development CAN YOU FACE YOUR TRUE FEELINGS? ✶ border skirmish

[WOLFWIND]

She hadn't meant to do that. She hadn't. Not really. The response is immediate, caterwaul from the kittypet as her twoleg ribbon goes missin' in a matter of moments. "Y-you're not dyin', stupid!" she barks, eyes wide. Wolfwind was smaller than her, but the damn thing probably hasn't fought a day in her life. Typical kittypet lack of pain tolerance, right? Nothin' to worry about, and, she's giving this pet too much of her damn thought. Choked-back hiss as a hit connects with her flank. Suddenly, it's like she's really fighting, and Wolfwind meets her tooth and nail. She recovers quick, merely a beat of anticipation before she tries something she's always wanted to try.

Bunch of her muscles, before she goes for it, attempting to slide beneath @churrodream's stomach with a rake of her claws. It's kinda, okay really sloppy, but her best execution so far, and even her best execution leaves her disoriented by the time it's through. The swift repositioning on all fours ends up more of a stumble. But, if the kittypet thought she was dying now-

A self-satisfied smirk crosses her features, though, she needs to catch her breath. Whip of her neck to the remainder of the scene, eyes narrowed into slits. Had Flamewhisker gotten out of it? Had Morningpaw-

Frantic eyes find her apprentice, and then, narrow in confusion when she see's her alone. Sorely lacking Roepaw who had so diligently slid to her rescue before. Wailing, crying like a kit. Wolfwind bares her teeth, nostrils flare with the effort it takes to lift herself onto her feet. Real scars hurt more than anticipated. And...

She isn't fast enough. Not agile enough to slide there in time, not graceful enough to effortlessly slip between the throng of bodies that she should've, she was crying, and then, so suddenly, suddenly brave, she does something she shouldn't have.

Slash at the throat. A spattering of blood. Wolfwind screams, and to her surprise, Morningpaw does not.

She's never moved so quick in her life. Fleetfooted, blur in the crowd. So soon and so suddenly apt in her name.

"Stop! STOP!" she screeches. It takes everything at her not to push the other apprentices aside like they were little more than nuisances. It isn't about the damn prey anymore. "Morningpaw, Morningpaw?" panicked breaths, jostling her form, gasping. Why wasn't she moving? Why did she-? "Morningpaw- Please, somebody get Berryheart, something-"​

 

[LIGHTSTRIKE .]

❝ WE HAVE YET TO CRASH ✧°.☀ ————————————
Things happened real fast after that.
In his focus on the apprentice beneath him, Lightpaw hadn’t noticed the furious cat beelining his way toward him until he let out a furious shriek. His head jerked up, alarmed, eyes wide, but it was too late. He didn’t have enough time to defend—

Morningpaw.

Claws came down mercilessly. Blood spilled, suffocating his senses. It wasn’t his own.

Of course the first thing she does is apologize.
The golden apprentice was at a loss for words, green eyes flickering between her, life spilling away, and the one that caused it. You…

”You fucking foxheart! I’ll kill you!” Lightpaw shrieked. In a flurry of claws, the golden tom flung himself at @Snowpaw , slashing at any skin he manages to reach and bring him to the ground. Should he manage, he would try to bite his neck.

[penned by its_oliverr - ☀]

———————————— ☀.°✧ BUT WE STILL MAY AS WELL ENJOY IT ❞ ​

​

 

[~Deersong~]

( ♬ ) The air in her lungs is shoved out of her as a new body slams into her. She rolls, but quick to her paws despite her dizziness. She snarls at her new opponent, her frame quivering from the effort it took her to keep fighting.

A familiar blur of white and grey catches her attention from the edges of her vision as she sees Snowpaw sprinting to help his sister. The world moved in slow motion then, his paws raised, claws reflecting the light from the snow and at the last moment, Blazestars own daughter jumped in and takes the strike herself.

Deersong, forgetting all about the Thunderclanner who faced her, darted forward at the same time as Wolfwind. She felt her heart tighten as the sudden horrible thought of 'they're gonna kill Snowpaw' entered her mind for just a moment. But no, the she-cat only goes to Morningpaw trying to shake her away despite the blood that now came flooding from the young cat's throat.

The deputy's mind was racing, but she knew for sure that Dawnglare was just a little bit closer. Without really thinking about what she was doing, Deersong would yell out, "Our camp is closer! Foxgecker! Run ahead and warn Dawnglare. GO!!" Before looking around and spotting the one named Flamewhisker she would meow quickly, "Grab her back half!" Deersong looked down at her apprentice, grief in her gaze before she called out to her mate, "Thistleback! get Everyone back to camp now!!"

