The Dance Of Life

The breeze came down from the mountains in gusts, carrying with it the scent of rain, wild and clean and far-away. Although it was a stranger, it greeted Puddlepaw like an old friend, ruffling her fur playfully before continuing through the moorland. She followed its trail with clear blue eyes, watching as it impatiently pushed through the grass. It had just arrived, and it was already eager to be on its way.

The patched she-cat sighed. Although she wished she had time to watch the wind run, she had work to do.
As she continued down the trail, Puddlepaw found herself unable to focus on her task. The wind could go wherever it pleased, free from the duties of clan life. She envied it.
She loved Windclan, but sometimes she wondered if leaving Skyclan and Lilypaw was the right decision. No matter how hard the apprentice tried to fit in, she hadn't found her place in either clan; she was getting tired of being pulled back and forth between the two.

Another gust of wind danced around her, teasing, inviting. She felt a tug- she wanted to chase after it, run over the hills, all the way to Highstones?
What if, instead of returning to the territories with the other Clan cats, she'd continued deeper into the mountains? Past the tribe, through the valley, and into the wildlands beyond? Instead of Lilypaw or Puddlepaw, she'd get to be Cloud- or better yet, someone else, someone new.
She supposed she'd never know.


Something brought her back to reality- a change in the air, a new scent, perhaps? The apprentice glanced around, her black-rimmed ears twitching in confusion. There was a sharp, acrid feeling in her stomach. Her pulse began to race.
Something was wrong.

The large fox had been tracking her prey for what seemed like an eternity. Quietly, she slipped in and out of the shadows with her partner. Quiet paws breezed over grass silently. Wind gently brushed through her pelt as she slowed to a stop. The wind seemed to be coming from all directions, and it was getting more and more difficult to keep her scent hidden from her prey. As she stopped, the fox glanced to her partner. Now was the time.

It seemed as if the fox had mysteriously teleported behind the small cat in front of her. With a snarl, the fox lunged and stood on it's hind legs, swiping it's claws furiously. The small, pathetic prey below her would quake in fear- a fox appearing from nowhere. Even in a few seconds, the reddish creature slammed down on the prey's spine, stunning it. It grinned, a toothy. Hungry grin.

Fox used ??? on Puddlepaw and dealt 15 damage and used 20 stamina. Puddlepaw is stunned for one turn.

Fox
75/75 Health
180/200 Stamina

Puddlepaw
5/20 Health
80/80 Stamina

Pathetic. Weakling. Foolish. Did the apprentice not even realize the dangers? A badger lurked in the tall grass, its body low to the ground as it stalked the lone apprentice. It was alone, nobody near, nobody to help... The perfect prey. It jerked its head in the direction of the young, small cat as its gaze shifted away to its hidden companion. After all, it clearly knew better than this cat - never hunt alone. It seemed the fox had come to the same conclusion. It was now time to strike. The badger threw itself after its partner, slipping past the pair as it whirled onto its back paws before it brought their front paws in a fury of blows to knock them unconscious - but not seeking to kill them yet. There would be no easy escape for the young cat.

Badger used ??? on Puddlepaw, dealing 15 damage and using 20 stamina. Puddlepaw is knocked out.

Badger
75/75 Health
180/200 Stamina

Fox
75/75 Health
180/200 Stamina

Puddlepaw
0/20 Health
80/80 Stamina

The fox eased off as her counterpart and badger in crime joined in on the fight. The mere kit was still alive, but unconscious. This was when the fox enjoyed the most. Silently, the fox locked eyes with the badger and silently picked up the she-cat in her maw.

With her prey and soon-to-be-toy in her russet maw, the fox took off casually to her fox hole. There was no need for her to be careful now, really, but out of instinct she did so to find a path that would keep their presence a secret. After all, if they were delayed, their toy would be dead before they could play.

Soon, the fox found the hole she was calling home, and slipped into the darkness. Without a care, she dropped the cat's body and circled it, the black parts of her pelt disappearing in the darkness leaving her russet body and yellow eyes glowing ever so slightly. It was time to play.

