Checkin' Shiz Out

Sagestar frowned as they paused at the Thunderpath, adjusting his eyes to the sight of the moor under the moonlight. Close to their land, all seemed alright, but if one paid closer attention they could see the blackened rolling hills and the ash that was carried around on the wind and scattered everywhere. Admittedly, he was concerned - with the disappearance of SkyClan, and the absence of RiverClan at the gathering, and now with this fire whose smoke had reached even their camp. The tom shook his head, motioning with his tail to the small cats behind him. He just wanted a look around.
He led them across the Thunderpath and began to move through the tall grass of WindClan, keeping alert for any signs of life.

The windclan leader was walking along the territory alone. The ash moved every time she took a step. She was covered in smoke, and soot, from the fire before. She hadn't bothered to was herself. The only thing that really was apparent about the leader was her dull ice eyes, and the white stripes on her tail that seemed to be a lighter gray now. The leader was going over a hill when she spotted the Shadowclan leader who stuck out like a jay on the territory. She drew her lips back in a snarl. "Just because there was a fire doesn't mean you can take my territory. The leader growled to herself. She then pushed herself forward in a sprint, then skidded to a stop in front of the Shadowclan leader, ash and soot flying everywhere. Once the ash clear there stood a Windclan leader, with her claws out, her fur raised, and her lips drawn back in a snarl.

WHOA!! So this was what it was like to be an apprentice. Quickly following behind Sagestar, Thrushpaw could nit believe his eyes. Looking all around him, he took in all if the sight of TH marsh as they passed through on their way to Windclan. Of course, he couldn't shake the nervousness that overcame him while on this journey. What were the cats going to be like? Was this even the right thing to do? Cats weren't supposed to go into each other's territory like this... weren't they? But if Sagestar was going, Thrushpaw wasn't going to question it. He was the leader after all. Yet, the young apprentice had no idea what he was getting himself into. He tried his best to cross the Thunderpath like it was no big deal, but he was terrified. He had always heard stories of the black path and now that he had to cross it, he was terrified. But as soon as his horror started, it was done. Thrushpaw couldn't help but throw a little party in his head when he finally crossed over and his face showed how much pride he had in himself. But before he could get back into focus, the rush of the Windclan leader nearly scared him out of his mind. He quickly jumped, all of his hair puffed up around his body as his back arched and his claws unsheathed themselves. He wanted to say something, but no words would escape from his mouth as he was obviously scared but he was trying to stay brave. Dat fear scent bro.

Sagestar flicked his emerald gaze behind him, looking at the small apprentice. He had thought it'd been a good thing to take Thrustpaw out with him because he seemed to be the bravest and most eager out of the three of the litter, but he was obviously still so young and the tom questioned himself. Maybe he shouldn't have taken him out so soon - to another clan's territory that was. "You're alright." He muttered to the apprentice, flicking his ear somewhat playfully with the tip of his tail.
Having been covered in ash, he hadn't noticed WindClan's leader until she sprinted towards them, skidding to a halt in front of the two and sending up a cloud of soot. The tom coughed and spat ash off his tongue. "Who would want this wasteland?" The leader sneered, motioning with his tail for Thrushpaw to step back. She was obviously looking for a fight, he thought, remembering the tension the last time they'd met. "And so what if I did? Who'd stop me?" He asked challengingly.

The leader crouched low to the ground, an offensive stance ready. "It's my land, and I will be the one to stop you.. You're a trespasser, and you are not welcome. Raccoonstar cut her gaze over to the apprentice. "Apprentice back up you don't want to get caught in this." She growled, reinforcing Sagestar's motion. The ash cover cat turned her gaze back at Sagestar, and quickly leapt at him, her claws aiming for his eyes.

Thrushpaw quickly backs up, wondering what was going on at first before the strange cat that he had never seen before suddenly jumped on top of his leader. Thrushpaw eyes grew wide as he stood in an instinctive defensive stance, but he knew that he wasn't going to get dragged into it. He didn't even know how to fight yet so he would just be a bother. But as he stepped back, he finally realized why this strange looked so weird. The ground was black and dead under his feet. What was this stuff? He didn't even realize that the weird substance had covered his paws and clung to his fur, darkening it to a dark gray. But he stopped and looked back up as Sagestar was attacked. What could he do? "Sagestar!" He called, hoping the Shadowclan leader could beat this cat.

The tom's eyes narrowed, eying Raccoonstar's unsheathed claws and quietly watching her movements. She looked like she'd pounce at any second, and so he was right. He easily saw her first move early, it being so straight forward and quickly ducking back and out of the way. He quickly tried to think this through. Both of them were smaller than average - her a WindClan's trait and him unlucky genetics, so he couldn't use his size to his advantage. He was quick too, but she would be just as - if not quicker. He still had the darkness on his side, but the way things looked, they'd be evenly matched.
Sagestar growled, leaping to the side and back at her, trying to grab unto her shoulder with his own claws and tear her ears to shreds.

Raccoonstar was jerked to the side as she felt the toms claws enter her shoulder and successfully getting to one ear, but the Windclan leader quickly swung her paw in the direction of the tom's face who had a hold of her shoulder. She hoped to startle the tom, and have him let go of her shoulder to allow her to have full fighting range.

The ShadowClan leader let out a hiss of pain as he felt a sharp sting on his face, but he took the hit and wasn't willing to let go - knowing that space was exactly what she wanted to she had room to run circles around him, but he wasn't about to let that happen. Instead of jumping away, he dropped his weight and brought them both to the ground. He tried to get a better grip on her with his other forepaw, digging into her pelt, and kicking his back legs - attempting to rake his hind-claws down her body.

Raccoonstar quickly know what to do once she got onto the ground. She felt Sagestar's other paw try to get a grip on her but she shrank away from his grip, as soon as she saw the hind claws come for her she quickly rolled away taking the tom's leg with her hopfully throwing him off balance.

The gray tabby let out a sharp hiss of frustration as he was pulled over by the she-cat and thrown off his balance, though determined not to let her get the better of him. Sagestar was still close to her and sent a spray of ash and soot flying up at Raccoonstar's face and eyes, twisting around and getting his leg free.

Raccoonstar squeezed her eye shut as the soot and ash came her way. The leader had been in and out of a fire, and covered in ash, and soot already so it didn't faze the leader. She quickly took her chance to bite in the leader's leg and try to hold on. She tired to get her teeth as far down as she could.

Or not. D: I guess she still had his leg. Okay.
Sagestar let out a yowl of pain, twisting his body around and grabbing her shoulder again, he tried to bite down fiercely on her - wanting to deal just as much damage she were giving him, if not more; trying to rake his claws down her side as he was forced to stay close. His face instantly turned to disgust, though he hardly realized it. It was only because of the sour and dry taste of the ash in his mouth.

Raccoonstar let go with a yowl of pain. Her body was already achy enough from the fire, and burn marks sorta. The Windlcna leader twisted about as she felt the teeth on her skin. She tried to escape from the tom's grasp. She couldn't lose to him on her own territory. Blindly the she-cat lashed out her paws to try and hit the tom.

The tom held on relentlessly, biting his jaw down again harder every time she tried to get away - as well as trying to additional nips at her face; though it was difficult to reach in this awkward position, let alone stay how he was. For a few moments, the tom tried to rake at her soft underbelly before he was hit a few times and finally kicked her away from him.