The Head of the Snake [PLOT TOPIC]

The look of disgust on Beecloud's face wasn't quite shocking to Eris, but she could admit (at least to herself) that she didn't exactly understand where it came from. Whatever was swirling in the depths of Beecloud's mind at that moment was absolutely lost upon her, but she knew enough to be confident in the fact that he hadn't quite figured it out. There wasn't enough time between what little anger she perceived in his expression and him launching himself toward her, knocking her lynx pelt off of her skull. It was still wrapped tightly around her body, protecting most of her from Beecloud's razor-sharp claws.

Her upper body and face, however, was an entirely different story. She felt every little scratch that tore through her skin, even though the thick mass of fur and mud. Despite the pain, she was able to pick out minuscule details, such as the clumps of fur between Beecloud's claws and the crimson that dripped from her body, staining the slushy snow and dirt below with a deep wine red. It was almost as if time were moving in slow motion. Was this what it felt like, being near to death. Her hyperawareness of every movement of Beecloud's body did not fade as she watched him go for her neck, but she didn't have the chance to stop him before his long teeth dug into her throat.

With each movement he made, a new wave of pain unlike any she'd felt before coursed through the very veins, seemingly frying every nerve in her body. Despite the pain, she hadn't even flinched. It was so surreal, how she had seemingly floated off into another land. She was confused, but not yet frightened by this experience. The pain that somehow touched on every fiber of her being was real, but it didn't seem to bother her in the slightest. A strange black fuzz began to encroach on the peripherals of her vision, like the night dancing on the outskirts of what she could see, just beyond reach. A slight wobble was evident in each step she took towards Beecloud. "It isn't over," Another step forward. "and never will be." Another step. "You see, I am inevitable. Asylum is inevitable." One last step and they were nearly nose to nose. They were close enough to be breathing the same hot, rancid air, polluted by the stench of stale blood that surrounded them.

"Even after death, I'll dance in the darkness of everyone's dreams. Nobody can escape my ambitions, not even you." She hissed vehemently, bearing her sharp, toothy grin. "I suppose I must spell it out for you, since your thick skull prevented you from figuring it out on your own." Raising her paw, she unsheathed her claws one by one, as if counting to make sure all of them were still there. "We are bound not by similarities alone, but by blood, Beecloud. Did you really think that all of this was just coincidence? That we shared the same cursed, sinful traits, and that our kin suffered the same traumatic fates, completely by happenstance?" Her words carried the venom of a viper, sly and cunning.

Not bothering to monitor him for some kind of response, Eris shoved all of her weight onto the tom, opening her jaw as wide as she could despite her own searing pain. To say that she wasn't aiming for his throat would be a complete and utter lie. When her jaw made contact with Beecloud's neck, she bit down hard, and immediately felt his windpipe crushing under the weight of it all. Blood poured into her mouth and streamed down her chest and Beecloud's alike, coating every surface within a reasonable distance. It was almost comical how she felt her own life drain from her body as she clamped down on the tom's throat, as if they were both fading out of consciousness at the same time; bound by some freakish force of nature. Like a fire doused with water, she felt herself weakening with every second that passed. With one final burst of strength, she shoved the tom backward, but he didn't go very far. Almost immediately, she collapsed by his side. Adrenaline had given her the final bit of energy she needed, but it wasn't enough to keep her alive. "If I must die, you'll die with me." Her voice was low, almost a wheeze as crimson blood continued to steadily flow from the open wound below her chin.

Finally, her sapphire blue eyes fluttered shut, and her chest stopped moving. Her body lay limp next to Beecloud's, a symbol of the bond they always shared; and now, always would.

Thuh-thud. Thuh-thud. Thuh-thud.

With every beat of his massive heart, he felt the blood rushing through him so powerfully that he was, for a moment, lightheaded and nearly unconscious. The blood that fueled his body, the blood that Eris spilled, and that he spilled from her, was shared.

Eris, granddaughter of Beartooth and Ridgelight. Illegitimate. Product of sin.

As he was, as their kin would always be, marked by malformed tooth and paw.

The blood of the Oasis and of ThunderClan burned in them both.

In a moment of awful clarity, Beecloud saw a bright aura surround them. Knowledge was an unwelcome gift bestowed upon him by a cruel enemy. How foolish he had been, to have been so blind that he could not see the truth of what Eris was, what the Asylum had come from, and the common threads that tied them together. This was fated, as if it had always been, a moment decided at the beginning of time.

Beecloud stepped forward. Another step. Another step. His claws retracted. Eris was locked in a mirror through which he could finally see himself. She was not all lost. She could come home. He could fix this. Everything could go back. Sins forgiven, wrongs righted.

”Eris, you can—”

And then fangs choked him with an ice-cold grip. Eris sawed into his throat, and Beecloud felt the last bit of air escape from his lungs and not return. And that was it. As he emptied himself, Beecloud understood he had passed the point of no return. The void consumed his soul, and Beecloud realized why he could not envision the future past the first moment of the fight. He was not going to survive. He wasn't supposed to.

No righted wrongs and no forgiven sins. That would be too easy. Idealist to the last, Beecloud had done himself in. His vision was all black and white, good and bad, destiny and fate… all the beautiful grey nuance of the world, forgotten. He never cared to see it. But he didn’t regret it. He had never betrayed himself. Not once.

Would they call him a hero, or a martyr? Was he doing his duty, or rising above his station? Always concerned with the dealings of others, Beecloud couldn’t even escape judgement in his last heartbeats. How they perceived him, and how he operated in the hand life dealt him, was always in the forefront of his mind. There was something unshakeable about the terror of abandonment. Of being forgotten. Of being lost to time and space, forever.

