psychotic prey hunting.

[lonelylove :D]

[[ s h a t t e r e d w i n d

It was a beautiful day in Brightclan. The sun was shining brightly above, casting a warm glow on the forest. The forest was teeming with little delicious-tasting creatures that scurried inbetween tree roots, and other ones flying from tree to tree, pecking at insects.

All of this, unfortunately for him, eluded Shatteredwind. He was too caught up in his thoughts to look around at the beauty before him. Instead, he stopped at the edge of the Shaded Clearing, and waited for the rest of the hunting patrol to catch up.

He wasn't exactly leading the patrol. What had happened was, when someone was supposed to suggest a place to hunt, Shatteredwind just started walking to Shaded Clearing. They called him back, but he wouldn't come. Not wanting to set him off, everyone just followed. None of them seemed to want him there, but he had to do some warrior duties sometimes.

[x.Jolly.x]

The wind makes the sound.
The sound that wakes me from my slumber.
The wind blows the sound of a harp.

Harpwind

Harpwind followed Shatteredwind. The tom was excited. He was not very old, so hunting as a warrior was still fun to him. He stopped and sat down as he reached the clearing. He pricked his ears so he could listen to prey. He heard a mouse scuttling. He got up and cautiously made his way to the mouse. Once he reached it, he pounced and caught it. He brought his catch back to the clearing. 'Chech it out! First catch of the day! Big mouse, too!' He mewed to Shatteredwind. The tom was excited. He showed off his hunting skills. He realized then that he wasn't an apprentice, still. He set his mouse down and went to the side of the clearing, embarrassed. He waited for the rest of the patrol to show up.

[/blockquote]

[cheshy says grace]

Seafeather[/color]

<sub>She followed behind Harpwind quietly, her misty fur barely grazing the ground. She padded out into the Shaded Clearing, looking around for some game. She spotted a wood mouse with her keen eyes and crouched low to the floor. She eased her way steadily over to the prey. Before it could lift it's head from it's meal Seafeather leaaped, killing it with a swift bite. She buried it for safe-keeping and looked around for more food.

"How's it goin' so far?" she called over to shoulder at her clanmates.</sub>

[lonelylove :D]

[[ s h a t t e r e d w i nd

Shatteredwind slowly turned his head so that he was looking at Harpwind straight in the eyes. He held his deep unblinking gaze there for a moment, before looking away, at the sky. He sat there, silent. Finally turning away from his thoughts, he turned her ears every which way, trying to hear where the prey was. He heard a vole scrambling, about to emerge from it's hole for a better look. Shatteredwind crept into the grass and spotted the vole. He sunk into the hunting crouch, and leapt. He was silent as he dug his claws into the creature and took its life before it made a sound. He padded back to the clearing with the vole in his jaws. He dropped it next to the mouse Harpwind had caught, and went to tree, to pursue a sparrow.

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[[xoxo] shard. :)]

Heronsong

I've found a reason to show
A side of me you didn't know
A reason for ^all that I do
And the reason is _you

Her mind had beem quite troubled lately. She'd been thinking much about Jawpaw and Sharktooth and her lost kits. She missed them so much...well, not Sharktooth. She'd killed him herself for his treachery against her children. This hunting patrol had helped her to shake it off for a while though.

Absently, she followed the crazed Shatteredwind. She didn't really mind the whole incident earlier when he just walked off. Heronsong had been too caught up in thinking at the moment to care. I did indeed say that she had shaken it off with the patrol, but it was still there in the back of her mind, and the downtime brought it back.

Heronsong didn't mind Shatteredwind's insanity at all. Sure, it could get irritating at its worst, but this was not too bad. Not at all. Hopefully he wouldn't get too nuts...

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[x.Jolly.x]

The wind makes the sound.
The sound that wakes me from my slumber.
The wind blows the sound of a harp.

Harpwind

Harpwind looked over at Seafeather, Shatteredwind and Heronsong. 'Good job!' He called to his clanmates. He nodded at them. He sat still once more and listened to the trees and the wind. He heard the chirping of a finch digging at the ground for worms. He crept up to the bird. He watched the bird in fascination. It was clawing at the ground to get its prey. Harpwind felt guilty for a moment, thinking that maybe the finch had a family it needed to feed. Harpwind cracked a twig beneath his paw intentionally to alert the bird. It worked. The birdflew off and Harpwind came out of the trees. 'Sorry, stepped on a twig.' He mumbled.

