private SHOW ME YOUR TEETH [✨] Territory Stealing

[FIGFEATHER]

Silver and marmalade shift through the scarce undergrowth, their fur lightly twirled by the breeze. Figfeather walks in tandem behind Silversmoke, while no longer her superior she allows him lead as a sign of respect. His retirement had not erased the moons of service he dedicated to SkyClan has lead warrior and Figfeather hopes her subtleties will tell him she’s not forgotten it.

Arriving at the ThunderClan border pine breaks way into oak trees. The forest turns from evergreen to a vast canopy of orange and gold. Decaying leaves littered the ground across the border, the wind picked them up and sprinkled them here and there fox-lengths into SkyClan’s territory. Figfeather opens her maw and tastes the crisp morning air to draw in the scent of chipmunk. It’s not on their territory though, it scurried onto the other side of the border just heartbeats ago, her tail gives an irritated twitch.

Moving away from Silversmoke she begins to mark the border by rubbing her pelt and spraying her scent against the pines, not satisfied until the trees stunk of SkyClan. Once satisfied she stands idle awaiting for her clan-mate to finish up, but idle paws are the devils playground. She grows nosy- quite literally- and takes a whiff at the ThunderClan border. Strong in a vast majority of the area but the twilight patrol of yesterday overlooked a small patch of trees…

Narrowing her eyes in momentary contemplation it doesn’t take her long to make up her mind. Before she knows it her paws carry her across the border and she’s rubbing herself against oak’s that are clearly, not hers, but she lays claim anyways. ThunderClan would not miss the few mouse-lengths she was taking for her clan, any tree SkyClan could hunt in with the coming of leaf-bare counted for SkyClan, that is how she justifies her thievery.

Her eyes dance in search of any ThunderClanner’s who may spot her in the act, they then flicker over to Silversmoke. Would he disapprove, scold her? Or would he understand she makes this move to strengthen SkyClan?

// sorry for the delay I forgot HBFJHDS
@SILVERSMOKE @STORMYWING @THUNDERGLEAM

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[STORMYWING]

// apprentice tags @COLTPAW @mottledpaw

Stormywing's fur bristles as the scent of SkyClan hits her nose. Something's off. She's been on enough border patrols to know when things are out of place, and today, that scent is stronger - too strong, too fresh to be from just marking the border. She signals with a flick of her tail, gesturing for Thundergleam, Coltpaw, and Mottledpaw to follow closely. The tension in her chest tightens as they draw closer, her sharp eyes scanning the trees ahead. And then, she spots her - Figfeather. A familiar face, a friend even, from their days on the Journey. But what she's doing now? That's a different story. Stormywing's loyalty to ThunderClan is firm, and no amount of shared history with the marmalade she-cat will make her turn a blind eye to this.

Her gaze hardens as she steps forward, purposefully crunching the leaves beneath her paws to make her presence known. "Figfeather," She spits, her voice edged with warning. "That's ThunderClan territory you're rubbing your scent all over." Every muscle in her body tenses as she charges forward suddenly, claws unsheathed, cutting through the undergrowth with the swiftness of a hawk diving for prey. With a snarl, she attempts to barrel into Figfeather, slamming her shoulder into the SkyClanner's side. "You don't get to claim it!" The tabby hisses, claws attempting to rake across her opponent's pelt without hesitation.
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[SILVERSMOKE]

Had Figfeather not volunteered willingly, Silversmoke may have reminded her that there was little point in him leading anything when Orangestar's council was around. He was overjoyed to remain useful to his clan, but bossing others around had been a symptom of his rank more than a desire to prove his seniority - he did not need Figfeather to do this for him. Still, the silence between them was not as awkward as he imagined. There was peace in the way the birds grew quiet as they passed and the way that the winds snuffed out the pitter-patter of their paws against the autumn floor. They separated amicably and as if rehearsed hundreds of times (because it had been), the spotted tom rubbed his scent against the last tree that separated pine from oak.

Almost lazily, he checked on the other, not expecting things to be any different than usual. Then, the former council member watched as Figfeather marked past the borders, his brows raised in muted alarm. The peace between ThunderClan and SkyClan had always felt tentative to him, as if one wrong move from SkyClan could shatter the illusion built up by three generations of leader. As a SkyClanner, it was his duty to support his Lead Warriors. As a cat, the bold transgression caused his stomach to curl in discomfort as if he should say something to his leader. They were no better than rogues if they didn't try to abide by the five clan's laws.

