A Family Fiasco ((CLOSED))

Just another simple hunt, that was all she wanted to do.

Spiderfur, after having successfully chased down and caught a small rabbit, was resting in a patch of thick grass. She was somewhat downwind of the rest of her kin, not having any particular wish to join them. She wasn't really close to any of her kin, with exception for her father and her half-sister, Nightheart. She was even a bit anxious around some of the family, especially Smokepelt. It was this personality that was the main reason she was on edge nowadays; he was so confident, so unhesitating in his actions that it felt like she'd been trained under a completely different cat. No, he hadn't been her mentor, rather her sister's. He'd been so calm and shy during those days, but when her uncle, his father, died, he started on this unnerving path that seemed to have no end.

A moment of silence went unnoticed, but the instant after it occurred there were loud caterwauls and sounds that brought back a distant memory; a memory that she sometimes wasn't even sure was there. It was a memory that smelled of blood and fear and the unnatural. What was going on? Spiderfur tripped over her own paws rushing towards the noise. Nothing prepared her for what she saw.

There were dogs. Three dogs, just like last time. The warrior was frozen in terror, despite telling her legs to move. She was stuck. 'No, no, no, not this!' Her heart rate skyrocketed; and yet she was still unable to move forward. 'You're a coward! You're a coward!' Instinct was what finally convinced her legs to move as the fight began to draw closer. She wanted to protect her father the most, but he was the furthest away from her. Besides, Brindlewhisker was fighting the brown beast alone.

There was a slight hesitation before she leaped onto the brown dog's back, gagging at the horrid stench before she dug her claws into its thick skin.

SPIDERFUR used JUMPING STRIKE on BROWN DOG. -15HP, -20SP

Spiderfur
HP- 100/100
SP- 260/280

Brown Dog
HP- 124/150
SP- 350/350

Brindlewhisker
HP- 45/45
SP- 145/160

Continuing to lay in a patch of tall grass breathing heavily, Ryepaw peered through the grass in attempt to see what was going on, although he didn't have much luck, seeing that he was in a small dip in the ground. Barks and screams from his family filled the air and made the small tom shrink to the ground. Part of him wanted to help the others, but he'd probably just get in the way, being the clumsy cat he was, and even if he did manage to stay out from under everyone's paws, he was positive that nothing good was going to come from him being around them, so he decided to stay where he was and hope for the best.

~~~~~~

Cedarfur had no idea what in the world had just happened to him. Everything had been perfectly fine and peaceful, but Smokepelt then suddenly yowled something, and before he was able to even blink, something had grabbed hold of his flank and tossed him through the air like.

Having landed with a thud, Cedarfur laid where he'd fallen for a few moments before being able to regain his bearings. Letting out a groan, the tom lifted his head and tried getting up, but cried out in discomfort as pain shot up his back. Tensing his muscles, the elder sunk back down to ground so that he continued to lay on his side. Lifting his head, he craned his neck so that he was able to see his rump which at this point, stung like a nest of hornets and to his dismay, the injury was worse than he'd hoped.

Dark red blood oozed out of several small holes in his skin, most likely made from where the beast's teeth had latched onto him. Other than the smaller wounds that he was aware of, Cedarfur couldn't really feel anything else, and even upon catching sight of part of his hip that had been ripped open enough so that flesh was barely visible, the pain was so much that he felt almost nothing at all.

Having lost and still losing a decent amount of blood, his head started to spin and everything was becoming fuzzy. "S-Smokepelt," he whined softly, although it wasn't like anyone could hear him over all the racket. Resting his head back down on the ground, with his sides heaving up and down, Cedarfur closed his eyes, unable to do much in his predicament. May StarClan protect you all.

Cedarfur is will be un-stunned in the next turn.

~~~~~~

Watching in horror as a dog attacked his mother, Smokepelt unsheathed his claws and let out a low growl, his fur bristling. No filthy canine messed with mother and he'd be sure to teach that foxheart a lesson! Getting read to join the battle, he stopped in his tracks, a look of confusion on his face. She wanted him to look for Ryepaw instead of help her? He... he couldn't do that, could he? Torn between his mother or son, the deputy watched as his mother didn't hesitate to fight the brute. Even after she'd gotten so much trash about leading her clan, she still stood strong and fought to protect her loved ones. To him, that's what a true leader would do, and if anyone thought that she was unfit to lead WindClan, they were nothing more than a bunch of mousefodders.

