Alien Lands

Bloodstrike's curiosity had gotten the better of him today. Despite being made a warrior, he still had the urge to sneak around and escape the confines of Skyclan's borders. This time, however, he wanted to see these clanless cats. What was it like without Starclan telling you how to live your life on a day to day basis? He'd been by here once before when several cats had been fighting on the other side of the fence. He hadn't dared enter at that time, but now things seemed quiet. Bloodstrike easily jumped to the top of the fence and dropped down over the other side. With practiced landings, Bloodstrike hit the ground on the other side in total silence.

He crouched around, his ears straining for sounds that would give away the position of another cat. His nose drank in every scent carefully, but everything smelled foreign on this side of the fence. Crowfood, general Two-leg dwelling smells, gasoline... It was almost overwhelming. Two rats suddenly zipped by him from underneath a dumpster, but Bloodstrike didn't give chase. He was going to remain focused in a strange place like this, lest he be caught unaware and end up in a nasty fight with a lone cat, the heathens!

These lands were as foreign to Iniko as they were to the clan cat creeping through the shadows. His paws had carried him here with a purpose, striving after the pursuit of knowledge. The loner's paws had carried him through many unknown territories and he sought to learn every inch of this forest as a reward. After leaving behind Shadowclan territory, he found his mind wandering back to it with each passing breeze. There he had met as she-cat whose personality was as drawing as the warm sun across his coat. They would meet again soon, he could feel it in his pelt. But there were larger tasks at paw.

A faint flicker of movement twisted the shadows. His eyes had been trained to pick through surroundings for even the most minuscule of things. However, the shade provided adequate shelter for Bloodstrike. Parting his maw ever so slightly, the tom drank in the delicate scents and picked them apart. Cat scent. With a flickering tail, he sat back onto his haunches and faced the unknown threat still hidden behind a canopy of foliage and shade. Iniko called out lightly, "I can see you there, among the shadows. There is no point in hiding. Come out. Let's talk stranger. I can be a friend... if you let me."

Bloodstrike's fur bristled upon hearing an unfamiliar voice call out to him. He froze in place for several heartbeats, but then padded toward the voice. His eyes landed on an orange and white tabby tom. He inhaled deeply to pick up the stranger's scent.... and for once it was just... cat. There was no clan tied to the smell on his fur. It was weird.

"Hi," Bloodstrike offered politely, though not without caution. He was still crouching a bit, with his elbows and knees slightly bent and his paws spread evenly apart for balance, just in case.

"I'm from a clan in the forest, Skyclan. I'm Bloodstrike." Despite his caution, he did his best to appear as friendly as he could. If there was going to be a fight, it would not start with him.

"This is my first time in the Twoleg place. The last time I came near this place... there was a dreadful free for all fight going on between the clanless cats... Would you know anything about that?" He wasn't sure exactly how much he cared about a fight between lone cats, but it was a conversation starter and made it look like he actually had business here.

Experience caused the rogue's eyes to flicker about, drinking in the subtle precautions that wrought this tom's limbs. It was not a surprising thing. Cats were usually defensive upon meeting others. For this very reason, he had spent moons striving to become as pleasant and approachable as possible. A silvery tongue complimented his handsome coat and the impossibly confidant manner in which he carried himself. Iniko hardly flicked a whisker as the warrior approached. In fact, he dipped his head, eyes becoming mere slits for a moment, as he offered a warm greeting. The best thing to do in any situation was to make yourself small and overly comfortable. Let the other cat drop their guard; build a friendship. He had sought to instill these ideals into the she-cat who had once trained under him. Thankfully, that seemed to have stick.

These clan cats seemed jumpier than most loners. Their ideals and driven dedication to their way of life was a powerful thing. Perhaps that knowledge coupled with the way that Tanglepaw carried herself, alongside her natural disposition, was why even now her image fluttered through his mink. There was a soft shake of his multi-colored pelt that flicked away specks of dirt that may have settled on his sleek fur. An odd question provoked further conversation. Did clan cats really stray from their borders to pester those outside of their affairs? Instead of tilting his head, he shook it in a slight denial, "I'm afraid that I'm not too familiar with these parts. Although, a brawl does sound fun to any cat who can fight, don't you agree?"

