The A and the O [Closed]

Crowstar was out in the territory with Elmcloud. The leader always thought of the warrior as his kit even if that wasn't true. After Poppysong passed the leader made sure that her remaining kits were doing okay, he didn't need another situation like two of his sons. There was really no purpose in the two cats being out, besides for relaxing. The leader was stressing himself out lately, and he knew Elmcloud was the cat to turn to. "So, what exactly do you warriors do for fun?" Things have changed a lot since Crowstar was a warrior himself.

Flicking a snow dusted stone out of his path with an ill-tempered swipe, Elmcloud remained quiet as he ventured deeper into the barren forest alongside Crowstar. More often than not, his gaze remained trained upon the patches of frigid, unwelcoming sky that peeked out from behind the barren branches that towered high above. He had always thought that once Poppysong passed on, it would help soothe away the terrible ache within his soul. Somewhere deep within his mind, he had desperately hoped that no longer witnessing his mother's extensive suffering on a daily basis would finally free him from the...strange, overwhelming flood of anguish. But in reality, it had only worsened things and further cemented his belief that he was utterly alone.

Continuing to stare at the bleak sky, Elmcloud's attention only returned to the moment at the sound of Crowstar's words. Stiffly dragging his gaze away from the colorless sky, he remained quiet for several heartbeats as he thought over the tom's words. What did cats his age do for fun? He was practically clueless on the subject, seeing as how he had spent the majority of his time often checking in on Poppysong. "I think you're asking the wrong cat, seeing as I have no idea what anybody does for fun anymore." Elmcloud finally answered, shrugging slightly as he turned to gaze at Crowstar.

Crowstar could see it. He could see the tom's pain from Poppysong's passing. He didn't want it to be this way at all. "You used to. I remember Rippedsky coming into my den while he was training you and complaining that you liked to mess around. Despite it all he still liked training you somewhat, and I knew that you had ability in you. You have come a long way sense then." The leader remarked. Remembering those past days. Things certainly have changed a lot.. "I'm sure if you looked, you know what to do if you really wanted."

That made him snort a bit. "I'm fairly certain that enjoyable is the last word in Rippedsky's vocabulary when it comes reminiscing about my training. I think the only cat who managed to give him more grey fur than me was Sedgestrike." Another ragged stone was sent tumbling in the opposite direction, providing another opportunity for Elmcloud to, in vain, try to distract himself once more. Speaking hardly lessened the miserable wound that still tore at his gut, but it made the foul taste lessen. It made things almost bearable. "Most of the apprentices in the Clan prefer to avoid my company, so I'm never truly up to date about their hotspots. I hear that goofing off near the borders is popular, but I don't know how credible it is." Elmcloud sighed, keeping his gaze safely trained upon something in the distance as he spoke.

Crowstar was going to respond to the younger cat when a strong scent hit his nose as they walked. What... Was that? The leader froze his body tensing up, mouth hanging open as he tried to determine exactly where the scent was. It smelled like Fox, but at the same time different. Where had he smelled this before? He wanted to identify it soon. "You smell that too?" He asked to Elmcloud. He wanted to know he wasn't going crazy.

Feeling an especially brittle leaf crunch loudly under his paws, Elmcloud absently continued to destroy the decaying foliage in his path, listlessly awaiting Crowstar's words. Another poorly-planned statement bubbled on his tongue, filling the marrow of his bones with an overly-eager anticipation- until he caught wind of an odd scent. The foul, sweat heavy scent that bathed his tongue seemed vaguely familiar; was it a fox? No, foxes smelt more of carrion that whatever this was. Neck fur prickling warily, the ruddy tom turned to give Crowstar a bemused glance, his pawsteps suddenly became much more quiet. "I definitely smell it too...but I don't know exactly what it is." Elmcloud acknowledged, the barren forest that unfolded around them suddenly seeming deceptively menacing.

Crowstar was now fully on edge. What was there? The tom kept smelling for the scent but it was completely overwhelming now. He couldn't see anything he heard movement his head turning trying to figure out exactly where it was. He heard a low rumbling growl that sounded like thunder before whatever it was struck. He could feel the teeth close in around him before the leader's world went black.

The dog felt the the black cat go limp in it's jaws before tossing the creature off to the side. It lowered its head and letting out another growl at the other cat that was standing next Crowstar.

Tilting his head skywards in an attempt to catch a proper taste of the rapidly-strengthening scent, Elmcloud's features pulled into a wary frown as he struggled to distinguish the scent that now wreathed around the pair. The sweat-heavy, incredibly foul scent made his belly roil and turn in the most unpleasant ways he could possibly imagine. Whatever it was, clearly it excelled in stealth as he could hardly hear a sound from the now ominously silent forest that unfolded around them. The glossy fur atop his spine bristled in a near comical manner as he whirled around to eye the sparse undergrowth.

By the time the creature's ferocious growling became apparent, it was already too late.

As the dog came crashing through the brittle foliage that surrounded the toms, Elmcloud practically leaped several tail-lengths skyward, easily clearing the high of some of the smaller plants around him. Perhaps his instinctive choice of trying to sprout wings and flee was a misguided idea, because his momentary fright provided the dog the perfect opportunity to snatch Crowstar up in its jaws. Crashing back down to the earth with a heavy thud, the ruddy tom's gaze grew as wide as the full moon as he watched the snarling creature fling his adoptive father to the side as if he weighed less than a mouse.

The frightening stillness that weighed down Crowstar was all too familiar to Elmcloud- he had seen it in Poppysong's final moments. A frigid chill swept through his veins, locking up his muscles in the most agonizing of ways. Was Crowstar dead? What if this was his final life?! Forcibly tearing his gaze away from the long-furred tom, Elmcloud's spine arched in an attempt to make himself look larger as he snarled and spit at the dog, unsure of precisely what he needed to do in this exact moment.

Crowstar was awake in no time again. He had realized he had lost another life and that he only had one left, but he would gladly risk it for his clan any time. The large black tom jumped up and latched himself onto the dog his claws digging into it's skin. His teeth trying to sink in anywhere they could get purchase.

Remaining stiff and unrelenting in the face of the snarling mutt, Elmcloud's face was twisted in a vicious display of aggression. Claws raking shallow and uneven furrows in the stone-heavy earth, the young tom's tail bushed out until it more closely resembled that of a squirrel's. Trying his best to push away the haunting sight of Crowstar's limp form, he instead forced his lethargic limbs to swipe wildly at the bulbous nose of the dark-furred dog. He hardly had time to properly process the fact that within moments Crowstar was staggering to his paws once more, ready to fight.

Thankfully ducking out of the way as Crowstar launched himself atop the enraged dog, Elmcloud took advantage of the momentary distraction by darting forward and lashing out at the dog's exposed and undefended eyes.