Open to Join Merry-Making

Every day is a good day for a nap.

✧❁ 𓅃 ❁✧

The warning Merryaster gave as they left the camp was not lost on him, although he knew it was mostly for Hailstrike. While he bounded towards the river with his milk-sisters, Ravenbloom decided that this was an outing worth leaving his nest for. Greenleaf caused the territory to look so pretty with everything alive and green. The sun hit the river just right so the ripples cause by the slight breeze shined like the moonstone. Even he had to admit it was a sight to see.

Upon Merryaster commenting on how beautiful it was today he gave an enthusiastic nod, while she instructed him and Hailstrike. "I can do that." He mewed before turning to Hailstrike, since he was already out he might as well catch something and what's fishing without some fun competition!

"I bet I can catch a bigger fish than you." He proclaimed before beginning to pad towards the reeds Merryaster had motioned towards. He was careful to not let his shadow fall on the water or disturb any dirt near the river as he walked.

There’s always something new to try. I’m hungry for all of it!

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The look that Merryaster had given her seemed to fly entirely over Hailstrike's head, it seemingly going completely unnoticed at the prospect of hunting with her milk-brother after what felt like forever. "Yeah, yeah I know the prey thing, Merryaster. We learned it at the same time you mouse-brain" She snickered, her tail flicking playfully as she bounced after Ravenbloom.

At his challenge, her ears perked, usually it was her that started challenges between her siblings, however her confidence and competitive nature seemed to almost force her into refusing defeat. "Oh you bet do you?" She returned the challenge with a smirk and a whip of her tail as she slipped stealthily though the reeds. "I know I'll be able to catch the biggest fish, I caught a whole osprey by myself! I'll be able to handle some fat fish." She boasted, still proud of the day that she dragged in that osprey from her hunt with Briarfang, even that it was quite a few moons ago now.

Hailstrike narrowed her eyes as she lowered her form close to the ground, following the river to find the biggest find, the largest shimmer of scales, the signs of a fish large enough to feed the elders flick past her sight, she wasn't going to lose this challenge. She wouldn't let that happen.

Garden's gem, in sunlight's blaze
༻❁༺

The splashing energy of her siblings faded gradually as Ravenbloom and Hailstrike pushed into the reeds downriver. And ear was angled towards them but her eyes didn't falter as she traced the movement below the water.

The minnows still circled in the shallows, their tiny bodies flashed when they turned, quick and delicate as sparks. Small bites that would do well for Beetlekit and Cricketkit as they acclimated to more solid foods.

Small mouths struggled with the thick scales of trout and elders often preferred something softer as well. Minnows were not impressive catches but that had never bothered Merryaster. RiverClan needed more than trophies.

The cool water curled around her ankles as she shifted her weight slightly, careful not to disturb the riverbed. A shadow passed beneath the surface as one minnow drifting a little too far from the school.

Merryaster's paw moved in a quick and clean swipe. She stepped back onto the bank and dispatched the tiny fish with a practiced bite before placing it carefully in a small patch of grass. She wanted to catch at least four, one for each kit.

"StarClan help us if those two decide to prove something today." She murmured softly to herself, not quite concerned. They were happy and that's what mattered. Merryaster was patient again over the school.

Every day is a good day for a nap.

✧❁ 𓅃 ❁✧

"Yup I do bet! Just because you caught an Osprey in the past doesn't mean you'll catch a big fish now." He taunted, attempting to stay away from the she-cat. It wasn't a matter of skill, they both probably could catch the biggest fish. It was a matter of who could find the fish and catch it first.

Ravenbloom skipped the reeds, padding slightly more downstream and keeping his gaze focused on the river. It only took a few paw steps further to find the perfect spot to sit. His shadow wasn't on the water, and it was on a little ledge where something big could swim right up to him before it could reach the competition.

Glacing to the side he noticed his competitor seemed to already have her sights set on something. He just had to hope it was one of the tiny minnows like Merryaster was catching. He spotted a fish with pale skin and dark freckles swimming near him and prepared to grab it out of the water. It isn't tiny. He thought, hoping that it'd be bigger than whatever Hailstrike could catch.

