ekleipsis

ekleipsis- The term is derived from the ancient Greek noun ἔκλειψις (ékleipsis), which means "the abandonment", "the downfall", or "the darkening of a heavenly body", which is derived from the verb ἐκλείπω (ekleípō) which means "to abandon", "to darken", or "to cease to exist,"[2] a combination of prefix ἐκ- (ek-), from preposition ἐκ (ek), "out," and of verb λείπω (leípō), "to be absent".[3][4]

This is a transcript of a private RP with Ghostheart to develop our characters and their romance so we can do the Writing Challenge for them. All characters not from the site are OCs.

Characters:

The first thing the little kit is aware of is darkness. A weirdly comforting darkness it is. He feels a large fuzzy sort of being close to him that feeds him a warm thing of some sort. The kit won't open his eyes or ears for a bit longer but for now life is good.

The same goes for the second kit, when she's born 2 moons later. All she knows is a comforting darkness, just the same as before she was born. In fact, most things are the same, except she's cold. She cries and cries, but she can't hear herself for a few days, when her ears open, but not her eyes. She can hear the noises of other kits, a high-pitched overlapping chatter balanced out by deeper, somehow warm voices. One of them shushes the others and comes close to her, and she can feel them lick her head and curl up around her, engulfing her in warmth and softness.

After two moons the kits eyes and ears are finally opened. He can walk now but on wobbly legs, he chooses not to typically. Apparently the large being who fed him soft things and keeps him warm was his 'mother' and she calls him Ghostkit. Evidently it's because his fur is such a light silver and he so rarely seems to like to speak with others. He just lies there and watches the other kits, especially a new kit. He doesn't know her name.

This happens again and again- the kit wakes to noise and chatter, and the warmth shushes it and comes to curl around her, followed by sweetness and a full sensation. She still can't see anything, but she doesn't mind. The darkness is all she's ever known, and she isn't ready for change. Her body doesn't ask her though, as her eyes open and the light filtering through the top of the den scorches them. She shrieks and curls in on herself, closing her eyes tight and hoping that it goes away. The warmth curls around her again and comforts her with the familiar shushing, nosing her eyelids ever so gently until she gives in and opens them. It's still too bright, but it's not as bad as it was the first time, and she's too busy reveling in her new sense to pay much attention to the bright light. There are fuzzy things everywhere, and when she looks down at herself, she looks like them, with silvery fur and black spots everywhere. The warmth looks the same as her, but bigger. There are other small fuzzy things on the other side of the den, and she pulls away from the warmth and stumbles towards them, falling forward onto her head right in front of a silver kit with a squeak.

The kit, Ghostkit, blinked in slight surprise as his thoughts were disturbed by the newest kit. The silly creature managed to fall on its head when try to walk, admittedly it did much better than he had when he first learned to walk. With a slight purr he gently nudged the kit, unsure how exactly to help but slightly copying what he remembered the being known as his mother did. It didn't seem to help too much so in another attempt he gently licked the top of the other kits head, slightly hoping the thing would be alright. He didn't want to possibly get blamed somehow.

And with that, the kit starts a sound that she didn't even know she could make- a purr, echoing the other kit's. Her legs wobble as she tries to get up, falling again into Ghostkit and tangling them together. From the sidelines, a silver large fuzzy laughs, and the warmth calls out, "Moonkit!" That must be her! She has a name, and she likes it. She lurches forward, headbutting Ghostkit and tottering back to the big her, her mother.

Ghostkit smiles slightly when the silly kit, Moonkit was that her name?, headbutts him. Still purring gently to himself he curls back up and watches her silently, he hopes they can be friends once she's older and can move around better. But for now he shall curl up and sleep and perhaps wait for the mother being to come back from hinting or whatever it is she is doing.

Her mother nudges her into the nest they share for now, pushing her into laying down in the center, still warm from where they had been sleeping. She obediently closes her eyes, taking comfort in the return of the darkness, and her mother pads off, calling to a 'Moonfangs' to follow her. The name confuses her until she falls asleep- she's not Moonfangs, she's Moon/kit/. If it's someone else, why does she share the first part of their name?

