Marshes

Wet and shadowy, not many wolves come here or find it even close to being comforting. Stunted trees grow everywhere and it seems to be dark most of the year. Snakes make their home here, and the occasional herd or other hoofed animal rarely wander through. ShadowClan makes its home here, and most are comfortable and know exactly where not to step. Others may not be so lucky.

Lightningflash had followed Shadestar and Nightfeather for a fair amount of time before the scent of prey had distracted her. She had tried stalking a raccoon and catching it but a hidden twig snapped under paw and the furry animal scamperewd up a tree faster than lightning could reach it. She growled softly to hrself, staring up at the tree and willing it to fall into her jaws. Of course she knew it wouldn't. After a couple moments the warrior set off to find Shade and Nightfeather once more, losing their trail after the failed attempt at catching the raccoon. For once she had little luck finding them but a strange smell, faint, entered her vicinity. She had only smelled bear once before and that was when she was newly appointed as an apprentice and had been rushed back to camp away from it. Sheals caught the faint scent of the two wolves she was following.

The young warrior stayed ther a moment, sniffing the air and the grass and trying to find out the location of both bear and wolf alike. /The scent is not quite as fresh as I had smelled earlier. It was here a while ago, but not now./ she thought. Locating which way the furry animal wen though was another thing. So, instead of bear hunting, Lightningflash set out on the trail of Shadstar and Nightfeather, careful not to let them know she was there while keeping eyes and ears out for the bear.

Shadestar padded quickly, following the scent trail into the marsh. The wet grass felt spongey on his paws and splashed up onto his fur. I am not a RiverClan warrior, I was not cut out for this he growled, stepping carefully. He knew there could be hidden dangers in this shadowy place, he knew them all too well. When he was an apprentice his inquisitive nature almost killed him here.

"This is a bad place to track anything." He said aloud. "The scents of the marsh wash away those of the bear." He pondered the situation. The trail led straight here- it had to be here somewhere, right? His ears swivelled as he heard a twig snap somewhere behind him. Quickly turning and looking back from where they came from, his golden eyes looked for the source yet it yielded nothing. "So.. we're being watched then?"

Shadestar growled softly. "We don't have time for that. Let's keep looking for the bear." The Clan leader said, turning back around and continuing the trek into the soft terrain. Out of the corner of his eye he thought he saw a flash of brown fur. Turning to look, he saw nothing. Feeling the hair on the back of his neck stand up, he wondered what made this place so eerie. There was the sound of a snuffling somewhere up ahead. Dropping down towards the ground to hide his approach, he flinched slightly as the cold water soaked his belly fur. Crawling forward, his ears perked and his golden eyes looked deep into the marsh

Lightningflash heard voices nearby and knew Shadestar and Nightfeather were close. She froze in her tracks and stayed low, focused on keeping quiet despite the wet feeling on her paws from the soggy marsh. She didn't like it, but she had never let it stop her before an won't now. Carefully, the warrior made her way around, circling them to try and help pinpoint the scent of the bear. She thought she caught a strong smell of bear for a moment but it was gone so fast she thought it could have been a trick of her mind. She was somewhat close to the two wolves now, hidden from their sight. She slpped slightly and got her belly fur soaked in the marsh water. She growled without thinking, her growl deep and louder than she probably meant to. Once she readjusted her paws, she realized her mistake. /Gah, they know I'm here now. I just hope they don't mistake me for the bear./ she thought, still hiding in an attempt to not be found.

Lightningflash twitched her ears, listening to the softer voices of Nightfeather and Shadestar, obviously trying to be quiet so as to be able to either pinpoint where the bear is or to keep it from getting spooked and running toward camp. After shaking off a few drops of water from her paws, though they were soon t be wet again, the young warrior crept after the two, hearing the snuffling sounds and watching the two wolves as well as smelling the gross brown fluffy bear scent. She was still hidden as she crept closer but soon she would not be. If that bear was there, most likely Shadestar and Nightfeather would try and chase it off and Lightning would be there in a flash to help. Her bright blue eyes were focused clearly on the two fellow Shadowclan wolves while her ears caugt on to the sounds ahead and her nose detected every scent possible.

ravenpup silently tracked them, her nose sniffing their tracks. she twitched her tail her midnight blue eyes intent on following them she didnt care about the consequences and her ears perked as they talked about a bear. a good thing that she had followed them then, she stopped and picked a little comfrey for any possible wounds and continued on after them.