He chewed on empty air and tautly snapped his jaws together. To avoid a battle between personal code and the Warrior code, Silversmoke looked away and pretended he didn't notice what Figfeather was doing. When ThunderClan arrived, inaction had become compliance.

A snarl the moment he ignored it felt like penance, but as soon as that guilt warmed his ears, he felt something angrier stir within him. It was as if a switch had flipped as they got caught, as if disapproval for his clan's actions could not be shown in front of the enemy. Opportunity sparked within the prideful display. Righteous indignation and a chance to right the wrongs. Something not quite approved by Orangestar, but good for the whole of SkyClan. He whipped his head around, teeth bared. "You owe us for that stolen prey, foxheart!"

For disrespecting his clanmates, for injuring Lionpaw, for stealing prey - there was much ThunderClan owed SkyClan for. Too much. The friendliness between Orangestar and Howlingstar meant naught when one of them was sat in a grave. Moons of perceived abuse bubbled to the surface, only when the skirmish was over would the warrior be able to recognise it was to cope with what he'd agreed to. He moved past the tumbling forms of Stormywing and Figfeather, ripping his gaze from them, trusting that Figfeather was the better fighter of the two.

He positioned himself at the edge of SkyClan's new territory, claws unsheathed, body facing whatever manner of ThunderClanner wanted to rush in and help their clanmate. His tail lashed like a rattlesnake's threatening to strike, the long furs upon his body puffing up to twice their size. "Come on then!" He roared in challenge.

​

 

[Daisydrop]

The border patrol starts off as any other, the group of SkyClanners move towards the oak trees that scatter and separate ThunderClan from their own borer, he moves away from the patrol to press face against bark to spread his own scent. It was something he'd done many times by now, gathering the know-how to be able to move away from the patrol and his mentor the more they trained together for things such as this, he knew where the border was, knew how to hold his own, didn't have to worry about being scooped up with no way to protect himself or freezing as he would have a few moons ago. Figfeather had been teaching him well, he knew the codes and rules by heart, so when he turned around to gather back with the patrol - he'd gone far enough to mark this part - he paused in surprise when the sight of said mentor crossing over the border into ThunderClan territory caused him to go slack-jawed and his eyes widened.

His surprise didn't get to last long though, for the sound of Figfeather's name being spit out from within the territory of ThunderClan made his paws move forward quickly, tail bristling as Stormywing spoke out about the territory being claimed - stolen, the other had said - and he couldn't help but disagree, had there been time for words he would have agreed with Silversmoke. The two clans had good relationships in the past, a bond forged by Blazestar and Howlingstar and kept once the former was gone, but it should have been abolished long ago. ThunderClan had done too much, constantly taunting and cursing SkyClan for having daylight warriors, turning up their noses at the clan they bordered with, stepping into their territory to steal prey with biased and wrong justifications for why they should simply be able to take it, and now that they missed marking a part of the territory they get upset when they move to take a piece of land that if asked Daisypaw would simply say was no longer claimed? At least the peace with RiverClan was respected by both sides of the border instead of just one.

He moved to close the gap within the patrol, claws extending as he waited for the inevitable, waited for one of the ThunderClanners on the patrol to attack, for although the older apprentice wanted to attack first he knew he shouldn't - though ThunderClan's territory was similar enough to his own so close to the border it was just different enough that he knew they would have the upper paw if he were to charge in recklessly.

CAUGHT YOU RED 🌺 HANDED IN THE BISCUIT TIN

• 

• 
  ♡ SH blue w/low white & blue eyes
  ♡ cannot properly control emotions
  ♡ born november 8, 2023. ages realistically
  ♡ sexuality unknown ; interested in no one
  ♡ adopted by Butterflytuft and Dandelionwish
  ♡ brother to Weedpaw and Fluffypaw
  ♡ easy to befriend ; easy to upset
  ♡ "speech", thoughts, attacking
  ♡ peaceful powerplay allowed

​

 

[THUNDERGLEAM]

In moons of training, a strong sense of boundary and border had been instilled in Thundergleam by none other than the cat whose side she walked at now. Her gait was warm, her expression pleasant as they strolled... in truth she had found she was rather happy to do anything with Stormywing. The company and the conversation swaddled her heart in moss and feather. It was a similar feeling to finding she belonged in ThunderClan, when pale paws had completed instructed tasks with clinical efficiency.

Pleasantry did not last long, though. The borders were stained in her memory, sun-spots behind pale eyes- in the shade, path obscured by the sun, she knew these Skyclanners overstepped. Stormywing did not wait for an answer- Thundergleam's face grew cold with impatience, a deadness flicking over rosy eyes, warmth in crimson pupls drowned by cold fire. "Stand down," she warned the Skyclanners, her voice unbecoming of her graceful appearance- it was commending, direct, cadaverous. She strode forward.

