sensitive topics STARVE ACRE \ fighting the fox

[FERNGILL]

His patrol had turned tail- scented that fox and decided they'd turn around, their patrol not big enough to deal with it. Fernpaw's disappointment had shown clear on his face, then; inevitably, they'd get another patrol together. A different squadron built for fighting, and he'd be left on the sidelines again. As he had trudged back to camp, falling behind his patrol, Fernpaw's mind had whirred with the possibilities that he was about to lose- the heroic defeat of a beast on their lands was a reality he could almost feel beneath his claws. So- with deft, graceful paws, the ginger apprentice had snuck from the distracted patrol. He would apologise to his father later.

Now, Fernpaw had taken into a run. He knew the patrol would be back to camp by now, reporting on their findings, rallying a collection of cats to fight this beast- but on his watch, they wouldn't need them. No. StarClan, or whatever other forces in the land, had at last given him his chance to prove himself, and Fernpaw was not going to let it slip from his grasp.

It was red, like him. Blazing bright when he saw it, stinking and- as far as he could tell- alone. It was larger than he had thought it would be, but... but all it took was a precise killing blow, right? A claw dragging across the just-right place... he knew that much. Knew a battle could be ended in a single strike, if you placed that strike well enough.

It needed to go. He needed to get rid of it, to help RiverClan. At last, to help. Fernpaw's claws leapt from their prisons, and his usually-cheery features contorted into a snarl. His fur bristled with instinctive danger as he got closer and closer to it, but he ignored the sensation, narrowing his verdant eyes. Hissed words whirled in his thoughts.

I am not useless. A step. I am not a burden. Another. I won't disappoint RiverClan. Another. I should be a warrior!

He leapt, claws outstretched, spittle and a hiss flying from his maw. There was a buzz in his blood when his claws cut flesh, but the fox didn't topple as a cat would. He couldn't- couldn't pin it. How could he have thought that, even for a moment? The dizzying aftermath of his misjudgement made him falter, and that was his fatal error. He allowed it, in that moment of pause, to knock him over.

It tore his flesh like fire splitting ice.

Claws sharper than he'd ever felt cleaved the skin of his face, streaking across his eye, and suddenly- suddenly, he couldn't see a thing except the gush of blood and the blur of panic. Terror and pain burst from him in a single sound, a yowl to the welkin. Help me, he thought, but could only scream.

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\ followup to THIS THREAD!

TLDR; fernpaw broke away from his patrol and attempted to fight a fox alone to 'prove himself'. currently he needs saving and his eye is clearly badly injured!!​

✦ penned by pin ✦​

 

[Cindershade]

"Keep your footing, Sablepaw. Shift your weight as you stalk, keeping your paws light against the ground." Outside of camp, unaware of the wreckage that is unfolding; Cindershade is currently walking through the steps of stalking with Sablepaw. She's grown in these past few moons, taller than her now by a whisker with still developing muscles. But she is shaping up to be a fine warrior. "Good, good. You'll be catching voles just as quickly as fish." A brief moment of pride flows through her, a twitch of blackened lips pulling into that of a smirk. Verdant eyes watch her dark apprentice, nodding as she prowled through the reeds like a shadowed phantom, no doubt her ShadowClan heritage taking over. The lead warrior opens her maw once more, intending to speak again but a sharp shriek pierces her ears. Her helm whips in the direction, fur instantly bristled akin to quills. Was someone in trouble? Cindershade casts a look to her apprentice before shooting off, kicking dirt and pebbles in her wake as she sprints forth. Powerful limbs push her forward, her breaths coming into huffs of panic as her heart slams into her chest cavity. WindClan? Were that retaliating already?
She burst through the stalks of cattails, fsce contorted into that of a murderous snarl. She's ready to attack, but there is no WindClan there. There is only a mixture of two blazing orange coats tumbling, the rank smell of blood nearly extinguishing that of the musk of a fox. The other is smaller, but soon she realizes who it was. Fernpaw. Why was he alone? Cindershade takes no time, hopefully with her apprentice behind her, and launches at the reddened beast that has a hold of Fernpaw, aiming to knock into the vulpine's side, as hard as she could muster in order to distract it. "Fernpaw! Run!" She booms, her voice that of a shriek mixed into a snarl. She doesn't immediately notice that of his eye, only that his young face was covered in a sticky ichor and half-blinded from it.

