Glass Animals {EXXUS PLOT FINALE}{OPEN}

The lightly sleeping Crowpaw awoke at the racket, fur bristling. His nightmares, they had finally come true. The attack was here. He turned to Spotpaw, shoving her awake. It might have been rough, but the quickest and surest way to get her to her paws, get her safe. “We’re under attack. Foxes again, in camp.” He muttered, before turning towards the entrance of the apprentices’ den.

He didn’t exit, however, hanging at the opening momentarily. ”The warriors should be awake, and they’ll help in the medicine den. You should defend the nursery. Foxspirit and Ploverpuddle will need help with the kits if the foxes attack.” He had alterior motives as well, to keep Spotpaw safe, but he knew she wouldn’t listen to him unless she thought it was best. Without another word, he leapt towards the medicine den.

Claws out, he charged the fox, leaping, trying to bowl it over, give his Clanmates as much time as possible to attack again.

Crowpaw used Run-And-Tackle, dealing 9 Damage and costing 10 Stamina.

Crowpaw:
20/20
70/80

Aspenheart:
6/35
50/50

Dappleshine:
92/100 HP
245/280 SP

Night Fox:
44/75 HP
165/200 SP

((If I need to add the Spines damage myself, let me know via PM or something and I’ll edit.))

Ploverpuddle's shouts woke Zinnia from her slumber, and she half-charged, half-stumbled to her paws; racing to the source of the sound. Aspenheart... Intruder... So the time had finally come, to defend this place she had chosen to make her home. She wondered what fearsome opponent she would have to face in the fight at paw - her first real battle. She was taught to fight in the Garden, to defend herself, but sparring was as far as those matches had ever gone, and she hadn't yet been on the scene of a Clan cat's war, only seen its aftermath.

She didn't have long to wonder, as she reached Dappleshine, Crowpaw, Aspenheart and the fox. Ancestors, why was it always foxes? Couldn't they be attacked by giant rabbits? It would offer some variety, at least! Still, there was no time for thoughts like that, not when lives were at stake. Instead she thought back to her mother's battle lessons, infrequent as they had been, and drew on that and what she'd gathered from living among battle-hardened warriors. As such, she turned her back on the fox; trusting that its focus lay on the other three, kicking at it with her hind legs before swerving back to watch its next move.

Zinnia used Back Kick on the Black Fox, dealing 10 damage and costing 15 stamina!

Zinnia:
40/40 HP
105/120 SP (-15)

Crowpaw:
20/20 HP
70/80 SP

Aspenheart:
6/35 HP
50/50 SP

Dappleshine:
92/100 HP
245/280 SP

Night Fox:
34/75 HP (-10)
165/200 SP

The voice that broke through Clovertwist's vague, shapeless, shifting dreams set his fur on end and had his head jerking up from the earth in an instant. Beside him, Barleytuft jolted awake as well, the senior warrior scrabbling to his paws like his life depended on it and immediately trying to drink in the words that had been cried: "Intruder! Help Aspenheart!" Clovertwist discerned the speaker's voice after a brief, hazy moment - his closest friend, Ploverpuddle, who had been horribly injured and under Aspenheart's watchful care - and his pale amber eyes landed on the thick-furred gray and white warrior dragging another injured cat's limp body into the nursery. The young warrior's heart twisted with fear, seeing the wounds that still littered the older tom's body, and already he was on his way to his paws. Ploverpuddle needed help!

"Barleytuft, I'm headed for the nursery," Clovertwist informed his father shortly, and then the crooked-tailed silver tom bounded away, racing to the nursery where he had just seen his Clanmate disappear. As soon as Clovertwist reached the entrance he slowed, calling out clearly, "Ploverpuddle! It's me, Clovertwist, I'm here!" He refused to turn his back on the nursery, knowing that there was an intruder loose, and so the silver tabby tom turned and began to back towards it, asking over his shoulder in a deeply concerned voice, "Is it the predators? They... they got in the medicine den?"

Meanwhile, Barleytuft saw the rush of warriors flood towards the medicine den. StarClan, please, can you see us tonight? the tom begged tearfully in his head, Don't let them take away everything we have left! But something just felt wrong; while Barleytuft's claws begged him to join in destroying whoever dared threaten his brother, Aspenheart, as he slept in his own nest, something wasn't right. It's not the only one, is it? It never is, a thought asked pointedly, and Barleytuft's head began to whip around, eyes darting wildly. "Come on, quit hiding, you cowards," the pale tan tabby growled softly, not knowing whether it was a sign from StarClan or simply a sign of unhelpful paranoia that kept his eyes scanning for more insidious shapes in the dark. "Fight in the open!"

