Dangerous Game [c]

Today was the day that Wisteriabloom would try and find a Windclan cat to pass her message onto. She thought it might be a little too obvious if she purposely started a border fight the sunrise after her own with Beecloud, so she had waited a few days, but she had to pass the message on at some point. In general, she didn't really have an idea what their neighbouring clan was like, since the only Windclan warrior she had properly talked to was Smallbean. Pff. His name still makes me laugh now. It was certainly very to-the-point, in a comical way.

The only cat she had with her was an Asylum accompaniment, who seemed very disinterested in the warrior's wanderings. As she neared the gorge, she kept her eyes on the moor ahead, searching for a Windclan cat. It didn't take long for a pale she-cat to catch her attention. She approached the edge of the gorge, but then made a grave mistake by looking down. And how far down it went. Suddenly her stomach felt as if it were going to make an appearance, so she quickly turned away. Come on, Wisteria. You can do it. Stop being such a mouse. Taking a small run-up, she leapt as far as she could to get to the other side, leaving plenty of room between her and the steep sides once she had landed.

Still very cautious of the drop behind her, she threw herself at the other warrior.

"Hey! Uh... Don't you dare trespass!" Oh stars, I'm gonna have to get better at pretending if this thing carries on. "I saw you leap back over with Riverclan prey! Don't think I didn't notice!" She stole a glance back at the rogue on the other side of the gorge, making sure she had heard what she was saying. 

Then, much quieter, she whispered to the she-cat. "I'm Wisteriabloom. Keep pretending to fight, I really need to speak to you." Please let her listen.

Wisteriabloom used Run-and-Tackle on Zinnia, costing 10 Sp and dealing 14 damage

Wisteriabloom
80/80 hp
230/240 sp [-10]

Zinnia
86/100 hp [-14]
280/280

Zinnia was, quite pointedly, not dwelling on her mate's absence - on the abandonment of her clan and her lover, of the life and family they'd made together here. That wasn't the way of things, to dwell on what was lost; life, and those who lived it, came and went with the sun and the moon - some were taken by death, others by the wind. Some returned, some did not. All in all, there was nothing to dwell upon, least of all her own feelings about all of it.

(Or so she tried to tell herself. But it seemed that the forest had gotten to her, in some small ways, after all her efforts to embrace them; grief was a long and arduous process, even seemingly without a death to mourn. The pain of loss was sharp and stinging, as was not knowing whether or not her love was alive and well.)

Suffice it to say that to be set upon by a RiverClan warrior on a routine hunting patrol wasn't how Zinnia had expected - and certainly not how she had hoped - the day would go. Amidst all that, the cat in question dared to accuse her of theft? Honestly, what a flimsy excuse for whatever it was she was attempting to accomplish. That whatever, though, was swiftly revealed in a single whispered sentence.

"Are you accusing me of theft?" she asked, voice at full volume - or perhaps a little louder, all things considered - and full of all the indignation she'd felt at the very accusation. Honestly, for all that she carried her name, she was a loyal warrior; and any insult to her honor was a grave one indeed. "You must understand the gravity of such an accusation. I will not allow an insult to my honor to go unaddressed. Tell me, what do you have to say for yourself?" Then a whisper, much softer in comparison: "What do you have to say?"

Zinnia used Rear-Up to Slash on Wisteriabloom, dealing 17 damage and costing 15 SP.

Wisteriabloom
63/80 HP (-17)
230/240 SP

Zinnia
86/100 HP
265/280 SP (-15)

Wisteriabloom let a small smile cross her face at the other warrior's immediate agreement. Turns out this would be easier than she had expected. But her expression quickly fell when she remembered that their every move was being watched. "What's your name?" At this point, she was just trying to replicate what Beecloud had said to her, since she still wasn't fully sure of what to do.

"Asylum knows that the clans are too powerful when we are one united force. That's why they've stopped us communicating. There's a... plan forming." The large warrior said, but quickly broke off when she realised that their fight was beginning to seem less real. She darted behind Zinnia and pulled her 'opponent's' tail, knocking her off-balance. It was a sneaky, apprentice move really, but Wisteriabloom didn't care, since the actual fighting wouldn't amount to anything. "I understand if you want to walk away from this. It'll be dangerous. But I'm here so I can protect my kin and my clan." This will all be for nothing if she isn't willing. Let's just hope that she's lost loved ones as well. 

"Mangy Windclanner!" She yelled whilst the pale warrior made her decision. It wasn't even worth the effort, since the two Asylum cats with them were busy with their own conversation, but it was better to be safe than sorry.

Wisteriabloom used Tail Yank on Zinnia, costing 10 Sp and dealing 7 damage. Zinnia is stunned for 1 turn

Wisteriabloom
63/80 HP
220/240 SP [-10]

Zinnia
79/100 HP [-7]
265/280 SP

"Zinnia," she whispered. Hissing a sound of pain as her tail has pulled, Zinnia had the good sense to look incredibly offended when she met the RiverClanner's gaze again. "What is wrong with you?!" Then, whispered again: "They have taken much from us all, haven't they? Let's say I have something personal to settle with them, and leave it at that." Several somethings by now, really. There was the matter of the Nightstrikers, the first time, and now of Asylum and how they'd led her love to disappear like a shadow in the night; there was the matter of freedom and that she had to fight just to win a chance to speak with her opponent. "I will not stand idly by while this continues. It has to end, and soon. It would be my honor to assist."

Zinnia is stunned. Just, totally stunned. Completely. Wisteriabloom, did anyone tell you that you're stunning today?

Wisteriabloom
63/80 HP
220/240 SP

Zinnia
79/100 HP
265/280 SP

Yes! Wisteriabloom thought. She had added another member to the Mousehunt. "Our safe-word is 'mouse', so we know that the cats we're talking to are part of the network. I wouldn't advise taking to clanmates about it, since it's probably easier to do it through border fights. Much more private." She glance over her shoulder at the Asylum cats who were boredly watching them. "We've spread the hunt to all of the clans now, so hopefully soon we'll be able to take steps towards the end. And finish Asylum." If she was being completely honest, her words sounded a lot more confident than she felt, but hopefully she had no need to be worried.

She reared up and gently hit Zinnia's face with her front paws, feeling a little guilty after her sneaky last move. "Is anything big happening in Windclan?" Wisteriabloom asked. If everything was normal, she wouldn't really care, but it had been ages since they had had Gatherings, so long that she imagined many clans had had important changes.

Wisteriabloom used Upright Front Paws (and appreciates you feeding her ego a lot)

Wisteriabloom
63/80 HP
200/240 SP [-20]

Zinnia
65/100 HP [-14]
265/280 SP

"A great deal has changed," Zinnia replied, before pulling the exact same tail-pulling move Wisteriabloom had used on her moments before. She considered herself to be fair, and typically above such things, but - well, it was all for show, and the RiverClanner had pulled the same trick on her moments before. "We've had some... Structural changes," she explained. "A change in leadership, as well as the Asylum killing one of our own." She hissed the next few words, as much from genuine anger as for show. "An elder. The one responsible for that... We haven't seen her since."

WindClan's business was meant to be theirs, but the Asylum already knew of Olivestar's departure, and there was little to be lost by allowing the mere fact that someone else was leading them to be known. As for the murder... If there was someone wandering about who would dare to kill defenseless elders while still playing the victim, it was her obligation to warn those around her.

Zinnia used Tail Yank on Wisteriabloom, dealing 9 damage and costing 10 SP. Wisteriabloom is stunned for 1 turn.

Wisteriabloom
54/80 HP [-9]
200/240 SP

Zinnia
65/100 HP
255/280 SP [-10]