As much as he wanted to stay and fight by her side, he knew that she had a point. Ashstar was strong and could handle the dog on her own, for the time being, at least. His disfigured son on the other paw... not so much. Letting out a soft and somewhat saddened meow, the grey and white tom raced off to the area where he'd last seen Ryepaw. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed Furzethroat and Hazefur heading back towards the camp, probably to make sure no other dogs were headed there, and agreed with their choice. Better protect the whole clan instead of a few cats. Thinking back to his mother, it pained him to leave her. I'll help you soon, I promise, he thought to himself quietly, though it wasn't as if his mother could hear his thoughts.

~~~~~~

Whirling around to see another small creature facing him, the dog was too excited to be able to react fast enough. Before it was able to do anything, the cat reared up so that it looked even taller than before and catching the dog off guard, slashed sharp claws at its nose. Letting out a yowl of pain, the canine licked the stream of warm blood from its muzzle. Now things weren't just fun and games and it was mad.

Furze bristling and teeth bared, the dog let out a couple low barks, showing its pearly white fangs. Lunging towards the cat and easily catching it because of its size, the cream colored dog let out a snarl and grabbed hold of the grey cat's leg, biting down hard and not letting go as blood seeped into his mouth.

The cream dog used Iron Bite, causing 30 damage and costing 20 stamina.

Cream Dog:
HP: 130/150
SP: 310/350

Ashstar:
HP: 65/120
SP: 285/300

~~~~~~

Loosing sight of the larger and more fluffy creature, the brown dog was quickly distracted by something else that raced by in his peripheral vision. Giving a quick bark, the dog stopped in his tracks and looked around, wondering what else was possible prey, but having been overwhelmed by all the new sights and scents, wasn't able to see the cat that that was about to pounce.

Letting out a huff, the dog stumbled to the side as an object smacked into the side of his chest. Feeling something sharp graze against his pelt, it jumped out of the way and snapped around, to face a small and obviously angry creature. Tongue lolling and tail still wagging, the dog was about to lung towards the animal, but another cat jumped at him, and although its efforts weren't the most outstanding (considering the dog's size compared to the cat), it still packed a slight punch.

Howling from excitement and some confusion, the dog didn't really care what it hit anymore. Lifting a paw, it smashed a hard paw across across one of the two cat's side and sent the smaller creature flying. Boy, were these feisty pieces of prey, in all of his days as a bird dog, he'd never had to deal with anything like them before.

The brown dog used Heavy Blow (on Brindlewhisker), causing 25 damage and costing 20 stamina.

Brown Dog:
HP: 124/150
SP: 330/350

Brindlewhisker:
HP: 20/45
SP: 145/160

Spiderfur:
HP: 100/100
SP: 260/280

~~~~~~

Three cats against one dog, this made the canine even more excited. Barking and howling anxiously, it took a blow one cat and then from another that had appeared out of no where, but they weren't going to stop it that easily. Jumping around, the dog then quickly lunged forward, its jaws snapping in attempt to get what ever it could bite. Surprisingly enough, it was able to get a hold of something sooner rather than later. Grabbing the grey cat by its scruff, the black dog held on and violently shook it back and forth. Dropping it on the ground, the dog turned to the other two cats, ready for more.

The black dog used Thrash (on Quailfeather), causing 20 damage and costing 20 stamina.
Quailfeather is stunned for 2 turns.

Black Dog:
HP: 133/150
SP: 310/350

Quailfeather:
HP: 20/45
SP: 145/160

"No! Get out of here!" the she-cat yelled, watching as her sisters both jumped to her aid. They were so young, yet still managed to attack the dog with all their might, and she would be forever greatful. Besides, family loyalty was the best loyalty of all. Distracted with her thoughts and the overwhelming presence of the dogs, Kindleblaze failed to act quick enough and right before her eyes, her little sister Quailfeather was vigorously shaken around and then dropped to the floor, motionless. No... this couldn't be happening, she wasn't going to lose her sister who'd she'd just made amends with! Over my dead body!

Filled with rage, the lean she-cat let out a blood curling battle cry and ran as fast as she could towards the dog. Dropping to the ground just before she reached it, Kindleblaze slid under it's tall stomach and raked her claws against the flesh. Hopping back up to her paws, she left the dog to whine and bellow, and ran over to Quailfeather. "Hey! Are you alright?" she asked nervously and looked to Gustpuddle who seemed to be holding up alright. "How about you?" she asked her other sister, knowing that they didn't have much time before the dog attacked again.

Kindleblaze used Belly Rake, causing 11 damage and costing 10 stamina.

Kindleblaze:
HP: 20/45
SP: 150/160

Black Dog:
HP: 120/150
SP: 310/350

~~~~~~~~~~

OOC: Zako ain't gonna be posting with us anymore... so the "posting order" will just go... me, Seer, Ash, Maple, and Night. Let's get this done folks, woo! (this was so much to post, so feel free to tell me if I got anything wrong)

Update on who is fighting who:
Kindle, Quail, and Gust = Black dog
Ash (and soon Smoke) = Cream dog
Spider and Brindle = Brown dog

MAPLE (and anyone else who might need this): Although she edited it (ty bby <3), Ash originally messed up her post and mixed up the dogs, so please edit your post so that Gust is fighting the BLACK dog with Kindle and Quail. Also, I believe Ash messed up the dog's HP as well, so take a look at your post and edit accordingly pls!

