Scuffles Bring New Outlooks

Goldenpaw padded in front of Aspenpaw, keeping an extra careful eye out for anything out of the normal. Her ears could pick up the roar of water rushing through the Gorge ahead of them, but most of her focus was elsewhere, scenting the moorland around her. If she couldn't hear any potential threats, she could certainly smell them, and she used that to her advantage. Blue eyes narrowed against the sun, she cast a glance back at the medicine cat apprentice. He had needed to go out for herbs, and she had been a bit surprised when she had been the one chosen to accompany him. Some time had passed since her brother's injury, and while they had stayed far from any twoleg paths, she was still concerned for the tom's peace of mind. So, for the most part, she had tried to stay quiet and out of his way, collecting anything he asked her to and helping him carry anything that needed carrying. As the two drew closer to the Gorge, she resisted the urge to look down it, knowing by now that it would make her dizzy. Despite how terrifyingly beautiful the drops of water were, the light making them sparkle and fracture as they danced, they were too far below her to comfortably enjoy - although she'd never reveal that to anyone. Raventail was the only one so far who knew of her fear, and she would lose her ears before she let anyone else find out about her fear.

As Aspenpaw set about identifying the nearby plants, Goldenpaw settled into the neutral area between the two clans. After a moment, she cast a gaze over towards RiverClan territory, scanning it quickly. The she-cat Raventail had talked to at the last Gathering was somewhere over there, wasn't she? The wind and roar from the water below was loud and muddled her thoughts, and as she turned back to watch Aspenpaw she couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched.

OOC: Takes place before the August Gathering.

Aspenpaw followed behind the young apprentice, considerably anxious being so close to the gorge. He was not in any mood to the saving another one of Graybriar and Barleytuft's children, especially after what had happened to his dearest friend, Finchstar. He hadn't even wanted to take her with him, but he wasn't keen on leaving camp on his own. There were too many cats needing care, and not enough herbs to care for them. Cloverpaw was just about sucking his stores dry. Every herb he gathered was a blessing as he filled his mouth with sweet smelling leaves and flowers. Mintwhisker warned him that the Leaf-Fall would not be so kind to him, and he was inclined to believe her. Through his mouthful of plants, he could smell a faint cat-scent wafting from the other side of the gorge. He trotted up to Goldenpaw and silently touched his nose to her shoulder to warn her that somebody was coming. He set down his herb collection and peered out.

"Silver coat, straight ahead," he whispered to the apprentice. "Don't do anything outrageously stupid. We're on neutral territory, and you're with a Servant of StarClan or whatever. Technically she can't touch you."

Though she was walking in neutral territory, Ivybrook didn’t feel quite as safe as she supposed she should have. Her fur stood on end as she walked between RiverClan and WindClan territory, keeping her eyes peeled for anyone who strayed a little too far from their side of the Gorge. She was always wary when patrolling, but especially whenever she did so alone. She’d never had the best of luck with it, whether it be her own fault or that of another. But nonetheless, she persevered and did her duties. Today, her paws had carried her to the edge of the Gorge where she was mere paw steps away from the drop, the rushing water beneath her filling her ears as she continued.

Her attention was unwillingly pulled away from her thoughts, however, when the soft sound of voices just across the border could be heard. Instinctively, she dropped into a low crouch as her eyes scanned the territory. And then, she was met with the sight of a grey tom and golden she-cat. She prayed dearly to StarClan that this wouldn’t result in a violent encounter, hoping for nothing more than polite greetings and nothing more. Lifting her body back to full height, she met eyes with the golden she-cat directly across from her. ”Hello, WindClanners. Not straying too far from your moors, are you? We wouldn’t want anyone to get hurt.” She mewed from across the Gorge, eyes set upon the two felines.

Goldenpaw nodded in acknowledgement to Aspenpaw's whisper, she had just caught sight of the silver pelt as well. Shooting a glance out of the corner of her eye, she whispered back, still standing stiffly. "I would never, Aspenpaw." As the RiverClan cat approached, Goldenpaw met her gaze, eyes narrowing slightly at her comment.

"Hello, Riverclanner. No, we are well within the neutral zone of the Gorge, as I'm sure you can see. It would certainly be a shame for you to get an injury, but don't worry, Aspenpaw here is simply gathering some herbs. You can continue on your way, unless you have nothing better to do than watch us that is." Her voice dripped with confidence and sarcasm, thick as honey in her tone as she took a step forward to be between the RiverClan cat and Aspenpaw... You know, just in case. Her eyes remained on the pretty warrior as she raised a paw and licked it, beginning to groom her ears slowly and intentionally.

Aspenpaw watched with some intrigue at the interaction between the two she-cats. He was long past the days of border scuffles as a warrior apprentice, and the moons had mellowed him out. He was optimistically cautious as Goldenpaw confronted the RiverClan cat. It was difficult to stay out of it as if he had no stake in the potential outburst, and it wasn't easy to pretend he didn't take offense to the silver she-cats fighting words.

"Even if we were on the other side of the border, you'd still be the idiot trying to fight a cripple and his apprentice guide." Aspenpaw shrugged to punctuate the sardonic comment and circled the unfamiliar cat in his awkward, hobbling gait, keeping himself at tail's length. He couldn't help himself. "You ought to familiarize yourself with the medicine cats." You should ask Jaystar, he thought as he bit back the dig, He sure knows how to familiarize himself with medicine cats, doesn't he?

Goldenpaw’s threatening and sarcastic tone was enough to set Ivybrook off. She was immediately wuick in her paw, leaping across the Gorge, rearing up on her hind legs and bring her unsheathed claws down upon the apprentice’s side. She was sure to keep her claws away from the medicine cat apprentice- especially if he was disabled. She wouldn’t want to get into any more trouble than she was already in, and she thanked StarClan that she was still technically on neutral territory instead of trespassing.