[/blockquote]

[cheshy says grace]

Seafeather[/color]

<sub>She looked around, her wispy snow-white fur draping around herself like curtains. The fiery red stripe that ran down her back stood out against her white fur. She nodded at Harpwind before turning to face a vole. It had noticed her but was forzen with fear and shock. She smiled and shot after it. It started to run but before it could get anywhere she caught it and buried it next to her wood mouse.

"Two so far, what about you, Shatteredwind?" Seafeather asked the femme.</sub>

[lonelylove :D]

[[ s h a t t e r e d w i n d

Shatteredwind came back from the tree, a sparrow limp in his jaws. He buried it, and looked up at Seafeather. He spoke for the first time the whole trip. Just a vole and a sparrow. His voice was quiet, but with a rough edge. He blinked, before turning away at the noise of a squirrel.

He sunk into a hunter's crouch, and crept forward. The squirrel was munching on a nut, and was intent on his business. It would never notice.

Suddenly, Shatteredwind put his paw on a loose twig. Not only did it crunch, it rolled and tripped the warrior. Shatteredwind fell sprawled out on his belly. He grunted and let out a frustrated yell as the squirrel scurried away. He could feel the anger flowing through his veins. AHHHH!, he screamed. A timid voice in the back of brain was saying, No, no, calm down, it's just a squirrel... But his anger pushed the little voice aside. DAMMIT!

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ooc Shattered's a dude XD[/blockquote]

[x.Jolly.x]

The wind makes the sound.
The sound that wakes me from my slumber.
The wind blows the sound of a harp.

Harpwind

Harpwind saw Shatteredwind's mistake. 'Don't worry, I'll get it!' He called over his shoulder as he raced away from the clearing. He followed the scent of squirrel to a tree. The squirrel had run into a tree and was too high up! Harpwind grumbled and went back to the camp. 'Sorry, Shatteredwind, I tried to get the squirrel, but it ran up a tree. Oh, well, it's just a squirrel, right?' Harpwind had forgotten about Shatteredwind's condition. He looked at the tom. 'You alright? It was just a squirrel, no need to be upset. I'm sure that you can get another one!' He told Shatteredwind.

[cheshy says grace]

seafeather[/font][/color]

<sub>She looked at the tom as he lay on the floor, screaming out his lungs in frustration. She was not preturbed by this fact, nor was she scared. She had always managed to remain calm and cool in situations such as this. But what disturbed her the most was that this warrior was acting like he was only two moons old.

Seafeather stepped her way gracefully over to the tom. She let her fur-draped tail brush over his ears softly as she hummed quietly, trying to calm him down. "Shatteredwind, calm down now, it was just a tiny squirrel, you can catch more later. If you keep screaming like this we're going to have to end this patrol," she mewed firmly.</sub>

[lonelylove :D]

[[ s h a t t e r e d w i n d

Shatteredwind's face became twisted, showing his uncontrollable rage. Why don't you both just SHUT UP?! He chest heaved as he took in big breaths. His blood was boiling like crazy.

His thoughts turned to his mother and father. No, no.... I couldn't save her... He took advantage of her... NO! The last 'no' was a ragged scream that was so loud that the birds in the trees squawked and flew away. Just... I can't... She's gone... He began to panic. He looked around frantically. Where is she? Where are they? I need... His eyes became wide and diluted.

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[x.Jolly.x]

The wind makes the sound.
The sound that wakes me from my slumber.
The wind blows the sound of a harp.

Harpwind

Harpwind stared at Shatteredwind. He was shocked. He forgot about Shatteredwind's psychoness. 'Shatteredwind! What's wrong? You need to calm down! come back to the clearing!' Harpwind called out to the tom. He was freaked out. The cat was having trouble. 'Seafeather! What do we do?' He asked, scared.

[cheshy says grace]

seafeather[/color][/font]

<sub>She kept her tail brushing over his ears, ignoring his yelps and screams. She knew what he was talking about anyway. She remembered his mother, a beautiful she-cat. "Shatteredwind!" she growled firmly. They're both gone! It doesn't matter anymore! Just let the memory go..." She began to think of Darkclaw, before dismissing her thoughts.

"Let it go," Seafeather repeated more softly, "Let it go."</sub>

[lonelylove :D]

[[ s h a t t e r e d w i n d

Shatteredwind's chest heaved slowly, and his breathing slowly down. His claws, which he had dug into the ground, released, and relaxed. He blinked a couple of times, but said nothing. He sat on the ground, his eyes still fixed on the tree where the squirrel had been. His head drooped as his anger was replaced by sadness. He squeezed his eyelids together, but no tears came. He was past that.