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

---

'Effect Dice' : 5

Brindlewhisker hardly had time to process Spiderfur's arrival before the hulking brown brute turned on her in obvious excitement at the discovery of its newest prey. For a moment her paws felt frozen to the ground at the sight of the drooling dog- had Furzethroat managed to escape? Entranced by her panicked thoughts, she was only able to catch a brief glimpse of Spiderfur leaping onto the brown dog before a heavy paw collided with her fragile side with enough force to make her ribs pop painfully. Forcefully thrown away from her Clanmate and the dog, Brindlewhisker thumped loudly against the moorland ground as she went tumbling to the side, rolling away in blurred tangle of paws, ears, and a single waving tail. When she finally skidded to an ungraceful halt, she could do nothing but wheeze and gasp for several heartbeats as she tried to reclaim the breath that had been knocked out of her chest by the dog's paw, barely lifting her head to glance around at all the others fighting dogs. Clearly she was much too weak for the head-on approach she had previously tried.

Staggering to her paws once more, Brindlewhisker shook her head and sucked in a raspy breath that further worsened the ache in her chest, doing her best to regain her wits and clear the ringing from her ears. 'If I can't outfight it, then I'll have to outsmart it.' She reflected, glaring at the Brown dog who was now facing Spiderfur. They were both small enough and fast enough to give the dog a hard time- so maybe if they the little 'game' that the dog appeared to playing no longer fun, it'd run back to its twoleg. "Great StarClan!" She grumbled, flexing her wrenched claws. Shaking her head again, she sucked in a panicked breath once more, flexing each limb carefully to make sure that none were damaged in her rolling before she went rushing off once more.

Racing forward with such a ferocious intent that her small paws kicked up small puffs of dry, peaty moorland soil, Brindlewhisker lunged at the Brown Dog, teeth and claws bared in a menacing snarl. Wrapping her forelegs around the dog's neck and embedding her claws deep in the thin flesh around the creatures throat, she did her best not to gag at the horrendous stench that wafted from the canine's fur as she sank her teeth into the dog's ear as deeply as she possibly could. Her hind legs blindly scrabbled and raked at anything they possibly could- the dog's throat, chest, even its legs- as she waited for Spiderfur to launch her next attack. Hopefully it'd be a good one, as she was unsure of how long she'd be able to keep her hold on the thrashing dog.


Brindlewhisker used 'Teeth Grip', Dealing -8 In Damage, Costing -20 In Stamina.
Brown Dog is Stunned for One Turn.


Brindlewhisker
20/45 (HP)
125/160 (SP)

Brown Dog
116/150 (HP)
330/350 (SP)

Spiderfur
100/100 (HP)
260/280 (SP)

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

---

'Effect Dice' : 1

Ashstar watched in satisfaction and quiet hope as Smokepelt ran off to find Ryepaw. Hopefully the little tom was safe, wherever he was. Turning back to face the big dog again, she let out a sudden yowl of agony as the monstrous creature bit down into her leg, jaws clamping down strong as anything. She heard her bones snap and whimpered slightly, losing the energy to scream in pain. She started hyperventilating, body going into shock from the immense pain. The pain enveloped her mind, flooding her senses, closing off all rational thought. However, just as black spots started dancing at the edges of her vision, she managed to clear her head. This dog would not do any more harm to her family! She wouldn't let it!

The leader managed to twist around in the dog's heavy grip, not even wincing at the fresh wave of hot pain, and slash at one of its eyes with a satisfying rip. Having done so, adrenaline coursing through her veins, the bloody gray she-cat collapsed, all energy gone. Only fury showed in her green eyes despite the fear deep down inside her soul. StarClan, please, protect them, let it take me instead, oh StarClan please...

Ashstar used Front Paw Strike on Cream Dog. -18 HP, -10 SP

Ashstar:
HP: 65/120
SP: 275/300

Cream Dog:
HP: 112/150
SP: 310/350

Quailfeather didn't comprehend what had happened- one moment she was fighting the dog with all her might, the next she was soaring through the air like a limp piece of fresh-kill and landing painfully on her side. In shock, the wind knocked out of her, the gray speckled warrior could only watch in fear as Kindleblaze got in another shot at the towering black dog. I want to... to help.... Smokepelt's daughter faded into unconscious, batteree body retreating into her mind's safehold where she could recuperate adequately.

