{TIRED}

[trissea]

He was always hungry, and almost always tired. It was greenleaf, but even in the sun and brightness, the drought-like weather had the prey fast and nimble, and the large tabby tom was always hunting for his Clan instead of for himself. Sometimes, he felt as if nothing he did would be able to help his Clan- but he made himself think differently, and ended up hunting longer. His fur prickled with unease as he padded towards a break in the harsh sunlight- the shade of a holly bush. With a small sigh, Pebblestar sat, dropping his young rabbit and field mouse beside him. The rabbit would be for the Clan- he would take the ouse now so that he could have more energy later. Besides, he wasn't as important as the younger cats in his Clan, at least not in his mind.

He pulled the limp rodent towards him and began to eat, pulling off meat from bone and chewing methodically, swallowing ever so often. About now, in his quieter moments, was when he missed Jaycall the most. Was she happy with Streak? Had she renamed herself Jay? Would he ever see her again? Was she even alive? It had been moons since the pretty she-cat had left and joined a loner, and being betrayed by his ex-mate made him reluctant to find a new one, although there were plenty of she-cats to be excited enough about. He finished the mouse in a few gulps, marveling that he was still hungry, and licked his lips, thoughtful. There has to be something I can do for the Clan that I'm not already doing, Pebblestar thought, There's no hope in the Clan! In this world we have to make our own luck...If someone was looking for hope, they're in the wrong territory..(Xp LOST quote...Hippie car ftw!)

If only he could make any cat excited about something, passionate about something. They could all use a little break from the harsh sunlight and heavy duties. Sometimes it seemed as if a warrior's life wasn't worth living. It was his job, as leader, to change that. Think, think, come on! He closed his eyes, then opened them again, green and clouded with worry. It's no use! He let out a low, mournful growl, and buried the prey's bones, turning to the wind to scent any prey he'd missed.

[Roxie !]

A young hare wandered tentatively away from its warren, its ears quivering. The stormcloud-tainted gaze of a feline tracked its every movement, missing nothing as it hopped a few tail-lengths, then raised its head to gaze around. The hares and rabbits that roamed these moorlands were jumpy and paranoid, and in this way the she-cat could relate to them. But she could not sympathize with them. They were prey, and the Clan was waiting to be fed. Keeping close to the ground in a hunters crouch, the skinny little tabby swept toward the creature step by step. She didn't dare betray herself by even a flick of an ear, praying desperately that she had successfully blended into the moorland around her. As a rule, most WindClan cats had long legs for chasing their prey across the open territory, and this she-cat was no exception. She couldn't afford to take any chances, however--she wanted to get as close to the hare as she could before racing at it.

The young she-cat had been so concentrated on her prey that she'd become lost in her own little world. All that existed was the hare and herself, and nothing in between. Perhaps she should have been paying more attention. For suddenly, loud SNAP sounded broke the silence, and she nearly sprang out of her fur. It was a moment before she realized that she had stepped on a twig that was perhaps blown there by the wind, or dropped by a bird creating its nest. She winced, but it was too late: the hare, having froze momentarily, dropped onto all fours again and bolted.

Wordlessly, she sprang after it, legs carrying her across the windy moor as fast as they could. The feline and the hare were two racing blurs, and the grey tabby's heart pounded with the excitement of the chase. It didn't last long. The hare had been too close to its warren, and as she looked on in frustration, it threw itself into the little hole and disappeared from sight.

It's pursuer skidded to a halt nearby, her tail lashing. "Mouse dung!" Drizzlepaw spat furiously, her eyes gleaming. She'd almost had it, and now...now once again, she'd ruined everything. She wasn't likely to get another chance like that today. Why can't I toughen up and be as good as the other apprentices? She thought miserably. It wasn't just that; Drizzlepaw had more than one reason to be upset over the loss of her prey. She couldn't say that she exactly enjoyed hunting, but it really did serve to keep her mind off things. When her mind was focused on rabbits and birds, she could temporarily forget the state of depression she'd been under since she could remember. It was a nice escape from the rest of the world and her insignificant place in it. Now that she was left alone once more, the haunted look began to seep back into Drizzlepaw's silvery-green gaze. She shivered as the moorland winds blew over her, although only moments ago she had been undaunted by them. She hated this unexplainable sense of fear that came over her frequently. StarClan, what was wrong with her?

