The Song of Angels Fallen Pt. 2

(Me and Tara partially RPed this out in Google Docs, putting it in its rightful place now)


She could barely think, chaos sparkling like scattered drops, drawn through with fire, flickering with white heat - all centred in the sharp pain at the back of her neck - teeth somehow not crushing her throat - her limbs struggling, twisting against the pulling, but useless for the moment in this sudden numb shock. Tigerpaw! The young tom had been - her heart burned with furious fear, a white-hot adrenaline. With a sudden lunge, she ripped free of the grip, feeling skin tear, hot liquid seep through her fur. Her breath raw in her lungs, heart pounding furiously, she whirled, arching her back and bringing sky-blue eyes - burning with the fury of a usually gentle heart thrumming to protect kin and Clan - to bear on this monster.

A creature with a russet pelt and dangling jaw, its empty, dead sockets sparking blue met her gaze. A sudden tremor of horror ran down her spine, lifting every hair on her pelt. What-? This... this wasn't a fox! Quills bristled on its back, teeth on its brow, and its scent- What Dark Forest forsaken creature is this? Something about it seemed oddly familiar, a hint of a scent, but- Her claws unsheathed, a cool fury replacing the horror, a grim determination as her tail lashed once, her muscles tensing for it to move. Whatever it is, it's clearly intent on harming anyone in its way.

I will not allow that to happen.

Swansong managed to rip herself away from Dawnhawk's teeth, which only jumped his adrenaline up even higher than it had already been. She needed to die... she needed to die now! Too much of her caterwauling could bring unwanted attention. With cat blood in his mouth, Dawnhawk spit it out, only causing the wad of saliva and blood to trickle down from the dead One-Ear's open maw. The look on Swansong's face told him that she hadn't figured it out yet. On the off-chance that he failed to kill her, he needed to make sure that she never did.

Finally able to use his full abilities and not have to hold back for show like he did amongst the clan, Dawnhawk lurched forward with a deep, guttural yowl that he hoped sounded nothing like a cat. At least his love for singing had helped him achieve pitches and and other noises that he wanted with relative ease. Maybe it would pay off today... maybe it wouldn't.

Dawnhawk used Sanctum Strike, dealing 15 damage and -20SP

Dawnhawk
75HP / 180SP (-20SP)

Swansong
Stunned for 1 Turn
65HP / 240SP (-15HP)

She'd barely settled into battle stance when the foul creature lunged forwards, its odd jaw snapping wide in a deep howl, bowling into her before she could fully dodge aside, her paws slipping slightly on the rough ground. The air gasped out of her lungs as she hit the ground, subconsciously twisting to keep glinting claws between her and it. A trickle of fear flashed down her spine. it was strong - sharp pain from claws and teeth burned into her pelt.

Pelt...

Her eyes focused on it as it rounded on her, that glint of blue in its eye sockets showing for a moment. The lower perspective made it look even stranger. Despite the way it held itself close to the ground, above her own paws she could see what almost looked like - What... is this? The thought flashed through her mind, more of a feeling, the rapid beat of her heart thundering in her ears. Claws, teeth that didn't bite - It rang false. Its jaw opened in an almost still moment of pure adrenaline, her body tensed for the pain from its next attack. Something behind those teeth, the jaw flopped loosely, hideously held by the barest of threads-

Blue.

Her breath froze in her lungs as its eyes locked on hers. The paws - not a fox's, and teeth behind the larger canine ones. A cat. A cat in a pelt. For the briefest of instants before it leapt on her the sunlight fell across it, illuminating the gruesome parody of a predator. A feeling of recognition bubbled up behind the panic, behind the split-second horror as she lay there gasping in the last flicker of evening light, the feeling of rocks digging into her pelt beneath redder wounds.

"Dawnhawk?"

Swansong is no longer stunned.

Dawnhawk
75HP / 180SP

Swansong
45HP / 200SP

He had managed to hit her well enough that she was stunned. The training the Asylum had given him was working. This wasn't an ability he would have learned from his clan life alone... and yet he was still capable of performing what his clan had taught him. Swansong's eyes searched all over the creature before her, no doubt nightmare fuel even for the bravest warriors in the forest. He was surprised when she said his name, however. He hesitated for a moment. Only a few heartbeats later, he decided to speak. She'd be dead tonight anyway, so what did it matter?