Restless nights were common for Elmskip, and this night was no exception. He was woken from his fitful sleep by a sharp yowl from the medicine den and he was on his feet in an instant, short fur standing on end. Attack. They were under attack. It was a horrible thought, but deep in his mind, he knew this was going to happen. These horrible beasts...they had come into the camp once, of course they would come again. Shaking the sleep from his eyes, he took a breath to steady himself and raced out of the warriors' den into the center of camp. The medicine cat's den was full with a flurry of fur and claws, there was not much room for another cat to join them. Ploverpuddle was limping away from the scene, dragging a limp Grousefrost with him. Elmskip ran to help, taking the silver tabby's scruff and pulling along with Ploverpuddle to get the two to safety. "You two stay here," he instructed, "and stay safe. You're in no condition to fight, Ploverpuddle."

Barleytuft's angry howl startled him and he turned to join his friend, his claws unsheathing. There couldn't be just one. They always came in at least pairs. There had to be another one. Giving a silent nod to the sandy warrior, he stood beside him, his eyes peeled for any sign of movement in the darkness beyond the camp. The tortoiseshell warrior's whole body was tense, ready for a good fight. They were going to take these monsters down, once and for all. A single thought ran through his mind, however. Where was Patrick?

"What?" Aspenheart coughed as he crumpled to the ground again. "Hare got your tongue? Tell me where he is! If you're going to kill me, I have the right to know! Last rites, you big dumb idiot!" Shutting his eyes tightly, he slashed a shaky paw across the creature's cheek. There was an unnatural shifting as his claw tore through skin. There was a gash, but she did not bleed. Aspenheart couldn't say the same for himself. Something pierced his paw-pad like a thorn. A gaggle of warriors piled on behind the fox, desperation filling the den as they struggled to turn the fox's focus away from him.

Wait, was he going to die? His flank dripped with a steady flow of blood and he struggled to shake away a fog in his brain. He hauled himself to his feet, a floaty feeling attacking his equilibrium. He swayed back and forth like a rabid thing, disoriented and numb. A dark figure sat in the shadows beside him, yellow eyes gleaming in the light. He smiled a little. "Nightrunner..?"

But the figure was gone as soon as it appeared. The drumming in Aspenheart's chest began to slow, as well as time, swimming through an eternal mist. Fuzziness lay claim at the corners of his vision. Hazey. "Long live WindClan," he hummed musically, eyes fluttering shut. "You can kill me... but they're gonna take your teeth as a trophy for it. Good luck with that."

Aspenheart used Front Paw Blow, costing 5 stamina and dealing 4 damage. He sustained 3 damage from Prickle Spines.

Aspenheart
3/35 HP (-3)
45/50 SP (-5)

Night Fox
30/75 HP (-4)
165/200 SP

Zinnia
40/40 HP
105/120 SP

Crowpaw
20/20 HP
70/80 SP

Dappleshine
92/100 HP
245/280 SP

He had a craving for the blood of the weak and the thrill of fearful screams. The black dog surveyed the scene, watching his fox companion rush one of their dens and bring half the clan with her. A pair of male cats stood out in the open, apparently guarding something, and calling - to him. They had caught on that the Nightstriker pack didn't hunt alone. His pink tongue lolled briefly. The black dog was a shadow, and experienced stalker of both day and night. They would see him when he wanted them to. And there she was, the little cat of many colors who had forced her way into one of the tunnels at his last encounter with the cats.

It was time. Her blood sang to him.

The dog, quick as lightning and as loud as thunder, errupted from the gorse wall with a loud howl. His shriek of excitment echoed around the clearing, dampening the dismal crunch of heavy paws crashing against the apprentice's side.

Black Dog used Upright Front Paws on Spotpaw, dealing 15 damage and using 20 SP. Spotpaw is missing 5 HP from lack of sleep and fear - Spotpaw is KO'd!