On the river's edge he waited, hoping the fish would come just a little closer so he could snatch it out of the water and (hopefully) win. 

There’s always something new to try. I’m hungry for all of it!

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"Well jokes on you, little brother, large prey is my thing!" She chirped proudly as she finally spotted what she was looking for a glisten of a greenish brown clump of scales belonging to the fish she had hoped for, a bass. She carefully moved toward the shore as the fish moved closer to nip some alge from the riverbed.

That is when Hailstrike took her opportunity. The pale ticked tabby plunged her head into the water with her jaws open and ready to snatch whatever got caught in them. When her teeth broke scales and she began to feel the fish thrashing to break free of the grip, she pulled it quickly onto shore, far enough that it wouldn't flip back into the river but close enough so the drag wouldn't be exhausting.

The bass still thrashed for its life, but Hailstrike didn't give up her grip, instead, she matched the energy of the flailing fish with an aggressive shaking of her head, and the fish along with her. She wasn't going to let go, so this would be a little battle of her own.

After the fish's struggles it had begun to weaken, drowning under the pressure of the air that Hailstrike breathed so naturally. She focused for a moment on the gills, frantically moving as if begging to be released, to live. But that wasn't how this worked, prey lived to die, the cats of her clan would die without it. So it must happen.

With a final bite to the bass' spine, she dispatched the prey with ease and picked up up in her jaws, her head hanging from the weight but head still holding strong with pride "Try this on for size!" She exclaimed through the fish caught in her muzzle.

Garden's gem, in sunlight's blaze
༻❁༺

The minnows had settled again after her first catch. Patiently she watched them circle, letting the rhythm of the water guide her timing. She waited for the telltale flicker of scales catching the light before he paw darted down again.

Another merciful bite and then there were two. She placed it beside the first in the grass, neat and visible. No attempt to bury them... no covering leaves. Just a small pile beginning to form in the open sunlight before she slipped back into the shallows.

The silver streaks flashed nervously before settling once more. It wasn't long until she snagged a third. For a moment she simply stood there, glancing down at them as if counting.

The distant splashing and boasting from downriver finally reached her ears again just as she turned back toward the water. Hailstrike stood proudly on the bank further down, a large bass hanging from her jaws. A small smile tugged at her whiskers. A fish like that would certainly feed a few cats.

That's what cooperation was all about.

With that she lowered herself once more into her fishing stance, teal eyes returning to the pile on the shore then they flashed to the trees as if trying to detect something.

Every day is a good day for a nap.

✧❁ 𓅃 ❁✧

Focusing on the fish in front of him the dark-furred tom heard thrashing coming from the direction Hailstrike was fishing just as the fish he was watching swam slightly closer to him. This was his chance!

Quickly, to not loose the opportunity, Ravenbloom stuck his paw in the water, digging his claws into the creature just enough to securely grab it and toss it onto land. Before the fish could flop its way back into the river he bit the fish and snapped its neck, a quick death so it could then feed the clan. 

The real question though, did he win the contest? Hailstrike's mew brought his gaze over to the other cat. The fish she caught looked bigger than his fish.. "Fine, you win this time. But next time I'll get the bigger fish!" Ravenbloom proclaimed before he noticed something further downstream. Why was Merryaster looking at the sky? 

"Merryaster!" He shouted, beginning to bound towards her with the fish in his mouth. "Why're you looking at the trees? Fish're in the river."

There’s always something new to try. I’m hungry for all of it!

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Hailstrike puffed out her chest in pride giving the fish a proud little shake when her eyes flicked towards her sister and noticed that she was smiling at her. "Bigger prey'll feed more cats too. I could hand this off to the elders no problem and Merryaster could give her minnows to the kits. Cricketkit and Beetlekit will be trying their first share I think." she replied before giving Ravenbloom a wink "I'll hold you to that!" she chirped before padding over to Merryaster with the fish in her jaws. 