Nightsky pads out of the den with Moonfangs following, and nuzzles against her with a laugh in her throat and tail quirked up. "I'll make you a bet that they end up together. What do you say?"

Eventually Ghostkit is pushed into his own nest where he purrs gently still. Today was a good and interesting day, he does slightly wonder about the fact that the being Moonfangs and Moonkit share a slight similar name but that doesn't matter for now.

Moonfangs purrs back in tune and gently noses her companions shoulder. "That's one get im most certainly willing to take you up on. I'd give it a few moons and then they'll be together hehe."

Nightsky presses their pelts together, purring. "By the time they're both apprentices, for sure. They do take after us, now don't they." They're friends, or more than such- each of them wanted kits, so they found toms to oblige them. Moonfangs went within the clan, and Nightsky found a handsome rogue to help her. That doesn't change she and Moonfang's love. They head back into the nursery, curling up around their respective kits with a wink and a nudge, going to sleep to see what the morning brings.

In the morning Ghostkit wakes up bright and early, having not slept too terribly much last night. He yawns and stretches, trying to not disturb the mother being and gently creeps out of his nest.  He wants to see little Moonkit again. Slowly he sneaks over to her nest and very quietly nudges her. He doesn't want to scare her of course so he does it gently.

Moonkit is enjoying beautiful, colorful dreams when she's nudged. She grumbles and rolls over, right out of the nest, and squeaks as she hits the floor. In life so far, the sun hurts her, things confuse her, and she falls, whereas in dreams she can gambol in starry fields, all alone with no chatter disturbing her from her sleep. Still, she wakes  and tilts her head up, sniffing the air and identifying the cat as Ghostkit. Slowly, she opens her eyes to look at him, cowering just a bit under him. He's bigger, and she's embarrassed that she ran into him, not to mention confused that his mother has the same prefix as her and smells like her own mother.

Ghostkit looks very apologetic now that he managed to make Moonkit fall out of the nest. He very gently licks the top of her head in a silent kind of apology. He's not very good at this sort of thing it would seem to be. Eventually he laid down in front of her and purred, tilting his head to the side curiously at her and then very gently pawed at her muzzle.

Moonkit doesn't really know how to deal with this, so she just stares at him, blue eyes wide and pupils dilated so as to see in the dark nursery, lit only by the light of the stars. She finds this much more pleasant than the sun, and decides abruptly to go see them fully. Tripping past Ghostkit, she accidentally flicks him on the nose with her tail as she scrambles out of the nursery, taking a seat outside and craning her neck to look up at the stars until she falls over onto her back with a squeak. It hurts, but now she can see the stars, and she's mesmerized by the silvery light that matches her coat so perfectly.

Ghostkits nose wrinkles barely when silly Moonkit flicked his muzzle with her tail. He decides to go outside with Moon to make sure she won't get hurt or some thing, and the stars are very pretty at this time. He curls up again next to her and smiles, the stars match her fur so beautifully.

She unconsciously leans into him, pressing their coats together as she watches the stars twinkling above with a happy sigh. The light reminds her of her dreams, and she swears that in the afterimages of the light, when she blinks, she can see cats playing among the stars. The warmth of Ghostkit and the stars lulls her to sleep, and she nuzzles into him, using his thick fur as a pillow to get comfortable.

He purrs much louder the second she leans into him, eventually he curls around her protectively. He makes sure to not disturb her gentle slumber. Soon he's fast asleep again, coiled around Moonkit and the gentle stars that compliment her so so very well.

Nightsky wakes up to find her lone kit gone, and sniffs for her. She can smell Moonkit nearby, but can't see her. Exiting the den, she freezes to see Ghostkit and Moonkit entertwined, and bursts into laughter loud enough to wake the dead. It certainly wakes Moonkit, who opens her eyes and winces away from the sun, hiding her face in Ghostkit's fur.

