No cat is too old for tag! [Mistpaw & Sootclaw]

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Is that him?

Two tiny silver eartips were barely visible over a large shrub. Two strikingly light green eyes peered through them, searching for something. Someone. Then, a rustle nearby -- the ears and eyes disappeared and the shrub stopped quivering. Mistpaw held her breath, if it was him, she'd have to take off as fast as possible. She didn't want to be it!

Daringly, Mistpaw opened one round eye. Near the rustle, a small rabbit was scuttling around. She sighed; it wasn't him. "Hunt later, Mistpaw," she whispered to herself, "right now,you're being hunted."

Mistpaw wasn't the kind of cat who was always playing games and getting into trouble. Usually, she just relaxed and enjoyed the sun and the environment -- when she wasn't doing apprentice duties, that is. Today, however, was different. A little change in routine is always welcome, and today's change is a nice game of hide-and-seek tag. Right now, the seeker was Sootclaw.

Retracting her tail from inside the brambles, she let it flap soundlessly out the side of the bush. She sighed again, the excitement of the game making adrenaline flow constantly through her thin veins. Just then, another rustle. Mistpaw crouched lower, hoping for the best. Was she visible in this thick shrub?

No, but her tail was.

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[Whiskers]

A ha ha! Sootclaw really had never felt more alive than he did at this moment. For moons, his apprentice and himself had followed the same routine. They got up, they trained: fighting one day, the next hunting, the next a patrol. They would go back to camp, relax, and talk. It was a comfortable schedule, yes, but after a while, it became too comfortable. And so this game was the perfect way to change that, to mix things up a little... 'sides it really wasn't a game. It was training, no matter what the other warriors might say if they saw them. But whatever, Sootclaw had stopped caring about the other warriors along time ago. His only close friend was Mistpaw. That's all he needed.

He creeped carefully, his eyes sweeping the area. Mistpaw was a very clever hider, that was for sure, and her small size hardly made it any easier. Sootclaw was at a severe disadvantage in this game. With a sigh, he trudged on, looking for any spot of gray he could-- gray!

He dashed for the object immediately, his paws outstretched. It was then that he realized what he was chasing was entirely too small! He stopped abruptly and let the mouse disappear under a few leaves. He felt foolish, even if no cat was around to see that. With a shake of his head, he left the spot as quickly as possible, trotting faster now. He wanted to leave the shame of that moment behind.

And then, there it was!

So innocent, so soft-looking, Mistpaw's tail waved hello to him with a tiny flick. Sootclaw almost wanted to wave back, but he settled for a smile and an quiet chuckle of his own. No longer was he scared of hurting the she-cat and so when he pounced, he did it with no qualms whatsoever. As long as his claws were sheathed he would not hurt his tiny friend.

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[laur]

Mistpaw had barely seconds to react. As quick as she possibly could in the tangled bush, the tiny silver she-cat whipped around and bolted into the open. It was possible, maybe only barely possible, that she could get away. Once free of the now-menacing bush, Mistpaw prepared to take off.

whap!

A large black paw hit her straight in the flank. The force of it, though it didn't hurt, nearly knocked her over. Staggering, Mistpaw flung around and squealed. "Mouse-dung! You got me!" She jokingly glared at Sootclaw before crouching on the ground and staring unblinkingly at him with pale green eyes. "I'll give you twenty seconds to get away. No more, no less." She flicked her russet-tinted tail in Sootclaw's face. "You better get going," she playfully growled, "one... two... three...!"

As she crouched, counting, Mistpaw wondered briefly why they were playing tag. They were supposed to train, but instead they were playing games! Though, in a way, tag was still teaching her how to track and hunt... just without the prey. Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, she finished counting.

"...eightteen... nineteen... TWENTY! I'm coming!" With a swish of her tail, she was off into the bushes on the hunt for her mentor.

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[Whiskers]

Sootclaw purred loudly as soon as he caught Mistpaw by her flank with a quick, hard blow to the side. Like always, she had been like a rabbit in speed, hopping over any obstacle with a magical spring in her step Sootclaw envied. He often got tangled up in any undergrowth, and so he was very glad he didn't choose Fogclan when he first arrived here. She spun around quickly though and she gave him a glare that made him chuckle. He could never imagine Mistpaw as scary; it was impossible.

I'll give you twenty seconds to get away. No more, no less.

"Well that's hardly fair, you slippery little snake. Here I am twice your size and I gave you much longer than that--"

two...three... Sootclaw huffed as he saw that Mistpaw was counting anyway, despite his whining. He ran his tongue over his muzzle before rolling his eyes, turning around, and bolting in the river's direction. He had no idea where he was going to hide himself, he was too big and black and easy to see. If only he was born a brown tabby, he wouldn't be having this problem at the moment! Better yet... if only his fur was green...

With a loud laugh at himself, he spun around before darting toward a tree. He wondered if it would be cheating to hide in a tree... she would have a hard time catching him if he did that so it probably was cheating, even if it was a good idea. In the last second, he spotted a burrow of an animal and darted in it. By the smell, it was stale and a fox had lived here. Good thing such an animal had gone away...

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