LOOK BETTER WHEN I'M DRUNK ☆ o, faux prey hunting

[RHINESTONE.]

LEADER ❝ RHINE ❞ PALMCLAN

Recently, Rhine had gotten himself involved in searching the boardwalk, and seeing what was within the massive structure that had been made part of the clan's entire territory. Most of the members of the former boardwalk group already knew quite a bit about the place, but there was also plenty that they hadn't explored, and that intrigued Rhine. Of course, the leader knew that he had to be careful, considering the fact that the place still had a rat infestation, and the nasty buggers sure did enjoy sinking their fangs into him. Despite these worries, the leader had still found himself enthusiastic as he swept through the boardwalk, taking on the various parts in small, more easily explorable chunks. It was interesting to see the structures that the humans had left behind, including various shops, attractions, and homes. He usually only went into the shops for now, figuring he'd leave the houses for later – he felt a bit odd exploring them, feeling as though he was somehow intruding on history. However, this choice to explore the shops first had led to a rather interesting discovery, when the leader had ended up stumbling across a bunch of little battery powered toys. They seemed to be little cars, with wheels and remote controls that allowed them to be maneuvered around. After messing with them for a few minutes, Rhine had realized that he had an amazing idea.

Emptying the shop of the toys, all the batteries he could find, and also several different stuffed animals, Rhinestone had practically run all the way back to camp, a broad grin on his muzzle. The next hour or so was spent on set up, since Rhine was forced to pull several large pieces of wood to serve as a sort of track for the "prey" to move around on. After all, the remote control cars didn't exactly move very smoothly on top of sand. Along with this, the tom had to carefully dress the trucks up using the various stuffed animals that he had grabbed, making them look like various prey creatures of the forest. Just... with wheels. He also added a few obstacles around like bushes made of seaweed, and also a few rocks that he had managed to pull over with the help of some other warriors. It wasn't exactly like the forest, but it was a pretty damn good approximation of it. Good enough for the various children of the group to feel like they were really hunting within the actual Twisted Forest.

Once everything was set up, Rhine placed the little vehicles in various places around the miniature "forest," moving back to where the controllers were once he was done. With an enthusiastic grin upon his face, Rhinestonestar called out happily, pleased with the work that he had done, "Little ones! If you're looking to improve your hunting skills before it's time for your apprenticeship, then feel free to come over here. We're going to have a little practice exercise where you "hunt" some prey." He motioned his paw at the little prey vehicles, also gesturing his tail to any warriors that grew nearby. After all, he couldn't control all of the prey by himself, which was where others ended up coming in.

NEVER OPENED MYSELF THIS WAY
LIFE IS OURS, WE LIVE IT OUR WAY

— Reggan

[Grimm]

THE MAELSTROM

Here you are and you’re all you wished to be
[size=9px]( silver tabby ; two months ; palmclan kitten )
You’re alive and you're not alone[/SIZE]

Outward push against employed edges, boundaries imposed yet intangible, threaded with wayward want that thrummed through hearts chambers. Only so far may he find himself capable of going, however, halted exploration once carefree for within parameters had he lingered. From these had he wandered with abandoned, the harsh edge of disciplinary action softened by the ringing worry in choked words.

Please, promise me you won't do that again.

Safe had he been with those present, as much as a child such as he may have been at the least, worries still arise and gnaw and heeded words that ended in tight embrace. It was, with such words hanging heavy upon his shoulders, Foam lingered at the edge of valley, present where watchful eyes may perceive his position. Among them would be her, the caretaker with a name his tongue could not grasp quite yet though he had tried, close the guards in case escape was attempted. Never would he do such this day though the want was there as approach was staged by missing leader, a joy in his him that piqued interest quick to wane.

Work began quickly yet grew slow with the trickle of moments passage of sun making apparent this, spirits never wavered as the task slowly came together into a sought final product. Finally others joined, assisted in set up of supposed obstacles and a call arose. Ears perked and he looked to caretaker, closer crept as he was distracted, an unsure but genuine smile enough to leave him scrambling forth to where Rhine had positioned himself.

Few the words he understood but, at the least, further widened his vocabulary to a point basic gist may be garnered. Towards the assorted toys did his attention skip and a paw struck as one, startled at the mix of soft and hard, stuffing displaced to allow fit though still present to soften the vehicle. Once more Foam looked to Rhine with a curiosity that seemed rather common along soft visage, impatient yet waiting, at least for now.

code by Reggan

[RHINESTONE.]

LEADER ❝ RHINE ❞ PALMCLAN

Out of all those that Rhine had set the little obstacle course up for, Foamkit was one of the main faces that the leader had been expecting the most. There were other names that ran through his mind – Weepingkit, Drifting Feather, and Quasar, for one – but Foam was one of the main ones. The child was always so enthusiastic about all that lingered outside of the boundaries of camp, and Rhinestone couldn't say that he blamed him. The leader had been a similar way when he was a kit, although he hadn't been quite so outwardly rambunctious. He had always been the one to play little games in camp, tossing around moss balls with his siblings and sighing with envy as he watched the apprentices and warriors leave camp. Toadwhisker had always been the most adventurous of them all, often getting into trouble in a way that either prompted Rhine to be just as worried as the parents sent out to look for the other, or snickering at his brother's misfortune when he ultimately ended up scolded. Despite this, the rusty red tom was more than a little glad to have discovered some way to entertain and distract the children, one that wouldn't involve legitimate danger or unexpected variables.

