A Silent Hunter's Catch

[Silentheart]

The wind was bitter with the chill of leaf fall, whispering through the brittle reeds like a soft breath over still fall grass. It ruffled the orange and white she-cats fur and made her shiver slightly, giving her ears and agitated flick. The coming chill heralded leaf-bare to come, although over the river, the leaves on the trees of the other clans were just beginning to dry and fall. She brushed off the tinging worry of an early leaf-bare. The sun is hardly up yet, it will warm as it rises. she assured herself, fluffing her fur against the cold and rising from where she crouched by her den.

The camp was slowly beginning to stir, and she found herself at ease around her familiar clan mates. She padded to the fresh kill pile, picking a small silver fish for herself, hunching next to it and rolling it over with her paw, her normal, analytical self causing Silentheart to examine her already dead prey. She wasn't paranoid, just one to over examine everything. With a sigh, she began to eat, devouring the fish in a few, quick gulps and sitting up straight again, beginning to groom herself, while deciding the patrols in her head. It didn't take her long to organize them, and send them out, leading a hunting patrol herself.

She knew she could go to the river, and fish like many cats did, but, despite born and raised Riverclan, and her love of the water, she had never enjoyed the river when the temperature was low. Even her oil-slick fur held in river-water longer than usual, and she was chilled to the bone and sneezing by the next day, so she decided instead to see what she could find among the reeds. Even in leaf-fall, the occasionally water vole wasn't so hard to find, and she personally enjoyed the furry creatures, in fact, every cat did- when there was no fish, which meant she would probably be the only one eating the fuzzy mammal when the rest of the clan was tucking into fish. She slid silently through the reeds, ears pricked high and mouth open, tasting the air for any traces of prey-scent, and soon enough, the warm scent passed over her and she pin pointed the sound, going utterly still. The water-vole was scuffling along the ground, intent on finding its dinner... she supposed it wouldn't need to worry about dinner in a few moments. Would it care? Would any other of its kind care? In her thoughts, she almost stopped hunting and let it go, but the need to feed the clan pushed through her analytical ways and she pounced, landing on the water vole right before it tried to scurry away into its hole under a rock, dispatching it and picking the limp body up in her teeth, dropping it between two rocks and scratching dead river-plants over it to hide it until she could return for it later, giving herself a quick shake before padding off again, searching for more land-dwelling prey.

[løиetëaя]

The calico she-cat watched as her leader hunted, her dark amber eyes analyzing every movement. Her long fur was fluffed against the cold wind that blew across their territory and her eyes narrowed. It shouldn't yet be this cold, but it was. The morning dew was already turning to frost, making the ground crunch beneath their paws. Soon enough ice would begin to freeze at the edges of the streams, even the river, making the waters frigid even to a cat with the thickest of pelts.

Her tail flicked angrily. It was going to be hard this year, trying to provide for the clan, gain back their trust. If she didn't bring back enough prey they would accuse her of being disloyal and drive her away. Though she seemed quiet on the outside, inside she was always plotting, looking for weaknesses in others even when she didn't mean to. It made it harder for them to trust her and Maskedheart was fully aware of this. But that was just how she was, from the time she was just a small kit. She didn't have any plans to betray them, but if she wasn't the best warrior of all of them then that was how they saw her, a traitor, and outsider, unworthy of any trust.

[Silentheart]

The she-cat caught a few more measly rodents, until the sound of paw steps crunching the freezing ground caught her attention. She pricked her ears and parted her jaws, drawing in the scent, the scent of her own calming her, although she felt ruffled and embarrassed. How long had the cat been there? Had they been watching? Would they have noticed that she hasn't noticed them until then? She inhaled deeply, and gave her chest fur a few, quick licks before padding forward through the reeds, dipping her head in greeting the the thick-furred calico. "Greetings, Maskedheart." She meowed coolly, not letting her earlier thoughts ruffle her fur, or the reputation the cat had.

She knew Maskedheart as a loyal cat, always willing to help the clan, but she very well saw the intelligence and cunning in the dark amber eyes. The cat could at times ruffle her fur with a simple glance, but she didn't let it show, knowing she had to have trust in the cats she must lead, even the quiet, cunning calico. Sitting down, she curled her tail neatly over her paws, flicking her ears toward the rock crevice where her fresh-kill was stashed, "I was just hunting, care to join me?"

[løиetëaя]

The she-cat nodded at the one cat she knew trusted her. She was a good cat, one that was willing to look past Maskedheart's dark history and give her another chance. It made her a great leader, setting her apart from others. She hid a smile as she noticed the she-cat's embarrassment at not noticing her before hand. It wasn't her fault though, Maskedheart was very good at remaining silent at all times unless she wanted to be heard.

She looked at the prey, eyeing it. At least someone was worried about providing for the clan. Many warriors were still curled up in their dens, oblivious to the cold world outside. It disagreed with her, how they judged her when they were the ones not putting the clan first. Her ears flicked as she listened to the question. "If you'll have me."