As its companion hurried off with their prey, the badger took a moment to gaze around the moors for any sign of the cat's allies. Nothing, only than for the soft rustling of the grass and they couldn't help but let out a huffed laugh. They would learn to fear the open...And they would enjoy the fear in their eyes. They turned and lumbered after their companion, slipping down into the same den and out of view. It slowly started to circle the unconscious apprentice, staying in step with their fox companion before it gave a dip of its head - acknowledgment and permission. They would get the next one.

The fox slowed as the badger dipped its head to the fox. The apprentice was just now starting to wake up from the stun and unconsciousness the pair of predators had produced during the fight just moments earlier. It turned it's russet head to the badger and grinned a toothy grin. The excitement could hardly be contained in it's slender form, and the fox hoped her companion would enjoy the show. Turning back to her prey, the fox began to slice large gouges on to the apprentice, leaving spots where blood started to ooze out of her body, starting to form pools of the stinky, but delightful smelling liquid in the dirt.

The fox made sure to look into the eyes of her prey. It was a vital part in her game of death. She also, made sure not to dance to quickly. It was much better if it was drawn out.

The fox grew restless as it waited. Narrowing it's eyes, it picked up the cat's front left leg. With a strange growl - dog like one may say - she began to whip the apprentice around violently. Blood splattered the walls from the action and the body flailed. The sounds of yowling were almost faint to the fox as adrenaline rushed through her system. After quite some time, the fox's neck began to hurt. With a final, strong thrash the fox flung the cat against the wall.

Trotting over the few steps, the fox peered down at the dying apprentice, flicking it's tail for her badger partner to come and watch as well.

The badger took a step back as its companion started the brutal working, slowly pacing along the side of the den to get the best glimpses. The metallic, coppery scent of blood quickly became nearly overwhelming and intoxicating, the badger having to hold back the natural instincts to try to join in...No, instead they held themselves back as they watched, pressing against the wall as the fox took grip of the apprentice and started to thrash them around, avoiding the flailing paws and spray of blood. Finally, with a sickening thud the she-cat was thrown across the wall and the two predators slowly approached.

Their eyes glimmered in the faint light pouring in from the entrance of the hole, listening to the slow, dying gasps of the young cat. They brushed their shoulder against the fox's, jerking their head toward the entrance of the hole. While the den had served its purpose to hide them while they finished the cat off, the idea of leaving the body to be found by the foolish cats that prowled the plains seemed...It seemed like a brilliant way to easy strike fear into their hearts, to make them remember the dangers that lurked. That they were as much prey as the rabbits that roamed.

A sharp blow to the she-cat's spine brought her to her knees, and another hit to the back of her head sent her flailing to the ground. She struggled to jump to her feet, using her small stature to gain some leeway and escape, but it was no use. Everywhere she turned, she was greeted with deadly-sharp claws and flashing teeth. There was no way out. Before she knew what was happening, she was spinning, dancing between two impossibly strong opponents.
Suddenly, the badger slammed one of its great paws on top of her head, sending her crashing to the ground. Her jaws snapped shut with a crack. Colors danced in front of her, close enough to touch. She tasted blood. Her mind was screaming at her to stand, to fight them, but she could barely think, let alone move.
She felt its hot breath on her neck. Gritting her teeth, the patched she-cat struggled to stand, pushing herself onto her forepaws with tremendous effort.

Something knocked her feet out from underneath her, and she was on the ground once more, glaring vengefully into wide yellow eyes. Another sharp blow to the head and she was sinking into spiraling darkness.

---

Pain.
When Lilypaw's ears rang and her vision blurred, when the cold air no longer pricked her skin, there was nothing to distract her from it. There was nothing else left.
Oh, how it burned. The wildfire spread from her chest until her whole body was ablaze, her skin charring, her fur turned to ash. She couldn't think, she couldn't move. She couldn't tell if she was screaming.
"Why? What have I done to deserve this?"

