[PRP] Hunting Tips [Wind Chaser x Bounce]

[NatiStorm]

Having inspected the nearby pond and abandoned twoleg nest, Wind Chaser decided it was best to move on soon. Tomorrow he would round up the cats who had agreed to travel with him and head a little further up to the mountains base before making the trip back to the Homeland. Today however, Wind Chaser was taking one final look around the area. His paws had taken him to a thunderpath that seemed to be falling apart. Some parts of the path buckled up as if a mighty badger were burrowing beneath it where as other parts sank down into the dirt. Everywhere there were cracks with grass, dandelions, and other such plants growing up anywhere they could.

Wind Chaser padded lightly along the warm strange stone of the thunderpath until he picked up a new scent. He had only a moment to process that there were two scents, one mouse, one cat, coming at him before the large rodent scurried by, followed by a young cat.

"Well-met, friend." He said smiling at the younger tom. "Having a bit of trouble catching your afternoon meal?" His tone was more amused than accusatory. Wind Chaser waited a moment for the young cat to reply before asking, "Would you like some help?"

@belloblossom

 

[belloblossom]

Bounce was trying his best to bring prey back to his little hideaway. He loved his family, so very much, truly, but it was easier for him to explore out further and further on his own and to try and learn solo instead of in a group settings. His siblings could be... a lot... sometimes and while he loved his mother more than anything else, he didn't always have the patience for the family group.

In fact, as he'd grown older over the moons, he was finding that he had less and less patience for them. He'd spend his morning rolling his eyes at his siblings antics, licking his mother on the cheek and then padding away to some other place to explore.

Today it had been the old thunderpath. Monsters never ran on this path anymore - the path was cracked and broken, like a dirt road that hadn't seen rain in seasons. He wasn't scared about playing on it anymore and had fun practicing his hunting skills on and off the thunderpath, or even outright sunning himself on it. Of course, if he ever heard the sounds of another cat approaching him, he'd scale the nearest tree and turn into a hissy, fluffy mess - he would be no match for an adult loner or any other predator for that manner! And surely one wouldn't chase him up into a tree, right...?

Luckily, when he got to the old thunderpath that day, he could see no one else around. He spent the first hour or so rolling around in the grass nearby, before he tried stalking along the sides of the road - and eventually he happened across an actual mouse to stalk! He was creeping right on it - when the wind shifted and the mouse bolted.

Streaking after it across the thunderpath, he leaped high into the air when a tomcat's voice appeared and he fluffed his fur out, hopping up and down with an arched back. The mouse disappeared on the other side of the thunderpath and the irritation was enough to cut down Bounce's fear enough to make him whirl around and face the tomcat, instead of running to the trees.

"I would've caught it for sure if you hadn't scared me! What do you think you're doing? Trying to steal my catch?" Looking up at the tomcat, Bounce's eyes went round. Oh... yeah no, he couldn't fight this enemy, not even a little bit. "Oh, uh, actually, you can go ahead and ste- I mean have it. You can have it." He added quickly. @NatiStorm

 

[NatiStorm]

As the young cat turned and scolded him, Wind Chaser had to bite his tongue to keep from laughing. Interacting with Six had taught him that laughing at strangers might not leave the best impression. Still, a tiny chuckle escaped him; this kid had spunk.

Though he did find it strange to see such a young cat out hunting alone. The golden tom opened his mouth to scent the boy as much as he could. It seemed like there were other cat scents on him but he wasn't with any clan. Had he gotten separated from his family unit? Looking the young cat over, he didn't seem to be in any distress - other than having lost his mouse - so being lost seemed unlikely. Regardless of the reason, if this youngster was going to be off on his own, he needed to know how to execute a proper pounce.

With a relaxed posture and small smile Wind Chaser slowly shook his head. "I have no interest in stealing your meal, young one, but I can almost guarantee that you would not have caught that mouse with a pounce like that." His tone was more amused than accusatory. "Don't get me wrong, it was great form for hunting birds, but you'll have a hard time catching mice with a high soaring pounce like that." This time he didn't bother asking if the young one wanted help or not, he simply kept talking. "It's all in how you shift your weight on your back paws, not your legs. Remember to keep your back arched upward, not down."

Standing up slowly, Wind Chaser looked around and scented the air. Luckily it seemed like the mouse hadn't gone to far. Wind Chaser gave a flick of his tail as a motion to follow him. "Now, let's see if we can't find that mouse again so you can practice. I have a feeling that you'll catch it this time."
@belloblossom

 

[belloblossom]

The longer this stranger spoke, the more certain Bounce was that he wasn't going to be attacked or eaten. Despite his mother's cautions, this older tomcat didn't seem like he was interested in violent behavior. How lucky for Bounce, he thought with a soft sigh, before he straightened up and actually made an effort to listen to the adult in front of him. His nerves finally coming to a still, he tilted his head and frowned.

"What, so you're some expert in hunting then?" He asked. "If you're so good at it, why don't you try and catch something, huh? I'll listen to you if you catch something - cause that'll mean you're not bluffing." He reasoned to the older cat, but... maybe even if this older cat didn't catch anything at all, Bounce might still listen to him. But only until it got dark, cause nothing was safe in the dark and besides, his mother would worry about him, and Bounce, for all his independence, did not want to worry his mother. @NatiStorm

 

[NatiStorm]

Wind Chaser didn't hold back his laugh this time. This kids attitude was such a treat, such confidence and curiosity. If he was a little older and had wandering paws, he'd fit right in with his traveling companions. Perhaps he did have wandering paws, the young tom was out by himself after all.

"No cat survives alone as long as I have without being a hunting expert." The older tom replied, his tone more factual than boasting. In truth, he wouldn't call himself an expert at hunting any one kind of prey. Instead Wind Chaser was versed in catching a wide variety of creatures. "I like to travel and in doing so, I've had the chance to practice hunting all sorts of prey. Tell me, young one, how many mice have you caught with that pounce of yours?"

Scenting the air, it was clear the mouse the younger tom had been chasing was long gone but perhaps they could find something else to practice pouncing on.