Ghostkit squeaks in slight surprise as Nightsky laughs and reflexively curls tighter around Moonkit as he wakes up. Eventually he relaxes and feels strangely embarrassed at being caught like this. The sound of laughter also attracted Moonsong who comes out and giggles in a slightly quieter tone at the scene in front of her.

Nightsky and Moonfangs exchange a Look, one last giggle making its way out of Nightsky's throat as they stare at their kits. Ducking her head, she pads forward to grab Moonkit by the scruff, carrying her back into the nursery to feed her and get her away from the show she and Ghostkit's night was becoming, cats poking their heads out of their respective dens and laughing, starting up conversations and bets.

Moonfangs finally smothers her giggling and gently grabs her kit, sneaking back into the nursery as well. She assumed they would fall in love but that was faster than expected. After gently putting him down she smirked a bit internally and curled around Ghostkit while he sat there in confusion. He felt embarrassed but he wanted to be with Moonkit again! He would have to sneak away again.

The day goes on as normal, though the Clan doesn't stop giggling over the kits caught together. In the nursery, most of the kits play, but Moonkit sleeps and Ghostkit does his own, silent thing. Neither of them have made friends with the other kits- Moonkit just opened her eyes the day before, and Ghostkit had no interest in the others. When night falls and Nightsky is asleep, Moonkit sneaks out of the nursery to see the stars again.

Once night falls and the other kits are finally asleep, Ghotkit finds them interesting but slightly annoying, he sneaks out to be with Moonkit again. Hopefully this time neither will be caught and cause further embarrassment.

Moonkit hadn't been expecting company, but she's not complaining. He stays silent, not interrupting her meditation and studying of the lights ahead, and she can cuddle into his warmth and thick fur and not freeze- her own coat is still thin as she's not even a moon old. Eventually, the sky begins to turn colors, and she stands on shaky legs to bump noses with  Ghostkit before heading back into the nursery and sneaking back into the nest she shares with her mother to go to sleep, little knowing that Nightsky is still awake, greatly amused by the kits romance, so neatly echoing she and Moonfangs' relationship.

Things change as time passes- the other kits move out of the nursery, Moonkit starts talking (though she gives a cold stare to anyone besides her mother and Ghostkit who dare to address her) and both kits move on to eating fresh-kill. Still, they make a nightly ritual out of sneaking out to watch the stars, cuddled together and silent. Moonkit spends most of her time reminiscing on the colorful dreams she has and telling herself stories about daydreams, where she's a hero and other cats aren't loud and annoying, and where it's always night. Everything goes on like this, just until Ghostkit hits 6 moons old and is ready to become an apprentice.

Icestar perches on the crooked branch above her den, talking just loud enough for the whole Clan to hear her announcements. Today is a special day- another kit is becoming an apprentice, and she knows just who to pick as his mentor. She jumps off the branch, landing delicately on the ground and calling Ghostkit to her. "Ghostkit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Ghostpaw. Your mentor will be Dusktalon. I hope Dusktalon will pass down all she knows on to you."  she pauses, waiting for Ghostpaw to approach, and starts the second part of the ceremony.

"Dusktalon, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You had received excellent training from Dustshadow and you have shown yourself to be brave and loyal. You will be the mentor of Ghostpaw and I expect you to pass on all you know to Ghostpaw."

Dusktalon pads forward and touches noses to Ghostpaw, and the Clan cheers, starting to disperse and chatter about the ceremony. Moonfangs and Nightsky stand together, coats pressed against one another as they look on at Ghostpaw, proud.

Moonkit works off on instinct, and her instinct is telling her to approach her friend. she runs up to him, tail held high, and noses him gently. "Hello, Ghostpaw."

Short scene for Moonkit's apprentice ceremony. Apologies for changes in tense. Also, a new character has been added to the list.

Ghostkit, or he supposes he's Ghostpaw now, purrs and gently licks Moonkit. "Hey Moonkit." He smiles and gives her a gentle nuzzle, all too soon being called away by Dusktalon for training. She's a very social one that cat he soon discovers.