The cream and mocha molly would then grab Morningpaws' scruff and once Flamewhisker was ready she would lead the way back to their camp as quickly as possible. With every paw step she prayed, wailed, and BEGGED, to the stars above that they would make it in time. She kept smelling it, the blood that fell from the little body in her jaws and she had to choke back the sobs that threatened to cease her breathing.

She shoved her way through the entrance into camp and without stopping, prompted Flamewatcher towards the medicine cat den; hoping that Foxgecker had gotten back with enough time for Dawnglare to get things ready. With the Thunderclanners help, Deersong would set Mornignpaw down as delicately as possible before looking to the medicine cat, "What do you need?" Because he had to save her, this couldn't be happening.

//
@Flamewhisker @FOXGECKER @ThistleBack
​

( LET YOU BREAK; MY HEART AGAIN )

 

[nightbird]

suddenly, her target became a whole lot less interesting. wolfwind cried out and with a snap of her head she saw morningpaw, bloody and on the ground. she froze for only a second.

a pale streak dashed towards the one who had landed the blow on the young apprentice. with grit teeth nightbird was on the move, as fast as she could with an injured leg.

lightpaw was fast in his strikes and practically bursting with anger. ”lightpaw, that’s enough!” she yelled, but that likely wouldn’t be enough. from the looks of it he was in to deep. she never stopped charging, now aiming to bowl right into @LIGHTPAW . , hoping to knock him off the other apprentice.​

[ ☾✩ ]​

 

[Mountainheart]

Mountainheart shared her opponents sentiment. He saw it out of the corner of his eye, the blood splatter. Morningpaw at Snowpaws paws. His neutral expression turned to horror as he turned, running alongside Nightbird to try and pull @Snowpaw away while she tended to Lightpaw.

If Snowpaw allowed himself to be pulled away, he would bristle and raise his head to yell, anger and worry lacing his otherwise calm voice.

"ENOUGH!!! ALL OF YOU!!! YOU'VE DONE ENOUGH. " He roared.

He was livid. Suck with fear and worry. He crouched beside Morningpaw to nudge her.

"Morningpaw? Morningpaw!!"

.......

What's the use- she needs help. Now.

"We need to get her to Dawnglare. Right now." He says, shaking.

Or Berryheart, but personally, Thunderclan started this, he didn't want her with them.
​

 

[VIOLETNOSE]

it all happens too fast after.

some of her blows land, causing the tom hovering over her to reel back. it gives her just enough time to roll over onto her stomach, before he's leaping onto her once more and pushing her face into the dirt with claws pricking at her scalp. violetpaw snarls around a mouthful of the grainy stuff, and she would attempt to push herself up regardless in hopes that her weight would throw him off, but his claws keep her firmly in place.

he tells her to give up and run home. violetpaw laughs. "and allow a crime to go unpunished?" she hoots. "that's so funny, i can almost hear the wind whistling between your ears!"

she's vaguely aware of another joining them, shouting at... lightpaw to stop. lightpaw must be the name of her opponent, then... and this voice... is that howlpaw? violetpaw huffs. typical of blazestar's spawn to be so wishy-washy in their loyalties. "you'd better choose what side you're on, howl!" she hisses in the direction of howlpaw's voice. "and for your sake, it'd better be skyclan's!" how she'd hate to be on the losing side of this moral conflict.

suddenly, there's a screech. a voice so achingly familiar, that violetpaw doesn't have to think twice about who it belongs to. snowpaw.

get OFF of my sister, you thunderclan idiot!

flesh rips beneath claws, and violetpaw could hear it. there is no wail, like the one that'd been ripped from her moments prior by teeth meeting her shoulder. there's only a thud as their body crumples, and then silence. not just from the victim, but from the warring patrols as they realized what had happened. who'd been hit? it wasn't lightpaw, as he still stood over her. she couldn't hear the whispered apology above the pounding of her own heart, couldn't differentiate the scents of individuals when they all mingled so chaotically in the air.

the scent of blood grows stronger and stronger with each second, almost overwhelming in its suddenness. violetpaw tries her best not to gag. the silence... are they... dead? "snowpaw...?" she begs for a auditory reassurance that it wasn't her brother that had fallen. please, starclan, don't let it be him.

pawsteps are pounding towards them, now. another shrieks a name too recognizable to the skyclan apprentice; morningpaw. they're demanding for berryheart, and violetpaw knows that it must be bad if the fight for justice has been halted for a medic. her blood runs cold. morningpaw, the sweet little apprentice who'd never hurt a fly, has fallen in battle. she doesn't even have time to be relieved for her brother, before there's guilt crashing over her. if i hadn't been pinned by this bastard, then snowpaw would've never-

that thought is shattered by the weight shifting off of her. lightpaw screams, i'll fucking kill you, and violetpaw can only assume it is snowpaw that he wishes to spill the blood of. "NO!" violetpaw shrieks, scrambling back onto her paws- staggering under the spinning of the earth beneath her. "DON'T YOU DARE FUCKING TOUCH HIM!" she tries to lunge after lightpaw, following the direction of the scream as best she could, with claws outstretched. don't kill him. please, don't kill him! he didn't mean to-!

this is her fault, and she couldn't let snowpaw be the one punished for it.