Though all those thoughts crossed his mind, they faded all together, and he had no more thoughts at all. No whims. Peaceful blankness enveloped his mind, and his buzzing brain finally slept. He had never been so happy to have no imagination at all. It was euphoric.

Suspended between life and death, Beecloud tipped his eyes up.

He knew in his heart, as it slowed to a stop, that this was a necessary sacrifice. He had given up all his strength, all his spirit, and all his goodness for the Mousehunt. The war sucked him dry. The pain, the rage, the suffering… it could all die with him now. When they saw what Eris had done, the battle would end. They were very nearly liberated. They were right on the precipice.

Beecloud never got to see the sun set on a free forest. But he got the next best thing. A hole opened in the cloud cover, and he saw two auburn toms step out of the starlight, beckoning him home. Brother, Father.

His life did not flash before his eyes, but his first day did.

A little tabby kit nuzzled into his mother's stomach. He felt his sisters, all 5 of them, fighting over milk. He did not know his paws were oddities passed on through blood, nor could he rationalize the deformities of his bottom canines. He did not know that he was marked by a long history of violence and pain. But none of it mattered. All he knew was mother, sisters, fathers, and love.

His eyes fluttered shut, and he was gone before Eris dropped his body to the ground.

"Katana!" Thalia couldn't help cheering as her partner joined the fight (she hadn't seen her in some time, and that - like so many things - had weighed heavy on her shoulders; the burden of loneliness, even when she was still surrounded by friends and family, when it felt a little like part of herself was somehow lost), and just like that - with the ease of something familiar, a path well-traveled - she felt like something had fallen into place. She wanted to say she didn't need an apology (that Katana's presence, having her here by her side for this fight, was more than enough), but she had to focus. "It's okay, I... It can wait. We should deal with all of this first. Let's do this!"

Cleft spoke, then, and she shook her head. "I do know who I'm fighting for," she replied, voice soft. The words came so much easier now, with the memory of Katana's shoulder pressed against her own fresh in her mind, with her friends at her side. When she could hear the rest of them, the family she chose, fighting across the battlefield. "And I'm sorry. I don't want to fight you, but... Can't you see how wrong all of this is? We've been lied to all our lives, when you had the truth all along! I can't trust any of the things I thought I knew... But this?" She spared a moment's glance, a soft smile for her comrades. "This, I can trust. There's been enough blood spilled for one night, please... Please, can't you see it? Ask yourself... Can you trust what you know?"

Thalia used Rear-Up to Slash on Cleft Spyre, dealing 14 damage and costing 15 stamina.

Cleft Spyre
HP: 44/85 (-14)
SP: 215/230

Thalia
HP: 75/75
SP: 175/200 (-15)

Griffon
HP: 75/75
SP: 180/200

Stag
HP:75/75
SP: 190/200

Katana
HP:75/75
SP: 190/200

Roe had remained where he had landed at the base of the Great Rock, his eyes locked on Theron’s still form. His ears would twitch at the sound of battle, of other cats hitting the ground but he couldn’t tear his eyes away - they had remained focused on his mother figure’s corpse since he had heard her final words and knew that she had finally died. He was prepared to stand like that for a while, lost in a trance and deep in his thoughts before something pulled at him to look upwards - his eyes finding a new target. Eris and Beecloud were fighting, trading blows… A heavy blow struck at Eris, a killing blow, he had to assume. A heavy sigh escaped him, but at the same time...Relief. It was over.

Then Eris lunged forward - teeth sinking into Beecloud’s throat. It all happened so fast, yet the world seemed to slow as the breath left Roe’s lungs. It seemed to last forever, the sight of Eris’ teeth sinking deeper and deeper into the ThunderClan warrior’s throat before she tore away - blood being sent scattering across the forest floor. Then, she took a step...And another. And she hit the forest floor without another sound. But what relief he should feel was gone, his mind racing as he struggled for words.

No, no, no, no! Terror and guilt snaked its way across Roe’s spine as he realized what had happened. Eris...Eris was dead - the battle was over and the Clans were free. But Beecloud - he had...He was… “No!” Roe heaved forward but his paws wouldn’t move, rooted to the place as his claws sank into the ground. “No, you weren’t supposed to die!” He-He hadn’t meant any of the Clan cats to die! He had tried to give them everything but he didn’t want to be responsible - he had wanted to prevent this! He reared backwards, shaking his head in disbelief at the turn of events. Why did it have to play out like this - Asylum...T-They deserved this for all of the death that they had caused on the innocent Clan cats but Beecloud…! He hadn’t…!

“No!” With another cry, finally Roe found the will to move. He threw his weight forward, breaking into a sprint as he worked to cross the clearing toward the two still bodies. Maybe - maybe Beecloud was still alive! He knew some healing - it hadn’t been proper for a Nightstriker like himself to learn but it had always spoken to him more. But Theron had put so much effort into him, it never felt right to change fractions. But...Maybe, maybe that knowledge could be useful! But...He didn’t have herbs, spider webs. He didn’t know what he could do and Beecloud wasn’t moving and… Tears started to prickle in his eyes, his breath coming in terrified gasps. No, Beecloud wasn’t…. Another cry managed to tear itself from his throat. “You were supposed to liv-!”

His voice suddenly cut off as he stumbled, paws heavily hitting the ground as he barely caught himself from falling. What…? He… He shook his head but a buzz had filled it, feeling like the world was shifting wildly beneath him. It was...Dizzying, breath escaping in a terrified gasp as he tried to make sense of this. What was he...He mind struggled to think, even as he tried to recall what he had been doing. What was happening? Why was… Pure blind terror grappled at his heart as he stumbled forward a little, but his body didn’t feel right. It was like a coldness was seeping through his body - not quite a numbness as it felt like he was trembling or was it just his mind…?