Tail drooping, Drizzlepaw turned around and slunk through the grass in the opposite direction. Now that that was over, she decided that she might as well go back to camp. Although she couldn't say she looked forward to the social conditions this would mean(she absolutely hated crowds), it was better than lurking out here like a useless furball.

As she padded on, the grey tabby occasionally bothered to glance up from where her eyes were fixed sullenly on the ground, and look around her. Upon doing so once again, she realized that she could spot a familiar dark tabby form nearby. It was Pebblestar, WindClan's leader, and the one cat that Drizzlepaw actually looked up to. She paused uncertainly. She really wasn't in the mood for a conversation(but then, was she ever?), but it seemed rude and disrespectful to pass her leader by without speaking. And besides, part of her was curious about what Pebblestar was doing out here by himself, although she knew it was really none of her business to be concerned. Half-reluctantly, she paused a fox-length or two away. "Hello, Pebblestar." Drizzlepaw meowed quietly, dipping her head in a respectful gesture.

[trissea]

He had still been lost in thought when he scented a fellow WindClanner- after a moment he recognized the earthy, slightly bitter scent of Drizzlepaw, who had always intruiged him more than was nessecary. She seemed to have a potential, a spark that no other apprentices he'd ever known had. And besides which she was brave enough to come out here on her own. Since he'd revoked the rule of no outside camp without mentor, at least for the older apprentices, very few had ventured far from camp, and the simple fact that Drizzlepaw, although carrying no prey, was here... it showed the leader that his Clan was still worth leading- and that there was a future he had to prepare them for.

He gave the thin gray tabby a once-over, his green orbs projecting nothing within, then looked up. The sun was going to set in a while, but not too soon. And the storm he scented on the breeze was far away, at least until nightfall. "Hello, Pebblestar,

[/i]" her voice struck him as very calm and even, especially for a cat who was by herself, and so young. His dark lips turned upwards into a small smile as he regarded her carefully, stepping towards her and flicking her flank with his tail.

"Drizzlepaw," he meowed, and then hesitated. He didn't want her to take this the wrong way, so he had to say it... a certain way. "Would you like to hunt for a while longer? I could tutor you some if you'd like, but if not I will be pleased to accompany you back to camp." He knew that she, like him, was not one to talk much, and [/color]for that he respected her.[/center][/sub]

[Roxie !]

After being addressed in return, Drizzlepaw averted her gaze for a moment, her paws scuffing the ground absentmindedly. This was a habit she had taken to whenever she was feeling particularly jumpy or uncomfortable. After all, she never seemed to be able to find the right words to say to anyone, let alone the leader of her Clan. Her tail twitching nervously, the apprentice eventually returned her gaze to Pebblestar, feeling that it would be a bit disrespectful to stare at the ground any longer. It seemed that she had looked up just in time to hear him speak again, offering to tutor her hunting. The apprentice's ears pricked in surprise.

This was unusual; seeing as Drizzlepaw kept to herself most of the time, not many cats paid attention to her. At least, not very often. However, Pebblestar seemed to understand that she could use a bit of help, and she couldn't help feeling a bit embarrassed. She knew that the leader was a very skilled hunter. What would he think if he saw that one of the apprentices of his own Clan was struggling as much as she was? Wincing, Drizzlepaw flattened her ears briefly. On the other hand, she appreciated that his offer had been tactful, and there was the fact that she hadn't been properly mentored in some time. It would be foolish to refuse help now, especially when at this point, she had so little pride to defend anyway.

Then of course, there was the nagging fact that if she ever wanted to become a warrior, her hunting would have to improve. This made up the tabby's mind. Straightening up again, she blinked once before replying. "Alright...thank you." Drizzlepaw dipped her head again, her tone quiet, but grateful. Once she had agreed, the apprentice couldn't help but brighten slightly. Perhaps with Pebblestar's help, she actually had hope of improving.

It was then that she hesitated, reluctant to speak her thoughts aloud. Nervously, she stared down at her paws again, silent for a long moment before meowing, "I...I guess I'm alright with birds. It's the rabbits; they always seem to hear me coming." Sheepishly, her eyes narrowed with fresh embarrassment. What kind of WindClan cat was she if she couldn't even catch a stupid rabbit?

