Eeek! A mouse! (Open to all, prefferably she-cats)

[{*Picabo*}]

Deathfang was grooming himself in the sun-high shade, relaxing after a tough patrol. There was nothing terribly bad with the patrol, like rats or Thunderclan invaders, but it lasted from before sunrise to a few moments before. Deathfang was pretty much alone in the camp, and when he heard a small mouse scutter across the camp into its little hole, it startled him. Deathfang was worried, then he realized it was just a mouse.

Deathfang looked around the Shadowclan camp, to make sure that no cat had saw him startled by a mouse, and he relaxed when he thought no one did find out. If there was one thing Deathfang was afraid more than anything else- it was not being accepted by his peers. The thought of that scared him. If he wasn't accepted by Shadowclan, then how could he ever think of becoming a leader? It just wouldn't be good...

[silverclaw]

Deathclaw walked into the ShadowClan camp and dropped two mice on the fresh-kill pile, and carrying her remaining vole over to a nice shady area. as she approached, she saw a jet black tom with slightly red eyes leap up as though startled. She followed his frightened gaze and saw that it was just a mouse, now scuttling away. Deathclaw is a very mean cat, so normally she would have done or said something very very mean, but she was in a good mood today, so instead she mewed, " Afraid of mice now, huh? Mind if I sit with you? It's awfully hot out there in the open." Why am I being so nice to him? she wondered. Must be the great weather.

[{*Picabo*}]

Deathfang was slightly startled by Deathclaw- he didn't expect any other cat to be in camp at this time of day. Deathfang looked at the black she-cat and her glowing green eyes and joked, "Naw. I'm not afraid of no mouse... But evil, mutant mice. That's a whole 'nother thing." Deathfang smiled. Why am I being so nice to her? he asked himself. Probably because she usually greats me with something mean, but today she didn't. I wonder why, Deathfang concluded about the warrior. Deathfang's black fur was quickly warming in the sun, even though it was cold leafbare. The snow wasn't that hiegh, but still there. Deathfang hated the cold. It was cold. Brrrrrr...

[silverclaw]

(Sorry! I forgot it was leafbare!)

"Naw. I'm not afraid of no mouse... But evil, mutant mice. That's a whole 'nother thing." replied Deathfang. Much to Deathclaw's surprise, it was spoken in a joking tone. She didn't really know him that well, but it seemed like the dark looking cat wasn't the type that usually joked around. "Yeah, those things can be pretty scary, but they sure do taste good!" She replied as she sat down and began to bite into her vole. "Would you like to go hunt with me when we're done eating? I really need to stretch my legs!" Deathclaw asked.

[{*Picabo*}]

Deathfang nodded. He had nothing else to do, so why not be useful and go hunt for some prey. It was leaf-bare; the clan needed as much food as possible. But he was confused why she said, 'When you are done eating.' Deathfang wasn't eating.... So why in Starclan's name did she say that? "I'm ready if you are," he meowed.

[silverclaw]

Deathclaw nodded in reply and hurriedly finished up the last of her vole, and swiped her tongue around her jaws as she stood up. "Yep, I'm ready," she replied. She stretched and began to walk toward the camp entrance and fluffed up her black and white fur to keep warm. It was a bitter, cold leafbare, and it might be hard to catch any prey. As she continued walking she asked," So where do you want to hunt?"

[swanwing]

Quialheart smiled as she saw the two ShadowClan warriors being so nice to each other. The cold weather must be getting to their heads! she thought, half laughing. Then she trotted up to them. "Hello, Deathclaw. Hello Deathfang. Are you going hunting," Quailheart inquired. "Because if you are, I would like to go with you!" She looked into the younger warriors' eyes and searched for emotions. Quailheart hoped that she wouldn't see sadness or unhappiness that she had asked them. All she wanted to do was hunt with her Clanmates. Quailheart cleared her mind. She didn't want her peers to see the stress in her eyes. Quailheart was overwhelmed with being the ShadowClan deputy. The responsibility had driven her nearly crazy. Now, she was just calming down and needed a nice long hunting expedition to cool her down. She looked into her Clanmate's eyes and waited for their reply.