// apprentice tag @Sablepaw
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[ SILENCE IS DEAFENING ]​

 

[Redpath]

A fox- A fox.... A creature with fur as brilliant as her own but with none of the feral grace that she had. She heard Fernpaw scream from a distance, and immediately abandoned her intensely focused fishing to bolt in that direction. Fury built up as she picked up the scent, and she bore her teeth as she streaked through the willows and leaped over roots to meet her adversary. She noticed Cindershade there, and knew their victory was assured. If anyone could send a fox running, it was Cindershade.

But she wouldn't let the fox get away easily. Oh, no. It attacked one of their own, now it had to pay.

Fernpaw is bleeding from a facial injury, she doesn't realize its his eye at first glance. So, she launches for the fox, aiming to latch onto it's face and shred it with her claws.​

 

[BONERIPPLE]

જ➶ The woman of the shadows has been summoned to fight to save a clanmate and she answers that call. Her paws are thrumming against the ground as she pushes forth with impressive speed. Most likely faster than the others considering her thin and wiry frame. Her eyes are searching as she runs, narrowing against the galeforce winds that try to push her back. With ears pulled forward she is listening and then she hears it. A scream, yowling. Telling someone to run. "FERNPAW!" The woman yowls with the clear intent of getting to the apprentice before she notices her own daughter straight ahead. Jaws clench, a burning in her chest and she seethes. No, no, not her child and with a sudden bunch of her muscles she leaps over her daughter and lands in front of her with a sharp spring. "Sablepaw! Stay back! If anything just help Fernpaw and get out of here!" She is quick to spring forward then because she will not allow her child to come within harms reach, especially not to a fox.

Her claws are true as she aims to lunge, aims to land upon the hind quarters of the vulpine. Jaws snap down powerfully as the woman tries her hardest to sink fangs and sharp teeth into the base of the spine at the tail, her claws are a flurry as she heaves in the putrid smell of the predator but like hell she is going to let go.​

 

[FERNGILL]

Canid claws unlatched from him, knocked aside by a night-streaked force. Fernpaw's cry caught in his throat, hitching dry. Fernpaw! Run! came should, and then another of his name- Cindershade and Boneripple. There was someone else here, too. Someone- someone, but he didn't know who, for he could not see them in blood and tear-blur. His short legs trebled, feeling willowy and breakable all of a sudden, as he fought through the pain to heave himself up. The hissing bristle of a fight before him- he shuffled backward, breath hitching.

Run, they said. Run. But where? He barely even knew where he was, in this amount of agony, pain that even pushed past a layer of furious adrenaline. "I- I- I-" and it sounded kitlike, that noise. Stuttered sobbing. When had he started crying? He was a grown cat, one that should be a warrior but wasn't. Crying wasn't for him anymore- and yet, he couldn't stop himself. It hurt, and the pain was lessened only by his tears. Salty, stinging razed face-flesh. "I can't- I can't see," he spat out eventually, voice thick with panic. Would it go for him again? Stinking of fresh blood, of fear. It could tell where he was from a mile off, surely.

He hoped foxes were not vengeful creatures.