He finally looked up, and turned his eyes so that he was staring straight into Seafeather's. He had heard that one's eyes were the doors to one's soul. He stared hard, trying to figure Seafeather out. But he couldn't. It was too hard. He turned away, embarassed.

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[cheshy says grace]

seafeather[/font][/size]

<sub>She could see and feel his emotions as they locked eyes. She smiled sweetly as he turned away, obviously embarassed. She let her tail fall to her side. "C'mon, then," she said, regaining her usual stance and strong but wise and light tone.

Seafeather could feel her wispy fur being blown in the wind and she looked at Shatteredwind. "Are you well enough to continue or would you like me to take you back to camp?" she asked, her voice firm but her eyes warm and caring.</sub>

[lonelylove :D]

[[ s h a t t e r e d w i n d

Shatteredwind recovered from his embarassment quickly. His face said nothing, but his eyes held a questioning look. No one was ever that nice to him. Well, maybe Slatesky, but he was supposed to be. He was his and Violetwisp's brother, the quiet one who could could sometimes calm each of them down.

The niceness was new, and made him a little...suspicious. His eyes took on a guarded look. Umm..., Was all he could say. He wasn't sure how to respond. What he really wanted was to go wander off, to seek out the remote corners of the territory, and sit and think about something that would distract him. But, for the first time in a long time, he felt guilty. A queasy feeling tickled his stomach. He wanted to leave, really bad. He hated to lie, but that's how it was gonna go.

His face was still as he said, I don't need help. Look, I'm, uh, sorry. I'll just go back to camp myself. You should finish. He blinked a couple of times, unsure if she could see through his words.

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[cheshy says grace]

seafeather[/font][/color]

<sub>She cocked her head to the side, slightly suspicious of this tom. She could tell his paws were itching to go someplace else, somewhere secret. She knew he wouldn't go back to camp. The femme shook her head, "How about I go with you half the way, and I'll come back here. There's no point in continuing though, your screams must have sent half the forest running." The femme flicked her ears smartly, happy with her counter.

She was going with this tom one way or another. She was going to figure this cat out, piece by piece, just like a jigsaw puzzle. And no one, especially him, was going to stop her.</sub>

[lonelylove :D]

[[ s h a t t e r e d w i n d

Shatteredwind's eyes showed disbelief. How did she see through his lie? He unsheathed his claws and clawed at the ground, taking out chunk after chunk of dirt, to show his frustration. When he stopped, his eyes showed that the anger had returned. A frown etched into his face, he said, Fine. But I lead the way. Without waiting for a response, he stomped away, towards camp.

[cheshy says grace]

seafeather[/color][/size]

_{She smirked to herself as she watched the tom show his frustration openly. The femme followed him gracefully, laughing to herself at his stubborness. She followed willingly and before they reached the half-way point she called out, "Now, we both know that as soon as I'm out of sight you're going to be disappearing to a different part of the territory. So, before I leave, I want you to answer every question I have. And trust me, I'll know if you're lying." She locked eyes with him, her sea foam optics sharp as a tack.}

[lonelylove :D]

[[ s h a t t e r e d w i n d

Shatteredwind bared his teeth, and growled. What did this cat want from him? He couldn't figure her out. At all.
He took a deep breath, to regain his composure. With a straight face, he said, Fine. If you must. But hurry up. He bared his teeth again.

[cheshy says grace]

seafeather[/font][/size]

<sub>She smiled slyly, she loved this cat's frustration. "Don't worry, I've only got two. Then you may be on your way and do whatever you must," she mewed cool-y, sitting down and wrapping her tail around her paws.

"Okay, first question: Your father abused your mother, and don't protest, I know these things. Your mother died from sickness and your father was killed. You and your siblings have been mentally scarred for life, and sure, I am sorry for that problem. But why are you always so angry?"</sub>

[lonelylove :D]

[[ s h a t t e r e d w i n d

Shatteredwind began to tremble. She had found his sensitive spot, and whacked him hard. And he hated her for it.

He clenched his leg muscles, angry. Why did she have to say such things? The questions burned his ears. He tried not to think about his past, but it always came back at him, right in his face. It was why sometimes he couldn't sleep, because he had nightmares of his father killing them all. But he was put an end to. Don't worry, the voice in the back of his mind whispered. For once, he listened to that voice, and let it calm him.