There was a heavy thud as his paws finally gave out, landing hard on his side as his eyes darted for help but he couldn’t...The world was fuzzy - his head was fuzzy. It was light, dizzying...Why? Why was he feeling this? What was happening? What...What had he been doing? “He-Help,” was all that he could murmur, a small whimper of help to somebody - anybody. Finally, the buzzing - no, ringing - in his head started to become too much and the lightness that had clouded his mind gave away into darkness.

[OOC; i would like to thank grizz for allowing me to, one again, emotionally destroy my characters <3]

Seeing how many cats were up against Toad, Robinloft began to feel more and more confident. She could see their opponent getting weaker with every blow, it was clear that they would soon win. Although she herself was on the edge of collapse, she would fight until she pushed herself to her limits, ready to take on any cat who came at her. It wasn't long until Minkstream joined them, and she knew that it would be over for the Asylum cat soon.

All around the clearing bodies began to fall, most of which belonged to the Asylum. Never once did she think she would enjoy seeing death, that she wouldn't feel remorse over the death of a cat, no matter how much she disliked them. Then again, she never thought that the clans would be overrun either.

Whipping her head around, she managed to catch sight of Beecloud, who was still fighting Eris. She had to admit, she felt a bit nervous for her mate, considering what the large she-cat had done to the both of them, but in the end she knew that he would come out victorious. Beecloud was a strong cat who had taken their enemies by surprise, there was no way that he would lose.

Switching her focus back to Toad, she narrowed her eye, trying her best to hold a battle crouch and keep her legs from giving out at the same time. She really was exhausted, but she told herself to keep going. She would not stop until the Asylum was no more. They had suffered enough, she wouldn't take it any longer.

It was then, out of the corner of her good eye, she saw something large fall over. She'd seen some Asylum cats fall during the battle, some of which were rather large, so it didn't worry her. Even so, curiosity soon got the best of her, and she turned her head, setting her emerald gaze on the blurred pelt she had seen. Her eyes immediately widened with horror, her expression riddled with disbelief and fear. "N-... N-no...." Her heart dropped as she tried to process what she saw.

Across the clearing, she saw the bloodied body of her beloved. Abandoning the fight, she sprinted across fourtrees, ignoring the pain in her limbs and paws. As she crossed the battlefield, she kept on telling herself that he was just unconscious. When she had fought the righteous few it had happened to some of the clan cats, it also sometimes happened during normal border skirmishes. There was no reason it couldn't happen here. Besides, she tended to worry to much, she was just overthinking it.

But as she neared her mate, she was able to see more. She saw how much blood there really was, the way that there were deep-looking wounds in his throat. staining the fur around it a deep red. She froze, the world seemed to slow to a stop around her. Any other cat in the clearing was irrelevant to her, in that moment the only cats in the clearing were she and Beecloud.

Panicked, she did the first thing that came to her mind."B-Beecloud, wake up! I have to get you out of here!" She nudged the tom, trying anything she could to prove that what she was seeing wasn't true."Beecloud! C'mon you have to get up!" Her voice was hoarse and broken, but she yelled the words, a few moments later collapsing beside her mate. Pressing her ear to his blood-stained chest, she searched for a heartbeat. If only she could find a heartbeat, everything would be okay. She could bring him back to Thunderclan and have Daisybloom heal him or....

There was nothing.

No matter how many times she tried, no matter how many places she pressed her ear to her chest, she never heard a heartbeat. Looking down to his limp body, something inside of her began to break. Whether it was her heart, she did not know. All she knew was that it hurt more than any wound she had ever received. The only time she had ever felt anything close to this was the day that Stormpaw left, but this time it was so much worse. Tears began to well from her eyes as she lowered her head, burying her muzzle in the fluffy fur she had missed for so long.

Voice saturated with grief, she muttered words into his scruff. "You... you can't leave me..." Her tears began to soak his fur as she broke down, staining it shades of dark brown and grey. "y-you didn't deserve this, you didn't deserve to die. you shouldn't have died." As she sat there, sobbing into Beecloud's scruff, her mind began to wander her past, revisiting memories she seldom thought of anymore.

The first day she had met Beecloud, how awkward and shy he had been. They were apprentices back then, she recalled. They had been sent off to do some hunting by themselves, but they soon got distracted by racing each other up a tree. His company was something she enjoyed from the very start, she always loved how endearing he was, he was always a delight to be around.

She remembered the time that she and Beecloud had sneaked out of camp in the middle of the night, off to collect owl feathers. His fascination with collecting feathers had always intrigued her, it was one of her favorite things about him. How she would do anything to go back in that moment again, when they were younger. To be able to sneak away to do something dumb with him just one more time.

Then there was when he had confessed his love for her as they watched the sunset. It was one of her favorite memories, the way the sky blended together in an array of colors made the moment all the more special.

And now she was here, sobbing over his lifeless body. The memories she had were the last things the had left of him, the only thing she could cling to. And as long as she lived, she would. These memories were something that she would latch onto and never let go of. Whenever she thought of Beecloud, she would think of these moments, not the last moments of his life.

With a deep, shaky breath, she raised her head from Beecloud's fur. She decided it would be best to get him out of the clearing. The last thing she wanted was to have to do was see her mate's body get torn apart more because some cats decided to have a fight on top of it. She started to become aware of her surroundings again, soon noticing Eris' body. A small pained smile formed on her face. "Beecloud... you did it... you killed her." She was proud, she knew that he could do it, even if it costed him his own life.

