Rat Hunt

[Darky [Megan]]

Pushing her paws out, far in front of her, the she-cat gave herself a good stretch and then stood up. She trotted over to a small puddle and lapped up the water quickly, drinking only just enough to soothe her dry throat. And then she was off.

Speckledclaw let her nose guide her to the rats she was seeking. A rather large, grey critter, standing bolt upright, sniffing the air, caught her attention. Lovely. Now, she just had to wait a tiny bit for a couple more hunters to trot along. Catching the rat would be no problem.

The warrior sat down patiently, looking right at the rat.

[Spot]

A cricket, away from the rest of its' group, scuttled along the cracked desert earth, unaware of the danger that it was about to be in. Quite content with searching for any fungi to fill its miniature stomach with, it paid no mind to its surroundings. That would be the biggest mistake of that cricket's life. One second, the cricket was alive, the next, a claw dug through its back then stuffed into a large mouth. With a loud crunch, it was dead.

The cat, an orange she-cat, praised herself on the easy catch. The cricket didn't even know what hit it. But, this minuscule piece of prey was not enough to fill her ravenous appetite. What she craved was meat; juicy red meat that she could tear apart with her sharp incisors. The femme gazed around for others who had the same intentions as she. Only the most rat-brained would dare to go after a rat on their own. Together, however, was a lot more safe.

There; she spotted a cat. All alone, she watched a large grey rat with intensity. It was obvious she had chosen her meal. But, she was wise; she wouldn't hunt it alone. No other cat was in sight. Quietly, Brightfur padded towards her, hoping that she could join in on the festivities.

"You mind if I join you?"

She quietly asked the other feline as she came near. It wouldn't be too good if she alerted the rat of their whereabouts; that would mean going to sleep with an empty belly.

[/blockquote]

[Darky [Megan]]

Speckledclaw could smell yet another cat in the area, and with the corner of her eyes she watched the orange she-cat eat the cricket. Speckledclaw hoped that this cat would come over, as she was dying for a good hunt.

Her wish was granted. The orange feline approached and requested if she may partake in the rat hunt. Speckledclaw dipped her head ever-so-slightly, keen to remain silent. However, she did not leap forward, for they still needed one more cat.

Behind the two, a large, rather bulky orange-coated tom who had also scented the rat was drawing nearer. Orangestorm had just woken up and was looking to settle his stomach.
Speckledclaw awknowledged the two orange cats with a brief smirk and crouched low, preparing to pounce or give chase, if needed.

[Spot]

The femme nodded her thanks to the speckled feline. She was starving and she had just been given an opportunity to be full. Come to think of it, she hadn't been like that in quite a while. Surviving on the measly cricket and occasional rat was not a great way to live life. Sitting down on the cracked earth, she awaited the signal to go. They needed no introduction; they were only joining for a hunt, not for a conversation. Also, they wanted to get that rat, right?

Brightfur noticed a flicker of movement in the corner of her optics. Would this cat join their makeshift hunting party? They needed all of the help available to get their prize. The cat walked over towards them and the warrior nodded towards him in acknowledgement. Would more cats join them, or would they start the hunting now? Silently, the femme unsheathed her claws, itching to cut through fur and flesh. She was ready for the hunt.

[/size]

[Darky [Megan]]

Orangstorm mimicked Speckledclaw's action, feeling the sand as he unsheathed his claws, ignoring the other she-cat's gesture of greeting. Without waiting for any sign of the others starting, the large orange tom sprinted forward as the rat took off.

Speckledclaw grunted as she sprang into action a millisecond after Orangestorm. A cloud of dust and sand formed behind her as the spotted tabby picked up speed. The she-cat was head-on with the orange tom.

The rat, frantic with fear, broke into a run.

[Darky [Megan]]

ooc
If anyone'd like to join in, now would be a good time. ^^

[Ten]

Despite having eaten for the day, Woodstripe spotted the cats on a hunt and decided it would benefit her to join. In this way she could not only draw on the overall example of teamwork, but the generosity of a well-fed cat aiding others in acquiring food.

The big, brown tabby approached and placed herself in the rat's path, ensuring it would change direction. She was convinced that this was helpful. If the rat tried to go around her, she could block it again, and if it turned with a new heading, she could give chase.

[Darky [Megan]]

Speckledclaw would not have noticed the new cat's arrival if she hadn't been standing right in front of the rat. Quickly, her mind began to work, and she calculated the possibilities. The rat, given this new obstacle, was completely certain to change direction, and it was left with only two options.
It seemed that the chase would be ending soon, which was good, for Speckledclaw was hungry.

Orangestorm didn't take note of Woodstripe at all. He was solely concentrated on the main prize. However, as he ran, he was dimly aware (through scent) of the tabby and looked up. Assuming that the cat would just be joining in like the rest of them, the tom continued to give chase, meaning to go with the flow.

As it neared Woodstripe, the rat turned right sharply. It was slowing.

[Ten]

With the sudden movement, the large tabby sprang at the rat. It was out of her reach, of course, and her paws hit stone at a run. However, they would have to do more than give chase to catch this rodent. She veered off to the rat's left and began to study it; it had to turn at some point (given the walls) and it would be to her advantage to know where and when.

[Spot]

Bright amber eyes, belonging to an equally bright-pelted feline, studied the large grey rat with the intensity of... well, a hunter. And as you could probably tell from her and her surroundings, this was definately a hunt, and she was the predator. Hopefully, the succeedor as well, if all turned out as quietly planned. But, there were the odds of everthing not going according to plan, and hunting rats was definately a dangerous adventure.

On her sides, two cats crouched, helping her in her plan for a meal. One, a speckled she-cat, was the first one to start their hunt, selecting the prey that they would kill for their food. The other, an orange tom, his pelt very much like her own flanks, had just joined them, but was just as ready as both of them. Then, in a cloud of dust, the ginger tom took off, the tabby femme behind him. Muscles rippling, Brightfur took off, claws slipping out of their casings. The hunt was on.

[/blockquote]