Gustpuddle let out a large screech as her sister, as well as best friend- was shaken like rag doll and thrown onto the ground like crow-food. She raced over to her, instantly forgetting about the dogs. She looked over to see Smokepelt racing after Ryepaw, and her mind whirled. She pressed a shaky paw to her chest, letting out a deep breath when she felt the faint rising and falling of her speckled chest. She murmured something in her ear, just audible to Quailfeather and herself. She turned to face the bulky beast, spotting Spiderfurfrom the corner of her eyes, which burned with all of Starclan."Everyone here knows, when you mess with one of us, you get us all!" With that, she raced toward the creature, almost skidding to a complete halt when she noticed Spiderfur.


She had wished no other cat would have to endure this, and her heart shattered when Spiderfur appeared at the scene. But in no time flat, the dog had her small body enclosed in its powerful jaws. She thrashed and kicked and squirmed... but to no avail. When she finally managed to squeeze from its powerful grip, she gave the brute what it deserved. She kicked wildly at the dogs face, leaving it with blood drizzling from its deep gashes that she knew would give it a scar or two to remember. She came back down onto all four paws, narrowing her eyes at the mutt standing before her."I dare you to try that again!" She looked around, making sure everyone was dong ok. Although she had a few sores, she knew she would be ok... but would Cedarfur? She looked around, hoping to find the tall cat standing, or sitting- or at least just see him. When her eyes finally landed on the older tom, she relaxed a little- only for her fur to spring back up when she looked back to the vicious- now angry- black dog.

Gustpuddle used Rear-up to Slash on the BLACK DOG, causing 9 damage and using up 15 stamina.


Gustpuddle:
40/40 HP
80/120 SP


Black Dog:
107/150 HP
310/350 SP

half turn belly rake swift strike

Time began to move in slow motion as she watched her kin be tossed around like leaves in a storm. Quailfeather was down, and Smokepelt and Ryepaw were nowhere to be seen. 'Dear Starclan, let them be safe.' The little warrior clung to the disgusting creature, feeling the hair come off beneath her claws. However, she couldn't stay on for long as the dog lashed out against Brindlewhisker, and she tumbled to the blood-splashed dirt, forcing the air out of her lungs as she hit the ground. Fear would've taken hold if the reality of the situation hadn't sunken in; these animals would kill them if they didn't fight back. Kill them for fun.

So she rushed under the clumsy paws of the beast, holding her breath as she flipped onto her back and slashed her paws wildly at its underbelly, hissing when the hot blood cascaded onto her. She was quick to emerge, not wanting to get trampled, then gave one last slash down its muzzle.

SPIDERFUR used HALF-TURN BELLY RAKE and SWIFT STRIKE on BROWN DOG. -23 HP, -30 SP

Spiderfur
HP- 100/100
SP- 230/280

Brown Dog
HP- 93/150
SP- 330/350

Brindlewhisker
HP- 20/45
SP- 125/160

As one of the cat's claws hooked onto its eye and practically tore it in two, the dog let out shrill and pain filled yowl. Taking a few wobbly steps backwards, the cream colored canine's whines and whimpers quickly turned into a low growl. Although in pain and half blind, the dog was the naive type and wasn't going to back down yet, even if it meant losing both of its eyes.

Jumping towards the grey feline who almost managed to get away, the dog was ready and snapped its large and powerful around the cat's neck. Biting down so that the wonderfully warm and metallic taste of blood dripped onto his tongue, the dog didn't let go. Viciously shaking the cat back and forth, it didn't let go and was almost tempted to fully finish the smaller animal off when he caught the sound of familiar voice.

The cream dog used Iron Bite, causing 30 damage and costing 20 stamina.

Cream Dog:
HP: 130/150
SP: 270/350

Ashstar:
Has lost a life.

Dropping the now limp cat, the cream pelted dog's tongue lolled and tail wagged at the distant yet audible sound. Giving a couple of quick barks, the canine bounded towards the noise, injured, but apparently done with fighting the cats.

~~~~~~

Not envisioning one of the smaller creatures being able to jump up onto its back, the brown colored dog let out a startled yip and jumped in the air as pain shot through it's back. Small claws started to rip through its tough hide and before he was able to full fling the cat off, another rush of stinging pain ripped through its stomach. Yowling and whimpering in agony, the dog stumbled backwards and reared up on its hindlegs, making itself look three times as big.

Bringing down its front paws, the dog barely missed the smaller cat who was precariously standing under him, and in a flash of fury, pain, and rage, the dog lifted a paw and smashed it across the smaller brown cat's face, its claws ripping open the soft skin near one of her eyes along the way. That was sure to leave a mark.

The brown dog used Heavy Blow (on Spiderfur), causing 25 damage and costing 20 stamina.

Brown Dog:
HP: 93/150
SP: 310/350

Spiderfur:
HP: 75/100
SP: 230/280

Brindlewhisker:
HP: 20/45
SP: 125/160

After a few more moments of jumping around in attempt to buck the cat off, the brown canine succeeded. Finally feeling the weight lift from its shoulders, the dog snapped its head around just in time to see the his cream friend running towards him. Having had his fill of hunting for the day, the dog ran after his friend and towards the familiar yet somewhat unwanted noise that sounded in the distance.

