reconcile // dismantle [territory dispute]

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

---

'Hunting Dice' : 7

“You’re disgusting.” Turtlefur’s lip curled at the sight of Dovefrost laughing. He scampered off like a careless kitten, and Bearspirit sent an embarrassing slap after him. If Dovefrost were dumb enough to come back, Dewlight could just as easily box him over the ears like she would to a naughty kit. It would be just as fitting for the entitlement and hypocrisy in his words. “He must be ignorant or willfully moronic. Imagine that! Thinking he’s better than Cloverheart when Wolfstar targeted her and Dovefrost jumped into your claws. And the nerve to lecture us on attacking a ‘defenseless medicine cat’ and then insult her for actually being ambushed in the same breath, it’s like he doesn’t remember his own words!” He growled to Bearspirit as his friend returned to his side. With a dismissive shake of his head, he cleared the matter from his mind. The medicine cat was more than responsible for his own wounds and it was no longer Turtlefur’s problem, regardless of what Minkstar might accuse them of.

That reminded him… he looked to the leader as he bore down on Dewlight. What an unfair fight! To strike first after lying about coming in peace, to intentionally attack warriors weaker than them, to allow their medicine cat to interfere against his oath and then try to claim moral superiority! And yet RiverClan persevered. Jayshriek was giving it his best and Dewlight was only just now hitting the ground with what looked like a final blow. Minkstar was running right at him and Bearspirit. Turtlefur’s determined gaze met the ThunderClan leader’s unflinchingly. His job as a warrior was to put himself in danger for the survival of the Clan. While in any other circumstance Turtlefur would be reluctant to have anything to do with a leader, the adrenaline in his veins made him bolder than ever.

Suddenly, Dewlight was up! She was screaming and taunting Minkstar, that she wasn’t out yet, and Turtlefur couldn’t hold back a grateful smile. With Minkstar’s attention turned back to the gray she-cat, the bobtailed warrior saw his chance. He lunged, doing what he did best: launching his small but strong body into Minkstar’s side and then ripping up his pelt in a flurry of heavy hits from his webbed paws.

Turtlefur used Jumping Strike on Minkstar, dealing 9(+3) damage and using 7 stamina.

Minkstar
HP: 31/95 (-1)
SP: 71/150

Dewlight
HP: 5/80
SP: 107/170

Turtlefur
35HP / 59SP (-7)

He'd been preparing for the worst, for a slamming blow, for one of them to shove Dovefrost's head in the river and try to drown him. His claws unsheathed mid-leap across a boulder in preparation to release a flurry of blows, his lips drawing back from his teeth-

But Dove only got a smack on his tail, the warrior sending him on his way and then rushing off towards two tussling forms staining the rocks a dark red. Only two? The question barely broke the surface of his churning thoughts, bewildered relief stunting the rising fury he'd been prepared to release, like a claw pricking bubbled mud. Dovefrost was okay. Injured, but okay. A part of him knew he should leap forward and move on to the brown and white tabby, but for a heartbeat he hesitated, feeling oddly... flat. No barrier lay between him and the gut-churning guilt and confusion, between the tiredness dragging at his limbs and the stinging pain of his wounds.

And then a voice, sadistically triumphant and mocking to his dreading ears, came from behind. Foxdung, you eel - you should have stayed down. His lips peeled back from his teeth as he turned, prepared for the speech, prepared for the claws.

He wasn't prepared.

"What apprentice?" For a moment the fight was forgotten, his eyes narrowed in utter confusion, a hint of suspicion flashing in them that this was a trick, another part of him sifting through the holes of his memory to try and figure out if something had happened that he'd forgotten. But he wouldn't have forgotten something like this. Little things like names and what he'd just been about to do, yes. Murder? No.

But as she continued, his eyes flashed. "Why do you expect me to care? You keep bleating like a frog in the marsh about how I should be honourable enough to stop all this- so tell me, oh great and wise leader, how you expect me to betray my warriors and my Clan for yours. If you cared about one of my warriors supposedly killing an apprentice, you should have come and talked it out, not try to use it as yet another ploy to chase me off with in the heat of battle," He growled, flexing claws against the the rock beneath him, feeling the gritting scritch jar against them. "Ivystar... Ivystar wouldn't back down if she thought taking this territory would help RiverClan. I won't betray ThunderClan for RiverClan."

