Dashing Through the Slush

Barleytuft wasn't sure that he liked the transition from leaf-bare to new-leaf. The nights were still frigid and freezing cold, the earth solid in the mornings, which were also bitterly cold, and in the afternoons all the snow tried to thaw and melt, making the upper layer of the moor feel marshy and slick. Barleytuft was going to be grateful when it was one temperature throughout the day. Still, the Clan needed to hunt whatever the weather. The sandy tabby tom paced the clearing near the entrance of camp, waiting for a Clanmate or two to join him on a hunting patrol.

The combination of melted snow and softening ground made some parts of the moors feel almost as Muddy as ShadowClan! Awkwardly trying not to sink in the slush, Graybriar made her way over to where she saw her friend waiting for patrol companions. Maybe the dirt would be firmer out in the territory? And anyway, running would warm her up. "Morning, Barleytuft," she purred easily, notwithstanding her wet, muddy paws.

Barleytuft looked aside and stopped his pacing as he spotted the familiar silver tabby pelt of his good friend, Graybriar. She greeted him kindly, and he greeted her back warmly, "Good morning, Graybriar! This sort of weather makes you wish you had webbed paws, huh?" He lifted his paws and stamped them playfully in the mush, careful not to splash his fellow warrior, to emphasize his point. The sandy warrior asked, "Do you think anyone else will join us? I wouldn't mind if it were just me and you." Barleytuft thought about what he said for a moment and felt a bit embarrassed, but he hoped Graybriar would think nothing of it. What would Oakberry have thought? She's just my good friend, he told himself, and Oakberry would get that. If she were ever around enough to see me, I guess.

Graybriar chuckled at his words, regarding her mud-splattered tabby paws as if imagining them webbed. “If only I’d come from ShadowClan,” she joked back, standing a little taller on her long legs so that as little of her as possible was in the mush. At least this meant newleaf might be on the way. Being around Barleytuft was always easy, since he was constantly in such a good humor. He put her in a good mood. At first, she didn’t think about her friend’s next words, since she knew they held true for her as well. She liked spending time with the tom. But as she was thinking about why, a realization struck her upside the head. Something inside her felt stranger for discovering it. Why hadn’t she noticed before?... He reminded her of Badgerthorn.

Struggling to recover from the thought she’d had, and putting on the same outward appearance of cheerfulness, the warrior smiled again. “I don’t think anyone else would want to be out in this weather. At least maybe the rabbits will get stuck, and be easy to catch!”

Barleytuft was glad that Graybriar thought he was funny. Even the uncomfortable feeling of the mud squishing between his toes wasn't so bad when he had Graybriar to joke about it with. She joked about wishing she'd come from ShadowClan and remembered that she was really from SkyClan - and not a WindClan cat by blood - and that made it even funnier for the sandy tom. Wherever she came from, she hated the muck just as much as he did. He still felt embarrassed about the way he'd phrased his question, but Graybriar replied amicably and Barleytuft relaxed a little. "That's what I was hoping, too," he purred, laughing a bit. He made his way towards the entrance and glanced over his shoulder at his companion, mewing, "Let's head out, then!"

The first several tail-lengths that he walked were very mucky, but as they moved further from camp Barleytuft found the earth was better solidified in most places. There were several slick and springy spots that could be avoided if one watched the ground. Barleytuft did so, going in no particular direction. He listened for Graybriar - and for the sounds of prey - and was excited to hear shuffling nearby. He spotted a creamy white rabbit shuffling among a tall stalk of grasses and immediately turned to go for it. However, his paws slipped in the muck. He stumbled, making a lot of wet shloping sounds and getting mud up both his forepaws. The rabbit dashed away easily, and Barleytuft just laughed as stood and said, "Oh, dear, I think this may be trickier than I'd thought."

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

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'Hunting Dice' : 9

As they walked together across the slushy territory, Graybriar struggled with her thoughts. Why was she feeling like this all of a sudden? He was just a good friend, that was all. It wasn't his fault that he reminded her of her former mate... But there was a strange look in her eyes as she watched him try and catch a rabbit. He slipped in the melted muck, and a laugh burst out of her at the sight of it. She'd never laughed so much since Badgerthorn....

"Careful, or the rabbits will be the ones catching you," she joked back. "Here, let me see if I can do it." She scanned the fields for a few heartbeats, before seeing something rustling in the brush. After checking the wind, she dropped into a hunting crouch and stalked forward, pinpointing the rabbit that she saw. The warrior stood up carefully, flexed her paws, and dashed forwards.