Claws leapt from their stronghold- toward the silver tom she strode, muscles bounding. With practiced speed, she shot her leg forward and attempted to land a powerful strike across the tom's legs to throw him off balance. ​

penned by pin ☾​

 

[FIGFEATHER]

There is rustling in the foliage. Figfeather’s eyes sharply revert to ThunderClan’s side of the forest, tabby stripes and ghostly white fur emerge. She recognizes the pink-eyed one vaguely but the tabby is the one who is most familiar to Figfeather. @STORMYWING had been among ThunderClan’s group in the journeying cats. The two had gotten off on the wrong paw into the first several nights of the journey, but when it had come time to climb the mountainside they had worked together to get to the top. They had been friendly ever sense until it came time to put the needs of their clan first.

Stormywing hisses at her in warning, Figfeather straightens to stand her ground. ”You won’t even miss it!” She hisses back just as Stormywing becomes a blur as she charges forward. Her shoulder hits Figfeather and pushes her back into the oak she had just been marking, her head thwacks against the bark and she lets loose a pained growl.

Her flesh burns as claws rake through her pelt, Figfeather quickly composes herself and eyes the crossroad scar on the tabby’s chest. Her paw lifts as she attempts to pummel a set of claws right into the healed over flesh, dragging downwards as if trying to slice it back open.

She hears Silversmoke charge into the battle. From the corner of her eye she sees Daisypaw bracing himself to lunge into the fight. She nods her head upwards, motioning to the trees. Stormywing was a climber… but if he could remain undetected her could drop onto her from the trees. Figfeather would not be able to secure this fight alone, Stormywing was fast and energetic, something we could not match with a hindered leg. Defeating the ThunderClanner’s by doing what SkyClan does best would be their only hope to victory here.

Figfeather takes her other paw and lunges for the tips of her opponent’s ear, hoping to hit and make them bleed.

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[STORMYWING]

Stormywing grits her teeth, feeling the satisfying thud as Figfeather hits the oak tree. The sharp hiss of her old journeying companion barely registers in the flurry of fur and claws. The moment their paws collide, memories of the mountainside, of shared struggle and fleeting camaraderie, disappear into the bloodied snarl of present battle.

Her breath is short, her heart racing with exertion and anger. Figfeather's claim that ThunderClan wouldn't miss it sends a ripple of rage through her. "It's not yours to take!" But the SkyClanner isn’t done. Pain flares in Stormywing's chest as her opponent's claws find her scar, nearly reopening the old wound. The small gray tabby lets out a sharp, furious snarl, jerking backward, but Figfeather’s relentless. A paw flashes toward her ear, and a second later, she feels the sting as claws rake through the sensitive flesh. Blood splatters against her fur, but the pain only fuels her determination. Ignoring the pulsing heat in her ear, Stormywing whirls back, launching herself at Figfeather once more. With well-muscled legs, she aims to pin the SkyClanner down, trying to stay on the offensive.

But even as she strikes, her sharp gaze follows her opponent’s line of sight and catches an apprentice standing at the ready. “Coltpaw! Mottledpaw!” She barks to draw their attention to the younger SkyClanner. The gray tom looks older than her own trainees, but when it comes to numbers, ThunderClan has the upper paw.
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[Daisydrop]

The thought of climbing hadn't crossed Daisypaw's mind, so used to following along on the ground except during training sessions that the option just simply hadn't been there for him. Movement in his direction caused eyes to flicker over and quickly he'd nod in response, not caring that Stormywing had seen, not caring that the ThunderClanner had called over her own apprentices to make sure he couldn't go anywhere, and the apprentice would move backwards hoping to feign getting help. If he was able to trick a single ThunderClanner he would be happy as he moved back towards SkyClan territory and weaved around a tree, hopefully out of sight as he jumped up, claws digging into the bark as he made his way up towards the sky where his own clan held their name.

He was lucky in this moment that the clan they were bordering was ThunderClan and not WindClan, not RiverClan where the trees were sparse or none, where a river marked the border for the territory but instead it was oaks and ears would pin back onto his head as carefully he slithered across branches, hoping that whatever sound he could possibly make was drowned out by the fighting before he came above them all, and if all went well and no one saw him move this way, if no one managed to keep track of the tom he would jump down, arms outstretched as he tried to land on top of Stormywing, aiming for her back legs so that if she had managed to pin Figfeather down she would not have the weight of two cats upon her, and if he did stick the landing he would try to cling to the other, claws aiming to dig into her back.