Bloodstrike's stature spoke of a tom who could hold his own in battle. Iniko did not seem to provoke anything but sizing up his opponent came naturally, "My name is Iniko, I come from far beyond the horizon where your clan's eyes have never fallen. Yet, my home is not entirely unlike yours. Tell me... do you often patrol alone? It doesn't seem like the wisest decision." A honey-sweet smile crossed his maw, something darker lay underneath his deep green gaze. Something not quite akin to a threat drew from the words that dripped off of his tongue. It was a question in and of itself, one that he was curious to find an answer to.

Bloodstrike wasn't sure what to make of the loner's posturing. Or... lack thereof. He watched for any sign of tension or any twitch of the leg and shoulder muscles that were the tell-tale signs of a cat about to spring into action. He watched his eyes, watching for the the sudden expansion of the pupils just before an attack. There was no such sign in this loner. Still, Bloodstrike didn't know much about clanless cats and those who didn't follow the code of Starclan. What could be a calm situation now, could turn hostile later. Cats with no sense of honor... Bloodstrike had seen it himself. His eyes glanced very briefly to the spot where the white she-cat's body was at one point... she was gone now, but she most certainly had been murdered. Warriors fought each other a lot, definitely, but kill? That was a rarity considering how often skirmishes broke out among clans.

"Fun?" He had to think about that for a moment. There was a time where he thought battles would be fun... until an owl nearly killed his sister and could have killed him as well. "I suppose it depends on the cat. I'm decent at it, but violence isn't something I necessarily try first." It was a mostly true answer. "Practice is fun. I suppose fights can be fun if I'm the only one I need to worry about. Defending someone I care about who is in danger though... well I'm less focused on just testing my skills and far more focused on taking a life if need be, or giving mine."

Upon hearing his name, he tried to make sense of it. What was an iniko? Was that it? No Iniko-stalk or Iniko-leap...? Nothing? Alright then. "Iniko..." He tried the name on his lips. Nope. Still odd. Bloodstrike smiled and gave a short laugh, though out of joy or amusement it was not. In the short, curt laugh was a hint of darkness of it's own.

"I patrol alone more often than with others. If there is going to be a fight, I will deal with it. I've done it since I was an appr- ... since I was young. I have found that I am harder to track and harder spot if I am alone." He thought for a moment before continuing. There was hardly a risk spilling his plans to a loner, right?

"I want to be the leader of my clan at some point, but I want to earn respect from others before I make that climb... or teach them to fear me, whatever keeps them placid and keeps my clan safe. I travel alone to handle my own problems alone. I will either emerge stronger or I will die, and rid my clan of my uselessness."

Calculation crossed the other cat's maw. Iniko watched it intently, considering whether or not to boldly proclaim his intent as a cat merely interested in conversation. However, Bloodstrike continued to freely answer the questions posed to him. Whether it be boldness or stupidity, the tom shared things that another may have let lay close underneath their pelt. It was interesting, to say the least, the aspirations this warrior had and the manner in which he considered things. In some ways, the Skyclanner was like Tanglepaw. Other ways, the two were vastly different. How interesting the variety of cats was in the world. As Bloodstrike tested the foreign name and laughed, Iniko offered another pleasant smile. He listened intently and nodded when the warrior finished speaking.

"That's smart, until you're outnumbered and outmatched. It can be helpful to have allies at your side." There was a flash of pearl-white fangs twisting into an ominous smile. Inik decided to gloss over the topic of fighting but it settled at the back of his mind, something to be tucked away for later consideration. A more pressing matter demanded his attention: Bloodstrike's aspirations. He sought to lead, to control these strange warrior cats who guarded the forest. He flicked an ear, mulling over his own words for only a moment before sharing them with the tom, "Fear is a resource, my friend, don't be so quick to consider it without weighing the consequences. Knowledge is what you need. Get to know the cats that you wish to lead, their desires, strengths and weaknesses." Iniko paused, letting the words settle.

