Hunting patrol

Scarletstar weaved herself in and out of the golden reeds, looking for any sight of prey. "How are you doing in your training Barkpaw?",she asked with a smile on her face. Today she felt happy and free, as if all her leadership duties were blown away.

Ravencry bounded after his pretty leader with Barkpaw following. (Sorry for the slight power-play there. >.<) "He's only been my apprentice for a day, we haven't been able to train yet," he reminded her. "Where did you leave off on his training? I'll pick it back up there." Oh how he wished she was not a leader. He heaved a sigh to himself. There was no chance for them, he had to get over it.

"Oh, we were working on his hunting moves and how to stalk certian things.I was also going to start on his fighting move on how to scratch at the belly of another cat.", she answered. Maybe now's the time to talk to Ravencry alone.She thought. "Uh, Barkpaw. Can you go and try to get as much prey as you can and surprise me on how much you get?", Scarletstar asked. "Okay,Scarletstar. I'll get right on it!", Barkpaw said in a determined tone. Off he went into somemore reeds to the center of the Island.

"Ravencry. I sent off Barkpaw so I could talk to you..alone.", she said a little nervously. She was wondering if she was doing the right thing. "Ever since you came here, to Riverclan, I, well...I've been very fond of you.", she hoped she didn't make a big mistake by telling him this.

Ravencry watched his apprentice bound off, then was taken back to Scarletstar by her voice. He was surprised when she said she wanted to talk to him alone, and even more surprised when she admitted how she felt for him. He hesitated, not used to talking about this kind of thing; it was almost a new experience for him. "Scarletstar..." he hesitated again. "There's no future for us," he finally meowed. "I'm a warrior and you are my leader. Even though I am very fond of you myself... there is no way around that." He sighed again and turned to glare at a patch of reeds nearby. Why couldn't it be different? he thought. He looked up at her beautiful amber eyes, and meowed slowly, "If there was any way, any way at all, that I could change that, believe me, I would."

"I know you would. I just thought I would want to make that clear just between us, even though we can't be together.", she said in a soft voice. She went up to him and pushed her nose in his side for comfort. "I'm sorry." Just as those words slipped out of her mouth, Barkpaw stepped through the reeds. "I already caught a mouse. I'm going over to the other side of the island so I can get a better chance at getting some more prey.", he said with a smile on his face. They could have just asked me to leave if they wanted privacy.He thought in the back of his mind with amusment.

Ravencry closed his eyes and pushed his nose into her soft brown fur. He wished more than anything that there was some way they could be together, but it just wasn't that easy. He'd have to move on sooner or later. He quickly stepped back when Barkpaw arrived. Obviously their time alone was over for now. "Good job, Barkpaw," he praised his apprentice, his usual attitude back now. "Lets get some hunting done before the sun goes down," he suggested.

Scarletstar couldn't help but fully relaxe whenever Ravencry pushed his nose into her fur. When Barkpaw came back she agreed with Ravencry that they should get some more hunting down before it gets any later. I will never love another.

Ravencry glanced once at Scarletstar, then turned and bounded away into the reeds. "I'll try over here," he meowed before he bounded away. He quickly caught the scent of a water vole and dropped into a hunter's crouch. He waited, hearing the small rustlings of the leaves. He pinpointed his target and flexed his muscles, readying to attack. He sprang, sending dry leaves into the air behind him as he rose in the air. He landed squarely on the vole, ending it's life with a swift bite. He buried his catch and stalked off to find more.

Scarletstar saw Ravencry leave and so she started tracking down prey. Soon she had a squirrel and a mouse. She had carried it back to the clearing the cats were before and sat down. She smelt another mouse in the grasses. Maybe just one more... She got into a hunters crouch, getting ready to spring by moving her haunches up and down. Then...leap! She pounced on the helpless animal and before you could say mousebrain, she added a third piece of prey to her pile. Then she saw Barkpaw come to her with four pieces of prey. He sat them down and looked at his leader expectantly. "Very good,Barkpaw. I am impressed at how much you have caught in so little time. As soon as Ravencry gets done we will head back to camp. It's getting late and I don't want to leave Riverclan alone for so long."

Ravencry padded toward his leader with his catch dangling in his jaws; a mouse, a water vole, and a small thrush. He waited, his tail twitching, for them to head back. He couldn't speak since his jaws were stuffed full of prey.

"Good job everyone. Now lets go back to camp", Scarletstar said. She leaped through the willows toward Riverclan leading the way. (Continues there.)