Once Again [Closed]

Lost in thought, Torrentstar almost did not notice that his paws had led him to the river bank. When the RiverClan leader lifted his head, he saw the great water snake lying through the break in the reeds. The sunlight bounced off its broad back, sparkling and dancing across the shifting, surging scales. It was a habit of his, one long-established, to come to the water's side whenever some issue weighed on his mind. Somehow or another, he always found himself there. If not at the main river, he would be at one of the numerous smaller streams that criss-crossed the wetland territory. These tendencies proved, without a doubt, that he was RiverClan through and through. Rushing water instilled a calm in him that few other sights or experiences could. It had always been so, and this time was no exception. Shouldering past the reeds, the large tabby made his way down to the shore. Gravel crunched softly beneath his steps; here and there, colorful pebbles that would easily catch a younger cat's attention glittered alongside washed-up debris. It was turning out to be a seemingly-perfect day, one that lacked both the dreariness of looming rainclouds and the scorching heat of most greenleaf days. The hints of a cool breeze were refreshing in a cat's face.

With a flick of his feathery tail, Torrentstar settled down at the edge of the river. The clear waters, straining against their confines, lapped eagerly at his paws. His pale-green gaze peered into the shallow depths of the waves. One moment, they were receding; the next, they were rushing forward again. Again and again, again and again. They burbled cheerfully every time they washed over the gravel. The simple action of the river water flowing around his paws was mesmerizing to watch. Torrentstar felt himself relax somewhat, the stiff expression that had painted his features just moments ago melting away. As he had thought, there was nothing better for clearing his mind than the comforting presence of the river. Glancing over the kindly water snake, his thoughts wandered back to the flood from moons ago. Calming yet destructive, both kind and cruel―this was the river he was now named after. Just yesterday morning, he had been going about his usual duties as Jaystar's deputy. But this morning, he had received his lives at the Moonstone and returned to camp. So much could change in a single day. After the clan meeting, Torrentstar had managed to nap for a few hours, until his diligent spirit had kept him from getting another wink of sleep. He was feeling better now, more energized. What could be said for him physically, however, was not necessarily true when considering the emotional aspect. There was a strange emptiness in his heart, one that he felt whenever he looked at the den under the willow tree and realized that it was now his. Perhaps that discomfort was the real reason that he had been unable to spend too much time inside. It almost felt wrong, as if he were not meant to be in there. He knew it was his, but it would take time before he could fully accept that fact. Jaystar was gone.

Torrentstar had realized that he was grieving for the deceased RiverClan leader. Despite how he had felt about Jaystar in their last few moons together, the truth had hit him in StarClan, right before he had woken up. Some part of him had never completely thrown away his respect for the RiverClan leader, never completely forsaken the thought of Jaystar as a parental figure; and it was that part of him that had caused him to shed tears at the end. Whether or not he accepted those traitorous emotions, he acknowledged their existence at least. He was not the only one the loss was affecting, that fact he was sure of. The clan needed time to heal, especially those who had been truly close to Jaystar. In the meantime, he had to be strong for his clanmates. He had made his decision standing on the Willow Branch, looking down on them. It had been a scene that he had wanted to protect, and he still did. When he considered his earliest days, this development was certainly a strange one. What do you think about this, Adderfeather? Are you watching me, wherever you are? The thought of the gray, messy-furred warrior caused aching pangs of wistfulness to stir within him. He had a family now, as well multiple cats that he cared for. If it was for their sake, perhaps he would be able to grow stronger as a leader... He had no other choice but to grow, if he wanted to protect them. As he was pondering over such issues, the wind saw fit to break his train of thought by carrying another scent forward.

There were few scents as vile as ThunderClan's. One ThunderClan cat in particular, however, Torrentstar knew better by scent than he did the rest. He looked up, narrowed green eyes reflecting his distaste. As he had expected, there stood Oakstar. The ThunderClan leader was standing right by the Sunningrocks border. "What are you doing here?" Torrentstar asked, his words as icy as leaf bare. "Surely you do not intend to trespass in front of me." Even as he spoke, he doubted the older warrior would actually do so. As much as he had come to detest Oakstar, there was a certain kindness to the tom's actions that made his trespassing unlikely. It could be genuine, or it could just as easily be hypocritical. For all Torrentstar knew, he did not care. The very sight of Oakstar caused a wave of unpleasantness to wash over him. It was that kindness that he hated, after all. Straightening up to his full height, Torrentstar met the other leader's gaze with thinly-veiled threatening.

It had only been a couple nights since Oakstar heard the unfortunate news from Sparkfrost. Since the tom had left the clan to find StarClan after bringing little Dacepaw to ThunderClan. Since the small tortoishell’s arrival, Oakstar had felt more than a little guilt. She had been raised and born in RiverClan, as far as he was aware… and now she had been left with strangers.