~~~~~~

Not yet severely hurt like his fellow canines, the black dog was still having loads of fun, although his fun was cut short when the others came running towards him, barking and howling anxiously. Taking a step back so that he was out of reach of his grey and white opponent, the dog quickly darted forward and smacked a large against the she-cat's side as one last blow. Spinning around, the dark beast raced off towards his friends, leaving the cats behind.

The black dog used Heavy Blow (on Gustpuddle), causing 25 damage and costing 20 stamina.

Black Dog:
HP: 107/150
SP: 310/350

Gustpuddle:
HP: 15/40
SP: 80/120

Kindleblaze:
HP: 20/45
SP: 150/160

Now that the damage was done, the three dogs raced off towards their master who was now visibly standing on top of a small hill with his boom stick slung over his shoulder. He was a hairy faced, pale skinned Twoleg that had a demanding voice when needed, and by the looks of it, he wasn't too happy with their little escapade. Even so, the three Labradors had still had a blast, and although they acquired some injuries along the way, it had totally been worth it.

~~~~~~

Wide eyed as she watched her little sister get hit in the side, Kindleblaze let out a shocked yowl. Watching the dog leave and not caring what the reason for its departure was, the warrior raced over to Gustpuddle and looked to Quailfeather who was a foxlength or two away from them. "Hey! You both need to get up, no falling asleep, got it?" she mewed worriedly, nudging Gustpuddle's side with her paw. Running over to Quailfeather, she somewhat abruptly prodded at her sister's side with a paw. Please be alright, please be alright, the dark grey she-cat prayed, breathing fast from the adrenaline and nervousness that her sisters weren't alright. Those mangy mutts, she'd teach them a lesson if they ever showed their filthy faces here again, Kindleblaze silently swore to herself, listening as the dogs raced off, the sound of their heavy pawsteps slowly fading away.

~~~~~~

Having ran through the moor half panicking that he would find his youngest son ripped in two, Smokepelt finally caught the scent of Ryepaw. The two had greeted each other with finicky yet relieved mews and seeing that the smaller tom was already safe, he'd instructed him to stay where he was and to not move until he was giving the clear. Ryepaw, being scared out of his mind, of course agreed and giving a swift lick to the top of his son's head, Smokepelt raced back to the fight, not wanting to waste anymore time. Unfortunately, what he would soon return to see was not what was expected.

Running back towards his mother, the tom skidded to a halt and arched his back, eyes wide. All three dogs were galloping towards him. Crouching low to the ground and hiding in a patch of tall grass, he waited for one of them to let out a howl and sniff him out, but it never happened. Instead, they all lumbered straight past him. What in StarClan's name was going on? Standing up, the deputy turned around and watched as a Twoleg appeared on the top of a small hill, and it didn't seem very happy when the dogs stood at its side. Shouting some sort of angry gibberish, it tethered the canines to a rope like object and as quick as they'd arrived, they were gone. Good ridden! Stupid Twolegs, letting their dogs run around like that, were they crazy?

Feeling triumphant over their success, Smokepelt bounded back to where he'd left Ashstar, a prideful grin on his muzzle. "Did you see that? Those mangy fleapelts were no match for us! Good thing their Twoleg came before we were able to tear them up!" he exclaimed, trotting towards the small clearing where the cream dog had just fought the grey she-cat. But something wasn't right. Slowing the pace, Smokepelt opened his slightly crooked jaw to scent the air. Of course he expected blood seeing how there had just been a battle, but there was almost too much blood, not to mention the ominous quiet that had settled over the once chaotic air.

With a horrible feeling clenching his gut, he ran through the tall grass and upon reaching the clearing over shorter moorland grass, skidded to a halt right in front of his lifeless mother. "A-Ashstar?" the tom choked, leaning towards the leader. Dark red blood stained the usually soft grey fur around her neck, and her side wasn't gently rising and falling like it used to. This wasn't right, this wasn't supposed to happen. The two of them were supposed to return to the clan victorious, so why was she so motionless with the wretched stench and horrible feeling of death wavering all around her?

"Ashstar, come on, wake up," the soft voiced deputy pleaded, prodding the she-cat's side. "Ashstar, no, please StarClan," he begged, as his heart started racing again. "Ashstar!" he yowled into the empty. She was dead, and he hadn't been there to protect her.

Half sitting, half falling, the tom sat down, sides heaving and he leaned over his mother, eyes clenched shut. He... he hadn't been here to help her and now, she'd lost a life, just because her son, her only son and deputy had to go search for his deformed and helpless kit. Obliviously she still had more lives, but this was his fault, and he'd never forgive himself, or Ryepaw. All of his other kits were able to hold their own weight and fight on their own, so why did Ryepaw have to be so different, and above all, why did StarClan curse him with such kin?

