It's The End

It was nearly midnight by the time the Clan cats, lead by Sharptooth, finally reached the last alleyway. The snow that lined the rough dirt beneath their paws was stained a dark, muddy brown. It was just as disgusting as the rest of Twolegplace had been, but there was one thing that made this alley special, and Sharptooth wasted no time explaining.

"We're nearly there." The large tabby panted, swinging her head around to meet her companion's eyes. "C'mon- we can make it. The shortcut is just through here..."

The former warrior shook herself, pushing her way through a large pile of cardboard boxes. "You remember what these are- we slept in them the other night. They look strong, but watch your step. It's easy to fall through them..."
She trailed off, her murky eyes focused on something crouched on the other side of the pile of boxes.

"Shut up. Be quiet, right now." She hissed softly, her tail lashing. It was a fox... but something wasn't right. There was a trail of crooked footprints behind it, as well as several scuffles where it stumbled.
The fox itself was half-crouched in the shadows. Its tail was twitching jerkily, and it was bleeding from thousands of tiny cuts covering it's face, neck, and back. "All of you, listen to me." She turned to the small apprentice standing at her side. "Run quickly and quietly back the way we came. Don't stop for anything. I'll follow behind you."

Lynxpaw's eyes narrowed as the large she-cat froze. "Sharptooth?" He mewed, stepping closer. "What's-?" She cut him off, and his tufted ears flattened against his head.
"O-okay. C'mon, let's go, quickly now." He turned, pushing the others. "Minkpaw, you heard her. We've gotta get going, now."

They didn't have time to get very far.

The fox looked up with a grunt, and Sharptooth's eyes widened. She leapt away from the boxes, scampering after the apprentices. "Move, now!" She hissed, grabbing Silentpaw's scruff in her jaws and tossing her several foxlengths ahead of her. "I'll hold it off!"


"Sharptooth!" Lynxpaw turned back just in time to see Sharptooth throw herself at the beast. Without a second thought the small apprentice turned to do the same, turning at the last moment to throw his shoulder into its side. The fox turned it's head slowly, blinking as it tried to focus its gaze on him. It was at that moment that Lynxpaw realized something was wrong. Foam was dribbling from the fox's open jaws, and its murky eyes were dull. It staggered as it struggled to shake Sharptooth off of it's back, stepping in drunken circles as if it couldn't control its paws.

Sharptooth used Leap And Hold, dealing 14 damage and using 10 SP. Fox is stunned for 1 turn.
Lynxpaw used Run And Tackle, dealing 6+3 damage and using 10 SP.

Fox:
-14
-9 (6+3)
67/90
280/280

Lynxpaw:
15/20
55/80

Sharptooth:
100/100
270/280

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

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'Effect Dice' : 3, 4

fite dice

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

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'Effect Dice' : 3

Minkpaw padded along with the others, feeling tiredness pulsing dully through his system as he plodded behind Sharptooth. The whole thing, getting captured, getting out - it all seemed like a bad dream that had to end sometime. Sleeping in the boxes, it wasn't like he'd been able to get much sleep with strange disturbed dreams in between the odd noises and scents, along with his throbbing wounds, especially that one on his hind leg. He glanced around at the others briefly, running his gaze over them all. They'd all been surprisingly like his clanmates, complex in their emotions and thoughts, and just as unsure about him as he'd been about them for the most part. Heh, they're not half rogue though.
He looked into the other rogue's eyes as she turned her head briefly to tell them they were getting closer. Sure, it'll be just around the bend, it always is. He rolled his eyes, a brief smile lifting one corner of his mouth as he let out a quiet breath. I wish it'd be that simple....
They walked a bit further before encountering a pile of boxes the she-cat proceeded to lead them over, and he simply picked his way between them, feeling too exhausted to do anything else. I... I need to say something, I should lighten the mood a little, make a joke. He just plodded on. Nothing had felt quite... right... since all this had happened. He felt... odd, on edge.
He was shaken out of his thoughts as Sharptooth's comment died off, a tense hiss rising instead. His head snapped up as he froze, gaze unblinking as he searched for whatever had made her tense. It didn't take long to spot the form hunched in the shadows not far away, and he instinctively crouched, wincing slightly as his leg twinged but ready to leap at a moment's notice. No no no, we're so close, not now. Sure, things were never simple, but this bad?
His ears pricked as the old she-cat turned, speaking quickly and quietly to them. Run? From a fox? You kidding? He stood up, hesitating for a moment as he opened his mouth to argue. "If we run it'll just chase us. We can fight-" He was cut off as Lynxpaw turned, shoving him frantically back with the others. Before he could protest, Sharptooth grabbed one of the other apprentices, flinging her on ahead and diving on the fox with a snarl. Lynxpaw followed, knocking into the beast and driving it off-balance.
I'm not going to stand by and do nothing. Not again! He hadn't been able to do anything when the twolegs had attacked him, and those rogues had pummeled him. But this... He leapt forwards with a hiss, forgetting his wounds for a moment as he sent his claws slashing through its fur and flesh before he twisted away, making sure to get out of range of its bite. The thing didn't look that well anyway, its foaming jaws sending a spike of uneasiness crawling down his spine.