He took a step forward, hardness in his eyes, a thousand conflicting emotions churning and constricting his chest as he hissed, "Give me an alternative. Show me a way I can help your Clan without sacrificing my own. You think I want this? You think I want your blood on my claws, your kits to see their mother covered in it, your Clan to lose more hunters? Stars know..." He coughed gritty, blood-streaked phlegm from a rusted throat - blood that wasn't his own, just like that on his claws. "Stars only know why I do care."

A part of him wished desperately that she would, that those hate-filled eyes could offer anything more than another accusation of his villainy spat in his face. When had it gone so wrong? When had his desire to settle this without war - without hurting his former Clan - turned into this?

The slap of paw pads on stone broke through the seething maelstrom blunting his ears, a sudden electric twinge of warning twisting his body a heartbeat too late. A rumbling grunt burst from behind his teeth, the bitter realization of distraction surging through every fibre of his being as if claws had been slashed across his face. And with it came the memory of a one-eyed molly, the same twisted hate in her face reflected across every one of those facing him now.

A flash of his teeth gleamed in the sunlight, a paw flashing out and striking the side of her head with the force of a tidal wave of emotion suddenly released. "Snaketongue," The bubbled hiss gritted from his maw, rent with pain. "All we ever do is fight. I should have known better. I should have thought for a moment. There's no place for words on a battlefield - you said it yourself: shut up and get out or we'll send you mewling."

Side throbbing - stars, practically every part of him throbbed at this point - he whirled on the other tom, eyes blazing, bitterness scorching his tongue with sarcasm. "And what about you? Care to debate honour, too, you pale-bellied toad? Wait, I forgot - you attack medicine cats over a few insults when they refuse to raise their claws." Something dark and twisted curled his maw into a bitter facsimile of its usual lopsided smile, something inside him screaming against all of this, railing and battering against the cruel skin draped over his shoulders. "Come at me - show how it's done against someone willing to bloody his claws. Show how far you're willing to go in the name of bloodshed.

"We're all in same mud here."

Minkstar used Front Paw Blow, dealing 10 damage and using 5 SP. Dewlight is pending KO.

Minkstar (+disadvantaged stats)

HP: 31/95

SP: 66/150 (-5)


Dewlight

HP: 0/80 (-10) [KO pending???]

SP: 53/170


Turtlefur

HP: 35/70

SP: 59/160

Why wouldn't the tom stop moving for a moment? His opponent's strength was waning, that much was obvious. It was obvious his own was as well... it looked like no cat would be going home winning this fight. Herbs would be used to turn the freshly bleeding gashes into scars. Neither clan would have a full belly, but this wasn't over. Even if Stoatfur had to stake his life on it, he would brawl on these rocks over and over, if just to put his mind at ease.

Claws raked his pelt as another cat joined their fight. He ignored it, not missing a beat, and sought to latch onto Jayshriek's maw again. The deputy teeth sunk in, tasting the salty tang of blood. Grimacing through the flavor, he held on, willing the tom to stop moving.

Stoatfur used snap, dealing 10 damage and using 6 stamina.

Stoatfur
HP: 10/65
SP: 72/120

Jayshriek [Pending KO]
HP: 0/50
SP: 63/120

Dewlight's anger rose as Minkstar spoke. How could he not see the hypocrisy, not only in his words, but in his medicine cat's too? He had the brain of a fish... No, the brain of a badger. Only wanted to plow their way through life, taking whatever they pleased with no regard to what it meant for anything around them. Causing as much damage as they could when it suited them. She should have known better than to try to talk to him. "I'm not a leader, Minkstar. Bluepaw. Ivystar was planning to speak to you about the murder, but then she disappeared. We got a little bit wrapped up in that, so sorry for not dropping everything. Don't compare yourself to her either, she would have recognized a lost battle and ordered a retreat instead of sentencing those that remained to even further injury." Her eyes narrowed as he stepped closer, but her legs shook to much for her to even take a step. She shook her head slightly, blood drops scattering to the rocks below. "It's not my responsibility to come up with plans for you. Do it yourself for once." She growled, trying and failing to brace herself as the paw hit the side of her head, cracking her jaw painfully and sending her sprawling across the rocks. Grateful that the pain lasted only a moment, Dewlight succumbed to the darkness threatening her vision as her head fell on rocks underpaw, the only sign of life the faintest rising and falling in her belly.