Lightningflashed perked her ears as she heard tiny paw steps coming from nearby. She growled softly and turned to see Ravenpup. The she-wolf stood up straight, prepared to pick up the pup and drag it bck to camp where it belonged. She growled and padded to the pup, careful where she placed her paws. "Raenpup!" She growld softly. "You shouldn't be here. You are a pup and pups are supposed to stay in camp unless accompanied by a warrior. And there is a bear nearby that could likely eat you before any of us warriors could even think to bark a warning." sh scolded. then the warrior spotted the comfrey and snorted. "Comfrey would do nicely if that bear gives us any trouble Ravenpup, but the medecine wolf likely already has enough to take care of wounds. Now, take that and head straight back to camp. Unless you want Shadestr angry with you for putting yourself in danger by coming out here on your own." She said firmly, her ears tilted back to hear if Shadestar or Nightfeather heard her. Honestly, she thoughtit was both brave and stupid for this pup to go out on its own. /Then again, I did do that when I was a pup too./ she thought.

she flicked her ears back "no! im going to help! i have to help!" she frowned not sure how to explain this feeling inside her chest "lightningflash i dont want to be a warrior.. i want to be a medicine wolf.. and the only way to prove that i can be one is to help shadestar when hes introuble! please you have to let me do this please please!" Ravenpups midnight blue eyes stared beseechingly up at lightning flash. a desperation in her eyes.

Lightning flash listened to the pup's plea with a stern glare in her eyes. Then realization dawned on her. /This pup wants to be a medicine wolf? Makes sense considering she's got such a fascination with these herbs and such. If I let her help, shade star will chew my tail off but if I don't I'm sure this pup will fight it and get in trouble anyway./ she thought, staring at the pup's eyes, countering her beseeching stare with her own dark one. "Look Ravenpup. If I let you stick around, you will have to take full responsibility for your actions, including getting hurt if you do. Also you must stay back and away from the bear. If we need help, we'll call for you but stay put until we do. Shadestar will chew my ears off if he finds out I agreed to let you hang around." She growled softly, hoping shade and night wouldn't hear her. Her bright blue eyes stared fiercely into the pup's eyes. "So just stay put with these herbs and do not make one move or one squeak unless either the bear is gone or if I tell you to, got it? You may want to help and you may know how to but you are still a pup. Besides, if you are to become a medicine wolf, you need to stay alive to become a medicine wolf apprentice first." She finished, hoping the little black pup would do as she was told. /Hmph. I sure hope she's nothing like me in the doing-what-is-told area./ she thought as she waited for the pup's reply.

The pup tilted her head then argued feircly "im going to follow quietly i want to be nearby just in case! i know i wont get hurt i promise!" she sat down with the comfrey bundle held tightly in her tiny jaws. her voice was a litle muffled from the herbs but she could still get her point across. i have to do this i have to help i want to become an apprentice she thought determindly. she tucked her tail underneath her then perked her ears hearing a savage growl. she flattneed her ears and gave a soft whine "the bear"

Lightningflash shook her head, slightly frustrated already. "Look. I don't want the risk, especially after just becoming a warrior okay Ravenpup? Argue all you want but if i catch you too close to the bear I will personally drag you by your tail back to camp and have someone keep you there. So just... just hide in a bush where you will be safe. Don't get within striking distance of it and make sure you are not near where it will run off to once we chase it out." She said, prepared to just drag the pup back to camp anyway. "You can help if you listen but if you put yourself directly in danger, chances are Shadestar will be angry and you may have to wait a while longer to get your apprenticeship, Ravenpup. So again. just hide in a bush far enough away from the bear that you won't get hurt but if you must, stay within barking distance. And stay put." She growled, looking at a bush that seemed perfect for the pup to hide in. Quickly she picked up the pup and dropped it by the bush. "Sit you and your herbs right in here Ravenpup." she said ten turned around to go back toward the bear, Shadestar, and nightfeather. As se crept behind the other two wolves Lightning muttered to herself. "So help me if that pup gets in the way I'll drag her back to camp by her tail and sit on her to keep her from leaving until this bear is gone."