With that, she put herself to work, using every ounce of strength she had left to pull him out of the way of battle, leaving Eris' body behind without a second thought. When she had managed to get him to the edge of the clearing, she collapsed next to him once more. She was tired. Returning her muzzle to where it previously was, she muttered a few words before falling unconscious. "I promise, i will never forget you. I will always love you, Beecloud."




Robinloft used disengage, costing all remaining SP she sleepin lmao

The pallid and ethereal glow that enwreathed the tom only seemed to provide a more glaring white to his mostly undiluted coat. Tortoiseshell markings marred his handsome face in a mask, giving him the most surreal appearance. Complementing the cat’s pelt was a similarly marked tail. His size and splendor was one unmatched by many cats - both living and since passed.

Before Roe stood a tom whose paws had traveled length as far as Asylum and whose final destiny had laid him to rest in the forest.

Artemis Odan.

Even now the Oasis cat’s blood was alive and well in the forest. He had spent an entire lifetime searching for something and had found it in these vibrant, and ever chaotic, woods. Something had tied the clans to his kin all those moons ago and wrought just underneath the surface; perhaps it was this that had condemned them all to one day meet Asylum. All things were bound by a mysterious nature that captivated each cat in one way or another. It was this transcending fact that had drawn Artemis forward as his kin drew their last breaths.

“Roe of Asylum… It appears you’re caught between a few worlds.” As he tipped his head, a vague scene appeared before them, depicting the still frames of Beecloud and Eris. Sadness tinged his vibrant blue gaze. This place wasn’t speckled with stars like the ancestors of the clans, but rather glowing and pulsating with an all consuming light, one that threatened to pull the Oasis born tom away at any moment. Reverberating silence was a stark contrast to the screeches of battle and yet somehow the most embracing of comforts.

“Long before their hearts became twisted and consumed with power, the ancestors of Asylum were known as Oasis. They regarded wisdom, respected truth, and above all else strived to care for every cat. Their sanctuary was a beautiful and thriving place.” As he continued on, Artemis wove a lively tapestry of the lives and customs of his ancestors. Each piece of history, tradition, was spoken into existence once more to reach the ears of a cat whose paws still trapsed the earth below. As he recounted his own life, the tom’s smile broaded. After some time, his gaze turned to Roe, a question in his eyes, “This place, this Asylum, it was never really fitting for you… was it, Roe?”

There was a heartbeat, a mere pause, to allow the words to reach the ears of his companion.

“There are others like you. The tales I bring to you are more than just stories of the past. Blood still runs in cats of the forest and hope lies buried in the hearts of many others. Find it. Seek the sanctuary… and rebuild Oasis from the ashes Asylum created.”

There was a lightness to Roe - not the same that had nearly robbed him of his senses, but more of a...Weightlessness. He frowned, eyes fixing to his paws as he was standing or at least it seemed like it. His memories were blurry, recalling only the ringing and dizziness that had stolen his mind for all but a few heartbeats. Then, his ear twitched - suddenly aware of a new shape as he lifted his head to see a glowing tom - large, imposing but yet a kindness was etched into his features. He commanded respect with a simple look, and his expression seemed kind as he stared at Roe - and perhaps through him.

As his name was uttered, Roe couldn't help but swallow in slight nervousness. Roe of Asylum...His ears flickered back - unhappy with the title. He...That wasn't what he wanted to be anymore. Not after what Asylum had done. There was a silence held after the tom's words, causing Roe to focus on the scene that was painted between them - rekindling the memories that Roe had been searching for...The still, dead bodies of both Beecloud and Eris. But even at the terrible sight, this entire strange field sent a calmness to his soul. This felt...Right, in some weird way. Not for him - not yet, but yet...It did? He frowned, confused for a heartbeat before the tom spoke once more and the two fallen shapes faded from sight.

Oasis. Roe knew the name well - it was whispered among Asylum, the shameful truth of their past. What they used to be, but as the glowing tom went on about Oasis once respected wisdom, truth, caring for others...An ideal he always felt comfortable with. He...He sighed, softly. Even back then, when the name was tainted with shame and hatred, he had always found some respect for their old lifestyles, even as Theron claimed with every breath that it deserved its fate. But then something caught Roe's eyes, the world around him shifted to show him countless scenes, snapshots of histories, tradition, and the life of a cat that Roe was only just meeting in this strange landscape.

Then, his name was called upon again but this time as a question - questioning if Asylum had ever fit for Roe. He wanted to snap forth the answer but in Artemis' presence, he felt his tongue held - too afraid to speak as if he would say something wrong. So he only managed a mute nod, fur prickling as he waited for...Something to happen. It didn't take long for Artemis to start again and Roe's eyes widened as the words struck him. A rallying call - to do what Asylum had once done. Out of the ashes of Oasis had come Asylum.

Now, he could reverse the tides.

"...Of course," he breathed - and then he gasped.

He was suddenly aware of the sound of battles still waging - the feeling of grass against his head, his body. He was awake again. Whatever had pulled him into unconsciousness had faded, but the words still rang deep in his head. 'Rebuild Oasis from the ashes Asylum created.' With a groan, he pushed himself to his paws, shaking his head as he looked up to see that some time had passed - cats had moved, one was now crying over the body of Beecloud. He slowly made his way forward, his steps a little uneven as he still felt...A tad strange from his dream - was it a dream? The memories were clear, as if he had just spoken to a cat. No, it was something more. The Clans had often spoken of speaking with StarClan but...There had been no stars in sight. He paused. ...Perhaps if StarClan truly existed, their own ancestors had to go somewhere.