The fact both of her siblings were now looking up at the trees wasn't lost on her and her eyes followed them as she placed down her bass, putting a paw over it as if it might jump back up and flail into the water. "Not unless they grow wings like birds they aren't." She added to Ravenbloom's comment on the fish with a trill of laughter before taking a seat beside Merryaster.

"So, is it flying fish? Or is it something more realistic than an elder tale?" She asked, curling her tail behind her, the tip giving a small flick. If Merryaster was just glancing at nothing, Hailstrike would leave it at that, but if there was something in the trees that they didn't see, it should be known by all three of the cats.

Garden's gem, in sunlight's blaze
༻❁༺

Merryaster did not look away from the trees when Ravenbloom called out but her ears flicked at the shouting. Her tail gave a slow lash as both came closer. "Lower your voice." Her irritation was mild before her eyes shifted. "Back into the bushes. Both of you."

Without waiting to see if they argued Merryaster stepped out of the water and slipped into the reeds and low brush beside the riverbank. Her movements were smooth and deliberate, placing each paw carefully so the stems barely rustled.

Once hidden among the greenery she crouched low again as she watched her small pile of minnows lay plainly visible on the grass before whispering. "We aren't the only hunters who enjoy fish."

She hoped her explanation would be enough as she settled in and stilled completely. A sharp cry sliced through the air as a blur of ash blue and white cut across the clearing. It was a belted kingfisher, wings snapped tight as it plunged downward aiming straight for the easy meal of minnows laid out on the grass.

It had speared a minnow with its beak and that's when Merryaster struck. She exploded from the brush in a single powerful leap, muscles driving her upward as the bird tried to beat its wings and climb. Her paws lashed out through the air and caught it mid flight before dragging it onto the bank before it could escape.

When the dust settled, Merryaster stood there with the kingfisher pinned beneath her paw, its brilliant feathers ruffled but unmistakably still.

Every day is a good day for a nap.

✧❁ 𓅃 ❁✧

Ravenbloom had almost begun to giggle at the notion of a flying fish. A fish in the air? How crazy was that? When Merryaster told them to back off. Knowing better to argue with her he backed up, returning to the bushes on the rivers edge.

Once Merryaster told them that cats weren't the only creatures who liked fish he looked closer at the tree, opening his maw to scent the air. Was there a bird in that tree? Before he had a heartbeat to find it the loud cry broke through the air.

A kingfisher! He realized. Of course, the blue and yellow birds loved minnows. All he could do was stand there and watch as Merryaster expertly caught the bird and the minnow it had been trying to catch. 

"Wow! Good catch Merryaster. You got the kingfisher and the minnow it was trying to get!" Ravenbloom exclaimed. Him and Hailstrike may have caught bigger fish than minnows, but catching something in the way Merryaster had was really cool. 

There’s always something new to try. I’m hungry for all of it!

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Hailstrike didn't pay too much attention to what Merryaster said, her eyes trained in curious fascination at the trees, but when her sister told her to stand back, she listened and slipped in beside Ravenbloom with her prize and watched as the bird darted down toward the minnows, and how effortlessly Merryaster dispatched the thief. 

"Huh, so no flying fish. But a flying fisher, I'd say I was pretty close." She chirped before slipping out from the bushes again to get a closer look at Merryaster's work and raised her brows. "Impressive form, Merryaster! Coldstar taught you that?" She asked with a twitch of her tail leaning down to the bird and taking a few cautionary sniffs with her nose, seems the green mush from prey demanding caution never really left her, even if the bad prey had been eradicated.

Hailstrike looked at the prey caught by all of them in reverence as she let out a soft, congratulatory purr. "I think we caught enough to feed the clan for a while, I think most of the other fish would be spooked by now." She added. "They're stupid but they can't be that stupid." she added under her breath before perking back up. 

At the idea of going back to camp, an idea flashed into her mind, one she knew Ravenbloom would certainly love. She glanced at him, a challenging look in her olive eyes. "Wanna race?"

