What Shall We Die For? [P8]

Feeling like he had the strength of LionClan in his limbs, the gray tabby held on as fiercely as he could, determined to have this tom feel as much pain as Sagestar could cause, even though the fox-heart didn't show it, the sharpness was still there. It was admirable, even for him to admit, for the rogue to mask his emotions so well; it was a trait that few carried and made the likings of a fearsome warrior - perhaps if fate had played out a bit differently... But this was no time to think about things like that.

He might have been able to hang on a bit longer, hadn't another cat caught him by surprise on the side of his head. Sagestar lost his grip on the large tom's scruff and was thrown off to the side, though he quickly recovered, jumping back on his feet. His eyes narrowed, his right eye stinging as blood from the fresh wound slid past his gaze, fresh red on bright green. "Too weak to fight your own battles?" The leader snarled before quickly bunching up his powerful muscles and leaping back forward. It was strange, in it's own way - in the midst of a deathly battle, he never felt more alive.

Sagestar used 'Scruff Shake', costing 25 stamina and dealing 10 damage. Adhemar cannot move for two turns.

Barbarossa:
HP;; 87/120
SP;; 270/300

Adhemar:
HP;; 50/60
SP;; 180/200

Sagestar:
HP;; 71/120
SP;; 255/300

The member 'Ebony' has done the following action : Dices roll

'Chance Dice' : 6

Philip merely chuckled as the ginger warrior flung insults his way. He didn't reply, nor did he have time to as he lost grip on her shoulders, and he yowled as he leap and rolled away. Finally getting to his feet, Philip took a moment to catch his breath. Sharp amber eyes pierced Gingerheart, and quickly he rushed forward, ducking down quickly and rolling on to his back, bringing his back legs to the young warrior's soft underbelly. He furiously raked his claws into Gingerheart's stomach before attempting to run off.

Philip used Belly Rake, dealing 7 damage and costing 10 stamina.

Philip:
HP: 20/20
SP: 60/80

Gingerheart:
HP: 41/60
SP: 200/200

~

Feeling the cat slowly loosen his grip, Shagrat took this moment to buck her back in an attempt to get him off. Stupid clan cats... She hissed inwardly, shaking wildly, hissing in pain as she felt the warm blood drip from her fur, contrasting against the light brown. Finally, she gave one last shake, throwing the warrior off with a heave.

Shagrat:
HP: 42/60
SP: 185/200

~

Taking the hit, Blanche hissed, slowly turning back to face Cedarfur. Leaning back and balancing on her hind paws, the she-cat batted the warrior as hard as she could, a growl growing in the back of her throat.

Blanche used Upright Front Paws, dealing 13 damage and costing 20 stamina.

Blanche:
HP: 31/60
SP: 160/200

Cedarfur:
HP: 19/45
SP: 120/160

Finally! She was able to shake the young tom away before he managed to slide under her and attack her soft underbelly with his hard claws. How did she let that happen? Getting attacked twice in a row? That was shameful! She yowled in pain as Philip instantly flipped over and tried to get away, but this time she wasn't going to let him go. There was no way that she would lose to a simple apprentice-aged cat like him. She was so much stronger. "Oh no you don't!" She hissed before grabbing him by the scruff, pulling him out from under her, and flinging him off to the side.

Gingerheart used Scruff Shake dealing 5 damage and using 25 Stamina. Philip is stunned for 2 turns.

Gingerheart:
HP: 41/60
SP: 175/200

Philip:
HP: 15/20
SP: 60/80

The member 'Shadow' has done the following action : Dices roll

'Effect Dice' : 4

Adhemar felt his vision blur and wobble as he struggled to restore his vision and his mindset. The scruff shake had caused him to become extrmemely dizzy and confused, and the throbbing pain in his neck wasn't helping either. Foxdung! This cat angered him, and was interfering with his plans for Deomilite fame.

Adhemar:
50/60 HP
180/200 SP

Blood pounded in his ears as the attack landed. Was he going to lose his first battle, and against this she-cat? He shook his head, and with a smirk, made his eyes slink into the back of his head as he fell to the floor, motionless.

Cedarfur:
19/45 HP
105/160 SP

Amalric tired to dodge, but the onslaught of strikes were too fast. He was taken aback by the hits, falling backwards. He felt scratches reopen, and fresh wounds form. As she struck him, however, he reached both paws out, hitting Emicho's cheeks with his claws before batting at her once more.