He came to a stop next to the mourning she-cat, gently lowering his head to gently brush against her. “I’m sorry,” he breathed, knowing that even if he had a chance to save the tom - it was stolen the moment he had collapsed for that vision. “He was...Brave. He did not deserve this, but he did it for you. For all the Clans. I don’t think he would regret his choice, to see you all live without...Us. Asylum. I will honor what he died for, I promise you.” With those soft words, he pulled back, unsure of what else to say to comfort the grieving widow. Instead, he took breath and steeled himself, planting a paw on Eris' still body as he raised his head. "STOP!" he called out, claws sinking into the rapidly cooling corpse. "Ou... Your Head is dead. One of your Captains is dead. Asylum is no more - w-you have no leadership. You are outnumbered here, stand down and you can live. The Clans will go free, Asylum is no more. But, I offer you this - those who truly believed in our cause, the idea of doing good. We...There can be a new path for us. Cats of the Mousehunt - return to your Clans. Those who stood with the Clans..." his eyes turned, focusing on the kits that had been wrongfully stolen by Asylum. “Help the injured return to the Clan you were assigned in - then call for all Asylum cats to meet in our camp. I...I will explain our path forward from there.” There was a pause as he looked at the body of Eris, his claws still deep in her shoulder. “...We will need proof of our words. ...Each of you, as...Grim as a task may be, take some of Eris’ fur. So that there can be no denying our claims. Asylum is gone…

“But something new will rise in its place.

“Something better."

OOC: The battle is over. Final actions may be taken, but the battle is lost for Asylum. Those fighting for Asylum may choose to see the light and switch sides, flee to live another day...Or go down swinging. The choice is yours.

Cedarheart heard Robinloft’s cries, a sad, mourning sound. Her heart practically stopped. She looked over her shoulder to see her clanmate hunched over by a body. Her eyes widened. She ran, forgetting about the battle. "N-no!" she gasped. She made her way shakily over, all of her anger being consumed by pain. Her stomach lurched as she watched the she-cat drag Beecloud’s body away. She quickened her pace, only just arriving as Robinloft dropped next to him.

Confused, and scared, she dove next to the pair, laying her head towards their chests. From her friend’s side she felt the inhale and exhale, and the soft thump of her heart. But from her brother she felt nothing. Her eyes welled with tears, pressing her head into his fur. "Please...you can’t," she choked out. Beecloud was her brother, the only remaining family member besides her mother. He was the only one besides her to survive out of their litter. Pinefrost, her younger brother, had fallen early to the Asylum’s takeover.

And now he had fallen too. They had been friends through it all, through everything that happened. From the day they were born to now. He had sacrificed himself, and killed Eris. The Asylum had lost. But the victory felt bittersweet. How could they live on having lost him? She sobbed, her body shaking. How would she tell Ferretnose? She had lost nearly everyone. After a few moments, feeling so utterly exhausted, she rose, looking towards Robinloft. The warrior was still living, she needed to get back the Daisybloom.

"C-could I please have some help?" she called out, her voice raspy.

Cedarheart used disengage, costing all of her stamina!

-

Griffon had been lost his whole life. But now he felt different. He felt empowered, fighting against those that had changed his life. He had been taken, against his will, raised to be one of them. But he was a clan cat. "I’m fighting for my family." He hissed. He didn’t know who his parents were. But his family was the other kits stolen. They were his whole life, the only constant thing.

But he would have to leave them. He would have to leave them behind to find his family. Some of them might have been taken from the same place as him, but he didn’t want to leave them. The Asylum was going to lose this fight. Nearly the whole battle was over. Only a few outliers remained, still fighting. He let his dog pelt slide off his back. That pelt had been from Iniko. Maybe they had meant well, but there was no way he would go back now. As his pelt fell to the ground, he felt more free, for once in his life.

"I’m not an Asylum cat. I was never meant to be. I’m a clan cat." the words felt strange on his tongue, but not in a way that was bad...just different. He slashed at the Asylum cat’s stomach, raking his claws down the soft underbelly.

Griffon used Belly Rake, dealing 14 damage and costing 10 stamina!

Cleft Spyre
30/85 [-14] HP
215/230 SP

Griffon
75/75 HP
170/200 [-10] SP

Thalia
75/75 HP
175/200 SP

Stag
75/75 HP
190/200 SP

Katana
75/75 HP
190/200 SP

Dawnhawk startled at the booming of a voice. It was enough to get his attention away from his fight, especially once Cedarheart (though he didn't know her name) retreated away. At the sight of Eris and Theron dead and Lyralei not doing much better, his ears plastered back against his head. His lips peeled back and he let out a long, drawn out hiss.

Dawnhawk used disengage. Combat is over.

How dare you all fall before me? I am the youngest and newest captain... still nothing more than a kit compared t the age of the Asylum... and I am the last one still standing and fighting? Dawnhawk's fur bristled, making him look twice the size he actually was. You have all let me down... your arrogance did this to you all. You deserve it. His eyes set on Bloodstrike, free and out of his cell... and his breath caught in his throat. Dawnhawk hadn't seen Bloodstrike in moons... and to see him look so radically different was more of a shock than he thought it would be.

At that moment, Bloodstrike met his eyes too. Time stopped. Dawnhawk had hardly any flaws on his entire body, save for scars he willingly got from Eris to mark him as a Standard Captain. Bloodstrike was so scarred and mangled that he hardly resembled the cat that fought the Asylum when they first came.

