...The Animal in Me [Closed]

Bloodstar sighed, loudly and clearly irritated, as the warrior he'd been patrolling with flipped out and bolted. A spider web... an old one with nothing in it (there was no way with leaf-bare this harsh) had been hanging just low enough for the warrior to walk face first into it. He really... really ought to toughen that warrior up. Maybe come newleaf he'd make him sit in spiders until he got used to them. Ignoring even his own rules for a moment, Bloodstar sought an easy prey before he headed back to camp. A bird maybe? There were still plenty of starlings here. He hunkered down low and moved across the landscape, standing out against the snow like an oil spill. The birds however, were either too weak from the harsh winter to be alert, or something else had them distracted. Bloodstar leaped one impressive amount of distance and landed on top of not one, but two starlings. A swift bite to both and they were dead. Satisfied with the result, he picked them both up by the wings and turned to head back to camp.

Ares was no coward, and he knew that Skyclan was a bad place for him to go. It was perfect to train his combat skills... or maybe pick up a stray clanner that was tired of Bloodstar. What kind of name was Bloodstar anyway? It sounded evil just saying it! Obviously, he could do with losing a bit of the blood that made up his name. He had already helped with that, but what was the harm in trying again? He had to run out of it eventually. Golden eyes watched carefully as he trekked further into Skyclan territory, keeping track of... tracks, scents, everything that could give them an advantage in a fight. He wasn't just there for combat, after all, prowlers were more than just grunts. Still, he couldn't resist a good fight. So when he heard pawsteps rushing away in a hurry, the tom crouched down into shadow, unnoticed. Strange... there were usually patrols.

Then the sound of a cat, and the smell of one too... one that belonged to none other than Bloodstar, that leader that wouldn't stay dead. Ares's eyes narrowed as he stepped out of the foliage, looking upon the huge tom... he'd be as big as him soon. Wasn't far off now. "So, Bloodstar, how much blood do you actually have, and another question, how much do you mind me taking?" Lunging forward, Ares snarled savagely as he attempted to bowl over the tom with his own strength and body weight.

Ares used Jumping Strike, dealing 8 + 3 (first strike) (11) damage, and using 7 stamina!

Ares
50/50 HP
113/120 SP

Bloodstar
69/80 HP
170/170 SP

Bloodstar caught the scent o a familiar rogue... one that had attacked him before. Ears pinned back and fur bristling, he turned to face his attacker... and the younger tom spoke. Bloodstar raised a single eyebrow at the... taunt? Is that what that was? Ugh... kids. The other tom flew at him and Bloodstar widened his stance to brace for impact. He let out a huff of air to protect his lungs. Claws and teeth broke his skin and his eyes narrowed menacingly.

"What a rookie mistake." He commented dryly as blood trickled freely from his new wounds. Bloodstar licked his exposed fang and fixed the tom in an unimpressed stare. "I sure hope you have inherited more than just running your mouth from your father... and more than just red fur from me, or this is going to end very poorly for you." Okay maybe Dawnhawk had inherited running his mouth from Bloodstar but... whatever. He suddenly reared back like a brawling stallion, ripping himself free from the smaller red tom's claws and teeth with hardly a flinch.

His massive claws came crashing down onto the smaller tom, pinning him in place. Bloodstar leaned in close to his face, a cruel smile splitting the rest of his disfigured maw. "You had one nice first strike and now you're trapped under my claws. How smart do you feel now?" Bloodstar taunted, right before he dug his claws deep and caused blood to run.

Bloodstar used Leap and Hold, dealing 10 (+2 due to Star Striker) damage and -15SP

Bloodstar
69HP / 155SP (-15SP)

Ares
Pinned for 1 Turn due to Rogue Passive
38HP / 113SP (-12HP)

Claws broke skin, and Ares was immediately satisfied... but he could do more. Oh, he could do much more. Golden eyes met green as the older tom began lecturing. "I'm sure there's more, but I can't say I know what it is. Let's find out together." Suddenly, he was run down. He just wasn't fast enough to avoid the tom, and his claws tore free with red bleeding out into fur.

