Splashes of Anguish {CLOSED}

With his large paws slipping into a confident amble, a tom sweeped smoothly over the ground, absently avoiding the jagged rocks that threatened to slash his oddly tender pads. As he rarely participated on the regular apprentice duties, frequently creating believable excuses, Puddlepaw's features weren't as tough as the typical SkyClanner's. Instead, they were quite softened, partly comparable to a kittypet's. His laziness hadn't gone unnoticed, unfortunately. He had noticed some (NPC) she-cats intentionally avoided interaction with him, often pointedly turning their heads in a rather brash manner. The apprentice had finally become faintly exasperated with their behaviour. Now, he'd prove he was worthy of their attention, by catching the most magnificent bird, and triumphantly depositing it on their fresh-kill pile with exaggerated, dramatic movements. Lightly chuckling to himself, relishing the thought, he hastened his pace slightly to a light, care-free skip. With his senses focused directly on the sweet, melodious birdsong, Puddlepaw was heedless of how dangerously close he was nearing RiverClan territory.
Almost missing the sight in his unmindful daze, a pheasant, the largest one he'd ever seen, waddled rather oddly into his view. Yes, that's perfect!
Eyes widening, almost not believing that such a perfect piece of prey revealed itself right when he needed it, the bicolored tom crouched immediately. Was it a blessing from StarClan? Were they approving his desire to impress his Clan? A smile weaving onto his face, he waggled his hindquarters, preparing for a mightly leap. With a final swish of his tail, he pounced, claws scraping the victim's wings. With a horrified squack, the bird wildly flapped, attempting to ascend into the air, when Puddlepaw hooked his claws fiercely in and dealt a bite to its neck. Feeling the creature go pathetically limp, he grasped it tightly with his jaws, pride surging in like a powerful crashing current. Wasn't he lucky?
The event had occurred much earlier than he thought, so he unhurriedly buried it, ready to search for another wonderous catch.
In fact, he had wandered so far off, he had unknowingly entered foreign land.
RiverClan land.

Flamepaw was unsuspecting entirely of the nature of the tom she had spotted. He was a bicolored Skyclan apprentice and she waited in the bushes, watching to see if he would realize his mistake and leave. But he did not. She leaped out of the bushes, snarling. "Out of Riverclan Territory, Skyclanner!" She snarled as she tackled him.

Flamepaw used Run and Tackle, dealing 9 damage and using 10 stamina!

FLAME
20/20
70/80 [-10]

PUDDLE
11/20 [-9]
80/80

"Wha-" his alerted croak was interrupted when the powerful force sent him flying
Grunting with genuine shock, the tom rapidly shook his head, attempting to hide the surprise he had received. In the flurry and blurs, he sent his paws up and whipped them around until they weakly slammed onto a furry surface. He scrambled unappealingly to his feet, hackles risen with alarm. Unable to react thoughtfully, and still aching from the impact when he landed onto the ground, he froze on the spot, hoping to regain control.
It was a she-cat. He had just been attacked by a she-cat.
Oh, he was an idiot, just standing there not defending himself. What would she think? His attacker looked beautiful..

---

Puddlepaw used Front Paw Blow, dealing 4 damage and costing 5 stamina

FLAMEPAW
HP: 16/20 [-4]
SP: 70/80

PUDDLEPAW
HP: 11/20
SP: 75/80 [-5]

---

OOC: Oh boy, here he goes again..

(Blow does 4 damage.)
Flamepaw hissed, fluffing her fur into her most intimidating snarl. "I said, OFF!" She attacked with a strike to the nose.

Flamepaw used front paw strike, using 10 stamina and dealing 6 damage.

FLAMEPAW
HP: 16/20
SP: 60/80 [-10]

PUDDLEPAW
HP: 5/20 [-6]
SP: 75/80

OOC: Ack! Sorry, I was getting the damage and stamina confused ^^' I've fixed it!
and i'm sorry for puddle being puddle and being an annoying idiot
Would this be the time Flame chomps his tail?? xd

---

Trembling with fright, he barely had the time to register the blow across his muzzle. He shot his paw up instinctively to cover his aching nose, and let out a howl of alarm. He couldn't hurt her! Puddlepaw could never, ever do anything to physically harm a she-cat!
The next impulsive words just flowed smoothly out of his mouth, without him even intending to say them, "I would, but I don't want to leave such a strong beauty like you!"
The tom's tail swished and lashed, as if he was torn between what to do. Maybe if he acted harmless, then she'd possibly allow him to remain with her. Setting a goofy smile on his partially scarred muzzle, he flickered one eye in a ludicrous wink. He whished around in a circle, flicking his tail lightly on Flamepaw's nose.
"Can't I stay with you for a while longer?"

