On the edges - Tawneyclan hunting patrols Noclan's land

The soft, damp smell of the forest mixed with the ash was a new staple of scent identity in the territory of Tawneyclan.

The tall shouldered, sloping backed cats had took it upon themselves to trespass and hunt far out after the destruction of their territory. There was simply too little prey to stay within the confines of their land. They'd snook onto Dewclan and nervously wondered across the waters unto Abyssclan land as well. It was necasarry.

Today they'd traveled well out of their territory but were venturing where few clan cat had into no-clan-land, which was west of the Tawneyclan territory and clear of the only psuedo camps that had been most awfully effected by the flames.

Sinewpaw crept along the hollow of a log, slanted up against its stump. His black nose tested at the crumbly charcoal beneath him, scenting a long gone mouse. Dully, the black tom padded upward and peered out over the underwood overlooked by his position and everything was still and silent. He felt utterly frustrated for a moment before coming out partially to look the other way, feeling a slight breeze tickle his whiskers but no trace of prey, other than... Mosspaw.

He lowered his body steadily and waited, perched in the stump of this fallen oak. Surely enough a she-cat padded out and she looked fed-up also. She drew passed Sinewpaw's position and just before she caught his scent he pounced and landed squarily on her.

"MROOOOOOUWR!" Mosspaw howled and slashed at her attacker. Sinewpaw wrestled her roughly before she heaved him off and her tail wagged furiously at him.
"Is this some kind of joke to you?" She grumbled.
"No, not at all, but you left yourself open and how could I help myself."
Mosspaw looked down at him dispassionatly, "I suppose such a wise, advise giving tom such as yourself has been very succesful in your hunting exposition."
"Well how about you?" Sinewpaw deflected, batting at a snail shell and finding himself on his back.
"I," Mosspaw announced, very unimpressed "-caught a crow."
"Ooh," Sinewpaw purred, rolling now onto his belly and fixing her with his blue eyed stare, "that's a bird more than me."
"You caught nothing."
Sinewpaw shrugged at her before a thump landed near by. It was Swiftwind. The deputy of Tawneyclan looked most unhappy as he stared at the two smaller cats.
"I heard Mosspaw scream," He said "-though it turns out you apprentices were just playing."
Sinewpaw had stood back up and was frowning at Swiftwind awkwardly, "I'm sorry, Swiftwind, there's is no prey to scare away though."
"If there was, then they're gone now."
He looked furious.
Mosspaw stood forward but wouldn't take the blame for this, Sinewpaw had surprised her after all.
"I didn't realise it was Sinewpaw, he jumped on me before I could think to stay quiet."
"It reeks of him here," the deputy's nose scrunched up, "How could you not know it was him?"

The two apprentices shrunk under his gaze. The tom let his claws stretch out as he listened out for Stonepaw's location before he turned his attention to the young cats and said darkly. "This won't do. We have a clan of starved cats, a queen, kits and an ailing, old warrior. We have two apprentices that toy around also, too impressed with themselves to help."

"I_" Sinewpaw gaped.
"No, it wont do at all, you two are both empty mouthes to feed..."

He launched fully at Mosspaw, who had shrunken at his harsh critisism and bowled her over, they twisted around twice before the deputy felt her resist miserably. Sinewpaw froze as he saw the blurr of action before launching inward at Swiftwind but he found himself ontop of Mosspaw holding her down where Swiftwind was. The agile elder tom had sprung away at  an amazing speed at Sinewpaw's assault.

Before Sinewpaw could think he found himself thrown off the she-cat from her own assault with a ", Geroth' you oaf!"
Before he was pinned by the deputy once more. Dizzily, the young black tom looked into the eyes of someone he had considered a friend and painfully mewed, "You can't do this."

((ooooh... dear...))

Stonepaw had managed to stalk a mouse, it wasn't plump but he thought It'll do. He crouched down, he was upwind from the others, but he was more focused on being downwind from the mouse. He shifted his weight, preparing to pounce and managed to land on the mouse. He was about to kill it when he heard Mosspaw cry out.

The mouse squeezed it's way out of his paws, Stonepaw's attention snapped back to it. He gave chase for a brief while until the mouse scrambled underneath some roots of a tree. Stonepaw silently cursed as he began trying to dig the mouse out. But seeing that there was no way he could possibly bring it out, Stonepaw headed back to join the group. He uncovered his kill. What looked to be a baby mouse, because it was so small. This'd probably feed... half a kit!