"Wonderful observation skills Swansong." He purred at her through his fox skin pelt. "This is nothing personal, Sweetheart... but my new friends aren't convinced of my loyalty to them yet. Once I finish you off and bring them your corpse, I will have gained their trust. If you make this easy for me, I will make it easy for you."

Then he lunged forward with unsheathed claws. No longer concerned about fighting like a fox, he was going to shred her to death if she decided to fight back.

Dawnhawk used Rending Front Paws, dealing 15 damage and -25SP

Dawnhawk
75HP / 155SP (-25SP)

Swansong
30HP / 200SP (-15HP)

And the fox spoke. A spike of something between horror and shock still jolted down her spine, even though she had suspected - no, knew - what it truly was. Some part of her just couldn't believe, couldn't fathom that this... this creature, was one of her Clanmates. No, he's not my Clanmate.

This is an enemy.

Something rose up behind the choking horror, an icy-cold tightness that quickly blossomed, swelling into a burning fury, like the flickering of red flames devouring the blue frost of a winter's morning. Eyes like flint, a surge of strength welled from her throbbing heart to her paws, burning wounds forgotten as it surged like the waters of the flood itself. With a grace that belied her prone position, she twisted away from its claws even as her own slashed out, her SkyClan agility launching her back upright.

No glint of furious teeth showed in her maw, no wrinkle of her lip to show disgust at this betrayal - simply a steely determination, the fury of the protecting pines themselves. The heart of a warrior awakened to guard her Clan and kin. "You think these friends will trust you? After you betrayed your own Clan? If they do, I should pity them for the mistake they will have made."

Words from a different place whispered through her mind, comforting and yet daunting at the same time in this exhilaration, born of desperation, born of loyalty. “What I felt? Happiness and love, my kit…an urge to protect you and help you make your dreams come true, regardless of what it could take and the price I had to pay for it....”

For a moment the world fell still, the beauty of the evening light mixed with a terrible sort of foreboding, the dying light a tinge of blood playing through the sparkling air. Her breath drew in, sweet scents and tang of blood mixing oddly, her claws firm, red glinting brighter in the glittering shafts. Eyes the colour of the sky met the monster's, fear throbbing with the fury in a swirling dance. "I never did prefer the easy way."

Swansong used Dodge-and-Fight, counterattack was successful, dealing 6 damage and costing 15 SP.

Dawnhawk
69HP / 155SP (-6HP)

Swansong
45HP / 185SP (-15SP)

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

---

'Effect Dice' : 5

She deftly avoided his claws and gave him a superficial swipe of her own. He had learned to drop his chin to use the fox's natural armor for his own. Her light scratch across the bridge of his nose would fade soon enough.

"Maybe they'll regret it, maybe they won't. That entirely depends on them." He said casually before he kicked off of the ground and sent his body high into the air. He stretched his claws out in front of him and landed on the she-cat. There was no way she could keep avoiding inevitable defeat.

Dawnhawk used Leap and Hold, dealing 13 damage and -10SP

Dawnhawk
69HP / 145SP (-10SP)

Swansong
Stunned for 1 turn
32HP / 185SP (-13HP)

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

---

'Effect Dice' : 3

His words rang in her ears a moment before he pounced, claws suddenly knifing into her pelt. The weight of him seemed to press down on her, pinning her to the ground this time, warm wetness slipping out where blazing lines drew scores into her skin. She barely felt it, forcing her limbs to fall limp and rolling with the movement, slipping out from underneath with a vague tearing feel that pulled at her fur. Still, she knew from the feel of her pelt even through the roaring in her veins that he was strong. And unaffected by her own miniscule attacks so far. I can't dodge all of his attacks. Eventually, he'll pin me down for good. And when that happened... She had no doubt that she'd find his teeth in her neck. I won't give in. He certainly seemed willing enough to have a casual conversation as he attempted to tear the life from her - perhaps she could use that. It wouldn't help her survive until a patrol came, but if it gave Tigerpaw time to wake and get out; gave both of them a chance - even if her own was admittedly slim... If I must fall here....

