February 2022 Predator Hunt [CLOSED]

The chilly air, wan with lingering dampness and the seasonal despairing of usual silence, erupted suddenly; snow slinging through the air in violent, disorganized arcs as conflict exploded under the weight of itself.

For a preliminary heartbeat, Elkpaw could only watch as her Clanmates worked themselves up into the rampant frenzy at the prospect of spilling blood, launching themselves at the nearest badger with little hesitation. It was certainly an introduction to the manners of warfare and what all it could provoke from those in which she had known for her entire life. Though Slightpaw had already disappeared from view, after immediately kicking up the fight with extremely minimal warning or strategizing for their behalf, she couldn't help but scoff under the stiff weight of her own tension. Of course; her first attempt at battle would likely result in nothing but a nightmare for all those currently engaging.

Pale gaze rounding upon the spectacle of Hailfall engaging with the second brute with exceedingly minimal backup, the pale molly was quick to lurch into action, scuffing up a secondary curtailing of snow in her wake. Rearing up onto her hind-legs, and trembling with both the weight of her nerves and the white-hot flooding of adrenaline currently coiling through her pulsing circulatory system, Elkpaw promptly slammed the hard jut of her forehead and muzzle against the coarse fur of the badger's face, a sickening crunch confirming contact between the pair.

---

Elkpaw used Headbutt on BADGER TWO, Dealing -4 in Damage & Costing -5 in Stamina.

BADGER 2
78/90 [HP]
150/150 [SP]

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

HAILFALL
35/35 [HP]
55/70 [SP]

-

BADGER 1
74/90 [HP]
150/150 [SP]

BRIARTHORN
45/50 [HP]
95/120 SP [SP]

HOLLYSHINE
30/30 [HP]
65/80 [SP]

SLIGHTPAW
20/20 [HP]
53/60 [SP]

A strong smell soon appeared, and Dandelionflight saw one of the apprentices leaping towards them. The other cats in the patrol quickly followed after his lead. Hollyshine and Hailfall pinned down the badgers and Dandelionflight rushed toward the badger that Hailfall had pinned. She leapt forward and buried her fangs into its thick fur. She let go after she felt blood being drawn and jumped back out of reach.

Dandelionflight used Snap, dealing 8 damage and costing 7 SP!

Badger 1
74/90 HP
150/150 SP

Briarthorn
15/50 HP
95/120 SP

Hollyshine
30/30 HP
65/80 SP

Slightpaw
20/20 HP
53/60 SP

Badger 2
70/90 HP (-8)
150/150 SP

Dandelionflight
50/50 HP
113/120 SP (-7)

Hailfall
35/35 HP
55/70 SP

Elkpaw
20/20 HP
55/70 SP

The badgers hadn't been expecting the cats to attack them per se... so when they did, the little creatures got several surprise shots in. Before either badger could react, they were both pinned under claws. Snapping wildly, their teeth closed on nothing but empty air. These cats would pay for this!

Both Badgers are Pinned for One more turn!

The rest of the patrol viciously attacked the two badgers, although they didn’t do as much damage as Slightpaw hoped. Hissing with anger and his vision turning red like every other time he had to fight, the white Tom snapped his jaws around the pinned badger’s hind leg.

Slightpaw used Snap, dealing 6dmg and -7 SP

Badger 1
68/90 HP (-6)
150/150 SP

Briarthorn
15/50 HP
95/120 SP

Hollyshine
30/30 HP
65/80 SP

Slightpaw
20/20 HP
46/60 SP (-7)

Badger 2
70/90 HP
150/150 SP

Dandelionflight
50/50 HP
113/120 SP

Hailfall
35/35 HP
55/70 SP

Hollyshine held on with claws and teeth, hampering her badger’s movements. Her eyes shone as she saw  Flowerfur expertly restrain the second — clearly, he was quick! — and then Briarfang. The big, fluffy warrior slid on her back, to slash at the badger’s belly, but something must have gone wrong because the badger didn’t flinch or roar: it only snapped down, moving beneath her. With renewed vigor, Hollyshine threw her weight to distract it. “You okay, Briarfang?”

It was the other apprentice — Deerpaw? No, Elkpaw! — who eventually distracted Hollyshine: throwing herself into the thick of it, and bashing the other badger — with her face! It was bold and reckless and made her nearly lose her grip in shock. Then her grin grew, eyes sharpening. These apprentices really meant it, didn’t they?

