Don't Mess Up with Him (CLOSED)

His recovering was fast compared to his brother's bu the tom still felt like a dog smashed his whole body, leaving him exhausted. The large, golden tom walked by the frozen river, looking at his own reflection occasionally with a glimpse of sadness in his eyes. Berrycloud was worried and he felt like Silverfang's death was his fault. She died saving him and Sparkfrost... he couldn't even protect his own littermate. What kind of a warrior was he even supposed to be? His first love, Firepaw, died in the war... his second crush fleed the battlefield when he needed her most and now his brother... The Riverclan tom clenched his teeth with anger and frustration and he broke the ice of a puddle right next to him. Why was he so pathetic? His green eyes narrowed as he promised to himself that he was no longer to fool around being young and naive. The young warrior had witnessed death and losses, he now truly knew what it was like to be a warrior. And if he wanted to save and protect the ones he loved, the tom had to become ruthless, more passionate and act less like a playful kit. He was a warrior and the time to prove it was just about to come...

His large, rounded ears caught the sound of branches breaking and he turned his body to face he sudden newcomer of the other side. His back fur immediately rose up but the tom did not unsheath his claws... yet.

The cold of leaf-bare had frozen over Skyclan territory, as well as the river that bordered it. Leafpaw remembered when Tinystar first showed it to her. She had been horrified of the fact that Riverclan could simply march over the border whenever they wanted to. It was inexplainable but made her so angry. Perhaps it was the blatant disobedience to the code, even just the possibility of a cat with nerve, defying the laws. Her denmates had told her not to be so uptight about it, but Leafpaw couldn't help it, it wasn't fair. With her mentor, Tinystar attending to leader duties, and most of the warriors out on their own patrols, the brown tabby took it upon herself to do her own border check.

She padded through the frosty forest now, attempting to juggle the feeling of awe, with her sense of foreboding. Leafpaw was no doubt an out-going cat, fluttery and bubbly. Sometimes she talked to much and asked to many questions, but she strived to be serious, for the good of Skyclan. She wanted nothing more than to make her clan proud. With emotions running high, spotting the cream colored tom on the other side of the river sparked a reaction not quite ideal.

"Stay back Riverclanner!" Leafpaw hissed impulsively. He shouldn't be here... The frozen ice between the two cats provided little comfort. Both could easily cross and this could quickly escalate. But neither of those thoughts resided in Leafpaw's mind. The only thing there was a desire to drive him off. She set a wary paw on the ice, stepping forward slowly. "Go back to your own territory."

The tom just narrowed his green eyes as he let out an annoyed hiss. The fur of his back and tail started to rise up when the she-cat accused him of being a trespasser when he was not. Actually, under his knowledge, this Skyclan cat was in HIS territory. All the clans knew that the river itself belonged to Riverclan since they were the only ones who could actually swim. "I'm on my side of the river, SkyClanner. You are the one who is stepping into MY river. I warn you to better step off or I'll drive you off myself." He hissed, clearly not in the mood to be patient and kind. The golden tabby unsheathed his claws, digging them into the snow as he took a step forward himself, reaching the slippery surface of the frozen river. Berrycloud was not afraid of falling into the water, he could swim back to the shore. But if that SkyClanner had some brains, she would simply leave instead of risking her life by starting a fight on the top of thin ice.

A low growl rumbled in Leafpaw's throat at the golden warrior's response. She set a second paw on the ice, weighing her options. He was going to cross the river! Why else would he come here in leaf-bare? The brown and white tabby was dwarfed by the Riverclan warrior, and Leafpaw would be lying if she said she wasn't scared. But she needed to protect her clan. She could imagine what Tinystar would say if she let the tom cross. I'm disappointed in you Leafpaw... The thought had her ears flattening against her skull. A third paw was set on the ice. A soft "crack" had the apprentice's mind spinning. The thin ice that shifted beneath her sparked an even stronger fear in her chest. It's now or never Leafpaw... She told herself, letting out a deafening battle yowl.

White paws drummed over the freezing surface, picking up speed. I have to defend my clan! Leafpaw's claws dug into the ice for traction as she tried to ignore the ominous "crack, crack" that followed. Hoisting herself into the air, Leafpaw flew over the remainder of the river. Blood roaring in her ears, the she-cat tackled the larger tom to the ground, ice shifting beneath them. The apprentice's innocent claws tasted their first tang of blood as they ripped at the golden warrior. Leafpaw gasped as she fought, fear engulfing her mind. I need to stay strong!

Leafpaw used Run and Tackle on Berrycloud, dealing 6 damage and costing 10 stamina.

Leafpaw:
HP: 20/20
SP: 70/80

Berrycloud:
HP: 39/45
SP: 160/160

The tom... didn't expect the boldness of the she-cat. Even though he had time to react and avoid the attack, he didn't believe she would actually cross the river and attack him. Berrycloud let out a growl, a mix of the pain of the fall and the annoyance. He locked eyes with the small SkyClanner and finally stood up on his four legs, his back curved and his claws unsheathed. She's gonna regret this... The large, chubby warrior reared up on his hind legs, looking even bigger, like a bear standing. And in a blink, he pushed the she-cat to the ice with his claws. The wounds were not too deep but they were surely painful. Berrycloud stepped closer and hissed at her. "Leave now." He mewed coldly. She trespassed the border. It was his duty to chase her off.

Berrycloud used Rear-up to Slash, dealing 11 damage and costing 15 stamina.

Berrycloud
HP: 39/45
SP: 145/160

Leafpaw
HP: 9/20
SP: 70/80

Leafpaw yowled in shock as the larger warrior threw her on the ice, the wind knocked out of her lungs. The brown tabby apprentice barely registered the sound of cracking beneath her, she was terrified. The golden Riverclanner above her seemed to blot out the sun with his figure, claws slamming down on Leafpaw's chest. The pain that coursed through her was terrible, crimson blood stained her long white fur. She wanted Tigerleaf, Amberdawn, Tinystar… anybody... Leafpaw wanted to run back into her mother's warmth like a startled kit. Finally, the warrior let off, speaking a word of warning. Tail between her legs, Leafpaw fled back across the river, slipping on the ice as it cracked. She emerged on Skyclan's side with wet paws and a blood-stained chest.
"Foxheart!" She groaned, giving the Riverclanner a look of distain. Wildly ashamed of herself, the apprentice stalked back into the forest, ears flat against her head, hoping Tinystar wouldn't be too harsh. I failed you...