Dewlight is KO'ed.

Turtlefur stared coldly at Minkstar, his philosophical musing wasted on the warrior. Mud? Minkstar didn’t know the meaning of the word. RiverClan spent hours sifting through mud and twoleg waste in search of their leader’s body and scraping at abandoned water vole tunnels when there was nothing to eat. Only the privileged had time to pick at the ideas of morals and honor. He had struck down Dewlight because he couldn’t persuade her with empty platitudes, so why should his lofty prose be bothered with?

Turtlefur leaped forward. Honor was an idea while teeth were a cold, sharp reality. He dug his fangs deep into Minkstar’s scruff and shook him vigorously as if the dogs that chased Turtlefur all season long had whispered their techniques in his ears.

Turtlefur used Scruff Shake on Minkstar, dealing 8 damage and using 20 stamina. Minkstar is stunned for 2 turns!

Minkstar
HP: 23/95 (-8)
SP: 66/150

Turtlefur
HP: 35/70
SP: 39/160 (-20)

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

---

'Effect Dice' : 5

The refined arch of his nape deepened further under the continuous burden of snapping teeth, flashing white sheen glinting sharply against the red fog of the hazy film slipping across the membrane of his eyes. The rhythmic flutter of Jayshriek’s pulse rising to an erratic wildfire, an alluring movement of furious movement concealed only through bloodied unkempt fur and delicate flesh. Something dark lingered within the molten depths of his golden gaze, a taunting undercurrent of overly smug satisfaction at the realization currently bubbling low and hot; though Stoatfur had managed to return the vicious bone-jarring bite, though Dewlight had been unfairly bested by an opponent who’s only skill was self-righteous hypocrisy, it didn’t matter.

Fine muscles shredding under the force required to wrench his head free from the ThunderClan Deputy’s firm grasp, a sharp kick from Jayshriek directly between the hind-legs sent the blotched tom sprawling out into Bearspirit’s outreached claws. Abdicating the fight mattered little when his Deputy would so clearly need help in vacating the premise.

---

Jayshriek is K.O.’D!

Bearspirit did not take being ignored well. With a snarl, he stood on his hind legs, briefly resembling his namesake, before he slammed his paws down on the back of the neck and the spine of his opponent to force him to the ground. He was done with this nonsense. He nodded at his brother as he made his retreat. He had fought valiantly.

Bearspirit used Leap and Hold, dealing 10 damage and -15SP

Stormy strength prevents Stoat for being pinned more than one turn. No dice roll needed.


Stoatfur
Pinned 1 Turn
HP: 0/65 (KO Pending)
SP: 72/120

Bearspirit
14HP / 68SP (-15SP)

Teeth grabbed his scruff for the second time that day, and Minkstar let himself go limp as he was dropped dizzy and shattered like a thousand shards of glittering droplets onto the rocks, half-laughing under his breath at the irony. At least the tom didn't say anything, the hatred in his eyes only silently expressed.

Pelt sticky with blood, red seeping from slashes on face and pelt, fur sticking up in half-chewed clumps, he looked up and bared his teeth in an uncaring snarl of a grin, the churn of emotion muffled under an icy coating of bitter apathy. Let the claws come, let them tear his pelt into a thousand shreds. A perverse craving shivered his skin in anticipation, an eery deadness reflected in the green of his eyes.

Minkstar is stunned!

Stoatfur has KO'd due to time out.

Bearspirit must have knocked the deputy pretty good, even if he would have been down soon regardless. Stoatfur buckled under the larger tom's strength and Bearspirit turned to set his eyes back on Minkstar. His sides were beginning to heave with the effort, but the battle was nearly done. He was sore, tired and covered in blood... all to keep his kits fed this leafbare. It would be worth it. He turned his attention back to Jayshriek. "Please take Dewlight and go get looked at by Cloverheat. Turtlefur and I will finish this." His voice was hoarse from battle, but his tone was not demanding and his eyes were soft. A small, grateful smile crossed his face before his attention was back on Minkstar. It was time to bring this battle to an end.

