Empty Wasteland or No? (Open)

[Kovu]

Frecklegaze :: Barren Wasteland Area a Ways Away from the 'Camp'

An earth-marked she-cat of no distinguishable marks save her 'freckles' was disciplining herself when a scent washed over her. Her crouch deepened as the scent flowed over her, invigorating her with the hope of fresh blood and ripe meat. For the tang of succulent meat strengthened her weary, starving limbs.

The deputy moved closer to the birds. Odd birds she had never seen before, which was odd because of their large size. Danger she felt none, exhilaration was fully coursing through her thick, hot blood.

No scent of feline could she detect, though it was fresh, for she was so absorbed and latched onto her survival instincts. On overdrive they had become and a low growl of the hunter boomed deep in her chest, lowly though, as she waited for the most opportune time to strike. Predator versus predator. Life became the prize.

Frecklegaze licked her chops.

Ready.

[mai]

A gray blur speed into the flock. He screeched and jumped high up digging his claws into one of the fleeing birds chest and dragging it down to the ground. His tail lashed the ground as he went for others that had been startled. Stonegem scent had been blowing away from the birds trying to get as much prey as he could. Though he couldn't see on his right side he was always ready. He whipped around when he caught the scent of another cat that made his fur rise in surprise. Even if the clans had joined together temporarily he was still wary. His eyes scanned the dusty gray terrain and saw the white spots on the ground. he backed away uneasily not sure how this was gonna go down.

[Kovu]

And seemingly out of nowhere, just as she pounced, so did another cat. But she pushed the shock of alarm or a presence of either friend or foe, she went on her hunting spree. One vulture down...a second...an even a third as her heightened senses went on overdrive before she realized they had all left in their terror at finding how they were being classified as hunted this time and not the other way around.

She whirled on the cat then, clumps of raggedy feathers and blood scattered all upon her coarse pelt. "Who are you and what do you think you were trying to accomplish by scaring away all my prey?!" she snarled vehemently, striding over to the tomcat with a wrinkle to her snout in disgust and hatred.

And then she realized that she hadnt seen this cat before. Figures. Well, now he would get to meet to the fury of Frecklegaze, for she was just in this present fury.

[mai]

Stonegem bristled "I should be asking the same thing!" He snapped. "For your info I'm Stonegem of Stormclan and the vultures weren't your prey. They don't belong to anyone. They are fair game!" He growled as the feathers floated down to the ground only to be picked up by the wind. His one good eye smoldered with anger at the raggedy she-cat.

His claws came unsheathed as he took a step toward her "If ya want a fight then bring it!" he spat on the ground "I've faced tougher things then a moody she-cat!" his thick tail lashed the ground and he eyed her critically.

[Kovu]

Her turquoise blazing eyes whipped wide with shock, "StormClan?!" almost all aggression gone from her as she came upon this knowledge. Then her tail lashed as another thought struck her, "Because you are my Clanmate, Weaselstar would definitely disapprove if I killed you...but mauling you slightly would be more than fair considering you messed up my hunt beyond repair." her claws unsheathed and flexed in and out of the dry earth as she snarled, tail lashing.

"Without your nuisance self, Stonegem, pah, I could have nailed five of the beasts easy!" her nostrils flared with vehemence. Hearing him challenge her, her eyes narrowed threateningly, "Why don't YOU bring it, and see how your Clan deputy, Frecklegaze, Hm, ME, treats you."

[mai]

"Killed me?" he scoffed out and his ears pricked "Your my clanmate? I highly doubt that, but if ya are then there is no reason to fight." His fur laid flat as he turned away from her leaving his two kills "With your 3 and my two you have finally got 5 of those beasts you wanted so badly!" he spat on the ground. Without looking back he added "I don't indulge in someone else delight. That would make it seem like they are winning, and THAT goes against everything that I know." he walked away from the younger she-cat muttering to himself about how the young were violent and blood thirsty.

His eye scanned the area before him. Barren wasteland that had dust floating around by being kicked up by the playful winds. Tumbleweeds danced along with their friends. Little movement caught his senses, not even a desert rat came out into the sun. All hid from the heat. "Maybe if I came at night there will be more out..." he mumbled to himself again. No friends what so ever. But he was cool with it. His mouth was dry and hunger bit his stomach, so he began sniffing the ground and digging into the dirt.

[Kovu]

With a snort of disbelief, all aggression vanished from the feisty she-cat and she began to quickly bury four of the five to return to later. Gah, it would take all day to lug the heavy burdens back to camp herself. She groaned at the thought of the labor ahead in the blistering sun as she picked up the remaining vulture which was very nearly twice her size. She coughed out a feather as she choked on it clumsily, padding quickly after the tom.

Seeing him beginning to dig, she spat out her heavy vulture and cleared her throat, "So...Whatchya doing...?" she wondered idly, already beyond bored and not looking forward to carrying back their prey by herself. Her ears flattened, but no other sign showed her displeasure at having to grovel eventually.