Worse, some cat had to break the news to Torrentstar… and Oakstar was intent on not doing it at a gathering. It felt wrong, and disrespectful, to hold onto the information for so long when the clan was probably searching restlessly for their missing members. That was why, when the sun rose and the forest floor was dappled in light and shadow, Oakstar padded to the border of sunningrocks. The border patrol had already come home, and he had made sure no warrior was following him.

This wasn’t a war. He padded towards the scent line, surprised to see Scorchstar already at Sunningrocks, and relief flooded him at knowing he wouldn’t have long to wait. Anxiety swiftly followed, as he realised with regret that he didn’t know what to say. Leopardstar hadn’t died… was congratulations too much? He thought it over for a moment, his eyes lifted to the sky before lowering solemnly.
"...Sparkfrost told us the news… I’m sorry Scorchstar." he dipped his head in a gesture of respectful mourning. "The forest lost a great and noble leader." His gaze lifted, Amber eyes staring at Scorchstar’s for a long moment. "He chose a good leader to follow him. I look forward to bettering our relations between our clans."

The first words out of the ThunderClan leader's mouth were not anything Torrentstar had expected to hear. Sparkfrost? The anger that rose within the very next moment was hot and fierce. Ever since Jaystar's death, Sparkfrost had been nowhere to be seen. It was unsurprising that the large tabby had not noticed at the time, being so occupied with the scene of his leader dying before him that nothing else had mattered. During his visit to the Moonstone, however, he had met with Sparkfrost and even received a life from the dilute calico. To find out that Sparkfrost had passed away had been a shock, but it had been even more surprising to return to camp and find out that no one knew anything of it. Questions, questions, and no answers. Now, of all the cats in the forest, Torrentstar was finding out from Oakstar that Sparkfrost had been to ThunderClan? If that alone were not enough, the latter tom had clearly given away Jaystar's death. What in StarClan's name had happened? Torrentstar clenched his jaws, unsheathed claws clicking against gravel. "That lily-livered, mange-pelted traitor!" He spat, with a furious lash of his dark tail. He had been mistaken to ever have hopes for such a tom. Had amnesia stole even the basic principle of loyalty from Sparkfrost? RiverClan had saved his life more than once. And this was how he repaid his clan? He had even abandoned Dappleshine. At that moment, Torrentstar suddenly had the urge to see a pale calico pelt ripped to pieces beneath his claws. The gaze that he turned back to Oakstar was smoldering with green fire. "The Scorchstar that you address does not exist. StarClan has given me the name of Torrentstar." He responded sharply, before his voice dropped to a growl. "I see you have not changed in the least." Always playing the good guy, acting so sickeningly courteous―Torrentstar could not stand that behavior. "Is that all you have come here to say?" Of course he did not really want to know. The words were practically a dismissal.

The rage in Scorchstar’s voice surprised Oakstar. He looked away for a moment, knowing that his next bit of news might be just as badly received, but the next words made him pause. ‘Torrentstar… fitting.’ He bit back the words as he nodded respectfully to Torrentstar once more.

"Torrentstar then..." He paused, his amber gaze staring at Torrentstar’s green ones as he took a deep breath. Maintaining his calm demeanour as he tilted his head curiously at Torrentstar’s statement. "I do have one more bit of news related to Sparkfrost." He paused, white tipped tail flicking as he thought about how to say it.

"When Sparkfrost came to my clan, a young apprentice was with him. Dacepaw." The explanation was simple, and hopefully the bluntness would help to ease some of Torrentstar’s tension as he continued. "She and Sparkfrost asked to join ThunderClan, but Sparkfrost left very promptly after. Dacepaw is still with us, of her own will of course." He added before he gestured towards the direction of the forest around them. "I thought you might have cats looking for them, and I wanted to let you know where she is."

At this new piece of information, Torrentstar's tufted ears drew back. The stony mask had shattered from the moment he heard of Sparkfrost, and further displeasure now showed on his features. Different from moments ago, there was no outburst this time. Instead, he was silent for a long moment, staring down into the water that swirled around his paws. The restless twitching of his tail was only an indicator of the agitation that brewed within. When he looked up again, something had changed in his face. An icy darkness had crept into the depths of his green eyes, mingled with the flames that had burned so passionately before. "I see." He simply said. "How considerate of you, Oakstar." Contrary to his words, his tone bore no hint of gratefulness. Instead, it was frighteningly devoid of emotion and sympathy, an empty void really caused by overwhelming anger. "She has made her choice, and ThunderClan shall be her home. From this day onward, RiverClan will no longer tolerate her to step a single paw into our territory." The savageness with which he spoke shook he himself to the core. But what use did RiverClan have for a cat who had deserted them in a flash? He thought of Dappleshine in the next moment, and he almost wanted to revert his decision. However, he was the leader now. If he did not make the hard decisions, who would? Dacepaw had thrown away her own heritage; she would pay the price herself.

