Feed the Hunger - big game hunting

[Ashmoon]

C'mon and leave your mark - Vandalize my heart!

indent A lot had changed for Ashmoon in just a few days. A new name, new home, new way of life. It was a whole lot to take in. However, despite everything - the bloodshed that had lead them here, the disillusion of the colony, the disastrous last fight with Vampire - He held a small flicker of hope in his heart. Maybe this was a sign to start over, to trace things back to the beginning and push forward on a new path. 'I don't want to be a downtrodden bait cat from the city anymore. I want to serve Thunderclan and Juniperstar, to the fullest of my abilities. That's the sort of cat 'Ashmoon' is.'

indentMoods around camp had been, understandably, pretty dire. Even pushing aside the dire circumstances, leaf-bare is always a melancholy time of year. The harsh cold bites at the nose and paws, and the stillness of the forest leaves one feeling a bit hollow. Not to mention the lack of food, which was worse this year more than others. 'I could help, though. It's well within my abilities to fix this.' She couldn't do it alone, though. The quarry she had in mind was a bit too much for one cat alone, no matter how big or how powerful. She scans the camp, looking for a capable candidate, and quickly makes her decision.

indentGhost is waiting idly about camp. Although his face is steely and stoic, Ashmoon can see the boredom tainting the edges of his expression. The tomcat had been doing quite a bit of 'nothing', recently. Allegedly, he was just biding his time to ensure Thunderflash doesn't keel over before he leaves for greener pastures. His act isn't very convincing. Ashmoon can't help but be a bit bitter, thinking about how idyllic a love story Ghost seems to have gotten. 'Another brute from the city, but he gets a happy ending. good for him.'

indentPlacing his personal concerns aside, Ghost really is the best cat for the job. He's large, and more than strong enough for Ashmoon's means. And he definitely wasn't busy helping in any other ways.
"You." Ashmoon says, coldly, as he approaches Ghost. "Come with me. I need help with something."

Ashmoon | 30 moons | Warrior of Thunderclanysdfgjuoiuyufgduuhgjyfg

 

[GHOSTSTRIKE]

WE SLEEP SAFELY AT NIGHT BECAUSE ROUGH MEN STAND READY TO VISIT VIOLENCE ON THOSE WHO WOULD HARM US

​

---

It'd been a few weeks since the clan had settled in their new camp, and still, Ghost remained unnamed as a Thunderclan warrior. Rightfully so, a part of him would chime each time the topic was broached in his head, and yet it was getting to a point where not even he could deny the fact that he should have been gone days ago if his only motivation was Thunder. It was clear the cats insides were going to stay inside and that there was enough food in these parts to support the group.

So what was he still doing here?

"You."

Dark eyes flicker up in time to catch the approach of one of the newer named cats, an odd looking thing with shaggy fur draped over their topside. They weren't among the few who'd made a habit of approaching him from time to time, but he recognised the names 'Werewolf' and 'Ashmoon' well enough to know what to call them by.

And apparently, they needed the tabbys help with something.

Lips slumped into a subtle frown despite the curved scar of a permanent half-smile tugging persistently upwards, suspicious even though he really had no reason to be aside from the tone he was met with. He'd been living side-by-side with these cats– Thunderclan– for weeks without issue, no sign of any traitors in their midst, but old habits die hard, particularly with cats who might think they hold authority over him.

With the Coalition gone, no cat owned Ghost anymore.

But, he was trying to do better. Trying to understand what 'normalcy' was for a cat out in the real world. And for the forest-dwellers that seemed to mean helping each other– even the ones with attitude or a tonal problem.

"Lead on, then." came his gruff response, even though he'd been half-tempted to tell them to sod off and bother another cat. The truth of the matter was that their assessment hadn't bee inaccurate; Ghost was bored, still caught in that veil of uncertainty where he was unsure of how to act on his own accord, still looking for boundaries and orders and harsh lessons learned.