Black Dog
75/75 HP
180/200 SP

Spotpaw
0/20 HP
80/80 SP

Spotpaw was awoken with a jolt. She looked up to see Crowpaw ordering at her to get up. Spotpaw nodded in agreement when she heard her mother's name. Spotpaw scrambled up to her paws as she followed Clovertwist.

As she ran through camp as she lagged behind from lack of sleep when a big something ran into her, raking it's claws at her. Spotpaw fell over as pain ached her side. She didn't know how to react. It was clear that it was from the Black Dog by the scent of it. A whimper escaped Spotpaw as she slowly got up to her ginger and black paws.

Spotpaw would battle if she could but she couldn't. She was too weak. She limped up to the nursery and collapsed in the nest she slept in with her mother and littermates all those moons ago.

Listening to the medicine cat's words, Dappleshine's tail twitched. He wouldn't be dying tonight.... She would make sure of that. WindClan had already lost too much. The area was getting crowded, not leaving much room to maneuver, but of she ducked to Aspenheart's side she might be able to get her attack in...

Dappleshine used Upright Front Paws, dealing 16 damage and costing 20 SP. Dappleshine takes 3 damage from Prickle Spines.

Aspenheart
3/35 HP
45/50 SP

Night Fox
14/75 HP (-16)
165/200 SP

Zinnia
40/40 HP
105/120 SP

Crowpaw
20/20 HP
70/80 SP

Dappleshine
89/100 HP (-3)
225/280 SP (-20)

Crowpaw has taken 3 damage from Prickle Spines!
Zinnia has taken 3 damage from Prickle Spines!

The fox growled as claws ripped through her cheek, slashing through the pelt and ripping the jaws from the hinges. The black jaw hung limply, yet there was no blood. Finchstar. Oh, that orange and  yellow cat made her heart sing in only ways pain and torture brought her. "I love him!" she said with a final snarl as a cat battered her face before whipping around to face the crowd of cats.

They would never get their leader back if she could help it. He was eternal. They could be together forever. Yipping came from the clearing. So the dog didn't fall asleep. He was always so behind her, it annoyed her that he was her partner. The fox needed to get into the clearing. Plowing forward into the crowd of cats, the fox used the fact that her pelt wasn't attached to her to get through them. Claws worked as hooks to tear the black fox pelt off her back. Underneath, as if a catepillar from a caccoon, stood a beautiful, gorgeous, calico cat. Silky fur matted with traces of mud and blood stuck up every which way from the friction of her pelt. Dae opened her jaw, revealing a missing bottom tooth. At this point, the whole lot of these prey cats would die. Their secret could be revealed. Shimmery prickles could still be seen in her pelt.

Spinning around, she laid eyes on the small cat she had tormented in the tunnels. Grinning, she reared up and slashed furiously, claws ripping through flesh and face.

Dae/Night Fox used Upright Front Paws on Crowpaw causing 15 damage and using 20 SP.

Dae/Night Fox
14/75 HP
145/200 SP

Zinnia
37/40 HP (-3 from Prickle Spines)
105/120 SP

Crowpaw
2/20 HP (-3 from Prickle Spines, -15 from Upright Front Paws)
70/80 SP

Dappleshine
92/100 HP
245/280 SP

Her fall was glorious, the defeat too easy - the dog desired to sink his fangs into her soft skin and shake her apart, but his task was greater than a single kitten. He had more chaos to sow and more blood to taste. Whipping around with an uncharacteristic amount of mercy for the she-cat, the black dog crashed onto a collection of nests with uncanny speed and terrifying power, slapping a sandy cat with such force that he sent the tom sprawling away with a single blow. The same prickles in his companion's coat glittered dully in his own, threaded deeply into his pelt - too deeply.

Black Dog used Sanctum Strike on Lightfang, dealing 15 damage and using 20 SP. Lightfang is stunned for one turn. (-5 HP for lack of sleep and fear)

Black Dog
75/75 HP
160/200 SP

Lightfang
40/60 HP
200/200 SP

Ploverpuddle’s call couldn’t have woken him faster if he’d known it was coming. But, as Dappleshine nudged him, Raventail found himself immobilized. Intruders. Just as he’d feared, his hesitance had cost them. The beasts’ patience had run out. He blinked once, then again more forcefully, the camp’s shadows blurring before him as he stood. As WindClan ran toward the medicine den and the nursery, two cats stayed behind. In the dark and panic, it took Raventail a moment to recognize them. Barleytuft. Elmskip. Their faces stilled his paws before he, too, could race to help his mate and Aspenheart. Right. He needed to remember just what he was fighting. Finchstar or no Finchstar, no beast as smart as these would be rabbit-brained enough to take on WindClan’s might alone.

