The Seeds of Resentment [PLOT / CLOSED]

Burningwing almost didn't believe his ears when he was told by Murkystar to take her apprentice with him and his apprentice on patrol. Why? Why couldn't he just spend time with Cicadapaw instead? The last thing he wanted was some rogue born following them around, ruining their hunts. However, despite his participation against both Skyclan and Windclan recently, he knew he was still in no position to argue. He begrudgingly agreed and took Shypaw and Cicadapaw out to the Carrion place. Might as well show these younger cats where the food was likely going to be during leaf-bare. The night was brighter than normal with the moon being nearly full, which only further annoyed Burningwing. The higher the moon got and the more light it spread over the landscape, the smaller and more scarce the shadows became.

"Well I suppose this will be a good test for the both of you. There will be less shadows to use to your advantage tonight, so you'll have to be smart too." At that moment he did notice Shypaw lagging behind a bit, but he never made direct eye contact with her. Great. Time to pick up the pace. He trusted his older apprentice to keep pace with him no problem. With any luck, something would snatch the rogue apprentice up and they could be rid of her. He moved at a long-strided trot with Cicadapaw at his side. It was pure luck that a rat happened to scurry out in front of him at that moment as well. His claw shot forward in an attempt to dispatch it quickly. It went down without even a squeak to alert other rats of their presence. He tossed it off of the end of his claw swiftly, landing it in a pile of trash that buried it sufficiently enough for his liking.

His goal was to leave the rogue apprentice behind anyway.... he could always come back for it later or kill more rats once Shypaw was out of sight.

Burningwing attempted to catch a rat, he was Successful! -3SP

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

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'Hunting Dice' : 8

Cicadapaw had been glued to Burningwing's side since the patrol had begun, as though his proximity to a proper Shadowclan cat would somehow protect him from whatever taint the white she-cat brought with her. He wasn't shy about hiding his disappointment either, his tail starting to flick and lash whenever the rogue got too close. Shypaw knew how he felt, there was no need to sugarcoat it for her.

The rogue practically glowed in the moonlight, the light reflecting off her white pelt like fish scales. He wouldn't be surprised if prey could see her from fox-lengths away, so he had no qualms against leaving Shypaw in the dust. They could find her later after they had a proper hunt... or maybe she would realize she's not wanted and run off to some other clan or into a twoleg's grubby paws. At least then she'd be out of the way.

The sound of leaf-litter rustling caught his attention, but before he could even see what had caused it, Burningwing had lurched forward and killed it without a peep. His eyes widened with awe before giving a sneering smile towards the lagging apprentice. This was how real Shadowclan cats were, and how he would be soon enough. He would have gloated more in favor of his mentor, but he would much prefer to lose the rogue now and brag about his own catches later.

He pressed on forward, keeping to what little shadow the moon allowed. His patchwork pelt broke up his silhouette, hiding him among the trash from both prey and rogue apprentices.

Tonight Murkystar had needed to place Shypaw's training in different paws. The outgoing patrol was Cicadapaw and Burningwing, and Shypaw's heart had sunk into her paws and stayed there. 

The older cats outpaced her still kitten-sized strides, and Cicadapaw's tail began to lash and flick whenever she got close. Burningwing spoke to the apprentices, his yellow gaze sliding over her, stalking ahead with Cicadapaw and effortlessly dispatching a rat. Their silhouettes disappeared among the trash, Cicadapaw giving her a sneering smile over his shoulder, and it was only Shypaw under the almost-full-moon.

Sharp eyes picked her out, a small glowing star on the ground. A small body, grasped in talons. 

There was barely a whistle in the cold night air as the owl swooped smoothly in for her, the impact knocking the breath out of Shypaw as her paws left the ground, talons piercing either side of her ribcage.

An owl appeared!
Owl 30 HP / 90 SP
Shypaw 20 HP / 60 SP

It used swoop on Shypaw, costing it -15 SP and dealing her -9 HP damage! 
Owl 30 HP / 75 SP
Shypaw 11 HP / 60 SP

Shypaw twisted, even as she wrenched the talons in her sides horribly, clawing with all her paws at the underside exposed to her between the owl's talons. 

The owl screeched angrily and let go of her with one foot, avoiding her wild blows and adjusting its grip. It landed clumsily and pinned her to the ground.

Shypaw attempted to use belly rake on the owl, costing her -25 SP! She failed, taking -5 HP damage!
Owl 30 HP / 75 SP
Shypaw 6 HP / 35 SP

Shypaw's heart bet so fast one beat overlapped with the others, her sides heaved as she gagged for breath, her little pink mouth open trying to cry for help. She battered desperately at the owl, vaguely feeling her little claws connect. 