"And explain." he added as he got to his paws, not about to go chasing after their heels like some obedient puppy just because they'd requested his presence.
​

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future thunderclanner - male - a large, grey tabby with dark amber eyes and several scars​

​

 

[Ashmoon]

C'mon and leave your mark - Vandalize my heart!

indent "Lead on, then. And explain."

indent Ashmoon grunts.
"Turkey hen. From horseplace, maybe. She's scrawny, but still a nice meal for a few cats." Ashmoon starts heading northward out of camp. She had seen the hen while going to check the border, near where the colony's old camp had been. She'd been hopeful that some of Sables gang would come running back with their tails tucked, begging for forgiveness and disavowing the errors they had made. Ashmoon wasn't quite so lucky as that, but she had found something else nice. The hen was looking frazzled, clucking nervously and pacing around. No tom arrived to investigate her calls - she must have been quite a long way from her flock. Maybe she had fled an attack and gotten lost in the hustle. Or perhaps the rest of the hens in her flock had singled her out as a weak link, and driven her away to keep the tom for themselves.

indentWhatever the reason, it meant good news for Ashmoon. The hen was alone, unguarded, and just small enough for two relatively bulky cats to take down alone. It would still be risky, sure. Even scrawny as she was, the hen probably weighs more than twice Ashmoon does. The beak and claws were always points of pressure when taking down birds, but turkey could easily bruise or even break bones with their hefty, powerful wings. She could even kill a cat, if she managed to hit their head against one of the stones that littered the clearing.

indentAshmoon wasn't a coward, though, and Ghost didn't strike her as one either. She's confident in her skills, having spent her youth fending off attacks from far larger assailants. If crazed dogs couldn't take her down, a half-starved bird didn't even have a chance.

indent"I last saw her near here. Keep an eye out."

Ashmoon | 30 moons | Warrior of Thunderclanysdfgjuoiuyufgduuhgjyfg

 

[GHOSTSTRIKE]

WE SLEEP SAFELY AT NIGHT BECAUSE ROUGH MEN STAND READY TO VISIT VIOLENCE ON THOSE WHO WOULD HARM US

​

---

A turkey hen. Ghost had no idea what that was– certainly nothing he'd seen wandering the city streets during his upbringing. Ashmoon was quick to inform him that it was some kind of prey though, one that apparently needed more than a single hunter to bring down. Scrawny, but still enough to feed multiple cats. He tried to recall any prey like that but found himself coming up short– the mice, rats, and pigeons of his birthplace hardly fit the bill.

He followed her though, suspicious, but not enough to call things off. If Ashmoon were being truthful then this was an opportunity to learn a new prey type and get some physical activity in– something he'd been lacking ever since the Coalition fell. Hunting birds and mice could only get him so far.

"I last saw her near here. Keep an eye out.""

"Understood.' came his gruff reply as they reached their destination, breaking off to look for signs of this 'turkey hen'. It was made a little more difficult by the fact that he wasn't sure what he was trying to track, but his quiet poking around eventually did pay off.

Footprints, like a birds only much bigger than any crows foot he'd seen. "Got tracks over here." he called, voice hushed in case their quarry was nearby. He couldn't be certain that a dog-sized bird was what they were here for, but it seemed to match the context clues pretty damn well.
​

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future thunderclanner - male - a large, grey tabby with dark amber eyes and several scars​

​

 

[Ashmoon]

C'mon and leave your mark - Vandalize my heart!

indentAshmoon grunts in acknowledgement, coming over to investigate Ghost's findings. Sure enough, he's found a set of turkey tracks in the snow. Still fresh, too. If they follow these, they're sure to find their quarry. Silently, Ashmoon flicks their tail forward, signaling for Ghost to follow.

indentIt only takes a few minutes of dilligent tracking for Ashmoon to hear her. The hen is still blabbering nervously, even now, although exhaustion has made her calls quieter, and less frequent. 'Good girl. Tire yourself out, and let us know exactly where you are in the meantime.' He puts eyes on her, pushing through the underbrush. She's visibly a bit haggard, her once gleaming white feathers, the signal of her status as a twoleg's turkey instead of a wild beast of the forest, are stained yellow and brown by mud. She keeps her bald head tucked closely to herself, desperate to keep the cold from setting in, but frostbite nips at her waddle all the same.

indentEven seeing her sorry state, Ashmoon doesn't let their guard down. Even scrawny as she is, she outweighs most cats, and the same breast that made for such a prime meal also powered powerful wings. They would have to be careful, if they didn't want to make more work for Serpentberry. The medic had been through enough already, and deserved her rest.

indentAshmoon whispers quietly, low voice rumbling into Ghost's ears. "I'll move to flank her. Once I'm in position, you make the first move, I'll follow." Without another word, she slips away, moving through the bushes to take her place opposite the turkey. Despite her size, she's nearly silent as she moves, grey coat disappearing into the gloomy snow in the underbrush. Once she's found her place, she looks towards Ghost, meeting his gaze. It's his turn to move, now.

