Good To Be Free (open)

[eagle]

Swallowpaw hustled along through the brush, she was glad to be back on her feet. The bluish gray tabby had been locked up for half a moon with whitecough--it wasn't fun and she had thrown up more times than she could begin to count. But now she was over it and couldn't wait to fly across the forest floor, not even feeling the ground below her. Shootingstar had given her permission to go out by herself to hunt, as long as she brought back plenty of fresh kill for the rest of the clan. She had just left the camp what felt like a few moments ago, yet she was so far away already! She actually let out a yowl of excitement, so jovial it was nearly impossible to iterate. Then she found that there were indeed other cats in the forest, and they could find her sounding dumb. "Oh well." she said aloud, chortling as she stopped to scent the air.

Then she realized that there was prey to catch! And at that moment, when the fun turned to a serious air, she scented a mouse that couldn't have been a few fox lengths away. She got in a crouch stance, careful to be quiet on her paws, and she was already aware that the wind was on her side and going against her. She sat on her haunches for a moment, eying the prey up for a strike, and when the time was right, she sprung. A moment passed until she had reached the mouse, and it had died instantly.

It was kind of awesome to her, she was proud of herself to be an apprentice for a moon, and having whitecough for 2/3 of that time, able to hunt well. She wasn't overconfident by all means, but she could be proud of herself, right? She shrugged and buried it to be recovered later, and set off.

[Windpelt]

Jewelfern watched Swallowpaw from a little distance away. She was rather impressed by the cat's hunting techniques, especially as she knew she had been sick with whitecough for at least a couple of moons. She prowled up to Swallowpaw. 'Wow, good catch !' She mewed, affection filling her voice as she strolled towards her, trying to make it look like she had just come into the area - not being watching her for a little while, now. 'It's good to see you up and about again,' she added more quietly as she reached the other cat's side. She looked around the clearing where Swallowpaw had just caught the mouse. 'Mind if I join ?' She mewed, simply and without waiting for a response, she dropped into the hunter's crouch.

She had seen a young vole nibbling at the leaves nearby. She narrowed her eyes, determined not to make a fool of herself - it would look ridiculous if she couldn't make a catch !! She paced towards it, her coat blending in perfectly with the low - cut shrubs and undergrowth. She opened her jaws, preparing to make the final spring that would snuff out the prey's life. She put one last paw down, this would enable her to catch the vole firmly in her jaws. A dry leaf flickered nearby and the vole sat up, instantly on alert. She closed her eyes, then, having calmed herself - making herself become paitient again, she opened them. Good.. she thought with satisfaction, the vole was still there. She new it was now.. or never, so she sprang. With a muffled 'whoomp' she landed directly beside it, her claws swooshing in a deadly arc, to cut the creature's throat. She picked it up, now limp and sad in death, and made a shallow burial hole - she would collect it later. She turned to the apprentice, eyes sparkling. 'Not bad, huh ?'

[eagle]

Swallowpaw had just finished burying her freshly caught mouse when Jewelfern approached her, smiling. She was proud to hear her praising Swallowpaw for her catch, she was rather glad to be out and able to mingle with other cats now. "It's so great to be out again!" she mewed affectionately, glad to be in the company of another she-cat while hunting. "And thank you!" meowed Swallowpaw, her tail twitching to hunt some more. As Jewelfern asked to hunt with her, her head bobbed vigorously, but before she could respond, the warrior was in a hunting crouch, after something.

At that moment, Swallowpaw opened her mouth to drink in the scent, and just then she smelled a vole, which was right over there, only a few fox lengths away. It became alert for only a few seconds, before her friend had swiftly taken its life. Jewelfern was a great hunter, this was the truth, and Swallowpaw wanted to be just like her in a way. But Swallowpaw knew she had to be her own person and show she was strong. She wanted to become a warrior quickly and get her own apprentice. But she was getting caught up with herself and Jewelfern had just made a great catch!

"Wow, great catch Jewelfern!" she meowed excitedly, and ran off, hoping she'd chase her.

[Windpelt]

Jewelfern smiled back at her, seeing the obvious sincerity and excitement in the other cat's voice and eyes. She watched her as she ran off, and thought about running after her. She struggled internally for a few moments; and it was then she realized how she had changed and grown up. A moon or so ago, she would have instantly ran after her, not caring who or what saw her. But now.. she didn't want to look silly, and irresponsible tearing after an apprentice. That would be no way to become a mentor ! She thought to herself, although this side of her internal argument was getting weaker. She twitched her tail, the apprentice was now long out of sight, although Jewelfern knew she would be able to track her with some ease.