[trissea]

<sub>He smiled as she spoke, then, his voice getting quieter as if he were telling a secret, he leaned towards her. "You won't believe me, but when I was your age, I couldn't catch anything. My mentor didn't help me much, but I taught myself by watching others. If I did it without any help, you can certainly do it with help!" His eyes sparkled and he smelled the air again, carefully picking out various scents. Stale rabbit. Stale fox. Stale patrol. Fresh! Fresh rabbit!

Now he was really whispering, his ears flattened slightly as he sank into a hunter's crouch. "Alright, here's one now. When you're hunting rabbits, downwind isn't as important. The most important thing is to be quiet." Pebblestar took a step forward, his brown tail flicking behind him. "They have big ears for a reason, after all. They might hear you-" he scuffed the ground with a forepaw on purpose, and the young buck stood on it's hind legs, sniffing the air, trying to decide whether to run or not. The tabby froze, holding his breath, and soon enough the rabbit turned away, nibbling again on the grass. "And if they do, just freeze. Most of them will ignore you. They're not very smart animals." He stalked closer, silent, low to the ground. Within a tail-length he leaped- but the rabbit was ready.

The small animal streaked across the clearing, but Pebblestar was ready for it. With a low growl he set off behind it- the legendary WindClan speed becoming apparent as he did, becoming but a blur, seemingly not touching the ground. He leaped and pinned the prey to the ground, and with a swift bite to the neck he felled the animal, turning with the limp body grasped firmly in his maw. He dropped it near a bush and turned back to Drizzlepaw. "It's hard not to make any noise," he admitted, "But I've seen you run, and you're fast. As long as you're not too far behind him to begin with, you'll be fine!"</sub>[/sub][/color]

[Roxie !]

Drizzlepaw listened carefully, hanging on to her leader's every word as he spoke. The apprentice's grey-green eyes widened when Pebblestar spoke of his own apprenticeship. It seemed impossible that he, one of the best hunters in WindClan, was once in a position much like hers. She knew that if that had been her, she'd have never been able to learn by observing other cats, though she wished she could. If she could teach herself, then no cat would witness her clumsy hunting skills. As much as Drizzlepaw tended to stray from the crowd, she really was loyal to WindClan, and couldn't bear to disappoint them. She looked up at Pebblestar with a new respect in her gaze, almost not daring to believe his story. Maybe, just maybe, there was a tiny bit of hope left. She silently prayed to StarClan that the leader's faith in her was not ill-placed.

The grey tabby nodded silently as Pebblestar explained to her the correct way to hunt a rabbit. She froze suddenly, her eyes darting from the leader to the rabbit when it stood up on its hind legs. Would Pebblestar let this one get away? Drizzlepaw held her breath in anticipation, and then let out a quiet sigh when the rabbit returned to its grazing. The freezing trick seemed to work after all. The apprentice watched with growing interest as the brown tabby tom gave chase to his prey. Before she could even blink, he'd pinned it to the ground and killed it quickly. Drizzlepaw blinked in admiration as the leader padded back to her. How would she ever get that good?

The grey tabby's ears flicked at the leader's compliment on her speed, and she stared at the ground modestly. It still seemed rather hopeless, but she knew that she had to at least give it a shot. "I'll try," Drizzlepaw agreed quietly. "But I--" It was then that she froze as a fresh, familiar scent caught her attention. The breeze had carried the scent of a young rabbit! Drizzlepaw turned to look over the moorland, her gaze scanning the territory for any signs of the prey. It took a moment, but she soon spotted the dusky brown shape of the creature as it hopped through the grass. It hadn't seemed to have spotted them, and it soon turned its back to nibble at the leaves of a plant. Drizzlepaw cast a wary glance at Pebblestar. She supposed it was now or never.

Trying to remember what Pebblestar's crouch had looked like, Drizzlepaw slipped into one that felt right, at least. Carefully, she crept closer to the rabbit, hardly daring to breathe. Her heart was beating so loudly that she swore the rabbit would soon hear it and leap away. But the creature only went on nosing through the grass. Drizzlepaw could hardly believe her luck, and lowered her gaze as briefly as she dared to the ground to make sure she wouldn't step on anything that would give her away this time. She was so close now...but then rabbit turned, and the apprentice instinctively gave a sharp intake of breath. This proved to be a mistake--the rabbit's ears pricked as it sniffed the air cautiously.

