Fallkit happily nodded "Yeah!" he cheerfully went towards the camp entrance, trying to look casual as possible about it. He was walking at a slow pace so that Acornkit can walk beside him if he wanted to.

Acornkit pranced after Fallkit to fall back into step alongside his brother. Eagerly awaiting to get into the big world outside the camp. Hopefully no one was going to stop them before getting out of there.

Darkcloud padded along side Owlwing, her ears rotating to listen for prey. "Well, not everyone is suited for clan life." she responded to her fellow clan mate. "And as for your other question, they're due anytime in the next few sunrises. Briarmoth has been telling me to move to the nursery, but I refuse to until it's time for the kits to come." she said, flicking her tail in slight annoyance; not at Owlwing, but at the thought of moving to the nursery. She sighed and shook her fur out, focusing on the other part of Owlwing's statement. "Oh, I would appreciate that very much!" she exclaimed happily, " Briarmoth says that there are at least two."

"No, sadly, none of them are mine. I don't have a mate, or anything like that." Rowanflight answered with a shrug of his shoulders. "Not that I don't want to!" He added hastily, "I just... haven't found the right partner." He just enjoyed spending time in the nursery; probably because of the calm atmosphere. He did listen intently to Darkcloud's response to Owlwing. He cocked his head to the side, he steps slowing as he turn to look over his shoulder at the queen. "The nursery isn't so bad, is there a reason you don't want to move there? I mean, isn't it dangerous for you to be out and about, so close to kitting?" He hoped the she-cat wouldn't take offense or accuse him of prying, he was just genuinely curious, mostly because of how fondly he viewed kits.

Owlwing's ears twitched at the slightest sounds as her eyes scanned more closely now that they entered the area where most prey was spotted and caught. Her eyes then widened when the she-cat said they were due any moment. She stopped for a moment watching the she-cat carefully. "I'd be careful then Darkcloud, we wouldn't want you to be popping kittens out here. It isn't safe. Maybe you should of stayed back at camp." The she-cat sounded genuinely concerned for her new friend. 

"I'm glad to hear that there are at least two though. One for me and one for Rowanflight." She laughed unevenly still worried. Then she looked over at Rowanflight clearing her throat before responding. "Yes, I also haven't found anyone. But I am sure you'll find someone." She could feel her face warming up at the thought of mate but she shook her head. "Me on the other hand am not so confident.." 

Darkcloud's fur bristled, and she opened her mouth to tell them to mind their own business, but she stopped, and her tail twitched uneasily. 'I shouldn't be so mean to my clanmates when they're genuinely concerned...' She sighed. "I'm just... I just..." She sighed again, having a hard time admitting anything personal. "My mother... Was not a good mother, and I guess I'm just reluctant to move because then it'll mean that this is really happening, and I'm not sure if I'll be a good mother." she said quickly, looking away in embarrassment. She then huffed, trying to get her dignity back. "Anyway, it not like I'm going to explode! Besides, we aren't going that far from camp, and I can still hunt!" She ranted quietly, trying not to scare off any nearby prey. "Oh, and good luck finding a mate." She said offhandedly, being serious and not sarcastic as she sniffed the air some more, and opened her mouth a bit to absorb more scents.

Rowanflight frowned at both she-cats replies. They were both lovely, in his eyes. Neither had a bad personality that he'd seen so far, why wouldn't they be so harsh on themselves? He kept these thoughts to himself, though, for the sake of not coming off as too awkward. After all, he'd just met them both today! 


Giving his chest a few calming licks, he tried bringing the mood up with a grin. "You're right! We'll be pretty close to the camp, what could happen?" He added reassuringly, soon adopting Darkcloud's hunting tactic of scenting the air to get the hunting patrol started. He settled himself lower to the ground and slunk off under a few gorse bushes, keeping his tail down and his ears perked. Continuing his trek through the undergrowth for a few paces, he brought himself to a stop. The warrior kneaded the cool ground beneath him, his claws gently pressing into the dirt. He'd scented a hare in the clearing ahead of him and was determined to not let it get away. Taking a breath to steel his nerves, Rowanflight perked his ears for the telltale rapid heartbeat of the hare. He hunched his shoulders and slipped forward a few mouse-tails and the hare eventually became visible, his eyes fixed on it. With a sudden lash of his tail, the tom leapt forward, paws outstretched and claws glinting in the early-morning sunlight. Successfully landing on his target, he sank his teeth into the hares left thigh, his claws sinking into its sides. 


After a bit of a scuffle, Rowanflight had managed to render the prey lifeless, sustaining no injuries aside form a few scratches. A purr rumbled through the toms chest in delight at his catch, eager to get back to the rest of his hunting party to see if they'd had similar luck. Picking up the dead hare in his jaws and his tail held high in pride, Rowanflight padded back to the camp entrance, deciding he'd wait outside for the two she-cats to return.

Darkcloud relaxed at his words, and then split away as well. She lifted her nose and caught the scent of a sparrow. When she spotted it, it was sitting on a low hanging branch a few foxlengths ahead of her. She slowly crept forward, and then launched herself off of the ground and onto the branch, catching the bird by its neck as she did. She killed it quickly and then jumped back down. 'It's leafbare and this dumb bird hasn't flown away like the others. I wonder why? Oh well. It's good food for the clan either way.' She thought to herself as she padded back towards the camp, assuming that they would all meet back up there.

Shadowdance stretched and gave a large yawn before shaking out her fur. She looked around and felt heat prickle at her pelt when she realized her fellow clan mates had gone out while she slept in. 'That's what I get for staying up all night!' But she just couldn't help herself, the night was so much more beautiful. It was getting rather cold however and she wondered how much longer she could keep going out at night without getting sick. She sighed and padded out of camp. Maybe she could meet the others while they were still out there. She hoped she wasn't too late.