Ivybrook used Rear-Up to Slash, dealing -9 Health Points and using -15 Stamina Points.


Ivybrook:
40/40 HP
105/120 SP

Goldenpaw: 
11/20 HP
80/80 SP

It happened in an instance. It appeared that the silvery RiverClan warrior's temper rested close to the surface, and Goldenpaw rose up to meet her adversary as she leapt across the gorge and brought her claws down her side. Yowling in both pain and anger, she twisted herself, pushing off with her hind legs to land firmly on the cat's shoulders and she tried to maintain a grip. "Aspenpaw, get out of here and away from the Gorge, now." She hissed, her eyes still focused on her foe as her claws scored her shoulders and back, trying to find a grip.

Goldenpaw used Leap and Hold, dealing -6 Health Points and using -10 Stamina Points. Ivybrook is held for two turns.


Ivybrook:
34/40 HP (-6)
105/120 SP

Goldenpaw:
11/20 HP
70/80 SP (-10)

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

---

'Effect Dice' : 5

Aspenpaw's eyes went wide as the RiverClanner attacked... typical. No, wait, not typical? Was he allowed to be biased? It didn't matter to him; the two cats were rolling around, hissing and spitting, and he was in no state to be doing anything about it. He hustled as quickly as he could to the WindClan side, scooping up his herbs and swearing as he dove beneath a grassy place and watched from afar. Was it cowardly of him to back away from the fight? The warrior conditioning he had been raised with still nipped at his heels. He had to learn how to keep away from other cats. They'd chew him up and spit him out, anyway.

Counting his herbs, he realized there would be enough to treat Goldenpaw's bumps and bruises afterwards, so long as the RiverClan warrior didn't go ahead and kill her. Every hit made him wince, but he allowed himself to grin at the magnificent form and intensity that the apprentice exhibited. The way she pressed to command the battle was enough to excite Aspenpaw's mind while he silently rooted for Cloverpaw's sister. Raventail had taught her well. He wondered if she was due for a journey to the moonstone soon.

Hissing as sharp claws tore past her fur and into muscle, Ivybrook tossed and turned about in an attempt to throw the WindClanner off. "Alright you rabbit-brain, get offa me before I make you!" She hissed, realizing that the cat she was fighting was much younger, likely an apprentice. This fight was probably unfair, and she truly did not want to hurt the she-cat- but she would, if it came down to it.

Ivybrook is pinned for one more turn~

Goldenpaw watched to make sure Aspenpaw got back to WindClan territory safely before focusing all of her attention on the warrior under her. She hissed at the comment, digging her claws in a little deeper as she growled in response. "Rabbit-brain? Listen here fish-scales, you attacked me first! In neutral territory no less, and while I was with my medicine cat. I'll stay here as long as I want." She hadn't really wanted a fight, but she wasn't going to sit back and let another cat attack her and just get away with it, not in a hundred moons!

Goldenpaw continued Leap and Hold, dealing -6 Health Points. Ivybrook is held for one more turn.

Ivybrook:
28/40 HP (-6)
105/120 SP

Goldenpaw:
11/20 HP
70/80 SP

"Fillet her ears, Goldenpaw!" Aspenpaw hooted from his place nearby. Feeling a little bad for the RiverClanner, he imagined if it were Mistlepaw. Would he feel compassion? Should he feel compassion? With a pang of guilt, he realized his healing call didn't care about borders. When all was said and done, he should probably share his herbs.

ooc: short post is short

"Don't make me toss you off, kit. Wouldn't want you to land in the Gorge, now would we...?" Ivybrook's tone was threatening, though she knew that she would never purposefully toss another cat into the Gorge- a WindClanner no less. A cat that had little knowledge of how to swim would never survive the harsh rapids below, that much was certain.

Ivybrook is no longer pinned.

Her grip loosened, and as she nimbly jumped off from the back of her opponent she spun to stand in front of her, fur bushed and spine arched. Goldenpaw's blue eyes glistened in both pain and anger as she prepared another attack before she stopped. Her back relaxed slightly as she got a good look at the RiverClan warrior, and she cast a look back to where Aspenpaw was sitting in WindClan territory. Her ear flicked as she turned back and forced her fur flat. "There's no sense in us fighting here. It's neutral territory, and I have a job to do in helping my medicine cat collect herbs. We're also really close to the gorge, one wrong step and we're both going down." She lowered her head briefly to the she-cat before raising it to meet her eyes again, a stony resolve in them. "I don't want that. If you're still feather-brained enough to want a fight, then I suppose we can resume another day, when we're away from that drop and I don't have to help gather herbs. Agreed?" The apprentice sat, still watching the warrior closely as she waited for the response, her paws ready to jump from an attack at any moment.

Aspenpaw rose and gingerly hobbled to Goldenpaw's aid, sticky cobwebs in his maw. He stood like a barrier between the two, silently begging the RiverClan cat to disengage. He pushed Goldenpaw to a sitting position with his trembling paw and made quick work of the small scratches that oozed bright red.

"If you're finished being a sourpuss, I have plenty to share," he called out to Ivybrook without looking back to meet her gaze. "It's a long walk back to Mistlepaw's den, and if you send her my love I won't tell her you tried to make mousemeat out of my guide!" He smirked a little at his jest.

Aspenpaw used Minor Heal, restoring 3 health and costing 10 stamina.

Aspenpaw
30/30 HP
50/60 SP (-10)

Goldenpaw
14/20 HP (+3)
70/80 SP