His voice started out as a whisper. Why am I angry? Why? Because...because... His throat grew dry. No! Don't! ...I can't say.

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[cheshy says grace]

<sub>If she were a twoleg she would've crossed her arms right about now. But instead she flicked the tip of her tail in annoyance, "Well, that's not a lie, so I guess I'll have to let you away with that one. Her brow was knitted together in thought.

"Okay, one more, then you can go: You could never live without your siblings, could you?"</sub>

[lonelylove :D]

[[ s h a t t e r e d w i n d

Shatteredwind's eyes became empty as he breathed the answer to her last question. Could I...could live...without them? He blinked. No. I couldn't. They know as much as I do- Then, he realized he had said too much. His eyes opened wide, fearful. I mean, umm, well, we all love each other- Shatteredwind almost let out a bitter laugh, because he realized how much of a lie that was. Slatesky loved both him and his sister, but they never returned the favor. And Violetwisp and Shatteredwind didn't really talk that much anymore. If they in fact did love each other, they never ever showed it. He shook his head. He wasn't sure what to say.

[/size][/blockquote]

[cheshy says grace]

seafeather[/color][/font]

<sub>The she-cat felt slight sympathy for the tom and she walked closer to him. She touched her nose to his muzzle for a moment before backing of. She ducked her head slightly, "You may venture where you wish. If you decide to come back and visit us, remember we're in the Shaded Clearing."

The snow-white she-cat then turned and padded off into the forest slowly. Her tail grazed the ground ever so slightly and her fiery stripe and white pelt stood out beneath the undergrowth.</sub>

[x.Jolly.x]

The wind makes the sound.
The sound that wakes me from my slumber.
The wind blows the sound of a harp.

Harpwind

[/font][/size]

Harpwind watched as Shatteredwind and Seafeather talked. He sat down and waited for them to finish. When he realized that they were leaving, he nodded at them. 'I'll start to bring back the prey.' He picked up the two mice. He turned to Heronsong and put down the two mice. 'Can you grab the two voles?' He mewed, going back to grab the sparrow. He picked up the prey and started to walk back to camp.

[/sup]

[lonelylove :D]

[[ s h a t t e r e d w i n d

Shatteredwind looked surprised when Seafeather touched his muzzle and walked away. He put his paw on the place where she had touched him. A tinglely feeling filled his muzzle, and chills darted up and down his spine.

He wasn't sure why, but he cried, Wait! She deserved the truth.

[/size][/blockquote]

[cheshy says grace]

seafeather[/font][/color]

<sub>She turned to look at him, ears pointed in surprise. She padded over to him and cocked her head to the side, "Yes?" The femme wondered why he had called her back. He had answered the questions and she thought he wanted to go off somewhere remote and safe.

Seafeather sat down, "Did you want something, Shatteredwind?"</sub>

[lonelylove :D]

[[ s h a t t e r e d w i n d

Inside his head, Shatteredwind was hitting himself. Why'd you do that? You can't tell! But the other voice said, But I must! She should know! Sighing, he pushed this mental battle aside. He turned to look at her. Look, Seafeather... I think you know why I'm always...mad. He ducked his head, and looked back up at her. See, when I was a kit and an apprentice, I used to sneak out of camp sometimes at night. Anyway, one time, I saw... He tried again. I saw...my mother and father outside of camp. They were arguing. At first, it was just words, but their voices grew louder and louder... He gulped. And then it became physical. He was clawing at her brutally, as if she were an enemy. My mother was never superb at fighting...she didn't fight back. After I saw that, it made me so angry... He blinked, but no tears would come. I told my brother and sister about it, and another night we all went together. He did worse things that night. She was half-dead, for Starclan's sake. I know that after that, Slatesky became quiet, and Violetwisp... He shook his head sadly. But then he looked up, a fierce look in his eyes. But you can't tell anyone, you hear me! If you do, I'll kill you. He snarled fiercely.

[/size][/blockquote]

[cheshy says grace]

seafeather[/font][/color]

<sub>Her fur bristled slightly at his words but her eyes remained caring. "Tell me one good reason why I would give away a secret like yours!" she snapped as gently as she could. The warrior rose to her feet and flciked her tail.

"Will you be leaving or would you like to help us bring back the fresh-kill to camp?" she asked quietly.</sub>