Rowanflight had been sitting outside the camp entrance, distracted with grooming himself, when Shadowdance passed him on her way out. "Good morning!" He called out with a grin. His catch was sitting by his paws, his tail wrapped around them to keep them warm as he waited. "Did you happen to pass Darkcloud or Owlwing on your way out? I'm waiting for them, but they might have come back before me." The tom explained, all the while wondering what the she-cat was doing outside of camp, but deciding not to ask right off the bat. It wasn't really his business, after all.

Shadowdance stopped fast and turned to face him, smiling. "Oh! Hello Rowanflight! No I'm sorry I didn't see them." She padded back toward him a bit. "I was actually going to go out and see if I could catch everyone while you were all out there. Seems I'm a bit too late though." She said with a small disappointed sigh. "Oh well I guess!" She noticed his kill and hunger panged in her belly. "Was it a hunting patrol then?"

Rowanflight nodded, shrugging his shoulders. "Guess I'll wait here some more, then." He replied, the tip of his tail twitching as he watched her pad over to him. "I can go along with you again, if you'd like? I'd just have to drop this off." He mewed, nodding his head towards the prey by his feet. "It was, but we all pretty much went our separate ways for a bit, since prey is rather scarce."

Shadowdance's tail flicked excitedly. "Awesome! I hate hunting alone." She makes a face. "It's no fun!" She realizes she must look like an apprentice on their first hunt so she gives her chest fur a few quick licks to hide her embarrassment. "So, uh, yeah I'll wait here!"

writers block xc )
Darkcloud flicked her tail in hello as she came into view of the two cats. 'Wow, Rowanflight caught a rabbit? All I caught was a sparrow... Guess I'll have to keep hunting after I put this in the pile.'

Shadowdance sees Darkcloud and smiles at her, flicking her tail in returned greeting. "Hey! Rowanflight was just looking for you!" She bouces on her paws a bit, excited to leave and get out of camp.

"Oh, yes, I agree! Though in times like leaf-bare, it can't really be helped." The warrior responded ruefully. As he was listening to Shadowdance, a movement from afar caught his eye. He looked over and found Darkcloud holding a sparrow. "Welcome back!" He greeted with a nod in her direction after Shadowdance also greeted the expectant she-cat. "Nice catch, I'm just about to take my catch to the fresh kill pile and join Shadowdance on another hunt; want to tag along?" Rowanflight inquired.

Shadowdance nods at Darkcloud. "Good idea Rowanflight! The more the merrier!" She couldn't wait to feel the pine needles under her paws. Even though it had only been last night since she'd been out it felt like a lifetime.

Darkcloud put her prey down in front of her paws and twitched her whiskers in amusement. "Excited to leave camp?" She asked.

Shadowdance laughs, clearly embarrassed. "Just a lot yeah. I feel like I've been sleeping in my nest for moons! I need to stretch my legs!"

Rowanflight chuckled at Shadowdance's excitement. He'd felt the same, from time to time, so he really couldn't laugh too much. "So you'd like to join us?" He questioned Darkcloud again, unsure. A prickle of uneasiness went down his spine; Owlwing still hadn't returned from hunting which was causing the warrior a bit of concern. However, he reasoned, she was a warrior herself and more than capable of taking care of herself outside of camp.

Darkcloud smiled at Shadowdance's excitement, and then nodded at Rowanflight. "Yes, as soon as I put this sparrow in the fresh kill pile." She responded.

"Oh, I can take it in for you? I have to take mine in there, anyway. Save you the trip?" Rowanflight quickly offered, tilting his head to the side. He got to his paws before picking up the hare by its neck, it's body hanging limp from his jaws. He smiled sheepishly at Darkcloud, the prey making his smile look a bit awkward.

(Sorry!)

Owlwing looked at Darkcloud appalled by what she had said about herself. You'll be a great mother, mousebrain. She thought to herself. Flicking her ears the she-cat caught the scent of some birds. She quickly disappeared in the moment now of hunting. She didn't want to miss her chance. She tried but failed to catch the birds on the ground. So the she-cat decided to do something she was good at. Climb trees. She let her claws out and touched the tree thinking it was stable enough to climb. She purred in delight as she began her climb. She saw a bird on the nearby branch. She grinned and leaped quietly to the branch. Leaning down the she-cat watched the bird carefully for a moment before leaping and clamping her jaws around its neck. A purr rumbled in her throat however suddenly the branch beneath her was breaking away from the tree.

Owlwing's eyes widened in shock before she leaped onto the tree away from the branch. Upon doing so she slid down her claws trying to catch a grip. Her paws couldn't get a grip and soon she plummeted to the ground. Luckily it wasn't that far of  drop. Owlwing was able to land somewhat onto her paws but one of them got twisted. She clamped her jaws harder around the bird's neck concealing the painful cry that wanted to escape. 
 
She stumbled toward camp knowing that this hunt was going to be her last until her ankle was able to heal. She growled in frustration and pain at the same time. She was hoping one of the others would find her and help her. She stopped a few times to rest.

Shadowdance looked between her two clanmates and a sly smile spreads across her muzzle. "Cuuute!" She throws them both a wink.

Darkcloud's ears grew hot with embarrassment and she cuffed Shadowdance on the ear gently, but then nodded at Rowanflight's offer. "I would appreciate it- What was that?" She said the last part and whipped her head around, having heard a thump not too far from where they were. She turned back to Rowanflight. "I'm going to go check that out while you take the prey in. Shadowdance, can you come with me?" She said, and then turned and padded after the sound, not waiting for a reply.