[ attacking @LIGHTPAW . , interacting with @Howlpaw & @Snowpaw ]​

 

[~Deersong~]

( ♬ ) The air in her lungs is shoved out of her as a new body slams into her. She rolls, but quick to her paws despite her dizziness. She snarls at her new opponent, her frame quivering from the effort it took her to keep fighting.

A familiar blur of white and grey catches her attention from the edges of her vision as she sees Snowpaw sprinting to help his sister. The world moved in slow motion then, his paws raised, claws reflecting the light from the snow and at the last moment, Blazestars own daughter jumped in and takes the strike herself.

Deersong, forgetting all about the Thunderclanner who faced her, darted forward at the same time as Wolfwind. She felt her heart tighten as the sudden horrible thought of 'She's gonna kill Snowpaw' entered her mind for just a moment. But no, the she-cat only goes to Morningpaw trying to shake her away despite the blood that now came flooding from the young cat's throat. So many voices began clashing together then. Lightpaws screams vengeance before he launches himself at Snowpaw. Another Thunderclanner rushing forward to stop him as Mountainheart tries to pull Snowpaw away from the enraged cat's claws. Violetpaw screeches next and it's more than Deersong can take any longer as her own yowl of authority then rings through the air, enforcement of Mountainhearts own cry, "THE FIGHTING ENDS NOW!!" Even if the Thunderclanners don't listen, she knows her clanmates will.

The deputy's mind was racing, but she knew for sure that Dawnglare was just a little bit closer. Without really thinking about what she was doing, "Our camp is closer!" She meows in urgency to Wolfwind before turning to her own clanmates, "Foxgecker! Run ahead and warn Dawnglare. GO!!" Before looking around and spotting the one named Flamewhisker she would meow quickly, "Grab her back half!" Deersong looked down at her apprentice, grief in her gaze before she called out to her mate, "Thistleback! get everyone back to camp now!!"

The cream and mocha molly would then grab Morningpaws' scruff and once Flamewhisker was ready she would lead the way back to their camp as quickly as possible. With every paw step, she prayed, BEGGED, to the stars above that they would make it in time. She kept smelling it, the blood that fell from the little body in her jaws, feeling the small child's body grow limper the longer time dragged on and she had to choke back the sobs that threatened to cease her breathing.

She shoved her way through the entrance into camp and without stopping, prompted Flamewatcher towards the medicine cat den; hoping that Foxgecker had gotten back with enough time for Dawnglare to get things ready. With the Thunderclanners help, Deersong would set Mornignpaw down as delicately as possible before looking to the medicine cat, "What do you need?" Because he had to save her, this couldn't be happening.

//
@Flamewhisker @FOXGECKER @ThistleBack @DAWNGLARE
​

( LET YOU BREAK; MY HEART AGAIN )

 

[Flamestar]

Flamewhisker — I'll sleep when I'm dead

The pressure on her shoulders was released as her frantic kicks were successful. As she heaved herself up, she saw the blurry figure of Jaypaw trying to help her, but only to be tackled by Fireflypaw. She would gasp at the open display of betrayal, but she was reminded that the young apprentice shared clan ship in both Skyclan and Thunderclan. Her stomach twisted... if Fireflypaw couldn't defend his clanmates, how would he ever become a true Thunderclan warrior? The thought made her uneasy, but there wasn't anything she could do in this moment. For now, she just had to stay alive, and do everything she could to make sure her clanmates stayed alive.

Her fire ignited gaze returned to the Skyclan tom, daring him to go at her again. She was exhausted...her legs were swaying, and she felt on the verge of collapsing, but she was too stubborn to back down. The prickly pelted tom was larger than her, and undoubtedly stronger than her, but she would fight until she physically couldn't in order to protect her clan. She had never felt this ferocious about other cats before. Was this what being a true clan cat felt like? The lioness prepared herself to launch at him again, but a smell she knew all too well interrupted her.

Blood.

And it wasn't just a little.

