Life Doesn't Always Go As Planned [Ranger]

[Twineheart]

Babylonranger


" C'mon Streampaw!" Brightpaw whispers nudging at her friend awake with a paw. Streampaw groans and rolls over in her nest, her green eyes blinking up blearily at Brightpaw. " What is it now?" She asks with a grumble, not wanting to leave the warmth of her nest. " You promised you'd go hunting with me!" Brightpaw says eagerly, batting at her friends fluffy tail a bit, her yellow eyes brimming with excitement. " Right..." Streampaw says with a sigh, which she covered up with a loud yawn. She had totally forgotten that she'd agreed to go hunting with Brightpaw today. " Does it have to be so early?" She asks her friend, rolling onto her paws and slowly dragging herself into a sitting position. " I don't even think the sun is up!" She adds glancing around the dim apprentice den. Brightpaw giggles and shakes her head some. " Nope it's not!" She says bouncing beside Streampaw now but stopping when she gets some glares from other apprentices still trying to sleep. " And all the best prey comes out in the morning!" She explains to her friend, nudging her again. Her vivid calico pelt already gleaming from her grooming though slightly ruffled from all the bouncing she'd been doing. " So are you coming?" She asks her firend her yellow eyes filled with hope. She missed Streampaw. Ever since the silver tabby had nearly drowned she hadn't been the same. Plus they'd both gotten their apprentice names and had been training so neither had free anytime. " I guess so..." Streampaw says licking at her fur a little and eying her friend. She couldn't say no, not when Brightpaw was so excited. So with a last couple licks she gets to her paws and starts out of the apprentice den followed closely by Brightpaw, who was purring rather loudly.

Outside the den dawn was just barely starting to crack along the horizon. The sun's feint golden glow giving off little warmth and making the Stormclan clearing chilly. Leaves crunching under paw the pair of apprentices made their way across the clearing. " We at least have to eat something first." Streampaw says yawning once more and blinking her green gaze. Brightpaw nearly bumps into Streampaw when she stops and bounces sideways to avoid her. " Well alright but lets be quick! " She says looking around some. So the pair grabs something small to eat from the fresh kill pile, and settles down side by side to eat.

[Babylonranger]

The golden-gray light of pre-dawn filtered through the evergreen trees of Stormclan's territory and into the den where those cats who were warriors slumbered. One of those cats, an average sized though well-muscled tom, shifted in his sleep near the entrance. The mostly white tom curled into a tight ball, wrapping his feathery black-tipped tail around his short-furred body in a futile effort to block out the nearly brumal chill that had settled in the camp clearing and was just beginning to penetrate the Warriors' den.

With a soft groan, the tom opened his bleary yellow eyes, set in a black-masked face. Wincing at the early hour, the warrior rose stiffly with a wide yawn and followed with a series of stretches to loosen his back and limbs and un-crick his neck. He gave himself a quick shake to rid himself of loose moss and a few licks to make himself presentable and strode out of the the den.

The tom stretched his black paws again and glanced around camp. Other than some enterprising apprentices, not many cats were up and about at that time of day. He sniffed at the air, letting the cold and the scent of pine awaken him and his senses. The white-and-black warrior had given his apprentice the morning off today, so he had no immediate duties that called to him. Although . . . .

He glanced at the fresh-kill pile warily. Every cat needed to pull his weight to support the Clan, and he would certainly be expected to try to bring back prey this leaf-fall morning, even if his hunting was hardly exemplary. Pushing that thought back, he strolled over to the pile to greet the two apprentices, Streampaw and Brightpaw. "Hello," Lightningflame said, giving the pair a wide, casual grin. "Any plans for this morning?"

[Twineheart]

Babylonranger

Brightpaw who had wolfed down her prey in minutes, was the first to glance up. Her bright yellow gaze shining as she eyes the tom who'd spoken. She'd never spoken with the tom, but she had indeed noticed him around. He was rather handsome with his black masked face and well muscled body. " Oh hi Lightningflame!" she exclaims, a purr escaping her. Meanwhile she nudges Streampaw who hadn't even looked up from the mouse she was enjoying far too slowly for Brightpaw's liking. Streampaw grunts slightly when Brightpaw's elbow nudges her ribs. " Ouch!" She says blinking and glancing upwards. Only just realizing that Lightningflame was even there. " Oh um hi..." She mumbles glancing away.