As time goes on Ghostpaw learns more and more with Dusktalon. How to hunt and attack and hide and ambush. Of course he still finds time to sneak away with Moonkit and spend the nights stargazing with her, coiled around her protectively. After a few more moons pass Ghostpaw bounces into the kits den excitedly. "Moonkit! Today's you're apprentice ceremony, we can be apprentices together." He purrs very loudly but tries to not startle her again.

Moonkit looks up from where she's curled in her nest- her own now, since she's too big to share with her mother. today she is six moons old- one ear twitching. Ghostpaw is the only other cat she can really stand; the rest just chatter on and on until she wants to shred them. "Yes. I've been looking forward to it!"

She eases herself to her paws, meeting Ghostpaw's eyes and giving a soft purr as she brushes past him. "Come on, if I'm late they might make me stay a kit."

Ghostpaw purrs happily and pads after Moonkit. "Heh watch you be the only one that manages that." He smiles and gently bumps shoulders with her to show he's just playing. He can still hardly believe it's been so many moons aleready. "Just think, we'll both be warriors soon and getting into /real/ battles!"

"Fuuuun, battles. You'll have to protect me, okay? I don't want to get hurt." She bumped him right back, looking back at him nervously as she padded to the front of the crowd to stand in front of Icestar. She acted confident, but along with her constant dreaming came just as many bad as good, and staying a kit was one of her nightmares. If she did, she could never fight alongside Ghostpaw!

Icestar started the ceremony, and she mouthed along with the words that she had memorized from previous ceremonies, getting lost in the pattern until "-mentor will be Owlfur." She froze, looking at the deputy and shrinking down to the ground. The ceremony continued even so, and when it came time for them to touch noses, she padded up on shaking paws and bumped their noses together so lightly she almost couldn't feel it.

The Clan began to cheer, and she ran away as fast as her legs could carry her, diving into the empty nursery and hiding her face in her old nest.

Ghostpaw was confused after the ceremony, Moon had seemed so fine before why did it matter the deputy was her mentor? Quickly he darted after her and walked in quietly, looking concerned. "Moonpaw..?" Gently he licks her shoulder in a conceded way. "Are you alright..? What's wrong..?"

Moonpaw (that name, which she had so feared being denied, but where was her fear now? turned in on itself, such as a snake eating its own tail; she feared even moreso now that she was an apprentice, breathing in a familiar smell that she would forevermore be banned from) said nothing, too lost in a haze on confusion and steadily growing metaphors. She buried her face deep in the moss, whimpering, her tail flat between her legs.

Ghostpaw couldn't stand to see his friend like this, gently he licks her shoulder again then ends up curled around her. He purrs soothingly to her, thinking that speaking won't exactly help the situation for the moment. Ghostpaw will just stay here silently till she is calm.

It takes long minutes and shaky breaths, but eventually a response in the form of a purr forms in the back of her throat; she uncurls and lifts her head, turning to look at Ghostpaw and mew a quick, "Thank you..."

Ghostpaw smiles gently at her and licks the top of her head. "You're welcome silly.." He purrs gently and stays curled around her, not wanting to upset her again. He can't stand to see her upset.

The heat is becoming stifling, and Ghostpaw's fur is getting in her mouth. She spits it out, pushing herself to her paws with a tiny whimper as she stretches, back cracking. She leans down to nuzzle Ghostpaw, pressing a warm nose to his own before pulling away, padding out of the den with her muzzle pointed at the ground and away from the rest of the Clan and their whispers, which seem to all be directed at her.

Ghostpaw looks after her sadly, half tempted to rip apart anyone he thinks is mocking her. Eventually he shakes his fur out and merely sits outside the den, glaring at everyone and everything that passes. Later he'll find her and check on her again.

More accidental changes in tense as they go through Moonpaw's first full day as an apprentice.

