contrary gods stand to none [closed]

The late afternoon sky, a simmering smudge of unperturbed silky dark cloud-cover wreathing against the barren crown of the illustrious crowning of the Highstones, was laden with the lingering threat of cloying humidity- an unfortunately familiar stillness bearing down upon the forest like the talons of a predatory bird, the certain promise of more snow most well beyond evident. The prickling presence of a dying wind provided a mouth-curdling inkling of the forthcoming weather, a dark smear of coiling energy gathering somewhere just beyond the immediate reach of the tender eye, the tremulous threat eagerly awaiting its chance to unleash the latest torrential downpour of snow upon the already overflowing territories. What little viable prey would likely be driven deep underground shortly, with the inhospitable weather providing the opportunity for little else but hunger and lackluster afternoons.

Though most were likely settling down for the evening, Jaystar would find himself making one final venture out into the dwindling light of dusk; made to review and monitor on one of their youngest members, Darkpaw, to ensure her rightful progress in her training. The prospect of venturing out now, against the building backdrop of a certain downpouring of snow, was unpleasant, but when was anything in his existence known to be outright pleasing? Steaming exhale, tinged with the sour flavor of restless unease, roiling forward atop the unbearably still late afternoon sky, Jaystar remained perched against the wilting protection of well-woven reeds, dark coat embossed with a now characteristic dusting of stubborn snow and ice.

Hopefully Darkpaw was capable of some fractional self-preservation instincts, and would not hold this entire endeavor up for too much longer.

Darkpaw's mind whirled. As she padded after the leader, her head was low and her shoulders sunk forward in a silent admission of defeat. Eyes glazed over and every so often the apprentice found herself tripping over her own pads, or some uneven patch of ground. Jaystar seemed to have some otherworldly sense - that had to be the only explanation. The timing was condemning, in so many ways. Words coated her throat the entire way through the territory, sticking like ice against the bark of a willow tree. She wanted to claw them out in a desperate attempt to relieve the pressure and yet found herself wholly uncapable of such a thing.

He had not said much to her along the way and that only further exacerbated her fears. Darkpaw almost welcomed the stinging fragments of ice, hidden precariously amid patches of soft snow. The sensation seemed to ground her just enough to not fall over. Sleep hadn't come easily; and when it had finally come, was interrupted with some twisted reality that seemed to curse her. There wasn't any peace to be found in this moment, nothing to cling to, no cat she could comfortably turn to. She couldn't turn to anyone, wasn't supposed to say a word to any cat.

Darkpaw stared at Jaystar with wide eyes, frozen like a fish in the river on a cold day, unspeaking and unblinking - a silent plea.

With the dreary atmosphere of certain discomfort and misery, one would certainly think they were being marched to the awaiting embrace of a shallow, unmarked grave. Though Jaystar did little to seek out or sanction the company of those younger than him, he was perceptive enough to forge through the currents of happenstance; a lifetime of living on the outskirts could easily teach one all the grace and benefit of learning the undercurrents of poor winds. For the initial duration of their trek out into grey skies and waters, he did little other than pretend to go unknowing of the blatant distress roiling off young Darkpaw, offering both counterparts the slim dignity of a willing confession ahead of all else. If he happened to also use such time to gather his own courage at the prospect of facing off against some tedious misgiving or another, who could blame him?

The sharing of blood made not the father, and it wasn't as though he was exactly experienced in relieving the burden of self-inflicted wounds. It wasn't as though dead or estranged children offered up disappointment to field.

Seminal shelter was offered in the temptation of a shallow grove of trees, thin dark branches webbing outwards against the dwindling light of the afternoon sky in a pale imitation of intricate veinage. The biting remnants of a frost-kissed breeze kicked forth a stubborn blanketing of flurries, pulsating with the faintest shelling of life. A secondary gusting of reluctant breath simmered forth from his clinched teeth, as reassuring as the final death-throes of an ailing creature dashed upon the rocks, prickling pelt set alight with the pleading gaze of Darkpaw.