Hollyshine is pinning Badger 1, for one more turn. 2/2. Costs 15 stamina and deals 7 more damage.

Badger 1 — pinned 2/2
61/90 | 150/150

Hollyshine
30/30 | 50/80

Briarthorn
15/50 | 95/120

Slightpaw
20/20 | 46/60

Avoiding the clashing teeth beside him was growing more difficult, he wouldn't be able to hold for much longer. Elkpaw and Dandelionflight had joined the fight with him and the instinctive need to keep the badger's sharp teeth away from them made his claws sink deeper into the brute's pelt. He snapped forward to grab the badger's scruff, using as much strength as he could muster to keep it to the snowy forest floor.

Hailfall used Leap-and-Hold on Badger 2, costing 15 SP and dealing 8 Damage! Badger 2 is pinned for 1 More Round!

Badger 2: [Pinned 2/2]
62/90 HP (-8)
150/150 SP

Hailfall:
35/35 HP
40/70 SP (-15)

Elkpaw:
20/20 HP
55/60 SP

Dandelionflight:
50/50 HP
113/120 SP

“I’m fine, just focus on not letting the badger go!” Briarthorn called out, not bothering to correvt the other she-cat. They were mid battle, and that would only distract both of them further. Even if they weren’t, Briarthorn wouldn’t have the courage to contradict the younger she-cat and tell her she’d been referring to her incorrectly for… ages, at least since she was only an apprentice. Clawing through the badger’s thick fur, Briarthorn sent a flurry of blows in the direction of the badger, trying to hit it wherever she possibly could to make up for her missed blow before. It ended up doing a decently high amount of damage, for which she was thankful.

Briarthorn used Front Paw Strike and Desperate Blows on Badger 1, dealing -13 Health Points and using -14 Stamina Points.

Badger 1:
48/90 HP [-13]
150/150 SP

Hollyshine:
30/30 HP
50/80 SP

Briarthorn:
45/50 HP
81/120 SP [-14]

Slightpaw:
20/20 HP
46/60 SP

Sticky tendrils of blood webbed out in a sharp arc following the violent collision of Elkpaw's skull against the achingly firm musculature of the thrashing badger, the hot stench of blood and fiery whiplash of anguish coiling down the bristling length of her spine sufficient distractor from the truly awful scent of the lumbering creature. For a moment, the young molly could do little other than violently shake her head in a desperate attempt to clear blood and shock that clouded the thoroughly thrashed reaches of her vision, cursing and spitting at how the impact had seemingly robbed her of her senses.

Thankfully, in the lull of her dizzied senses, Hailfall and Dandelionflight proved adequate at continually subduing the prickling, coarse predator; the simmering scent of unfamiliar blood, that which proved a stark comparison from her own hot blood currently decorating the soft curves of her aching muzzle, laden heavy upon the snowy air. Vision grey and flecked with fading glimpses of light, Elkpaw's wide gaze drifted into a pinched mimicry of a scowl as she attempted to accurately focus upon the fray, bloodied spittle clinging to her parted jaws as she dove back at the badger once more, rushing to fill the gap left in Dandelionflight's absence.

---

Elkpaw used Snap on BADGER TWO, Dealing -6 in Damage & Costing -7 in Stamina.

BADGER 2
56/90 [HP]
150/150 [SP]

ELKPAW
20/20 [HP]
48/60 [SP]

HAILFALL
35/35 [HP]
40/70 [SP]

DANDELIONFLIGHT
50/50 [HP]
113/120 [SP]

Elkpaw rushed past Dandelionflight and took up her spot attacking the badger. The apprentice seemed to be covered blood, and she hoped that Elkpaw wasn't badly hurt. Dandelionflight backed up and went into a crouch. She prepared to pounce and checked that no one was in her way. She leaped toward the badger, and she slashed through its thick fur.

Dandelionflight used Jumping Strike, dealing 8 damage and costing 7 SP!

Badger 2
48/90 HP
150/150 SP

Dandelionflight
50/50 HP
106/120 SP

Hailfall
35/35 HP
40/70 SP

Elkpaw
20/20 HP
48/60 SP

Both badgers are pinned for this turn! They can attack next round!

Badger 1
48/90 HP
150/150 SP


Badger 2
48/90 HP
150/150 SP

Slightpaw knew that victory was just around the corner. not a single cat has been hurt so far and the badgers have been pretty scratched up. still, the badgers were stronger. hissing, Slightpaw ran forward and yanked one of the badger's tail.

