Fighting Again [C]

Ashfall had woken that morning actually wanting to go hunting, something that she hadn't felt since she had gained her injuries in the first place. It was good to feel even vaguely confident again. Her one-eyed gaze looked around the camp, wondering if anyone even felt like going hunting. Suddenly she spotted a familiar golden pelt in camp. "Goldenfang!" She flagged the new deputy down, dipping her head slightly in acknowledgment of her new position. "Do you feel like going hunting?" Her tail flicked gently from side to side, curious as to if Goldenfang had too much on her back right now to even consider leaving camp.

Goldenfang’s attention turned from grooming to Ashfall, pleased to hear some life in her friend’s meow. “That sounds like fun! My brain is all tired from thinking about patrols.” She got up and stretched deeply, digging her claws into the warmth earth, and felt some of the tension of today’s planning melt from her limbs. She shook her pelt out and then gave Ashfall a pleased smile. “So you’re feeling better?” Goldenfang asked, starting with a comfortable trot towards the camp entrance. Seeing the warrior going in and out from the medicine den day after day made her feel sad and a bit guilty. Her request was a fantastic step forward, and Goldenfang couldn’t help but raise her tail high at the thought of Ashfall getting strong again.

Ashfall limped out of camp with Goldenfang at her side, turning her head to her. "More or less. The paw is messed up, but other than that, everything has healed up fairly well. Most of it is just learning to deal with it all now." She wouldn't talk about the hatred in her heart for her grandfather doing this to her, or the fact that her father had partially caused the fight in the first place. There was no point in discussing it, someday they would be delivered justice, either by her or by Starclan.

"So, how's deputy-ship going? That's sure to be... interesting." A part of Ashfall still felt weak for not being chosen, that Daystar didn't think she would've been up to the task due to her injuries. Yet she also knew that Daystar was kind and, to be quite frank, a very sweet individual. Would she have really made the choice for that reason? Too many maybe's, not enough answers. She would put it out of her mind for now, it was no one's fault but her own that she had been injured.

OOC: ill force a predator next time I post :)

“That’s good. I guess life is one long lesson, isn’t it?” Goldenfang replied. She wanted to be optimistic. Ashfall had been through a lot, and she hadn’t deserved it. That seemed to be how it went in this forest; bad things happened to good cats and the bad cats got away. “Oh,” Her friend had asked about her new duties and she’d taken a moment to process the question. “It’s… a lot. Just when I finish one patrol, another one needs to be planned! Sometimes I plan a few patrols ahead and then I forget who I picked right when I start assigning them, and other times the cats I chose aren’t even in camp. It’s just new to me. I need some time to get used to it. Honestly, I don’t even like telling cats what to do. It feels weird, like I’m a kit pretending to be the deputy and the warriors are humoring me for the day.” Goldenfang laughed a sweet, pleasant laugh. How else could she respond? Everything had to be a joke, or else it would all feel too real.

"I'm sure you'll grow into the role. I certainly think you'll do fine. Besides, if they humor you, eventually they'll just start doing it out of habit-" Ashfall stopped in her tracks, catching the scent of fox on the breeze. A reminder of a time that felt so long ago, her own apprenticeship. Her first fight. In a hushed tone, she whispered, "Fox somewhere out here, that way." A point of her tail directed Goldenfang in the direction of the scent, though she had likely scented it as well. Thankfully the wind was on their side today. Thank Starclan for that.

Quietly moving into the tall grasses, Ashfall got low, hopping along on her good paw. Stalking was certainly more difficult, but not impossible. She was just a little louder than usual. Suddenly, a flash of reddish fur through the grass. The fox, and it was eating their prey. Rude. Waving her tail, Ashfall prepared to leap out at it. Bunching her haunches, she flashed out of the grass, leaping with her strong hind legs toward the predator. Gripping her claws onto the Fox, she bit down onto the back of its neck, holding it, and herself, in place. The fox had toppled, writhing in an attempt to knock Ashfall off.

Ashfall used Leap-and-Hold on the Fox, dealing 9 damage, and using 15 stamina. The Fox is pinned for 1 turn!

Ashfall
45/45 HP
75/90 SP (-15)

Fox [Pinned 1]
51/60 HP (-9)
180/180 SP

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

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'Effect Dice' : 1

Goldenfang grinned, pleased to have her friend’s support. Maybe she was right. Things would get easier over time, and she’d grow into her role as deputy. It wasn’t like she had to be perfect today. Ashfall’s sudden stop drew a confused glance, but when she explained the fox-scent, Goldenfang’s gaze hardened and she nodded in understanding. She could smell the foul creature now. This would be her first encounter with a fox. Eager to send it off WindClan land or perhaps to the Dark Forest (or wherever foxes ended up in the afterlife—did foxes have an afterlife? Were there other lives-after-deaths?), the gold she-cat followed Ashfall’s lead and stalked through the heather with quiet, controlled breaths.

There it was: bigger than them, long-nosed, beautiful red fur stained with the blood of WindClan’s prey. Her fangs bared instinctively. Ashfall signaled to Goldenfang, and the pair struck out at the fox together, interrupting its meal with snarls and hisses and the flashing of claws and teeth. The deputy felt the fox’s weight lurch and soon it tumbled against the ground. Goldenfang admired Ashfall’s strength as she single-pawedly brought the predator down and held it there with an intensity that sent sent a shiver down her spine. She didn’t hesitate. The fox was flailing but she found a gap to leap onto it and dig sharp claws into its side. The scent of blood wafted into her nose; Goldenfang found herself mesmerized. Another quick flash of claws and she ripped fur from the side of the fox’s head.

Goldenfang used Jumping Strike on the fox, dealing 7(+3) damage and using 7 SP.
Goldenfang used Swift Strike on the fox, dealing 4 damage and using 10 SP.

Ashfall
45/45 HP
75/90 SP

Fox
37/60 HP
180/180 SP

Goldenfang
60/60 HP
113/130 SP