Ashmoon | 30 moons | Warrior of Thunderclanysdfgjuoiuyufgduuhgjyfg

 

[GHOSTSTRIKE]

I WON'T SMILE, BUT I'LL SHOW YOU MY TEETH

​

---

The tracks weren't like anything Ghost had seen during his lifetime. Bigger than his own paws, with talons that made him second-guess if the two of them would really be enough to bring the monster of a bird down. But Ashmoon didn't show any signs of surprise when they joined him in inspecting the prints, and when Ghost was beckoned with a silent flick of the tail– a signal all too familiar– he fell into silent stride easily enough.

And then, they found it.

The low, nervous clucking was a noise he had nothing to compare to. Distinctive, but soft among the wind and broken up like a tired muttering instead of a full-fledged call. And when the creature came into sight it was easy to see why. Despite having never seen one before, Ghost had seen enough birds to know that this one looked exhausted. Feathers dirty and drooping, head tucked close as it waddled clumsily through the snow. Miserable looking, even if it lacked a proper expression.

Despite its condition though, it was difficult not to be a bit awestruck at the things size. Could it fly? Lift a cat into the air with those talons? He'd heard tales of birds that could, wished Ashmoon had been a bit more forthcoming with the details of their prey.

Then again, maybe he was expected to just know. Many of the colony cats had knowledge he didn't, an unfortunate side-effect of never having left the wretched city he'd been born in– one whose only live prey came in the form of rodents and city-birds. Anything bigger had been killed off generations before thanks to the overabundance of stray cats and dogs in the area.

He grunted an affirmative at his clanmates orders, not entirely surprised or pleased to be taking the lead as the more inexperienced, but he'd get it done all the same, moving into position as the other slipped away. He had to remind himself that this was an exercise in trust just as much as it was of skill, an attempt to work more cohesively in a team setting without the constant worry of immediate betrayal.

A brief moment of eye contact once they were both in position, and then, Ghost made his move.

He wasn't sure if the thing could fly or not, but he was willing to bet those wings were going to be a pain regardless. Still, he'd prefer his chances with those over the beak or talons, and so he broke from his cover and pounced at its back with outstretched claws, aiming to sink his teeth into the muscle where its wing met its body.

​

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thunderclan warrior- male - a large, grey tabby with dark amber eyes and several scars

​

 

[Ashmoon]

C'mon and leave your mark - Vandalize my heart!

indentAs soon as Ghost makes his move, Ashmoon follows suit, springing from the sparse underbrush and towards the hen. Their prey attempts to flee from Ghost's approach, but is stopped in her tracks by Ashmoon, allowing the bulky tom to latch onto her shoulder. The hen, young and weak as she is, buckles under the weight for a moment, allowing Ghost to pin her to the ground for a moment. Ashmoon takes the opportunity to throw herself onto the turkey's long, exposed neck, which has now become flushed red with fear and anger. Her teeth sink into the skin, letting a trickle of blood slip onto her tongue. It wasn't nearly as much blood as Ashmoon had been hoping for - she had missed the large vein in the neck that, if punctured, would have left the hen incapacitated near instantly. This fight wasn't over yet.

indentBefore Ashmoon can let go and try again for the vein, the hen comes to her senses. She manages to lift her heavy breast off the ground, nearly pulling Ashmoon's front paws off of the ground with her. She speads her wings and begins to beat them in a frantic rhythm, knocking Ashmoon to the ground and catching Ghost in between her shoulder and chest. Ashmoon grunts as she falls to the cold earth, having been pushed to the side by the attack. 'My own damn fault for missing the vein. And we were doing so well, too.'Ashmoon feels anger bubble in her chest as she pulls herself off the ground. She'd make up for her mistake, for sure.

Ashmoon | 30 moons | Warrior of Thunderclanysdfgjuoiuyufgduuhgjyfg