Breathing unsteadily, Smokepelt kept his head hung over his mother's body and listening to as his family started to gather around, their shocked gasps filling the silent air. Today, WindClan's leader had lost a life to one of those reckless beasts, and Smokepelt swore to never leave his mother in battle again, even if it meant possibly losing a son in the meantime.

OOC: well, that was fun. The dogs have now left the battlefield, so pls, no more fighting (go mourn your dead leader C":)
Also, I think Night isn't going to be able to post anymore (same with Zako), but let's keep this topic rollin' ;u;

Brindlewhisker's claws were wrenched in an agonizing way as the Brown Dog finally managed to free itself from her tight grasp, and she hurriedly did her best to rip her paws free from the dog as it shook her off. She only just managed to land on her paws, barely managing to avoid tumbling face first into the ground due to the way that the Brown Dog had flung her away. Before she had time to even blink, the Brown Dog was finally fleeing, although it left a bloody Spiderfur in its wake. After briefly checking the older she-cat's new facial wound, she redirected her attention towards her own beat-up form. Brindlewhisker carefully tested each limb to search for any sprains or damage, huffing out a brief sigh of relief when she realized everything was fully intact, albeit sore. Her teeth ached furiously from the awkward way that they had been jolted from the tender flesh of the dogs ear and her ribs throbbing from her previous collision with the hard earth, but other than that, she seemed relatively unharmed. Thank StarClan for that- the dog could of easily crushed her delicate rib cage in one blow during its thunderous tromping around.

Their was a sharp ringing in her ears and the foul greasy, metallic taste of blood filled her mouth, but Brindlewhisker tried her best to dismiss the aches with a brief shake of her head. Forcing her bleary eyes to remain open, she swung her head around to observe her kin who were slowly shaking away their minimal injures in a similar manner. All of her younger kin seemed to be a bit more shaken up than actually injured, although it seemed like Spiderfur, Cedarfur, and Quailfeather bared the worst of the attack. Thankfully there didn't appear to be too much blood spilled between trio, as the longer she observed them, the more it looked as if they had just been battered around. Straining her neck a bit more, she began to search for the smudged-grey shapes of Smokepelt and Ashstar- during the flurry of chaos she had lost track of the two. After a moment of brief, befuddled searching she was able to finally pick out the slouched shape of Smokepelt a few foxtail-lengths away from her, the harsh scent of blood wafting strongly from where he was settled.

Brindlewhisker scurried closer towards her grandfather, stiff limbs moving a bit clumsily under her weight as she hurried towards her kin. As she drew closer, she was able to pick out Ashstar's limp form huddled beneath Smokepelt and a fresher wave of anxiety spurred on a more hurried approach towards the Leader and Deputy. 'What had happened?' She reflected, distressed as she finally found herself standing beside the pair. "Smokepelt?" She mewed softly, scanning his grey and white pelt to search for any outstanding wounds. Her whiskers twitched in relief once she completed her scan for any wounds- at least he hadn't been hurt too badly in the commotion. Tentatively, Brindlewhisker pressed against Smokepelt's side, allowing her dirtied fur to brush against his as her gaze apprehensive gaze settled on their Clan leader. Ashstar's flank seemed ominously still and the copious amount of blood that slowly pulsated from Ashstar's still form made her fur stand on end- was she losing a life? At once, she felt incredibly out of place to be in the presence of such a solemn, forlorn event but she remained nuzzled against Smokepelt's side, mouth growing dry as she observed the grief etched upon his face. "W-will she be alright?" Brindlewhisker finally managed to squeak, voice unsteady with sorrow.

Ashstar didn't even see the dog coming- only felt its powerful jaws close around her neck, sharp teeth snapping bones, feeling her lifeblood gush out in copious amounts. She couldn't even let out a whimper of pain as the crushing jaws shook her around, tearing her muscles to shreds. The heavy bite of death released its grip and the fluffy gray she-cat crumpled to the ground, a bloody mess. The leader's breaths grew staggered and uneven; each rise and fall of her battered, bloodied side took tremendous effort and energy that she didn't have. The world spun and faded into nothingness, and she could barely make out the enormous cream-colored canine retreating towards a distant, foreign sound. Please, let my family be safe, was her last thought before she succumbed to her injuries and felt her weary consciousness retreating to a better place.

The she-cat lay resting on a bed of soft grass, looking up through the branches of a tall oak into a star-spangled night sky. Wait- isn't it daytime? This isn't WindClan. Where am I? As her spring-green eyes gazed at Silverpelt, closer and brighter than ever, a star fell from the heavens and landed on the soft field next to her. Where the glowing meteor fell, a starry shape blossomed upwards in a shower of sparks, taking on the form of a cat that Ashstar knew well. "Graybriar," the leader purred quietly, sitting up to meet her mother's soft blue eyes. Then, remembering how she had died, lowered hers in shame. I left my loved ones to die.

