REDRUM / BATTLE THREAD 3



After successfully throwing a pine cat off of him, there is a moment where the hulking tabby stands in the eye of the storm as an observer. Before him he sees blood spatter, and hears the war yowl of cats, none of that bothers him until his eyes land on Asphodel. The feline is dead.

This shakes Dusty to his core, dead...? How could they possibly be dead?! Naive Dusty had shrugged off the possibility of death on either ends of the battle, he had been hoping for the marsh group to just drive the pine cats off. He hadn't expected anyone to actually die.

An intense mixture of emotions overwhelms him, grief, anger, confusion and so much more. The only thing he knows to do is to keep fighting, so he charges at the first cat he sees.

This cat smelled of pine, but they were a familiar face.
Yarrow.
He freezes in his tracks, like a deer caught in headlights yellow eyes stare into hers. He knows this cat, he sees the fear shine in her eyes. Yet here he stood, he was expected to dig his claws into her.

He couldn't do it.
Perhaps a silent agreement occurs between them. They would not fight.
Without a word, Dusty runs directionlessly back into the fray. He felt like a lost kit... all he wanted was for this nightmare to be over.

// engaged with @yarrow. and is now running around the battlefield! feel free to attack him :)​
 
He arrives too late to save Char.

Tora has searched the deluge of bodies for Rain with a desperate fervor, clinging to his composure like attempting to capture the wind: without success. It isn't his first battle, but even his prior fights hadn't quite been on the same scale, and it is far too easy to lose track of friend and foe when teeth and claws fly in every direction he turns. He wants to call for Rain, but there are too many voices, a tempest of sound making words unintelligible, and it's during his near-frenzied hunt for the tom he respects like no other when he spies Char instead, falling to the fangs of a marsh cat.

Everyone Rain has cared for and helped, everyone here in hopes of a better future— they are dying, bleeding out under the trees. It was never supposed to be like this when Rain found him, little more than a skittish, bedraggled creature whose life had only ever been thoughtless struggle. The fury that tears him open is blinding, every heavy breath a dirge for the people who deserved better than this, and he tears toward the she-cat responsible for Char's death, silent despite the braying in his blood.

He lashes out viciously at Bone, aiming to tear the flesh across her ribs while simultaneously attempting to force her away from Char's body.

//attacking @BONE
​
—(information)—​
 
To purposely strike vital organs and physiological weaknesses was nothing but cowardice. Especially when fighting with the intent to kill. Which, judging by the words and battles, was exactly what some had in mind. Her tail lashed in annoyance as her sharp, teal eyes glowered at the cream tabby. From the corner of her eye, she saw Yarrow being attacked and her heart ached. Unfortunately, they were on opposite sides of this stupid war.

Teeth grabbed on her tail and yanked. Salamander didn't lose balance: instead, she remained completely still as limp bodies fell to the floor. Disgust burned the back of her throat. She looked at her comrades and at the pine cats. Disgusting. Their lack of morals was absolutely disgusting. This was exactly why she opposed this senseless violence. Blood spilled and for what? Because cats couldn't learn to share? A lesson taught to literal kits?

The molly was about to swivel to claw the little mouse yanking at her tail when a cat, perhaps a year or so old, approached Cloudy and Ash. Salamander moved before she could fully process the situation. Fur ripped from her tail, large clumps being sacrificed when she charged forward at @CLEOPATRA..

The older she-cat burned with anger: anger directed towards Briar, the marsh cats, the pine cats, this fully grown cat taunting a child. Any cool composure had evaporated and instead was replaced by righteous fury.

Salamander attempted to ram Cleopatra, shifting her weight to the front of her body to use the momentum to hopefully knock over the she-cat.

"Don't you dare even look at these kits." Not exactly kits but they were so, so young. Still, Salamander tried to position herself in between them and the taunting she-cat. "Raise a single fucking claw at them and I will not hesitate to rip your throat open." she hissed, fur standing on edge. Consumed by maternal instincts, Salamander left herself completely open to another attack by @ember.


ooc:// yanks her tail forcibly out of ember's mouth so that she can try to barrel Cleopatra over. Attempts to stand protectively in front of Cloudy and Ash but leaves herself exposed to attacks from any other angle.​
 
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What was he even doing here?

It wasn't all that long ago he was passing through the pine forest, looking for the fabled kittypets he'd heard plenty about. And now? And now the brown and white tom is stumbling through a battle, hoping to the stars that he survives this. That he doesn't die, doesn't end up like the nameless form before him, limp bodied in the middle of a battlefield, with another one not too far away.

Stars, what has this world come to?

