Down by the River... (Closed)

The hawk was exhausted. One wing was shredded a fourth and the stupid black and white kitten was sneezing fitfully. No matter how hard he squeezed the stupid thing, she still seemed to find enough air to sneeze again. It was exhausting. The other kit was heaver than expected, an weighed him down on one side. Soon, though, he'd be back in his nest, all he had to do was make it across the river, and then a straight shot across the moor. Easy.

That's what he thought.

As soon as the hawk flew across the river, the sneezing rat started sneezing twice as hard and he had no choice but to fly a little lower to steady himself as the sneezing was dragging him down.

---

Sneezingkit, with a deathly fear of heights as she just found out, did not enjoy flying very much. "I wish our n-n-n-ACHOO-ew friend didn't have so m-m-CHOO-many feathers!" Sneezingkit squeaked, sentence broken up by gulps of air and sneezes. A big expanse of blue caught her eye and she looked down curiously, "W-wh--sniffle--at's that?"

And then her sneezes suddenly got twice as bad.

Uncontrollably, she began repetitively sneezing, unable to control herself as she sneezed thrice in a row, barley able to get a breath in as she began sneezing again.

Little did the two kits know, this repetitive sneezing would save their lives as three cats began to approach.

"This is...Nice."

Honeytongue sighed softly as she padded alongside her mates, jumping ahead a few fox-lengths to stretch out in the warm sunlight. It had seemed like forever since she had left the camp - or at least in the company of Ivystar and Stormbringer. Even under the watchful eye of Asylum - all to aware of their gaze lingering on the trio - it was truly a breath of fresh air. She straighten up as she puffed out of her chest, taking in a deep breath and perked to listen to the gentle sound of waters lapping at the edge of the shore.

But instead, something else caught her ear. It was...A soft sound, repeating but not in a rhythm. It was...Organic - not like the steady lapping of waves that always seemed to hit the same beat. No, it sounded more like... Sneezing? Her ears twitched as she struggled to find the source before she finally pin-pointed it being above her and looked up in confusion. The shadow of wings caught her eye - a hawk gliding rather low with something - prey, no doubt - in its claws. Her eyes squinted as she realized that the hawk as the source of the sneezing...And with a sudden, horrified gasp realized that there were kittens in its grasp. "We need to save them!" she cried, forgetting to actually alert her mates on what she had seen as she quickly took in her surroundings. There was a lone tree - one of the few reminders on this side of the river that they were next to a forest. With a huff, she sprinted toward it - paws hitting the trunk as she managed to carry herself up a little before she pushed off with the grace of a swimmer pushing off of a surface for a burst of speed. Her lithe body turned - and with claws outstretched, managed to grab one of the wings of the hawk.

Her claws sank into the skin and feather as she wretched the wing toward her face - jaws snapping shut on the limb as she dragged the hawk down with her. It was an awkward landing but she managed it, quickly moving to pin the hawk down without squishing the precious cargo it was carrying. "It has kits!" she cried back to her mates past the wing that she hadn't let go of. "One was sneezing - I think they might still both be alive!"

Honeytongue used Jumping Strike on wild Hawk, dealing 15 damage and costing 20 stamina.

Honeytongue:
100/100 HP
260/280 SP

Hawk:
45/60 HP (-15)
200/200 SP

Mountainkit's legs swayed back and forth, offsetting the hawk's wingbeats. Her back was a bit sore from the claws biting into her skin, but to be honest she didn't even notice. She'd gotten quite used to this flying thing, as used to it as any cat could get anyway, and she was starting to rather enjoy herself. "Sneezingkit, Sneezingkit, look! There's a rabbit down there! Ooh, look over there! There's some water! And over there, there's-" She looked over at the fluffy kit. "Sneezingkit, are you okay? You sure are sneezing a lot! See, that's why it's a good name for you!" She looked back down, a grin on her face, when she noticed three cats walking below them. She reached out her paw and waved. "Hello! My name is-OOF!"

The air was once again expelled forcefully from her chest as the hawk dropped, pinned down by one of the cats. Mountainkit was dazed, blinking up at the sky while the three she-cats attacked the bird. She didn't say anything, trying to catch her breath, but she wore a stunned smile on her face.

Stormbringer was pleasantly strolling beside her mates. Enjoying the moment between the three of them letting out a pleased hum at Honeytongue's comment. The roll of the waves from the river. The wave of the reeds. Amber eyes looked over to Ivystar, love clear as day in her eyes. She missed these moments with her mates. She looked back over at Honeytongue just in time for the golden warrior to shout out something and then race off.

