Scum of the Earth (Closed for now)

Rockthorn stalked into Thunderclan camp, his face covered in blood as rage filled green eyes searched out for Leopardclaw. Not immediately finding the tom he dipped into the nursery, but there was still no Leopardclaw. Growling as he skimmed the nursery before his eyes landed on Cherrykit. Rage made spit bubble up from Rockthorn's lips, if Leoparclaw wasn't here to meet his end, then he'd make Leopardclaw meet it. Rockthorn steadily padded up to the kit and grasped it by the scruff before carrying it into the camp, he was lucky that the queens were off doing something else.

Dropping the kit he put his paw to it's throat, claws unsheathed as he screeched for Leopardclaw. "Oh Leopardclaw~ I have something of yours you might want~" Rockthorn baited dipping his head down so he could wrap his jaws around Cherrykit's limb, fur spiking and tail lashing as he waited for the spotted tom. He would make Leopardclaw as miserable as possible, even if it meant the life of his kits.

Cherrykit had been outside, playing by herself. Her siblings were being boring, napping in the nursery. So, she'd wandered outside, and had busied herself with a blue-and-white feather, batting it up in the air over and over again. She was giggling as she played her little game, when a breeze made her squeal as it carried her feather away. ..and right at the paws of a cat she couldn't say she recognized, who's face looked red and wet and mean. She opened her mouth to greet him, but she only managed out a squeak of shock and fear.

Cherrykit could say with certainty she hadn't really faced any fear, but she was sure that this was it. Her heart beat against her chest like the legs of her larger brother when they wrestled; she squirmed fruitlessly under the massive paw, rasping out little mews now and again. Her little noises cut off after a moment though, and her body stilled, her eyes frozen wide with fear.

Leopardclaw!

Hazel eyes snapping open in a heartbeat, the large golden tom woke suddenly from a peaceful mid-day nap with the impending feeling that something was off. Gazing around the almost empty den, slightly confused, the warriors was about to lay his head back down and drift off once again into his dreams, but suddenly he heard something very, very real. A kit's frightened squeal. Cherrykit's cry.

Practically shredding his nest as he scrambled to his paws, Leopardclaw dashed out of the warrior's den with the fur along his spine prickling like a hedgehog's quills. Honestly, he didn't really know what he expected to find out in the clearing. With the best luck, Cherrykit had just tripped or poked herself with a thorn; but Leopardclaw had never had much good luck. There before him, was Rockthorn with a wild, insane gleam in his green eyes, muzzle covered with wet, sticky blood, and his pale calico kit pinned under his scarred paw.

For a moment Leopardclaw couldn't move; his paws seemed stuck to the ground and his muzzle held shut. Panic flared in his chest, and his hazel eyes widened with overwhelming shock. In a moment though, he was able to sputter a few appalled words; "Wha...wh- Rockthorn! What in StarClan....!" Sharpened claws sliding out of their sheathes, the father seemed to regain what little composure that could be had in this kind of situation, and narrowed his eyes treacherously. Drawing his lips back in a menacing snarl, the spotted tom hissed "Let her go now!"

Tensing his muscles, he prepared to leap and pin the murderous tom before his kit could be hurt; but Cherrykit was right under his paw! One sharp strike to the head, or a swipe of a claw across her throat.....His anger deepening by the second, Leopardclaw's face distorted into an mass of pure hatred as he had to watch his kitten struggling under the paw of his enemy, and not being able to help her.

Rockthorn's eyes narrowed as he saw the familiar spotted pelt of Leopardclaw, a long time archenemy that was about to get a taste of his revenge. There was no thought in the tom's head that this was wrong, this was complete and utter justice. "You've caused too much pain, Leopardclaw. To me and your clan, look at it this way. I'm doing your young a favour, you're far too toxic to be around them. They'll be tainted." Rockthorn his, giving a jerk of the kitten's leg to express how much power he had over Leopardclaw in that instant.

"If I cannot bring death to you, then at least you will suffer." Rockthorn promised, taking his paw of the kittens throat to adjust his teeth to it and pushing it and dragging the she-cat through the dirt, the blood from the Windclan apprentice thick and dripping onto the kitten and ground. "You've nothing to live for Leopardclaw, your kittens will just hate you. Your mate will hate you and so will the rest of Thunderclan." Rockthorn snarled, increasing the pressure around the she-kit's neck. The dark grey tom, as a final response to his statement flung Cherrykit towards the highrock before fixing Leopardclaw with a challenging glare and yowl.