A brown tom's running aimlessly into the fray, just about knocks Larkspur over with his carelessness. He stumbles back in an effort to get out of the way, a snarl escaping his throat.

"Watch it, swamp-brain!" he hisses, claws unsheathed as he swipes at brown tabby fur. Perhaps it's the adrenaline coursing through him, but Larkspur hopes his attempted attack causes damage, as if it would rectify the deaths he'd been witness to.

// attacking @DUSTY. ​
 
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The hiss of insult isn't what brings him back down to earth but instead the sting of pain that flashes through his shoulder. Within seconds he feels the area grow warm and sticky as blood begins to seep from the wound, the feline's claws had gotten him pretty deep... With a grunt of pain, he looks at his attacker, eyes landing on him for the first time.

A new fight. It took a lot to fight away the possibility of death from his head... He needed to stay focused, cautious, cunning, and strong. They would leave triumphantly today!

The brown tabby was taught it was unwise to waste his breath during a battle on words, not shouting taunts had won him a few spars with his litter-mates... He hopes his opponents a talker, it'd help tiring him out swifter... but Dusty can't afford to make assumptions. Dusty begins to race over to his opponent, doing his best to pick up as much speed as possible as he attempts to head-butt the tom's chest, similarly to a ram, to knock the air out of him. While his head is in that position he would then attempt to dig his teet into the others chest, intentionally avoiding the neck area. He had no desire to kill

// @LARKSPUR. any specific wounds you'd like for lark? Feel free to also wound Dusty a bit ^^​
 

HANGING ONTO HOPE​
Though she pulled with all her might, her target was just too much bigger and too much stronger. As the older warrior pulled out of her grasp she was left with only the clump of fur in her mouth to show for her troubles. She spat it quickly onto the ground and turned, expecting another attack to come her way. To her surprise, her opponent seemed to have backed away. At least, that was what she thought at first. A glance around caught that familiar grey pelt in her gaze again, attacking another one of her groupmates.

Ember didn't hesitate.

She raced toward the fight, eyes narrowing. Her target's mouth was moving, but the words were lost on her among both the din of battle and the blood rushing in her ears. Her paws thudded against the ground as she ran. For a moment she tensed, the wound on her shoulder screaming in protest, and leapt. Her aim was to land atop the larger molly's back and sink her claws in.

//attacking @SALAMANDER​
 
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( ✧ ) The two of them trade expressions, eyes of piercing yellow meet vibrant gold. For a moment, neither of them understand. They can only feel the blood rushing through their ears and the wild beating of their hearts. Blinding Star is frozen for a moment, distracted. The roll of fresh blood around his claws is warm. Too much. It stains his fur.

He comes to, only when Asphodel whirls around to face him. His fur stands on end. Gooseflesh rises beneath his pelt, but he stands straight, despite himself. His jaw sets, held tense as he prepares himself for a counterattack, but their legs only fall under them. They collapse. The color fades from their eyes. Blinding Star can’t move.

They were knocked out. They had fainted from the stress of the battle and their wounds, hadn’t they? The pride marsh cats held seeped into their bones, was in the very blood they were born with. Even then, they couldn’t always live up to that word. He’d underestimated, went into shock with the ferocity of his attack. Right?

He stares at his paw. Snow spattered with blood. It was ugly, garish, unfitting. It was only natural to spill blood in a battle, wasn’t it? Their own weakness was to fault. Their own weakness. So why couldn’t he move? He lifts his gaze—

—hasn’t a moment to react before something is brought down upon him—

—he screams. His vision suddenly goes dark. The hollow is suddenly pulled into darkness. That brief flickering light dies. A fluke— shock? He cannot process it— A weight slams into his chest before he possibly can. It sends him reeling, sprawling into the dirt, scrambling for paws he cannot see. Why? He chokes out a sound. "Why can’t I—”

Oh, he’s never sounded so…

He shakes. Snaps his head upward, looks around wildly for his next opponent, his next surge of addrenaline to keep all of these pointless thoughts at bay. But no matter how hard he looks, he cannot see.

He wants to leave, but he does not know where to go. He covers his face.

[ killed asphodel and blinded by @GRAY ; cowering with his paws covering his face. ]​
 

Air escapes his lungs at the sudden force against his chest, pain searing at teeth piercing his skin. He feels the warmth that pools around the wounded area, white and brown fur sticking together in red spikes. He tries his best to push back the pain, to fight back.

What was he expecting, attacking one of these marsh folks? For the brown tabby to turn around? To run away without a fight?

How foolish of him.