Part of the gorse wall came to life. It surged forward, and Raventail’s half-asleep mind recognized the shape too late to stop its paws from slamming into Spotpaw’s side. At once, he froze—but Spotpaw hadn’t gone still the way he’d feared. Instead, she rose to limp in the nursery’s direction. Good. For now, that was safer than being out in the open. …For now. One way or another, this would have to be the end. Either WindClan would fall, or they would tear the beasts to mousedust. Raventail’s heart beat high in his throat, yet, somehow, the most coherent thought rattling around in his head was At least there aren’t any tunnels here. The dog had turned its attention elsewhere—namely, to one of the SkyClanners. SkyClanner or not, a Clanmate was a Clanmate. Charging forward, he lashed out at the dog’s flank with both paws.

Raventail used Front Paws Strike on Black Dog, dealing 15 damage and using 25 stamina.
Raventail took 3 damage from Prickle Spines.

Raventail
92/100 HP (-5 from lack of sleep + -3 from spines)
235/280 SP (-20 from lack of sleep + -25)

Black Dog
60/75 HP (-15)
160/200 SP

---

In the end, it was neither Ploverpuddle’s warning call nor the thunder of paws past him that woke Lightfang, but a massive force that rattled through him, sending him tumbling away from the medicine den’s entrance. Ears ringing, he squinted up at his assailant. A dog. The same one that had hurt Burningwolf—perhaps. That hardly mattered now. If it broke through, it would hurt her again, her and Swallowflight both, and the mountain cats had already used up their last miracle. Besides…WindClan was not Lightfang’s, but they’d fought for him. He would fight for them in turn.

If only he could remember how to stand. Hard as he tried, his legs refused to move.

Lightfang is no longer stunned.

Lightfang
40/60 HP
180/200 SP (-20 from lack of sleep)

Black Dog
60/75 HP
160/200 SP

Barleytuft nodded once as he realized Elmskip had appeared at his side, and their flickering eyes raked the surroundings in a desperate panic - searching for something to attack. There had to be more. The senior warrior was kept on the tips of his claws for several aching moments. Then, suddenly, the tom snarled with fury, feeling both horrified and vindicated, as there was a crashing sound in the gorse. A huge black creature burst through the wall with a gut-wrenching screech, and immediately Barleytuft was lunging forward and crying out, "Spotpaw, no!" Too late, the young apprentice was thrown like nothing, and then the dog was lurching away.

The pale tabby tom wasted no time in charging after it. Already the big creature was throwing itself mercilessly at a Clanmate - one of Barleytuft's newest Clanmates, Lightfang, he realized with a shock of anxiety - and the area quickly became a bloodbath. "Leave him alone, you filthy foxmother!" Barleytuft snarled, and he braced himself to slam forcefully into the canine, trying to throw it from its frenzy on the undefended former SkyClan cat. Perhaps the tom had a soft spot for former SkyClanners, but the thought didn't cross his mind as he surged towards the dog and lashed furiously at its eyes.

He staggered back with a pained, startled hiss as he felt strange sharp things seemingly bite back at his paws when he lashed at the creature's face... But its face... it looked wrong. Where were its eyes? The glinting that hinted at the creature's point of vision didn't match up with where the pelt suggested. Barleytuft didn't understand these - these horrors that plagued the waking world.

Barleytuft is missing 5 HP / 20 SP from lack of sleep and fear.
Barleytuft used Run-and-Tackle on Black Dog, using 10 stamina and dealing 16 (13+3) damage.
He also used Swift Strike, using 10 stamina and dealing 7 damage.

Barleytuft
92/100 (-3 from prickle spines in enemy pelt)
250/280 (-10)

Black Dog
52/75 HP (-23 (16+7))
160/200 SP

Lightfang
40/60 HP
180/200 SP

As Zinnia pulled away from the fox, she realized that its pelt had felt painfully sharp. And then the fox pelt fell, revealing a cat hidden within, and showing the sharp and shining spines clearly. She would have been beautiful, had she not come to destroy this place and the cats that called it home. As it was, they stood as enemies, and so Zinnia stood tall and moved to face her. As equals and opponents, though it betrayed her every moral code. Foxes and predators, they were allowed to fight (to the death if need be), should they attack first. Predators did not speak their language, and they knew not of peace or negotiations.