Amalric used Upright Front Paws, dealing 16 damage and costing 20 Stamina.

Amalric:
54/100 HP
155/100 SP

Barbarossa didn't respond to the taunt when he felt Sagestar's jaws release him. Without even a glance at Adhemar, he whirled around and started striking Sagestar with powerful blows from his large paws. There was no subtle ritual of boxing or hisses and insults during this fight, simply a mission planted firmly in Barbarossa's mind. He slashed at the ShadowClan leader's haunches, feeling his strength recover.

To kill Sagestar.

Barbarossa used Front Paw Strike, dealing 18 damage and costing 10 stamina.

Barbarossa:
HP: 87/120
SP: 260/300

Sagestar:
HP: 53/120
SP: 255/300

---

---

As Nightwing hung tightly, he grit his teeth in pain but managed to let out a small laugh, shooting Nightwing a confident glance. "My gods are with me, and I am not afraid. What can mere cats like you do to the Deomilites?" he managed to bat at the ShadowClan deputy's ear with an unsheathed claw, though only just, and pain shot through his body as she bit harder.

"I know they will receive me if I am killed in battle. I do not fear you." he mewed. His tone sounded almost placid and his eyes had a far off glitter in them before the old fierceness returned and he bared his teeth. "So do your worst, savage!"

Baldwin used Front Paw Strike, dealing 14 damage and costing 10 stamina.

Baldwin:
HP: 74/100
SP: 130/200

Nightwing:
HP: 42/100
SP: 160/200

---

---

Emicho let out a ferocious yowl as she felt Amalric's retaliate, breaking through her flurry of blows and making her stumble. But she quickly righted herself, leaping on Amalric and toppling him onto his back. Her mouth parted in a hiss, right near Amalric's ear, before digging her legs into the traitor's belly and raking hard.

Emicho used Belly Rake, dealing 15 damage and costing 10 stamina.

Emicho:
HP: 57/100
SP: 145/200

Amalric:
HP: 39/100
SP: 155/100

---

---

Anna let out a surprised yelp as Fallenpaw landed on top of her, pinning her down. She looked up at the ShadowClan apprentice with wide eyes, her chest feeling light from the fear and exhilaration of battle. Anna felt her heart skip a beat, the noise from the other fights being drowned out as she looked up at Fallenpaw, and a hopeless feeling filled her. But it seemed like it was only for a moment, because the pain returned and dragged her back to reality. Anna narrowed her eyes, and her lips curled back into a hostile snarl.

The sting of her cuts from her opponent's claws did nothing but make her feel rejuvenated. They'd be scars to brag about, memories of her battle with ShadowClan. This wasn't some dozing SkyClan apprentice; this was the ferocity and strength that they had been told about when briefed of the Clan cats.

Anna pushed Fallenpaw off, scrambling to her paws before turning to face the she-cat again, claws unsheathed, not taking the opportunity to pounce on her.

Anna:
HP: 14/20
SP: 60/80

Fallenpaw:
HP: 9/20
SP: 60/80

Nightwing flinched as he swiped at her ear. That was going to leave a mark. "StarClan watches over us, not always in battle, but in life." She mewed through the tom's leg, as she clung on. "You will not win. StarClan will never allow it to be." She let go and spluttered his blood from her mouth, then lunged for his shoulder again, her jaws crunching his shoulder. Feeling it's crackle, Nightwing knew it was close to popping out.

Baldwin:
HP: 61/100
SP: 130/200

Nightwing:
HP: 42/100
SP: 140/200

Fallenpaw snarled as her opponent shoved her forward, momentarily unbalancing her as she lost her grip. Meeting Anna's hostile gaze with her own, she bared her teeth, hissing under her breath as she prepared to take action. Her wounds stung with pain, making themselves known, but she forced them out of her mind as she suddenly felt a burning hatred. The object of her ire stood across from her, and the light gray apprentice charged forward, not letting her opponent take the opportunity and strike first.

I'll teach you what happens when you mess with ShadowClan! Fallenpaw reared on her hind legs in a crouched position, leaving her fore paws to slash across the rogue's muzzle.

Fallenpaw used Front Paw Strike, costing 10 stamina and dealing 6 damage.