Back claws sink into the ground to steady Larkspur, to keep him from staggering back further than he's already done, front paws attempting to slam down against the tom's head, an effort to push him down. He hopes he hasn't made the wrong choice in this, that his opponent is weaker than what he seems, that his sturdy build isn't as sturdy as it looks. However, Larkspur fears this to be an uneven match.

// attacking @DUSTY.
​
 
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Claws dug deep into her back. A low, hostile growl rumbled through her chest. Salamander dropped backward, attempting to squash the annoying gnat beneath her weight if it was stubborn enough to cling on (or simply didn't react in time). Whether successful or not, she hissed through the distant pain and whipped around to face her opponent like a stormy, dark tornado.

Enraged, claws reached out in a flurry. The she-cat she fought was still young, still possessed a strong fire in her heart. However, Cloudy and Ash hadn't even properly grown yet. The fact that she was stopped from her threats of decapitation pissed her off. "You dare defend a cat who has taunted children?"

Bad cats lurked on both sides of the conflict but, for now, her cold teal gaze focused on the situation in front of her.

ooc:// attacking @ember ​
 

The ruckus of the battlefield is so faded in her ears as she stares at the corpse that was once a living cat. Her ears slowly pull back for a moment before flicking forward as if she is trying to listen to something. Maybe she thinks this is an illusion and he is just playing dead. But it hardly matters as heavy claws brutally tear against her ribs. A hiss twists her features as she stammers back to look at the one who had attacked her. And she glances another dead cat upon the ground. Asphodel. Laying there motionless. Another death to add onto the pile of bodies that is mounting up. No side is giving ground and that is an issue for both colonies. Her heated gaze snaps back to her attacker and she curls her muzzle into a vicious snarl because she can't abandon this fight, this war. She has to fight for her colony to her last breath.

This is the only home she has ever known and she will not allow for any mongrels to take it. With a sudden yowl she pushes forward on alabaster limbs even as blood splatters the ground from her wounds. Her jump is calculated and she aims to slam her claws the tom's shoulder, to grapple him and attempt to twist so that they both go down to the ground. Her hope is to keep him in close combat, back claws attempting to kick out at his chest.


-- attacking @tora ​
[ PENNED BY RHOS ]​
 

HANGING ONTO HOPE​
The reaction to her attack was exactly what Ember had expected, exactly what her mother taught her it would be. Her reaction was swift, an agile leap down onto the ground to deliver her to safety. The older molly whipping around to face her was everything she had wanted. She would keep the attention of as many marsh cats as she could on herself, and off of everyone else.

Her ear flicked at the words thrown her way. Passion burned in her eyes. "I defend my groupmates, my friends!" she declared proudly, with all the certainty of youth. "The ones you and yours are attacking! If you didn't want a fight, then leave!" She meant it too. If any of these marsh cats wanted to turn and run she would not give chase. But she would not stand by while they tore her home apart.

Distracted by the fire of her words, Ember ducked back from outstretched claws a moment to late. One caught her just above the eye and she winced. A few hairs lower and she would be blind. There was no time to waste on words here. She needed to remember that.

A familiar cry from behind her stole her attention. Her eyes widened at the sight of Blinding Star scrambling in the dirt, his fur bloody. She ignores every rule of combat she was taught, turns her back on her opponent to race toward her friend. Lunging to put herself between him and Gray. In a panicked flurry, she struck out at his attacker with her claws. "Stay back!" she hissed in warning.

//exposed her back to @SALAMANDER to protect @Blinding Star from @GRAY ​
 

He sees the flame-point and his blue-furred kin's battle from afar, but the moment her back is turned to Salamander, he takes his chance.

He has to fight. He has to protect his home, his brother, his kin.

Leaping Toad might have been scared, sure. But, he had to fight. All his games, all his pretending, all his training - it would be for nothing, if he didn't.

Light brown paws bound forward, racing towards the fiery she-cat. His focus is on her, only her - his target. He doesn't see what she's standing in between, doesn't see the bloody mess around her. No, he's too focused on the chance to fight.

"Ha!" he squeaks out as he leaps towards her, making the attempt to hit her in the side.

// attacking @ember​
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Wherever Leaping Toad goes, Frog’s Ribbit follows.

Even into battle.

He’s just as scared as Leaping Toad, if not miles more. Why must such fights happen? Why couldn’t they just stay at home, pretend the pine cats weren’t living in the forest? Hadn’t everything been fine, up until recently? Couldn’t they go back to that?

Dark brown paws race after their lighter-furred counterpart, only to split off from him in the final moments, a race to leap at the other side of the flame-point, one that falls short when he realizes something bigger than just a couple leaps at a bigger cat. She was protecting something - someone. Someone was hurt, bleeding bad, red-stained fur shaking behind the angry she-cat he and his brother just attempted to attack.