Much to Dawnhawk's discomfort, he could tell that Bloodstrike would look elsewhere and his eyes were practically fogged over... but when he looked at Dawnhawk, the clarity and recognition was there. Silence passed between the two, with Dawnhawk's rage melting away from his face and giving way to a nervous defiance. On Bloodstrike's face... nothing but stoic disappointment. Outside cats might not have been able to read between the lines, except for maybe Blossomstep, but to the two toms something was very clear:

You are hiding your guilt, but not from me. Bloodstrike thought, but couldn't bring himself to say.

You are hiding your heartbreak... but I know it's there. Dawnhawk blinked and took a deep breath before he finally tore his gaze away. He didn't have time for this. He didn't have time to think about what he'd done to his fa- ... to Bloodstrike. The pale tom spun on his heel and dashed away, but not without a menacing last look at Ravenclaw. She would pay for this, for usurping his authority over everything.

The Asylum had weak leaders... that's why they fell. They fell and I am still alive and on my feet. He thought to himself, desperately pushing away the images of his father's maimed face and body. He couldn't think about that right now. He had to hold himself together long enough to rescue his mate and his kits. He had no doubts things were about to get very bad and they would be in danger. Honeycomb... Tornpaw... Waspkit... I'm coming for you. You will not die before me! At that moment, he caught sight of Eos and slid to a stop. He'd had kits with her once too... but who knows where they were. They could have been among the traitors for all he knew.

"Eosphoros! Come with me, I might need your help in whatever way you can." He galloped back to her and offered her a shoulder to lean on if she needed it. That said, whatever her top speed was at the moment, he would make sure she used it. If nothing else, he'd use her as a meat shield for himself or his kits. "The Asylum is gone, but this is far from over." He assured her quietly so that only she could hear. He'd return to the forest once his children were grown, and if they had to use hit and run tactics to whittle the clans down to nothing, so be it.

Katana wasted no time in rearing up on her hind legs and slashing wildly, wherever she could reach, with her unsheathed front paws. Her green gaze narrowed with a fire and determination to end it. She could see through her peripheral vision that the other fights had been relatively successful in taking down Asylum members. They needed to either make Cleft see the light or take him down fully. It was something she was dreading seeing as he was becoming quite weak after taking blow after blow. He had a somewhat crazed glint in his eyes that honestly chilled her. She really didn't want to... to kill him. Not if they didn't have to. He needed to see the facts and accept that the Asylum has fallen. They needed to make him see who was in the right.

As soon as she backed away, she immediately flanked Thalia's side again, eyes unwavering as she stared him down. "We all know who we're fighting for. We're fighting for the cats who make up our true family. The ones who were wronged by the Asylum. The real question, however, is if you do. Or are you as blind as you are deaf? Do you hear yourself right now? You know all the bad the Asylum has done and yet, you seem like you'd rather take their side and go down a villain as opposed to breaking free and scampering off to live your life however you want it. In. Peace. You'd be losing your mind if you stand with them now." The fawn-colored cat signaled him to take a look around them. She wanted him to see what has become of the group he was so adamantly ready to defend. "Look around, Cleft Spyre. It's over. You don't have to do this anymore. Don't be mousebrained. Don't continue this. Just stand down." she said firmly.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Katana used Rear-Up to Slash on Cleft Spyre, dealing 14 damage and using 15 SP.

Katana:
75/75[HP]
175/200[SP] (-15 SP)

Cleft Spyre:
16/85[HP] (-14 HP)
215/230[SP]

Griffon:
75/75[HP]
170/200[SP]

Thalia:
75/75[HP]
175/200[SP]

Stag:
75/75[HP]
190/200[SP]
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She had a sinking feeling in her belly as she awaited a response from Cleft. Her claws slowly raked at the ground. She was on edge. She wanted this to end. There was no use in dragging this on knowing that most of the fighting, if not all, has come to a stop around them. Cleft knew this now so hopefully he'll admit defeat. He wasn't going to last very long if he chose to continue on.

The next few occurring seconds, infinitesimal in origin, passed with such a lackluster vigor that every intrinsic pulse of Jayshriek's rapidly fluttering heart seemed to drag on for untold hours, concrete passage of time splintering under the roaring flood of adrenaline curling hot and low within his being. Eos was lunging once again, outstretched claws and bared fangs catching faintly upon the wan light of the dark evening, his splintered ribs howling under the force of the sudden collision, nervous system sparking alight with a fresh wave of fiery sensation roaring down the length of his spine. The limited light of the dreary night sky was further obscured as the young Asylum escapee and Ivystar descended upon Eos in near synchronous movements, anguished shriek slipping past his mother's teeth as a gut-wrenchingly loud crack curled past the rancorous symphony of battle cries. Whatever damage had just been inflicted, it was enough. The dark-furred tom resembled a liquid puddle of darkness amongst the spindly grasses he laid atop, dark eyes wide and gleaming as he watched the little quartet of violence dissipate, streaming away against the dull grass like rainwater upon rocks; Ivystar collapsing just a tail-length or so away, Pyrik streaking away as though chasing some ghost by another name, and Eos dragging herself to whatever presumable death awaited within the privacy of the shadows.

It took an embarrassing amount of effort to fully rise back to his paws, every unwilling movement shaded by an unveiled expression of reluctance and pain. For a terribly long moment, Jayshriek was tempted to do nothing more than return to the clutches of the earth, to curl back up and vainly attempt to wait out the worst of the pain currently streaking down the entirety of his right side. However, the unfamiliar note of sour fear shading his mother's desperate gaze halted the lingering premonitions of defeat in the young tom, setting his world further atilt with an unfamiliar realization- Ivystar was worried about him, about further jeopardizing their apparent narrow escape from the relentless clutch of death's jaws. Letting out a low moan of despair, Jayshriek pulled himself to his paws again, the realization of the imminent defeat of the Asylum sapping whatever limited reserves of strength still clung to his weary muscles, world going hazy under the fierce throb of his injuries. All of the training in the world couldn't have truly prepared him for this part, the promise of safety somehow opening the floodgates for all of the hurt and suffering to ignite like a late Greenleaf wildfire.

