Thistle Down (Closed)

The territory seemed normal. Peaceful, even. Tall leafy trees reached for a clear blue sky above, deciduous leaves turning natural shades of brown and orange. Some leaves drifted gently down, floating by in the chilly breeze. It wasn't cold, but brisk. A beautiful day. However, Pricklebush was still on edge, his eyes darting nervously across ThunderClan's territory as he escorted Mossbloom back. Mistlepaw was with him too- he had decided that he would be going back to RiverClan for a few days, for her ease of mind. And he didn't want her going back alone, after both of their terrifying revelations and the sense of oddness in the air around them. His pelt spiked out, not only because of the cold, but he was on edge. The nervousness was getting to him. His claws were still sore from scraping the Moonstone. However, he tried not to think about himself; he just focused on getting Mossbloom and Mistlepaw back safe. Two of the three or four cats left in this life who he would protect with his dying breath. As uneasy as he felt, though, he was beginning to calm down a little bit. Nothing had happened. They were getting close to camp. Why worry? The medicine cat let out a deep breath.... "I'm sorry for worrying both of you," he meowed lowly, looking at each of them in turn as they walked beside him. "I'm just a nervous wreck right now. I'll drop you off at camp, Mossbloom, then head to RiverClan- but I'll come back frequently, I promise." He didn't want to lose either of their trust... Hopefully, they would still accept him.

Mossbloom was tired, paws starting to get sore as they neared ThunderClan's territory. It had been a quiet, tense walk, but she couldn't put her paw on why. It was a beautiful leaf-fall day, and the company was nice, even if Mistlepaw still didn't seem fully comfortable around her. Pricklebush had emerged from the Moonstone wide-eyed, with frayed claws. Mistlepaw had been quite similar. She wasn't sure what caused their panic, but she was determined to take a look at Pricklebush's claws before he went back to RiverClan.

She winced to herself at the thought. He seemed to spend so much time away, and at first it had been easy to attribute his long absences to the chaos of previous moons. Now though, she was beginning to fear that maybe he preferred it there. Was she not good enough? Was that why he was always gone? She sighed quietly to herself as the tom spoke up. Her green eyes looked up to meet his gaze and she gave him a soft smile. "It's okay Pricklebush. Sounds good, I look forward to it. I'll try to find some feathers for your nest, for when you get back."

Shaking her pelt as she got the sudden feeling she was being watched, she looked around cautiously. A sudden sense of unease washed over her, the first time she had felt something amiss. Nothing seemed out of place, so she forced her fur to lay flat as she continued to speak, anything to break the silence. "StarClan revealed to me a romance between a loner and a clan cat... One that took place in the mountains. I don't know what to do with this, there's nothing I really want to do with this information. It feels like it's been so long, and those cats are probably well-established, wherever they are. Does that happen often, Pricklebush?"

Something was off, and even though Mistlepaw couldn't quite put her paw on it, there was something in the way the leaves crunched underneath her paws or the breeze rustled the branches overhead that made her feel uneasy. The other medicine cats accompanying her, Pricklebush and Mossbloom, clearly felt it too, judging by their stiff expressions and the anxiety carefully hidden behind their small, comforting smiles. Perhaps it was their revelations that left them petrified; at the thought of the prophecy Starclan sent her, she shuddered, but easily blamed it on the cold breeze that blew through her fur. The smell of the fox...the blood...she did everything in her proper not to gag and throw up right there, all over her dainty white paws. Instead, she inhaled deeply, trying her best to steel her nerves. 

Mistlepaw listened intently as Mossbloom explained the revelation she received, and looked to Pricklebush for some kind of guidance. The gray and white she-cat suppressed an eye roll, and quickened her pace a bit to put some distance between the three of them. She had no idea why she was even walking back with them. Pricklebush insisted after he emerged from Mothermouth, looking as disheveled as she did when she emerged as well. With the memory of the fox still fresh in her memory, she couldn't disagree, but wasn't too ecstatic about taking up his offer now. Still, she tried her best to be civil and polite, at least for the time being. She waited patiently for the conversation between the two Thunderclan medicine cats to die down, before speaking up about her own dream. "I had a dream of a romance similar to that once, Mossbloom. I also chose not to take action against it," she mewed calmly, though there was a cold edge to her voice. "Tonight, though, I dreamed of something much more...exhilarating. There was--" 

Mistlepaw's story was rudely interrupted by the loud snap of a twig, dangerously close. The metallic taste of fear settled in her throat, and she looked back, wide-eyed at the two Thunderclan cats, hoping--no, praying--that they were the source of the noise. But it was clear, judging by the look on their faces, that wasn't the case. Slowly, her gaze landed on the dense, dark foliage, where the snap originated. Her breathing quickened as the fur on her neck stood up, fear freezing her in place.

