Pair of jokers (Muddyleap)

Goldenfang sat down with a thump in the center of camp. The storm from the early morning was finally blowing over and the sun was shining brightly on her back, warming her pelt despite the chilly breeze. She wasn’t too keen on sitting still in this weather, and the deputy could only run around looking for prey or intruders so many times before becoming bored out of her mind.

She looked around the camp in search of nothing in particular. Sometimes a friend could grab her attention and give her some amusement for the evening. Besides that, as the deputy, she should be checking in on her Clanmates. The brown-mottled pelt of Muddyleap caught her eye; ‘Perfect!’ She stood and approached the tom with her tail raised and a smile on her muzzle.

“Hi Muddyleap, you busy right now?” They’d been friends for a long time. Goldenfang could tell that he’d been hurt badly by Sunnkyskip and Ryesnap’s deaths. She understood. It wasn’t the same—they weren’t her family—but she’d loved loved Ryesnap’s company and looked up to Sunnyskip as an older, more experienced warrior. Like Fawnstep. She shivered slightly against the wind. “Will you help me practice my battle moves? We’ve had peace for a while now, but I want to stay sharp.”

Muddyleap had been tucked neatly into a small corner of the WindClan camp, eyes on his paw as his tail thump slowly against the ground. Things...Things hadn't been the same for the tom since the news of his sister's disappearance - no, death. She had to have died, her scent trail had led to a hole in the side of the gorge and it had led...Off of it. ...It was still so hard for the tom to swallow, of how much it hurt every day to wake up and just...Not see her around the camp. They had grown up so close, he had never expected to be without her so... So suddenly. And then they had even lost one of her kits so soon after. He hadn't known Ryesnap well but it was still...

His head slumped into his paws, ready to get back to a very important day of moping around and just being a burden when the sound of pawsteps grew closer. He twitched his ear, but paid no attention to it - it was likely his mom. Hayglow had been taking things slightly better and had done her best to cheer him up but... He wasn't sure what would get him out of this. However, when a voice split the air - it was obvious that the approaching cat had not been Hayglow at all. He raised his head to stare in surprise at Goldenfang, swallowing nervously at whatever she was about to say. She...She wasn't going to ask him to go out on patrol or anything, was she? He...He didn't know if he had the strength to go hunting o-or even to properly patrol the borders.

But to his surprise, the deputy instead offered up a spar. ...A spar? The tom blinked, gaze dropping a little as he thought it over. He...He didn't think he would be a good sparring partner - not with him being like this. He hadn't been eating well, he had hated it in the first place but had eaten when it was expected of him but... Now that cats were trying to give him space to grieve, the idea of eating had grown even less appealing - at least Hayglow still forced him a piece of prey once a day but...

Well, he had to admit that he kinda missed fighting. "I...Sure, Goldenfang," he meowed, his voice sounding a little rough as he hadn't spoken much since the news of the deaths had broke. He pushed himself to his paws, giving the deputy a bit of a nervous look. "I-I can't promise I'll best sparring partner currently but..." There was a hint of a sad smile that crossed his face. "...I think... I think this might be good for me. I gotta...I gotta stay sharp as well, y'know?" he added, trying to keep his voice light but it cracked a little. His expression dropped a little, lowing his head to look at his paws. Honestly, he was just...

He was just hoping the spar would keep his mind off of... Everything for a bit.

She butted her head against his shoulder. “It’s okay. Anything helps, right?” There was a stab of grief in her chest. She had stuffed it all down, drowning the recent losses of her Clanmates and that paralyzing night attack beneath her deputy duties. “We’ll take it slow.”

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True to her word, Goldenfang kept her pace to a comfortable walk interchanged with a steady jog. When they reached the flower field, blooming in bright leaf-fall colors, the she-cat picked a spacious patch surrounded by flowering lilies and dahlias, brightly colored petals occasionally sweeping away in the wind. The scent was soft and sweet. In the past she found it difficult to mentally be anywhere but here; good for escaping the camp, the patrols, the missing faces. Goldenfang turned to Muddyleap and crouched low in a readied battle stance. Her tail lashed side to side and her smile returned. “Come on, then!”

Goldenfang
60/60 HP
130/130 SP

Muddyleap had trailed somewhat slowly after Goldenfang - picking up the pace when she did but...Well, he was relieved that she had been true to her word. He didn't have the stamina for the mad dashes he tend to prefer. It...Hurt, realizing that. How badly he was taking care of himself, that he couldn't do nearly anything that had brought him joy before. He was just... Everything just seemed impossible to do without the light of his sister at his side. Even the flowers they had found themselves around seemed...Dull to him - it didn't help that he had never once been able to enjoy the 'soft and sweet' smell that his Clanmates claimed could be found here.

He stood there for a second, gazing sadly out at the expanse of flowers before Goldenfang's voice jolted him into the present. He turned, blinking wide at her as her words sank in. She...She wanted him to go first? But... He... He grimaced, tail twitching in uncertainty. He wasn't sure how prepared he was to fight, even if he had agreed but... Okay. He...He could do this. He shifted on his paws, trying to think of the best way to start this fight. ...Um, okay. He leapt forward, scrambling his way onto her back as he tried to force her to the ground - legs shaking a little with the effort.

Muddyleap used Leap-and-Hold on Goldenfang, dealing 9 damage and costing 15 stamina. Goldenfang is stunned for 2 turn(s).
Goldenfang's Moor Runner is active, Muddyleap deals -1 damage.