Ivystar's subtle limp was eased by the silent offer of Jayshriek's bloodied shoulder, the burden of any further movements shared between the careful balance now hanging fraught and unfamiliar. He was too tall to hide his head away beneath her chin - without having to bend awkwardly and incidentally cause himself all the more pain - so he settled for pressing his bloodied cheek against the side of Ivystar's temple, eyes clinching shut at the spectacle of Beecloud's sudden demise, the scattering of all those who remained within the unintending battlegrounds. He had been aware of the risk and consequence when Beecloud had first come before him, but that did little to soothe the unanticipated spark of sorrow that curled between his aching lungs, the pitiful embers of grief fanned softly. It was not his death to grieve, but it was a sorrow that would likely be held by Kitefire, and that made him all the more receptive. Why was it always the living sent off to a death march in the name of StarClan, in the name of freedom? In the name of all things their ancestors were supposed to provide? "I want to go home," Jayshriek eventually heaved out, still pressed closely against Ivystar, exhausted gaze simply unable to process the magnitude of countless events occurring all around the pair.

Eos... Wasn't even sure where she was headed, honestly. The clearing spun with noise and echoes, her vision blurred and pain throbbed through her skull with every movement. Her stomach rolled and acid stung the back of her throat. Eos stumbled, gagging.

It did nothing to quell the nausea.

She kept moving, slowly, painfully. Someone called her name, and Eos turned her head carefully. A golden tom beneath a soiled fox pelt... Blue eyes. Dawnhawk's form swam in front of her. He was an ally, though, she felt reasonably sure that he wasn't going to attack her. He'd been fighting... a few cats, she thought, but the past few moments had been hazy, dominated by pain and noise.

"Dawn...hawk..." Eos' voice sounded strange and distant, the ringing in her ears muffling and distorting sound strangely. It was so loud, she just wanted to rest... But then Dawnhawk was helping her stumble to her paws once more. Asking her for help. Exhausted brown eyes met blue for a moment, and Eos very carefully nodded.

Nodding, it turned out, was a bad idea. The world spun and she sagged against his shoulder for a moment, focusing on breathing, her eyes closed.

After a moment (not enough time to get her bearing, not nearly enough time to make the world stop spinning around her) she took a tentative step forward. They couldn't stay in this clearing, that thought was clear enough to her addled mind.

Gritting her teeth, Eos forced herself to move, letting Dawnhawk guide her away from all the noise.

---

Mistyfalcon managed to shake himself free of inaction, catching sight of Murkystrike's horrified gaze in doing so. Disheveled and thin as she was, Murkystrike was...

A yowl split the air, and Mistyfalcon forced his attention back to what was in front of him. Battle, the prisoners. Emberkit. His tattered ears twitched. The Asylum tom who had ran into the Mousehunt on their way here... What had been his name, Roe, or something, was speaking.

...Eris was dead. Her captains were dead or fleeing. The Asylum was done for.

...Beecloud was dead.

Mistyfalcon's ears flicked back at that news, the grief unexpected and sharp. He'd thought Beecloud was insane, yet he'd gone along with the plan out of desperation. And it had worked. The Thunderclanner had given the forest their freedom, had sacrificed himself for them. They had known the plan was dangerous from the start, they'd all accepted that danger, that risk.

He'd killed the head of the snake, and lost his life in the process. A victory, but pyrrhic.

With a ragged breath, Mistyfalcon turned his head, surveying the battlefield that had become fourtrees. There was still work to be done, and he needed to focus. He could see several Asylum cats, fleeing and dying. Mousehunt cats were picking through the rubble, helping their newly-freed clanmates. Quite a few cats that had been Asylum were helping them, he realized. The kits who had gone missing, if he had to guess. It looked like they'd turned on their masters. Good for them.

And he had cats to help, as well. Turning to Murkystrike, Mistyfalcon offered her his shoulder to lean on.

"Let's get out of here, I think Rookfire is going to yell at both of us when we make it back to camp." The medicine cat wouldn't be happy about his wounds or about how the Asylum had treated their prisoners, Mistyfalcon was confident about that much. His body ached from the blows he'd taken, and Murkystrike, who she hadn't taken any blows in the fight, looked worn. Going home seemed like a wonderful idea.

Lyralei's eyes softened as she heard Brick's voice, and her voice tightened. "Don't fret dear, she will wake soon." As claws continued to rip through her fur, she shook blood out of her eyes and tried to focus on her opponent. Suddenly, a large force slammed into her, sending her sprawling across the clearing. It took some time for her to lift her head, but as she did she watched Eris latch onto the throat of the cat she had been battling. Part of her was envious of the lack of opponents her leader faced, but her triumph quickly faded, replaced with horror as Eris fell next to the body of the clan cat. Her body was still, there was no rise or fall in her chest, and Lyralei's world shattered around her. Eris had been the Scout captain before her, and she had been selected by Eris personally when Eris took on the role as Asylum's head. She surveyed the battle around her, only to discover she was one of the few still breathing. Her eyes met Dawnhawk's briefly, and she returned his scowl with her own. She had never been fond of the tom, if he was so quick to turn on his clan and family, what was stopping him from doing the same to him? He called out to Eos as he disappeared from the clearing, and her gaze continued on. Raisha still lay on the ground, breathing, but injured. She had done that, with her own claws. Past her... Was that Theron? Stars, Theron and Lexine were as still as Eris now was. Her attention turned towards the cats that had been brought to her as kits, and her heart broke further. She had only ever wanted the best for them, for them to succeed, for them to rise above anything and everything... She supposed it was happening now, just without her. Silently, almost as if she was a shadow, Lyralei turned to one of the few things she knew she could do, even now... She disappeared. Taking cover in nearby undergrowth, the she-cat walked in whatever direction her paws set her towards, away from the forest, away from her past, away from Asylum, and away from what the remains of it would become. She had no part to play in the future of the cats there, despite her role in their past. How could she ask for more?