Slightpaw used Tail Yank, dealing -7dmg and -7SP

Badger 1 stunned for one round
61/90 HP (-7)
150/150 SP

Briarthorn
15/50 HP
95/120 SP

Hollyshine
30/30 HP
65/80 SP

Slightpaw
20/20 HP
31/60 SP (-7)

Badger 2
70/90 HP
150/150 SP

Dandelionflight
50/50 HP
113/120 SP

Hailfall
35/35 HP
55/70 SP

Finally losing her grip to the badger’s thrashing, Hollyshine leaped off, skidding beside Slightpaw. She landed solidly, confidently, and grinned as the apprentice immediately went to harry the badger. It wouldn’t have a chance to attack! “Good thinking!” Keep them off balance, and this’ll be kit’s play. Aiming for the back, Hollyshine sank her fangs into its rump, claws scoring deeply into its hindleg.

Hollyshine used Snap and Desperate Blows, dealing 11 damage and costing 14 stamina.

Badger 1 [stunned for one round]
30/90 | 150/150

Hollyshine
30/30 | 51/80

Briarthorn
45/50 | 95/120

Slightpaw
20/20 | 31/60

Hailfall's teeth refused to remove themselves from the badger's scruff, shaking his head back and forth in the effort to tear that he could. Fighting was never his favorite, it always felt so brutal and barbaric to sink his fangs into something like this, but he couldn't deny the feeling of heroism. Afterward, his clan would be just a little safer, and that was worth getting his pelt sticky with blood... as long as it wasn't too difficult to clean afterward.

Hailfall used Snap, costing 7 SP and dealing 8 Damage!

Badger 2:
40/90 HP (-8)
150/150 SP

Dandelionflight:
50/50 HP
106/120 SP

Hailfall:
35/35 HP
33/70 SP (-7)

Elkpaw:
20/20 HP
48/60 SP

Briarthorn drew back long enough to catch her own breath, and to allow her patrolmates to land significant blows on the badger without worry of catching her in the crossfire. Once enough time had passed and everyone had managed to hit it and keep the badger subdued, Briarthorn shoved her way back into the inner ring and brought teo large forepaws down on it’s head, paying no mind to the odd crunching sound it made.

Briarthorn used Upright Lock, dealing -10 Health Points and using -10 Stamina Points.

Badger 1:
20/90 HP [-10]
150/150 SP

Hollyshine:
30/30 HP
51/80 SP

Briarthorn:
45/50 HP
85/120 SP [-10]

Slightpaw:
20/20 HP
31/60 SP

The roughened edges of Elkpaw's vision, shaded with a lingering undercurrent of perpetually pulsing hurt, allowed glimpses of the hazy world to creep on by; bright flashes of the chilly sky peeking down cheerily from the slender outcropping of a barren canopy, watery smudges of her fellow patrol members scuttling to and fro amidst the swelling calamity of battle. The frozen-hot drumming of adrenaline pulsed intensely below the scuffed waves of her blood-bespeckled coat, a constricting tension that made every heaving coiling of both her respiratory and circulatory system tremble with a newfound surface tension, energy primed to erupt from her being.

Her thoughts and movements felt as though drench in syrup, happening ever-so-slowly without a singular care in the existence, while the world raged on at maximum drive.

Tongue carefully probing at a canine that felt as though it had been knocked free during the violent collision between her face and the rumbling badger's own, Elkpaw took a moment to pause and regain herself; acutely aware of every hurt currently sleuthing unseen between her relatively uninjured self and all the hurt yet to come. A sudden lull in the onslaughts offered by Hailfall and Dandelionflight allowed the little molly to lunge forward again, hooked claws frantically lashing out in an attempt to thoroughly catch at least one eye.

---

Elkpaw used Desperate Blows & Front Paw Strike, Dealing -10 in Damage & Costing -14 in Damage.
Damage Total: -4 under Desperate Blows & -6 under Front Paw Strike for a total of -10 in damage dealt.
Stamina Total: -7 under Desperate Blows & -7 under Front Paw Strike for a total of -14 in stamina lost.

BADGER 2
30/90 [HP]
150/150 [SP]

ELKPAW
20/20 [HP]
34/60 [SP]

HAILFALL
35/35 [HP]
33/70 [SP]

DANDELIONFLIGHT
50/50 [HP]
106/120 [SP]