[META] Phase Two - Strike Two

[belloblossom]

The Cast for Two - Note, if your username isn't on this list, please don't post in this forum. You'll have more opportunities to join in later phases of this meta!

Reminder: This portion of Phase Two takes one month ( or one "moon" ) after the Phase One's initial border crossing.

1. Snarlpaw (belloblossom)
2. Yarrowbloom (NatiStorm)
3. Strikedrop (belloblossom)
4. Sharptongue (belloblossom)
5. Steadypaw (belloblossom)
6. Petalpaw (belloblossom)
7. Flashpaw (Blinded By Silence)​

 

[belloblossom]

((For StoneClan Cats - Please roll 1d20 to see if you catch prey while you're over the border! If you roll a 10 or higher, you successfully catch your prey!))

Snarlpaw had gone home to StoneClan ashamed of herself and of the failed potential in her plan. It had been a moon since her last blunder and she was determined not to repeat the same mistakes. Everything would've gone smoothly had they just had a little more time to leave. So, this time with the cats she'd rallied she had a plan: get in get the prey and don't stand around to chat. They'd get the prey needed, two per each cat here would be plenty enough, but one per cat should be fine too - but the main thing was that every StoneClan tail needed to be on their own territory before TreeClan knew what hit them.

She was disappointed that not everyone who had joined her the first time had come with her again. She was thrilled to see Flashpaw with her though and much to her surprise, Yarrowbloom, who had already been given his warrior name, with her again. Yarrowbloom wasn't the only warrior who joined them, Strikedrop and Sharptongue were in the patrol too as well as Petalpaw and Steadypaw.

"Okay everyone, go in, catch a piece of prey and leave the territory. There shouldn't be another TreeClan patrol coming out until sundown, but I don't want to take any more chances than we have to." She told her group. "I'm proud of all of you for braving this with me. Let's make our leaders proud too." She said, before turning and crossing over the scent markers that TreeClan had placed. @NatiStorm @Blinded By Silence

 

[NatiStorm]

Though he was recognized as a warrior of StoneClan, Yarrowbloom was still struggling to understand why the TreeClan patrol had gotten so upset with them for hunting on the ground. It's not like they were in the middle of the TreeClan camp stealing food or anything. It was only the one time and right across the boarder. If those TreeClan cats wanted the prey so badly, they should come down from their branches and hunt it properly like a true cat! Like Snarlpaw had mentioned last patrol, there was an abundance of prey that didn't even seem to fear living on clan territory.

Yarrowbloom had been eager to fix the mistakes from the last hunting patrol into TreeClan's territory and agreed to go out again with Snarlpaw's next patrol without hesitation. This time, he would do better. This time, he wouldn't let the TreeClan patrol take his catch. Yes, this time he would make the clan, especially Snowyowl, proud to have him in their ranks!

"This time for sure. We'll make them proud." He said with a nod to Snarlpaw as he followed the large she-cat across the boarder.

Almost exactly like on the last hunting patrol, as soon as he crossed into TreeClan territory he could smell and hear various prey scurrying through the underbrush. Last time he had managed to catch a mouse and a vole but this time he had his sights set on something a little more filling; a rabbit. It didn't take him long to find and catch one. As quickly as he could, Yarrowbloom dashed back into StoneClan territory and buried the rabbit before returning to the boarder.

 

[belloblossom]

(Sharptongue misses her catch, miserably!)

Sharptongue had come along on this patrol for two reasons. The first - was because she couldn't be amidst the gossip without wanting to be apart of it. She'd heard the whispers and after showing enough interest (and bullying information out of the others) she'd discovered that Snarlpaw had the great idea to go hunting over onto TreeClan's territory. With a rush of excitement, she'd committed herself to the act. It sounded so exciting and she'd been starved for drama in StoneClan lately.

The second reason was, like most cats in this patrol seemed to agree upon, the desire to prove herself to the Clan. She'd been a poor hunter, but the seasons were changing and while it was still warm now, leafbare would be upon them and the Clan would need all the prey they could get. Cats who couldn't hunt would be ultimately useless. Besides, she wanted to see her mate's shocked, grinning face when she presented him with a fat rabbit or squirrel later that day.

Clearly her head was too far in the distant dreamings than to focus on hunting - perhaps this is why she wasn't a good hunter, because when she jumped at something that moved out of the corner of her eye, she instead landed on Strikedrop, a fellow patrol member, who shoved her away, hissing and spitting at her.

Wrinkling her nose at him, she hissed.
"I thought hunters were supposed to be quiet and stealthy. If you hadn't moved, you scrawny thing, I wouldn't have mistaken you for prey." And she turned to stalk away, determined to try again, away from that half-pelted loser.

 

[belloblossom]

(Strikedrop misses his catch!)

