We Were Never Friends (Open)

Leopardclaw, his new name ringing in his mind, had settled down near the fresh-kill pile with a robin between his paws. As he plucked feathers, the young tom thought excitedly about all the had transpired in the last few days. He had never felt so content, so peaceful before in his life of tragedy, and looking to he and his mate's bright future set his heart aflame. I'll have kits of my own someday, to love and raise like I never was; I promise I'll be the best father and warrior I could ever be. Maybe I'll even have an apprentice, that I can teach in the ways of the Clans, like Grasswhisker did for me. A smile on his maw, he began to dig into his meal, not noticing that someone was walking towards him...

Rockthorn's lips curled in disgust as Leopardpaw became Leopardclaw, when he had a mate to be happy with and seemed content to live what he had done. So Rockthorn made it a life mission to make the younger tom miserable, he needed a taste of what Rockthorns life became. His mental wounds never truly healed and it left a roiling ball of hate, despair, and anything but what he wanted to be.

Striding over to leopardclaw.. no, paw and 'tripped' over him. "Watch out Leopardkit, I almost didn't see you there!" Rockthorn spat, an off-side sneer stretching across his face as he unsheathed his claws menacingly. Moving to stand in front of Leopardclaw with nothing that resembled fear and cowardice, grief not even lacing his face as he stared the tom down. This was a long time coming for the two of them, a very long time.

Leopardclaw almost choked on his mouthful of bird when Rockthorn 'tripped' over him, but he managed to swallow before staring up at the aggravated tom in confusion. Though the two cats had never got along - mostly because of Leopardclaw's harsh words to him after he orphaned that kit - there had never been a confrontation like this. Rockthorn eyes were full of spite and disdain, for a moment Leopardclaw wondered if he had done something extra recently to offend him today. Narrowing his eyes, the spotted golden tom hissed "Hey-" but was cut off by the other tom's snide remark. Narrowing his eyes, Leopardclaw shot back, his voice sharp as claws. "Watch yourself murderer, I would suggest you watch where your walking. You might trip over and hurt that little kit next. What's his name, Falconkit?" Clicking his tongue as if he had just remembered something, he gazed off into the distance for a moment as he spoke before gazing at the older warrior again, his eyes burning with fury; "Oh wait! You already have."

Rockthorn felt his stomach drop as Leopardclaw mentioned the new apprentice and mentioned what he had done. Face contorting into one of rage Rockthorn roared, "You take that back!" He didn't waste anytime to let the poisonous words taint him any further, his claws could handle this much better. He knew that Leopardclaw was no father, only knew of him having a mate but he found he didn't care after all he wasn't going to kill him.

Leaping onto the younger tom he grabbed the toms scruff, biting down as hard as he could before heaving him up then tossing him into the ground, kicking up dirt. "Face me like a real warrior Leopardclaw! You taunt me with words and hold my guilt in front of my face! You hate me for what I've done to a mother in self defense, never listening to my side of the story! I have endless remorse for her death, but I wouldn't have remorse for yours." Rockthorn spat, fur bristling at tail lashing as he glared down the new warrior with cold rage in his eyes.

Leopardclaw curled his lips back in a furious snarl, and prepared to hiss back a sharp insult but, suddenly, he felt pressure on his scruff along with the stinging pinch of teeth poking skin. Letting out a surprised yelp, he winced as he felt his shoulder slam into the ground at full force, pain jolting through his front leg. Still, he manged to jump to his paws, eyes burning with fury and slight confusion. Rockthorn and I have shot insults at each other in the past, but it's never got violent. Something's switched in him... Maybe I went too far. As soon as the slightly sympathetic thought ran through his mind, it was instantly crushed. He killed an innocent cat, and orphaned a kit! I know firsthand the pain that comes from being alone, he'll pay for this!

His voice laced with spiteful venom, the young warrior crouched down in a fighting crouch, even though his front leg still throbbed. "Self defense?! That's your excuse? For killing an innocent, for scarring a kit for life? So what if you regret it, the deed's already done! I hope you live with your guilt until the end of your days, you deserve it you filthy piece of fox-dung!" His claws sliding out of their sheathes, the golden tom finished with a final dagger of an insult; "I'm more of a warrior than you will ever be Rockthorn!"; before launching himself at the older tom, slashing with unsheathed claws at his already scarred face. With satisfaction he felt his claws rip the dark tabby's skin, and faint trickles of blood began to run down his cheek.

"Self-defense, yeah! In case you never heard of it, but it happens! I never intended for it to happen! I thought she was alone and I just had to chase her off!" He hissed, stumbling back as the tom collided with him claws raking old and sore wounds and making him hiss in pain. Lurching forwards Rockthorn knocked his head into the warriors throat, leaping quickly to pin him to the ground.