"Trust and respect, the image you portray, will get you further than you could ever imagine. I wonder what it would be like to have so much faith behind you, that slaying a cat under your paws would be a feat no other cat would question?" He knew the answer. Although Bloodstrike hadn't asked, it was intrigue that drove Iniko forward in his conversation and sharing the knowledge he had acquired. These very philosophies were things he had ponder over for seasons, molded and twisted into his very manner of being. It seemed perhaps these could be useful to Bloodstrike in his own endeavors. Maybe even something that could be of use to both of them in the future. Finally, he flicked his tail to dismiss the thoughts and move to something else.

"Would you like to spar? As you said, the practice is what's fun after all."

Bloodstrike shrugged at the loner's criticism. He knew the risks, and he would continue to do what he felt was necessary despite them. If he got beaten so badly that he was ever impaired or his skills were otherwise lessened, well, he would end himself. He would climb to the top and keep it or he would die trying. He continued to listen as Iniko talked. This loner had not been a loner his whole life, it sounded. Bloodstrike kept his professionally stoic expression throughout the conversation, but he now regarded the loner with some suspicion. What would a lone cat know of any of the things he spoke about?

"For some cats, power and fear are the only things they will respond to. I won't resort to such measures unless I must." He corrected Iniko. The thought of killing another cat wasn't foreign to him, but he hoped he would never have to. He would, but only under the most extreme circumstances. At least... that's what he liked to believe about himself.

Spar? Bloodstrike stared for a very long time into Iniko's eyes and his own eyes narrowed. His eyes skimmed quickly over the lone cat, noting that he looked like would be about as tough as Bloodstrike was now, despite being clanless. Maybe even a bit tougher...

"Sparring, yes. But if I feel like you're pulling some dirty clanless cat trick I will show you no mercy." And with that, Bloodstrike wasted no time. He bunched his haunches up behind him, powerful limbs from pulling his own 20lbs of weight up and across trees, then launched himself forward with all of the ferocity that friendly sparring would allow.


Bloodstrike used Leap and Hold, dealing 16 damage and -10SP

Iniko is stunned for 2 turns!


Bloodstrike
40HP / 110SP (-10SP)


Iniko
29HP / 140SP (- 16HP)

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

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'Effect Dice' : 4

There was some idealistic youth to the tom's manner of thinking. However, after a brief moment, Iniko simply smiled at this. Hadn't he also been a headstrong kit at some point? It had taken moons of experience to bring him to where he was now. Success hadn't come easily to his paws and perhaps that was why now he was so intrigued by this tom whose upbringing was so vastly different from his own. Maybe as Bloodstrike grew, he too could learn to dissect the wisdom of others and hold steadfast to his own desires and truths. It was a fine craft, one that few learned. One might believe that a cat whose appearance was as brutish as this could never master such an art, but from their few moments of conversing, Inik had already crafted some hopeful ideal. Foolish? Only time would tell.

His eyes drank in the stature of his companion; underneath a uniquely patterned coat were well-developed muscles. This would be the most interesting of encounters. A friendly spar was always more telling than the clashing of claws in rage. However, it was always interesting to engage in a battle for death, or life. That too had it's own story to tell. He considered these things as his eyes met with Bloodstrike's. The other tom sized him up with prying eyes. It was smart the way the Skyclanner regarded an opponent's strengths. Iniko's maw peeled up at the sides in a soft smile; the idea of underpawed tactics was appealing, but not for this particular moment.

There was no hesitation in the bunching and springing of muscles. Iniko watched each twitch, every movement, which was spurred on by the impressive bulk of his opponent. And he was pinned, pressed beneath that weight. Another grin as he turned his gaze to meet that of the cat whose paws pressed him to the earth, "Impressive. I see you clan cats do have some experience after all. If it weren't for your obvious strength, I would compare your weight to that of a house cat." There was a flicker of whiskers as he teased Bloodstrike, making no motion to break the strike.

Iniko is pinned for 1 turn.

Bloodstrike was almost confused by how easy it had been to pin the other tom. He didn't even fight back really... Then he started to speak of all things, using energy to talk instead of bite. Bloodstrike kept him in place easily enough, situating his weight more solidly since Iniko was just letting him. This wouldn't do... this was no spar.

Upon the Kittypet insult, Bloodstrike snorted at him and smiled a little on one side of his face.

