Tiptoe Through the Tulips [Shrikestorm]

Nightwind followed Shrikestorm out into the field... which had little clusters of color in it already. He could only imagine what this place would look like when new-leaf was in full swing. He still couldn't get over how open and vast Windclan's territory was. At times it would be fine and other times it gave him anxiety. He knew that with time these mood swings would pass, but for now, he'd just have to endure them. The sun was warmer here too, but maybe that had a lot to do with the fact that his fur was now jet black. It had to be nearing mid-day at least. The winds in the territory were picking up and Nightwind could see eagles, vultures and hawks all sweeping circles high above the field.

"So, what's the first thing I should know about being a Windclan cat?" He asked casually. There was some slight inward disgust though, another thing he would have to learn to get over. As much as he disliked his former clan, he still had it in his head that they were superior in every aspect. On the bright side... he hadn't been sent to Shadowclan. He never liked the weird smells attached to the Shadowclanners' pelts or the wind scent that blew from their side. Rabbits and hares scurried around the fields too, but Nightwind made no move to go after them. He'd already caught a rabbit and a hare when goofing off with Tawnyflare not long ago. He no longer felt the need to prove himself, but if that's what Shrikestorm wanted, he absolutely would hunt again.

Normally, going out onto the territory was exciting for Shrikestorm. Even when he wasn't hunting or checking their borders, he sometimes would just run and let the wind blow across his fur. WindClan truly had the best territory out of all the clans. There was no forests to block the sun, nor rivers to swipe out disgusting-smelling fish. Of course, it was better to explore the territory when he wasn't showing it to an outsider. Officially, Nightwind was a WindClan warrior, but he was a foreigner: a loner. Letting him in so soon after the battle against Asylum felt wrong to Shrikestorm. He wouldn't question his leader publicly, and hadn't, but that didn't mean he was going to fall over himself to make this outsider feel welcome.

"The first thing to know about being a WindClan cat is that we are a proud clan. These moors are our territory, and everything we could ever want is provided here. It is something one can only truly understand if they were born and raised here, as a true WindClan cat." He spoke plainly, but it wasn't as if he was hiding how he truly felt. Nightwind was a big tom, right? Surely he could handle it. "Our speed is unmatched, and our hunting skills are honed to track down and catch the fastest prey. You'll need to pick up those paws if you want to last long here."

OOC: Mobile post, so short and no color. Sorry!

IC:

Nightwind gave his "mentor" a toothy grin and a short chuckle at his response. "Oh, I'm picking up what you're putting down Shrikestorm." Probably more than Shrikestorm could have ever guessed. He'd seen this behavior before when Redfall brought back his kits from some Kittypet's yard. Skyclan was a very proud clan too, but collectively, not scattered about like dust in the wind as Windclan was.

"I will do my best to measure up." He said politely, though on the inside he was yearning to show this Windclanner what he was capable of. "I take it you're one of the few who aren't born from stray cats?"

Though he continued to lead Nightwind across the moors, Shrikestorm noticeably tensed up at what his "apprentice" had said. "Yes, I am born of pure WindClan blood," he mewed in response, trying to tamp down on his unease at being 'one of the few' that were. This was a new clan cat, and a loner at that. He wasn't someone who he could trust yet. That trust had to be earned. "I descend from WindClan's great leader Falconstar, who led our clan to their most prosperous moons." He didn't continue further, not mentioning that unfortunately, it would appear that WindClan's best days were far behind them. No self-respecting clan would swell their ranks with outsiders. It was sad.

"How do you know about the clans exactly? I would imagine you would not be on our territory very often." 'Or ever.' Trespassers were supposed to be dealt with as soon as they were seen, but he wasn't sure his clanmates had the gumption to do so.

The tension shockwave through Shrikestorm's body told Nightwind that he had certainly struck a nerve. He figured as much that it would and that was why he did it. His simple but brief history was exactly what Nightwind wanted to hear from him. This was already going so smoothly... someone he identified with in Windclan would make blending in that much easier. Shrikestorm said a lot with just that one sentence. He didn't need to give Nightwind his entire life story when he worded things the way that he did.

"My sister learned of Windclan from a Windclan warrior that she met and she relayed the information to me when I mentioned how tired I was of being alone. I know a bit, but probably even less than she does since I heard about the clans from a second source." He allowed a brief moment to pass and pretended to think, his eyes going upward for just a moment.