With this in mind, Rhinestonestar just grinned crookedly when Foamkit approached, waving a paw to the curious looking child before he purred, "Well hello there, Foamkit. You wanna be the first to try out a bit of at home hunting training? Try and catch it!" He didn't know how much the boy would truly understand of what he had said, but he hoped that his wide gesture towards the faux "squirrel" in front of the other would get the point across. He then stretched out a paw, pressing carefully against the controls of the decorated robot. The creature seemed to thrum with new life, beginning to move away from Foamkit and carefully twist and turn its way through the various artificial corridors that had been set up for it. Of course, Rhinestone wasn't able to focus on anything else around him, mainly because he had to both control the bot and make sure it didn't go bouncing off the walls of the little "forest."

NEVER OPENED MYSELF THIS WAY
LIFE IS OURS, WE LIVE IT OUR WAY

— Reggan

[Grimm]

ALL I KNOW IS HERE AND NOW

CALL ME HERE AND I WILL APPEAR

LIKE THE LIGHT OF DAY

Rambunctious may be a somewhat light word for the child, though indeed applicable within his situation. Short the time whiled away on shores dusted with particles bearing soft golden hue, unbeknownst to many the halfway mark was left behind, yet teachings may only stretch a certain length. Into the fold had he been brought, tended and adored as though child of some was he rather than abandoned nuisance — too many mouths, useless and thus unwelcome. Beneath skin still was it there, the imprint biological connection wrote along muscle and sinew, a lesson within his life as of yet only begun.

Was nature or nurture the stronger.

Baseless such trivial line of questioning and so disregarded, within moment lingering mind that whirled and tried to make some sense of that which lay before him. Broken line of vision with the intrusion of a paw, attention drawn towards the other, grown family more than leader. Slight the cant shifting perspective slightly, scrunched bridge of nose, shallow yet apparent crease adorning brow. Progression of days brought along with it chance to learn, expanding always mind, slowed progress for more tantalising acts forbidden.

"Katsh." Once more Foam prodded at the odd amalgamation when directed to it once more, away drawn as though burnt paw tightly pressed to chest, the faint whirring the thing made startling to say the least of it. For a moment he merely watched it begin to move along the course, sand kicked up in his wake as he bounced after it, enticed into chase as it looped about various obstacles more for the fact it was capable of locomotion rather than the adornment overtop.

Outward reached paws, slight the graze against faux fur before the diversion of attention proved an issue, a loose tangle of seaweed wrapping about a misplaced paw. Wasted a few precious seconds as teeth and claws alike worked at the vegetation, clinging still fragments as he arose, undeterred if at least more careful to watch the placement of his paws.

code by Reggan

[RHINESTONE.]

LEADER ❝ RHINE ❞ PALMCLAN

Rhinestone had come to think of Foamkit as more of a son, rather than anything else, in the time that he had spent around the youngling. For some, it might've been easy to think of the boy as nothing more than a nuisance. Another young mouth to feed and teach, not to mention all the work that would come once Foam reached the age of apprenticehood. Despite this, Rhine had never seen things in that way. Instead, he had just seen Foamkit as a scared and abandoned child, left in a place that he knew very little about. It would've been ridiculous to think of him as a burden, especially considering it wasn't as if Foam had chosen to be within the clan. Over time, Rhine come to be glad for the fact that the kit seemingly saw him as more of a father figure than the leader of the clan. With the only child to his name being adopted ones, before them, Rhinestone had known little to nothing of parenthood. His mother and father had taught him a lot, but it wasn't as if he had expected to have kits. He wasn't exactly interested in shecats, after all. However, he found himself happier this way. He had a family, and he was overwhelmingly glad for that.

Realizing he had been somewhat stuck in his own head, Rhine hastily snapped out of it, a soft chuckle leaving the tom as he watched Foamkit chase the half robot and half plush amalgamation around. It seemed to have the intended effect, if the excited look in Foam's eyes was anything to go by. Of course, when the smaller feline managed to briefly get his paws wrapped up in seaweed, Rhinestone had felt a sudden spike of panic flood through him. He was about to speak up to tell Foam to stop, just so that the boy wouldn't trip over his own paws, but Foamkit had already ripped himself free, and was already beginning to rush back after the piece of "prey." Watching as the child ran around with what was essentially streamers of seaweed hanging off of him, Rhinestone couldn't help the laughter that overcame him, his head hanging low as he burst into chuckles. The amusement distracted him just long enough for his little contraption to go speeding into a rock, coming to an abrupt stop. When Rhine looked back up, the leader found himself musing, "Oh. Well... congratulations, Foamkit! You managed to catch it!" Technically Foam had succeeded by distracting the driver, but... close enough.

NEVER OPENED MYSELF THIS WAY
LIFE IS OURS, WE LIVE IT OUR WAY

— Reggan