The agonizing claws of betrayal twisted in his chest, and he had to struggle to keep the pain from showing in his expression.

"Torrentstar… she is still very young. She probably doesn’t understand what this means for her." Oakstar replied back. His thoughts turned to the young she-cat. ThunderClan was still so new to her. He was glad that she was making friends, but the idea that she wouldn’t be able to go home if she wanted to… that she truly had to leave everything behind didn’t sit well. "I implore you… at least speak with her about this before banishing her.” The ruthless tone that Torrentstar took… Oakstar hated the meaning behind it as he stepped forward. Paw on the border as he looked down for a moment, an idea coming to mind.

"Spar with me." He requested calmly, a kind expression on his face. He remembered the last time they sparred, back in the lakes. There, he had lost by a mere whisker. Now, they were in their home territories. There wasn’t the stench of freshly buried rotting bodies. Instead a gentle river flowed between them. Worn and warm flat stones provided the perfect area, and he felt himself emboldened by it. His worries for Dacepaw, his concern over Tinystar and the failing of a future ThunderClan and SkyClan relationship… the memories of Ridgelight, he could let it all drop, for just a moment.

Torrentstar bared his teeth in the beginnings of a snarl. "The decisions I make regarding my clan are none of your business, Oakstar." He snapped. So what if Dacepaw was young? It was true that she had only been an apprentice for about a moon, but even a kit of six moons could make a choice on her own. Maybe she had not fully understood the consequences when she had done so. But if every cat thought through the consequences of their actions, there would not be so many exiles, so many murderers. Regret existed precisely because cats seldom spent enough time in thought. The reality that they lived in was not kind enough to offer second chances; what reason did he have to be any different? As the words left his maw, however, something prickled at the back of his mind―Dewshine's life of forgiveness. Apparently StarClan thought that he had a reason to. Gritting his teeth, he stubbornly pushed the thought away.

"Spar with me."

At Oakstar's next words, Torrentstar's features knitted into an expression of utter irritation. "And why should I heed any request of yours...?" He growled scathingly. Was he really hearing the ThunderClan leader right? Stars, this tom said the most unpredictable things. Just what did Oakstar think their relationship was? They were enemies―rivals. For generations, their two clans had shed each other's blood. The hatred between ThunderClan and RiverClan ran deeper than any physical wound. Through the efforts of Jaystar and Leopardstar, a temporary peace had been achieved, but it was as fragile as a twig in the breeze; it was capable of snapping at any time. Despite being fully aware of how Torrentstar felt about him, Oakstar had no problem making such a request. The RiverClan leader flexed unsheathed claws, his dark-tipped tail twitching dangerously. Whenever he was around the ThunderClan leader, his patience was always tested to its very limit. If it had not already been made clear earlier, Torrentstar absolutely detested the other tom. But... it was true that he owed him for the incident at the lake. For his enemy to have taken pity on him―the shame of that moment caused his blood to boil even now. In a sudden rush of passion, he decided. Why not? "Very well." He finally agreed, green eyes narrowing coldly. "Let us see who the winner shall be this time."

The brown tabby stepped into the river's cool embrace. The waters flowed around and over him, and he was greeted with the familiar sense of calm whenever he was afloat in the current. Unfortunately, it did not last long. He kicked out once, twice―thrice. Sunningrocks loomed before him. Reaching up, he easily pulled himself atop the nearest slab of stone. A lash of his tail sent water droplets scattering in the air, sparkling briefly with sunlight. "Come." He beckoned expressionlessly. Just this once, he would allow a ThunderClan cat to set paw on Sunningrocks without consequences. "Claws sheathed or unsheathed?"

Oakstar dipped his head respectfully at Torrentstar’s words. The other tom wasn’t wrong… the decision was his to make. He just hoped he considered it carefully enough to not ruin the young she-cat. He watched as the brown tabby tom padded into the water. Wading through it with a grace he would never possess. The water that clung to Torrentstar’s pelt hardly seemed to phase him as he accepted the duel.

"Let’s try to keep them sheathed, but I won’t begrudge you using them to hold on." Oakstar stepped paw over the border, then ran for the other tom. His swift speed helping him to launch into a well-placed leap that would hopefully bowl the other tom over. His tail and legs braced for the impact, or for the shock of stones from a miss.

Oakstar used Run-and-Tackle on Torrentstar.