But for some reason, predators seemed to be attracted to her. A giant fox appeared to snatch the rabbit, but snarled when he saw a cat in his way. He grabbed Graybriar by her scruff, shook her around, then threw her to the ground with a sickening crunch. She wouldn't be getting up for a while.

Fox used Thrash on Graybriar, dealing 20 damage and costing 20 stamina. Graybriar is stunned for 2 turns.

Graybriar:
60/80 HP
240/240 SP

Fox:
90/90 HP
260/280 SP

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

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'Hunting Dice' : 10

Rolling dice for fox

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

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'Effect Dice' : 4

As Barleytuft recovered, still laughing, he realized that Graybriar was laughing with him. Perhaps she was laughing at him, but to be honest that was fine, too; after all, he was laughing at himself. The sandy tom's chest and forelegs were coated in mud, the rest of him fairly well spattered already. Graybriar joked about rabbits catching him and he chuckled, "Oh, I'd never live it down." The silver WindClan warrior began to lope off across the moor and Barleytuft followed at a much slower pace, watching her work from a distance so as not to interfere with her hunt. He watched her spot something among some foliage and drop into a skilled crouch. A moment later, Graybriar dashed off. Barleytuft's feeling of exhiliration and hope for her hunt quickly turned into fear as he spotted something else with a bright orange pelt streaking for the rabbit as well.

Barleytuft could only watch with fear and fury as the fox snatched the unprepared Graybriar and shook her wildly, so hard that Barleytuft was afraid she would fall apart. Instead, the fox threw her to the ground with a heart-wrenching thud. Barleytuft let out a yowl of fury and launched himself at the side of the fox's head, wrapping his claws around the back of its head and its throat as he sunk his fangs deep into its temple and bit down hard. His ears rang from the effort, and from the screeching of the fox, as he held itself onto its head by his front legs and pounded at its neck, chest, and throat with his hinds legs.

Barleytuft used Teeth Grip on Fox, using 20 stamina and dealing 10 damage. Fox can only use Front Paw moves for 2 turns.

Barleytuft:
60/60 HP
220/240 SP

Graybriar:
60/80 HP
240/240 SP

Fox:
80/90 HP
260/280 SP

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

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'Effect Dice' : 3

All she heard was a faint buzzing as she stared up aimlessly at the blurry sky... For a few moments, she had no awareness. Then, some semblance of cons returned. Graybriar took a slight breath- then felt a stab of hot, searing pain in her lungs. A tiny whimper left her, and she tried to move- but to no avail. The fox had completely stunned her; she hadn't even seen it coming. Where was Barleytuft? Was he okay? He'd gone to safety, right? Panic filled her blue eyes as they managed to momentarily focus, and a paw, twitched as she struggled to get up. But she could barely move.


The fox was having his own problems- he was just trying to hunt, he'd made a cat leave him alone, but now some other cat had dug his claws into his head and would not let go. He hissed and spat in pain, writhing and trying to throw the tomcat off. This was not at all going as planned.

Fox writhes for one more turn.

Barleytuft could likely be considered in his prime. He was strong, fast, skilled, and always learning more; however, it was still not generally in the nature or training of a warrior to hang from the face of a thrashing, flailing fox. The tabby tom could feel his teeth grinding against bone, jaw and shoulders and claws screaming painful protest as they held his entire body-weight while he swung from the fox's head. Still, he snarled deep in his throat, choking slightly on gushes of the predator's blood, as he continued to kick maliciously at the fox's neck, sending the red fur scattering and blood spattering as he created wound after wound. Nothing could hurt his Clanmates and get away with it.

Barleytuft continued using Teeth Grip on Fox, dealing 10 damage. Fox can only use Front Paw moves for 1 turn.

Barleytuft:
60/60 HP
220/240 SP

Graybriar:
60/80 HP
240/240 SP

Fox:
70/90 HP
260/280 SP

As her eyes began to focus, Graybriar spotted her companion fighting the fox, hanging precariously from its jaws as he clawed at its face. Her eyes widened in panic and concern, and with no thought for herself, she started trying to get up. But moving was almost impossible. She was still stunned and dizzy, and a single step up made her fall back down. As much as she wanted to go help Barleytuft, she had to try and rest a little while first.

Graybriar is no longer stunned.

Stupid, stupid cat. Couldn't he just back off? The fox shook his head violently, snapping and biting at the tom, until finally, he managed to shake it off. Insert Taylor Swift song here. He planned to run over there and attack the cat again, but his face hurt so much... The fox whimpered, fighting back the pain before turning to face his attacker again.

Fox writes no longer.