Of Hens and Eagles [closed]

Henpaw bolted across the moor like her tail was on fire, a battle yowl escaping her jaws. She’d challenged her brother to a race, and bolted off before she could hear his answer- he had to say yes, anyways, you couldn’t turn down your medicine cat! The wind stung her face as she nearly stumbled into a rabbit warren, but sure paws could not be so easily turned from victory. The moor was beautiful this early in the morning, the sun’s rays just beginning to banish the dew that made her paws slip. Fresh, cool air blew in her face as she looked back to see how far behind he was… he wasn’t that far behind… but there was something behind him…

Henpaw turned mid-leap, pelting back towards her brother and the bird of prey diving for him. With a yowl, she skirted Timberpaw, and slammed into the unsuspecting bird, who was just trying to catch a little morsel, really. The calico managed to bring the young eagle to the ground, biting and clawing at its wings. “Stay back, Timber!” Stars above, if he tried to play the hero and attacked the eagle, she’d give him a good talking to. Henpaw gave a pained hiss as the eagle’s talons raked down her face. Blood dripping into her eyes, she took a quick leap back. It wasn’t bad, she knew that much. Just a scrape, really, hopefully Timberpaw wouldn’t be freaked out.

The eagle was annoyed that this cat had stopped it from diving after the brown one. Oh well. Hopefully this one would taste just as good. The young, reckless bird spread its wings threateningly, pleased with the damage it had done to the young cat, although unfortunately it had missed the eye.

Hen used Jumping Strike, dealing 7 (4+3) damage and costing 7 stamina. Eagle used Talon Strike, dealing 7 damage and costing 10 stamina.

Hen
13/20 HP (-7)
53/60 SP (-7)

Eagle
33 HP / 40 HP (-7)
115/ 125 SP (-10)

Timber
20/20 HP
60/60 SP

Timberpaw had only just gotten ready to hunt when his sister appeared, challenging him to a race, mind still processing what happened he giggled and ran after her. The tortoiseshell she-cat was much faster than the tabby tom but he kept running, eyes focused on catching up with his sister. "I'll- I'll beat you one day!" He was already a little out of breath his sister spun around, something reflecting in her green eyes. Timberpaw instinctively ducked when his sister ran past him, unsure what to do as he skidded to a stop.

What had caused her to do this? He turned his head. "Henpaw...?" Henpaw was clawing at an eagle's wings, he wanted to stay back, like she had told him to, even if she was a medicine cat, what if that bird killed her?

Timberpaw bent down, lashing his tail and staring at the eagle, he let out a hiss, a battle cry, running  past his sister as she jumped back. He lifted himself onto his back paws and slashed at the eagle's face with his claw. He stumbled backwards, not too used to standing up on two paws, he backed away, standing next to his sister, fluffing himself up to make himself look bigger. "I'm not afraid of you!" That was a lie, he was very much afraid of the predator.

Timberpaw used Front Paw Strike, dealing -6 HP (Eagle) and -7 SP (Timberpaw)

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

Eagle -
27/40 HP (-6)
115/125 SP

Henpaw -
13/20 HP
53/60 SP

Timberpaw came rushing past, being a complete mouse-brain and going for the head. If the eagle hadn’t been completely focused on Henpaw, Timberpaw could’ve easily lost an eye, or his life. The calico she-cat dug her claws into the ground, arching her back and spitting. The eagle, however, seemed determined to be a piece of fox-dung and didn’t fly off like any halfway decently intelligent creature would have done. Instead, it lashed out with wickedly sharp talons, aiming for Henpaw. Quick reflexes honed by hunting and sparring allowed the calico molly to avoid the worst of the attack, latching onto the eagle’s leg with sharp teeth and hanging on. The raptor gave a cry of surprise and pain, stumbling back with wild eyes. Henpaw could’ve let go… but she tasted blood, and hung on for as long as she could before springing back to avoid the other talon. With a sudden idea, she flung herself under the eagle, and grabbed onto its tail feathers, pulling hard. The bird screeched again, obviously infuriated, but thrown off balance and unwieldy on the ground. Good thing they weren’t fighting it in the air.