It didn't matter that Streampaw was less than talkative because Brightpaw always made up for that.
" We are going hunting!" She exclaims at his question, her fur fluffed in excitement. " How about you Lightningflame? Any plans?.... I mean if not you could come with us..." She adds hopefully. Admiring his muscled features as she waited anxiously for his reply. How cool it would be to have this warrior with them on their first hunt together! She thought beaming at the tom happily. Meanwhile Streampaw was only half listening to the conversation. Finishing up her mouse she licks her lips, and lifts her head. Just in time to hear Brightpaw's last words. Her stomach drops a little. She didn't much feel like hanging around another cat. She didn't need anyone else around to judge her over Silverfish's death. but she couldn't deny this tom Brightpaw's offer, so she remained silent. Her green eyes watching his every move, and the way Brightpaw looked at him.

Babylonranger

[Babylonranger]

The black-masked tom's whiskers twitched in good-natured amusement at Brightpaw's enthusiasm. It was nice to see someone so easily excited at this hour of the day. Lightingflame was lucky if he was that perky in new or greenleaf, let alone leaf-fall. This morning was an outlier. Streampaw's quiet manner did not surprise him though; the poor apprentice had been incredibly withdrawn ever since Silverfish's sacrifice to save her life.

Shooting her a kind smile, the white-and-black warrior answered her friend's question, oblivious to Brightpaw's admiration of his muscled form. "Well, I didn't have any plans myself, this morning. I was just thinking of going hunting myself; see if I could catch something without scaring all the prey away." Lightingflame grinned at the pair. "If you wouldn't mind me tagging along, I'd be happy to join the two of you."

((Ooc: Sorry for the delay, Twineheart! My muse has been playing Marco Polo with me these last two weeks.))

[Twineheart]

Streampaw didn't fail to notice Lightingflame smiling in her direction. She doesn't smile back but blinks at him, feeling annoyance prickle in her fur. She didn't want his sympathy or anyone's for that matter. Everyone walked around her like she was made of flower petals. Like she would break as easy as a brittle piece of grass or crinkled leaf. Like they didn't know how to act around her. Everyone except Brightpaw, of course.

" Oh yes! Please do! We'd love that wouldn't we Streampaw!? " Brightpaw exclaims turning to her friend with eager yellow eyes. Streampaw looks taken off guard and flickers her fluffy tail a little. " Oh um... Sure." She says in a quiet tone her gaze flickering over the black faced tom before back to Brightpaw. What was it about this tom that had Brightpaw in such a tither? She wondered green gaze, eyeing him as warily as ever. " Oh great! Let's get going then!" Brightpaw exclaims purring happily, and nudging Streampaw to her paws. She giggles at Lightningflame's last words, eyes dancing. " Oh I'm sure you'll catch something!" She says bouncing towards the exit before either Streampaw or Lightningflame's could move. " C'mon! C'mon!" She says calico fur fluffed as she went. A chilly leaf fall breeze tugging at her fur.

Giving an exasperated sigh Streampaw follows after Brightpaw not even nothing to wait for Lightningflame. Her green eyes avoiding his she flickers her tail as they exit camp. " Slow down Brightpaw!" She calls still half groggy with sleep. " Not everyone here enjoys the morning." She adds in a mumble.

( Babylonranger Not a problem^^ )

[Babylonranger]

The black-masked warrior watched the retreating young Brightpaw with rapidly growing amusement. The large calico she-cat's enthusiasm was, if not catching, then at least entertaining. The excited apprentice was so eager to begin that she'd left both him and Streampaw behind.

Holding back a chuckle, the white-and-black tom padded along after Brightpaw with Streampaw close by. Close enough to hear the silver tabby apprentice's comments, in fact. "You too?" he asked, sharing a mischievous grin with the groggy she-cat. "Mornings were the bane of my existence when I was an apprentice. Dawn patrols were practically murder. Have you been on one yet?"

[Twineheart]

[ Apologies for the late reply Babylonranger ]

If Streampaw had thought not looking at Lightningflame would deter him from conversing with her she was mistaken. Barely a minute into their walk and she found the tom looking at her, and his voice spilling into her ears. She flickers them, and glances at him in her wary manner. She then snorts at his comment, the smallest amount of amusement glittering in the depths of her eyes. Her old self seemed to flicker there in the background stuck inside this new cat's body. " No not yet..." She admits softly, as they pad along after Brightpaw. " but knowing Webfire it'll be soon..." She adds thinking of her mentor. " I don't understand why any clan would choose dawn as a time for patrols..." She adds, " I mean what cat honestly wants to be awake then?" She snorts shaking her skull at the idea.