[mai]

"What's it look like. Trying to find moisture in the cruel place others call land." he growled digging further beneath the ground until he found what he looked for and dragged it up from the ground. A millipede was curled up in a type of defense. He quickly began to scuff it across the ground until he thought it was clean. "This is both food and moisture." He said the words calmly and bit the head. He had gotten used to eating anything from his younger days being alone and thought nothing of it.

He ate half and batted the rest toward her "Want some?" He asked licking his lips. At least his mouth was wet and he had some food. "Survival comes before all else. Not even taste. Insects are the best way to get water and food at the same time even though it's limited. You could eat a scorpion if you manage to get the stinger off. The easiest though are these things, though they secret some vile stuff just rub them in the ground to get rid of it. Some plants are edible and hold water, though if you don't like bitter stuff I wouldn't suggest it." he went on without thinking anything was wrong. "After your filled up I'll help ya carry the bird back to the clans."

[Kovu]

But Frecklegaze did the unexpected. She pursed her maw and examined him more thoughtfully, watching him eat and even enjoy the morsel of juicy meat. Is that even allowed? Bugs must clearly be edible. The deputy was special, she wasnt ever 'grossed out' by anything that she knew of yet so this was clearly interesting her. She took up his words to heart and instead leaned closer and licked her lips.

Saying only, "I'll take a try. No one'll dare accuse me of being a coward about this stuff anyways...But you might not wanna suggest that we eat scorpion for I'm sure that will go down real well around StormClan." her top lip curled up with amusement and disgust at how some of her Clanmates were.

Then, she popped the other half into her mouth with a flip of her nose scooped under the prey and snapped it up. Flavor, never had before, danced across her tongue as she registered whether or not she agreed with it. After she swallowed, she passed her tongue thoughtfully over her lips and opened her mouth to speak...when she burped. Contentedly. Her tail flicked easily to and fro and she smirked at him, "Thanks. Not half bad actually. I dont see why cats whine about it so much. Meat is meat afterall, right?"

[mai]

He stared wide eyed at her "Right..." he said shaking his head in amazement "I think it's partly because it's not fury and has red blood." He got up and padded toward the dead bird "When you grow up alone you do the craziest things in order to live." He picked up a wing and mouthful of feathers in his mouth and dragged the bird toward her.

"If you would please grab the other wing." He said in a muffled voice, his one eye glittered with amusement.

[Kovu]

She had amazed him, kept him on his toes while dancing upon her own. Good, the world needed to be more impressed with the mighty Frecks anyways. Too bad she was too high upon her pedestal and needed to be taken down a few notches, but good luck to all who attempted. She gave a quick toss of her flamboyantly hot head and scoffed at the others who wouldnt dare try it. Great cats like she were hunters. They lived to hunt, not the other way around.

"Hm...You grew up alone? Where'd you come from anyhow?" she wondered idly as she grabbed the other wing obligingly. Stupid big size trying to engulf her small but compact form. The fur on the back of her neck stood up with indignation he had to see her suffer.

[mai]

He looked away "Yea...all alone...though when my eye was healing i coulda sworn my mom left prey for me at the entrance of the den...." he trailed off looking at the ground "I...came from....Outside StormClan territory. At least a good days walk from where it had been...That's all I know..." his mood had grown sullen now and he tried to shake it off. "I don't know what my family looks like. I was too young when they left. Only blank faces with no features, just colors, no names only sounds that come from no where."

He looked back at her "Some who weren't born into the clans had to live alone."

[Kovu]

Frecklegaze said nothing for a while and avoided looking at the tom. Musing thoughtfully until finally, she muttered, "Well...youre not alone now. So make the best of what you've got." her tail lashed and even she realized how lame that sounded. But she had trouble revealing her emotions and opening up to others, yet she struggled so hard to try.

Suddenly she froze and a ripple of unease tore down her flank and lifted her scraggly pelt. She immediately dropped the wing and lifted her nose to the wind. "Something's up..." she grunted with a frown.

[mai]

He stopped beside her and looked around, his mouth gaping open as he tried to detect the scent of any other creature "What is it?" he asked, squinting his eye to try and see. His fur along his back rose and he fear spiraled down his back. He was now VERY worried about their situation. They were far from any other cat much less the clans and loners. His claws slid out to be ready.

[Kovu]

The brown she-cat breathed in deeply, drinking in the unfamiliar scent. "It's...weird..." she commented, furrowing her brow in a frustrated yet confused manner. She began to walk towards the scent, nose still in the air as she padded cautiously forward. The scent was quite intriguing and tickled her nose. She opened her bright turquoise eyes once noticing that she had made contact with something...someone rather. "Er..." their noses were connects and her fur ruffled, "What exactly did you happen to roll in before this...?" she mumbled awkwardly, her eyes trying to avoid his as she backed awkwardly away.