The blood in her mouth wasn’t just from the eagle, she suddenly noticed. It was trickling down her face from the cut above her eye. Bedraggled and generally a bloody mess, she turned angrily to her brother with a hiss. “You shouldn’t be afraid of it- you should be afraid of me! We’ve got some things to talk about once I finish off this thing.” Couldn’t he see he was going to get himself hurt, or even killed? Foxing mouse-brain! Henpaw turned back to the eagle, which now looked about as mad as she felt. “Hang back mouse-brain,” she hissed. “This fox-dung got somethin’ it wants to talk about.”

Hen used Tail Yank, dealing 3 damage and costing 15 stamina. Eagle is stunned for a turn.

Henpaw
13/20 HP
38/60 SP (-15)

Eagle
24/40 HP (-3) STUNNED
115/125 SP

Timberpaw
20/20 HP
53/60 HP

Timberpaw stared at Henpaw, glancing back at the eagle every few seconds. She looked kind of angry at him for a moment, before she was attacked, again, this time, however, his sister was prepared. She managed to grab hold of the eagle's poor excuse of a tail and yank it, knocking the eagle off balance. Timberpaw prepared to attack but then- "You shouldn't be afraid of it-" She was hissing at him. Ears back. Angry. Timberpaw even stepped back a little. Henpaw didn't seem to care that he felt hurt by her sudden anger, she just turned back to the eagle.

He was tired of her bossing him around. Even if she was trying to protect him.

He was tired of the hissing, the anger.

"You said you wouldn't hurt me." Timberpaw hissed back at her, the same thing he said when they were kits, when she hit him a little too hard. "Maybe you meant physically, you certainly did back then. I heard what you said Henpaw, I thought you were going to get killed. You can't sacrifice your own life to save me. That's not how this is going to work." He stepped back, ears flattening against his head. "You're always pushing me around. You're always telling me that I'm a mouse brain. If you think I can't defend myself then you don't know me. You're just a medicine cat- an apprentice at that. I'm trained for battle and yet you jump in and protect me. The only protecting you should be doing is protecting others from what comes out of your mouth! You tell me what to do- you hiss at me- you call me a mouse brain- you jump into every conversation I have with a cat and say you're protecting me?" He took in a breath and looked away. "You don't trust me, siblings are supposed to trust eachother." He shut his eyes and opened them, looking back at the eagle. "I- I will fight- this time- I'm protecting you." He stepped forwards, in front of her, but didn't attack the eagle. He just stood there, slightly surprised at himself, but somewhat glad he let it all out.

Timberpaw doesn't attack this turn.

“I would never hurt you,” she hissed back, startled and hurt. Timberpaw kept talking, and Henpaw took a step back, ears flattened against her head, tail bristling. I do trust you… she mouthed, no sound escaping her throat. Timberpaw… what had she done? Why was he so hostile, so… not him? Her eyes grew wet with unshed tears… why… Timberpaw… they’d always stuck together… even through the hard bits… she was the closest to him out of all their siblings… she’d always, always protected him. Why couldn’t he appreciate that? Their closeness had been shattered. She’d trusted him before… she wasn’t sure if she did so now. Why would he do such a thing to her… why… what had she done?

Searing pain on her back brought her back to reality with a screech. The eagle had taken advantage of her distraction, raking it’s talons down her back. No matter how distraught she was, Henpaw wasn’t the type to roll over just because she was having a disagreement with her closest friend and brother. Hissing, she turned and sank her fangs into its leg again, seeking to hold on… but something gave way in her mouth, and she tumbled backwards. She put her paw to her mouth in worry… but it was just a chipped fang, nothing more serious. Henpaw rose to her paws again, covered in blood (mostly the eagle’s, she was proud to say) and dust. Although blood trickled down her face from a cut above her eye and the wounds on her back looked painful, she was still fighting. Fighting for Timberpaw. Stars knew he’d get…himself…killed…

Have I been treating him like a kit?

Henpaw used Snap, dealing 6 damage and costing 7 stamina. Eagle used Talon Strike, dealing 6 (-1 due to Moor Runner) damage and costing 10 stamina.

Henpaw
8/ 20 HP (-6) (+1 b/c I forgot about Moor Runner on my first post)
31/60 SP (-7)

Eagle
18/40 HP ( 6)
105/125 SP (-10)

Timberpaw
20/20 HP
53/60 SP