Bearspirit growled and pinned his ears back against his head before he barreled toward the stunned leader. He jumped from the ground and mercilessly slammed his claws into Minkstar's flesh, burying them knuckle deep.

"Now... back to what I was doing before your worthless, oathbreaking, sack of crowfood of medicine cat thought it would be funny to get in my way..." He snarled at Minkstar. He hoped he'd take it personal. Anyone who allowed their medicine cat to abandoned their oath without punishment was just as guilty as the oathbreaker themselves.

Bearspirit used Jumping Strike, dealing 12 damage and -7SP

Bearspirit
14HP / 61SP (-7SP)

Minkstar
Stunned 1 more turn
11HP / 66SP (-12HP)

Minkstar went limp like a dead fish and Turtlefur had to strengthen his bite to avoid flinging him. His jaw was beginning to ache—his whole body hurt. He was tired. He wanted to go home. He sent a grateful glance towards Bearspirit when his friend joined his side, digging relentlessly into the ginger tom’s bloodied fur. They’d finish this together, then. A renewing wave of energy was returning to Turtlefur, just enough to lash out at Minkstar’s head with an unmerciful blow to the temple.

Turtlefur used Front Paw Strike, dealing 11 damage and using 7 SP.

Bearspirit
14HP / 61SP

Turtlefur
35HP / 32SP (-7SP)

Minkstar
Stunned 1 more turn
KO Pending
0HP / 66SP (-11HP)

The claws that dug into his flesh didn't come from where he'd been expecting, the fuzzed ringing in his ears missing the crash of paw steps that led to his pelt being ripped open and the flood of red weeping like gasped tears from his skin. It tore a brief noise from the back of his throat in spite of the vicious satisfaction, the sounds bubbling at his ears still coherent enough, unfortunately, to catch the words spat at him like a wad of saliva.

His eyes settled on a familiar pelt, lip curling back from his teeth. "Oh shut up."

Nothing but bait. And stars was he tired of dealing with it. Tired of being pulled around by the claws slitted through his nose - these RiverClanners cared nothing for him or his Clan, so why in the stars were his emotions so caught up with this mess? Why should he care about some squirming fox-birthed pups destined to leech his Clan of their lives? Some skin-and-bones raging water-rats?

Because I was one of them, a long time ago. That's why.

His maw twisted into a sneering grin, sharp teeth bared in the face of them both, muscles weak as water, black spots flickering in his eyes. "Go ahead-" A wet cough brought frothing red bubbling to his lips, pain like the weave of lightning flashing across a bruised sky seizing his flanks and slashing like fire through the web-work of lines lacing his pelt - "finish it - finish it like I started it, you - hnk! - eel-born pikes."

A red flash.

For a moment he could've sworn StarClan themselves had blasted the side of his head, a sudden blinding, white-tinged agony searing through his whole body from ears to tail-tip. His vision doubled and contorted on itself, shuddering into a fuzzy, blood-stained rainbow cracking the image of the two cats into ghostly hordes. He gasped for breath, choking on a coppery gag tying his throat into knots, paws scrabbling at suddenly blazing rocks underneath him, the world teetering on a precipice as he stumbled up, crimson splashes staining what little white fur they all had left.

He couldn't tell if it was a laugh or a desperate choking cough that split his sides into ice-shattering fragments as his legs slipped from underneath him. Maybe they were sobs, finally drawn from his shuddering frame as the world constricted, black lines and swirls hungrily devouring the corners of his vision and strangling it into a pinprick of light, the sensation of throbbing, agonizing life under his pelt draining away to darkness as that last wink of light flickered, faded, and vanished.

And Minkstar - outcast, hypocrite, traitor to his former Clan and all he'd ever loved -

died.

Minkstar is no longer stunned! Unfortunately for him, he's also dead!