Ares's eyes narrowed as his own blood began running free, and he was slammed to the ground. He was only momentarily dazed by the impact, before regaining movement. "Smart? I never said I was smart, but I am an extraordinary learner. Go on! Teach me more grandfather!" He returned the cruel smile, pocketing away any information he was given on combat. Pinning first was a good start, and Bloodstar's taunting only served to make the young cat understand they truly were related. Soon though, he was bound to give away something good, something that'd help him fight him. Weaknesses could be pinpointed... always.

Ares is still pinned! He will no longer be pinned next turn!

Being a smartmouth must be a bloodline thing... The tom would rather talk than try to wiggle away. Did this inexperienced kit honestly think he could fight Bloodstar alone, just because they managed to kill him in a group? He snorted at the thought. Such arrogance. Bloodstar's teeth struck downward and sunk into the red tom's leg. He hoped to hurt it in such a way that would make keeping his balance difficult and painful. No balance, no efficient violence.

Bloodstar used Snap, dealing 10 (+2 from Star Striker) damage and -7SP

Bloodstar
69HP / 148SP (-7SP)

Ares
24HP / 113SP (-12HP)

Suddenly teeth were sunk into his leg, clearly Bloodstar's own attempt to ground him, get him out of the fight. No dice. Ares looked at his grandfather coldly as he wrenched his leg free from the teeth, taking blood and fur off in the process. It hurt... a bit. Shockingly, it didn't hurt as much as he thought it would, maybe he was just deadened to pain. Useful...

And now the rogue was free to do as he wished, and now he didn't want to learn. He wanted to maim. Lower morale maybe? Skyclan wouldn't like their leader coming back blood-covered and limping. Ares would have to figure that out later. For now, he was rearing up like a bear, doing his best to wrestle Bloodstar to the ground. At some point he was able to get the leverage he needed, scoring his claws down the tom until he finally had him in a firm grasp.

Ares used Leap-and-Hold, dealing 8 damage and using 15 stamina! Bloodstar is pinned for 1 turn!

Ares
24/50 HP
98/120 SP (-15)

Bloodstar [Pinned 1]
61/80 HP (-8)
148/170 SP

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

---

'Effect Dice' : 2

Bloodstar narrowed his eyes at the other tom as he managed to pin him to the floor. Plastering his ears flat against his head, Bloodstar rolled under the younger tom's paws. He wasn't going to just lay there like the rogue had.... no. He had been fighting for too long to just allow that. No whipper-snapper apprentice/young warrior aged brat was going to get the best of him. When the tom held him in place successfully, Bloodstar was content to hold still again. He'd wait for the kid's next attack before making his move. He had to have hurt the brat's toe though having rolled onto it like that. How would he fare?

Bloodstar used Duck and Twist, failing to break the pin but dealing 4 (+2 to Star Striker) damage and -5SP

Bloodstar
61HP / 143SP (-5SP)

Ares
18HP / 98SP (-6 HP)

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

---

'Effect Dice' : 2

A pinch in a toe would never hurt a true warrior. Well it would hurt, and it did, it hurt a lot. A true warrior just wouldn't let it affect them, and Ares did his best not to show his discomfort on his face, despite releasing a quiet hiss. Deciding he didn't want his toes stepped on again, the large tom adjusted. Bloodstar wouldn't have a hard time escaping now, but it would let Ares do what he really wanted. Shed blood.

Razor-sharp claws dug into the pelt of his kin, ripping as deep as they could. Ares focused on one spot as if digging a hole through flesh and bone. There was no playing nice, no fair fighting when he was fighting for the Forgotten Order. There was little honor in battle anyway, combat was ultimately about winning. Ripping and tearing through the enemy until they were dead or there was no one left standing to fight. He'd do just that.

Ares used Front Paw Strike + Dirty Trick, dealing 8 + 6 (14) damage, and using 7 + 7 (14) stamina! Bloodstar is no longer pinned!

