Downtime (Mickey)

The forest floor was a dark shade of evergreen, casted in growing shadows from the storm clouds that weighed heavy overhead. Woollypaw's pink nostrils flared as he drew in the sharp scent of rain, a slap in the face by the oncoming green-leaf.

Padding carefully through the heavy underbrush of Thunderclan territory, the apprentice slithered his way around a thicket of brambles, flattening his ears as he carefully crept under the large, gnarled root of an oak tree.

A spike of static energy seemed to course down Woollypaw's spine, lifting unruly tufts of his messy pelt and prickling his skin with goosebumps. Partially because of the storm's brewing vitality, but also due to the youngster's energy that fluffed out his tail and blew his pupils wide against the darkness of the forest.

Blizzardclaw had sent his apprentice out hunting for prey before he'd be allowed to return to his den and take a nap. Woollypaw had been training hard in the sandy hollow early in the day, and longed to heave his aching muscles into the soft green moss of his nest. 'But first,' he thought, 'I must feed the clan.' His ear flickered at the sound of movement above him.

Raising his gaze to the treetops, Woollypaw watched a grey squirrel leap between the branches of two oaks and disappear up in the highest parts of the trunk. Well, he should have expected everything would be finding shelter right about now.. 'I wish I could be bundled in my nest!' He thought in amused envy. Suddenly, a big fat drop of water plopped right between his eyes. Mrrowing at the sudden wet sensation, Woollypaw jumped backwards, tail and neck fur bristled. Then, his ears hot with embarrassment, the 'paw rapidly spent a few swift licks to his chest fur, attempting to lay flat the pelt of wool. Oh, thank Starclan Blizzardclaw had not been there to see that! He shook his head and then headed further into the territory.

Nearing the Great Sycamore, Woollypaw finally spotted a healthy looking squirrel picking its way through the grass. His eyes twinkled gratefully, after this catch, he could finally return to camp! Settling into the Hunter's Crouch, Woollypaw was distracted by the pelting of rain, his tail swiped the heavy leaf of a bush and the squirrel took off, just as the sound of paws thumping against the earth caught his ears. Sitting up in disappointment at the lost catch, Woollypaw then turned to see who had been hunting the same squirrel.

Hello? The young voice spoke, and Woollypaw recognized the smell of one of his denmates', Stormpaw. A flash of lightning sent the forest in a split second of white. Woollypaw jumped at the following clap of thunder, unintentionally leaping ungracefully into view of the other apprentice. Fur positively ruffled, Woollypaw chuckled half-heartedly, straightening upwards with a cautious glance at the dark sky. "Uh, hey.. Stormpaw." He mewed awkwardly, his pear-colored gaze eventually dragging back down to meet the she-cat's. His whiskers twitched. "Enjoying.. the storm?" He thought the pun was pretty amusing, his eyes twinkled with mirth, but they were still half-guarded from his discomfort in being out in the rain. Woollypaw licked his paw and swiped it over his ear, remembering the squirrel, he asked, "So.. Catch anything else? Sorry about the squirrel.." He finished guiltily, still feeling a little self-conscious from getting frightened in front of a clanmate by thunder.