Someone more than capable of hurting his brother.

Green eyes go wide at the thought, and he hurries to his brother’s side, an attempt to stand in the way of any potential attacks.

// failed attack on @ember, defending @LEAPING TOAD. ​
 
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⚘  in character   out of character   character tags   reference
  • yarrow_thin_banner.png
    ── ( ᴛᴀɢs. )  The eyes that meet hers leave a surge of guilt in their wake. Yarrow has never felt it so strongly before. To be caught in a familiar cat's eyes and have them still turn from her, to deny this battle for the sake of– who she had once been, perhaps. There is such surprising pain in knowing that she could do no harm here. Not for the disdain she had clung to over this battle, but love. She found her heart to full of both groups. Childhood tales and present kindness. She couldn't fight them, but neither, it seems, could she leave. Heart pounding in her chest, dull eyes scan the battlefield again, and again. There are those that she could help without violence, were there not?

    It's then that she sees–no, hears–Blinding Star. A scream, a gushing of blood. There is no time for guilt then. She weaves through the bodies of those fighting, skirting past whatever she can for the quickest route there. Ember is beset from all sides, it seems, but the latest seem little more than children. Her heart beats uncomfortably within her chest. Too many would die today. Too much love. "Ember," she speaks, sounding stern and calm despite the whirlwind within her heart. "I am going to get him out of here, I need you to hold on, for just a moment. Do not let them cause him further harm." And after a beat, in which she wrestles with her tongue, Yarrow blurts, "And be careful."

    She crouches slowly and presses her fur to Blinding Star's side, speaking as softly as she can over the roar of battle. "Do not panic, it's only Yarrow." Despite the bile that rises at the closer sight of his wounds beneath those sheltering paws, the pale molly speaks softly and slowly, as if this is nothing more than a pricked paw. "I would like to show you to the clearing's edge. There you can rest."

    [ engaging @ember and @Blinding Star ! feel free to attack her / interrupt her attempt etc, all's good ]    ​

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  • n/a​
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  • ──── yarrow, eventually yarrowtongue.  cis female,  she - her pronouns.
    ──── approximately five years old,  though age unknown. ages the first.
    ──── sexuality unknown, presumed to be wholly disinterested in others.
    ──── lilac silver ticked tabby with curly fur  and deep,  muted olive eyes.    ​
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  • 50080903_Q4rdNTqaZX7fAeb.png
 
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A chance to redeem himself, to prove he's capable of a fight. That, alongside protecting his home - protecting his young brother - was the reason why he was here.

He dodges cat after cat, getting a swipe in here and there, following the moves Ember taught him the best he could. The fiery tom has yet to be stagnant in the midst of the battle, has yet to fight a proper opponent.

But, at the sight of blue fur attacking the flame point that taught him how to fight better - at the sight of Blinding Star cowered on the ground, of Ember and Yarrow trying to guide him out of harm's way, of two brown scraps of fur no older than Cosmos making their own attempts to partake in the fight - he finds himself racing towards the quarrel. Blood and death rage around him as he makes his attempt to ward off the marsh cats, to keep them away from harming more of his pine-based family.

His claws unsheathe as he makes his move, diving for the blue smoke's form, hoping to keep her busy while Ember and Yarrow help the white tom make his escape.

// attacking @SALAMANDER
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He isn't supposed to be here.

He knows he isn't, knows Finch told him to stay back, to stay far from the battle within the safe confines of the nursery. But, with all the commotion, the air of excitement was far too enticing to not have a look at what was going on.

The white tom knows not to partake in the fight, knows he's hardly capable of taking a swipe at others. So, he crouches in the shadows, hidden among foliage as best as someone with such pale fur possibly could be.

Though, it isn't long before he realizes that all this commotion was far worse than what he thought - that, maybe Finch was right about staying home. Blue eyes widen in horror at the bloodied battlefield, at the bodies lying limp in the middle of it all.

He doesn't know why it's happening - doesn't know why it has to happen. Were these the same cats who hurt Finch? Was the very cat that hurt him here too? He isn't sure.

Cosmos cowers further into the shadows, eyes locked on the scene before him. He just hopes his brother wins - that those who also call the pine forest home win.
​
 
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Paws slam atop of his head, he feels the sting as claws break through skin and dig into his skull... but he does not bend. The brown tabby carried a set of sturdy limbs, with some resistance against the attack he managed to keep his ground with grunts. Dusty decides to return the gesture of attacking the head as he aims his heavy paws and attempts to slash carelessly wherever he could hit. Muzzle, forehead, ears, chin, anywhere but the eyes. Dusty fought with honor and dignity, he refused to make anyone leave here with a permanent life-altering injury.