Her head whipped around, trying to pinpoint which cat was bleeding this much, and her heart stopped when she saw Morningpaw silently fall to the ground. Abandoning Thistleback in a split second, she threw her way through the fighting cats, using newfound strength to shove whoever was in her way. "EVERYONE KNOCK IT OFF RIGHT THIS SECOND!" the lead warrior would roar out at the top of her lungs. Any birds above them would take to the skies, and her yowl would echo throughout the area. Anyone that knew Flame, would know that such ferocity had never been brought to the surface. The squirrel didn't matter now, what mattered was getting Morningpaw to a medicine cat.

She hadn't seen this much blood in a long time....Her heart was racing, and the smell was making her sick to her stomach. All she could see was her mother laying there, torn to pieces from the dogs that had stolen their home. But no, this was now. Her clanmate...torn apart, by the young girls own clanmates. This wasn't the work of savages...it was from warriors. Not once in her time here had she ever dreamed of experiencing so gruesome. Seeing the young Molly's body laying there was too much for her. The memories of her mother were nipping at her mind...the barking, the blood...she could hear it..she could feel it. She didn't realize it, but her claws were digging into the ground. She had to push those memories away, she had to take charge. Her mother had died, but she could save Morningpaw. She would save Morningpaw.

The young apprentice was still breathing, there was still hope. She wasn't going to let her die, not like this. Another figure joined them, Deersong, Skyclan's deputy. The Skyclan camp was closer the other said, and even though she would rather her go back to her home, she was not going to argue. "I'm helping you." she said firmly. Casting her wild gaze over her shoulder, she looked to the closest Thunderclanner she saw. "Go back to the camp, inform Emberstar and Howling Wind immediately on what has happened. I will be back soon."

Not waiting to see if whoever she had spoken to obeyed, she returned her attention to Morningpaw. Using her nose, she would hoist the rear end of the injured apprentice onto her shoulders. Her vision was impaired by the blood from her wounds, but she wasn't feeling the pain right now. She refused to let the pain lay its claim on here right now...There was far more important things right now than pain. Following Deersong's direction the best she could, she would hurry after the deputy, praying to whoever was in the stars above to spare this young cat's life. Nobody deserved to die like this, not over a piece of meat.


​

 

[ROEFLAME .]

I TOLD YOU ONCE, I CAN'T DO THIS AGAIN​

---

Stars explode behind eyes squeezed shut as their heads collide with a sharp CRACK!
She fumbles as the two fall, and is easily thrown off, landing on her side with a small thump.
Chest screaming and kicking in protest and ears throbbing, Roepaw sluggishly rolls back on her stomach with a shake of her head. "Ugh.. that was a terrible idea, whyd you let me do that?" She groans as she opens her eyes to blinding light.
Snowpaw is hopping from side to side, the lust for battle still shining in pools of sunflower.
She gets to her paws once more, her breath now rattling.
Are you really a warrior if you can’t even fight?
She turns her chin up towards her own self-critical thought. She’d keep fighting.
Snowpaws attention strays, and Roepaw’s hazy green gaze follows. She doesn’t bother to listen to what he says when he turns on his heel, she follows in pursuit anyways.
An unfamiliar apprentice is tussling with Lightpaw- unbeknownst to Roepaw what would cause Snowpaw to team up on her clanmate, she is ready to tackle him away.
A familiar pelt is only a blur at first, and Morningpaw is only there for a heartbeat.
"NO W-" her protest is a scream, but it comes too late and Morningpaw is no longer standing, but is on the ground, blood quickly pouring from her throat.
The violence does not end, Lightpaw launches for Snowpaw, Violetpaw throws herself into the fray, two more warriors follow.
"Get away from her you fucking morons!" Roepaw screams at the trio, rushing towards Morningpaw as snow and dirt is sprayed in Lightpaw and Violetpaws wake.
She gulps against the blockage that has started in her throat, begging to be able to breathe for a little bit longer. "Morningpaw? O-open your eyes, I’m not asking, you gotta open them. Come on…" Roepaw’s tone is pleading, rasped against the strain put on her airway. She lifts her head, eyes searching wildly for Snowpaw until she found him.
Over a fucking squirrel. Don’t die over a stupid squirrel.
She can’t help the desperate thoughts as she looks back towards Morningpaw, but quickly she is dragged away, and Flamewhiskers gaze is burning into her.
"Okay.. okay" Roepaw struggles to speak, but she nods. Without another word, the apprentice spins on her heel and begins to bolt towards camp, leaving the rest of the patrol and Snowpaw behind.
Dont fucking faint, Roe.