Strikedrop was always trying to find a way to prove himself better against the expectations that others gave him. Even with his mate, Priderunner, there to support him, he always felt like Skysong and Sunseer were looking down on him. To be looked down upon an old, blind cat was bad enough, but Skysong was the deputy and she had her act together. She both inspired him and infuriated him - he wanted to be as good, or better even than his deputy, but she never seemed to look at him or indeed, at any loner or kittypet join-in the same way that she looked at cats who had been born in.

That Siltwater is a suck-up to be sure. He thought bitterly as he tucked himself tightly into a hunting crouch. Naming one of his kits after her. Yeah, I'm sure she was tickled pink by that display.

He and Priderunner couldn't have kits of their own to name after Skysong, but even if they did have kits, Skysong hadn't earned that from Strikedrop. There was a nickname being passed around, the whispers of what Duskpaw, another loner, had been called upon his entry to the Clan.

"Maybe I'll name my kit Straykit and they could be the best kit in the Clan and even become the leader one day." But he sighed, because no, his vendettas to prove himself were his alone, not those of his future kin. He would not become as vindictive as his own sire had been. Relaxing his muscles, he crept forward on a mouse trail and was preparing to pounce, when some other patrol cat came crashing into him instead.

"Sharptongue! You useless kittypet! You made me lose my mouse and you've caused a racket! If TreeClan comes to investigate the noise, I hope you realize it's all your fault!" He hissed at her and rolled his eyes at her rebuttal. "Whatever. Don't get in my way again." He spat and turned to leave for better hunting grounds away from the tree-line.

 

[belloblossom]

(Steadypaw catches his prey!)

Steadypaw was a recent joiner of StoneClan. He was less worried about proving himself to the uppers about what an asset he was to their Clan, because they would not have accepted him into StoneClan to begin with, had they not seen potential in him. No, Steadypaw came along this trip for the interest of connecting with a plucky orange she-cat who had caught his interest. Indeed, he'd heard about the patrol not from Snarlpaw, but from Flashpaw. Had any other cat tried to pull him into the patrol to cross over the borders, he would've said no, but for Flashpaw...

He had strolled over the scent markers, but if not for the leafy, woody smell of TreeClan on the field, it felt like any other field he'd crossed in his lifetime. He chuffed in amusement - smelly grass meant that this land belonged to one Clan and not another. What a laugh.

He paced away from the group and sat on his haunches until he saw the movement of a rabbit nearby - the rabbit was too absorbed in staring, wide-eyed, at the patrol. By the time that it had thought to look behind it, preparing to run, Steadypaw's jaws closed around its neck. With the rabbit dangling from his maw, he looked to see if he couldn't spot Flashpaw - he wanted to be praised, but only by her, if she was around. If not, he supposed he'd follow Snarlpaw's command and return over the border instead. @Blinded By Silence

 

[belloblossom]

(Petalpaw fails to catch her prey!)

Petalpaw was ambitious. She wanted to be great! She wanted to become a warrior before any of her siblings did and given an apprentice before anyone else had and she wanted to become the deputy, when Skysong stepped up to be the leader. It was clear to anyone who had eyes, she'd heard the others cats, her parents among them, discussing Sunseer and how old he was. If she worked hard enough, she could be named the deputy when Sunseer died - or uh, stepped down, yeah that was totally more plausible for the old badger. Skysong could see that Petalpaw had done all these wonderful feats herself and reward her by giving her the deputy position! And then, sorrow of sorrows, if Skysong couldn't make it as a leader, then Petalpaw would surely be the youngest leader of StoneClan and they'd never have to worry about her dying of old age because she'd be young and with a bunch of lives and live forever!

So when she heard that a couple of apprentices and some warriors were going to prove themselves by besting the next Clan over, TreeClan, Petalpaw was ready to serve! That said, when she found out that 'besting' TreeClan meant hunting in their territory and not ripping them to shreds, her confidence dipped. She was better at fighting than hunting, but.... well, this was just a step in the right direction! Steadying herself, she ran across the border and tried to pounce at the first vole she saw! - only to overshoot her jump and go sailing over it. She watched it, seemingly in slow motion as it stared up at her and then took cover in the nearest hole.

Landing on her paws with a soft thud, she cursed under her breath and whirled around to Snarlpaw.
"Snarlpaaaaw, can I try again? I'll get it next time, I swear!"

 

[belloblossom]

((For StoneClan Cats - Anyone who missed their first catch can try to catch prey again!))

(Snarlpaw catches her prey!)

Snarlpaw was coming to a personal understanding and awareness of why these cats she'd brought with her needed to prove themselves. Sharptongue and Strikedrop were bickering with one another and Petalpaw was yowling her frustrations. She didn't have eyes on Flashpaw or Steadypaw, the latter who had trotted away from the group the moment he was over the border. Yarrowbloom, at least, had caught something and was already back over the border. Thank SunClan for Yarrowbloom, she thought briefly.

