Prey of a different sort | O P E N

[BeardedLady]

N E T T L E N O S E
memories and battle scars


The early morning sun filtered through the treetops, creating a dappled pattern on the moist ground. The warm sunshine warmed Nettlenose's back as he padded quietly through the trees, his ears pricking at every calling bird and creaking branch. In his jaws he carried a neat pile of herbs, their scent both alarming and comforting at the same time. Comforting because they brought back memories of when he was still learning their uses, when he couldn't tell the difference between daisy or marigold. When his mentor would let him collect cobwebs, and spend half an hour trying to remove them from his pelt without destroying them completely. Alarming because, whilst carrying them, he was blind to all the other scents around him. The bitter tang of herbs obscured every other scent in the forest, leaving him vulnerable to attacks. Not that it was likely, and he was trained, but you never know.

Before long Nettlenose had found what he was looking for, a large clump of comfrey. The grey tabby dropped his parcel and carefully sniffed the plant. Yup, definitely comfrey. Nettlenose unsheathed his claws and began to dig up the roots, leaving enough to ensure the survival of the herb. He then pushed the excavated dirt back into the hole, pressing it down with muddy paws. For a moment, he considered having a rest and cleaning them, but reasoned they were only going to get dirty again if he was to walk back to camp. The medicine cat bent his head to pick up his parcel when he heard the snapping of a twig. The toms head whipped around, golden eyes scanning the forest. He attempted to scent the air, but all he could detect was the pungent scents of his own herbs. Cautiously, his voice rang out through the trees. Who's there?

[Shima]

The young apprentice wove his way through the trees nervously. Not sure where he was, Rainpaw could feel every one of his furs on edge. He had been separated from his mentor while trying to hunt. It had rained the night before, and the leaves were still damp and musky, making scenting hard and just about impossible for the young apprentice.

Wet leaves slid out from under his pads as Rainpaw pressed on. Things were starting to look familiar, in a sense. Perhaps he was near some sort of landmark, one of the many his mentor had tried to drill into his head on the first day of his apprenticeship. The smells of the air were changing now, and through the damp the tangy smell of plants and herbs were filling his nose. Rainpaw figured it smelled like a giant medicine cats den, sans the hanging scent of sickness the actual place always seemed to have.

A voice rung out through the trees, and Rainpaw froze. "I-it's me, Rainpaw," the young tom meowed, staying frozen in the spot. The voice was familiar, but Rainpaw was too scared to think on it.

[BeardedLady]

N E T T L E N O S E
memories and battle scars

Nettlenose felt the fur along his spine prickle as the silence stretched through the damp wood. In a vain attempt to identify the stranger, Nettlenose inhaled deeply, but, once more, all he could scent was his herbs. Frustrated with his carelessness, the tabby tom unsheathed his muddy claws and sank them into the churned ground. After what seemed like an eternity, a quiet, reedy voice both younger and more afraid than his own finally pierced the silence. Relief flooded through the medicine cat. It was only Rainpaw.

Rainpaw was a determined apprentice whose training had only just begun. He was certainly a hardworking young tom, but was a bit serious for a cat his age. Nettlenose shook his pelt until it lied flat before calling a reply to the apprentice. Rainpaw! It's me, Nettlenose. I'm heading over to you now. He bent his head to collect his parcel and picked his way over to the source of the sound, quickly spotting Rainpaw's distinctive grey coat.  Hey, what are doing out here alone? Where's your mentor? 

[Shima]

"Oh!" the young tom meowed, head turning back and forth to try and see where the other cat was. There was nothing to fear here, it seemed. Nettlenose was a clan mate, even if Rainpaw had never really had much need to converse with the medicine cat. Perhaps he was hear to gather himself some herbs for the clan?

Rainpaw's eyes hit the ground. "I'm, uh, hunting and stuff," he said, which was a half truth of sorts. He was supposed to be hunting, but with his mentor. "They uh- well, I'm not really sure, but I'm alright." As he finished speaking, Rainpaw tried to stand a little taller, determined to not look as foolish as he felt.

[BeardedLady]

N E T T L E N O S E
memories and battle scars

Nettlenose could feel the apprentice's uneasiness at mention of his mentor, so the medicine cat decided to drop the subject. The tom could feel the curiosity burning inside him, and looked around the lush forest to calm his mind. It's a great day for hunting. He commented, watching a pair of alarmed pigeons swooping through the treetops. Nettlenose flexed his muddy claws, imagining that they were sinking into prey instead the soft earth. It really was a nice day, the sun was filtering through the trees in shafts of gold, and a soft breeze stirred the leaves.An idea suddenly struck him. Hey, would you like me to hunt with you? he offered. It had been a while since he'd had a good hunt, and the clan was in need of fresh kill. It had been a hard leaf-bare, and the clan could do with some fattening up. I'm not a warrior, but I can give you a few pointers.