew on his face as he closed his eyes and dream of the feeling that could be found in the hands of the forest. He started himself, moving towards that first line of trees. He hoped with such passion that the kit would follow, he himself was having a rather marvelous time.

"How about some hunting? I'll be the mouse, if you'd like..."

He didn't regret his offer in the least. It'd be good training, for he could hear and see the hunter much better than a mouse could in the bush. He'd go easy, hunting in the open, against a cat nonetheless, is a skill that is hard to obtain. He sighed to himself, he was never good at hunting, maybe a fighting session would have been better to start off with. If he messed up infront of Pebblekit he'd always have that gloomy cloud floating over his head. Branchpaw turned around as he neared the first snow-adorned tree. His eyes were cloudy with thought. Branchpaw was silently reminding himself what to do for which creature. Light steps for.. voles? No! Mice.. Umm what for birds? Agh! The tom who had regretted the burden of forgetting, was indeed forgetting part of his mini-lesson. In HailClan's territory, having the knowledge about hunting birds would be essential. Maybe Pebblekit would be satisfied with just learning how to hunt mice and learn a little hunting secret of his.

Now he was waiting. Pebblekit was still lingering at the same spot where he was just a moment ago, by that trail of possibilities. Above his head a branch shook and dropped a large pile of snow. It landed all around him, giving him a grand, snowy hat. His tabby ears were limp on the top of his head and his mouth was open. In his head he was laughing, and soon he'd be on the outside too. Branchpaw shook the little 'hat' off his head and smiled, ear to ear. He was glad that he followed that trail, he had found the cat who just might become his friend.

"Are you coming?"

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