[ following @Flamewhiskers orders, running back to camp! ]
"speech."​

 

[Snowpath]

There’s blood on the snow. On him. On the snow. He’s the snow. It’s on him. It’s on him.
Everything is suddenly so colorful, bright, vibrant, warm as a sunny day; you could say it was almost spring but no red flowers bloom with such viscous fluidity nor do they spread so quickly.
A single crimson petal mars the side of his face where it fluttered upward from the initial burst of flowers.
“M-Morningpaw…”
And in that moment he understands what his name really means, something impressionable and easily stained; pure and white and he made no attempts to keep it as such, let it be dirtied through every action-let himself be sullied.
“I didn’t mean-” He’s on the ground suddenly, wonders briefly if he fell on his own because his head was spinning enough from the horrifying realization of what he just did that he couldn’t be sure; but there’s claws and there’s teeth and in his stunned stated Snowpaw does not even lift a paw to stop the golden ThunderClanner from taking his pound of flesh in retribution, he felt claws near his neck and wondered if Morningpaw felt this same fear before he cut her down. Violetpaw is screaming, lunging to help him and he finds he still can’t say anything. His words are gone, voice shattered.
He was spared the tortie’s same fate as another ThunderClanner knocked Lightpaw aside and his own scruff was grabbed and pulled away by Mountainheart; set to the side like he didn’t just kill another apprentice, ushered away like he’d simply misbehaved.
The voices around him are a ringing hum, unbroken soundless and muffling the world around him.

Snowpaw’s holds his paw slightly in the air, not touching the ground as if fearful to spread the red stains further with his touch. His claws are still unsheathed, curved and dripping and he’s surprised how cold it is everywhere else the blood doesn’t touch. Parts of his body are burning, others are frigid as leaf-bare.
He raises that paw upward to look at more closely, as if unsure if it was his or not anymore, who did this, who could do this, it couldn’t be him-he’d never…The red bleeding into pink along his entire forearm tells an entirely different tale.

Deersong and Flamewhisker are rushing to move Morningpaw to SkyClan’s camp, the fighting has stopped, he’s distinctly aware of the blood that coats most of his white pelt both his and the fallen tortie’s combined. His from the cuts and gash near his throat that Lightpaw left in his hysteric rage. He wishes he could feel something, but it's too cold. There's no pain, not yet. Was any of this even real? Roepaw is running back across the border to ThunderClan now, he's still standing on the edge where the two clans territories meet...

He wants to, for once, believe in their wretched medicine cat. That Dawnglare was capable enough, able to save her, to help her; to take back what he did, but Snowpaw was never a cat driven by something as foolish as wishful thinking. He knows how far they are from camp, he knows how deep his own claws sunk; the blue and white apprentice finds himself sitting down hard and hunching over, crumpling forward into himself as if he tried hard enough he could just disappear.

The sun sets, there’s only darkness in the winter.

​

 

[LIGHTSTRIKE .]

❝ WE HAVE YET TO CRASH ✧°.☀ ————————————
Lightpaw's teeth met flesh, and they sunk in. He could only see red. The red that spilled from Morningpaw, the red that dripped from his murderous claws, the red that spilled forth in his mouth, the red that stood out so starkly against the scattered white snow. Cats were shouting, but he could only hear his heartbeat raging in his ears, the snarl in his throat.

He killed Morningpaw. He killed Morningpaw. He killed Morningpaw.

Claws blindly swiped at him from a forgotten opponent, scoring his haunches, but he doesn't turn. He isn't done. He would make him feel every last ounce of pain that he inflicted on her. On all of them. You. You were the one that started this. This is YOUR fault.

Lightpaw wanted to go in for another bite, claw at him more, but someone forced him away, stealing the breath from his lungs. He staggered, sucking in a gasp, eyes wide as moons but filled with rage as they finally shifted over to his attacker. Nightbird. Why did she stop him? Cats were screaming, yelling for a cease fire, scrambling to help Morningpaw.

Slowly he shook his head, looking back to the SkyClan apprentice that was now being dragged away from him. He shook his head again, faster. "No- no, it's-" he rasped, taking steps closer to him as his teeth bared in another snarl. "I'm not done. I'm not finished. I'm-" He wasn't—

Faltering, Lightpaw looked back to Morningpaw, desperately being carried to the SkyClan camp. They were acting like they cared. They did this to her.

With a lash of his tail, the tom stormed his way over to the blood-streaked apprentice, although he made no move to attack again. Not yet. "This is your fault!" he screeched, thrusting his face closer. "Look at what you've done! You should hope that I never see you again!" Lightpaw's voice cracked. There were tears in his eyes now, whiskers trembling with the effort of maintaining his bared, bloodied teeth.

His pain was slowly coming back to him now, a droning throb in his shoulder and haunches as he took a limping step backward. The young tom jerked his head away to hide himself, breath hitching in his throat.