They don't get a chance to talk until late that night- now that Moonpaw has returned to the Clan after her minor breakdown, Owlfur catches up to her and drags her out of the camp for her first day of training, taking her on a tour of the territory and giving her her first hunting lesson. By the time they get back, it's dark and the Clan is going to sleep. Her new nest is ready in the apprentice den, but she has a tradition to carry on. Sneaking quietly in, she noses Ghostpaw on the head, whispering, "Come outside with me?"

Ghostpaw purrs and stretches slowly, popping a few joints. He shakes out his fur and grins. "Of course." Still purring gently he follows Moonpaw outside to look at the stars, they look so beautiful at this time of night. Admittedly they don't look nearly as beautiful as the cat next to him.

Moonpaw is more interested in the stars than her companion, though she leans into him for support and warmth. The reflections in her eyes sparkle as she gazes vacantly up, eyes playing tricks on her as she sees StarClan gamboling and playing among the stars. She knows that they aren't there, but it's beautiful, and dreams never hurt anyone.

Ghostpaw purrs gently as Moonpaw leans into him. He knows she's more interested in the stars above but it's nice to just sit here with her and forget the world. Just sit here and forget everything before they get much too old.

Eventually Moonpaw's eyes start to drift shut, the stars in them winking out as the shadows of her lids close. Her head drops, and she jolts out of sleep with a muffled cry, getting to her paws slowly and nosing Ghostpaw on the head to test if he's awake.

Ghostpaw stirs slightly as Moonpaw noses him, he had fallen asleep jus a bit. Yawning slightly he stretches again and gently paws at Moonpaw. "Hello you.."

"Hello. We need to get back to the den." And with that, she pads off, fur just the slightest bit ruffled where Ghostpaw had touched her. She slips into the apprentice den, bedding down in her new nest, soft with moss, and staring up at the sky through the cracks in the den as she goes to sleep.

Ghostpaw smiles and pads off after Moonpaw, curling up in his own nest. Slowly he drifts off to sleep, tomorrow shall be a good day filled with hunting and roaming and righting and playing. Early the next morning he yawns and shakes his fur. With a slightly mischievous grin he very gently pounces on Moonpaws tail. "Wake up silly."

She tugs her tail out of his grip after a minute or two of bemused blinking, head foggy with dreams as she's just woken up. "Is it time to wake up...?"

He purrs and paws at her tail gently, quirking a smile. "Yes sleepy fur, time to get up."

Moonpaw pulls her tail away again, laying it over her paws as she sits up. She may be closer to Ghostpaw than any other cat, but she doesn't like his constant touching much. She can handle cuddles for warmth, but any more is annoying and embarrassing, pulling her out of her thoughts. "Ah."

Ghostpaw stretches again and pads over to the front of the den, plopping down and purring. "You coming sleepy?" His ears twitch up and down and he sniffs the air a bit, briefly  embarrassed when his stomach instantly grumbles loudly.

She pads after him, waiting to move past him until he gets out of the way- she doesn't feel like running into him. "Yes."

He bounces out of the den after Moonpaw, automatically going to the fresh kill pile to get some food for him and her. Once he has food he drops a bird in front of her gently.

Moonpaw gives him a regal nod and leans down to eat, taking small, delicate bites of the bird. Eating is not one of her favorite things, but she assumes that they'll be training today, and she'll need the energy.

Ghostpaw finishes his bird in large bites and bounces around quite a bit. He can't see, to sit still and wait for his mentor to show up, he hopes they can do some real training today.

Dusktalon padded out of the warriors den with a yawn, grabbing a frog and heading over to sit by Ghostpaw with a giggle and a paw reached out to pop him on the head gently. "Hehe."

Ghostpaw squeaks in slight surprise and give Dusktalon a surprised look. He's still not used to the randomness of this particular cat. His ears twitch slightly, "Hello Dusktalon.."

"Hello Ghostpaw! It's time for training, and we're taking Owlfur and Moonpaw with us. Fight time!"

Owlfur pads out of the warrior den and playfully nips at Dusktalons tail, chucking a bit. "Now, now no need to scare the kit.." He nods slightly at Ghost and turns to glance at Moonpaw, gesturing for her to come closer.