Muddyleap*:
45/45
75/90 (-15)

Goldenfang:
52/60 HP (-8)
130/130 SP

*Due to Muddyleap's lack of taking care of himself recently and thus being slightly malnourished, Muddyleap is currently using disabled stats.

The member 'Honey Badger' has done the following action : Dices roll

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'Effect Dice' : 6

“Hphhh!” Her breath left her body, and she found herself flat as a leaf beneath him. He surprised her! Goldenfang had really taken his claims of being malnourished seriously—she should have known! Not that he’d been lying, of course, but that her Clanmates were wily and quick and suffered a lot but always came out stronger for it. This wasn’t really passing through her head at the moment. She was actually scrabbling at the ground beneath her and cursing under her breath while she planned how to buck him off and then… roll in the dust or something, she wasn’t keen on planning that far ahead.

Goldenfang is stunned! 1 turn left.

Muddyleap
45/45 HP
75/90 SP

Goldenfang
52/60 HP
130/130 SP

Muddyleap blinked in surprise as Goldenfang gave out beneath him, honestly surprised that he had...Well, managed to pin her. His body ached as he tried to spread out his weight, keep her from slipping free but already he could feel his breath coming a little quickly. He...Oh boy, he wasn't in shape to do this for long. He had to be careful how he exerted himself, lest he wear himself out before this could be a nice proper spar.

Muddyleap continued to use Leap-and-Hold, dealing 9 more damage and costing 15 additional stamina. Goldenfang is stunned for 1 turn.
Goldenfang's Moor Runner is active, Muddyleap deals -1 damage.

Muddyleap
45/45 HP
60/90 SP (-15)

Goldenfang
44/60 HP (-8)
130/130 SP

She could hear his breath coming quickly and doubled her effort in struggling—kicking different legs towards the ground, bucking unevenly to throw off his balance—until finally she felt him slide off her back towards one side. Goldenfang rolled to meet him on the ground and clamped down on the joint where his paw met his leg. The taste of blood spread over her tongue and she loosened her jaw slightly, trying to keep herself from fighting her own Clanmate like her life depended on it: ‘This is a spar. He’s my friend. I’m not in real danger.’

Goldenfang used Random Recall and is no longer stunned.
Goldenfang used Snap, dealing 9 damage and using 7 stamina. -1 damage due to Muddyleap’s Moor Runner.

Muddyleap
37/45 HP (-8)
60/90 SP

Goldenfang
44/60 HP
123/130 SP (-7)

Muddyleap let out a surprise yelp as he felt Goldenfang rock beneath him, finally throwing his balance off. He fell backwards, landing square on his haunches as he blinked in surprise, tail flickering. Huh...That...That was kinda fun! There was a faint tinge of something sharp as he blinked, looking down to see that Goldenfang had latched her jaw onto his leg. "Oh! Playing rough, are we?" he teased as he yanked his leg free, unconcerned by the spray of blood that followed - it was hard to be worry when he couldn't feel it in the first place. He jumped onto his paws, swiping out with his good leg to catch Goldenfang in the face - his claws just barely out. Would leave a scratch, but nothing deep at least.

Muddyleap used Front Paw Strike on Goldenfang, dealing 9 damage and costing 7 stamina.
Goldenfang's Moor Runner is active, Muddyleap deals -1 damage.

Muddyleap:
37/45 HP
53/90 SP (-7)

Goldenfang:
36/60 HP (-8)
123/130 SP

He ripped his leg from her teeth and the blood splattered into her eyes. Goldenfang blinked against it instinctively and then wished she hadn’t; Muddyleap’s paw met her cheek and put stars in her vision. At first she was shocked, then offended that he’d dare slap her with claws out (even just a little), but she soon found that the new feeling filling her lungs was… exhilaration! She loved the adrenaline pumping through her body and a smile revealed her bloodied fangs as she hissed, “You have no idea!”

The she-cat darted towards his left, then turned sharply and sprang at him, bowling him over with her momentum. So the winds had changed! They crushed flowers beneath them, staining their pelts with blood and petal pigment, but looks were the least of their concerns.

Goldenfang used Leap-and-Hold, dealing 9 damage and using 15 stamina. Muddyleap is stunned for two turns.
-1 damage due to Muddyleap’s Moor Runner.

Muddyleap:
29/45 HP (-8)
53/90 SP

Goldenfang:
36/60 HP
108/130 SP (-15)

Afsgsjcts dice roll

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

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'Effect Dice' : 4

Muddyleap felt the same rush as Goldenfang, all of his worries fading away as the familiar surge of energy - of excitement rushed through him. It was hard to focus on anything else as the deputy quickly dodged around him - not even giving him time to spin to face her before he was knocked into the flowers as she worked to pin him. A soft playful hiss escaped him as he wiggled, struggling to get free. However, he wasn't as strong as he used to be - unable to put any real force in the attempt to knock Goldenfang off balance so he would escape. His hiss broke off into a little tired heave for breath, the energy that was flaring through him taking a moment to die as he was stuck... Reminding him out tired he was already getting.

Muddyleap used Duck-and-Twist, failing to break the pin, dealing 3 damage and costing 5 stamina. Muddyleap is pinned for 1 more turn.
Goldenfang's Moor Runner is active, Muddyleap deals -1 damage.

Muddyleap:
29/45 HP
58/90 SP (-5)

Goldenfang:
34/60 HP (-2)
108/130 SP

The member 'Honey Badger' has done the following action : Dices roll

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'Effect Dice' : 1