[silverclaw]

Deathclaw stopped walking as the ShadowClan deputy approached her and Deathfang. She listened as Quailheart requested to go hunting with them and was surprised to see... was that...worry? Or maybe stress? that she saw in her Deputy's eyes? Either way, she pretended that she had seen nothing and replied, "Well I don't have a problem with it." Turning to Deathfang she asked, "Do you mind?" It would probably be a good thing if Quailheart came with them, they might catch more prey.

[{*Picabo*}]

Deathfang wondered why the important deputy would want to go on a patrol with lonesome warriors. Deathfang had a big grudge against this she-cat, for she had the possition he thought he deserved. But as angry as Deathfang was, he showed no emotion. Instead, he said, "Sure. I don't see a problem with it," lying of course. I should be the deputy, not her. Deathfang then added, "Why don't we hunt by green mountains?"

[swanwing]

"That sounds wonderful. Let's go. We need as much prey as we can catch!" Quailheart mewed. She looked peculiarly at Deathfang. Something seemed to be bothering him. Was that jealousy? No, it couldn't be. Quailheart pushed the thought out of her head and started out into the forest. The wind blew hard in late leaf-bare. She shivered and breathed in for prey.

[silverclaw]

Deathclaw thought she heard jealousy in Deathfang's reply, but she pushed the thought out of her mind. She followed Quailheart out into the forest, though she could feel the tension in the air. She breathed in and scented mouse, so she looked around and spotted it nibbling on some grass a few fox lengths away. She flicked her tail in warning to the others in case one of them wanted to catch it.

[{*Picabo*}]

Deathfang stayed back. Why not let the deupty get it? Since the leader picked Quailheart, and not him. Honestly. I was the obvious choice. But of course. No one trusts me... Why is that? No one treated Silvermist like they did Deathfang. Deathfang stared at Quailheart, letting the she-cat silently know that she could get the mouse. Deathfang didn't feel like killing a mouse much anyways. He wanted to become leader, so how could he do that by hunting patrols?

[silverclaw]

Deathclaw noticed that Deathfang's eyes were burning with jealousy, and maybe even hatred as he stared at her, letting her catch the mouse. ' What's going on with him?' she thought to herself. The black and white she-cat padded forward and hissed in his ear," What's wrong with you? You look like you want to kill her!" She flicked her tail in Quailheart's direction. What could possibly make Deathfang hate this cat so much?

[{*Picabo*}]

Deathfang was surprised Deathclaw could realize this. He shook his head and meowed quietly, but fake happilly with a smile on his face, "I don't wanna kill her. What would make you think that?" Deathfang had to play innocent. Then if the deputy died, or was killed, the whole clan would suspect him, even if it wasn't his dirty work! Deathfang laughed to himself about how much of an evil mastermind he was. Under his breath, he whispered, "Yeah. I'm good," so no one could understand.

[silverclaw]

Deathclaw reconsidered her first impression of Deathfang. At first he had seemed nice, (Well, as nice as a mean cat can get!) but now he seemed like a lunatic! She took a step back and decided to concentrate on hunting as he laughed to himself and whispered something that she couldn't understand. She tasted the air and immediately caught mouse on the breeze. She spottted it nibbling at a seed under an Oak tree, and crept after it. Once she was close enough, she pounced and killed it quickly. The black and white she-cat picked up her catch and turned back toward the scary cat who talked to himself, looking for a place to put it. She spotted a thick clump of grass and shoved it inside. "Ready to move on?" she asked.

[{*Picabo*}]

"Good catch," Deathfang meowed. It really was a good catch. Although, if it was Quailheart that caught it, he doubted he would have said anything. Or if anything, a sarcastic remark.

[silverclaw]

"Thanks" replied Deathclaw, a bit brusquely. "Well, let's keep moving..." She resumed walking beside the weird tom and thought about how amazing it was that she had started out liking him.

[{*Picabo*}]

Deathfang looked at Deathclaw. She was a pretty cat. But Deathfang needed to keep his eye on the prize- becoming deputy. Deathfang could not have any distractions- he would not have it.

[Indigopool]

Indigopool watched the two cats at a corner. She knew it wasn't right to spy on other cats but she so happened to be passing by.

[{*Picabo*}]

Deathfang heard Indigopool. She was a medicine cat, not a warrior. Even though he would never be so disrespectful to say it, she stunk at stalking and hiding quietly. "Hey Indigopool. I hear you," he meowed. He also smelled the she-cat, since she was upwind of them.