Unable to endure anymore of the suspense, Drizzlepaw bunched the muscles in her back legs and leaped forward. The rabbit took one look and bolted, but she was after it in a flash. It was a sensation that almost felt like flying, though she was only vaguely aware of the wind whipping through her fur as she raced after her prey. She seemed to be gaining on it at this point...in fact, she was almost close enough to leap! The rabbit darted through a bush, and the she-cat sprang in after it. She felt her claws rake its flanks briefly, before she was suddenly pulled back. One of her back legs had become tangled in the bush! Drizzlepaw hissed in frustration and pulled free, but the rabbit had already made it through and was racing away. It was too late.

Emerging from the bush and shaking her pelt of a few leaves, the apprentice watched it go for a moment before trailing back to Pebblestar.Her head was low, and her eyes narrowed. "I'm sorry," She murmured "I'm really sorry...stupid, clumsy..." She cursed herself under her breath, unable to meet Pebblestar's gaze.

[trissea]

<sub>He watched her as she spoke, feeling a strange twinge of responsibility for her. She will be a warrior in a few moons, he realized. He froze as she froze, scenting the young rabbit as well. He nodded at her, twitching his tail to egg her on. If she could catch this one, then surely she'd gotten what he'd been saying. Her crouch was flawless- her pistons slid smoothly into a low-slung position, and he smiled slightly at the fiercely concentrated look on her face. Her eyes gleamed as she took a step forward, this time silently. She's got it! Just as she was nearly close enough to leap, the rabbit scented her and turned. Oh no...don't move! For a moment she stayed perfectly still, and then, she sucked in a breath of air. No! The rabbit heard her and sped away.

Pebblestar's heart sank, but then, Drizzlepaw's silver pelt became a blur as she raced after her prey. His heart thudded in his chest, and he held his breath. She can do it! I know she can! She raced through a thicket and he saw her claws unsheath as she raked the strong animal's flanks- but with a grunt she was held back by her leg, as it was stuck in the plant.

"It's fine," he assured her, "You almost had him!"</sub>

[Roxie !]

Drizzlepaw dipped her head modestly to the leader's words, but still said nothing. She'd almost had the rabbit, but hadn't caught it. Almost wasn't good enough, not if she wanted to serve her Clan as best she could. Her stormy eyes were narrowed uncomfortably as she scuffed her paws along the ground. "Okay," She said, as if bracing herself. "I'll try again." After all, she didn't want Pebblestar to think that she gave up easily. After all, practice made perfect, didn't it? Finally looking up to meet the tabby's gaze, Drizzlepaw's resolve hardened. She wasn't going to let the WindClan leader down again. She'd just have to concentrate harder.

The grey tabby turned around and began to scan the moorland once again. Everything seemed silent; for a moment she worried that she had scared all of the prey away, and that it wouldn't be back for awhile. The moors seemed so still and silent. But this was green-leaf, surely there should have been plenty of prey around? Come on, I just need one more chance! She prayed silently. Only more silence followed for several long moments. The apprentice hadn't even noticed the winds drop briefly. But when they picked up again, they were blowing in the other direction--from behind her. And there was the scent of rabbit on the breeze! Slowly, Drizzlepaw turned around, and froze.

Just down the slope, was another rabbit. It had turned to her as if sensing the movement, and was watching her warily out of the corner of its eye. Drizzlepaw didn't dare budge, not even to glance at Pebblestar. This time, she concentrated on holding her breath, until finally the rabbit turned away once again. Excitement coursed through the young she-cat. As silently as she could, she lowered into a hunters crouch. Her grey-green gaze was fixed on her prey's long, bobbing ears. I can't let it hear me. Drizzlepaw reminded herself as she remembered Pebblestar's advice. Pawstep by pawstep, she stalked toward the creature. She had to learn from her mistakes...