Moonpaw  approaches, controlling her anxiety by sinking into a continuation of the dream she had had the previous night. Her eyes are hazy and far-away, but she's not shaking. "Yes, Owlfur?"

Owlfur looks Moonpaw up and down a bit, and attempts to be slightly warm towards her. "You'll be coming with Dusktalon, Ghostpaw and I to training. You two will be sparring today, I'm sure you'll do well of course."

Moonpaw's ears pin down, but she nods obediently, following after Dusktalon when she starts padding away after flicking Ghostpaw with her tail. She's never fought before, not even participated in the kit-like battles they used to have. This isn't going to go well.

Dusktalon practically bounces away, heading straight out of camp and to a clearing filled with soft moss and sticks, presided over by a tall, broken tree where ShadowClan trains. Jumping up into the tree, she calls for Owlfur and strops her claws through the bark. "Okay! You two just need to fight, and it's over when we say it is! Good luck, stars bless, go get em!"

Owlfur bounces up with Dusktalon and wraps his tail around his paws, this should be highly amusing the first time indeed. He just hopes they don't manage to actually kill each other or chicken out.

Ghostpaw seems slightly hesitant of this at first, he doesn't exactly want to /hurt/ Moonpaw but he knows he has to train. Eventually he sinks down and pounces on her, making sure his claws are sheathed first of course.

She scratches at his belly with her paws, trying and failing to push him off. Eventually it occurs to her to roll out from under him, using her small size and skinniness to her advantage as she escapes and steps back, staring at him with narrowed eyes and claws digging into the ground.

Ghostpaw pauses just barely then slowly circles Moonpaw, looking for a way in. He fakes a lunge or two before finally actually lunging at her and attempting to get her by the scruff. He thinks if he can do that maybe he can pin her down, admittedly his attempt goes mostly well.

He grabs Moonpaw and she squeaks, going limp and boneless to force him to drop her. Internally she's screaming- this isn't fun, it hurts and requires effort. She just wants to escape.

Ghostpaw drops Moonpaw when she goes limp, trying to be as careful with her as he can be. Gently he noses her flank but eventually pins her carefully, hoping either Owlfur or Dusktalon will say they're done soon.

She doesn't move, staying prone on the ground and saying nothing, refusing to meet Ghostpaw's eyes.

Dusktalon hops down from the tree, purring steadily and patting Ghostpaw with one paw. "Good, you can let go now. You won!"

Ghostpaw very quickly jumps off Moonpaw and licks her cheeks a little bit in apology. He really hopes he didn't hurt her or upset her.

Owlfur hops down as well and looks both amused and displeased. "Looks like you both will need more training...but good job Ghostpaw and Moonpaw."

Moonpaw stays laying on the hard-packed dirt, letting her eyes close and her muzzle point away from Ghostpaw, one ear twitching.

Ghostpaw backs up just a paw step and looks at his friend concerned, hoping she gets up soon. He promised he'd protect her and now he feels slightly guilty he's the one who ended up hurting her.

Dusktalon pads over, poking at Moonpaw with the tip of one claw. "Up, apprentice. We have to teach y'all how to fight now, since you failed miserably!"

Ghostpaw hisses slightly at that remark. This was their first time fighting and its not like they were amazing when they were apprentices.

Owlfur watches silently, looking a bit more amused now yet still slightly displeased by his apprentice not being able to handle herself yet.

Moonpaw rolls over, pushing herself up and shaking herself like a dog to get the dust off her coat. She still won't meet any of their eyes.

Ghostpaw keeps his distance slightly. Not wanting to disturb her.

Owlfur looks over Moonpaw and hisses a fraction. "You're alright. Not even the best warrior succeed in the first time or even the next few times."

Dusktalon rolls her eyes, pushing him out of the way to look at the apprentices. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. Now, me and Owlfur are going to fight, and you two get to watch and learn."