Rockthorn squared his shoulders, tail high in the air as he waited for Leopardclaw to make his move.

Cherrykit notcied her dad and immediately started to squirm again, waving a paw desperately in his direction. "Dad! Dad, help me!" She wailed pitifully, her eyes flooded with fear and confusion. She could hear the nasty smelling cat above her speak, but she couldn't quite understand what about. She tried to make the words sound coherent in her head, but her thoughts were cut off by a bolt of pain in her leg and being pressed suddenly to the dirt, the rough texture and the force creating a seering, the sharp smell of something burning her nose.

After that, she felt herself get picked up, she felt wind whip through her fur, and then her eyes closed.

She didn't know how long until she came to, but the other cat and her father were still there, so she got up and hobbled off as fast as she could, ducking into the thicket walls around camp.

Leopardclaw met Rockthorn's wild gaze as he spoke with more fury than he ever thought could be summoned. The last time he and his rival had met face to face, claws unsheathed, they had been fighting over pride, past, and honor, and Leopardclaw would forever bear the scars. Now thought, the stakes were the highest they could possibly be. A life was at stake, his child's life, a life that looked so much like his beloved mate..... The very thought almost brought him to tears, seeing not only his daughter stuck in Rockthorn's grasp but his mate as well, and everything good that he had ever received in this mess of a life he lived. He knew only one thing at that moment; I must fight and protect what I love, no matter how far I need to go.

Crouching down, Leopardclaw was about to leap for Rockthorn when he saw the tom release his grip on Cherrykit, but his bravery turned to terror when his daughter was sent flying across the clearing, hitting against the Highrock with a dull thud. Hazel eyes wide, Leopardclaw dashed over to where the pale calico she-kit lay unconscious on the ground, and examined her. Thank StarClan, she's breathing!

Turning back, the large tom stepped in front of his daughter's fallen form protectively, eyes narrowing furiously. His pelt raised and claws unsheathed, Leopardclaw yowled back at the insane warrior, preparing to pounce. "No, you've caused too much pain you unholy piece of murdering scum! Have you no honor?! You have brought disgrace to ThunderClan, you heartless excuse for a cat! If you think my kits would be tainted, why don't you take a good hard look at your own offspring! I feel sorry that they were fathered by an insane maniac like you!

Crouching down further, prepared to spring at any second, Leopardclaw lashed his long tail and hissed a final rasping reply; "No, I have everything to live for, and I will fight till the day I die to protect them!"

Leaping forward, Leopardclaw flashed across the ground like a lightning bolt and struck his claws across Rockthorn's already mangled face, drawing thin lines of blood across his muzzle and nose. Continuing to slash, Leopardclaw aimed for the gray tabby tom's eyes, blinded himself by anger and fear. This is the last time this scum of the earth messes with me or my family!

(occ: battle system or no?)

OOC: Nah, they're the same rank so it'd take a long time for the fight to finish probs. Btw even with Rock's jaws around Leo's throat, I put a lot of openings for Leo to defeat rock. (Ie he could use his paws to rip open Rock's throat. Or use his paws to unbalance Rock since his stance is weak)

IC:

Rockthorn gave a screech as he felt claws rip down his eyes, he honestly didn't expect to be weakened so easily but here he was. There was no clarity or change of mind for Rockthorn like previous battles that the tom had engaged in, he didn't know if he should have been relieved or not. But that didn't matter in that moment, he wanted Leopardclaw dead and if he had to sacrifice a limb to do it then so be it. Giving a battle cry Rockthorn ducked under flailing claws before bashing his head into Leopardclaw's chest, sending him to the ground. The tom was on him in an instant, wrapping his jaws around the spotted toms throat.

So wrapped up in the feel of his weak jaw around the tom's throat and the anticipation of gushing blood, he wasn't standing strongly and his shoulder was weak with that forever limp of his. Once he was done with Leopardclaw, he would go finish off Cherrykit and his family for he'd allow Leopardclaw to see his family in Starclan. Maybe it'd be a mercy for his kits to never see the life of a warrior, well who knew?

Leopardclaw let out a shocked huff when Rockthorn barged into his chest, knocking the rest of the breath from his lungs. Taking deep breathes, trying to stop the slight swirl in his vision, the golden tom was knocked down and pinned by his opponent with ease, laying vulnerable on the ground beneath the gray tabby tom. By the time he was in a proper state to fight, Rockthorn's gruesomely scarred jaws were wrapped around his throat, ready to rip the life from him; luckily Leopardclaw quickly slammed his unsheathed back paws hard against the tom's soft belly, leaving sore bruises and tearing the skin a bit. Pushing Rockthorn off of him, Leopardclaw jumped to his paws and quickly decided upon his next move. Dashing forward, the large tom reared up onto his back legs, front claws glistening in the fading light, and prepared to come crashing down onto the tom's back with full force, bound to injure his shoulders or spine.