-----

Anna:
HP: 8/20
SP: 60/80

Fallenpaw:
HP: 9/20
SP: 50/80

With a sharp hiss, the tabby leaped away from the weaker rogue, jumping forward at his original opponent. Even as the sharp blow hit down on his shoulder, he didn't let the damage ruin his momentum, using the slick, marshy terrain and his smaller frame to his advantage; batting at Barbarossa's face to distract him as the leader slid quickly, but carefully under the large tom, raking his claws at the enemy's soft under-belly.

Sagestar used 'Belly Rake', costing 10 stamina and dealing 20 damage.

Barbarossa:
HP;; 67/120
SP;; 260/300

Adhemar:
HP;; 50/60
SP;; 180/200

Sagestar:
HP;; 53/120
SP;; 245/300

Barbarossa leaped forward when he felt Sagestar's thorn sharp claws rake his soft underbelly, whirling around quickly. The air was still for a heartbeat, peaceful even. A fat snowflake slowly drifted down and gently landed on ShadowClan's marshy terrain.

This was their home. Their territory.

With an emotionless mask, Barbarossa charged forward. His powerful paws kicked up mud and cold dirty water into the air as he barreled into Sagestar straight on, knocking the gray tabby to the ground. He pinned the leader down, staring momentarily at his opponent. Barbarossa's eyes were chips of yellow flint, looking empty and cold as the day began to darken.

And then, as quick as lightning, he craned his neck down and clamped his jaws around Sagestar's neck, not letting go until he felt the fallen cat's warm crimson blood fill his mouth. Barbarossa let go, backing up and looking away from the leader. His gaze scanned the rest of the clearing, scarred muzzle tinted red with blood.

---

---

Anna grit her teeth as she felt Fallenpaw's claws strike her muzzle, but her gaze caught Barbarossa and Sagestar. She stiffened, a gleam coming to her eyes. She was no longer focused on the ShadowClan apprentice. "He's dead!" she yowled, letting her cry penetrate the icy mist.

Baldwin let out a cry as he felt his arm dislodge from its socket with a sickening crack and scrambled away, yowling in pain as he looked up at Nightwing, anger flaring in his eyes. That's when he heard Anna's yowl and wildly looked around from his position when he caught a glimpse of Sagestar on the slick marshy terrain, pelt spotted with mud and blood. His head snapped back to Nightwing, a raspy cackle growing in his throat and a victorious gleam growing in his eyes. "Where is your StarClan now?" he mewed, ignoring the pain in his shoulder.

Quickly, the Deomilites turned their attention to Sagestar, their yowls growing in the air.

"Soldiers of the gods!" Emicho spoke up, staring down at Amalric with a new ferocious light in her eyes. "Let's make corpses of the rest of them!"

Amalric froze, and the battle seemed to cease around him. No. It couldn't be. Had his new friend truly died? If Emicho hadn't pinned him, he would have ran to the tom's corpse. Snowflakes speckled his amber brown pelt white, and his eyes held cold hatred. "I'll kill you, Barabossa!" he shouted with absolute rage coursing through his veins, tensing his muscles. This cat had killed another of the cats he cared about, and it didn't effect him at all.

His pelt ached and he struggled under the weigh of his opponent fruitlessly. The snow just kept falling. Cedarfur was pretending to be dead still, though he saw through his empty eyes what had happened. Another life down. This was bad, for they had lost his home. What were the clans going to do? How many lives did his leader have left?

Nightwing's eyes closed as the shoulder she was hanging on crunched out of place. Snapping her eyes open, she heard a she-cat howl, 'he is dead'. Her mind swirled in confusion. Who is dead? Her heart leached as she saw her leader, her mentor, her idol, lying motionless on the cold spongy ground. Is he dead? She stared around at the others; the battle went to a screeching halt, the ShadowClan cats in complete shock. How many lives did he have left?

A heavy burden seemed to suddenly droop on her shoulders with the burden of sudden leadership. Am I ready? Her eyes misty as she ignored Baldwin's taunt, and walked dreamily to Sagestar. Not hearing anything, she pulled him up onto her side, and glancing for Gingerheart to help her carry him. Her eyes blazed with hatred with the Rogues. "SHADOWCLAN RETREAT!" She yowled with a deep anger. Without looking back, she ignored the stinging pains that coursed through her bleeding wounds, and headed towards the Fourtrees, here from there, they will recoup, and go to RiverClan. But for now, they hastily got out of camp, baring her dead leader between them. She of course expects her warriors to follow, unless they wanted to die.