Oakstar:
120/120
290/300 (-10)

Torrentstar:
105/120 (-15)
300/300[/b]

Torrentstar did not respond, merely lowering himself into a defensive stance. His green eyes glittered with open challenge. Perhaps it was the fact that he had already won once before; the RiverClan tom felt strangely confident. It was not a bad feeling, that was for sure. But he had to make sure that he did not let his guard down because of overconfidence. He would cause Oakstar to regret having asked for this duel. No matter what situation he was dealing with, the ThunderClan leader always seemed to have the light of a calm, quiet smile lingering in his gaze. For reasons he could not explain due to not understanding them himself, Torrentstar wanted to bash that smile off Oakstar's face for once. What kind of storm lay behind that facade of calm? As Oakstar came rushing forward, the younger leader met him head on. Torrentstar staggered from the impact, a grunt slipping from his jaws. This was nothing. He braced his paws firmly against the stone surface; the warmth tingling in his pads lent him a certain strength. With a twisted snarl, he forcefully shoved Oakstar back. "Is that all you can do?!" He lashed out with his front paws, landing blow after blow on the other tom's shoulders and head.

Torrentstar used Rear Up to Slash on Oakstar, dealing 20 damage and costing 15 stamina.

Oakstar
100/120 HP
290/300 SP

Torrentstar
105/120 HP
285/300 SP

As the other tom retaliated to his attack, Oakstar paid close attention to where Torrentstar’s paws were the most dangerous. He took the slashes at his chest and shoulders, but darted in to push his paws into the soft flesh of Torrentstar’s belly. His claws sheathed to avoid true damage, but he allowed a tiny portion of them to poke lightly at the tom’s skin. A silent reprimand against leaving his belly exposed in his rearing up strike that Oakstar pulled back and smirked confidently at the other, younger leader.

"Good blows, but don’t let me get your belly fur." He rumbled, tone light in the fight as he padded around Torrentstar with the same familiar smirk.

Oakstar used Belly Rake on Torrentstar.

Oakstar:
100/120
280/300 (-10)

Torrentstar:
85/120 (-20)
285/300

At Oakstar's teasing words, Torrentstar furrowed his brow. The irritation already flickering over his features sharpened, and he bared his teeth in a snarl. There was no real hostility in the ThunderClan leader's voice, but the lack of it only grated on Torrentstar's nerves all the more. The other tom was messing with him, leading him on. Back at the lake, the same thing had happened. At that time, he had been unable to control his own emotions very well; the pressure of having to take care of his clan along with Dewshine's newborn kits, of having to watch as Flurryshine slipped further into further into sanity, had been too much. Bit by bit, he had felt as if he was being swallowed up in a dark abyss. It had been suffocating and terribly painful, but there had been nowhere for him to escape to. Then Oakstar had come along, pulling the plug on all the emotions he had kept bottled up. A small part of him realized that he should grateful, but it was always overshadowed by the guilt, the shame, and the pride. If there was one thing he knew now, it was that he would not fall for the same trick a second time. He would never show such weakness in front of Oakstar again.

The RiverClan leader darted forward. He lashed out with one paw, striking his opponent's shoulder. Even with his claws sheathed, it was a forceful attack based on pure muscle strength. "Focus on yourself." He growled, as he swiftly stepped back out of Oakstar's range. The adrenaline was pumping now, surging through his blood. His mind was sharpening. Thoughts of Dacepaw and Sparkfrost began to fade away. He was focused on defeating Oakstar at that very moment; little else seemed to matter, even the painful betrayal he had just experienced.

Torrentstar used Front Paw Strike (not Whammy Paws), dealing 18 damage and costing 10 stamina.

Oakstar
82/120 HP
280/300 SP

Torrentstar
85/120 HP
275/300 SP

He braced himself as he saw the next strike coming, holding still to take the blow before he twisted around and grabbed Torrentstar’s scruff as he rebounded from the blow. His jaws were tight around the fur that bundled up there, treating Torrentstar very much like a kit in his grip.

Oakstar used Scruff shake on Torrentstar. He is stunned for 2 Turns

Oakstar:
82/120
255/300 (-25)

Torrentstar:
75/120 (-10)
275/300

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

---

'Effect Dice' : 4

Torrentstar realized a moment too late what Oakstar intended to do. He shrunk back instinctively, attempting to twist away from the older tom. However, a half-second later, he felt teeth dig into his scruff, pulling the fur taut. A strangled snarl slipped from his jaws. He thrashed furiously, unsheathed claws raking over exposed rock.

Torrentstar is stunned.

As the other tom thrashed beneath him, Oakstar gave him a firm jab behind the brown tabby’s shoulder. His grip relenting from the force of the blow, though it drew no blood.  His thoughts were cleared as he focused on potentially winning this sparring match.

Oakstar used front paw blow. Torrentstar is still stunned for 1 turn.

Oakstar:
82/120
250/300 (-5)

Torrentstar:
60/120 (-15)
275/300