"Kittypets certainly eat well and don't have to do much for it, do they?" Bloodstrike then used his strength to press down just behind Iniko's shoulder on his ribcage, CPR style, since he didn't intend to slice him to ribbons as he normally would with a real opponent. Instead, he was going to compress the air from his lungs and make it difficult if not impossible to draw a good breath again.

"You are so very trusting for a clanless cat. No home, no clan to wonder where you went or what happened to you... you don't mean anything to anyone, Iniko." Bloodstrike placed a hind paw on the back inner thigh of Iniko.... and just barely allowed a claw to pierce it.

"You're just letting me pin you and trusting that I'm not the one with foul intentions. Were you really so gullible? I've killed enough prey to know that they... tend to bleed a lot when the fleshy part of their hind leg is cut. I'd wager they'd bleed to death, but I always had someone keeping an annoyingly close watch on me, so I've never been able to actually watch and see what happens.

But not now. Now it's just us."

Bloodstrike purposely pressed down with his hind toes hard enough that he could feel the pulsing vein just underneath his toe pads. He had two reasons for doing this, one being intimidation and two, he wanted to know how nervous or cool headed his opponent was now.

"Luckily for you, I agreed to a spar, so instead of bleeding you or gutting you, I'll just hold you down and not permit you to breathe until you either pass out, or stop playing this stupid game where you pretend to be worse than you are and fight back." Bloodstrike finally called him out and watched his eyes and felt for his pulse very carefully for any changes.

"If you pass out, I warn you, I will pee on you."

Bloodstrike
Leap and Hold Stun still in effect, damage already accounted for in previous post
40 HP / 110 SP

Iniko
Stunned
29 HP / 160 SP

Intimidating; Threatening.

These were the traits that the Skyclanner seemed to draw from and rely on in combat. The flickers of annoyance in his gaze at Iniko's casual nature was obvious. A twitching of whiskers betrayed the tom's amusement at the situation. Even with the compression of his breathing and restrictions and his lungs. Over the course of the moons, he'd dealt with much worse. This was nothing. Another loner might have trembled as the claws pierced flesh and in such a vulnerable area too. How someone could be so brutish and smart at once was beyond him. But it wasn't the first time he had faced such creatures. There were cats who shared his blood that were twice as vicious and lacked even the thin measures of restraint and sanity that this tom displayed.

The claws of his hindleg flexed, twisting underneath the thorn-sharp claw. It had been a while since he felt blood drip down his flesh. It was a reminder of his mortality that only served to sharpen his senses and clear his mind. Iniko found himself hopefully straining towards the ideal that he could help this cat, and that this tom too might help him in his own pursuits. The ominous words that dripped from Bloodstrike's maw intrigued him and it was all the loner could do not to crack a smile. To think that any cat on their own would be so trusting was indeed foolish. What his opponent failed to know was that in his profession, he was never entirely alone, and even when he was, Iniko was never the one in danger. His tail flicked and for a moment he said nothing. Every muscle was loose. When the warrior tested his pulse, all he would find was a cool and rhythmic surge.

"I fight when I need to. Timing is essential in every battle. And even when it appears the fight is over, or your opponent is soft and weak... you need to be on your guard." As the words left his maw, still hanging heavy in the air, Inik twisted. His hing leg that had been pinned now dipped and twisted from under the grasp of his attacker. When there paw suck heavy into his lungs, he slid to the side and used his freed paws to kick up at the soft underbelly of the tom on top of him. It was enough to throw another cat easily to the ground. But he didn't care about toppling Bloodstrike yet. Merely slipping away from the grasp, allowing a glimmer of the skill that had been tamed and nurtured underneath the guise of his handsome pelt.

He darted away and created a distance between them, rounding to face Bloodstrike. There was a sharp laugh that finally broke his maw, "Pee on me? What are you, a dog? Attack me again! This is a spar like you said, Bloodstrike. Show me you rely on more than just strength and power."

Iniko is no longer pinned.

Bloodstrike exhaled harshly like a trained boxer when Iniko kicked his hind legs into him. It worked in negating any damage that could have been done to his ribcage as he twisted around in the air to land squarely on his feet. Having the flexible spine of a cat was good. He landed back down into a battle stance, paws spread evenly apart for balance, skull low to guard his throat and his tail straight back behind him for even further balance.