"No, Ashstar," her mother meowed lovingly as if she could hear her thoughts. "You fought bravely to protect your family. You defended them with your life- just as your father and I did." The gray ShadowClan walked up and touched her nose to her daughter's. "I gave you a life for love, sweet. Remember that your family loves you, just as you love them. You don't have to go through your troubles alone. Lean on them; let them love you. Thrushpelt and I may not be here for you, but Smokepelt and all your grandkits are. Let them help you, and never forget that we are always with you." A breeze that smelled of marshes and pine sap- a scent that most other cats despised, but Ashstar found comforting- swept over the two cats, and Graybriar was gone. The wind grew in intensity, and the leader found herself swept off the fields, and falling down as she stared into the starry sky above-

The gray-furred WindClan leader sat up abruptly, gasping as her spirit rejoined her body once more. Bruises healed, broken bones mended, and bloody cuts vanished in the blink of an eye. Still slightly shaken, the she-cat gazed around the fields, watching as her family gathered around her. Her tired face slowly spread into a broken smile as she saw her son and Brindlewhisker relatively unharmed. She leaned against Smokepelt to comfort him. "It's alright," she reassured him with an exhausted purr. "Everything is all right."
_________________

Quailfeather groaned as a paw prodded her side. "Five more minutes, Mom," she mumbled incoherently. Sudden realization flooded her as consciousness returned, and she sat up with a gasp to see Kindleblaze standing over her. "I'm... what... Huh? Where... where'd the dogs go? Are you okay? What happened to me?" She winced as she felt the massive bruise on her side. "Ugh, that old mutt did a number on me. I'll be all right, though. Is Dad okay? Gustpuddle? Ryepaw? Ashstar and the others?" Her frosty blue eyes were anxious as they looked into her older sister's orange ones, having no thought for herself.

Gustpuddle yowled as the breath was knocked out of her, and she fell to her side with a thud. Her vision blurred and all she wanted to do was close her eyes, so she did."Don't.. don't touch her! Leave them alone!" She saw a big black dog bowling towards her, all its might falling upon the smaller cats. She let out yelps of fear from the mind movies being played in her head, and then fell into an imaginary pit of despair. For a moment she felt herself slip away from reality, but then was jerked back to the sad reality that was her beaten family, and she jumped up, tail fluffed with fear, anger, and a mix of everything in between. When her feet finally landed on the ground again, her mind whirled and her vision went blurry again, but she forced herself to stay awake. She tried once more to stand up, this time slower than she did last time. When she made her way back to a full standing position, she let the dizziness fade away and looked around to make sure everyone was ok. She made her way over to Quailfeather, knowing she was alright by her tone."It'll be ok, sis. Everyone's fine. You should worry about yourself, not us." She pushed herself underneath her lithe form, helping her to her feet. She gave a quick nod, heading over to Ashstar and Smokepelt. Moments ago she looked so torn up and beaten, but now there wasn't a scratch on her pelt."Ashstar, di-did you, l-lose a life?" Her voice was shaky, timid, and weak, but it was pure fear glowing from her eyes. How many lives does she have to spare?

Having been internally freaking out over everything, Ryepaw continued to keep low to the ground, trying to drown out the overwhelming sounds with his thoughts, but he perked his ears when all to be heard was silence. Was is true? Could everything really be over? Slowly lifting his head, the crooked jawed tom swiveled his head around, making sure to stay alert in case any dogs were still lingering around, but no matter how he listened for the lumbering beasts, there was nothing.

Standing up with shaky legs, Ryepaw lifted his head and slightly parted open his mouth. A chilly evening breeze had blown most of the strange dog scent away, and all that reminded was the growing scent of... blood, and his heart practically dropped out of his chest. What if his family was hurt? What if they were all dead and he hadn't even tried to help them? With his heart beginning to race again, the small tom jumped to his paws and bolted as fast as his three legs plus a dysfunctional leg could carry him. What if he was too late?

Racing up the hill, Ryepaw skidded to a halt and let out an exasperated breath when he saw his family standing in front of him. No one seemed to be too badly injured, and although Ashstar was lying on the ground, she seemed to be alive and kicking.

With his tail under his legs and ears laying flat against his grey and white head, he limped over to Smokepelt and looked from the leader and up to his father. "I-is everyone alr-right?" the skittish tom asked softly, turning his gaze back down to Ashstar. Her neck was covered in dark red blood, and from the looks of it, one could only assume the worst. She'd lost a life.

~~~~~~

Taking a step back as Quailfeather sat up, the dark grey she-cat was so relieved to know that nothing was too wrong with her sister. 'I would've never forgave myself if she was seriously hurt,' Kindleblaze thought to herself bitterly. Turning her head from Quailfeather, Kindleblaze looked to her other sister, glad to see that she was alright. The two younger she-cats were always so supportive, even in times of panic like this. Before she was able to say anything in reply, Gustpuddle was making her way towards the rest of the group who were all huddled around some-cat. "Come on, we should meet up with the others," she mewed with a slight smile, nudging her sister's shoulder with her muzzle.

