[Milestone2] Teamwork

“I don’t think this is a good idea,” Flicker whispered, pressed close to Shred’s side. “Mom and Dad certainly wouldn’t approve.”

Shred couldn’t help but roll her eyes, tail flicking. “I know, but think about it! Instead of having to hunt a whole bunch of mice or voles or something, all we have to do is catch one thing!”

Boulder hummed, his own tail swishing over the ground as he eyed their possible quarry.

The lone turkey was plump and would be more than enough to feed the family of five, possibly even enough for multiple meals! Considering the birds usually traveled in flocks, how could they pass up the opportunity?

“But it’s so big!” Flicker complained.

“That’s the point,” Shred reminded, focusing on the creature’s movement as it paused to peck at the ground. “Now, you two circle around, and on my signal we all pounce, okay?”

Flicker frowned but finally nodded.

Boulder offered her a small smile before disappearing into the grass.

Shred took a breath and settled in, trying to give her littermates plenty of time to get into place.

“Good, good… Patience is key in dangerous hunts.”

She smiled at the praise, glancing at the shadows where she just could make out the faintest gleam.

Another few minutes passed in stillness.

She took a breath and started to creep closer, careful as she wove her way between the tall stalks of grass, keeping low to stay out of sight without making too much noise and alerting her prey to her approach.

Just a few more heartbeats…

“Now!” she yowled, launching forward.

The turkey jerked, letting out it’s own startled screech as a cat suddenly hurtled towards it. Shred could see the grass rustle as Boulder and Flicker launched into movement to.

The bird’s wings flared, Flicker yelping as she stumbled to a stop, but Boulder leapt at almost the same moment as Shred did.

The young tom’s claws caught in the bird’s wing, making it twist as it was pulled sideways, ans Shred’s own claws found home near its back, officially pinning it to the ground even as it flailed and tried to throw them off.

“Flicker! Help us!” Shred called, growling with the effort as she tried to avoid being knocked off the prey by a wing or stabbed with the bird’s beak.

“R-Right!” Flicker lunged back into action, jumping for its neck. Sharp teeth sank in, and luckily a few moments later the bird’s fighting died down.

Within a minute, their plan came to fruition, all three siblings left panting even as they grinned.

“We did it!” Shred crowed, tail arcing high into the air as she beamed.

“W-We did!” Flicker agreed, her own eyes wide in shock.

“Yeah, we did!” Boulder grinned. “Now, who’s gonna get Mom and Dad?”

“I will!” Flicker volunteered, already darting off.

Shred chuckled, grinning at her brother. “Nice pounce.”

“You too.”

Their parents were certainly shocked with the kill, but not actually displeased, the three young cats beaming with pride at their accomplishment for days to come.

Those, Shred would one day think all too fondly, had been good days. Perhaps not the only ones she’d experienced, but good all the less…

Things had been simple then, when the Tribe was the thing of stories and her dreams, and her waking world consisted only of whatever her and her littermates got into that day…

She wondered how they were now, what paths their own lives had found themselves on since she’d left home…

And then, with an ear flick, she shook off the reminiscing and turned her focus to the present and the matters that demanded her attention as the Shadevoice of the Shaded Mount.