"Keep your voices down!" She hissed at Petalpaw and the two warriors. "Do you want all of TreeClanto know we're here?" She sighed and then more softly added, "Yes, anyone who missed their first catch can try again. I'll stay over the border with you to make sure we all cross over in time. I'm not leaving anyone behind, don't worry."

 

[Blinded By Silence]

The last moon had flown by. Flashpaw had felt so silly coming back from their last excursion. Pathetic, really. Useless, if she thought too hard about it. So she didn't. Instead, the little tiger of a she-cat threw herself recklessly into her training. No way, no how, was she going to get herself kicked out of the coolest and neatest place she'd ever lived!

Truely, Stoneclan was way better than her old nest. Sure, she missed her siblings, all thirty-six of them. And her two leg had been really sweet, listening to her talk and chat as much as she wanted. Too bad she couldn't actually understand her, though. But back there, most of her siblings ignored her. Told her she talked too much. She was always too much, whatever that meant. But here? Here, cats paid a lot of attention to her! Snarlpaw even seemed to like her, which was a surprise to Flashpaw, seeing as the little orange tabby had utterly failed to do much of anything last go around. She had a mentor to watch over her, and Sunseer and Skysong watching her progress. Kits loved when she spent time with them, and even some of the newer clan members -- den mates? clanmates? -- were looking at her! Particularly that handsome blue-eyed tom, Blink. No, no, he was Steadypaw now. It was a good name, fit him well. He was big and, well, sturdy. Like nothing could sway him. He was a bit quite, really quiet, actually, but that was okay. She could carry a conversation easy enough on her own. He reminded her a lot of Gullscreech. Maybe that's why she was so eager to impress him...

Anyway.

All that was to say Flashpaw had gotten much better at hunting. Particularly keeping her mouth shut long enough to do so. All she had to do was hold her breath! That kept all the words inside rather than tumbling outside. Brilliant.

And so, when Snarlpaw had given them the go-ahead, Flashpaw took a big breath in and was over the border as quick as her namesake! It was harder to do without using her sniffer, but her eyes still worked just as good! She spotted movement in the underbrush and prowled slowly forward, her stripes letting her blend in with the dappled sunlight. She waited a beat, her lungs starting to protest, before she bolted from the shadows and rolled over her prey in a fit of fur and claws. Grinning past the taste of blood in her mouth, she scrambled and dashed out of the dense scree. She'd done it! She did it! She-- Oof!

The wild little she-cat had barreled herself right into the tall, quit tom, all her held breath rushed out of her in a flurry of giggles as she fell back into the dirt with her little mouse.

"Wow, you know, I think Sturdypaw would be a better name for you, big guy!" She stood up and shook out her fur, "Oh! Look! Look! I caught something! A mouse! I bet you could eat a mouse in one bite, huh? Oh, did you catch something too, Steadypaw? Oooh," She spied his rabbit, "Oh wow, great job! That'll feed a bunch of cats!"

@belloblossom

 

[belloblossom]

The TreeClan patrols had been consistently going out more frequently, but today's was running a little behind. Branchtail, the patrol leader, had been slowing down and it was clearly a struggle for him to keep up with his fellow patrol members, Lightningdash and Mudripple. Eventually, he'd sent Lightningdash on ahead, for it was clear that she was going to tear the bark off every branch if he tried to hold her back.

Mudripple and Branchtail had been walking more slowly now that they didn't have to worry over the yellow she-cat, discussing their kits, for Mudripple's mate had recently a litter and Branchtail was sure his kits, while still apprentices now, were bound to be made into warriors soon.

Both of their attentions turned when Lightningdash yowled from the treeline.
"Intruders! StoneClan prey thieves! You'll be punished in the name of TreeClan and SunClan too!"

With a look shared between them, Branchtail suddenly found the energy to run along branches and come to the place that Lightningdash had once been standing. Peering at the open field in front of their trees, he watched in mute bewilderment as the young yellow she-cat sprinted at the StoneClan apprentice he remembered to be called Snarlpaw. He watched her leap onto the bulky apprentice and he could scent blood on the breeze. Was it Snarlpaw's or Lightningdash's? - he was too far away to tell.

Turning to Mudripple, he hissed.
"Run back to the Nest and tell them that it's time to show StoneClan they can't just come into our territory whenever they want! Go, now!" Then, he started to descend the tree, his joints yowling, but he rushed forward to the defense of his Clanmate and to show StoneClan that they couldn't keep getting away with any of this. Not when TreeClan was there to put a stop to it.

 

[belloblossom]

Phase Two of StoneClan is OVER!

Phase Two of the Meta for StoneClan has been concluded! No further replies can be made in this thread!

All the cats who participated in this meta phase can use this rp to generate 1DP!​