He sighed inwardly, there was nothing he could find in this area. No wonder no clan has settled here. There's barely any prey! When he finally joined the others, his mouth dropped open and the prey he was holding fell to the ground.
"What's going on?" He gasped, the mouse at his paws now.

Mosspaw launched at Swiftwind, managing to unroot the tom from Sinewpaw who scrambled to his feet. 

"Swiftwind's gone crazy!" She cried at Stonepaw only for the larger Swiftwind to bodily throw her half across the clearing. 

Swiftwind, glanced darkly at Stonepaw before plodding toward Sinewpaw who was frozen, not knowing what to do. 
"You two disapeared just before this all started to happen." 
Swiftwind paused a fox length short of Sinewpaw, "then you come back with not a lick of shame." 
"I came back to my mother being dead," Sinewpaw barely whispered, "how can you say that?" 

Crouching Swiftwind growled, "and how sorry she'd be to see you now."

He sprung.

Stonepaw was frozen, desperately he tried telling his legs to move. His head just flicked from one to another as he watched what looked like a battle happening before his very eyes. When Swiftwind gave Stonepaw a dark look, he flinched. Fear filling his heart and hesitation seeped its way into his mind.

Without thinking Stonepaw dug in his claws and bolted forward, he leaped at Swiftwind, claws sheathed. He didn't want to hurt the deputy, he just didn't want to see the others getting hurt.

While he was mid air he cried out, "Swiftwind, Don't do this!"

(EDITED: STONEPAW SUCCEEDED, CONT'D ON POST BELOW)

Stonepaw bounced backwards slightly, standing between Sinewpaw and the Tawnyclan deputy. "Please! I know that we're going through a tough time, but what will this achieve?" 

Stonepaw gulped, his body was trembling and fear still had it's claws over the young tom, "This isn't like you Swiftwind. Please, we need as many paws as possible to feed the clan. Isn't that why you brought us out here?"

Swiftwind had rolled gracefully back onto his paws away from Stonepaw. He eyed the tom before charging forward, claws out and sparkling in the light.

Stonepaw couldn't think. His heart and ears dropped further realising that Swiftwind wasn't in the mood for talking, or listening to his reasoning. His posture shrunk down, however he fluffed up his fur defensively. As Swiftwind rapidly drew closer Stonepaw's eyes widened, he cried out to the others, "Guys, we gotta run!" He braced himself, terrified as to what's about to occur.

((Sorry it's not much. XP))

Swiftwind paused short of Stonepaw, disappointment crossing his face before Sinewpaw jumped at him with a cry of rage.

The deputy dodged to the side, the smaller Tom skidded, almost banging noses with the other apprentice but luckily missing.

"I was expecting more from you then crying run Stonepaw." Swiftwind said, his tone much softer than previous.
"Sinewpaw your attempts were lacking at best, your time away, while without mentor I know, could have been used to study the ways of others. Mosspaw, you_" the eldest turned and cast an eye over the she-cat who sagged under his gaze, "- what did you do?"

He padded away from the male apprentices so they could all nervously gather in the centre of the hollow.
"Three of you. Three of you and you all failed to stop me, I could have killed Sinewpaw and brought havoc to the clan. It's important we fight unified and lay our lives out for our clan," swiftwind looked seriously at Stonepaw, "I hope, being an outsider originally your loyalties and intentions only honour Tawneyclan. Otherwise, there is no place for you here."
Mosspaw drew herself up, " but Swiftwind how can you s_"
"Your efforts were most disapointing Mosspaw, I expected more of you. And you Sinewpaw... did Lokistar teach you nothing?"
Sinewpaw glowered wistfully at the Tom, though he said nothing.
"You are all bellow average."
He turned and padded away, "return to hunting."

OOC: don't worry about it

((XD Oh my goodness. I seriously laughed just now. I Pretty much threw my hands up in the air saying "I could have made Stonepaw react SOOO much more differently if I had known. haha. Oh man, That was a good one... Anyways, back to the roleplay.))

Stonepaw took a moment, staring at the deputy, his mind trying to put everything together. Stonepaw was breathing rather heavily as he tried to slow his heart which felt like it was going to leap out of his chest. At that point, when realisation hit him, Stonepaw felt utterly disappointed in himself.

