Wet Paws [Open]

[ρυяє]

His tail was absolutely still except for the tip, which kept twitching and moving as his amber eyes stared down at the silvery water, in which some stray tablets of melting ice still floated by. His paw was perched just slightly over the water, waiting for the next foolish fish that passed under h---- There it was, and in the blink of an eye, Brackenfur quickly dipped his paw in the cold water, scooping out the blue fish with practiced ease. Throwing it on the ground away from the stream's edge, he proceeded to grab it by the tail and move it over to the still-flipping pile of fish he had catched.
Mouse dung.. Brackenfur cursed in his mind, Five fish only and it's already past mid-sky..
Leaf-bare had definitely been harsh, and Swiftstar had sent him with a group of warriors to collect more food for the fresh-kill pile since sun-rise. Up till then, they had only caught, with his catch included, nine fish and two scrawny mice.
Not enough.. He thought, but decided against staying much longer. The rest of the clan must have definitely finished the scarce remnants of food left in the pile.
Brackenfur called out to the few warriors with him without raising his voice, "Be prepared to head back to camp soon. A few more catches and we're out of here."
Brackenfur turned his attention back to the running water in front of him, not another fish passing under him.
Patience...

[flameh]

A lithe ginger she-cat made her way towards the stream. Flameheart had her blue gaze scanning her surroundings, searching for any surviving herbs. She was hoping she could find some more tansy before the snow completely blanketed the ground.

Flameheart noticed her deputy. Brackenfur, sitting at the edge of the river. She approached, but stayed far enough back to not cast a shadow on the water. "Afternoon Brackenfur" she mewed "hows the fish swimming?"

[ρυяє]

Brackenfur's ear twitched as he heard a cat near, though he didn't once turned his head, the definite scent of a Riverclan cat reaching his nostrils.
"Hello, Flameheart," He answered in his usual quiet tone. Not moving a muscle until he'd seen a fish swim by. "They're not swimming half as much as I'd wished. Leaf-bare must have been hard for them too."
A silvery flicker caught his gaze, and in a quick swipe, Brackenfur scooped out a tiny silvery fish. Picking it by the tail, he threw it over to his pile.

[flameh]

"It looks like they swimming enough" she mewed, gesturing to the pile of fish. "Leafbare was tough on everything" she mewed "Its been hard finding herbs."

[ρυяє]

The tom shook his head, amber eyes closing for a second. "That doesn't make a fourth of the amount needed to feed the clan today." He replied, a little dryly. Finally turning to look at Flameheart, Brackenfur said, "I saw a good patch of greens yesterday near the other end of the stream." Turning his tortoishell head in said direction, he added, "You might find something there."

[flameh]

"Its only the first patrol of the day" she reminded him "theres plenty of time to catch more." "Thanks for the tip" Flameheart mewed "I'll have to check there later."

[ρυяє]

Brackenfur nodded once, "Yes, but it is already past mid-day and I need to get this back so the next patrol can go and find more." He walked over to the fish pile and started pushing all the tails together.
By Starclan, only eight fish?, he thought, a little haggardly. Dipping his head down, Brackenfur took hold of the fish's tails, then thinking it twice, he dropped them gently and said in his usual quiet tone to Flameheart, "I'll leave this at camp and then come back. I can accompany you to look for herbs, since my duties are over, for now."

[flameh]

Flameheart watched as her deputy gathered his prey before dropping it again. "That'd be great" she mewed. She sat down, curling her tail over her paws and waited for Brackenfur to return.

[ρυяє]

Turning his back on his clan's medicine cat, Brackenfur made his way through the bushes with his prey dangling from his jaws. The fish smacked and flipped against his white chest, still trying to get away.
Making a turn on the next couple of trees, the tom spotted a tiny mouse, digging at the base of one of the bushes. Drawing a quizzical amber eye over it, Brackenfur decided against adding the tiny mouse to his bounty, keeping in mind that Flameheart was waiting for him and that it seemed too scrawny to even satisfy a kit. Taking a more secure hold of the fish's tails, the tom continued on his way.
Brackenfur left his catches at the fresh-kill pile, trying his best to ignore the growing knot of worry that was forming on his stomach. Leaf-bare was over, the snow was thawing, but prey still didn't show themselves half as much as last time. With an inward sigh, Brackenfur padded out of camp again, back to The Streams.

[flameh]

Flameheart waited patiently for Brackenfur to return. She knew she could've left and gone on her own but decided to wait. She saw Brackenfur approaching and smiled. "Welcome back" she mewed.

[ρυяє]

Brackenstar dipped his brown tabby head in acknowledgment of Flamingheart's reception. "Thank you," the leader replied. "Shall we go then?" With a flick of his fluffy tail, the tom started to pad towards the small patch of greenery he had told the medicine cat about. "Hopefully we'll find useful herbs for you there." He said conversationally.

[flameh]

"Of course" Flameheart mewed getting to her paws. She padded after Brackenstar as he led the way to the greenery. "So how have you been?" she asked.

[ρυяє]

"I've been well.." The leader mewed quietly, padding slowly. "I've got all my lives and the clan is managing well...even with the shortage on prey." Brackenstar turned to look at the medicine cat, his amber eyes creasing into half moons as he smiled slightly. "But you already know that, of course.."