Minkpaw used Front Paw Strike, dealing 6 of damage and using 10 SP.

Fox:
-6
61/90
280/280

Minkpaw:
20/20
50/80

(ooc: i'm not sure whether we're supposed to roll the dice twice or not...)

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

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'Effect Dice' : 5

As the fox appeared, Eaglepaw dropped low into a crouch, growling. Based on her name, the she-cat leading them had been a former Clan cat, and he wasn't about to leave a Clan cat alone against a fox. With a sigh of relief he saw that the other apprentices stood beside him, and with renewed courage, he ducked under it, slashing at it's stomach with extended claws. Adrenaline coursed through his tired veins as he slipped out the other side.

Eaglepaw Used Belly Rake on Fox, Dealing 7 Damage and Costing 10 Stamina
Eaglepaw: 20/20 55/80
Fox: 54/90 260/260

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

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'Effect Dice' : 4

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

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'Effect Dice' : 5

Batpaw sighed, as it appeared they weren't safe just yet. This was the most dangerous thing they had seen, though, in her opinion: she'd never seen a fox before, and it was every bit as terrifying as stories made it out to be and then some. Still, this wasn't the time to think about their situation, it was the time to fight. Not that she really knew how, so she simply settled for copying her brother's attack.

Batpaw used Run-And-Tackle on the Fox, dealing 6+3 damage and costing 10 stamina

~

Mothpaw, meanwhile, didn't waste any time at all thinking about the fox. It was there, and it was a threat to her and, more importantly, to her sister and the other cats that she'd grown to care for in some way over their capture and escape. She simply charged forward and attacked, though her lack of training was evident: she simply dragged her unsheated paw across what she could reach.

Mothpaw used Front Paw Strike on the Fox, dealing 6 damage and costing 10 stamina

~

Batpaw
20/20 HP
70/80 SP

Mothpaw
20/20 HP
70/80 SP

Fox
33/90HP
280/280SP

"No!" Sharptooth cried, trying in vain to put herself between the fox and the group of apprentices that she had been guiding.
It was no use. Each apprentice turned tail and attacked, surrounding the dazed animal and attacking it all at once. Sharptooth's eyes widened as the red-furred creature's teeth snapped inches away from their legs or tails, foam dripping from it's clenched jaws. And the foam. Sharptooth had heard stories of the deadly disease since her apprenticehood. If any cat touched the foam, they would join the diseased creature and face insanity followed by a death so painful and violent, any cat that watched would have nightmares until they met Starclan.
Gritting her teeth, the tabby she-cat ducked and whirled around the fox, slashing at it's face and neck until it spun in circles, snarling at its own attacks. Sharptooth didn't waste any time; she immediately turned to the apprentices, issuing brief instructions before turning her attention back to the dazed creature. "I'll get its attention. As soon as it stops, continue down the alley until you reach the fence. Just climb over and you'll reach the forest."

The fox stumbled from cat to cat, struggling to make it's broken mind form coherent thoughts. Everywhere it looked there were thousands of whirling claws. The screeches and yowls reverberated off of the walls of the alleyway until the diseased beast was certain that there were scores of shrieking cats, each set on tearing it's head off of it's body. It snarled, burying it's face in it's black paws for a moment. What did it need? A target. Something to attack. It raised it's head, swinging around to face a small ginger cat. It's eyes slowly focused on it's face. It's pupils dilated. Target.

"Minkpaw!"
The fox threw itself at the tom. Letting out a bellow like an enraged bull, Sharptooth rushed to defend the tom. The fox's jaws closed on her back just as she sank her fangs into it's red-flecked throat. The fox twitched, gurgling as lifeblood mixed with the foam that had stained it's fur, swirling through the she-cat's teeth.
"Don't look back." The she-cat's jaws began to lock, and she worked furiously to say something, anything. She didn't get the chance. Letting out a pained hiss she tore herself away from the fox, her legs stiffening. She stumbled to the ground, her stiff, flood-stained pelt quickly becoming drenched with the muck that coated the alleyway.

