Ask to Join A Bird in the Claw

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

⋘ ──── ⋆⋅❆⋅⋆ ❄️ ⋆⋅❆⋅⋆ ──── ⋙

Hailpaw stalked behind her mentor, staying a tail length behind them as they made their way to their final assessment... one of them anyway. At least that was the assumption for the day. 

She listened, but she had already knew the purpose of hunting, of fishing, that had been drilled into her for a while and it wasn't like she minded, she enjoyed the hunt... and the delicious prizes that came with it after she completed all her duties. 

"You want me to kill it?" She whispered low, narrowing her green eyes at the osprey, she spoke to Briarfang but her eyes and eyes were focused on the bird, stealing precious prey from them, the talons intimidatingly sharp, but she didn't pay it much concern aside from noting that they were there, ready to attack her.

A few silent steps brought her forward, squinting her eyes to narrow her sight on the bird of prey and bared her teeth, the bird would fight back, so her best bet was to stay out of range of its talons, an attack from behind would work, take it by surprise because of how large it was. 

She gave a final glance at Briarfang waiting for a response before quickly glancing back at the bird, glad that it hadn't shifted, but she had to make sure if she should just drive it off or kill it entirely, regardless, she steadied her paws, ready to strike.

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

⋘ ──── ⋆⋅❆⋅⋆ ❄️ ⋆⋅❆⋅⋆ ──── ⋙

At Briarfang's nod, Hailpaw flicked her tail in return however her attention remained solely on sneaking up on the bird, watching where her paws landed so it would be near silent, judging from the osprey still biting at the fish, it hadn't noticed her.

She didn't growl, didn't snarl, didn't even hiss. The thrill seeking, ambitious side of her knew this is the ultimate test of her worth as a warrior... well one of them, so silence was a virtue here. She unsheathed her claws into the dirt and her tail floated above the ground before leaping into the air and pouncing on the bird's wings, sinking her teeth into the bird's neck.

The bird screech, loud and high pitched and it thrashed and tried to twist to attack Hailpaw with the sharp talons that it bared on each foot. But instead of staying where she was, Hailpaw rolled with the bird. Using her front claws to grip it's wings pursing her lips as she bit harder into the back of the osprey's neck, determination flashing in her eyes.

It was a few long seconds before the bird's thrashing turned to tired jerking and Hailpaw knew the energy of the battle was exhausting the bird. Now it was time to make the kill before it had time to escape and go after her next.

She twisted her head to the side, gripping the bird until she heard a snap, then the bird going limp. She sheathed her claws and the bird slipped from her grip, its neck broken and blood seeping onto the feathers adorning the back of it's neck. It wasn't pretty but it was dead. Hailpaw's chest rose and fell with the effort as she glanced over to Briarfang, only a bruise or two on her back from the impact of her own roll.

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

⋘ ──── ⋆⋅❆⋅⋆ ❄️ ⋆⋅❆⋅⋆ ──── ⋙

The praise rose Hailpaw's ears, it was much better than the high pitched screeching she was so close to just a few seconds ago. She let her muscles ripple beneath her pelt, much more toned and well formed since she had started her apprenticeship, that's what training does, she assumed before turning back to her mentor.

"I know you're not much for flattery, so it's safe to say you mean that" She replied, finally catching her breath with a beaming smile casting a glance at corpse of the eagle then back at her dappled mentor. "It's nice being out here like this. When I was a kit I couldn't wait to leave the nursery into the territory" she stated with a soft chuckle

"It hasn't changed, whenever you say were going out to train, I'm always so excited to see what we're doing, but... it's different in a way" she lead on, twitching her tail for a moment "... because I'm twice as big as I was, maybe even bigger! Can you imagine Briarfang!" she purred, curling them until she was standing beside them, looking to where the tortie was looking.

Hailpaw grinned at him, trying to coax at least a little smile from them. "Plus a little more self control, deep down though, I think I'll always be that little Hailkit, no matter how big I get, ey Briarfang?"

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

⋘ ──── ⋆⋅❆⋅⋆ ❄️ ⋆⋅❆⋅⋆ ──── ⋙

"A hawk and then some" She replied playfully, her purr speaking more of her enjoyment and ambition mor than her words would be able to manage. She killed a hawk without Briarfang's help, and she still wanted more, that was true. But she only craved what she could manage, never overstaying her welcome.

Hailpaw cocked her head to the side, more work? Great StarClan what else did Briarfang think she needed to do, stand on her front paws? She let out a quiet chuckle at her own thoughts and shrugged. "Sure" She agreed before moving back to pick up the limp body of the hawk with very little effort, seems her size had brought on some muscle too.

The hawk lay limp between her teeth, feathers frayed and neck snapped the wrong way, this was her doing, she made this kill, and StarClan help whatever cat that would try and stop her from showing it off with pride. She glanced back at the fish that was left over from the hawk then faced Briarfang again, speaking with the same confidence, just a little more muffled by feathers "Do we take the fish back too?"

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

⋘ ──── ⋆⋅❆⋅⋆ ❄️ ⋆⋅❆⋅⋆ ──── ⋙

Hailpaw’s ears twitched, of course, why didn’t she think that the Osprey could have been eating for longer than she had seen it. Great StarClan could she forget the simplest things sometimes. She shook her head but not without a hearty chuckle "Right" she agreed with a soft breath out of her nose, more embarrassed than amused.

"Let’s let the birds get fatter for us to eat!" She boldly proclaimed as she lifted the bird in her jaw up as high as possible, the last thing she wanted to do was trip over its feathers and land on her face in front of her mentor.

Hailpaw padded after her mentor, green eyes gleaming with triumph as she began to walk ahead, she took a quick glance back at Briarfang "I’d like to tell Coldstar, after all the only cat that’d know most about what happened was me" she purred proudly.

A smirk broke Hailpaw’s features before raising her tail in challenge "You won’t be able to stop me if I beat you there! Ey Briarfang!" She cheered before running ahead the best she could while there was an osprey handing in her jaws. Oh Stars, Coldstar is going to love this!