So be it.

"Your own Clan won't stand for it. Wolfstar won't spare you for this." Her eyes regarded him with coldness, blood trickling down the back of her neck warm to the throbbing beat of her heart. How could this ambition, this monster, have hidden among their own ranks for so long? Had Bloodstrike or Smokefeather not seen it? No, she could remember... days gone by, the stories told with rolling eyes of "yet another" argument between the kits of Bloodstrike and Smokefeather, disgruntled murmurs predicting they'd turn out just like their parents. It seemed at least one had gone far beyond what their parents had ever been, anger issues or no. "Will you murder your own kin as you plan to murder me?"

Swansong is no longer pinned.

Dawnhawk
69HP / 145SP

Swansong
32HP / 185SP

Dawnhawk was surprised that she was talking as much as she was. He studied her for a moment, momentarily admiring her fighting spirit. It really was a shame that it had to be her. At the very least he could give her a warrior's death. "I will murder whoever I have to to get what I want." He said coldly and without emotion. He then lunged forward again, looking to demolish her further. He'd begin digging his claws in as far as they could possibly go before his own toes prevented him from burying them any deeper. He'd cut away muscle from sinew and flesh from bone. She would bleed out if she decided to try to escape, but something told Dawnhawk that Swansong wasn't going to run.

Dawnhawk used Rending Front Paws, dealing 15 damage and -25SP

Dawnhawk
69HP / 120SP (-25SP)

Swansong
17HP / 185SP (-15HP)

Looking into his eyes, she couldn't help but feel a churning sort of disgusted pity. "Then you destroy yourself and your loved ones for a whim."

She braced herself as he lunged, this time allowing his claws to connect, despite her instinct to dodge away again. No. There is a point when you have to stop running. She'd reached it. Nothing she did, not even an attempt to run away at this point would save her. I won't go down without a fight - for my family, for my friends. But I won't deny it. And she could see in his eyes and the snarl on his lips that he meant every word. Her only chance, perhaps, was to give him a wound that would warn her Clanmates.

Twisting aside from his blows, she slid gracefully under his belly, claws quickly slashing beneath the fox pelt hanging over his frame, the feeling of soft fur and harder flesh beneath before she came through, springing up again, red spots tainting her paws.

Swansong used Half-turn Belly Rake, dealing -13 damage and using 20 SP.

Dawnhawk
56HP / 120SP (-13HP)

Swansong
17HP / 165SP (-20SP)

Dawnhawk didn't feel as if he needed to speak anymore. She was going to die. Her life was over. Nothing she heard or knew would matter anymore. She dove under him and he felt a sharp sting on his belly. He reacted with a hiss as a moment of white hot fury tore through his soul. This was ending... and it was ending now. He spun to face her and took his chance to deliver another blow. It ought to be enough to stun or weaken her just long enough to clamp down onto her throat and drain what remained of her life from her body.

"Valiantly fought, Swansong... but your life will be over soon." His voice had a bit more of an edge to it now, as the pain had put him in a less than ideal mood. He brought his claws down upon her head with all of his weight and strength thrown into it. He would force her to the dirt, then he would end this struggle.

Dawnhawk used Upright Lock, dealing 16 damage and -25SP

Dawnhawk
56HP / 95SP (-25SP)

Swansong
1HP / 165SP (-16HP)

OOC: I'll have his next move be Asylum's Mercy since she is down to 1 HP.

In the corner of her eye, she saw him twist. Too late, claws glinting like fire in the evening as they stretched and flashed towards her head. His eyes burst like furious blue crackles of lightning, mixing with the sudden sparks all around her. Everything suddenly bloomed with brilliance, the sunset shivering through the trees - a few last flashes of orange - all of it overwhelmingly bright.