" Oooo guys!" Calls Brightpaw from ahead. Her yellow gaze turning to them, and her fur fluffed in excitement. " I think I smell a vole!' She says excitedly, her nose twitching wildly. " Do you smell it?" She adds, her head cocking to the side as she bounces in place.

[Babylonranger]

((Ooc: No worries, I'm late too. ^u^))

Lightningflame grinned happily, glad he'd managed to make the young she-cat laugh, even if it was only a small one. "If you can, try and make sure he doesn't walk into any more bramble bushes," he said, confidentially. "His face doesn't need another battering. As for dawn patrols . . ."

Brightpaw's excited call drew his yellow gaze. "There's always at least one cat who enjoys rising early," the black-masked tom said, eyes twinkling. Twitching his nose and opening his mouth to catch the scent of the young calico she-cat's vole, the white-and-black warrior did find a trace of the rodent's scent. "I smell it too, Brightpaw. but keep in mind, if it's still nearby, it can hear us," Lightningflame reminded her with an amused but kind smile.

[Twineheart]

[ Babylonranger ]

Streampaw watches as a grin unfurls across Lightningflame's maw. His words catching her by surprise, " That's how he got those scars?" She asks her green eyes glittering with a brief moment of amusement. The amusement however fades when Brightpw's excited mew reaches her ears. Turning she focuses back on her friend, it was suppose to be their hunting trip. Parting her own jaws, she scents the air also noticing the scent of vole.

Brightpaw covers her maw with her tail, " Whoops! Right!" she says with a giggle trying to lower her excited voice. Pleased that Lightningflame had also smelled the vole, she looks to Streampaw. " You smell it?" She asks eagerly, her voice lower than before. Streampaw nods her head, watching as Brightpaw drops into a stalkers crouch. " Well you smelled it, why don't you go catch it?" she suggests, flickering her fluffy tail.

Brightpaw beams eagerly and darts into the underbrush after the vole without a second thought.

[Babylonranger]

"That's how he said he got it," the white-and-black tom whispered, smiling wryly. He still didn't know where his little brother had really gotten those scars on his nose. Webfire - Webpaw at that time - had just come out of his den one day with a set of nasty, deep scratches in his muzzle, gained at some point during the night before. Lightningflame had hidden his concern at the time rather well, he'd thought; though he was certain Webfire suspected he didn't believe the younger tom's tale.

but, the cat was entitled to his secrets. If Webfire was embarrassed for coming off worse in a fight, Lightningflame wasn't going to call him out on his story. Returning to the present, the black-masked warrior watched Brightpaw stalk her vole, as eager as she'd been all morning. The feathery-tailed warrior checked their surroundings, just in case there were other predators in the area. It wouldn't do to become complacent just because they were in the middle of Stormclan territory.

Twineheart

[Twineheart]

[ Babylonranger Sorry for taking forever to reply!]

Streampaw cocks her head sideways some at Lightningflame's last words. From the sound of it, the tom didn't believe his brother's story of how he'd gotten his muzzle scars. It was definitely a curious tale, that was for sure. but Streampaw was in no position to be nosing about her mentor's business especially if his own brother hadn't thought it was important enough to do so. Blinking away these thoughts she focuses on watching what little of Brightpaw she could see through the underbrush.

Brightpaw was in hot pursuit of the vole. Her vivid calico fur however didn't want to cooperate. Making it difficult for her to be very stealthy but luckily for her voles tended to be pretty blind. Stalking forward as quietly as she could Brightpaw was about a tail length from her quarry when she realized that she wasn't the only predator after the small rodent. All the fur on her body prickles with unease as a vaguely familiar scent hits her nose. Fox! She thought yellow eyes going round as she freezes with fear, trying to spot the creature.

" Why isn't she pouncing?" Streampaw mumbles half to Lightningflame half to herself. She could see Brightpaw and the vole, having crept closer yet her friend seemed frozen in place. but then the wind shifted, and she automatically knew why when a fowl scent slammed into her sensitive nostrils. " Brightpaw! Get out of there!" She hisses, and without a second thought she charged forward after her friend.

[Babylonranger]

((Ooc: No worries! Life happens!))

The muscled white-and-black tom turned his attention back to the calico apprentice, watching Brightpaw move towards her vole. Lightningflame had just looked away when Streampaw spoke up. Yellow eyes narrowed in suspicion as he saw the energetic apprentice freeze in her tracks, fur bristling. There was only enough time for the black-pawed warrior to take a step forward before the stench of fox filled his nose.