[penned by its_oliverr - ☀]

———————————— ☀.°✧ BUT WE STILL MAY AS WELL ENJOY IT ❞ ​

​

 

[sheepcurl]

Despite the pain, despite the fear she felt, despite the anger that ebbs from her conscious like a river, she fights. She fights back but its not enough because Wolfwind is under her and shes trying to step back. Claws meet her underside and score upwards to her flank as she moves and theres a furious screech that leaves her mouth again but it tapers off at the end because fuck, shes so tired, everything is blurring. Churro can barely keep herself up on shaky legs anymore, her movements are sluggish as she turns to lash out, but her movements are so slow shes just... Tired. So, so tired.

If there was one thing she could hear coherently its the screeches. Its no longer of battle but fear, mourning, she has to focus to see what everyone is screaming at. Her vision corrects itself for a second and there lies little Morningpaw, nothing more than a child, laying because her throats slashed and- Churro stumbles away from Wolfwind as she books it to her and heaves up nothing. Fleetingly theres a thought, I won't be the only one. In Morningpaws body she sees Vulture and theres an ugly thought that rears its head to face her head on.

What have we done? All of this fighting, it was truly useless, but Stars, please, please let her see her babies again. She just wants to curl around Greenpaw and Vulture before she slips away, groom their heads with the last amount of strength she has, tell them that she is so proud of them. Tell them to watch how they fight because most of the time it ends with this. "You all go ahead..."

Her eyes close and shes not... Sure... If they reopen at all because everythings just colors at this point. She doesn't know when she starts praying but she catches herself in the middle of it. She prays to make it back, she prays for small Morningpaw to make it but the stars, oh the Stars, they never listen, do they? "I- I need to catch my breath." she sucks in air as her words come out slurred, brows knitting. I did this for them, it repeats in her mind over and over and over as she does her best to give herself reassurance. She wants Red, truly. She wants to be with all of her friends.

"I can't breathe. Why-" her face is screwed up in pain because even though its a distant throb its still there. She stumbles after them, following the blurry red because it sticks out amongst the splotches she can see. She stops, barely far from the dispersing group at all, turns back to look at the gray and white apprentice that sits bloodied just like her. Oh, she hopes hes okay.... Kid looked distraught, bloodied, she cannot tell.

Churro sits down to catch her breath, slumps forwards in the snow. She'll... She'll catch up later, yeah... The snow is warm. Shes not sure if its her blood or whatever thats making it warm but its comforting. Her vision pricks with static once more. She'll be there later. She wants to stumble over to Snowpaw but her body cannot move, so heavy, so she lays there with a throbbing headache.

This whole fight has gone wrong. Churro never wants to raise a claw against an enemy clan again. She wishes to know the fate of Morningpaw but deep down she knows shes undeserving. She just hope the poor kid pulls through.

// she is not dead just B) u know!​

"speech"​

 

[nightbird]

"you are." she hissed sharply in to his response to her attack. between all the yells for a cease fire, silver eyes stayed pointed on lightpaw. then, he moved, once again in the direction of the apprentice who had spilt morningpaw's blood. she would be lying if she said she didn't understand. a small part of her wanted to just let him at it and tear the other one to shreds, but that would be too easy of an out in her eyes.

after he was done shouting at he other apprentice, nightbird moved in between the two as a barrier. "he has to live with what he did, that's going to hurt far worse than any mark you left on him," she said, tail lashing furiously. she said it loud enough for anyone to hear, it was the reality of all that had happened. over what? a dumb squirrel? they could take it for all she cared. they were willing to kill for it anyways. "go straight back to camp and see berryheart. do not fight me on this. i'll drag you by your tail if i have to." the warrior added in a low voice, eyes still narrowed. she was aware of how stubborn he could be, but she was not about to watch him bleed out on the border. nobody else had to die over this.​

[ ☾✩ ]​

 

[Mountainheart]

Over a squirrel. All this. Over a squirrel. He was at a loss for words. He was going to lose his mind. The only thing that brought him from his momentary daze was Churro, staggering off and falling in the snow.

Wordlessly, he moved to help her. He gripped her scruff and lifted her up as gently as he could.

They need to go home. He dreaded what he might see when he got back. He didn't want to hear what he knew would likely be true. He would start walking slowly, for Churros sake. He still had her scruff gripped, but if at any point it seemed it would be better to carry her on his back, then he would switch, no problem.


​

 

[FINCHCATCHER]

A shift in the battle comes as Blackmoon leaps at Deersong. It leaves Finchcatcher an open space, leaves him an opportunity to break free. He's able to get out of his second opponent's aim, which means, he'll be able to grab the squirrel, prepare to run back to camp with it.