Vaguely, distantly, she could feel herself falling under that blow, the breeze shuddering in her lungs. It was sweet, oddly sweet for leaf-fall, without the chill of leaf-bare coming. The ground fell rough against her, small pain of rocks digging in little compared to the throb of wounds in her body suddenly swirling, pounding against her skin in torn lines.

She found herself on the ground, the rush of breath in her ears, blood pounding through her veins. All in sharp clarity, yet somehow distant. For how could something so terrifying and horrible - the end of life itself and the pain of that life being dragged from her body - be so beautiful? Her eyes lifted, taking in the specks of light dancing through the air, the ground and trees touched by golden luminescent feathers, brushed across the world, heedless of the red spilled across its ground. Even those seemed to glow with a radiance, each drop sparkling as it fell before her eyes, twinkling and changing shape, almost somehow seeming to sing. Peace, it was peace.

Her eyes lifted, finding those of the monster above, his pelt a strange, foreign thing in this glowing world - all its horror stripped away by that light. The teeth decorating it seemed a terrible sorrow, to be nailed into something as beautiful as that pelt must have once been, despite the monster that had borne it in life. It seemed fitting, really. The pelt of a monster to decorate another's frame and make him into the same. Yet she could see beneath it - a cat, not some unstoppable god. A traitor, and a Clanmate.

Exhale. She could feel it, now, in the way her breath wisped from her throat to dance with the air stirring all around her; a thousand scents - subtle and brilliant in their scope - brushing softly against her muzzle, almost unmarred by that of blood.

Her eyes, the colour of the sky in that moment, met those of the one standing above her, unblinking, unflinching. The slightest of smiles pulled at the corners of her maw, a wondrous feeling of freedom tugging at her pelt, as though at any moment she would drift up into the clouds to join the sun, flying free as a song. "No, not over. My life will live on, even free of my body," The words sighed from her maw as the breeze sighed through the needles of the pines above.

Her home. As her lids half-closed for a moment she could almost hear them speaking, the song of giants who had lived long and seen much, known many and watched many fall. Their song was not sad, but it brought a prickle of tears to her eyes - such an odd mix, this melancholy and joy. It spoke of old things passing away and new things coming. They will take good care of my kin, as my kin and their kin will walk among them. Tigerpaw, you should live to be such a song, my friend. Sunflower, Father... if only you knew. Her eyes opened again, strength pooled calmly in their depths, no paw raised to drag claws through pelt, this time.

They never had been her weapon of choice.

"No matter what you plan to do - my friends, my family, they won't let you walk over them. You'll have to fight harder than you fought against me to bring them to their knees. SkyClan - all the Clans - are more than you think. More than you think you turned your back on."

Her gaze rose beyond him, the arc of a bird swooping through the air, feathers flashing in the sunset catching that light, the echoing twitter ringing through the pines. Memories of others, of words called and passions stirred beat through her heart - remembered, savoured. Almost to herself, her last words before the feel of his teeth lunged forward to bury in her neck murmured through the final beats of a shimmering moment. "Kill me, and a thousand will rise to take my place."

Swansong has not attacked

His blow had struck true. Swansong fell to the ground and Dawnhawk stood over her for a few seconds, allowing her to say whatever she wanted as her final words. She thought she was making a point, a statement, a threat. In reality they were ntohing but words, words to make a dying cat feel better in their last moments. Dawnhawk would grant her that much at the very least. He stayed quiet for several heartbeats after she had said her last word, the last bit of respect given to a true soldier.

"I will make this quick." He said to her, just before his fangs struck down faster than a snake's and plunged into the side of her neck. The jugular gave way to his jaws as he applied lethal force and held her there. Once he was certain there was sufficient damage to bleed her out, Dawnhawk released and let the crimson life-giving liquid flow. It pooled on the ground around her and Dawnhawk just watched with a numb victory.

"Starclan light your path." As much as he hated Starclan, he would give the warrior the respect she was due and say the appropriate words. And that was the end of Swansong. Dawnhawk would be rewarded by the asylum and then his own plans could get underway.

Dawnhawk used Asylum's Mercy, dealing a lethal blow to Swansong and thus ending her life.