He hissed softly, cursing their luck. A fox in the territory was never good news, but in leaf-fall and leaf-bare they were especially dangerous as they scrounged for food to keep them alive. "Streampaw!" Lightningflame said, but the young she-cat had already raced toward her friend. "Fox-dung!" If the fox hadn't noticed Brightpaw before now, it would definitely hear Streampaw's charge. He followed her with a growl, hoping the canine would be put off attacking three cats. Otherwise, he'd have to send one or both of the she-cats for help - though it was likely he'd need to do that anyway, if only to chase the predator out of Stormclan.

[Twineheart]

[ Babylonranger ]

Streampaw was deaf to Lightningflame's call determined to reach Brightpaw. Meanwhile the fox who'd been scented made it's appearance from the underbrush its mangy red fur a ruffled mess and it's eyes a wild orange coloration. It seemed to be slightly confused by the sudden appearance of three cats and growls a low guttural noise licking its chops.

" Brightpaw run!" Streampaw yowls shoving her frozen friend forward with a head butt to her rear. This seems to shake Brightpaw from her previous frozen stance and she stumbles forward away from the glowering fox, her pelt risen with fear. but as Streampaw attempted to follow after her friend the fox locked in on the pair, seeing them as the weaker targets than Lightningflame and charged forward. Streampaw lets out a hiss, spinning around and lashing out with extended claws, before darting after Brightpaw. Her green eyes looking around wildly for Lightningflame, who she'd loss track of in the chaos. " Climb Brightpaw! Climb!" She yowls ahead. Hoping that her friend might manage to scramble up a tree, it wasn't any Stomrclanners strong suit but worth a try.

Behind her the fox was closing in and she makes a split decision to veer it away from her friend. Cutting sharply to the left she attemtpts to lure the creature away from Brightpaw. It works and the fox leaves Brightpaw and follows Streampaw with a yip of hunger.

[Babylonranger]

Scrambling through the undergrowth, the muscled white-and-black tom honed in on the mangy canine, a loud yowl leaving his throat. His fur puffed up in rage and his black-tipped tail was ramrod straight like a feathery banner. No scruffy fox went after apprentices when Lightningflame was around.

A quick glance of the situation showed the fox was focused on Streampaw (and Webfire would slaughter him if she got killed on his watch) and seemed to be ignoring Brightpaw for the moment. He lunged at the predator, swiping at it with a black paw before jumping back. "You two run back to camp and get some warriors. I can hold his attention and then jump up a tree."

[Twineheart]

[ Babylonranger ]


The fox lets out a furious snarl when Lightningflame lunged at him, landing a bow to his side. Whipping around the fox now seemed happy to turn upon the older cat, its wild orange eyes pissed off. Lunging forward the mangy creature attempts to bite at Lightningflame as he jumps backwards, the snap of the fox's dangerous jaws echoing around them.

Meanwhile Streampaw had also turned when the fox suddenly veered away from her. She'd been surprised until she spotted the black and white form of Lightningflame slashing out at the fox. Green eyes wide, Streampaw leaps forward to help. " I'm not leaving you!" She calls back, knowing Brightpaw would go back to camp for help. She wasn't going to allow another warrior to die for her, not again... never again.

Darting forward Streampaw slashes at the fox from behind hoping that between herself and Lightningflame they could confuse it enough to cause it to scamper off. The fox yowls when Streampaw's thorn sharp claws make contact with it's flank. Spinning around it snaps it jaws so close to Streampaw's face she felt its hot smelly breath. Pulling back quickly Streampaw hisses her fur fluffed so she looked twice her normal size.


Meanwhile Brightpaw who'd heard Lightningflame's call was booking it back to camp, her yellow eyes wide with fear. " FOX! FOX IN THE TERRITORY!" She yowls at the top of her lungs as she bursts through the entrance startling cats nearby. " PLEASE HELP! "

Starlingblaze who'd been sitting with his brother Crowfrost glances up in startled surprise at Brightpaw. Leaping to his paws at her words he rushes over followed by Crowfrost. " A fox where?" Crowfrost asks seriously, his hazel green eyes serious. " Where is Streampaw?" Starlingblaze suddenly cuts in knowing wherever Brightpaw was Streampaw usually followed.

" She and Lightingflame are fighting the fox!" Brightpaw whimpers her ears flickering back as she spoke. " Please! they are only a little ways into the woods I can show you!" She adds before turning around and dashing from camp, Crowfrost and Starlingblaze at her heels.