But, as he turns to grab the squirrel within his jaws, his eyes catch onto something - red and white.

Finchcatcher turns with wide eyes. Cosmospaw? He expects to see his younger brother in his field of vision, blue eyes glaring back at him from the other side of the battle. Expects to beg him to turn around and run, to tell him he shouldn't be here.

But, the red he sees isn't upon snowy fur. Rather, the snow they stand on.

And Morningpaw lies in its grasp.

"No," he chokes out, heart pounding fast at the sight. The kid who had praised his catch just moments before. The catch that caused this. He caused this. He can't breathe. He can't --

"Someone help her!" he shouts, desperation in his voice. The squirrel is forgotten. "Someone --"

The fight stops, shouts exchanged. Hysteria. The kid. The kid. His own pain is forgotten as his panicked gaze watches from afar. Morningpaw's form is lifted and she's rushed away. His mind shifts, sees brown tabby fur instead.

He's killed another kid. Killed another, trying to defend, trying to help. It might not have been his own claws this time, but this was still caused by him. No, he couldn't... Morningpaw would be fine. She... SkyClan's better off, their medicine cat would be able to help, right? She... She isn't going to die over a squirrel. She can't.

Finchcatcher shrinks back, uncertainty arising. What now? What does he do now?
​

 

[FOXGECKER]

Even when claws score at his chest and a hiss leaves his maw the large male finds himself attempting to lash his claws against @FINCHCATCHER and his skull. Yet even in the throws of battle the tom hears the sudden distressing calls. The sharp sounds for everyone to just stop and he whips his head away from the fight he is in especially when Deersong shouts out. His eyes widen as he sees Morningpaw. Layibg there and bleeding from her neck. Churrodream is as well but something about Morningpaw's looks deeper, worse. The older warrior's face screws up into one of panick, one of distress and he can not believe this is happening. This shouldn't have happened, not like this. Not during the cold. Not over a squirrel. With his chest tightening up the massive warrior steps back away from his former opponent and he finds that no words leave him. All the energy is drained out of him, now he only feels the pain of the wounds and the one starting to bear down on his heart. Breathing roughly he turns his widened eyes on Deersong then as she gives orders and nods his head quickly. "O-oui, as quickly as I can."

Another loss for Skyclan but also for Thunderclan. Shaking his head he forces such thoughts out of his head.
No. No. Morningpaw can make it. They can help her. They can save her. He has to have hope that Starclan will not take this apprentice so soon and so quickly. Turning he runs away. Sprinting back towards camp and his face is set as grim as the reaper's. Because he just realized...Blazestar.


— following Deersong's orders and running to camp​

 

[ThistleBack]

STOP, it’s narrowly drowned- but he can hear his own mate as she raises with Mountainhearts. Howling to the skies, and suddenly- the forest is quiet again. If but for a moment before screams and wails rip into the fragile moment of silence.

Thistleback’s eyes shift away from Flamewhisker but she is making her way toward the suddenly isolated commotion. He raises a paw to his own wound, and lumbers in a half-circle. Morningpaw, bleeding from the neck- Thistleback’s grey eyes widen marginally, his jaws slack but he simply breathes out slowly.

Streaks of red, mud, and upturned snow, the grounds shaken with war. Thistleback draws his tongue over the copper in his jaws, nodding as he is given instruction by his beloved.

" Come. Flank me closely. " Thistleback stops next to Snowpaw, eyes glistening over with the memory of the day he and Coyotepaw had scuffled. Now, he had quite possibly just taken not only his first cat life- but the life of his leader’s daughter. Now he shall lie in this nest of his own making.

" Violetpaw. You too, come along. " Thistleback would lead the way, pausing next to Churrodream and Mountainheart with a glance-over of the speckled fawn woman strung over the snow. She looked half-conscious if not slipping away- perhaps shock but with so much blood everywhere one could hardly speculate productively, " have you got her? … here " he speaks firmly but rolls his shoulders underneath the torso of Churrodream as she hangs at the scruff in Mountainheart’s jaws to distribute the weight evenly between them. She was no doubt weightless but his shoulder stings with the effort.

He turns his chin sharply to make sure Snowpaw was next to him. " You should go to the warrior’s den when we get to camp. " he instructed, " until everything is settled. clean your fur. " he didn’t want any of the apprentices to gang up, he needed the pair safe.