"You deserve to have been orphaned, I'm sure the way you turned out would have really disappointed your parents. I bet they're glad they're dead. I may have killed that apprentice's mother, but I spared him from starving to death." He hissed, clamping his jaws over the toms ear and tearing shaking his head as he pulled back. Rockthorn through all of his rage and anger never had said something so vile, and felt regret for what he said, but he wouldn't care if he got to see the shock on his face.

Gagging, Leopardclaw was pushed backwards when Rockthorn shoved his head against his neck, and Leopardclaw stumbled backwards, falling onto his back and pinned, belly exposed and vulnerable. Spitting furiously, he tried to dodge as Rockthorn went for his ear but wasn't quite fast enough. The spotted tom screamed, the pain excruciating as the other warrior ripped into the soft tissue of his ear, tearing a long split down the middle. He felt warm sticky blood begin to run down his face, and his ear felt as if it had been touched by flame.

Hazel eyes reflecting his pain, for a moment the young tom didn't move, didn't try to fight back. He only stared up at his clanmate, utter shock reflect on his face. He...he scarred me! Permanently! What is StarClan is going thought that idiot's mind?! Then....the words poured out. A slow transformation overtook Leopardclaw, his eyes going dark and his body tensing with more fury than he felt he could possibly feel. "You deserve to have been orphaned, I'm sure the way you turned out would have really disappointed your parents. I bet they're glad they're dead.

"You BASTARD!" He screamed, releasing all the strength he had inside him as he punched his back legs up into the warrior's abdomen, releasing himself from his pinned position. "FILTHY SCUM!" Leaping, the powerful tom bowled over the now stunned Rockthorn and knocked him onto his side. Eyes wild and fangs bared, Leopardclaw began to tear into his shoulder, quickly tearing flesh and drawing blood. "You know nothing about me, and you never will! Watch what comes out of that StarClan forsaken mouth of yours!!"

Rockthorn screeched, his breath coming in fast and shallow, his fur heating as he looked at Leopardclaw almost numbly. Body thumping and kicking up dirt as he landed, looking up to try to meet Leopardclaw but as he looked he only saw the golden tom for a moment for he wasn't really looking at a campmate, but Bear whos teeth were ripping and tearing into his shoulder. Suddenly he was back in fourtrees, Mottleheart motionless and panicky while Brindlewhisker was stiff with rage the brown scarred tom ripping open his shoulder, blood seeming to have been clogging his throat once more.

What if he was a dad? What if he was a dad? The mantra repeated in his head over and over again as he felt saliva pour down the corners of his mouth, the smell of blood thick in the air. Rockthorn looked to a she-cat that wasn't even there, he spoke words that were clashing and panicked and blind fear and determination in his eyes. But reality seemed to sharpen once more as Leopardclaw looked to be Leopardclaw again, the pain as vivid as ever. A shaky mirage of a golden tom was all he was able to grasp onto as he smashed his free paw into the side of the toms head, his breath heavy as he ripped at the toms belly intending to spill his guts.

Blizzardshine was inside the nursery, play-fighting with the kits while all of this happened. The fake battle-cries and yowls from the kits were probably what didn’t allowed her to realize what was going on outside right away, but as soon as the last yowls and screeches reached her ears she almost jumped, her heart beating quickly inside her chest.

After quickly nudging the kits towards their mothers, ignoring their confused and even scared expressions, she rushed out from the nursery with her fur standing on end and claws unsheathed, sure that they were being attacked. What wasn’t her surprise when she saw the two cats tangled with each other in what appeared to be a battle to the death, especially since the two toms were her clanmates instead of enemies.

Without thinking it twice, the white deputy ran towards them with a serious expression and a defensive stance, knowing that in their current state they could attack her if she dared to interrupt their fight. But she preferred three trips to the Medicine Cat’s den instead of one or even two to the grave site “ENOUGH!” She hissed at the two enraged warriors, trying to separate them without causing any extra harm to them even if they didn’t had the same consideration for her “Stop this fight at once!”.

Leopardclaw grunted as Rockthorn's blow collided with his head, but the tom didn't pull back or jump off.  Too consumed in his fury, he could only see his enemy, and how much blood he was spilling.  How dare you speak about me like that?  You don't know my history!  I was abandoned, left in the woods to die!  The first half of my life was spent not feeling like I belonged in the only home I had! You will never understand that!!  Suddenly, claws began to tear at his soft belly, and he felt blood begin the stain his golden fur.  Yowling, the tom finally backed off of Rockthorn, and reared up with claws raised, about to strike down with a crushing blow on the other warrior's head.  

Stop!  

Instead, Leopardclaw fell to the side, hitting the ground with a dull thud.  Heart racing, breathing fast, the large tom began to come out of his enraged trance; and suddenly, all that anger he had felt was replaced with painful guilt.  Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Rockthorn beginning to recover and stand up, but Leopardclaw's eyes went first to his mangled, bloody shoulder, and those claw marks on his face.  He had done that.  He had injured a clanmate.  Shaking, he curled up into a ball and opened his jaws in a soundless wail.  The voice he had heard was not Blizzardshine's; it was Grasswhisker's.