"What have you done?" Jaystar eventually seethed, cross and disappointed at the prospect of another meaningless dispute being laid to rest at his weary paws.

She shrunk at his question, underbelly drawing close to the frigid ground. Immediately, the sensation set her fur on edge but the apprentice thought little of it. Darkpaw's ears lay flat against her head and her eyes closed for a brief moment as she sucked in quiet and desperate breaths. No longer could she delay sharing the events that had occurred during the night. Jaystar, her leader, had asked a direct question. When she spoke it was tinged with guilt and fear, "They told me that they needed to leave to survive... they- I didn't know what to do... I-I should have told you, or Perchfall, or something. I didn't do anything." The little she cat's voice became impossibly quiet, shrinking in a pathetic manner that was similar to her appearance. She couldn't bring herself to look the time in the eyes. They had come out here to train and all she had to offer were reasons she wasn't fit to be a warrior, or a Riverclan cat.

Wide, glossy pupils remained marked upon the trembling figure of Darkpaw; secondary wind of reluctance wreathing through him at the prospect of sorting through whatever petty happenstances that young one often found themselves floundering through. However, for the ever-dwindling health and hazard of Jaystar, his assumptions were most certainly not the case. The halting explanation incurred only the expansion of chill-fraught muscles, the dark-furred tom filling out into a roiling smear of rippling outrage as the sensory input clicked into organized compartments, rising up to his full height with only the faintest hiss of snow to herald such movements. The faintest remnant of a foul stench upon the air soured further, gaining permeance.

"Darkpaw," Jaystar warned, singular mention watered with the uncharacteristic composition of his mother, "do not speak in half truths-"

The indication of starvation factoring in was clue enough; a perpetual slight against the Clan's efforts to keep one-another alive, even if that meant bearing tooth and claw against those holy and unholy alike. An exceptionally poor parent, even by his own unremarkable standards of absolute failure. No, Jaystar certainly did not need a complete explanation in order to fall upon the truth, but it was necessary nonetheless. Darkpaw was just the unfortunate caveat caught within middle grounds, exploited for personal gain by both allotments of belief- though it wasn't as if he meant to saddle some kit hardly old enough to roam free of her mother's side with the burden of his own crimes. At least he was brave enough to wear his crown of thorns proudly, unlike one who meant to use the grand and infinite wisdom of one who was essentially a kit for their escape. "-tell me what happened."

And then, with all the grace and allure of a sun-blanched fish left to be devoured by those who thrived off carrion, the wind shifted just a touch too late.

---

It had been a great many seasons since the grizzled vixen had seen such conditions; dark-cold with such a strength that it touched upon bones, drove what little prey to be found deep into the belly of the earth, and stole breath from those who managed to find sleep.

It had been hard enough to go into the season of misfortune with a brood of kits to be expected sometime during the late wreathings of the cold season, but the hardships had only increased with significant reverence once the cold had delivered her entire litter lifeless into the world. Of course, such a disastrous outcome had offered a limited supply of food for the starving vixen, but it had been exceptionally temporary- finite, a meaningless grace during a time where there was nothing to be found within her territory.

Though she had abstained from venturing from her territory for as long as possible for fear of following all other unfortunate victims of the cold into the yawning grave, her treacherous call had proved valuable as she came to face two cats- tense posture unaware of her. The shifting of a frigid breeze turned the tides from her favor, the opportunity of a completely unforeseen ambush drifting by like the crystalline flecks of  ice currently catching upon her matted coat, but it did not matter much. She was starved, and willing to take on two opponents for the guarantee of an easy meal.

-

The Fox used Iron Bite on Jaystar, Dealing -17 in Damage & Costing -30 in Stamina!