Garden's gem, in sunlight's blaze
༻❁༺

Merryaster smiled at her siblings, feeling the ends of her pelt warm. "Thanks! Coldstar taught me plenty but a bit of patience and perception taught the rest." Her gaze swept over the collectively caught prey; two large fish including a bass, three minnows and the kingfisher.

Hailstrike's suggestion about the fish being spooked drew a quiet hum of agreement from her throat. "Probably. Between the splashing and shouting." But when the challenge rang from her large sister's mouth Merryaster's ears flicked toward her.

"We should race back...while carrying our catches. Let's go! Unless you two plan on leaving yours behind?" Merryaster slowly picked up the kingfisher by the wings, careful to keep the feathers from dragging through the mud while her teeth worked around the tails of the alewale's she had pulled. She may have looked a bit silly, but she could carry all her haul back. No way they'd be quicker than her with large fish weighing them down. Her tail swayed once as she looked between her siblings.

Her tail lifted slightly as she started up the riverbank toward the path home with a lively step, unhindered by the lightness of her catch.

Every day is a good day for a nap.

✧❁ 𓅃 ❁✧

Once again Ravenbloom giggled at Hailstrike's joke. She was pretty close, only off by a heartbeat of a word! Looking at the prey the three cats had caught, including what he was already holding, he noticed they had caught a decent amount. Greenleaf sure was kind to them, it was a nice difference from leafbare. Less effort for him, he didn't have to hunt as long for the same amount of prey and the clan was fed.

It seemed Hailstrike also noticed the amount of prey they had, and his green gaze focused on the she-cat as she spoke. "Plus if we catch more we probably couldn't carry it all back to camp." He chimed in, although he wouldn't really want to catch more anyways.

When Hailstrike offered to race he immediately perked up, his ears straightening and he looked a little more alert in his posture, especially after Merryaster agreed to join. "I'll always race!" He chirped through the prey in his maw.

Once the other two were ready he began racing through the territory, although he felt a little off balance with the big fish in his mouth. 

There’s always something new to try. I’m hungry for all of it!

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The acceptance of the challenge made Hailstrike beam with joy, especially when Merryaster also accepted her challenge. "Let’s see if the wait of those four catches can match up." She chirped before leaning down to pick up her own catch. "But even if it didn’t, I’d still be faster" she added with a sassy flick of her tail before standing near to both Ravenbloom and Merryaster, readying her posture.

"Okay, on my count. Three…. Tw-" before she could finish her countdown, it had been interrupted by Ravenbloom bursting off prematurely into the grass, Hailstrike’s eyes widened for a moment before narrowing with that determined, competitive spark of hers. "Cheater!" She exclaimed before darting off with her prey clasped in her jaws.

Hailstrike didn’t look back, didn’t even flinch as she began to close in on her milk-brother, she sunk her teeth deeper into the fish as if it owed her something, perhaps making sure she wouldn’t lose it in the crossfire.

She didn’t bother to look back to see if Merryaster was catching up, there was no time for such things when she had a race to win! The chase was on.

Garden's gem, in sunlight's blaze
༻❁༺

Merryaster had just begun to step forward when Ravenbloom burst from the starting line. When her sister chased him with a word, she grinned and moved into a smooth, steady run up the river bank path.

Her tail lifted slightly for balance as she slipped between reeds, thinned by multiple patrolling paws. Pace fast and even her mouth was closed securely around her catch as she found her footing and pressed onward. She didn't care who exactly returned to camp first - they were all winners in her mind, as those who would enjoy their prey.

Every day is a good day for a nap.

✧❁ 𓅃 ❁✧

"If you're so fast you'll catch up!" Ravenbloom called behind him as he kept running in the direction of camp. Prey secure in his maw he could hear both of his milk-siblings running behind him. He admired the view of the river and the territory as he ran. 

The hunting trip had been successful, he got to spend time with Merryaster and Hailstrike, and he was able to go back and enjoy the nice weather back at camp. All-in-all this had been a good trip, and he hoped they got to do it again sometime. Next time he'd catch the bigger fish!