Smoldering Embers [closed]

Henpaw stalked slowly into Fourtrees. The smell of smoke still hung faintly in the air from the previous Gathering, even though the rain had quenched the fire some time ago. The calico considered leaping onto the Greatrock, gazing over the clearing like she was a leader. Ah, what the Dark Forest. Why was she here? Henpaw snorted, lashing her tail. She knew why she was here. To gaze at the might of StarClan. The oak was still blackened, fragile, and after what had happened to the SkyClan medicine cat, she had no desire to climb onto it. But even with such memories resurfacing, there was an air of peace. Even the burnt oak seemed calm, as though it had fulfilled its purpose. The burnt, snapped off limbs would decompose. The dirt they formed would replenish the forest. With a contented sigh, Henpaw rolled onto her back and gazed up at the sky. Sure, she was a bit close to ThunderClan’s border, but ThunderClan and WindClan were allies, and she was a medicine cat. If anyone asked, she was looking for omens… but in reality, she just found it a pleasant place to rest.

Patchpaw had not been at the Gathering, but obviously had heard about what had happened. She really hadn't planned to go anywhere near Fourtrees, but her paws had a different idea of what their day was going to look like. She padded closer, her nose filled with the smell of burnt tree as she came up to the ridge. She had never been to a Gathering yet, and now she would never see the great oak without it's scars. She felt a slight pang of disappointment, as though something major had changed and been lost.

She looked up as another scent reached her. She had been so focused on the oak...But she was not alone here as she had thought. The black and white apprentice caught a glimpse of another cat, one that did not appear to be threatening as they seemed quite comfortable on their back.

"Hello?" Patchpaw didn't know how to continue, as she didn't have a reason to be here, and it felt wrong to question another cat's motives when she had no excuse herself.

Henpaw hadn’t thought that the disastrous Gathering had changed her any. Apparently she was wrong. At the mere sound of another voice she surged upwards, fur bristling. The wind was towards the molly that had spoken- Henpaw had no idea what Clan she was from. But she could guess- SkyClan. Or maybe she was just mad because this molly interrupted her. Or maybe she needed to let out some anger. It was only the fact that Fourtrees was sacred (oh, yeah, and she was a medicine cat) that kept her from leaping at the other cat and raking her claws down her fur.

For a millisecond, anyways.

Henpaw leapt at the she-cat, striking her with strong paws that hadn’t forgotten their warrior training. Although she was careful to not really harm her (she hadn’t even drawn blood yet), she forgot that the other cat might not realize that Henpaw wasn’t a blood-thirsty psychopath. She inhaled, trying to tell which Clan this molly was from, but only scented blood…

Oh, well. It wasn’t a lot. Probably not even enough for this cat to visit Beechface- if she was SkyClan. She probably was. Alright, fine, Henpaw was just making excuses to attack this molly. She needed to let out some aggression, something being a medicine cat hindered. She wasn’t going to seriously injure her, or injure her at all, really. Henpaw added a few more blows, fueled by adrenaline, before stepping back.

“You got a spine, fox-heart?”

Henpaw used Front Paw Strike and Desperate Blows, dealing 13 damage and costing 12 stamina. Moor Runner is active, attacks against Henpaw do -1 damage.

Henpaw
20/20 HP
48/ 60 SP (-12)

Patchpaw
7/20 HP (-13)
60/60 SP  

Patchpaw didn't even have time to begin to understand what was going on. As soon as the other cat realized she was there, there were claws connecting with her skull. She recoiled, as a few more blows glanced off of her.

"More of a spine than you, just blindly striking at any cat who speaks to you! That's not bravery, that's just plain fear." The black and white molly hadn't had much fighting training yet, but she didn't even think about it as she raised a front paw and slashed back at the other cat. One of the blows seemed to have left her with a cut over her eye, and a drop of blood made her squint, but she still managed to strike true.

Patchpaw used Front Paw Strike, dealing 5 damage and costing 7 stamina.

Henpaw
15/20 HP (6-1 = -5)
48/ 60 SP

Patchpaw
7/20 HP
53/60 SP (-7)

“Fear? I’ll show you the meaning of fear, little vixen you!” Henpaw had been considering letting the she-cat flee if she wanted to, but insulting her wouldn’t slide. Henpaw planted her paws squarely on the ground and prepared to surge off and attack the other molly, but the SkyClan cat had other ideas. Henpaw recoiled with a snarl, tasting blood. Not too much, sure, but blood. Alright, so maybe she was a hypocrite. But she was a medicine cat, and SkyClan should’ve known better. She glanced about swiftly, almost expecting StarClan to send down lightning like they had on Beechface.