After a while, her body slowly grew numb to the creatures' attacks. Lilypaw took a ragged breath, felt the cooling air flood her body. The fire flickered. She found solace in the cooling darkness at the edge of her vision and allowed herself to sink into unconsciousness.

---

Cloud's sky-blue eyes snapped open. She barely stirred, her chest heaving as she struggled to draw breath. Slowly, gingerly, she raised her head. Her ears twitched as two figures slowly came into focus. A fox and... a badger? Why would two predators, natural enemies, ever cooperate?
Were they even predators? The way they moved, the way they held themselves, seemed off. It was clear that they weren't attacking for food.
The fox's ears perked, and Cloud hissed threateningly, only to wince as the noise made the earth buck beneath her. Her head throbbed.
"Hel-" She croaked, hoping for somebody to hear and come running. The fox cut her off before she had the chance to finish, and she bit her lip to keep from screeching in pain.

---

Puddlepaw jerked her head back, one last, desperate attempt to win her freedom. She was dying, she could tell- her wounds bled sluggishly, and her heartbeat pounded ever louder in her ears, desperate to do its job until the end.
"Why," She mumbled, the effort of speaking made colors and shapes flash before her.
She stared up at the two creatures, unable to muster an expression. Her body, her mind, everything was numb. Even if help arrived, she knew that she would be beyond saving.
The thought was comforting. She would rather die than live a life in the medicine den, unable to provide for the clan that had accepted her with open arms.

The fox's jaws closed around one of her legs.

---

The she-cat hit the wall with a crack. Her back had broken. Her leg hung limp, dislocated at the very least.

Is this how her father died? In his final moments, had he been beaten, bloody, unable to stand? Did he cower?
What would Tinystar think? And Brindlestar, was she watching from Starclan?

Her entire world had been centered around their nine lives. Rippedstar, Poplarstar, Tinystar. Brindlestar, Finchstar. When would it end?
She could barely remember her sisters. She had forgotten her mother. Dandeliondapple and her kits were distant and blurry, vague shapes, no longer real cats.
So many precious memories, thrown away because they didn't fit the character she'd forced herself to become.

It was a pity that it took death to realize that she should've spent her life living. It was with that thought, the image of life, that she faced the animals now.
Slowly, she pushed herself onto her knees, forcing her broken bones to support her frame. It took all the willpower she had to not throw up.
Gritting her teeth, she stood, feeling her muscles contract and her body wail in protest. She was dying, yes, but she wouldn't go lying down.
She'd spent her entire life bowing to leaders. It was time to stand for herself.
A flash of light, slashing claws, and she was gone.

It was amusing to the fox, it was. Watching the dying cat attempt to stand in some pitiful display of defiance. It's lips curled in cruel mockery. The broken cat trying to stand only gave the predator more glee in it's kill as it finally slashed the cat's throat to end it's life. It. Prey. That's all that the cat in front of the fox was. Dead. Though the fox knew to someone, some other pitiful life, this piece of prey meant something to someone. With a final act of triumph and attempt to cause pain, the fox grasped its jaw around the face of the cat and thrashed, destroying they prey's former beauty. It would be unrecognizable, if one were only to look at the face to determine the identity. Dropping it like a boring toy, the fox lipped it's lips. Catching the eyes of the badger, russet pelt streaked out of the den. On the hunt for more? Probably. The fox's blood lust was never ending.

The badger stared at the broken apprentice, silently impressed that it managed to somehow still have a spine despite the trashing the fox had given it...Although they did nothing to stop the fox from ending the she-cat's life with a quick claw. It huffed, breathing in the sweet smell of blood as their companion tossed the limp body around a couple more times before tossing it to the side and leaving the den in a russet blur. The badger paused, staring after the fox before it glanced at the limp body. It was hoping to leave the body out in the open - to let the other cats of the moor to easily discover it and have fear strike their hearts...But perhaps this was for the better. After all, perhaps the cat's companions cared for it...Enough to come searching...Right into their claws. An amused huff escaped them as they turned, following after the fox and leaving the apprentice's body to waste away in the darkness.

OOC: Annnnd the topic is over~