\ fox can be powerplayed from now on B)​

✦ penned by pin ✦​

 

[Petalnose]

I FIND COMFORT IN THE SOUND AND THE SHAPE OF THE HEART ⋆⁺₊⋆

Yowling and hissing was caught nearby and Petalnose bolted towards it with full force, zig zagging to throw it off if it had pulled it's attention on her. Then she lunged for the side of its neck, biting onto its scruff and gripping her claws into its shoulder and kicking it with all her might. She would make sure this creature knew not to mess with Riverclan. The warrior made sure this animal would suffer, maybe it would run off and die of its injuries. Or maybe it would live with them, never forgetting the way all the cats powered onto it. If it wasn't fully dungbrained.

"Someone go get the medicine cats, NOW!" Her voice boomed with seriousness despite the muffledness in result of her scruff grip. She worried for Fernpaw, praying silently to Starclan that his vision wasn't taken. She wouldn't ask questions as she was last to the party, unsure of what exactly had happened and unaware that Fernpaw was trying to prove himself. As curious as she was, he would explain later. For now she was sure he couldn't speak or properly think from the pain the injury was causing him. Plus, she was busy trying to take down a fox. "And get Fernpaw out of here while you're at it!"

//EDITED FOR PLOT REASONS!

Tags​

 

[Sablemist]

In every situation you give me peace

Her paws shift and wobble as she judges the precision needed to move through the underbrush noiselessly. But in time with each step she begins to pick up the knack for stalking quite easily. Her confidence builds with every stride and within a few moments her paws are nearly soundsless. The praise flowing from Cindershade's lips causes a smile to blossom upon her own. However, it falters immediately once an ear splitting scream echoes throughout the air. Terror plummets within the pit of her stomach as she immediately thinks of Fernpaw. Had Cicadestar's patrol not found him yet? Feather light breaths hitch within her throat, sparing her mentor a single shared glace before racing beside her. She knew what Cicadastar said, forbidding her to fight should the fox still be around. But she couldn't find it within herself to leave Fernpaw in harms way.

The smell of blood assaults her nose the moment she breaks through a barrier of reeds, spotting the ginger tom at the vulpine's mercy. "Fernpaw!" Sablepaw shouts, her voice a broken and trembling mess. Lithe muscluature draws bowstring taunt just before she begins to leap alongside Cindershade, claws extended and at the ready. That is until she skids to a halt due to Boneripple blocking her path. Alarm paints her features as her mother commands her to stay back, leaving the young apprentice to glance over the warrior's white crested spine. "But mom!" She protests. Every second wasted left Fernpaw in more danger. But her mother gives an ultimatum and she gladly accepts with a curt nod.

Dainty paws guide her to Fernpaw's battered form. Tears spring within her own eyes due to the agony he was in, the kit like wailing drawing sharp claws over her heart. "It's okay Fernpaw, I'm here." Sablepaw calls, alerting him to her presence. She presses her shoulder against his own, hoping to steer him away from the frothing fox and back toward the safety of camp. "D-don't worry, I'll help you get out of here. You're going to be okay..s-stay with me." She tells him as well as herself, though truthfully she is horrified by the amount of crimson slathered across his face. Tossing a quick glance over her shoulder she casts Boneripple, Cindershade, and Redpath a look of concern. "Be careful!" ​

Don't gotta be afraid because you're in the lead​

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[Aspenhaze]

Aspenhaze is also quick when they're called to action, reaching the battle before anything goes too terribly wrong. There already seems to be enough manpower, but they still want in on the fight. Foxes are so exhilarating, after all. They trust the others to go and take him to safety, they think as they hiss. "Better run and tell the other foxes to leave our apprentices alone!" They howl, hoping their message gets across from the bloodshed.

With most of their body already being attended to, the pointed cat aims for one of the fox's hind legs, hoping to trip it up and make it easier to attack. They aim for the left back leg and bite as hard as possible. If they all don't kill it, at least it'll know not to mess with RiverClan ever again. They're grateful to hear Fernpaw being taken back to camp by Sablepaw as their voices and footsteps get farther away, as well.​

 

[MUDPELT]

As soon as Cicadastar had given the order, Mudpelt had left camp at a sprint, his pelt still dripping from the river he dove through. "This way!" He yowls over his shoulder, large paws smacking against the wetland ground as he makes a beeline for where his patrol had scented the fox. At their quick pace, they grow closer in no time, but it's the sudden yowl that gains Mudpelt's attention. Head jerking up and amber eyes flushing wide, he puts on a new burst of speed. It's Fernpaw's voice. I'm coming, son!