So cowardly! Going to run... I'm so stupid! His thoughts drifted elsewhere, to where he saw Swiftwind's eyes. He shuddered, remembering the same sort of eyes. The only other time a cat looked at him that way was... Stormclaw.

As Swiftwind brought up Stonepaw's origins, he shrunk down. He felt angered that the tom challenged his loyalties to Tawnyclan. His words stung at Stonepaw, like an old wound being reopened.

Stonepaw murmured quietly, "Sorry guys." Before he padded away slowly, his tail drooping and head held low. He then picked up his pace and eventually went from a walk to a racing speed. As he got further away from the group, he felt tears stinging his eyes, however he blinked them away. He eventually slowed his pace, shook his head, then began to try and scent for any prey around.

The scolding words of Swiftwind fed Stonepaw's determination to find as much fresh kill as he could. I'll show him! I'll show all of them. I'm more then they think.

((Yeah... XP I can only imagine how badly the events would have gotten to Stonepaw... so why not explore that. haha.))

OOC: the great battle should have effected everyone in a way. Swiftwind used to be relaxed but all his close friends died and he was left alive. You know crying run is in no way surprising. Everyone probably has a bit of ptsd going on after that bloodbath.

Mosspaw and Sinewpaw had waited for their deputy to be out of sight before charging after Stonepaw. It wasn't too hard to find him. Though they were even further out and even more tired, at least the effects of the fire were so minute and hardly noticeable, this meant there'd be prey around.

Sinewpaw spared the feelings talk and went straight to sniffing through the undergrowth. His heart was lurching. Lokistar looking down in disappointment was all he could think of. His ear twitched as Mosspaw began to speak.

"Dont take offence to Swiftwind," she said to Stonepaw's back, tail raised in a friendly way, "he's been a hard fox rump since the Blood war."

As Sinewpaw and Mosspaw approached him, Stonepaw turned and acknowledged their presence with dipping his head, his eyes more focused on the ground beneath him. He turned away, and went to leave until Mosspaw spoke. He flicked his right ear towards her as he listened, standing still.

Stonepaw turned to face her, noticing her friendly manner allowed him to relax somewhat. He smiled weakly as the tears began to build up in his eyes again. Then he responded, "But... I couldn't even save you guys... What would've happened if Swiftwind..." His voice trailed off as he slowly lowered his head, turning it away from her.

"If he was an enemy... I-I couldn't fight him... I can't bring myself to attack someone from the same clan that took me in." He began to tremble, before silently murmuring, "What was I kidding? Once an outsider, always an outsider."

The tears he tried so hard to keep back finally began to fall. Despite this he still held a weak smile, his thoughts doing the remainder of the talk for him.

((He's not regretting being in Tawnyclan, he's just still sensitive about the whole mess. XP))

Mosspaw frowned sadly at the Tom and came forward to rub her cheek softly against his.

"Stonepaw, you shouldn't say things like that. Swiftwind said those things because he wants us to get better. It was harsh but I think he's right. Tawneyclan is descended from generations of cats and we've slipped somehow. This is a chance to redeem ourselves."

Stonepaw suddenly felt Mosspaw rub her cheek against his, causing him to flinch a little, despite this, he relaxed. Returning to his old self again, "I'm sorry. You're right. We need to focus on improving Tawnyclan."

As if his sadness had melted away, Stonepaw's smile was stronger then before. "Thanks Mosspaw." He purred before turning to look for prey.

Thanks a lot.

((Aaaaah! #^-^# I'm sorry. I just imagined Stonepaw's expression change so quickly. haha.))

Purring brightly Mosspaw turned and bounced away out toward a tree that had fallen.

Sinewpaw had caught a large wood pigeon and proudly dropped and buried it.

Stonepaw paused briefly to glance over towards Mosspaw as she left. He then turned his attention towards the familiar scent of mouse. Quietly and quickly, Stonepaw followed the scent. He opened his jowls and breathed in the scent again, eventually pinning down the mouse's location.

Slowly he advanced, just before the mouse was aware of his presence, Stonepaw had pounced, ending the small creature's life with a swift and clean bite to the neck. He buried his kill before continuing to look for more prey.