Oh, what the heck ! She thought, slightly cross with herself for having stood there for so long, lost in thought. She pelted after Swallowpaw, looking and listening out with great care. She thought she heard a faint rustle of bushes to her left, so she quickly changed course. She stopped in her tracks, there was a large fox. She began to panic; she couldn't take it by herself ! She was only a young warrior, and really needed another at there to deal with it. She froze on the spot as it came nearer and nearer to her. She called out in her mind to Swallowpaw, hoping the young apprentice would wonder where she was and come looking. No matter her skills though, she was not going to go down without a good fight. She snarled, crouching down, hoping the creature would simply walk away if she appeared threatening enough.

[eagle]

Swallowpaw dashed through the bushes quickly and nimbly, dodging bushes and branches, wary of the thorn bushes that she could get trapped in. She was soaring through the brush, and she felt free at the moment! But something was wrong...Jewelfern never seemed to be the kind of cat to skip out on a chase, so where was she? Swallowpaw stopped abruptly and scented the air. What was that scent? Being such a young apprentice, she had never scented this, atleast not since she was a kit, but as she remembered, it wasn't a good scent and she was rushed back into the nursery. She quickly jolted toward the camp, when she realized she needed to help Jewelfern! She blazed back the way she came when she stumbled across a horrible sight to see.

Jewelfern was cornered by a fox! Oh, what should she do? She had never come a dreaded fox before, and she was so tiny, she couldn't take it on! But there were two cats against the fox, and Jewelfern was a skilled and strong fighter. She would prove that she was warrior material, if it killed her! Swallowpaw yowled in intimidation and screeched loudly, flinging herself on the enormous fox in front of her. She bit into his neck fiercely, and then scratched him along the flank before she was bucked off. She skidded across the forest floor, and slammed into a tree trunk. But that would not put her out of the fight. She forced herself to her paws and readied for another blow. She hissed loudly as she moved over next to Jewelfern. "Are you okay?" Swallowpaw asked with concern, although she didn't see any visible wounds.

[Windpelt]

Jewelfern flinched as Swallowpaw came rushing in, flinging herself upon the fox. She was terrifyed for the apprentice - she had even less experience in fighting than herself, as a young warrior ! She was also ashamed; with herself. Swallowpaw hadn't cowered there, like she had; she had leapt onto the fox. She leapt in with the apprentice. She bared her teeth and let out a furious snarl before doing so. She raked her claws down the fox's flank. She felt it twist in her paws and bite the inside of her fore - leg. She gasped, then kicked out, catching it on the side of its stomach.

Then, she felt its weight fly off her and to her surprise it was lying, rather stunned, at the base of a tree nearby. She saw Swallowpaw standing over it, looking rather pleased with herself, Jewelfern thought. She made her way shakily over to her. 'Thanks !' She half - gasped, fighting to keep her voice under control; her leg was rather hurting her. Without trying to make the apprentice notice, she gave her leg a cautious lick, feeling blood cover her tounge; salty and warm. She stopped when she felt Swallowpaw's eyes on her. 'I - I think I'd better get back to the camp and.. report the fox !' she mewed with new conviction. 'You can come if you'd like ?'

[eagle]

Swallowpaw winced as the she stood at the base of the trunk. It happened to be that once the fox flung her across the clearing into the tree, he attacked her. She blindly swiped at him and happened to hit. She had scratched him right in the snout and it through him off. She slashed once more in its flank and he was stunned on the ground. She stood with a humongous gash on her flank that was oozing blood. She winced again and limped over to Jewelfern, who didn't looked too injured. But those were only visible wounds. "Are you okay?" she asked her warrior friend, just to make sure. Then her eyes grazed over her leg and her eyes lit up like a Christmas tree.

"Oh my!" Swallowpaw spat out, eyes wide. But she saw as she was trying to avoid talking about it, and so Swallowpaw immediately fell silent. When Jewelfern gave out the order of going back to the camp to report the fox, Swallowpaw gladly joined in and waited for her to take the lead.

[Windpelt]

Jewelfern lead the way briskly through the trees. She was embarrassed about her leg and therefore needed to try to tip off the younger cat in order to go in more solitude. She thought over her plan, not really having one, just making it up as she walked along, feeling the blood steadily dripping through her fur. She needed to lick it. Badly. But there was no opportunity. She began limping, harder and harder. This was because she was pushing herself so much.

She reached the camp's entrance. She almost flopped down right there and then. In fact, if she had been alone she would have. Even if only for a few small moments. Instead, she closed her eyes tightly, pretending to look around the camp for her leader. She told the apprentice to deposit the fresh - kill on the pile and quickly darted off. She reached the entrance of the medicine cat den and peered around. 'Anyone in ?' she mewed with caution. She didn't want to disturb the medicine cat, even though she knew she wouldn't mind.