The blue gray warrior paused in her confusion, amber eyes trailing after her mate as she climb the tree and sprung off of it onto a hawk. Kits? The former deputy raced over as soon as her mate had brought the Hawk down. Carefully, she pulled the kits.. well apprentice and kit from the hawks talons. Checking over them for any injuries other than the talon marks from where they were being carried. "Ivystar! Can you and Honeytongue handle the hawk?" She didn't want any thing else to happen to this kits.

It had been ages since Ivystar felt like she could actually stretch her legs and get out under the open sun. She didn't feel like she could fully relax, but the shock from feeling so uneasy had worn off months ago. It was the new normal. Not that she enjoyed it one bit- but it wasn't as if she could do anything about it anyway, was it?

So she found herself strolling alongside her mates, trying her best to appear as if there was not a thing wrong in the world. Both of them seemed to be enjoying themselves, and truthfully, Ivystar hated that she couldn't do the same. What she wouldn't give at this point to feel free, to leap and play with her mates as she had in the many moons before Asylum's arrival. The fact that she couldn't feel at home with her mates was absolutely killing her. The least she could do at this point was indulge them in the idea that she was happy; to appear as though she was. In response to Honeytongue's words, she offered a gentle smile, nodding along as she bathed in the slight sunlight that shone down on the snow sodden ground.

It was rather alarming when she heard the panicked cry of her mate, speaking of saving... them? Who was 'them'? Ivystar shook her head slightly, not understanding until the golden she-cat leaped forward, dragging down a hawk in her jaws as she fell towards the ground. Immediately the fluffy leader sprang into action, rearing up on her hind legs as soon as she was within range and slashing the hawk desperately, anything to distract it from the young cats in Stormbringer's clutches. "Yes! Take them back to camp!" She yowled over her shoulder, not taking the chance to spare a glance in their direction.

Ivystar used Rear-Up to Slash, dealing -20 Health Points and using -15 Stamina Points.

Ivystar:
120/120 HP
285/300 SP [-15]

Honeytongue:
100/100 HP
260/280 SP

Hawk:
25/60 HP [-20]
200/200 SP

Sneezingkit wasn't sure what was happening. All of a sudden with a woosh and an oof, the breath was stolen from her. And then she was moving-- but she wasn't. Some cat was carrying her. "Hi! I'm Ka-choo!-karenkit! This is Mountainmenace! She's my.." The lack and white kit trailed off, as if thinking. Where was she again? "Sister! Yup, Menacemountain is my sister! Woah, you've got an iden-- identi-- ideniku-- same matchy twin! I feel upside downy brain, Mini Menace." And with that exclamation, Sneezingkit plopped down on the ground, head comically swirling as she tried to blink her dizziness away.

---

The hawk screeched in outrage, and finally lost it, throwing aside the yellow cat to grab to gray tabby. Raking his talons down the cat's side, he turned, readying to attack Honeytongue.
Hawk used Talon Strike on Ivystar DEALING TEN DAMAGE and COSTING TEN SP

Hawk: angy an' hungy
25/60 HP
190/200 SP(-10)

Ivystar:
110/120 HP (-10)
285/300 SP

Honeytongue:
100/100 HP
260/280 SP

Honeytongue sighed in relief as Stormbringer managed to quickly free the kits, working to hold the hawk down as her mate retreated with them. But suddenly, the hawk buckled with a screech, managing to pull its wing free and swiped toward her other mate. "Ivystar!" she gasped, leaping after the eagle. She threw all of her weight toward the hawk's head, slamming into it as she brought it down once more. "End this, quickly!" she gasped as she worked to keep the eagle pinned while giving the leader an opening to finish the bird of prey.

Honeytongue used Upright Lock on the hawk, dealing 17 damage and costing 25 stamina.

Honeytongue
100/100 HP
235/280 SP (-25)

Ivystar
110/120 HP
285/300 SP

Hawk
8/60 HP (-17)
190/200 SP

ooc; somehow i didn't realize it was my turn here i'm so sorry for the delay ;;

Ivystar grimaced in pain as the hawk's talons raked down her side, tearing through muscles and flesh. She bunched up her legs and shoved herself forward, effectively avoiding it's grasp and freeing it enough that Honeytongue was able to rush in and pin it down. Nodding quickly, she rushed forward and leaped onto the bird, tearing into its feathers and flesh underneath. With the force of her blows, the bird eventually stopped moving, and Ivystar stood panting on top of it. "Well done," she mewed to Honeytongue, trying to catch her breath. Adrenaline was pumping, but there was more to this situation than just downing the bird. "I'll send a patrol to retrieve the bird later, but we need to focus on those kits. Come on, let's follow Stormbringer back to camp," she mewed, beginning the trek back to camp.

Ivystar used Jumping Strike, dealing -16 Health Points and using -20 Stamina Points.

Honeytongue:
100/100 HP
235/280 SP

Ivystar:
110/120 HP
265/300 SP

Hawk:
KO