The Rain Clears [Rowan, Dusk]

[Willow]

[continuation of dark sunrise]

Willowstar's paws hit soggy ground. Squish. Squish. Squish. It was starting to get annoying but there was nothing she could do about it. Once she slowed to a walk, the noise would subside. She'd just have to deal with it until she made it to her destination. Rain had in fact begun to fall as she, Duskfrost and Rowanwind made their way to better hunting grounds. She had convinced them they needed to go a little further away from camp. Duskfrost was, to but it lightly, unhappy.

Willowstar didn't mind the rain. She just minded the swampy mud. As she ran, she envisioned Duskfrost's surly face as he followed her. A smirk graced her lips at the thought. The ShadowClan leader began to slow her pace as they reached a prime hunting spot near a small creek. The perfect place to catch frogs and lizards with or without rain.

She brought herself to a stop, skidding in the muddy ground. With a hiss of disgust, she shook out her paws in attempts to remove the sticky mud but to no avail. With a small grimace, she turned to face her companions. "Well, a little rain and mud never hurt anyone, right?" she said, forcing cheer into her voice with a pointed smirk at Duskfrost.

"Duskfrost, take the left. Rowanwind the right. I'll see if there's anything to catch around here." She watched as they obeyed her commanding tone and set off to find her own prey, nose to the ground and ears pricked forward.

Rrribbet.

She perked up at the tell-tale noise of a frog enjoying the rain. Now where was it? Scenting in the downpour was more than difficult. Instead she used her eyes and ears. The frog croaked again and Willowstar followed the noise and spotted the animal. It was a big one, fat off the insects that had plagued the land in leaf-fall.

One paw step. Another. The she-cat slowly approached the amphibian as silently as she could in the mud. She leaped. Outstretched claws caught the frog unawares, digging into its thick hide. It had no chance. The slimy animal attempted to hop away but Willowstar delivered a quick bite to the neck before it could go anywhere.

She looked upwards, frog dangling from her mouth. The rain was ceasing. It was already lighter, as was the sky. The dark clouds of the morning were beginning to give way to afternoon sunlight. A contented purr escaped the ShadowClan leader as she sat on the muddy ground, waiting for the other two to reappear.

words: 420
tags: Rowanwind and Duskfrost
notes: Long over-due but I thought Dusk said she was going to start it D=

[duskfur]

DUSKFROST

It was wet.

The soggy deputy shook out a hind foot as his paws sank step by step into the marshy ground. He was used to light sinking and moisture, but the rains had taken their toll on the territory and churned it up into a muddy wet mess that would require webbed toes to navigate. At the sound of a running creek chortling over rocks and sticks and other debris, he could have killed himself. This was the only time he wished that he was a WindClan or ThunderClan cat, running along dry moors or in the sheltering shadows of broadleaf trees. At least, until he could feel the darkness encroaching on the territory and felt the north wind breeze through his whiskers—moments like that made it worth it.

“Well, a little rain and mud never hurt anyone, right?” The cheery voice of his leader after she’d struggled with the mud made him grimace harder.

He nodded almost imperceptibly when it was suggested he head to the left. Ears pricked, he started along the edge of the creek and listened for the rustle of grass as amphibians hopped from spot to spot. Once or twice something croaked, making him stark still, almost invisible in the overcast day due to his dusky grey pelt. However, the frogs matched him with camouflage, and he was worried about standing in one place for too long in case the ground swallowed him up. It was a stupid, stupid concern but seemed more real than anything else as his paws splayed over the disgusting mud.

Something unwittingly hopped in front of him, bulged its throat with a loud announcing croak, and only managed to bug its eyes out at him once before he’d swatted it a cat-length to the side. In a mood, he growled with pleasure and smacked it again even though the shock of the first blow had already killed it. The prime example of a feline playing with its food, he gave it one last toss with his paw before grabbing it, looking around to see if anyone had noticed, and finally making his way toward where Willowstar was hunting with a lighter step. As sunlight lightened the already pale grey-brown of her coat and brought out the gold in her yellow eyes, he lifted his tail in greeting and even managed a friendly wag of it before putting the prey on the ground before her and pricking his ears expectantly.

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ooc; lol thought we'd continue it in the camp. but this is fine. xD and beating up dead frogs makes dusky in a better mood. he's kind of sadistic. oO