For once, there was no line in Leopardclaw's conscience that wasn't allowed to be crossed in this moment; This imbecile threatened me and my family, and I can see the insanity in his eyes. He's not going to stop until I and my family are lying dead beneath his claws...... so I will have to strike him down first. The last thing I ever wanted to do was to kill Rockthorn, or any other cat for that matter, but....... Though his fangs were bared in a terrifying snarl, and his body flowing with adrenaline, Leopardclaw's hazel eyes began to well with tears. Maybe I won't have to kill him! Blind him, cripple him, I just need to injure him enough so he can't act on his intentions! Oh StarClan......don't hold whatever comes next against me....

Rockthorn gave a screech as he was toppled over, his bloody face scrunched into a snarl as he glared up at Leopardclaw. No other thought that killing the tom on his mind, "Down with the bloodybig head." The tom spat, arm reeling back and aiming for Leopardclaw's throat but somehow missing and raking the bottom of the spotted toms chin. His back legs kicked as he thrashed at Leopardclaw.

OOC: AHAHAHA SO SHORT, BUT ONCE LEO KILL ROCK YALL CAN POST

Leopardclaw let out a sharp hiss as Rockthorn's claws raked his chin, and instinctively pulled back his head.  Though he had knocked the tom down onto his back, the gray tabby's limbs were still free and flailing.  Grunting as his opponent's back claws waked old scars on his belly, Leopardclaw managed to fight through the pain and pinned Rockthorn's back leg's to the ground, along with his front.  With a firm grip, the spotted tabby decided to try talking sense to the clearly insane tom, hoping by some stretch of a miracle he would break out of this state of mind.  

Looking straight down at his enemy, the cat he despised, a strange tone of apologetic kindness rang in his voice.  "Rockthorn, snap out of it!  If you keep going like this, I'll have no choice but to kill you, and I don't want to do that!  Think of your mate, your kits, your mother!  They need you!"  Leopardclaw knew how deeply Darkstar cared for her adopted son, and he didn't want to be the one who caused her suffering.  Eyes still watering, Leopardclaw took a deep breath to prepare for what he knew was coming, no matter what small sliver of hope he had.  I don't want to do this StarClan!  I can't! How can I take a son away from his mother, a father away from his kits!  They can't suffer like I did!

"Why would I care if they need me? They can rot for all I care, Cloudstorm what a mouse-brain she is. She believes that I actually loved her! The kits I had her bare was due to my spite against Sandblaze and even know I wish to bash their heads in as they suckle at her teets! Darkstar, what a fool! She's done nothing to help me, she sits and listens but does no action. She brings in kits to replace me, what kind of 'mother' would do that? I've got nothing but spite and disgust to every single cat within this clan!" Rockthorn roared, heaving as his tail lashd and spit poured from his muzzle.

Leopardclaw felt his heart sink lower in his chest with every furious word the gray tabby tom hissed, seeming to seal both their fates at once. Openly shocked to hear him speak with such disdain towards every cat Rockthorn should hold dear, the spotted warrior felt himself begin to choke up; not from anger, but pity. The poor cat.....how can one turn their back on everything that can bring them happiness? Did....did I help cause this? For a long moment, Leopardclaw was silent and still as he held the lost tom to the ground, his eyes glinting with tears. Averting his gaze, for a moment he struggled with the words, but he managed to mumble a sorrowful vow. "I'm so sorry....Rockthorn. I'm sorry that you lived such a terrible life, that you would turn your back on the only good things you have. I wish I could help you...... Suddenly, Leopardclaw flashed his claws out and placed his paw down on the tom's scarred throat, allowing the sharpened tips to dig slightly into his skin. ".....but I don't think anyone can now."

His mind screamed at him to stop, to let the tom free and take him to Sparkflower. Maybe she would give him herbs to cure the insanity, and being surrounded by worried kin would help him regain what he had lost. Every fiber of his being was against this, but Leopardclaw continued to press his claws harder against his neck, hazel eyes reflecting deep, untold emotion. It took a second for him to summon the courage, but Leopardclaw raised his eyes to meet Rockthorn's, and let out his last offer, the final second chance this cat would ever get.

"Is this really what you want?"