"Falconstar... Lilacstar... Are they related? They both have star in their names." The question might earn him a glare or an eye roll, given Shrikestorm's poorly veiled ideals of purity and superiority, but if he didn't play the part of an outsider, it just made "Nightwind" that much more likely to be found out. He couldn't have that, at least not yet.

I can practically smell your frustration, Shrikestorm. Dawnhawk thought, making sure to keep a neutral face. You descended from a proud line of true Windclan cats and now you are watching your culture and purity slowly die and are powerless to stop it. There was genuine sympathy somewhere deep within Dawnhawk. Skyclan had had the opposite problem. They were so strict on the "no outsider" policy that they were one misstep away from a clan of incest.

Hearing that a fellow warrior had given information of their clan to outsiders only served to make Shrikestorm more frustrated. He couldn't be too frustrated, since their existence wasn't a secret, but it was the fact that WindClan was so open that made him pause. That warrior likely gave the information away knowing that, should this sister have wanted to join, they would have been allowed to freely. He shook his head ruefully, but his words in response to what Nightwind said were more measured.

"They aren't related," he responded, rolling his eyes where Nightwind couldn't see. It made sense: an outsider wouldn't know the conventions and traditions of the clans. "Each clans leader is given the title of star. It just means that they're the leader." There was something farther off in the distance, but Shrikestorm could only denote it as a brownish blob. The way the wind was blowing, its smell wasn't being blown their way either.

Nightwind already knew the answer that he was going to get, but he nodded like he had grasped a new concept. He padded after Shrikestorm in silence for a moment, though his eyes too fell on the brown figure in the distance. He couldn't quite make out what that thing was and the wind was of no assistance. For the time being he just assumed it was another hare. Windclan's territory was full of them.

"I'm not used to hunting in such open areas. Even the places I normally hunt that are somewhat open like this have had bushes, buildings, fences... that sort of thing. How do Windclan cats hunt in a windy area with nothing but grass as cover? One strong wind and the grass bends to reveal what is behind it." This time it was a genuine question. He used the grass to hunt with Tawnyflare before, and a few times the gusts of wind actually seemed to boost him forward if he angled himself right. Did all Windclan cats hunt that way? Were they actually not as fast as they claimed, and were all only boosted by the moor's gales?

For a moment, Shrikestorm felt a sense of pride. This loner didn't know how WindClan cats were able to traverse their terrain, which gave him an opportunity to brag about his clan. He stopped himself, however, feeling like it wasn't truly genuine. There was just something about this loner that he didn't trust. Probably because he was a loner, because... yeah. The last thing he wanted was for an outsider to catch him boastful: foolish pride came before the fall.

"You have to use the wind to your advantage. If there was a hare behind us, we would be able to scent it, but because we would have the wind at our fronts, it could not. Scent is life or death here. Catch the wind correctly, and you'll head back to camp with prey for the camp. Catch it wrong, and you'll be left hungry." They had little to no cover, it was true. That was why stealth and using the elements correctly was so vital. It was a skill passed down through the history of his clan, and he was proud to hold that knowledge in his paws.

Nightwind nodded. That made sense. The wind wasn't quite as active in Skyclan territory, as the trees blocked a lot of it. Usually nothing more than a light breeze would blow through, so hearing was used more often than scent or sight. Speaking of which... the brown figure seemed to be growing larger. Nightwind stared intently at it and he eventually squinted to try to focus on what it was. Wait a second... wouldn't we be able to see a hare fairly clearly if it was close? They're not that big... And with that realization, Nightwind halted in place.

"I think our scent had been picked up by that thing... and it's coming this way." In just a matter of moments, the form of the animal came into view. And oh boy was it moving fast... the fastest dog that Nightwind had ever seen in his life. It was long legged and skinny with a long nose and a disturbingly thin body. There was no way Nightwind was outrunning that... and with how fast it was closing the gap between them and it, he doubted even a Windclan cat could outrun it. What even was that dog???

"Dogdogdogdogdog!!!" Nightwind sounded the alarm swiftly and darted deftly to the right to avoid the dog's trajectory. He'd fought another dog that was at least four times the size of this one... but it didn't make those jaws any less dangerous. He maneuvered around the speedy predator fast enough. As it slid to a stop in the grass, Nightwind leaped for it, claws extended and fangs looking to seek purchase on it's long, skinny neck.