[Silentheart]

Silentstar saw the gratitude in the she-cats amber eyes, and something that simple warmed her even in the crisp chill of the early morning. Maskedheart's eyes flicked from her, to where the prey was, and her answer was just as rich as her somber thankfulness. "Of course." She purred, the idea of hunting with a fellow clanmate to ease the lonesome morning routine warming her internally. She rose to her paws, "I've been going after voles, seeing as the river is already growing bitterly cold. Soon, it will freeze over..." She paused, looking up at the milky gray sky, sleek clouds threatening to blot out the small gap that the watery morning sun had just managed to peak through. "We may as well bring back what we can. Not even River Clan is going to be so keen to wander into the cold to hunt if it starts to rain.", she gave an annoyed flick of her tail, "Leafbare is going to come far to early, I can feel it. Those cats are going to have to give up the peace and easy meals they received in the prey rich greenleaf, so much of it is already going into hiding."

The idea that the prey would flee before the worst even set in was sobering to say the least, and it sent a chill down her spine that battled even with the chill that seeped into her thick fur. Her green eyes, darkened with thought, brightened, and she forced cheer back into her mew, "Now, lets hunt." Leaving all of her fears, and pressure to provide for her clan, even in the coldest weather, behind her, she bounded off into the reeds, figuring she may find more prey near the river's edge, little mammals and birds possibly searching among the muck for the seeds of the plants that grew thickly on the island territory.

[løиetëaя]

The calico she-cat brightened a bit at her leader's words. It had been awhile since anyone had been willing to hunt with her and it would be nice to do so again. Still, deep inside she couldn't help but wonder if Silentstar had ulterior motives for doing so. But at least she had company now.

Quietly she listened, her ears flattening at Silentstar's words. Though she was relieved that she was not the only one worried about Leafbare it was still difficult to hear the words coming from her leader's mouth. "I don't relish the thought of hunting come leafbare. It will be hard on all the clans, signs are appearing all over that it will be harsh this year. I just hope all stays peaceful, the last thing we need is feuds breaking out." The thought of starving cats fighting over what prey they could find crossed her mind. It wouldn't be a pleasant thing at all. When cats were starving they wouldn't fight fair, they would use whatever leverage they could get over others.

Quietly she shook her head, trying to dispel the dark thoughts and focus on hunting. "Yes, lets get going. The more we can bring back the better for the clan." She waited for Silentstar to take the lead, showing her respect with a dip of her masked head.

[Silentheart]

Her hopes were crushed as she only found a single vole scuttling along the half-frozen mud, returning it with ruffled fur to where she had chosen to put her prey. A flutter of wings nearby put her on edge, but the sudden sound spooked her and she hissed, realizing she had scared off the bird that would have fed a handful of apprentices. Shaking herself, and giving her ruffled fur a few licks, and racing off to a separate part of the their territory. The birds alarmed shrieks was sure to have scared off the prey within a certain radius, so she figured she'd have more luck if she moved farther away.

By the time a few more river-creatures were killed, and the catch hauled back to the camp, the sun was blotted out from the sky, and the clan was in full alert and busy with the day as it progressed. Silentstar was pleased that another hunting patrol went out to see what they could find- the clan would need what they could get, when they could get it, and even better if they could stock the fresh kill pile before the rain started. When the storm broke, the rain would drop the temperature even lower, not something any cat would enjoy.

[løиetëaя]

The quiet she-cat broke away from her leader, taking her own path to find prey. Her nose twitched slightly as she scented the air for any prey scents, growing excited when she found some. Her paws steps grew silent as the scent grew stronger. Her muscles tensed as she crouched, her body perfectly positioned as she continued forward.

Her amber eyes locked on the large water vole before her, the unknowing creature rooting around in some reeds in hopes of finding seeds. Her ears flicked, the sounds of its tiny squeaks reaching her sensitive ears. Slowly for just a moment she took a deep breath before launching herself at the helpless animal, her claws digging deep into its flesh. Quickly she bit into its neck, killing the creature before it could feel pain.

After hunting down a few more voles she turned to the river, quickly catching several fish before leaving to find her leader and take their prey back to camp. With full jaws, the walk back was quiet, though it peaceful. Her eyes gazed up at the sky, angry clouds forming in the once clear sky. They would make it back just before the storm broke.

[løиetëaя]

The quiet she-cat broke away from her leader, taking her own path to find prey. Her nose twitched slightly as she scented the air for any prey scents, growing excited when she found some. Her paws steps grew silent as the scent grew stronger. Her muscles tensed as she crouched, her body perfectly positioned as she continued forward.

Her amber eyes locked on the large water vole before her, the unknowing creature rooting around in some reeds in hopes of finding seeds. Her ears flicked, the sounds of its tiny squeaks reaching her sensitive ears. Slowly for just a moment she took a deep breath before launching herself at the helpless animal, her claws digging deep into its flesh. Quickly she bit into its neck, killing the creature before it could feel pain.

After hunting down a few more voles she turned to the river, quickly catching several fish before leaving to find her leader and take their prey back to camp. With full jaws, the walk back was quiet, though it peaceful. Her eyes gazed up at the sky, angry clouds forming in the once clear sky. They would make it back just before the storm broke.