Yes, something was definitely off. She was sure of that now. Something was wrong. Something was horribly wrong.

Intruders. Strangers. Prey. A badger carefully stalked the trio of cats, eyes glimmering in curiosity. They were different, carried a different scent of the felines that claimed the moor as their own. They were not of the group and yet had walked on the plains - unaware of the danger. Fools. A soft growl escaped its throat, longing to leap forward and attack but...If there we not moor cats then where did they come from? And so the beast followed, far more quietly then one should be. Its eyes flickered to its companion, waiting for the sign - the call for bloodlust. The strange cats were talking among themselves, the badger watching as they exchanged quick words...And then they saw it, the movement in the corner of their vision - the signal to attack. With a growl, the badger came storming from the bushes toward the trio, its eyes falling onto a gray she-cat that smelled... Different, from the other two. A snarled escaped it, leaping toward the cat with claws outstretched.

The badger used ?????? on Mistlepaw, costing 20 stamina and dealing 15 damage. Mistlepaw is stunned for one turn.
The badger is effected by StarClan's Judgement for attacking Mistlepaw, taking 5 damage.

Badger:
70/75 HP (-5)
180/200 SP (-20)

Mistlepaw:
20/35 HP (-15)
90/90 SP

A dark, mottled shape moved through the half-light of the night at an offset to the lumbering badger. The creature that stalked was following the badger, yet it was clear it wasn't a badger itself. Its thick, floppy ears and long, whip-like tail hung around a drooping face, and its deadly pale amber eyes glinted with warning in the darkness. The dog moved in sync with the badger; they were working as a team, hunting as a pack. They had discovered this prey in an unusual place, but moreso they discovered the prey itself was unusual. The air behind these cats didn't hold the same airiness that the moor cats did, and their forms were quite different too - not to mention that they didn't seem to be going where the moor cats liked to be.

The prime opportunity to strike came upon them all swiftly. The mottled dog let out a small huff of rage as a twig snapped, matching the item and hoping it would go unnoticed. The trio turned, eyes wide with terror, and there was no more time to hesitate. The canine snarled as the badger did, and they surged forward from the foliage. The dog went for a vibrant multi-colored she-cat. Its mouth swung wide to snatch her by her neck, flinging her mercilessly aside and letting her roll over the dirt.

The Dog used ??? on Mossbloom, using 20 stamina and dealing 15 damage. Mossbloom is stunned for one turn.
The Dog is effected by StarClan's judgement for attacking a medicine cat, taking 5 damage.

Dog:
70/75 HP (-5)
180/200 SP (-20)

Mossbloom
30/45 HP (-15)
90/90 SP

A red fox... Russet and beautiful followed the pair. She was slower this time, than the other two. Her yellow eyes were still hungry, but her jaw held slightly open, revealing her teeth. One was missing. Her partners surged forward, ready to eat. The fox targeted on the lone remaining cat, a spikey yellow thing. She slammed into the cat, knocking him back.

The Fox used ??? on Pricklebush, using 20 stamina and dealing 15 damage. Pricklebush is stunned for one turn.
The Fox is effected by StarClan's judgement for attacking a medicine cat, taking 5 damage.