If he could help it anyways...

After a few flurries of blows he tries to do the same thing again, only the final blow is the heaviest hitting. Thorn-sharp claws aim to slash horizontally down the feline's face. A hit of that force could with ease do some damage, create a scar to permanently remind this cat of their tango with Dusty.

// @LARKSPUR. think you could have lark give him a scar on his scruff, shoulder, or flank? c: ill let u surprise me with which​
 
Salamander didn't want to fight. This didn't truly feel like her battle. Instead, it was Briar's war and the warmongering mongrels that followed. However, her family was here. As much as she wanted to leave, she knew she couldn't. "Friends." Salamander scoffed coldly. "Your friends will be safe if they stay the fuck away from my nephews." Ash and Cloudy somehow being included in this sentiment.

Her muscles tensed, contemplating following the cream point, but then relaxed when the she-cat's attention was directed at someone else. As long as the molly didn't get any silly ideas then Salamander would gladly let her live. As for the one who threatened Ash? The ones who engaged on her nephews- Wait. Leaping Toad "attacked" the retreating molly. Attack being used lightly considering her nephew's inexperience (and the fact he looked so freaking cute despite throwing himself into danger).

"Toad-" Unfortunately, she was cut off when a flash of ginger and white crashed into her. Claws dug into the ground as she steadied herself. For a moment, she thought her previous opponent had turned on her but that wasn't the case. A young tom had decided to pick her as his target. He looked to be a little older than Toad and Frog. Was he related to the fiery molly? They certainly acted the same.

Claws sheathed, Salamander attempted to push this new attacker away with a swat of her paw. "Get out of here, kid." Salamander was many things but she was no hypocrite. Teal eyes searched for Yarrow, the curly-haired lilac not too far from where she stood. She nearly reprimanded her friend, words of encouragement to escort the young ones away from harm, when she spotted the grisly scene.

Her stomach churned. Not because the sight disgusted her but because she was relieved that it wasn't another cat she knew.

ooc:// disengaging ember & "attacking" @FINCH. (in reality she's trying to bop him out of the way) ​
 
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✵ ღ ☾ I'LL LET YOU DOWN - Narrowly, Cloudy misses. Her extended claws grasp onto nothing and she is forced to take a tumble, clutching her limbs close to her belly and rolling rather than crashing to the ground.​
She springs back up in a heartbeat, eyes frantically searching for Ash, but he is lost in the fray if colliding bodies and blood.​
Hey kit!​
Cloudy’s head swivels to meet the haunting glare of Cleo’s, and she feels her pelt spark with anger.​
She shouldn’t give into the taunts, not from some kittypet.​
She’s rushing towards Cleo before she can even properly think, her head bowed she would aim to ram her head against the others chest, hopefully winding the other and giving Cloudy a moment to stagger back and clear the ringing from her head.​
She would lunge again, this time aiming to grapple into the pine cat and send them both crashing to the ground in a fury of hisses and snarls from Cloudy, who would be digging her claws into the others flank if her attack had been successful. ​
Just when the fight would seem to be going in her favor, something would shift as a pelt of ebony freckles got snagged in her peripheral. Ash, running towards the duo without a drop of hesitation in his frantic paw steps.​
That’s when everything tilted, quite literally as Cleo got the upper hand, and Cloudy’s spine was suddenly slammed against the ground, earning a shocked yowl from the alabaster molly. Hot breath was pressed into her senses as true fear suddenly struck her, for the first time since she was a small child, she was terrified for her life. ❝ Dog-breath! ❞ She spat into Cleo’s face, deciding if she was going to have last words, they would be laced with the same fire that lit her gaze.​
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[fighting with @CLEOPATRA. aware of @ASH ]​
❝ Speech. ❞​
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IF YOU LET ME TOO CLOSE​

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He's hardly a fighter.

It's evident in the way his opponent is able to get in hit after hit. His ears are ringing from the adrenaline - however, one more so than the other. He smells the scent of his own blood, tastes the salt of it. He's bleeding, somewhere, he just... can't tell where. His body is in far more pain than it's ever been - far too much for him to locate just where the worst of his wounds are.

That is, until he feels his opponent's long claws rake across his face, a burning pain following the piercing trail that causes it.

He falls back, ready to cower away and run at this point. He shouldn't be here. He never should've been here. But, he's chosen his side. He must fight for it.

The pain is blinding as he hurdles himself forward with all his strength, his own claws making the attempt to dig themselves into the scruff of the brown tabby's neck, to drag them downwards over his shoulder.

// @DUSTY. ​
 
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