Pesky Rabbits [Ashstorm, Open]

[hi]

A lithe form crouched in the tall waving grass, poised for the pounce. Not a muscle twitched, not a breath breathed. The stripes that crossed the she-cat's form hid her well, even if her color was not the best for camouflage in a moor. A slight breeze, common for the area, swept across the land, causing the tall grasses and weeds to dance with it.

Ears twitched in the apprentices sight, just lightly distinguishable from the swaying foliage. There they were, her prey. The little bastards wouldn't know what hit them. Their noses twitched as they moved from place to place, hopping and eating along the way. They were aimless, not really headed in any direction. Not quickly anyway. Oh, how they differed from this crouched hunter, waiting for the right moment.

Food was almost gained, and Whisperpaw was not about to give this chance up. She needed this kill, she wanted it. She was not going to give it up. As her prey moved closer and closer, her muscles started trembling in anticipation. They were so close! Any second now and...

Crunch.

Her prey fled, escaping from their doom. Whisperpaw scowled as the hare's tails disappeared into the grass, then she sighed. Maybe another day she would be luckier. Maybe.

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The smokey grey she-cat padded up behind her apprentice, watching her try and hunt. She noted what she liked about the she-cat's hunting style, noting what she could help her improve on. She noted the change in the winds and the way she hadn't gone at the right time. Ashstorm's black paws carried her closer to Whisperpaw, the young and beautiful she-cat prowling lithely.

She had come to Windclan as a kit, a misfit and a loner, not really fitting in anywhere but being taken in all the same. She had a brother, that she had thought dead, that lived in Shadowclan now, being taken in the same as she had been. But it was like the blue eyed sh-cat had been born for the moors. She loved it, the thrill of the chase! She even had a mate, a strange and amusing tom that wasn't yet a warrior but was learning quickly.

Ashstorm smiled, the lilting cadence of her voice carrying softly to Whisperpaw. "Hello Whisperpaw." She said, a purr coming from her throat. "I was hoping I'd find you out here." She continued, her voice as soft but pretty as ever.

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[hi]

Whisperpaw turned as she heard the soft crunch of a cat's paws behind her. As she did, her whole deminor changed. She went from confident hunter to shy apprentice in mere millisecond. She let out a sigh as she noted that it was Ashstorm, her mentor. She really did like the she-cat. She was nice, and didn't bully her or look down on her for her silence and shyness. A slight, small smile touched her maw as her mentor spoke. She loved Ashstorm's voice, she really did. It was always so soft and sweet. Understanding too. A slight smile appeared on her maw. Hello Ashstorm. How are you? Her mentor is probably the one cat she could be less shy around. It was always nice when she didn't seize up because a cat looked at her.

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Ashstorm smiled at her apprentice. She knew that Whisperpaw knew that if she had anything at all that she needed to talk about she could talk to her about it. "I'm well, Whisperpaw. How are you, dear?" She asked, her voice still calm and happy. "I was wondering, actually, if you wanted to go hunting some rabbits?" She said, her happy tone suffusing the air.

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[hi]

Being with Ashstorm calmed her down so much. She had lost all the tension she normally carried in her body, and stood at her full height, much like she would if she was alone. Her tail swished happily as her mentor spoke to her.Whisperpaw hung on every word. The sun was bright, the wind whispering as it traveled over the moor. The world seemed to be enjoying itself.

She nodded at her mentor's question, indicatiog that she would love to hunt with her. I'm good, thank you. she told her quietly.

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"C'mon then. But quietly. Watch this." She said softly, her voice calm and soothing. She never really did raise her voice, she was a lady, so to speak. She slipped into her hunting crouch, prowling forward. Her head never raised above her shoulders, her eyes never flickering from her prey. Before her was a rather large melanistic rabbit. It was completely, solid black. She darted forward, grabbing at the rabbit and biting through its flesh and into its spine. Easily crushed. She purred, licking the blood from her fur. "See? Wait until it comes closer to you. But you have to make sure the wind is right and that there is a fairly good chance you'll grab it. Otherwise you'll scare it and all the others off." She explained, looking at Whisperpaw. "You must be light on your paws, stepping as softly as the wind in the spring."

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[hi]

Whisperpaw followed her mentor silently, her tabbyed paws falling lightly upon the grass. It was starting to get dry in the cold of arriving leaf-bare. The apprentice crouched, trying to blend in with her surroundings like her mentor did. The she-cat watched in awe as her master hunter mentor easily took down the rabbit. It was an amazing sight to behold. Whisperpaw watched, her eyes trying to remember every move, every twich that Ashstorm made to make such an easy kill. She listened keenly as her mentor spoke, teaching her on the ways of hunting. The apprentice then nodded, her eyes still filled with awe. So, my turn, right? She commented softly, almost too herself more than her mentor.

The dainty she-cat looked around, her eyes finally focusing on a small tan hare. Her eyes never left it as she crept closer, making sure of her paw placement. She stayed completely silent. She was just about to pounce when the wind changed, and the rabbit froze, it's head shooting up. Whisperpaw took that opening to pounce. The small cat launched herself at her prey, at a moment to late. The hare took off, the apprentice in hot persuit. She chased it for a few stides, keeping up with it, even gaining on it as it zig zaged across the moor. She watched the back feet, and then stuck out her front paw, catching a back foot and triping the creature. It tumbled to the ground, and Whisperpaw lept on top of it, sinking her claws deep into it. She lay on top of it, trying to sink her teeth into it like Ashstorm had done. She eventually did, closing her jaws on her prey and it finally fell still. She took her mouth off it, and looked at Ashstorm, hoping to see some approval.

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Ashstorm nodded when her apprentice asked if it was her turn. She watched from a safe distance as she stalked the small tan hare, noting where her young ward could improve. She had fine form, just needed to keep her tail past her hips, that way it wasn't like a flag waving about to warn her prey of her arrival. She watched as she about pounced, the wind shifting in the wrong direction. As her young apprentice dashed after the rabbit, she loped along towards where she had headed, her black rabbit clutched in her jaws. As she took down her own rabbit Ashstorm couldn't help but smile. Seeing her apprentice succeed meant she was doing something right as a mentor. "Very well. All you have to work on is keeping your tail down past your hips." She purred, setting her rabbit down as she padded forward, licking some of the blood off of Whisperpaw's chest. White fur had to be a pain in the neck for the young she-cat but it sure was pretty.

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