Fox:
70/75 HP (-5)
180/200 SP (-20)

Pricklebush
30/45 HP (-15)
90/90 SP

Ooc: I'll add filler later

Pricklebush nodded slightly and listened to Mossbloom's revelation, feeling a little bit irked at StarClan that they had not only not seen fit to warn his older apprentice of whatever was leaving him on edge, but that they gave her something as insignificant as this. But he didn't allow his annoyance to show. He just nodded, then mildly put his opinion. "I'm not sure what StarClan would have you do about it," he agreed, shaking out his pelt as the sense of oddness grew stronger. "If they're off in the mountains, why worry? What do they have to do with us? I'm of the belief that most cats in this forest can and should govern their own affairs." His eyes flicked to Mistlepaw next, when she began speaking, a little amused at her roughness, and then somewhat apprehensive as she started to mention her revelation-

Then, without warning, predators surged out of the forest. Three of them. All different kinds- a badger, a dog, a fox. The sense of wrongness intensified, tugged at his pelt, itched at the back of his head, but he couldn't focus on that- fear instead swelled up in his chest as a predator leapt for Mistlepaw, and another on Mossbloom. As quick as they'd appeared. "Hey!" he yowled, beginning to try and draw their attention- then a third leapt on him, knocking him backwards. The spiky tom wheezed as he hit the ground, air forced out of his lungs. It had been so long... he hadn't fought since the Gathering with Lichenmask, as an apprentice. And he definitely wasn't as young as he once was. A hiss of breath escaped through his teeth, and his frayed claws scraped the ground uselessly as he tried to stagger up, but he couldn't do a thing. His lungs still couldn't get the breath they needed. His head swam, but only one thought darted around in his panicking brain. Help Mossbloom and Mistlepaw. Finally, he beat the dizziness, and he managed to stumble to his feet. His hackles raised as he stared at the predators, not knowing what to do. His apprentices....

Pricklebush is no longer stunned.

Mistlepaw spoke up first, and curiosity gleamed in her eyes. The cold edge to the other of Pricklebush's apprentices did not go unnoticed, and her tail tip twitched briefly as Mistlepaw began to speak of her own prophecy. She was quickly interrupted by a snap, and Mossbloom turned in the direction it came from, fur on end. The area was quiet, much more quiet than it ever should have been.

In the next heartbeat, she was sent rolling, pain bursting in her ribs. A wordless yowl escaped her as she twisted, trying to desperately scramble to her jaws. Turning to face whatever had assailed her, she froze in fear and disbelief. No... No, this dog... She had chased it away, fighting it to cower behind it's twoleg with the weird thing that sent rocks flying. This dog, that had hurt Flintfang and Falconwing. The one that could have killed her.... She had left it far behind on that distant shore.

Past the dog, a badger was cornering Mistlepaw, and a fox was leering bear Pricklebush. Eyes widening further as she realized the full extent of the situation, her ears flattened in terror. What was happening? Why were these creature all attacking at the same time? Had the other medicine cats met something like this?

Why hadn't StarClan warned her?

Mossbloom is no longer stunned!

In mere seconds Mistlepaw was launched onto the ground, the breath knocked from her lungs. Pain ricocheted throughout her entire body. She tried to scream, but it came out as a wheeze, for her lungs did not gather enough air yet. She laid there, eyes wild and searching for what had attacked her. A huge badger loomed over her, and it took all of her dwindling courage to suppress a scream. Instead, she whimpers, limbs frozen and useless as she laid there, face to face with the huge beast. The Riverclan medicine cat willed herself to move, but it was like her body was made of lead. She couldn't move. 

Mistlepaw is no longer stunned!

With a snarl, the badger lunged forward toward the helpless cat - overjoyed to see them to terrified to move...As they should be. Claws ranked into the cat's side before it shifted behind and let its jaw lock onto the cat's leg...Before with a heave, tossing her away towards a nearby tree like a toy to be played with. They didn't know where these strange smelling cats had come from, but they were eager to allow them into the carnage that had been brought down on the moor.

The badger used Upright Front Paws on Mistlepaw, dealing 15 damage and costing 20 stamina.

Badger:
70/75 HP
160/200 SP (-20)

Mistlepaw:
5/35 HP (-15)
90/90 SP

ooc; i will be taking over suma's predator for the remainder of this thread, so to clarify there is not an extra, it is the same one as described above^^

There was a pang of satisfaction as it watched its prey, stunned by the fierce savagery of the move. But something managed to twist through the self-congratulatory pits of pride. It was the scent. Twitching its nose slightly, the realization these cats were different slowly sank in. Interesting. While it was something worth noting, that was not a reason to cease the attack. No, to allow such a thing would be to miss the opportunity to test the limits of their opponent. The dog snarled, a sound that tore from its muzzle and reverberated in its chest; the sound of a true predator. Out of the corner of its gaze, it could tell that its companions were holding their own. Good. There was no reason to doubt. Any lingering was immediately abandoned to an impressive lunge. The gap between them was closed and once more, it had the opportunity to relish in the scent of fresh blood. Already the prey seemed to be weakened. These were soft cats. No doubt the pack would take them out quickly.

