Closed Thread [Closed] Ride On, My Gallant Huntsmen (3FG)

Shadesleek was wide-awake ready. Ready to run, ready to hunt, ready for whatever. Did Badgerstar need to explain how to hunt? Hah! Like he hadn't just named a whole batch of new warriors with Shadesleek and her siblings last moon.

"If you had to explain, we'd be in trouble," she laughed, and then made her demeanor serious. "But I do have a question..." The black cat's posture became jovial once again. "What's the biggest thing you've ever caught?"

Badgerstar kept his gaze upon the group of cats arriving alongside him for the hunt. No cat enjoyed getting up this early in the day, especially not with the chill still biting somewhat. It would take time for things to get to the heat of greenleaf, so he would enjoy things for now. Shadesleek made a comment that might've made him laugh if not for his self-control.

If he had to explain to warriors, then it would be the end of WindClan. Still, he wanted to reference the skills of his cats. When the she-cat made her tone more serious, he assumed there would be an actual question. Then Cloudflare answered it before he could shut down the jovial inquiry. He wanted to roll his eyes. Was it the name? He wanted to believe it was related to skill, but he didn't like tall tales or rumors. "I don't think I recall bringing a badger back. But I, alongside other cats, have surprised a few bigger catches-- hares, hawks, those kinds of things. It takes coordination and anticipation of what your prey will do."

A badger? Shadesleek kept herself from giving an incredulous snort at Cloudflare. Imagine if cats could bring in badgers. From what she knew of them, it'd probably take a whole Clan.

"Hm, so normal stuff," Shadesleek mused after Badgerstar gave his answer. She didn't know what she'd been expecting, but hawks and hares weren't as exciting.

"And everything already takes coordination and anticipation," she meowed. This felt like a lesson but she wasn't learning anything new. "But I guess you need more of it hunting the same target with someone else." 

Wasn't that just common sense though?

Badgerstar wasn't one for outlandish rumors, which prompted him to give a mundane response. If cats assumed he battled badgers alone, they would be dead wrong. "Yes. Nothing too difficult with skilled paws."

When Shadesleek made her comment about the nature of hunting and Clan life, Badgerstar gave her a flat expression. "Exactly. In any case, since there is an odd number of us, I think Shadesleek and I can partner with you, Cloudflare. There's a certain spot with two burrows very close by where extra paws would be very helpful."

"What kind of burrows and do you know what's in 'em?" Shadesleek asked in the same way her mentor would quiz her. Two burrows could hold a lot of prey and the moors had a lot of things that used them, in her opinion. When Shadesleek thought of burrows, she thought of shrews and chipmunks and smaller prey like that, but rabbit warrens would be a good find too.

"Y'know, for the sake of preparation," she meowed. "Or should it stay a surprise?"

Badgerstar was glad that, at the very least, Cloudflare wasn't caught up on semantics or stories about fighting badgers. He was reasonable and on-task. At Shadesleek's question, however, he flicked his ear. "Burrows, warrens... they're both holes in the ground. But I did mean warren entrances. I noticed they popped up rather recently, too."

When Cloudflare reported the scent, Badgerstar seemed pleased. "Good scenting. I doubt a fox could fit into a newly-dug warren, but there are always odd chances of that or adders."

"Adders? Ick," Shadesleek meowed with mock disgust, although she now wondered what they might taste like. She knew the bites of some wouldn't always kill a cat, but she'd still rather not have to deal with them to find out. "Rabbits would be loads better. Think there'll be kits?"