~~~~~~

Laying down on the ground a few foxlengths away from the rest of his family who were huddled around Ashstar, Cedarfur let out a groan and sat up, using all of his strength to support himself on his front legs. Dragging his hind behind him like his brother Icestorm had done when he was still alive, the elder made his way over to the small crowd of cats, leaving a trail of blood behind him as he slowly but surely started moving. Flopping down onto the ground behind Gustpuddle with a huff, the tom laid his head on the dusty earth and lifted his eyes to the leader. The way everyone was giving her attention made it look as if she'd lost a life, but surely that wasn't the case, seeing that Smokepelt should've been able to protect her. Well, what ever the case was, he wasn't in any state to think too deeply about it, although then again, it was a good way to distract him from the wretched pain that was shooting up his back and through his rump.

~~~~~~

Sitting down with a soft thud, Smokepelt had to admit that watching his mother fall motionless while losing a life was one of the scariest things that he'd ever had to endure. Although it was said that the leaders went to StarClan and came back, he could never quite wrap his head around the concept, but then again, it wasn't like he was going to question any of it.

Lost in thought while his heart raced and breathes became unsteady, the feeling of Brindlewhisker suddenly pressing against made his pelt twitch and he looked down to his granddaughter, a look of sorrow in his amber eyes. "She lost a life, but I believe she'll be fine," the deputy mewed softly and turned back to his mother. As if his words had something to do with it, the leader started to stir, and he was able to relax a little. Great StarClan, how did this happen? He left her for just a few moments and she'd managed to lose a life? Some deputy he was. He'd left her side, but why? What could've possibly stolen his attention from his mother who'd needed his help?

Ryepaw.

Hearing his son's voice come up beside him, Smokepelt's ears laid flat on his head and he let out low growl from deep in his throat. How dare he ask if everyone was alright when he'd been hiding in the shrubbery while everything had gone down.

"Is everyone alright?" the tom replied every so calmly, not looking at his son. With his already infuriated blood starting to boil even more, his white tipped tail lashed back and forth as he thought through things. This was all Ryepaw's fault, and no one would be able to deny it. If he hadn't needed to check on his sad excuse of a kit, Ashstar wouldn't have lost a life! Turning his head to Ryepaw, the tom stood up, towering over the apprentice. "Does everyone look alright to you?" he snapped with bared teeth and took a step forward so that he was close enough to make the deformed little tom topple over onto his back. Their gazes met, one pair of eyes filled with fear and the other filled with rage.

"Cats were injured and Ashstar lost a life, all because I needed to go make sure my helpless, deformed son wasn't dead," Smokepelt hissed, every word as genuine with hate. The only thing the younger tom did was get in the way, and if it weren't for Falconstone, the clan would've been better off. One less mouth to feed, one less cat to train, and in the end, life like that sounded like a pretty good life to him.

"Next time," he started and took a pause while he stood over Ryepaw who was cowering under him, the smaller cat's pelt shaking nervously. "Oh, never mind, because their won't be a next time. If something ever happens like this again, just know that I most definitely won't be the one to check on you," Smokepelt spat, muscles rippling under his dark grey and white fur. Leaning down so that he was close to Ryepaw's ear, the deputy let out a low, menacing growl. "Because as far as I'm concerned, you're better off dead," he whispered, just soft enough for only the apprentice to hear.

Standing up straighter, Smokepelt took a step back and gave his pelt a shake. The sun had almost completely disappeared behind the Highstones, leaving the clans with a quickly darkening sky. They needed to get back to camp before cats started to become worried, though hopefully Hazefur and Furzethroat had been able to explain some things.

"We should head back to camp and get your injuries taken care of," he meowed loudly enough for all of his family to hear, completely dismissing the fact that he'd just yelled at his son and practically disowned him. Well, father or not, the last cat he wanted to be around Ryepaw, seeing that he was basically nothing more than a token of bad luck.

"Ashstar," he started while padding over to Cedarfur, wanting to make sure his mother didn't overwork herself, but quickly shut his muzzle, knowing that second guessing the leader would only put her on the defensive. "Nevermind," the deputy added softly. Looking down to his uncle who was breathing heavily, it was obvious that the older tom wasn't in very good shape and it was best that they got him and the other cats who were severely injured back to camp. "Gustpuddle, can you help me get him back to camp?" he asked his daughter, looking in her direction.

Thank StarClan his other kits weren't hurt too badly.