FOX
60/60 [HP]
150/180 [SP]

JAYSTAR
53/70 [HP]
150/150 [SP]

DARKPAW
20/20 [HP]
60/60 [SP]

---

A tremulous curtain of snowfall erupted all around Jaystar and Darkpaw; a blinding shower of partially frozen snowfall and ice pelting down all around the tense pair, the air alight with the stinging sensation of violent movement. Jaystar's bellowing heart, already simmering with the haunting heat of outrage for this terrible predicament laid to rest at his paws, kicked up only further at the abrupt realization that something was banking through the upkicked snow, a ghastly streaking of mangy red. Gnarled teeth, stained yellow under the bruising guise of poor hygiene and age, flashed briefly in the liminal curtain of stark white, an auditory snapping sound splicing through the air as the wild movement turned round and round in search of a sufficient target.

A fox. Of course it was a fox- it wasn't as though he was in the middle of handling an insinuation of treason, it wasn't as though his energy was needed elsewhere.

"You miserable, wretched-" The abrupt explosion of a foul insult curdled sharply upon his prickling tongue, Jaystar pivoting roughly in an attempt to find the fox amidst the raining snowfall before it could find Darkpaw, who's day had certainly just gone from bad to worse. A foul stench crept passively through the frenzied air, overwhelming him and making it virtually impossible to seek out the verifiable source during such course of movements. It was too difficult for him to realize the vixen had rounded upon him, going unnoticed in the settling screening of snow until her dirty teeth found purchase within the hard muscles connecting his throat and shoulder, a fiery sparking of anguish roiling to life as the fox dug in deep and hard- practically trapping him within her grasp.

Every capable institution of sensory input roared to life all at once, instinctual panic and sharp anguish melding together in a terrible grasping pressure against his lungs as he desperately attempted to wrench free of the vixen's unsightly teeth- his futile jerking motions rewarding him only with a dark lace webbing of his own blood spilling out against the stark grounding of snow. Even when he attempted to twist to bite at the larger creature's eyes, or even wriggled in the precursory movements to try and find where Darkpaw had vanished to, there was exceptionally little slack.

It seemed like there was no way for Jaystar to managed to go free; not without risking ripping his own throat out in the process.

-

Jaystar used Snap, Dealing -12 in Damage & Costing -7 in Stamina.
Passive bonus of STAR STRIKER employed, adding +2 in Damage to EVERY MOVE.

JAYSTAR
53/70 [HP]
143/150 [SP]

DARKPAW
20/20 [HP]
60/60 [SP]

FOX
48/60 [HP]
150/180 [SP]

She knew that no matter what words were uttered, that it would not be satisfactory. Darkpaw's pelt instinctively twitched as he spoke. There was no rationale in her mind that this wasn't her burden, it had become so the moment she noticed her denmates slipping away and she had done nothing. The apprentice swallowed, trying to find anything noteworthy to say, anything at all. Yet the circumstance was so utterly distressing no matter how she looked at it. Clanmates had abandoned them and she had let them.

As she wrestled with inadequacy and the overwhelming nature of what had happened the night before, Darkpaw found her gaze fixated on the ground. There wasn't anything to see but she couldn't bring herself to look at Jaystar before fully expressing what had happened, "Swanmist and her kits. They chose to leave. And they told me not to tell. And I didn't do anything." Her body was stiffened, like frozen reeds. Although the split-faced she-cat had straightened up and her words didn't quite tremble anymore, they were still quiet, condemned.

Before she even had begun to contemplate seeking out her leader's gaze, a scattering of snow drizzled across her maw and coat. She blinked and looked up surprise as the scene had already begun to explode. Darkpaw had never seen a fox before, she did not know how dangerous their gnashing teeth were, and she was ignorant to the cold and hungry glare down its maw. Her first instinct was to run; her second instinct was to cry out for Jaystar. Teeth tore into his frame. Swallowing, she turned to face the wretched sight. This time she couldn't simply do nothing.

With the little training that she had, and a frenzied mind, all Darkpaw could think to do was race forward and ram her head into the vixen's side. She yelped slightly as she did, shocked by the solid form of their beastly foe. Retreating slightly, she felt the trembling return to her frame and realize there was little she could do to quell it, only fight thought it.

Darkpaw used headbutt, dealing 4 damage and using 5 stamina.