CAUGHT YOU RED 🌺 HANDED IN THE BISCUIT TIN

• 

• 
  ♡ SH blue w/low white & blue eyes
  ♡ cannot properly control emotions
  ♡ born november 8, 2023. ages realistically
  ♡ sexuality unknown ; interested in no one
  ♡ adopted by Butterflytuft and Dandelionwish
  ♡ brother to Weedpaw and Fluffypaw
  ♡ easy to befriend ; easy to upset
  ♡ "speech", thoughts, attacking
  ♡ peaceful powerplay allowed

​

 

[SILVERSMOKE]

Stand down. It was a command he knew, but like all great hounds, he did not recognize it when it came from a threat. His ears burned, scorched by umbrage, and the noises behind him soon turned to muffled memories in a head that only saw the thrill of the fight. Time was simultaneously too fast and too slow, within a blink, part of his vision was obscured by snow-white fur, and a hefty swing was offered to where his gait was weakest. Limbs buckled and Silversmoke could see where he would end up, where he would only want to be if he could make something of it.

He let himself fall, aiming to hang onto Thundergleam's shoulder with his teeth as his side hit the ground. With whatever semblance of grip afforded to him, Silversmoke aimed to haul himself beneath the ThunderClanner, unsheathed hind claws hoping to kick and tear at whatever under-flesh they could find.

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[FIGFEATHER]

As blood tints her claws she has only seconds to prepare for Stormywing's counterattack. It is unlikely that Figfeather would be able to dart away fast enough, so she ducks but to no avail. Her forehead collides with the ThunderClan warrior's chest, the force to the face was enough alone to make her topple over.

Her head meets the forest floor with a thunk, the thick litter of leaves doing little to cushion her fall. Stormywing stands atop her and shouts the names of two apprentices and Figfeather's lip curls in a snarl. She can only hope that Daisypaw has done as she had tried to instruct... she had trained him well but still worries for him against two apprentices.

Figfeather has to focus on saving herself. She defensively lifts her forelimbs into the air, an attempt to block any incoming thrashing she may receive from Stormywing. It's unlikely she will be able to stop all of the blows but she'd eat crow-food before allowing the she-cat free hits without a fight. Meanwhile she thrashes and wiggles in an effort to get unpinned from her foe. A dark flash of fur comes from the sky, she prays that Daisypaw hit his mark.

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[THUNDERGLEAM]

The tom faltered, her strike making precise purchase; Thundergleam was not such a fool as to rejoice after one blow, though. No, her focus was still frigid, her crimson gaze cold and unfeeling, gazing into StarClan itself. Her pale pelt bristled, face contorted in a snarl- the silver tom grappled her shoulder as he fell, and Thundergleam winced. His claws stung nettle-sharp, and she was prepared simply to thrash to get him off of her- but snowy lashes fluttered in offended bewilderment when she felt a hurried sting streak across her stomach.

Her stomach. Thankfully it did not run deep. If he snagged organs, she would die - it would be quick, it would be surefire. Did this tom truly think he could kill her, and not face any consequence? Shock stained porcelain features, and Thundergleam reacted quickly, taking in a quick hiss of breath and attempting to slam her paw into Silversmoke's skull and hold him, hard, against the ground. "Yield, heathen!" she ordered, voice still corpselike.

\ engaging @SILVERSMOKE ​

penned by pin ☾​

 

[mottledpaw]

· · ───────────── ·𖥸· ───────────── · ·

Mottledpaw didn't expect that the immediate start of her apprenticeship could get more unhinged... War within her own clan wasn't going to be the only great battle she had to account for. Half-lidded eyes skim over the usual grime and dirt of the territory, finding nothing satisfying in this torturous game of shadowing.... It isn't until Stormywing snapped up suddenly with fur bristling that the tortoiseshell had bothered to pay attention. Before she can even process that gold-crested paws are on their side of the border, spittle and claws fly at each other-

"Mottledpaw, Coltpaw!" Pine-needle eyes glance towards the other apprentice with a small nod of assured confidence before the fluffy she-cat advances, eyes flicking upwards as a blur of sooty fur comes hurtling from the trees towards her mentor- "What are you... squirrels?!"

She crouches as best as she can, wiggling her rump high in the air to show her preparation before leaping towards Daisypaw to try to intercept him and send them both rolling across the forest floor.

/ trying to intercept daisypaw​