Ain't It Good, Being All Alone [solo]

The late evening sky was painted in various picturesque hues; deep reds and dazzling oranges that gradually blossomed into the vast expanse of dark blue that comprised the night sky, a healthy speckling of cold starlight evident in the darker corners of the endless horizon. The ragged outline of the forest canopy was nothing more than a curling collection of jagged shapes and sharp lines- hardly more than a shadowy smudge partially obscured by the steadily creeping darkness. The gradual, soft forest-heavy hills were totally covered in brightly colored growths, the fragrant soils completely eclipsed by the sheer mass of enticing new life. Soft grasses, blossoming foliage, and tree limbs weighted down by fragile leaves obscured large patches of the cool night sky, only the countless little flowers that seemed to freckle every other tendril of foliage immediately visible.

It was probably a tad bit brainless to spend the evening out messing around, especially whenever Acornpaw was well aware of the fact that she had several different training sessions to attend in the morning, but the warmth of Newleaf was entirely too enticing- especially to the young cats who had been born and practically raised during the seclusive reign of the cold seasons. Carefully striding forward, purposely avoiding close contact with any foliage or debris that would alert other creatures to her presence, the little tortoiseshell continued her restless prowling for several more heartbeats.  

Until- The soft sound of pawsteps against soft foliage caught Acornpaw's attention, immediately halting the young she-cats exploration and instead redirecting the entirety of her attention to the source of the sound.

The soft chattering of an uneasy squirrel resonated through the still night air, the little tortoiseshell's pupils dilating sharply at the sudden stimulus. Dropping slowly into a crouch and smoothly gathering her limbs beneath her body as she sought to center her wildly swinging sense of balance, the young she-cat's whiskers and ears twitched madly as she continued to watch the squirrel for several agonizing heartbeats. Exhaling a sharp sound, Acornpaw quickly lunged for the little creature. The squirrel let out a frightened squeal as her claws and teeth unfortunately made purchase with the struggling little mammal, but thankfully she was quick to end the squirrel's paralyzing state of fear.

Hurriedly stashing the cooling body beneath the protective cradle of a nearby tree's roots, the young Apprentice paused for a brief reprieve to clear her muzzle and whiskers of blood before setting off once again.

Quietly brushing through the fragrant undergrowth that hung heavily within the forest, Acornpaw found herself following a winding trail whose direction ran opposite of the path that led back to camp. There was a slight pinprick of heat evident in her muscles as her pace gradually began to increase from a steady lope into something with a bit more insistence, the newfound stiffness resonating within her joints evidently a protest on behalf of her suddenly stretching muscles. The overwhelming stench of damp earth and blossoming foliage grasses filled Acornpaw's nose, leaving her entirely unaware as she was sent careening into the path of a pecking starling. The little creature could only blink in surprise, evidently just as surprised to see her- but thankfully, the young she-cat's reactionary time was a bit more advanced.

Although the refinement in dispatching the stunned starling was woefully lacking on account of her surprise, thankfully it was relatively clean.

The member 'Seer' has done the following action : Roll Dice

---

'Hunting Dice' : 4, 4

Carefully depositing the rapidly stiffening form of the squirrel beneath a protective layer of leaf-litter and fallen foliage, Acornpaw couldn't help but idly redirect her attention towards the inky forest that crawled out before her. Her little late night adventure had served to lessen the ever-present throb of excitement that simmered just below the surface of her being, yet her mind seemed to consistently blossom with the urge to go, go, go! It was almost as though the idea of having to return to camp, where she would promptly be stifled back into constantly attending to her duties at the demands and pacing of others, was enough to drive her in spite of her lack of sleep.

Tail giving an agitated little flick in response to the ever-mounting urge to rush off again, the little tortoiseshell cast a brief glance skyward -the moon wasn't too high up in the sky, anyways- before setting off once again. Carefully venturing deeper and deeper into the shadow-riddled forest, ----

The member 'Seer' has done the following action : Roll Dice

---

'Hunting Dice' : 2