Ares
18/50 HP
84/120 SP (-14)

Bloodstar
47/80 HP (-14)
143/170 SP

Flesh gave way to claws as Ares brutally scrabbled his claws into him. Bloodstar released a low growl and his lip twitched, but that was all the reaction he gave Ares. The Skyclan leader had been imprisoned for an entire leaf-bare last year and endured unspeakable tortures. While he certainly felt pain, his brain had learned to block out most of it for sanity's sake. Bloodstar leaped to his paws, now finally able to do so. He reared back, raised his claws high, and with a systematic flexing of his muscles from his shoulder, to his forelegs, down to his outstretched claws, he threw an enormous amount of strength into the blow, not caring if he rattled the younger tom's brains around in his skull and permanently damaged it.

Bloodstar used Upright Lock, dealing 12 (+2 Star Stiker) damage and -10SP

Bloodstar
47HP / 133SP (-10SP)

Ares
4HP / 84SP (-14HP)

For a moment, all he saw were stars as pain exploded through his skull.

Ares reeled backward from the blow, blood coming from the wounds on his head. He couldn't keep stepping back forever, and even as his vision swam, the tom dug in his claws. Snarling, he exploded forward, claws coming down wherever he could get them to hit. He went for the eyes, the legs, anywhere to get an advantage. He might have to run if this got worse, but he didn't want to run. That was the coward's way out.

Ares used Front Paw Strike + Dirty Trick, dealing 8 + 6 (14) damage, and using 7 + 7 (14) stamina! Bloodstar is no longer pinned!

Ares
4/50 HP
70/120 SP (-14)

Bloodstar
33/80 HP (-14)
143/170 SP

The younger tom exploded with energy and ferocity, definitely a sign that he was indeed Bloodstar's descendent. Still... he was also Bloodstar's opponent. That was often an unfortunate situation to be in. The leader took the blows like a champ, only flinching minimally as flesh was torn away from him. He lined his head up with Ares's and launched himself forward. He aimed to crash his skull against the injured head of his opponent. He wanted to knock him out for his own reasons.

Bloodstar used Headbutt, dealing 7 (+2 Star Striker) damage and -5SP (and makes the cartoony coconut falling on head bonk noise)

Bloodstar
33HP / 138SP (-5SP)

Ares
KO PENDING
0HP / 70SP (-9HP)

This time when pain exploded through his head, there were no stars, no white sparks of light. Just the budding darkness closing in around his vision. For a moment, he staggered, and Ares crumpled down to the ground. He would die in battle, as he ordained, as it should be. He was no coward, though he was weak. Weak enough to be brought down to heel. Then everything was dark and still.

Ares is KOed!

Bloodstar watched satisfactorily (ow his own head) as Ares flopped to the snow. Now that Bloodstar had a moment, he pressed the worst of his wounds to the cold snow around him to slow the bleeding. With the adrenaline beginning to wear off, the pain would start kicking in in full swing soon. Now... what to do with this kid..? Many options ran through his head. He could simply gut him like a fish and decorate a tree with his entrails as a warning. He could take him back to camp as a prisoner and torture him for information. Or... he could simply let the young tom leave...

Bloodstar lifted his body from the snow he had been laying in, noting that there was now a cold puddle of bloody water in place of where he just was. He grabbed the red tom by his scruff and hauled him closer to it, so that Bloodstar could sit on him with his enormous bulk and splash the cold, bloody water into his face.

"Wake up you worthless rat..." He hissed.

He made several snap decisions just now... Killing this tom would only evoke Dawnhawk's wrath, of which Shadowclan had already experienced and paid for. Bloodstar had no desire to see his clan harmed, especially not in leaf-bare such as this. That was a no-go. Taking him back to camp and getting information out of him... Absolutely not. He didn't want any child of Dawnhawk's in his camp to see the new defenses the camp had. It would be better if Dawnhawk knew nothing about the piles of dried twigs, leaves and pine needles as a warning system. Any delay in their attempt to raid Skyclan camp could mean the difference between life and death for his clanmates. He doubted he'd be able to keep Ares for long... and his interrogations could prove to be fruitless. If he was anything like Bloodstar (and he certainly seemed to be) then Skyclan was just as likely to get a "Eat crowfood and choke, foxhearts!" from Ares then any information that could be useful.

Letting him go however...

"Don't test me boy! Wake up or I'll mark your face instead of the border like I was going to..."