​

OOC INFO REF

• —
  helping @Mountainheart carry @churrodream , talking to @Snowpaw and @VIOLETPAW
  
• 
  
  
  ✧ T H I S T L E B A C K
  thirty-three moons
  — warrior of Skyclan
  — taken by
  Deersong 9.29.22
  — mentoring quillpaw
  — very muscular piebald black and white tom with spiky fur and cold silver-grey eyes. ･ﾟ✧​
• 
  
  

​

 

[Howlfire]

Code:

After an attempt to intervene, Howlpaw gets hissed at for her troubles, with Violetpaw yelling at her to choose which side she was on. "I'm on everyone's side!" Howlpaw protested. "I just don't want to see anyone get hurt over a stupid squirrel!"

And then moments later the world falls apart. It all happens so quickly, there is a yell and suddenly the fight between Violetpaw and Lightpaw breaks apart as they rush to the source of the sound. The young torbie stands there stunned for a moment, too bewildered at what is happening to even process what is going on or who has been injured. Then at last her eyes land on Snowpaw and Morningpaw and the blood...Stars there is so much blood. For a moment she thinks it's coming from both apprentices, but quickly realised it was just Morningpaw bleeding, her blood staining the snow an alarming red.

"M-Morningpaw?" Howlpaw manages to choke out, her voice feeling constrained within her throat. She watches as the SkyClan cats begin to move her, words uttered about bringing her to Dawnglare. A small part of Howlpaw wants to beg them to bring her to ThunderClan instead - to their grandmother, their uncle, their mother. Instead she is too numb and too shocked about what to do. She watches as cats begin to depart from both sides. She looks around desperately for Burnpaw and Fireflypaw, hoping to catch their attention before gesturing to in the direction of where their sister is being carried away. "Morningpaw..." She says in a quiet voice before darting away after the SkyClan cats.​

 

[BURNSTORM]

When the fighting breaks out Burnpaw blinks in confusion. Sky Clan and Thunder Clan are friends, they shouldn’t be fighting. How was he expected to fight cats he had shared a den with? Been training with this whole time? The other apprentices seem to have no trouble with it, he reflects as he sees Howlpaw and Fireflypaw fighting through the throng of cats. He fights too, reluctantly unsheathing his claws to ward off an npc, but his heart is not in it, he does not want to be here, does not want to fight cats he has called friends up until now.

When he hears the scream he stops, blood trickling down his black pelt from some wound he had acquired without even realizing it. He turns his head toward the sound and - no. Stars no this could not be happening. “No no no no” he mutters and suddenly it is hard to breathe. Suddenly he is being crushed under the weight of insurmountable grief. “Morningpaw no!” He screams. Cats part and she is there, in the dust and the dirt unmoving. She breathes but it is strained and her eyes are closed and fuck there is so much blood.

He stares, unable to comprehend what has happened until he turns his head and sees Snowpaw, bloodied. He’ll kill him. He’ll - it won’t bring her back or make him feel better he knows that but what is he supposed to do. He could not loose her over something so stupid. Lightpaw beats him to it. He jumps on top of the Sky Clan apprentice with claws and teeth. Burnpaw takes the opportunity to kneel beside his sister and press his nose to his fur. “Please Morningpaw please wake up” he says miserably and then they are taking her. They are grabbing her and taking her away. “No!” he screams “No you can’t take her, you can’t!” He throws himself onto the ground like a child having a fit. He does not want her to go to Sky Clan, Sky Clan was the reason all this was happening. The squirrel had been theirs, theirs! He hates them…
​

 

[LIGHTSTRIKE .]

❝ WE HAVE YET TO CRASH ✧°.☀ ————————————
Lightpaw had only just considered going in for one more to remember him by when Nightbird stepped between them, and the fight left him in an instant, expression morphing into that of grief and denial. He would have to live with it for the rest of his life. A rumble nearly started again in his throat, but didn't quite make it far enough. Watery eyes turned up to his mentor.

Go straight back to camp. For a moment he paused, but it was her demanding do not fight me on this that earned her a heated glare, although he turned his head away. "Fuck off," he growled hoarsely, lashing his tail. He was fine.

Even still he whipped around, plodding away and pausing to stare in the direction of the frantic warriors making their way to the SkyClan camp. The trail of blood that followed. Lightpaw's ears flattened, and he looked away. He pointedly avoided looking at the apprentice or Nightbird as he turned back to the ThunderClan forest.

He paused. Resting dejectedly on the earth was the squirrel, as ratty and small as ever. Rather than be appetizing, the sight of it made his stomach turn. All of that for this. For a moment he sank his claws into the earth, sucking in a shuddering breath before he stooped down to snatch it up and storm off for home.

// out

[penned by its_oliverr - ☀]

———————————— ☀.°✧ BUT WE STILL MAY AS WELL ENJOY IT ❞ ​

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