Shiny Can't Think Of A Good Title [Open]

[Blizzardshard]

Maybe it was just his ego speaking, but Blizzardshard liked to think that he was one of the better hunters in leaf-bare. Sure he didn't blend in with the snow like Shiningheart did, what with her pure white pelt, but his long fur made him able to keep out in the cold longer than her, or even Venomwind. It kept took the wind and chill far longer to get to him than most of his other clanmates, something he was grateful for as it helped him spend entire leaf-bares without getting sick.

He just wished he was a better hunter. The Clan wasn't starving, despite it being leaf-bare. No hunting patrols came back empty-pawed; at least one cat caught prey every day. It wasn't important that he brought prey back for the Clan to eat. A life didn't depend on whether he caught a mouse or a squirrel or something. But he felt guilty about it. Every time Shiningheart or Venomwind brought back fresh-kill and he didn't, he felt bad.

So Blizzardshard had made a promise to himself. He'd go hunting by himself and not go back to camp without two or three pieces of prey. He'd told Shiningheart where he was going, but no one else. It wasn't that he didn't want his Clanmates to know where he was going, but he concentrated better when he was alone. Now he was on his way towards the abandoned twoleg nest. He had a plan; the walls of the twoleg nest kept the biting wind out, leaving the place warm enough to possibly shelter a few rodents. And it also had the added bonus of keeping the catmint and any other herbs there safe from begin eaten!

Of course, if he also found something on the way, he wouldn't say no to it. Blizzardshard stopped walking and pricked his ears, listening for the crunch of tiny paws that would hint at anything being around there.

Keep quiet no longer,
We'll sing through the day,
Of the lives that we've lost,
And the lives we've reclaimed.

[Lionstar]

On a day such as this, a walk could hardly be judged (well, it actually could, as the wind was nibbling on ears and snipping at noses, tails, and toes). Lionstar had seen to it that Elkshadow got everyone going for their day, and now he was able to do as he pleased for him-self. And what he pleased was to go on a bit of an adventure. Or, rather, per-haps not so much of an adventure as, well, just a stroll through potentially hazardous areas. No, not the tunnels on Thunder-Clan's territory which Lion-star had found when he was rather young, but the Abandoned Twoleg Nest which always threatened to collapse under the slightest breeze. So many gener-ations ago, Stoatstar lost her last life exploring an underground portion of the Abandoned Twoleg Nest, which collapsed on her. Slatestar shut it down im-mediately, but then Graystar opened it again; all this before Lionstar's birth, though some of it during his parents' lives, much of it in his grandparents'. It cer-tainly has been a very long time since the Firestar of legend; sometimes Lionstar quite doubted much of what was said about him. No cat could be that brave, noble, perfect.

As Lionstar padded through the often overgrown garden in front of the Abandoned Twoleg Nest, he noted that nothing much was growing yet and there were no critters scampering about underpaw. Entering the structure, however, changed the story. He immediately scented some rodents, prob-ably scrawny things, as well as something else. A Thun-derClan cat? This wasn't the most popular location for hunting, Lionstar knew, but sometimes cats did come out here. It was Blizzard-shard he scented, he realiz-ed after several seconds of silence, and just Blizzard-shard. Well, at least Lionstar wouldn't have to leave because of an awkward en-counter with mates.

It was always a poor idea to startle a hunter, however, as well as a warrior, and Blizzardshard was rather large and could probably defeat Lionstar in a one-on-one fight. It was one reason that Lionstar wanted for that never to happen, among many others. So, instead of approaching Blizzardshard and potentially ruining any hunting for the day in this location as well as upsetting his valuable warrior, Lion-star rocked back on his heels and sat just inside the entrance of the building, waiting for Blizzardshard to do what he would do. If there was anything Lionstar was good at, it was waiting. Also probably being intuitive and overall uncaring. But shush, that matters not at the moment, for his blue-green eyes merely wander-ed as he inspected the walls of the Twoleg nest. In many ways, they were clever creatures, those furless beasts.

WORDS:  444 | NOTES: I hope this is okay! | TAG: Blizzardshard, OPEN

[Blizzardshard]

The pitter patter of tiny paws met his ears. His nose was flooded with the scent of squirrel, and he grinned to himself before carefully dropping into a stalking position. The warrior actually had to pay attention to his stance before stalking forward, something he wasn’t exactly proud of. He should have had the crouch down to an instinct, but alas, it wasn’t so.

He pulled himself slowly and carefully towards where the sounds were coming from. The rodent was sniffing at a crack in the wall. Perhaps that’s where it had hidden it’s nuts for the winter? It was something to keep in mind, if it meant more prey would come sniffing. Blizzardshard waggled his butt before leaping onto it. His weight alone snapped it’s neck. A clean kill; the squirrel hadn’t even known it’s life had been in danger.

He smirked slightly before bringing the squirrel to a corner he could keep an eye on it. Wouldn’t want a crow to steal it. The gray tom opened his mouth again to taste the air, but a very different smell came to him. It certainly wasn’t fresh-kill. ”Lionstar?” he questioned aloud, blinking.

What was the ThunderClan leader doing here? Blizzardshard followed the smell and found Lionstar just sitting there, seemingly waiting. The warrior dipped his head respectfully. ”I’m surprised to see you here. Surprised to see anyone, actually. May I ask what brought you all the way out here?” He tilted his head in pure curiosity. It wasn’t really his place to question Lionstar, but the thought hadn’t even crossed his mind.

Keep quiet no longer,
We'll sing through the day,
Of the lives that we've lost,
And the lives we've reclaimed.