No lightning.

Alright, so what? She could take care of this vixen on her own. Henpaw surged forwards, claws unsheathed. Adrenaline flooded through her as she collided with the other molly, the scent of blood filling her nose… and ThunderClan scent. Oh. Whoops. Henpaw took a step back, tail lashing. “You’ve done attack a medicine cat, foxwhelp. Do none of you have brains?” Maybe she could get out of this mess. She didn’t want to start a war! Henpaw’s eyes narrowed. She didn’t trust this ThunderClanner. “I’ll let you get off easy-like this time,” she hissed, gauging the molly’s wounds. She didn’t look like she could last much longer. And besides, it wasn’t like she was defending her territory. She didn’t have motivation.

Hen used Front Paw Strike, dealing 6 damage and costing 7 stamina.

Henpaw
15/20 HP
41/60 SP (-7)

Patchpaw
1/20 HP (-6)
53/60 SP

Patchpaw was confused, honestly, amongst the adrenaline that was flowing through her veins. Why was this cat attacking her? Sure, there was no truce here when there was not a full moon, but Fourtrees still felt sacred and it felt wrong to be spilling blood here. She didn't have a choice though!

As the other molly prepared to strike again, Patchpaw dropped, dodging the blow, and quickly bounced back to her paws. She thanked StarClan silently for her long legs and strong muscles to be able to do so, before attempting to strike back.

Suddenly, all of the heat ran out of her body as her blood ran cold. A medicine cat? Stars, Minkstar was going to lose it on her. She wasn't going to be a warrior, maybe ever. She took a step back, eyes round and wide.

"Y-you're a medicine cat? Why did you attack me, then?! Aren't you supposed to heal cats? Not inflict harm?" Patch's voice grew angrier as she went. This hadn't been her fault! She was defending herself! But would StarClan feel the same?

Patchpaw used Dodge and Fight, negating the last damage, successfully dealing 5-1 (4) damage, and costing 15 SP.

Henpaw
11/20 HP (4)
41/60 SP

Patchpaw
7/20 HP
38/60 SP (-15)

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

---

'Effect Dice' : 5

Henpaw gave a frustrated hiss at the ThunderClanner’s quick reaction. Stars, why wouldn’t she just stand still and let her hit her! She surged forwards with a flurry of blows, only stepping back when she was sure the ThunderClanner had lost, although making sure to not seriously harm the other apprentice. Only when she was sure she had won did she step back and answer the ThunderClanner’s “question”. “We both did mouse-dung, ‘kay? I thought you were a mangy SkyClanner- turns out you’re a mangy ThunderClanner. I wouldn’t have attacked if I’d known, alright? SkyClan has less respect for the Code than anyClan in the forest or out of it and I wanted to show them.” Confidence and the knowledge that she’d won flooded through Henpaw, and she held her head high. “You put up a good fight for a ThunderClanner,” she admitted. “Henpaw.” Stars, she hoped she wouldn’t get in trouble for this- probably not, the other molly seemed mostly scared that she was going to get in trouble. “And I’ll tell ya again- I wouldn’t have attacked if I knew you weren’t a SkyClanner. Apologies.” She muttered, ears turning red. She never apologized to anycat other than her family.

Hen used Front Paw Strike and Swift Strike, dealing 9 (3+ 6 ) damage and costing  17 (10+ 7 ) SP

Henpaw
11/20 HP
24/60 SP (-17)

Patchpaw
0/20 HP (-9) K.O.
38/60 SP

Henpaw. Patchpaw was sure that the name would stick with her until she went to walk with StarClan. Her vision was getting fuzzy, and she knew she was done. This fight was over. The apology meant nothing, really. The ThunderClanner had still been in a fight with a medicine cat, and now she felt like her paws were stained. Who cared why it had happened at this point?

"Seems like your respect for the Code is pretty conditional as well." She muttered, forcing her limbs not to buckle. Instead, she managed to back away far enough that it would look that she disappeared into the undergrowth. Once she was quite certain Henpaw could no longer see her, she collapsed, licking a paw and attempting to wipe the blood from her brow before giving up and just letting her muscles rest. Soon, she would have to return to camp, and she still was unsure what she would say when another cat saw her. The scratch above her eye was not bad, but it was noticeable.