(The language of battle is a language its own, her mother had told her once. It is one we do not speak unless we must.)

Still, Zinnia was no longer just a peaceful Garden cat. She had left them to explore the world beyond, though she carried their way of life with her even now. She had chosen to be WindClan, hadn't she? And Clan cats fought to defend their home and their Clanmates, no matter who or what stood on the other side.

(Though they also seemed to needlessly fight one another almost unprovoked, and that she would perhaps never understand.)

Ancestors help me...

She wished for guidance, but there was no time for prayer now. Only just enough to defend what she had just come to know as her home. So she charged at the fox-cat, and imagined that somewhere her ancestors were smiling on her for doing what was right. Imagined that perhaps their influence was what led her wild, unpracticed strike to land on the fox-cat's face.

"You will not ravage this land any longer, fox-cat. We - I - will protect this place, until the day I take my very last breath! For WindClan! For my home, whatever name it goes by!"

Zinnia used Front Paw Strike on Dae, dealing 8 damage and costing 10 stamina! Zinnia took 3 damage from Prickle Spines!

Dae/Night Fox
6/75 HP (-8)
145/200 SP

Zinnia
34/40 HP (-3)
95/120 SP (-10)

Crowpaw
2/20 HP
70/80 SP

Dappleshine
92/100 HP
245/280 SP

Crowpaw’s tail lashed as he was slashed by the cat-fox, her fox pelt gone. A yowl outside told him that Spotpaw had been injured. But he couldn’t let the bloodshed continue. He would protect his Clan, protect Spotpaw. So he leapt forward, diving and scrabbling under the cat’s belly, furiously, angrily, as fiercely as he could. He was driven by a deep, insane desire to protect his Clan, kill the threats.

Protect Spotpaw. Protect Aspenheart. Protect Grousefrost. Protect Dappleshine. Protect my Clan.

He was weak, but he wasn’t about to fall, not until the threats that destroyed his Clan were in turn destroyed. But, against his will, as he dealt his final blow, black pressed at the edges of his vision, and, bleeding from deep cuts, just missing his eye, he only managed to get out of the way of the collapsing cat-fox as he himself sank into unconsciousness. He could only hope he did enough.

Crowpaw used Belly Rake on Dae/Night Fox, dealing 7 damage and costing 10 stamina. Dae/Night Fox is KO’d. Crowpaw is KO’d.

Crowpaw:
0/20 HP (-3) (KO)
60/80 SP

Dae/Night Fox:
0/75 HP (-7) (KO)
145/200 SP

Zinnia:
34/40 HP
95/120 SP

Dappleshine:
92/100 HP
245/280 SP

The dog spied the fox tangled in a web of claws inside the den, but she struggled free. Only now the fox was no longer a fox, and Dae stood triumphantly as herself at the mouth of the den, smothered in the blood and mud used to stick their pelts to their backs and prickling with hidden spines. Perhaps Theron was not wrong to be smitten by her - Dae was very beautiful awash in the suffering of her enemies. But he cared not for she-cats and their trivial looks nor tomcats in all their bold aggression. This Nightstriker loved only killing, and maybe Pakhet in a subservient way. He growled, angered that the moor cats would understand quickly what they were, but he was determined not to reveal himself willingly. If they tore through his pelt, so be it - but Ovinnik would not be seen as a cat until it was absolutely necessary.

The crashing of smaller bodies into his own shook him back to awareness, and now the battle was really on. The watchers and waiters became defenders in name of the weak. It was pathetic. Ovinnik would relish their dying screams. But first his newest toy. The shadowed dog turned back to Lightfang, slamming heavy paws into his stomach and dragging hidden claws through unprotected skin with tangible malice.

Black Dog used Belly Rake on Lightfang, dealing 14 damage and using 10 stamina. Lightfang is no longer stunned.

Barleytuft
89/100 (-3 from the spines on swift strike <3)
250/280

Black Dog
52/75 HP
150/200 SP

Lightfang
26/60 HP
180/200 SP

Raventail
92/100 HP
235/280 SP