Ravenpup pouted then nodded trotting into the bush and peering out with her large unnatural midnight blue eyes, the golden streaks within them glowing a little, the bear charged out of the eerie marsh forest and began its attack. ravenpup tucked her tail under her wanting to run away. but sheer determination kept her there holding the comfrey with clenched jaws.

Eh i gtg to school ill be back as soon as i can, so if anyone gets injured can you pause it there for me? if you could that would be spectacular tas

Shadestar growled softly as he heard the noise Nightfeather was speaking of. Although it was lower, it definitely wasn't the familiar bear roar. Too familiar Shadestar thought to himself. Hearing whispering somewhere from behind them, he just flicked his ear and ignored it. He would take care of the interrupters later. Crawling ever closer to the bear, he waited for a couple seconds before moving closer. He heard a small snuffling getting closer and closer until it was right in front of him, just in front of the bush he was sheltering behind. All of a sudden a furry face popped through and Shadestar quickly paced backwards. It was a bear cub. Filled with horror, Shadestar began, "Get back, get ba-!" before the bear let out a frightened shriek and suddenly a huge shape barreled through violently with a loud roar. The mother bear.

Ravenpup watched with wide eyes, her tail tucked behind her she gave a soft whimper and lay down on the ground ready to burst forward at lightningflashes signal. she blinked watching the mother bear rear up on her hind legs and give a ferocious roar. she stayed stock still not risking anything.

Mistypup padded silently after Ravenpup, hiding in the shadows. The marsh made her paws wet, and she didn't enjoy this, but she went on. Her great nose smelled Ravenpup, Lightningflash ('Is everyone following Shadestar and Nightfeather?'), Shadestar, NIghtfeather (Though both of those were more distaint) and a strange scent she have never smelled before. 'What is that?' she wondered, but shook her head and walked on. Suddenly, she heard Lightningflash chewing out Ravenpup, but her friend won and stayed. Then, Mistypup hear a friecous roar! 'Is that a bear?' she thought, as lots of wolves had told her stories about these destrotive bears. Fear flashed through her mind and she ran ahead to Lightningflash and Ravenpup. "Is that a bear?" she repited.

Ravenpup lifted her head and flattened her ears "mistypup!" her eyes showed worry "go back to the camp! bring more warriors tell them that shadestar needs help with a bear" her eyes blinked then resumed watching the massive bear confront shadestar her eyes twinlking with worry for the leader.

"But you get to stay! And I want to help fight the bear. Fine, I'll go get warriors but I'm coming back!" Mistypup said stubbornly and took off toward camp.

Mistypup ran back to Lightningflash and Ravenpup. "Ok. I told the camp, some warriors should be coming." she said.

Ravenpup nodded then crawled further into the bush eagerly watching the bear. she prayed to starclan please let there be no serious injuries she thought as she watched the towering massive bear. she wrinkled her nose scenting thunderclan in the distance. maybe they should ask thunderclan for help. no shadestar would chew her up literally this time.

Nightfeather scrambled away from the charging bear in surprise, somehow managing not to slip on the wet terrain. She snarled in anger, couldn't it have just been a single bear, instead of a mother bear and her cub? As if her inexperience with bears wasn't enough, now they had a protective mother to take care of. The warrior remained where she stood. She didn't know how to fight bears - normal fighting moves were designed for fighting other wolves, most of them wouldn't work quite as well with such a large animal.

((Sorry it's so bad. 9 AM + sick Night = failure))

Mistypup snarled. She wanted to help, to prove she could be a warrior apprentice! And to help Shadestar and Nightfeather. "I can't just listen to them! Let me help, no warriors are coming!" she pleaded.

Silentpup silently followed Ravenpup to the Marshes. "Oh... i see whats happening now..." He stayed silent. He hated bears. He could kinda read Ravenpups mind. "Perhaps we could ask some of the warriors from the RiverClan instead of the ThunderClan... i know its further away... you know, RiverClan Camp... but i can get MistyPup... maybe, to go and ask for help... maybe some warriors from all the other clans, we need all the help we can get with this Angry Mama bear..." He said with fear to Ravenpup and Mistypup.