"W..what have I done!?"

Rockthorn was on his paws quickly, mangled shoulder tucked under him as he glared down at Leopardclaw his ears swerving to Blizzardshine. He couldn't let it end just yet, Leopardclaw had to understand. Claws unsheathed still he limped to the tom, dipping his head down to snarl by his injured ear he hissed. "You have no idea what I did to try to redeem myself, I starved myself, I let my wounds fester, I stayed awake staring into the night wondering pointless what ifs. I'd vomit and spew up my lunch everytime I saw something that reminded me of what I had done. I hunted till my legs shook, did you never see the fresh-kill pile almost always full? I was so weak that I was on the brink of death, my paws shook under me." Rockthorn hissed, putting his weaker leg on the toms head and pressing it into the dirt.

"I came back though, despite feeling the scorn of my clan for what I had done, despite being an outcast. But what did I get for trying for redemption? I got claws and teeth, I saw the sparkle of Starclan cats more than once." He snarled, his voice growing louder as his rage grew ever more. "SO DON'T TELL ME I DESERVE WHAT I GOT!" Rockthorn snapped, pushing his paw so he was grinding Leopardclaws face in the dirt and rocks.

Darkstar was finished with this. She was absolutely furious and didn't even make an attempt to hide it. Her eyes, usually made of sunshine, suddenly appeared a mustard yellow, pupils razor thin slits. All of her long fur was put to use as it stood stock-straight, making her appear two, maybe even three times her size. Her missing leg did not hinder her one bit as she strode over to the two toms and her deputy. Neither of them looked like they were about to die, so she held off on sending them to the medicine den, although the wounds on Leopardclaw's stomach made her blood boil.

This had gone far enough. "Rockthorn!" The leader took the warrior by the scruff, yanking him away from the fight. She was conflicted. She loved him as if he was her own son, but he had caused her Clan so much grief that he might as well be a enemy warrior. She threw him into the dirt and held him down with her front paws. They were sheathed, but that didn't mean the pressure alone wouldn't suffice. She twisted until Leopaardclaw came into view. "For Starclan's sake, who started this? If this ever happens again I will not hesitate to send them to Riverclan. Surely they'd take them in, seeing what you've done to each other!" She spat at them, absolutely fuming.

Falconpaw had finished caring for the elders, making sure their moss was as soft as possible and full of feathery down. Not a thorn was there and no tick had evaded the scrawny apprentice. The commotion made him come out to investigate and what he saw was rather frightening. The world warriors fighting, the deputy and leader both trying to break up the fight. Insults were spewed and Rockthorn was pushing Leopardclaw's face in the dirt and rock floor. He stared for a moment before he crossed into the clearing, staying out of reach with a look of nervousness again. He knew he was supposed to do something but, he didn't know what.

Blizzardshine was glad to be able to apparently snap Leopardclaw out from his enraged state, judging by how he stopped his attacks immediately after her intervention, but realized she celebrated victory a bit too early as soon as Rockthorn resumed his attacks again, even if way less lethal than earlier. This simply didn’t look like it was going to end well.

The enraged voice of the leader made her turn to look at her and step away from her path. She had never seen her so angry before and thought it would be a better idea to let her handle things and stay just as backup in case things started to get out of hand again. Deep inside, however, she felt glad Darkstar was here. This was the first time she had to deal with something like this and she simply had no idea of what the best approach could be or how she was supposed to react, so this probably would allow her to learn for future situations.

With a shocked hiss, Leopardclaw felt his face being shoved against the ground, closing the eye closest to the earth to keep dirt from getting in. He tried to shift his head, to look up at his opponent but Rockthorn had too firm a hold. Instead, Leopardclaw lay on the ground, his open eye glazed in shock and reflecting his defeat. The younger tom gave up; his inner revelation has showed him the errors of his ways and he refused to fight back. It was over.

Suddenly, the pressure was released from his face, and he felt Rockthorn being torn away from him. Snapping back to reality, the muscular tom rolled over and raised himself onto his shaky paws. The wounds on his belly were still bleeding, leaving drops of blood on the ground underneath him. Half of his face was covered with blood that had spilled from his torn ear, and his shoulder was still sore from the initial attack. His hazel eyes wide and stunned, Leopardclaw first looked at Blizzardshine, then to Darkstar, who had pinned Rockthorn securely to the ground. This is a disaster!

Darkstar's question ignited a fire of guilt in his chest, and the young tom turned away, his eyes reflecting his immense shame. Hanging his head, the tom hesitated for a moment before speaking, his voice barely legible. "I...I think we both started this." This fight has been a long time coming, but oh...how I regret it now.