ooc: lol he's good, i love him and he totally should have met Crowpaw. does he have a moonstone chosen?

ic: Flamepaw braced herself for an attack, but it never came. That was not normal. Subconsiously, she knew that this confusion was the first step towards the kinds of mistakes that resulted in incidents like with Fawnsong. She arched her neck to bite down on his tail. But then he began to speak. Just before she clamped her jaws down, he spoke. "I would, but I don't want to leave such a strong beauty like you! Can't I stay with you for a while longer?" Wait, what? Had he just called her... beautiful? However, it was too late to respond, and due to the shock she snapped her jaws harder than intended.

Much harder.

Snap! A bone broke, and metallic blood filled her mouth. She tore away, leaving the second half of his tail laying on the ground, disembodied. Flamepaw's eyes widened and she backed away slowly. What had she done? "I- I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to... I didn't mean to do that... Oh dear Starclan..." Tears began to well up. Would Tinystar demand her excecuted or exiled? Taken hostage? Surely Skyclan cats needed most of their tails... What had she done...

OOC: Ooo, not yet! haha i love him too xd

---

A screech. That's all his ears had percepted. He was too dazed to identify to source, but his jaws were parted and his throat ached. He was shrieking Why? What just happened? Why was there excruciating agony piercing his tail? A misty fog began to obscure his vision. No, he couldn't. He couldn't pass out. He had to discover what had happened - what had created the unendurable pain that blazed and seared near his back. Tentatively, he glanced back, horror flashing in his gaze when he sighted the mangled remains of his tail. It was a mere stump. Shivering as if a deathly chill had passed through him, he stared, petrified, at the other half. His tail. Oh, not his tail. Anything but that.
From the corner of his vision, beginning to cloud up, he noticed the other apprentice stuttering. She was beginning to sob. Could it get any worse?
He faced her, not hostile, aggressive or enraged, just.. sympathetic. This wasn't her fault! It was anything but her fault. Inching closer, wincing intensely at the agony that still scorched his stumpy tail, his eyes softened.
"D-dont - ach - cry! Please! It's f-f-fine..! I can live w-without a t-t-t-tail. I could barely b-balance on a tree with one, a-anyway." He offered the faintest smile, fighting to not flinch from the intense pain.
"H-ha, besides, you c-can keep the other half, so I'll always b-be with y-you." Nothing could stop him from joking. Nothing, ever. "I-I w-won't tell anyone! I'll s-say it was a.. uhrm.. d-dog!"
He was about to attempt to stroke her reassuringly, when he realized there was no tail to stroke her with. He'll be alright.. but would she?

ooc: no flamepaw don't fall for him stop it nooo
puddle is like me. always jokin.

ic: Flamepaw reached up to her eyes and brushed away the tears. "R- Really?" She began to smile and buried her face in his shoulder fur. "Oh, thank you s- so much! I'd be in so much trouble..." She pulled away, and sniffled. "Heh. I'll try." She murmured. She shifted her eyes from the tail back to him again. "I'm Flamepaw."

OOC: i nEED tHEM tO mEET aGAIN
pLZ

---

Puddlepaw contently smiled, the edges of his maw curving into a soft grin. He permitted her to bury her face into his fur, disregarding the wet, partly-dried tears that she transferred onto his pelt. "I-it's nothin'", he insisted. The stump of his tail was still leaking with freshly-drawn scarlet drops, but he persistently ignored it.
"Flamepaw.. what a nice name," she mumbled, seriousness edging its way into his face, until the next statement ruined it, "I'm Stumpytailedpaw!"
Pausing for a bit of effect, he chuckled light-heartedly, "My name's Puddlepaw. It was great meeting you, but I doubt my shrieking didn't alert any cats," The apprentice sincerely wished he could have stayed for longer, but it would be heartbeats before any one discovered them, "and I need to join a rabbit meeting." The last bit sounded odd, but he motioned towards his ruined tail, just a fluffy stump, winking to Flamepaw.
"See you, Flamepaw!" He darted off, as fast as he could transport himself without hurting or opening his wound more. He deliberately kicked the remains of his tail back to the other apprentice, hoping she understood and remembered his joke about keeping it.
So then he'd always be with her.

Flamepaw laughed quietly. "You're funny." She murmured. After he left, she stared at the tail. Could she take it? Likely not. But some tufts of fur in her nest, maybe. She plucked some of it off and kicked the rest into the river. There was nothing to do with it anyway.