As they struggled though the territory, everything seemed dangerous, gloomy, as is the whole forest was crying for Sagestar. Pushing forward, all she longed to do in curl up in her nest, having Rustfang next to her, to keep her warm, to give her something to lean on, not to be leaned on by her leader. Her tail dripped, blood smeared in a trail as she walked. Her head hung in shame; she was all spent out in dignity. But there was one thing more she would have to do, that would tear at her pride, which has collapsed into a pile of dust and broken strength. Glancing back at the others, she could see they felt the same as her, Where they gone from their territory, and home forever?

Amalric took the yowl's distraction as a chance and rolled out of the hold Emicho put him in. Glaring at Barabossa once more, he limped back to Riverclan territory. Cedarfur jumped up from his "playing dead" scam, and ran off into the Fourtrees as well, cursing to himself and hoping Gingerheart was okay. He didn't know why he jumped to Gingerheart's well being first, and his pelt heated at that thought despite the cold leafbare air.

Gingerheart was still celebrating her small victory over the pathetic tom she had to deal with as he lay there stunned from her attack. She wasn't going to let him get away with simply attacking her like he did and she wasn't just going to stand there and not show him just how strong she could be. She wanted to boast about her strength, not modestly hide it and make him think she was still just as strong as a young apprentice.

But suddenly everything changed. There was a loud yowl from somewhere behind her. It definitely was a yowl of victory, but it didn't come from any cat in her clan. Instantly, she turned her head to see the huge Barbarossa cheering over.. was that Sagestar? No, it couldn't be. He couldn't have died again! Suddenly the same panic from the previous incident of the dog had shot back through her spine. She had failed him again. First, there was that stupid dog and now this? Was she even useful anymore?

Horror surged through her body as her mind had completely left Philip in the dust. It was racing faster than a rabbit in the moors as she truly tried to get a grasp on reality. "He is dead!" The words rang into her ears with the same horrible feeling as the sound of a monster going by. It was excruciating-- painful almost, to have to hear. Sagestar couldn't be dead. He was too strong. He was too powerful to have fallen to these cats... right? Gingerheart refused to believe that Sagestar was dead. She hoped desperately that it wasn't his last life and that he would come back any second to destroy these rogues' hopes. Starclan had to be helping them. There was no way they would simply let Shadowclan be taken out of their home. But, if they weren't going to help them keep it, then Gingerheart wasn't going to stand around and let the Deomilites walk all over them. Her job was to protect the clan and its members with her life, and that's exactly what she was going to do no matter what it took. "You won't get away with this you fox-heart!" she said with a loud caterwaul as she bounded off of her powerful back legs, ignoring the pain of her injuries from Philip, as she ran towards Barbarossa. She wasn't going to let him get away with murder. She wouldn't let him get away, period. As she closed into her target, she gritted her teeth, barring them with more ferocity than she thought she had in her and unsheathing her claws, using as much force as she had in her to try to take this cat down.

Gingerheart used Front Paws Strike dealing 12 damage and using 25 stamina.

Barbarossa
HP: 55/120
SP: 260/300

Gingerheart
HP: 41/60
SP: 150/200

Unfortunately, though, as soon as she was able to attack the large rogue only once, she heard the voice of Nightwing cover the entire marshland telling them to retreat. Was it really going to end this way? They were just going to run to Riverclan and let the Deomilites take their own homeland? After managing to get far enough away from the cat as she could in a split second to make sure he couldn't reach her with a single paw swipe, she hissed, her fur puffed out as far as it could go, nearly doubling her size, although now in the battle, it wouldn't do much. She was being forced to retreat and she knew she couldn't go back on Nightwing's orders, especially since Sagestar was down. They had to get him to safety no matter what. She wasn't going to let him completely fall victim to these mouse-brains. Spitting at the Deomilites one last time, she quickly turned around to help Nightwing carry their fallen leader towards Fourtrees which was rather difficult since every muscle in her body protest from both injury and the want to go back and rip the fur off of every single cat that had laid a paw on any of her clan mates. But nonetheless, she continued on back towards Fourtrees and Riverclan territory, away from their lost home, cursing as anger and fury built up inside of her. This wasn't going to happen again.