The Eyrie of the Eagle (open)

[hawktalon]

Falcon stretched stiffly. The mountains could get awfully cold in leaf-fall and leaf-bare. She fluffed up her fur against the biting, numbing wind and crept out of the prey-hunters' den to hunt. The tribe needed food, and they wouldn't get it easily up here in leaf-bare. She picked her way along the face of the cliffs, up to a tall, flat plateau with a few scraggly patches of windblown grass and stunted, gnarled trees. The sound of the ind was almost overwhelming as it hissed and rattled the grass and tore at the trees. She dug her claws into the rocks' cracked surface. The wind only subsided for a few moments, but it was long enough for her to scamper under the shelter of a short, thin pine tree.

She clambered easily into the uppermost branches, and found an unguarded nest. Four eagle's eggs lay unprotected, and there for the taking. She greedily reached a paw in, but a loud, sharp cry interrupted her and a redhawk burst out of the tree's highest branches, maneuvering swiftly downwards and closer to her. Howling in fear, Falcon scrambled backward an inch, under the nest. The birds' talons dug into the side of it's nest, and the force of the impact rattled Falcon's teeth. She hastily darted out of the tree, and ran back towards the cliff. The hawk swooped low, catching her ear with a single, curved claw. She screamed in fear and pain as the hawk dove, and struck her in the shoulder tearing through her flesh this time. "Help!" She howled, desperate to find some form of safety or protection. But none was forthcoming, and she began to fear this day might be the last.

[Ruby]

Storm that Brings the Snow woke up a bit earlier than he would have liked but he didn't think he would be able to fall back into his dreams so he yawned and stretched without really getting up. He checked around the nest and noticed one spot vacant. He recalled that being Falcon's spot. He hadn't really talked to her much but all the sudden he really wanted to get to know the she-cat. He stood and quietly stepped over the forms of his tribe mates and out into the camp. He looked around for her, the cold not even fazing him. When he didn't spot her he decided to give up for now and to go out hunting. If he was up he might as well do something useful.

He stepped over the plateau as if it were second nature. He knew where all the dangerous areas of it were. He spent a lot of time out here after all. He had just gotten into his hunting mindset when he heard the cry of a redhawk. Stormy was a pretty decent sized tom and taking on a redhawk would definitely impress Sky. Without another thought he bolted after the cry. As he approached the tree where Stormy supposed was where the bird's nest was he heard a cry of help from a familiar voice. The next thing he knew, he saw the retreating form of Falcon as she bolted away from the tree with the bird right on her tail.

He didn't wait another second more. Stormy bolted after Falcon and the redhawk. When he was in distance of the frantic she-cat and the redhawk he leapt at the big bird slamming it to the ground away from Falcon. The bird turned on Stormy at this and let out a loud cry. "Falcon, take cover!" Stormy yowled as he leapt at the bird again. The bird flapped out of his reach. Stormy lowered himself and his pelt bristled as he hissed. There was no way he was gonna let a tribe mate get taken out by a bird.

The bird flew at him with it's claws out stretched. Stormy dodged the initial impact but got batted across his side by the bird's wing and beak. He clawed at the bird's closest wing and succeeded in taking a few feathers and hitting bone. The bird squawked and Stormy didn't pause. He leapt at the bird and put his full strength into the bite he got onto the redhawk's wing. He felt the delicate bone crack as the bird frantically tried to escape his hold, using it's claws and beak. Stormy leapt away when the hawk got a good hit on his muzzle with it's beak. He felt blood coming from some claw wounds on his flank. The redhawk tried to take to the air but it's wing was useless now.

Stormy made a final leap at the bird and bit down on it's neck. When the bird stopped moving he let the bird drop before looking for Falcon. "Falcon, are you okay?" he meowed.