Bearspirit
14HP / 61SP

Turtlefur
35HP / 32SP (-7SP)

Minkstar
KO'd!
0HP / 66SP[/b]

Bearspirit yanked his claws out of his fallen foe. He was breathing heavily and covered in blood, both his own as well as the blood of others. It took him a moment to realize that they had actually beaten the Thunderclan leader to death. The blank look in his eye and the stillness of his body has Bearspirit tilt his head to one side as he stared down at him. It slowly dawned on him and he took a step back. Previously he thought he'd feel disgusted with himself if he ever took another cat's life, but now that he had done it Bearspirit was surprised that he felt... absolutely nothing. No triumph.... no sorrow... just nothing. The same feeling he got when he dropped prey off at the fresh-kill pile for the 10th time in a day. It was neither right nor wrong... it was just what needed to be done.

Maybe it was the fact that he knew Minkstar likely had more than one life and would be back at any moment. Maybe that was why he felt so callous toward the corpse of a fallen fellow cat. At least... he hoped that was why. He didn't want to be like Dawnhawk. He looked over at Turtlefur... and for a long moment he just looked at him. Slowly... almost cautiously... he allowed himself to smile and even chuckle briefly.

"That sucked..." He said good-naturedly, albeit through a bloody-toothed grin. "But we won. We did it Turtlefur. It's over." He stepped back a few more paces from Minkstar, ready to go home. His eyes went back to the fallen leader again and he considered the other tom for a moment. If he revived after he and Turtlefur left... couldn't he just claim the Sunningrocks then and say Bearspirit and Turtlefur retreated? The marbled tom's ears rotated back against his head at the thought. After what Dovefrost had pulled and with no rebuke from Minkstar... he wouldn't put it passed them to be dirty.

"Well... maybe we should make sure he actually goes home first. Sunningrocks is ours and will always be." His voice was still hoarse from the fighting, but he could be understood well enough. He said the last part more to Minkstar's stubborn corpse more than he had to Turtlefur. The memories of what he did to Dewlight... what he had threatened... passed through Bearspirit's mind again. Images of her bloodied, swollen face as she stood her ground and made him look like a fool time and time again with her words replayed as if it were happening right at that moment. A slow-burning, but white hot rage crept in around Bearspirit's mind. No... he wasn't just going to let Minkstar go peacefully. Not after that.

"Get back on your feet you rat..." He growled and his fur bristled once more. A brief thought of pushing Minkstar into the water and holding him under with Turtlefur entered his mind next.... but Bearspirit forced that thought away forcefully. He would not be the one to completely erase a leader's existence like Dawnhawk had...

Bearspirit is chilling with Turtlefur. No attacks have been made.

Bearspirit
14HP / 61SP

Turtlefur
35HP / 32SP

Minkstar
Ded
0HP / 66SP

Minkstar hit the ground and didn’t get back up. He was still. Turtlefur stared in similar numbness as Bearspirit, likewise not feeling particularly guilty. “I didn’t mean to do it.” He meowed anyway, voice empty of feeling.

He was nauseous. His head ached as though rocks were crushing it, and every breath strained still-open wounds. He longed to rest in the shallows that surrounded camp and wash away the blood and pain until Cloverheart chided him for risking getting sick. Turtlefur looked up at Bearspirit as he spoke, a bashful smile forming in response. “That was awful. I can’t wait to go home.” He was already planning how best to help his Clanmates across the water, how he’d bring Stormbringer something big and fresh from the fresh-kill pile, how he’d make sure Flypaw knew not to come this way alone.

Turtlefur paused. He’d already taken a few steps toward Jayshriek when Bearspirit brought up Minkstar’s inevitable return to life (he certainly hoped it wasn’t his last life—that would stir up even more dung). His shoulders slumped and irritation narrowed his eyes. “Ugh, you think he’ll try something?” He hissed as he returned back to his friend’s side and shouldered him softly. Some anger was clearly riling him up. “Don’t. Just... let’s try to scare him off. The longer this goes, the less predictable this gets. RiverClan needs all of us to come home today.” Turtlefur added quietly.

Turtlefur is existing.

Bearspirit
14HP / 61SP

Turtlefur
35HP / 32SP

Minkstar
Dead
0HP / 66SP