She could see her words had no effect on those stone-cold eyes beneath the horrendous, dusky red visage of the mutilated fox's pelt. That he waited, unblinking, as she spoke was almost a surprise. But then... he had nothing to lose, didn't he? Still, perhaps in the days to come her words would come back - as she knew they would prove true. This... she could remember stories of cats in predator pelts, from WindClan in moons past. A sense deep within her, a twinge within her heart - perhaps because she was on the precipice of death, the twilight zone of life - told her that this was beyond the betrayal of a single cat. We survived the Righteous Few, the flood... My Clan, the blood that beats through my veins - it will not be overcome by something like this.


The old battle cry brought memories flitting back - a dark night with the moon covered by ethereal shrouds, and star-furred cats who had come to shed blood. To reign terror from the heavens above. The images and sounds from that night came in glittering shards, reflected from the eyes of the one who stood above her, in the glint of his teeth as his head snapped forward - twisting, spinning; they whirled like tiny droplets. Spatters of crimson that flickered in the air, slowly, delicately. She didn't flinch, a breath escaping from her maw as the bright, burning feel of pain erupted in her neck, warmth immediately spilling across her skin, through her fur. Wetness like the flood, pain like the grief of Clanmates torn from her - both dead, and ones who had... left.

She could feel the strength slipping from her muscles as she gasped for breath, all of it slipping through the wound on her neck and leaving behind an empty, floating feel that crept in with darkness at the edges of her vision. With a struggle against her own weight, she raised her head, meeting his eyes as best she could, voice coming in a fading whisper, forced through the fog of her life's blood spilling across the forest floor. "If you truly believe your own words, tell Redfall..." The memories flowed back - a young tom, eager to show his worth. Following her into the fray and standing beside her even as she went against her own leader. He'd made mistakes, but... another face flashed through the dimness of failing sight - one with blue and green eyes, and a pure heart. Some good things had come from it. It pained her to leave them behind. "...to look after his kits."

"Tell him... I loved... loved him like a son."

They danced through her mind - the images of her life - as her body slipped, the dim feel of pine needles nestling against her fur, beside her cheek. The gasping breaths in her lungs were barely felt anymore; she knew they were slowing. But all she could focus on was the sky above, marbled with wisps of cloud, blazing orange and yellow as the last glimmer of light died with her. Faces of friends came back again, ones she'd lost, ones she'd laughed and walked beside. Something damp besides the wet warmth of seeping blood touched her face, a smile lighting up her maw as laboured breaths began to still, heart slowing.

Memories danced back on the breeze. Her paws beneath her, strong as she stood for what she believed in, facing down the laws of selfish cats blinded by what they had twisted the Code to be. That same sense thrummed through her veins still, of being willing to throw her life down for her Clanmates, for the good of all the Clans, to preserve their way of life. That it should end here.... It almost seemed fitting, in a way. The sunset, the pines.... Oh, that she should not have had to end it here, that she could have fought another day, but...


It was how the circle of life worked. When one ended... another would come. It was why they mentored, why they raised kits with love, teaching them the ways of the forest and the code. When one of us falls, the next will be there. To support, to carry on, to live.


Clarity in this moment, crystal blue as the sky. Oddly, she could feel it for a still moment - the breeze touching her fur, faintly cool from leaf-fall's onset. She could see the dancing glimmers of dust motes and leaves floating through the air, brushed by shimmering strokes of fading orange. The smell of blood had left, only the tang of the pines, the earth, bushes and grass - prey, too - and the sweetness of the sunset itself. The very air thrummed with life, glowing. How had she never seen it?

Her eyes watched it with wonder, reflecting that glorious sunset winding through the green of the pines, the breeze rustling their needles, stirring and throwing glittering stars ahead. Trails of them blew on the wind, coming softly on wings of gold towards her. A smiling face with kind eyes, the eyes of a mother she had missed so badly, seemed to look at her from within them. A faint outline with the last, glimmering shard of melting yellow lit up her fur like the warmth of the sun itself shining on the silver pelt of the moon. It was a song, it was a beautiful reflection rippling on the waters - it was more, it was somehow more than all of them.