Drizzlepaw had been so concentrated on not making any noise that she'd hardly noticed how close she had gotten to the rabbit. Her heart skipped a beat. She was only a few fox-lengths away! The WindClan apprentice hesitated for a moment, and then bunched her muscles. Seconds passed, and then she sprang up and charged towards the prey. The rabbit startled and began to bound away, but Drizzlepaw had already leaped into the air. She landed practically on top of the rabbit, her claws gripping its flanks firmly. It struggled desperately to break free, but the grey tabby managed to pin the creature on its side. Wasting no time and not wishing to push her luck, she dealt a quick bite to the rabbit's neck, killing it instantly.

When the struggle had ended, Drizzlepaw backed away a pawstep or two, staring at the limp form of the rabbit in disbelief. She glanced at Pebblestar silently, her eyes uncharacteristically bright. She'd caught it!

[trissea]

<sub>Pebblestar could feel her disappointment coming off in waves as she agreed to try again, but he was sure she'd be able to catch a rabbit this time around. For some reason he was more sure about this than about almost anything he'd been sure of before- even more than how he'd loved Jaycall. The thought of the pretty she-cat, instead of usually bringing him pain, now made him feel indifferent. There were much more important things happening in the Clan at the moment. And she was gone from his life forever. Drizzlepaw had her entire life in front of her, and he wasn't going to let her waste it moping about her hunting skills. Come on, he urged silently, Try!

The winds ceased for a moment and his heart sank. Great StarClan, no! Just give her one more try... as if in answer to his prayers, the wind picked up again from another direction, ruffling his tabby fur as he settled onto his haunches, watching the silver apprentice. He noticed the change in her as she caught scent of the rabbit- her features hardened and she furrowed her brow in concentration. The young buck had turned towards her, and silently the tom prayed she would not make too hasty movements.

But his prayer was answered yet again. Drizzlepaw sank into another nearly flawless hunting crouch, her paws light on the ground. He watched intently as she slunk towards her prey, and then, as soon as it had begun, she was nearly a tail-length away. The rabbit still so unsuspecting, she leaped. Her well-timed leap had her pinning down the rabbit even though it tried to bolt. She kept it still and swiftly took it's life, turning back to him, her stormy-blue eyes shining in pride.

"Great!" He couldn't think of anything else to say- it was a nearly perfect catch. "See? I told you you could do it!" He could feel his tail curling in amusement. "That was nearly flawless, Drizzlepaw!"</sub>

[Roxie !]

OOC// Sorry for the wait...grr. For some reason, I can NEVER find any muse for Drizzlepaw.


IC// Drizzlepaw sent silent thanks to StarClan for the life of the rabbit she had just taken--but she was also grateful to her warrior ancestors for giving her the opportunity to even catch the prey. It seemed she had finally found a bit of luck, even if only for a short time. The catch had undeniably raised her confidence, and her whiskers twitched happily upon hearing Pebblestar's praise. Grateful for the leader's encouragement, the young apprentice grabbed the rabbit roughly by its scruff. Drizzlepaw dragged the limp form over and dropped it near Pebblestar's paws. Her gaze remained fixed upon the rabbit's gray-brown fur; suddenly she had become quite modest.

Drizzlepaw had never been the best hunter to say the least, and so she wasn't exactly sure how to respond to praise. She couldn't help feeling pessimistic--without Pebblestar's advice, she would have never caught the rabbit. The leader seemed to have a lot of mentoring experience, or else he was just naturally talented at it. He'd have to be, if he can teach me to catch a rabbit. The grey tabby thought, her dismall thoughts slowly but surely returning. She couldn't help but feel that her luck would soon run out, and she didn't want to dissappoint Pebblestar. Why couldn't she just be happy? Many of the other apprentices were eager to show off, and very confident with the skills they had learned. Drizzlepaw wished she could say the same.

"Thanks." The tabby acknowledged humbly, raising her head to meet Pebblestar's gaze at last. "I'll never be as good as you, or any of the other warriors, though." Or even as any of the other apprentices. She admitted, unable out of habit to accept praise without critizing herself as well. She didn't want Pebblestar to think she was ungrateful for his help, though, so she forced herself to look a bit brighter and glance at the rabbit again.

"Should I...take that back to camp?" The apprentice asked unsurely. Now that the adreniline of the hunt had worn off, she wasn't sure what to do with herself.