The Dog used half-turn belly rake on Mossbloom, using 20 stamina and dealing 15 damage.

Dog:
70/75 HP
160/200 SP (-20)

Mossbloom
15/45 HP (-15)
90/90 SP

All Mossbloom could see was red as she felt the sickly warm sensation of blood welling through the fresh wounds at her belly. Pricklebush was still pinned, and Mistlepaw still lay on the ground, staring in fear. The whimper of the younger medicine cat reached Mossbloom's ears, and she staggered slightly before lunging forward and grasping the tail of the dog, wrenching as hard as she could on it, giving a valiant attempt to pulling it off. Once she had pulled as hard as she could, she stumbled backwards and turned, rushing as quickly as she could towards the RiverClan cat. "Pricklebush, run!" She gasped as she grasped the scruff of the young medicine cat, pulling her along. Casting a glance skyward, she noted the position of the sun. The border patrols should be coming soon, and they might be their only hope.

Praying to StarClan that they would find the patrol quickly, she ran as fast as she could, pulling Mistlepaw over her back and onto her shoulders. Breaking through the scents of the border she collapsed, vision wavering momentarily. Sliding Mistlepaw onto the ground, she struggled to take a deep breath. "ThunderClan! Help!" She gasped, hoping that her cries would reach the border patrol. Please StarClan, have the border patrol be on time. Standing over Mistlepaw protectively, she turned her gaze towards where they had come from. Where was Pricklebush? He should have been right behind them!

Mossbloom used Tail Yank on Dog, dealing 2 damage and costing 10 SP. Dog is stunned for one turn.

Mossbloom:
15/45 HP
80/90 SP (-10)

Dog: Stunned 1 turn
68/75 HP (-2)
160/200 SP

Beartooth had taken the patrol solo so more hunting patrols could roam elsewhere in the territory. Things had been quiet between Thunderclan and the other clans, likely due to the oncoming leafbare. It was possible that their neighbors too had busied their paws to combat the decline in prey. Already a strong chill had set in and the warrior found himself grateful for the bulk and fur he possessed. Most cats would have found it unpleasant but the deputy delighted in the silence of a solo patrol. Although, his mind troubled him on this particular outing. It had not been quickly forgotten how his son had spat vemon and slashed his maw. The wounds were already mostly healed, merely a flicker of claws. A darkened expression crossed his face and his head dipped ever so slightly as he padded along.


'Thunderclan! Help!'


It was so sudden he considered that he might have imagined it. But the deputy's head whipped around and he found himself peering through the deadened bushes at Mossbloom. Beartooth blinked before rushing over to her. Another cat was draped across her back. Both both marks of battle. Instinctively, his claws slid from their sheaths. Adrenaline pounded through his veins. The battle was somewhere. A screech determined not far from where the she-cat pleaded with him, "I'll be back." He meowed lowly before his massive paws thudded and crashed through the foliage, searching for their foe. He found it. Horrific looking predators loomed over Pricklebush. Panic rose in the bulky tom's chest. No matter the schism between the two, he had always fiercely loved the tom who he saw as his brother. While Pricklebush had once trained as a warrior, he had less skill in combat.


Perhaps these horrible paws could do some good. Locking his eyes on the nearest one, a low snarl tore from his chest and he lurched forward.


Beartooth used rear up to slash on Badger, dealing 17 damage and using 15 stamina.


Beartooth
100/100
265/280 (-15)


Badger
53/75 (-17)
160/200
--


The dog let out a gutteral snarl as it's prey turned. What a sneaky little thing the cat was. It snapped at the air as a jolt went up it's spine from the force of the yank. For a moment, it couldn't move. Maybe these strange cats possessed more strength than the skinny moor rats. Or, perhaps, the dog had let it's guard down for a moment. Neither was an excuse. It was determined and recovered it's footing, a moment too late. The prey had found a friend.