Owlfur purrs slightly and unsheathes his claws slightly. He loves to fight even if in this case he can't exactly be allowed to hurt Dusktalon. "Well then let's get down to it Dusk.."

She nods, sinking back onto her haunches before springing at him, claws sheathed but teeth bared as she tackles him, rolling them over and over and over.

Owlfur lets out a small hiss and makes sure his claws are sheathed as well, allowing Dusktalon to get on top of him for the express purpose of kicking her off hard as he can.

Dusktalon goes flying back, hitting the ground and skidding with a shriek. Shaking her head woozily, she gets to her paws, hissing at Owlfur and circling around him.

Owlfur hisses in return and keeps his fangs bared, making a few mock lunges at her. Eventually he actually lunges and barely misses his exact target.

She whips around him, smacking him in the muzzle with her tail and tackling his side, letting her claws out just enough to prick at his fur.

He jerks back slightly from her tail and falls to the ground, rolling with her a bit in an attempt to pin her.

They roll around for a few minutes, kicking and biting, but eventually he gets Dusktalon pinned to the ground, both of them covered in dirt and a little bit of blood. She giggles, leaning up to bump their noses together before relaxing. "You win! See how it's done, kits?"

Owlfur chuckles a bit and noses Dusktalon back, relaxing fully as well. That was rather fun to fight with her again like that. He glances to the kits, wondering if they were even paying attention.

Which Ghostpaw was of course not really paying attention, he mostly was but he was rather busy with his feelings of guilt and worry. "Wha- oh yes. I understand."

Moonpaw had ostensibly been watching, but really had just been day-dreaming as usual, trying to lessen the sting of defeat. Still, she nodded and mewed a quick, "Yes. Thank you."

Owlfur raises a brow slightly, fully knowing they weren't paying attention but not feeling like pointing that out. Eventually he get off of Dusktalon and helps her to her paws. "So, what shall we have them learn next?"

Dusktalon's stomach rumbles, and she ducks her head. "...let's do hunting lessons again. I'm sure they need the help."

Owlfur chuckles and noses her in a playfully manner. "Hehe of course. Come along now." He beckons them and leads the way slightly.

Dusktalon runs after him, not waiting for the apprentices. Moonpaw tags along, walking slow and staring at the ground.

Ghostpaw follows behind the small group, managing to keep an eye on Moonpaw and watch everything around him in slight amazement. Soon enough they come to a slight clearing where Owlfur sniffs the air like he's looking for something or has found it.

A mouse scurries through the dropped twigs, grass, and moss covering the ground, and Dusktalon leaps on it, shaking it between her teeth until the crack of its spine breaking can be heard. She's practically drooling, one fang sinking into its fur, but she drops it to the ground with a whine. she is so hungry, but she knows better than to eat without supplying the Clan first.

Owlfur sinks low to the ground and purrs internally, waiting a moment before springing forwards and managing to catch a young rabbit. Like Dusktalon he shakes it between his fangs until the creatures neck breaks. He drops it gently on the ground and glances at the apprentices to see if they were paying any attention at all.

Moonpaw's dreams were torn away from her at the sharp crack, and she watches with muted interest, claws stropping through the grass unconsciously and tail lashing. "Good job..."

Dusktalon purrs, licking the remnants of blood off her fangs and savoring the taste, salty against her palate and quenching her hunger for a brief minute. "Now, you two's turn. We need to bring back at least one piece of prey for each of us, so do your best and make sure they don't catch your scent. Ghostpaw, chase a piece of prey into Moonpaw's claws, okay? Be nice to her."

Ghostpaw had watched everything with avid interest and perks his ears up to listen for prey. Eventually he drops low to the ground in a rather clumsy mimicking of Dusktalong and Owlfurs form. He smelled a mouse nearby, or he thinks it's a mouse anyways. With an internal hiss he slinks forwards slowly then finally pounces, scattering a couple mice in random directions and barely managing to catch one. Admittedly he grabbed it by the tail, flinging it in the air he catches it in the air again, shaking it until it's fragile spine finally snaps. He drops it in the ground and purrs loudly.

