private THE UNFORGIVEN \ moonpaw

[RACCOONSTRIPE]

He had commanded Moonpaw to follow him into the Sandy Hollow. Two sets of paws, one white and one mottled, sink into the soft, shifting earth. The tabby had not sought Wildpaw for this, for his own reasons; his older apprentice has always had a fire within him. Reckless, foolish, yes; but his courage will serve ThunderClan well in the coming moons, he is sure of it.

Moonpaw's time has come. He still remembers the meek, cowering kittypet kit she'd been. Eclipsed by the friendlier Morningpaw, her quiet shadow. Since then, Moonpaw has grown into someone else, but Raccoonstripe is not yet satisfied she is her own cat. Not yet.

He stops and turns to face her, eyes focusing on the strange attempt at branding done by that SkyClan tom. His voice is grave when he speaks, consonants sharp. "You did fine at Sunningrocks. But 'fine' isn't good enough for ThunderClan." He squares his shoulders. "Your life is at stake every time you set paw onto a battlefield. You saw... you saw Howlingstar." He grits his teeth. "You will not have the StarClan-given chance to return, however. You have one life, and you must make it count for those who would harm you and your kin. Your Clan."

Raccoonstripe lashes his tail. He's remembering Sunningrocks, as she likely is, but it's the sensation of his claws piercing flesh, the screams rending the air, Lakemoon spitting in his face, her voice full of heartbreak.

Something distant yawns awake in his gaze, but he only says, "Attack me."​

[ PENNED BY MARQUETTE ]​

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// @Moonpaw

 

[Moonwhisper]

Wildpaw is not here and initially it frightens her. Had she done something wrong? Her shoulder still ached when it rained and she felt no end of betrayal when the scent of SkyClan so much as wafted by in the breeze on patrols, but she felt she had fought as tenaciously as she could; her only distraction being Howlingstar being killed by a RiverClan warrior behind her, something she could not just ignore.
You did fine. Fine. Fine. Her ears flattened, Moonpaw found herself feeling a rare surge of annoyance.
You saw. She did, the hesitance in her mentor's tone makes it clear that at least he too was affected by it, it was her grandmother but it was HIS mother and the bonds were stronger closer to the tree; a shame her siblings did not accept the same circumstances. But this wasn't about them, it was never about them. It was about her, it was about her future and her life here in ThunderClan and she would not falter now, not when so much was at stake.
She thinks of how her life might be different if she had gone to SkyClan herself, lived in her father's clan and left this all behind and she finds the mere thought of it like water in a wound; burning. She'd chosen correctly, her paws shifted over the ground as she stepped to the side in a careful circling motion.
Attack me.
A few moons ago the order would be met with quiet horror, she'd have balked at it and flattened herself to the ground submissively; adamant she would do no such thing. Now hearing it she felt electricity twist through her fines, hot and stinging and her fur rose on end from the sudden exhiliration that came from the sensation. Moonpaw took another light step to the side before her paws slid across the ground and she dropped into a sudden crouch for only a moment before springing forward, her paws were out, her leap swift, and when she hit the ground a mere whisker away from the tabby tom she danced to the side and swung her sheathed paw to the left side of his head with as much force as she could muster.
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[RACCOONSTRIPE]

Raccoonstripe can see his words have had an effect on the stoic apprentice, though it's hard for him to determine the extent. He can see, even through the thick kittypet fluff of her pelt, her muscles tensing as she prepares to attack him. Satisfaction curls through him like woodsmoke. She will not give in to her roots -- she has chosen the forestborn side, the ThunderClan side, and she is ready to prove it at last.

Her movements are quick, and he's impressed at the power behind the sheathed paw that she aims at his head. He manages to dodge the blow just in the nick of time, but he knows if he had allowed it to connect, he would have been seeing stars for hours.

"Good," he says, fire stoked in his gaze. "You're going to be like me. Quick enough, but your size is going to inhibit you. You want to deal as much damage as possible with every hit so you can focus the rest of your energy on getting away." His tail lashes excitedly behind him. "Every attack should aim to be devastating."

He crouches again, and this time he springs for her, sheathed paw aiming to swipe across her lower jaw. There is force behind the attack, but certainly not enough to seriously injure or maim her. If it connects, though, it'll smart as much as her attack would have, if not more!​

[ PENNED BY MARQUETTE ]​

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