---

"Silentpaw!" Lynxpaw felt a rush of affection for the white she-cat as she threw herself at the fox. Eaglepaw and Minkpaw worked together, rushing at the beast without a second thought. Shortly after them came Batpaw and Mothpaw, hissing and spitting with abandon. The small brown tom felt his heart swell as he looked at all of them, fighting side by side. They had each earned a special place in his heart. They were like a clan. A family.
Lynxpaw gritted his teeth, jumping aside as the red-furred animal tripped and fell, sending a wave of water into his eyes. He took a moment to shake his head, looking up to find the fox had buried it's head in it's paws.
"Quick, while it's distr-" Without warning the beast exploded upwards, racing towards Minkpaw with unthinkable speed.
Before the tom had time to react, Sharptooth was lying on the ground. She slowly pushed herself to her feet, swaying where she stood, before crumpling to her knees once more.

"Sharptooth?"
"Go! Go, before I... before..." Lynxpaw stepped forward, his paws trembling. "Sharptooth... what do you mean?"
"Don't you... understand? The... foam... there's no... time." The tabby spoke haltingly. Her jaw was beginning to lock. Without another word the short-tailed tom turned and ran, trusting the others to follow him. He couldn't bear to watch Sharptooth succumb to the disease, to become just like the creature she fought.

Strom snarled at the fox as it buried its head under its paws, feeling a cautious sense of hope that maybe, just maybe, they'd won. That was easy! Why did she want us to run away? Uncoiling slightly, he took a step forward, peering curiously at it as it lifted its head up, swinging it from side to side as if searching for something. If I claw it again it'll run. He prepared himself for a another swipe-
Its vague eyes, searching for something, suddenly locked on his.
Immediately, his bravado drained out his toes, leaving him frozen as it leaped faster than a striking snake straight for his throat. Run! Run you mousebrain it's going to tear your throat out! He could actually see himself reflected in those mad, snarling eyes, his image growing larger as time seemed to slow, every thump of his heart shuddering in the glow from those eyes. I never even got to meet Starlord.... If he'd been a bit more lucid, the sudden thought that flashed into his mind would have made him roll his eyes and grin at himself. But there was no time for that.
Suddenly, with a yowl there was a flash of dark fur in front of his eyes. A moment later he was staring, green eyes reflecting everything as the she-cat tore into the fox, but the fox.... He felt like retching as his eyes involuntarily latched onto those foaming fangs buried into her back. "Sh-Sharptooth?" His mouth moved but only a faint whisper came out as she tore herself away from the fox, and he barely noticed the snow being churned up, red mixing with dirty white as the fox spasmed only a few tail-lengths away.
His paws were locked to the ground as if the snow had frozen them there as he watched the she-cat get to her paws and then collapse again, her eyes beginning to glaze over. This isn't happening. It's a nightmare. He could hear faint sounds as Lynxpaw stepped towards the injured cat, but he couldn't make any of it out. All he could see was the agony etched into her features as her jaw began to lock, a strange shivering wracking her body.
Her mouth moved again, stuttering sentences his ears were deaf to sending Lynxpaw scrambling away, some of the others following him. All Minkpaw could do was stare for what seemed like an eternity at the desperation in her eyes. He felt nothing, yet he felt everything, and it overwhelmed him.
I did this. It's my fault....
(ooc: I dunno if I should get him going or wait for someone else to....)

(Is it alright for me just to wrap up Eagle's death in this post? I'll edit if not.)

Eaglepaw watched in horror as the fox's jaws closed upon their guide, and he looked between the fox and the other apprentices. You must lead, Eaglepaw. Take charge. Be bold. Tinystar taught you what you need to know. Crouching, he yowled to the others. "We cannot have the fox following us! You all, run. You have to. Get away safely. I'll.." Eaglepaw's voice broke, the realization of the act he was about to preform dawning on him. "I'll hold it off as long as I can. Don't worry about me. We probably won't meet again. Fighting by your side has been an honor and an adventure I never would have dreamed of. Now, RUN!" With that final word, he turned to the snarling fox, leaping upon it with fury, slashing and tearing with a fervor. Growling, he clung to it's back, continuing to claw at the scraggly red pelt. It's weak. I might make it. I must make the finishing blow. It can't follow the others. Leaping off, he sailed to the front of the beast, but, before he could make the killing blow, fangs flashed and in a blink his throat was torn open. Thinking quickly, and in a final act of desperation, he leapt and swung towards the reddish creature. With the last of his energy used, he laid on the ground, eyes barely open and already glassing over. Stars danced above him. His final thought was one of satisfaction, as the fox staggered from it's many wounds, and his last sight was it lying on the ground, too weak to pursue his companions. With a finishing breath, he awaited the starry cats dancing on the edge of his fading vision. I... lived a fulfilled life. I'm dying saving others. I can die in satisfaction, knowing the others are safe. The handsome tom's last breath froze in the cold air, and his body lay still.