One of the mice fleeing from Ghostpaw runs past Moonpaw, and she reaches out a deceptively slow paw, lashing out with her claws and throwing it back, where she promptly pounces on it and bites into its neck, watching it squeak as it dies then looking up at the hidden stars, thanking StarClan for the prey. "Thank you."

Owlfur purrs slightly in appreciation of Moonpaw, the kit did good. He quirks ever so faint a smile and shakes his fur out. "Come, let's see if we can't find any more prey nearby. I believe a rabbit once had its warren nearby..." He scrapes a bit of soil over the prey. "We can come back for these later.."

"Oh! I know where it is!" This is where Dusktalon hunts all the time, and she memorizes all the warrens and homes of the animals so as to do better. She may be excitable and not the best at hunting, but she does know simple things like that. She springs forward, stooping down to stare into a hole, and reaches in a paw to pat at the rabbits she knows are hiding in there.

Owlfur chuckles to himself and follows after Dusktalon easily. "Careful there Dusk, we don't need something deciding to jump you hehe." He sniffs the air slightly and doesn't seem to smell any dangers like foxes or badgers or the like.

One ear twitches as she hears a squeak from inside the burrow, and she starts digging at the top, scratching through the dirt and grass shielding the bunnies and revealing 2 fat parents, crouched in the ex-burrow. She pounces, grabbing one between her teeth and reveling in the blood, and the other flees past Owlfur.

Owlfur hisses happily and instantly pounces on the rabbit as it flees, shaking it around haphazardly until it's spine breaks. With a purr he drops it on the ground and licks the small amount of blood from his fangs, they did rather well in finding this prey he thinks.

"That should be enough, yes? The Clan will be well-fed." And with that, Dusktalon brushed past Owlfur, beckoning the apprentices after her with a flick of her tail. "We did good!"

They headed back to camp, each of them carrying a piece or two of prey and dropping them on the pile as they padded past it. Dusktalon snatched one back after she dropped it, sinking her fangs in and tearing at the meat, fur and blood flying everywhere. With words muffled by her full mouth, she said, "Mkay, you two can eat and go to nest now, it's sunset. Good apprentices."

Owlfur easily snapped down his meal in a few bites and purred, nodding in agreement with with what Dusktalon said. "Yes you two will have more training tomorrow if we can fit it in, go and rest."

Ghostpaw grabbed a pice of prey for himself and one for Moonpaw as was the normal. Carefully he set it down in front of her and ate his piece, his hopes that they'll still Cary out their tradition of looking at the stars tonight. After finishing he pads to the den and his next, curling up into it until later tonight.

Moonpaw takes tiny little bites, pinning the mouse under one paw as she eats, careful not to get any blood on her. She doesn't want to groom- the stars will be up soon, and she wouldn't want to miss them. She pads into the den, curling up in her nest and looking up through the gaps in the roof to check when it will be time to go out. Soon enough, it is, and the rest of the clan are in their nests. She rises and paws at Ghostpaw's face, leaning down to whisper in his ear, "Come on," as she heads out of the den, sitting outside it and craning her neck back to look at Silverpelt.

Ghostpaw yawns wide and smiles, stretching slightly before padding out of the den after Moonpaw. Purring gently he sits next to her and looks up at the stars with her. He both understands and doesn't understand her utter fascination with them. Yes they are very beautiful but he feels like when she looks at them she sees something other than stars. He glances over at her and smiles slightly wider, she looks so beautiful under the stars.

Shivering a bit, she presses their coats together, leaning her weight on Ghostpaw so as not to fall as she leans further and further back, lights twinkling in her eyes and half-blinding her, only to see ghostly afterimages. She doesn't notice Ghostpaw's smile, and if she did, she would write it off as because of the beauty, not because of her. Soon enough, a cloud passes over the stars, and she yawns. "ThAank you, we can go in now," and with that, she pads back into the den, curling up and letting herself fall into sleep, never far away. Tomorrow will be a new day, but for now she can dream.