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Despite trying to act more aloof, Shadowsong purred a little when Brightsong announced her as the winner. Accepting her reward, she was content with just lazing in her victory.

Accept, she couldn't, not when Fawnbriar was being suspiciously subdue. The race seemed to hurt her based on the way she limped. Still, it didn't strike her as the only reason her friend seemed so much more down than she was.

Brightstar seemed to be picking up on something as well.

Her ears went back then flicked forward while the tip of her tail swished around. Finally, she let out a harsh breath out her nose before standing up and stretching. While a bit exaggerated, the stretch did feel good after that run. Nudging her orange and white friend, Shadowsong encouraged the she-cat, "Come on Fawnbriar. After that run we could both use a cool down. It will be like when we were kits." When her encouragement didn't quite get the reaction she wanted, the game was upped.

Swatting at her friend's ear, she finally got a growl. There is signs of life yet! "Come on, lets go, you'll feel better." Maybe not, something more than the run was on her mind. At least it would be a distraction. Neither of them went for bugs since they were kits themselves. Might be fun.

Given the option, she'd happily lay there forever at this point. Closet thing to a purr came from the response to Brightstar. Standing out in the race could make it easier to ask to stay once she got the leader alone. That feeling was soon replaced with irritation as Shadowsong mistook her for a kit! No, no she did not want to go bug hunting.

But also didn't seem to be given much of a choice. "Oh, I'll catch a bug alright." Her eyes narrowed at the other she cat, catch a big annoying bug. Even with her protest, she still stood up and started to follow after her friend slash enemy. Her gate had a noticeable limp from her strained paw. It wasn't as much painful as it was something to slow her down. Rest and she'd be fine, but it meant she was slower.

At least they were going after bugs not birds. One try and she was going back to rest up for the next challenge.

Walking past her apprentice, Shadowsong swelled with pride, "Very good job, Flamepaw" That her apprentice even tried was reason enough. How many bugs she seemed to have gave her even more reason. That young shecat could be anything she wanted, and her results proved that.

Frostpaw grinned excitedly. He LOVED this tale! Maybe a little bit more than he probably should have. Perhaps because Snowdrop used to tell it to him to make him go to sleep when she was tired. Despite being her only kit.... he was quite a pawfull. “OH OHOH!” He about shouted as he bounced up and closer to tall rock to peer up at Brightstar. “I know! I’ve seen him! “ He meowed, waiting to see if any were listening to him, particularly Silverpaw and Pinepaw.

“He’s a biiiiiiiiiiiiiiiig big BIG cat! Bigger than Thornslash!” He pointed at the large brown Tom who simply snorted in amusement. “Thick, fluffy but messy white fur with a solid black tail and black ears! Fur like, no matter how many times you groom it, it doesn’t stick. AND AND his face is punched in! Like if he ran into a tree! With one big snarly tooth that just sticks out over his cheeks the entire time.” He said, pushing his paws against his face and scrunching back his cheeks to do his best to demonstrate.

“One eye is big big, wide, blue, almost like its staring into your very soul! The other... squinted, like all the time. And yellow. A muddy yellow like its seen so much but still keeps going.” He mused again, shuddering. “One ear is torn, shredded like he was in a battle with a big nasty dog! BUT.” Frostpaw paused for effect, breathing heavily. “Obviously, HE won. Because his claws are long and massive and never go back in. Some say its because he likes hearing the clack of his nails against the ground. But also so the kits he steals can’t squirm away!”

Frostpaw paused again, turning his head dramatically to the other side. “I saw him once. Creep in. He hunched down but still hardly fit through the queen’s den entrance. He looked at me and laughed quietly, giving me a hoarse shhh as I laid there, snuggled against mom. I squirmed, trying to burry myself under her. He reached for me but he got stuck. His wild fur was caught in the thorns and he couldn’t quite get me! I panicked but mom kept sleeping so i squirmed under her more for protection. He struggled for such a long time it felt, but because he couldn’t get thru further he finally gave up. I’m guessing because he realized I was just too amazing.” He paused and grinned, puffing himself out.

“Never seen him after that though. And rightfully so. I’d give him a what’s for now!” He laughed finally, setting down, tail curled around his paw, head and weed hat held high after his heroic tail.

19 + 15 + 17 = 51

Flamepaw listened to the Lightningclan apprentice and shook her head. He obviously had no clue what the Bandersnatch cat really looked like. Or why they were called that in the first place. But she knew. And she wanted to say so.... but she was shy....and timid. Could she really speak up in a crowed like this?

However the longer his story went on, the more irritated she found herself until finally Flamepaw put one paw forward. “Stop!”

She yelled, then suddenly shrank back, glancing around at all the cats that had now turned to look at her. “I mean.....that’s not what the bandersnatch cat looks like.” She said softer, sitting down, neck still hunched as she curled her tail around her paw, one eye glancing about.

“She’s a really... really small cat. Really pretty. Fur the color of the sun, dappled with a cool tree’s shadow (torti fur). Her eyes are a piercing yellow and glow warm and bright. If you saw her.... you’d not think much ill of her at first. Because she’s so inviting...and beautiful and warm.” She trailed off, recalling the tale how her mother used to tell her.

“But at night, she’d slip away. Almost every night. You could hear her painful wails from the night she lost her own kits due to sickness and lack of fresh kill. When she’s done, she returns to camp and slinks quietly to the queen’s den. She slips inside easily, unheard, her eyes now wild and fearsome. She sits for a while. Just watching you, a twisted smirk upon her once beautiful face. When shes satisfied that none of the mother’s will wake is when she strikes, stealing kits from their mothers to try and replace the ones she lost...” Flamepaw finished, her embarrassment getting the better of her.

“A-a-anyways....that’s what she looks like.” She said softly and dipped back behind her mentor.



10 + 10 + 11 = 31

Silverpaw spots something and goes to see what it is

Silverpaw crept closer, slowly as not to startle what was inside the grass, she stopped short of the clump and lay her head on the ground in front her her, being as unthreatening as possible. "Hey there" she whispered

"oops, sorry little bird" she muttered, after recovering from the small scare it had given her, she watched the feather flutter down and took it, cute momento.

((she's taking it))

There are a few good candidates to share that many kills with, starting with her apprentice and closest friend.

Story time gave both shecats a chance to rest as the others took their turns telling stories. The idea of a cat that snatched kits from their nursing den seemed to hit Fawnbriar pretty hard. The orange and white shecat had her head buried in her shoulder but that was fine. It was reason enough to remain quite and just purr. It soothed them both.

The other reason was the pride she felt for her apprentice, that young shecat was really showing what she was made of. Hunting without prompting and now speaking her own version of the story. Chuckling as the brave apprentice made her tactical retreat. Nudging the Apprentice with an affectionate head bonk, Shadowsong let her feelings known.

Oh, treeclimbing to wrap things up? That aught to perk up her friend.

Standing she stretched a few extra moments before walking up to the tree. Looking at its branches and calculating catmath, Shadowstorm called back just to fawnbriar, "I'll see you at the top!" Her challenge ignored the game, ignored the clan. This was all about perking her friend up and having a little fun.