"Strength and power? Is that really all you think I do? It may be my most obvious advantage but it is far from my only one, Iniko!" He yowled the foreign name before he dashed forward and lashed out with sheathed claws. Still, the powerful blows from his thick, well-muscled forelegs being concentrated into the tiny surface area that were his "knuckles" was surely going to leave a mark.

"I've figured out you're holding back for some reason, at least. Did you really think you hid it well? Ha!" Bloodstrike spat as he struck at his adversary.

Bloodstrike used Rear-Up to Slash, dealing 9 damage and -15SP

Bloodstrike
40HP / 95SP (-15SP)

Iniko
20HP / 160SP (-9HP)

The balance displayed was impressive. Iniko would likely later admit to being captivated by the way the bulky tom was able to swiftly maneuver through the air and land on his feet. Being able to control his own weight in the less advantageous moments was important. Bloodstrike turned quickly, prepared for the defense. But after yowling out a respond, his opponent rushed forward as expected. The blows glanced the side of his head as he leaned away. Still, admittedly, it was thrilling to feel the surge of battle even if he often found it an unnecessary activity.

While Bloodstrike still reared up over him in the air, Iniko took the opportunity to dive forward and underneath his belly. He slid between Bloodstrike's hindlegs and came up behind him. In the same motion, the rogue turned and leaped up onto the other cat's back, pinning him to the ground face down. His paws spread evenly, a similar action to that of his opponent moments earlier. Claws slid into the soft flesh of Bloodstrike's shoulders and the exterior of his powerful Skyclan hindlegs. Inik marveled at the natural strength beneath his paws, truly feeling it for the first time since they had started their spar.

"You're right. I like to see the kind of cat someone is when their opponent is not a challenge. But also, it's equally as interesting to see who they are when a threat is proposed." Iniko quipped as he pressed his weight, concentrating on restricting the power of those muscular back legs. Once he was certain that he had a decent hold, the loner lowered his maw to speak into Bloodstrike's ear, "I feel like you clan cats are used to weak and starving loners. Most of your companions don't see those outside the clans as a threat, I presume?"

Iniko used leap and hold, dealing 9 damage and using 10 stamina. Bloodstrike is held for 2 turns.

Bloodstrike
HP: 31/40
SP: 95/120

Iniko
HP: 20/45
SP: 130/140

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

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'Effect Dice' : 6

Bloodstrike thought he'd been prepared enough to avoid the inevitable moment where Iniko would finally stop pretending to be prey. Alas, he was not expecting his opponent to slide under him then be on top of him an instant later, of all things. Claws sank into his flesh...deeply... something that he thought was not supposed to happen during a spar. Dirty fox-hearted loner! He kept his words to himself, lest he miss an important opportunity to get his opponent under his claws again. It took a bit of struggling, but Bloodstrike did manage to get his feet under him again, fighting Iniko's well-placed footing on his hind legs. The footing of the enemy cat was good and very strategically placed, but Bloodstrike's strength was enough that it didn't matter. Iniko would have to give it up and reposition himself atop Bloodstrike or risk stretching a tendon a bit beyond it's means.

Bloodstrike got to his feet, about a half-way crouch with Iniko's weight on his back was all he could manage for now. His wild striking and attacking had left him more tired than he realized, a flaw in his strategy that would fix in future battles.

"We're used to loners avoiding our territories because we typically gang up on them and throw their sorry bodies back into the dirty ditches where they belong!" Bloodstrike hissed. His eyes traveled to where he thought Iniko's front paws may move in a moment, whether it was for balance or to continue striking.... Bloodstrike would wait for it. It crossed his mind to bite as hard as he possibly could into the tiny, fragile bones of the lone cat's front paw when he could and not let go. It wouldn't take much force at all to permanently maim the tendons there or crush the tiny toe bones... Iniko struggling against Bloodstrike's jaws would only further the damage done to his paw and he could very well end up drawing back a series of bloody nubs where his toes used to be...

Maybe Bloodstrike would... A limping, unbalanced adversary would be far easier to defeat than what he was dealing with now. He would wait for one of those paws to slip... and that was when he would decide if he would just pull his opponent from his back or do something that Starclan may not like and permanently cripple the lone cat.

Bloodstrike is stunned for 1 more turn