Scarletdust barely has a heartbeat to revel in the rush of battle before a heavy weight slams onto her back, driving her to the earth with a force that knocks the breath from her lungs. A snarl rips from her throat as claws rake down her spine and leave a fiery sting in their wake. Instinct takes over, and she thrashes, hind legs kicking out wildly, but Pebbletail's weight pins her like she's nothing more than a piece of prey being hunted.
'This. Isn't. Yours!' His voice snarls in her ear, each word punctuated by a fresh surge of pain. The tortoiseshell grits her teeth against the agony, fury flaring in her chest. Like hell it isn't. Her claws sink into the dirt beneath her, anchoring her for the split-second she needs to react. He wants her to turn, to face him head-on? Fine.
She twists sharply, writhing beneath him like a viper, using her smaller frame to slip just enough to bring her hind paws up. With a fierce yowl, she shoves both feet into his stomach, aiming to kick him off with all the strength she can muster. If she can't throw him off completely, she'll at least make him stumble, just enough for her to spring to her paws, bloodied but unbowed.
Chest heaving, her split-colored gaze locks onto him with a furious fire. "You lot have stolen this from us long enough," She spits, tail lashing as she prepares to lunge again-
'ThunderClan, retreat!'
Raccoonstripe's call slashes through the chaos, cutting through the haze of her battle-high like rainfall over the wildfire that is her. Her head whips toward the river just in time to see Lichenstar vanish beneath the broken ice. The sight halts her in her tracks, eyes widening. She barely notices the fear-scent rolling from her former mentor as he turns tail and bolts, only that the battle is over.
Frustration claws at her throat as her unsheathed talons grip the stone beneath her. Another loss. Another failure. But she knows better than to ignore an order. With a final, seething glance at Pebbletail, she wheels around and tears after her retreating clanmates. Next time, she swears, they'll take Sunningrocks back.