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

Nightwind
80HP / 230SP (-10SP)

Shrikestorm
45HP / 160SP

Greyhound (Dog)
Stunned for One Turn
137HP / 350SP (-13HP)

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

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'Effect Dice' : 3

Because of his opinions towards non-clan cats, Shrikestorm would usually just listen with one ear to what Nightwind was saying. This, however, he heard all too well. 'That thing,' well that was going to catch anyone's attention. He looked in the direction that he had seen the brownish blur from earlier, but now it was a lot closer, a lot faster, and a lot more... dog. Nightwind sounded the alarm, but he was already aware of what it was, and what danger it presented. Nightwind dived to the right, and Shrikestorm to the left, both of them just avoiding being taken down by the skinny canine. It didn't look extremely powerful, but no cat would ever make the mistake of underestimating a dog. Not unless they wanted to lose their life.

"Keep moving!" Shrikestorm yowled, not thinking of Nightwind as some sort of an intruder in that moment. Right then, they were both in danger, and if they didn't take care of this dog, the entire clan would be too. In times of crisis, one should take the help they were given. "Stay on your side! It can't catch us both at once!" The dog seemed dazed from Nightwind's attack, which was the perfect time to strike. He slid beneath the dog, raking his claws across its soft underbelly. Then he scrambled out before it could drop down, scratching down its side as he kept to Nightwind's opposite side.

Shrikestorm used Half-Turn Belly Rake + Swift Strike for 15 damage, costing 30 stamina.

Shrikestorm
45/45 HP
130/160 SP (-30)

Nightwind
80/80 HP
220/230 SP

Greyhound (Dog)
Stunned for One Turn
122/150 HP (-15)
350SP

Nightwind managed to do a bit of damage with his attack, but the dog was so wiry and weird in body that he couldn't keep his grip for long. As Shrikestorm shouted orders at him, Nightwind had to refrain from yelling back at him. I know how to fight you absolute- No! No you don't! You're Nightwind, not Dawnhawk, you mouse-brain! He scolded himself. Leave it to a moment of adrenaline to almost make him forget his role. He instead just kept his mouth shut and continued to fight the dog. He slid off of the crazy creature, but then came back with a vengeance and lashed out with his claws.

Nightwind used Rending Front Paws on Dog, dealing 15 damage and -25SP

Nightwind
80HP / 195SP (-25SP)

Shrikestorm
45HP / 130SP

Greyhound (Dog)
No longer stunned and can attack next turn
107HP / 350SP (-15HP)

'He certainly knows how to fight,' Shrikestorm mused to himself as he whirled around and kicked at the dog with his back paws, using the last moments of distraction to get another good hit in. Perhaps it shouldn't have been surprising, as fighting to stay alive was likely a constant in the life of a loner or rogue. His moves were impressive, though, almost indistinguishable from a clan cat. It was curious, but not curious enough to go through any further. In that moment, Nightwind having those fighting skills was a boon against a dog.

Shrikestorm used Back Kick for 11 damage, costing 15 stamina.

Shrikestorm
45/45 HP
115/160 SP (-15)

Nightwind
80/80 HP
195/230 SP

Greyhound (Dog)
No longer stunned
96/150 HP (-11)
350SP

The greyhound hadn't been expected the cats to fight back, not at all. So they had a few rounds of surprise, but now he was done fooling around. He'd only wanted to grab them and shake them a little, and now they were hurting him. The greyhound growled and shot his jaws forward and clamped down on the darker colored one... that tasted absolutely terrible even for a dog...

Dog used Iron Bite on Nightwind, dealing 30 damage and -20SP

Nightwind
50HP / 195SP (-30HP)

Shrikestorm
45HP / 115SP

Greyhound (Dog)
96HP / 330SP (-20SP)

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Nightwind saw that weird head and long nose whip around to his side and he already understood what was going to happen. Of course it had to be him... The teeth thankfully sunk in briefly and then the dog released, which could have been way worse if he had bit down, held and started to thrash around. He had puncture wounds on both shoulders and some flesh wounds on his scruff area, but it wasn't something that was going to take him down.

"Let's see how you like getting bit!" He hissed at the dog, right before he clamored up the beast and bit down on an ear.

Nightwind used Teeth Grip on Dog, dealing 12 damage and -20SP

Nightwind
50HP / 175SP (-20SP)

Shrikestorm
45HP / 115SP

Greyhound (Dog)
Stunned for Three Turns
84HP / 330SP (-12HP)

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

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'Effect Dice' : 6