They arrive at the scene and the warrior pauses for only a heartbeat, taking in the scene. A group of warriors has already found the fox, and nearby is Fernpaw, bloodied but walking. "Fernpaw!" He screeches, making the swift decision to bound towards his son and apprentice, knowing full well the rest of the patrol will help the other RiverClanners drive off the fox easily. Fernpaw needs him right now.

He is fast to take up position on his other side, pressing close to him as he and Sablepaw guide him back to camp as quickly as possible. "I'm here, dad's here," The tom mews softly, trying to shove down the panic he feels at seeing the blood caking the red tabby's face.​

 

[willowroot]

( ☾ ) thundering alongside boneripple, willowroot allows a snarl to twist her face, fear for her clanmate propelling her at impossible speeds towards the fight. mudpelt screams his son's name, and a quick glance at the ginger apprentice only alleviates some of the anxiety. fernpaw is a mess of crimson and tears as he is helped to safety by sablepaw. thanking the stars he's at least still alive (riverclan cannot lose one more young life), willowroot charges into battle.

silvery claws flash in the light as the woman joins her fellow warriors, aiming low for the creature's belly. she attempts to dig into the soft flesh of its stomach, tearing into cream colored fur and allowing the scent of blood and musk overtake her. she tries to close her jaws around any part she can reach, ripping and scraping as together with her fellows, they drive the monster back into the undergrowth. ​

( THE LIGHT YOU GAVE ME )

 

[CICADASTAR]

the bicolored beast rips through the undergrowth with claws already outstretched, the reek - stench of fox and blood painting his open, panting maw. its bitter tang thickens in his throat and he swallows hard against it, squinting against the greenleaf breeze and.. there. looming and spitting, fire - red face weasel like and clawing. fernpaw is already injured, blood spattering the ground around them, eye gouged and — it’s familiar, the almost empty gape of viscera, russet leaking into the ground below them all. petalnose, willowroot step through it to throw themselves at the hulking beast and he moves alongside mudpelt, rounds the back side of fernpaw to ensure he could make his escape to the outskirts of the clearing. sablepaw leans on his other side, together aiming to guide him from the frenzy of fur and spitting anger.

" don’t let up — overwhelm it! " he yowls, voice straining with the effort of shouting over the sudden chaos. power flows from the river flora, attacking at all sides ; as powerful a beast as the fox was, it could not stand against the onslaught of them all. with any hope, it would turn tail and run in its defeat — but until then, the leader pushes off his hind limbs and into the fray, aiming a brutal attack at the side, hoping to aid aspenhaze in tripping the creature up while willowroot aims an attack at its belly.

˗ˏˋ 𓆩  OOC ✟ VISUAL 𓆪 ´ˎ˗

• i.
  
• ˖ ⁺ ｡ ˚ ⠀ CICADASTAR⠀⠀−−−c−−−⠀⠀king of the rivers.
  
  
  m. he / him. black smoke & tortoiseshell chimera with intense salt - blue eyes. a handsome, looming tom bearing patchwork black - silver curls that fall over his slim figure in loose, shining rivulets, broken with white and glossy from his fish diet. descending from a heritage of overtyped oriental shorthairs, cicadastar stands unusually tall amongst his peers, and holds himself with a tragic grace, poised and prim and ever - aware of how he is being perceived.
  
  ᨒ gay, mated to smokethroat. smells like wet stone & moss.
  ᨒ speaks with a german accent. 43 moons, ages every 50 posts.
  
  penned by antlers​
  
  
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• "speech"
  

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