Shypaw used front paw strike on the owl, costing her -7 SP and dealing it -6 HP apprentice damage, 
with desperate blows, costing her -7 SP and dealing it -4 HP apprentice damage,
and -1 HP for ShadowClan night finesse!
Owl 19 HP / 75 SP
Shypaw 6 HP / 21 SP

Shypaw's kitten-soft fur was bloodied and torn, the scratches shallow but bleeding heavily. She was ferocious but fading fast, and it would only take one more blow to end this.

With a flutter of its wings the owl rose, closing its talons around Shypaw's throat. Her next inhale gurgled as the thick metallic tang filled her mouth and her lungs. 

The owl used talon strike on Shypaw, costing it -10 HP and dealing her -7 HP damage!
Owl 19 HP / 65 SP
Shypaw KO

As the blood soaked her white fur, the owl felt her heartbeat ebb and poised to take off with its prey.

From within the night sky, a fast dark nimble shape collided with the owl with a furious rasping squawk. The owl tumbled away from Shypaw in a whirl of shadow and feathers. The raven's ruff bristled, his beak parted in a dangerous cry. 

He had been guarding the nest where the fledglings roosted for the night when his keen eyes caught the invading owl swoop to steal from their hunting grounds. It had his own fledgling kit in its talons. She lay limp and tattered, silvery eyes dull and half-closed.

His dark eyes glinted with anger. He was smaller - quicker - than the owl, striking and ducking in a flash of shadow, yelling until the wounded owl retreated battered and defeated.

The owl has retreated!

The little cat was losing blood, her body quivering with shallow breaths, her heart slow. The raven stood over her protectively, hackles raised and beady eyes searching.

understandable if you don't want to do this plot anymore!! <3

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

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'Effect Dice' : 2

Burningwing didn't have to work too hard to successfully lose the unwanted apprentice. Satisfied, he scanned the area for more suitable prey. Shadowclan was going to need a lot of it. The scent of blood hit his nose and his head snapped in the direction that it was coming from. He glanced once at Cicadapaw, confused, but set off in the direction of the blood scent anyway. His eyes then landed on the apprentice, getting attacked by an owl. For just an instant, the dark tom lurched forward as if to attack the owl... but he stopped himself. No. That was a rogue. She was outside the warrior code and didn't matter.

What he didn't expect was the raven suddenly intervening. He blinked, wondering if his eyes were playing tricks on him. But no... it was real. Uncertainty washed over him and his ears pinned back against his head. Was this a sign from Starclan to do something about this? Maybe it was... maybe it wasn't... Regardless, the dark tom begrudgingly charged forward, hoping he wasn't making a mistake.

Hissing and spitting, he swiped a few times at the raven in an attempt to get it away from the apprentice. He knew it wasn't the raven's fault... but just in case the bird decided to try to peck the eyes out of the idiot apprentice...

"Get up!" He spat... only to realize that she was in no condition to really... move much. He shook his head, frustrated, before he picked the apprentice up by her scruff. She better turn out to be important somehow or he was going to be kicking himself forever over this. He nodded at Cicadapaw and then back in the direction of camp. She'd need to be seen the medicine cat right away.

What are the odds of this happening...

Cicadapaw caught the scent just as Burningwing did, a light wind carrying the smell of iron and blood into their noses. Without though, the scent instantly brought anticipation and thrill into his body, prepared for a fight. Had someone invaded? Was he going to fight for his clan? How exciting!

Yet, when he and his mentor encroached on the scene, it was clear they were watching predation. The beating of wings, the cries of an owl, it was all familiar to Cicadapaw. He had battled one with Burningwing before, and he was prepared to do so again just the feel the adrenaline rush through his veins... but Burningwing wasn't moving. The tom was just sitting there? Sure, Shy was a rogue and had no right to be here, but she was still a cat, right?

No... he had made this mistake before with Dawnfeather. He wasn't going to do it again for someone less than a clan cat, a rogue who was too stupid to realize she was in the wrong place. So he sat, but he didn't watch.

It was only the call of a raven that brought his eyes back on the scene, having chased the owl away and now stood watch over the apprentice. Ravens were carrion birds, perhaps it was waiting for the she-cat to die, but it would look bad on them if they left her there to be eaten by the birds. Perhaps it would be a good idea to at least try to save her...

He followed behind his mentor, saying nothing as they dragged the battered apprentice back to camp

The raven's fixed eye reflected the unmoving pair, his gaze more searing than the yellow-eyed cat. He startled when the cat moved forward, nimbly avoiding its swipes and disappeared into the darkness like a phantom.

Shypaw's eyes fluttered with effort at Burningwing's command. She saw the flash of the raven's wings as he disappeared and Burningwing lean over and lift her up, the figure of Cicadapaw hazy beside him. Her throat was clogged with blood and she couldn't breathe, her heart stuttered desperately.