Lyralei has left the battle.

---

As her opponent fell, Blossomstep turned towards Bloodstrike and found him staring back at her. His expression was odd, almost as if he was curious and unsure, but as she opened her mouth to speak he had turned and darted off towards another battle. She wasn't entirely sure where to turn next, and in the heartbeats of hesitation she realized the battle was over. The leader, she had noticed in her time in the thorn trap, was dead on the ground, alongside a tom that smelled of ThunderClan. A she-cat was laying next to him sobbing, the she-cat assumed she was the tom's mate. Her heart twisted in grief as she thought of Wolfstar, and she quickly followed after Bloodstrike. As she reached him, she noticed he was looking at something, no, someone. Dawnhawk was there, and she lifted her head to look at him straight on as well. The silent communication between father and son was not lost on her, and she waited until Dawnhawk turned and left before calling out to Bloodstrike softly. "Bloodstrike, my son... I'm so happy to see you alive. I never gave up hope that you were alive.... Come, let's go home." She mewed, eyes warm and teary as she looked at her son's new scars and wounds with the same love she always had. He may look different, but he was still her son. Oh how she had missed him.

---

The Asylum cat fell, and Murkystrike swayed in place. Mistyfalcon offered her his shoulder, and she gratefully accepted, pressing her head to his neck in silent thanks. Great StarClan she was tired.... Mistyfalcon sounded like he was half the territory away, but she smiled weakly as his words registered. "Yes, that he will... Hopefully not for too long, I'm exhausted." She faltered as she spoke, but turned with Mistyfalcon before pausing and looking over her shoulder. "Emberkit... Or.... Pyrik, was it? Will you come with us? It's your choice, but I'd love for you to return, if you'd like." She mewed, trying to stop feeling like the great oaks of Fourtrees was spinning around her.

Ceres couldn't help but stand there in pure disbelief as Beecloud and Eris simultaneously fell to their deaths in the middle of the clearing. Upon first glance, it would be difficult for anyone to tell what the calico was thinking. Did the fall of Eris mean that the Asylum would ultimately come to an end? Not that Ceres cared about the fate of the Asylum... she was a Clan cat, after all. She squeezed her eyes shut and quickly shook her head to tear her focus away from the sight. All that mattered to her now was making sure that her sisters were safe. Being caught up in the heat of the battle had taken away any chance that the she-cat had to find Shira and Mirae's locations mid-fight, but now they were the center of her focus.

Sooner or later, the three of them were going to find out who their true parents were. It was only a matter of time. They'd be reunited under one Clan instead of split apart like they previously were under the paws of the Asylum, and perhaps Ceres would finally feel a sense of belonging when she padded into a Clan camp. Roe's orders were fresh in her mind as she made a straight shot towards Shira, the first littermate that she laid her eyes upon. For the first time in a while, a smile grew on Ceres' face.
"Shira! Y-you're safe! I was so... I was so worried about you," The calico's smile faded, "I can't believe that this is where you've been all this time. I can't believe they did this to you."
She stared blankly at the scattered thorn cages that had been flung to various parts of the clearing.

"Mirae!" Ceres called for her sister to join the two of them the moment that she laid eyes upon.
Relief flooded through the she-cat's veins.
"Cats are starting to leave and Shira and I need to go back to SkyClan. Did you hear what Roe said? We'll meet up again at the Asylum camp soon."

“STOP!”

The yowl came with such force and authority that he had no choice but to obey, even before he’d fully recognized the voice. Roe was alive. Admittedly looking worse for the wear with a set of scars across his muzzle—seeing Roe’s mouth move, Pyrik couldn’t help but wince—but alive. Pyrik backed away, taking his eyes off of Casper, and for the first time noticed the fallen. Eris, Roe’s paw pressing down on her shoulder, and the massive tom who’d tackled her at the battle’s beginning. Theron, the most terrifying creature Pyrik had ever known. Asylum and warrior bodies alike lay scattered across the clearing. He couldn’t even search for the living among them; with every silent frame he spotted, no matter how unfamiliar it might be, his gaze caught on it for several heartbeats too long.

Somewhere behind him, Mistyfalcon spoke. It wasn’t meant for Pyrik, but he turned toward the warriors anyway as they talked. They were easier to stare at than the battlefield had been. After a moment, the she-cat looked back at him. He straightened up, scrambling to pull together an apology purely because he couldn’t think of anything better to say, only to be stopped before he could make so much as a squeak. He could come with them. To ShadowClan. Right here, right now, no questions asked—at least, not until he got to their camp.

Though Pyrik’s face lit up as the she-cat’s words washed over him in full, hesitance swirled in his eyes. “There’s, um, something I need to do first. Something really important.” His love for Asylum had died with the lie, but Thalia, Griffon, the other trainees, even Roe—they were more than Asylum. He couldn’t just leave them. Besides, Roe had given him one last order to follow. Gaze slipping from the she-cat’s, he shuffled his paws through the slush, the gesture betraying the quiet resolve in his voice. “But then…I want to see ShadowClan. I want to know the truth, all of it. If…if you’ll still have me,” he added in a rush, almost pleading.