Darkpaw
HP: 20/20
SP: 55/60

Fox
HP: 44/60
SP: 150/180

The secondary pressure colliding with the hard-ridged bones of her side did little to dissuade the vixen initially, even her limited scope of awareness and higher thought towards neat strategy capable of recognizing the thick satisfaction of well-caught prey- even with the tempting webbing of blood upon her tongue. However, it seemed as though she underestimated the sheer ability cats held in regards to their frantic squirming, as it didn't take long for her next vicious thrashing to accidentally launch the darker cat directly into the certainly welcoming embrace of an old tree.

No matter, she could always circle back in a few moments. Opportunity on an empty stomach was making her over-assured, over-confident in her skills that had went greatly used amidst the terrible weather.

-

The Fox continued using Iron Bite on Jaystar, Dealing -17 in Damage & Costing -30 in Stamina!

FOX
44/60 [HP]
120/180 [SP]

JAYSTAR
36/70 [HP]
143/150 [SP]

DARKPAW
20/20 [HP]
55/60 [SP]

---

Tightly clinched pressure, teeth scoring deep upon muscle and bone, went wayside; the dreary afternoon sky went roiling over and over in an endless menagerie of red-hazed finite motion, heaven and earth twisting together into a singular arc as Jaystar was promptly tossed free of gnarled teeth. The frigid chill of the hour, once measurable and mechanical against the unending exposure, came roaring back with a vengeance in these liminal heartbeats, dark rivulets of his own blood providing ample entry into his bedraggled form, steaming droplets left in his path as he went lurching through the air with little abandon. Though he could not force his gaze to focus quick enough in the moment to actually see anything substantial beyond a smear of light and dark, he could see a faint watery smear gaining distance from him that was likely none other than the vixen. The initial force of impact was felt before the sickening crunch of his own bloodied body folding in upon itself was heard as the vixen carelessly threw him headlong into a nearby beech, attention promptly fixing upon the more tempting meal of Darkpaw.

The bedraggled fox's teeth must've torn something precious within the tender bounds of his throat, for he was not actually able to voice any of his thoughts or the torrential outpour of anguish that howled to life as he slumped down against the rough encirclement of the beech tree roots; every element of his nervous system firing upon every cylinder an a hopeless attempt to figure out what part of him was not damaged.

Snap!

Dark gaze stiffly flicking open, the tom didn't have a moment to process the image of the snow-laden branch hanging directly above him.

Within mere seconds of that terrible collision, the old beech branch came plummeting down against the forlorn cradle of the roots where Jaystar laid- a secondary curtain of snow curling downwards as though nothing more than a cursory afterthought. The stiff, blood-thick air exploded against itself with the sheer force of the sudden noise; rotten wood splitting with all the subtly of a rockslide, the shrill shrieking of roughened surfaces catching and grating upon both its own flesh and the thin earth that webbed out all around. An unending symphony of terrible noise, setting all neighboring creatures alert with the instinctual understanding that something was wrong.

There was exceptionally little time for reaction, especially for one as currently damaged as Jaystar was- his straining shape floundering against the tree roots in a futile attempt to move away within time immediately vanishing to the clutching grasp of snow and debris that arose with the collision of the branch.

Splinters and rotten fragments of wood, intertwined with chunks of earth upturned by the sudden force of impact, sprayed up into the frigid afternoon air- hanging precariously for several long heartbeats before inevitably crashing down once more. If such a dramatic happening incurred any shocked cries from either the frothing vixen or the unfortunate Darkpaw, it fell upon an entirely unhearing ears, the rapidly dwindling remnants of silence drawing in tightly upon itself as the world fell away to sudden stillness. There was no further movement on behalf of the snow-laden branch, no sudden reemergence of Jaystar, the singular proof of his existence to be found in the humbling sight of a dark forepaw hanging ominously still from within the entangled nest of shattered branch.

-

Jaystar has been crushed by a branch!

FOX
44/60 [HP]
120/180 [SP]

JAYSTAR
00/70 [HP]
143/150 [SP]

DARKPAW
20/20 [HP]
55/60 [SP]