by ❧Emmylou » Tue Oct 11, 2016 7:29 am
◈ Embertail
She-cat | camp | open
Embertail tapped her paw in the elders den, on the cold, hard earth. Thud, thud thud. The fresh scent of multiple berries, herbs, and prey were all too familiar to the tortoiseshell she-cat. The green trees that loomed above Sparrowclan camp where like old friends to her. She watched the same old business going around camp, warriors coming in with new prey, two others sharing tongues. Embertail got bored with the same humdrum routine, sitting and waiting for the eager (or not so eager) apprentices to deliver her food. Usually, it was the last of the fresh-kill pile, small shrews or mice, provided by the clan's apprentices. Sometimes it was an apprentice's first catch, eager to share it with the old "pros" of the clan. Even though the shrew was small, she ate the meager rodent with a small purrrr, pretending like it was a hearty meal.
For a moment, a thought passed through her mind. Thud, thud... After a moment of silence in the empty den, the feline let it pass as she continued to tap her paw on the hard floor of the elders den. But then, Embertail stopped once again. This time she gave it a bit more thought and finally took action. It wasn't much, just a simple task, but it showed to be a challenging one for the old she-cat. Her bones ached as she stood, using her forelegs to push her up. Her back a feet ached, a sore, numbing feeling that dominated her legs. She thought silently to herself, my bones would be aching if I was still sitting down in the den... I better get used to it.
Embertail padded a long camp, her paws showing no sign on weakness or aches. She put one foot in front of the other on the ancient ground, where many elders like her have stepped. Many paw prints where shown on the once muddy ground. The cat ducked under the thorny entrance of the camp, unable to crouch low enough to fit though the small tunnel. The brambles scraped at her back, easily losing a clump of fur on the way. She finally made it out and then, it came. Like a huge tidal wave, the scents, sights, and sounds of her warrior days washed over, nearly numbing her senses. The youthful energy that she once had came back to her, the aches of simple tasks have faded. The rustling foliage and creaking branches reminded her of when she could climb trees. The squeak of mice and scrambling of squirrels as the climbed the trees reminded Embertail of when she caught so much prey that she surprised the leader. She lifted her head up, light and shadows dancing over her nose and ears. She inhaled the minty scent of fresh herbs and continued to walk, this time more slowly and hesitantly as she dove into her past. Embertail slowly walked down the twisted pathway, staring at the old trees like they where long lost family members.
Stalking down a faint pathway into the underbrush, Embertail spotted the place where she caught her first piece of prey- an old scrawny mouse, who was destined to die any day from then. Nevertheless, she was elated and sharedwith the elders, who reminisced about their first price of prey. Of course, at that time, Embertail paid to attention to the older cats' rambling on, she though more about how she would brag to the other apprentices at the time.
Finally, she snapped back to reality. The sun shone though the trees, creating shawdoes over the sacred dwelling. The forests seemed to be tense, not a single leaf daring to fall. Past regret, Embertail moved behind the old hunting place, deeper into the woods of Sparrowclan. When it occurred to her that other cats where doing something, and she was in the way, she scrambled up the nearest tree. Wham, all of the previous pain came back to her. Baring her white teeth in pain, she held on to the rotten bark of the tree with her long, sharp claws that remained unused for years. Not only did her legs ache, but her entire body as she slowly cimbed the tree. Determinately, she had reached the lowest branch of the tree, and sat opon it. She let her long tail hang down as she stared opon the castles on hicory trees. Soon, Embertail drifted to sleep, laying, sprawled out on the branch of the umber-brown tree.