to prove your worth (or die trying) [o]

Tigershriek had felt ready for ages, to prove himself. He had to kill a predator on his own, get its pelt, and prove to Nightpaw he was strong enough. He could help Shadowclan in their fight against Windclan, he had to. He was finally strong enough.

The tabby tom had wasted no time in leaving camp, making his way into the dark of the marshes. He knew them like he knew his own paws, his own heart. He knew he could do this. Tigershriek's fight was always to feel accepted, and he was, but a part of him felt that he'd always be an outsider until he proved he was strong. In the light of the moon, the tom would finally prove it.

The scent of a fox that had made its Newleaf home near one of the pines, burrowing near its roots, made itself apparent to the tom. That would be his prey. Silently stalking up to the den, his golden eyes peered inside, finding nothing but the cries of the fox's young. He felt something drop in the pit of his stomach, knowing how furiously foxes would protect their young. He should find new prey.

Yet this thought came too late, as a noise came from downwind. Tigershriek turned just in time to see a fox careening toward him, sinking its claws into his shoulders as she collided. It was all the tom could do to keep the mother fox off of his throat, kicking her off with a well-placed assault with his hind legs.

Stumbling to his paws, blood welling from deep wounds in his shoulders, Tigershriek watched as the mother fox got to her own paws, eyeing him with fury. Launching himself, before he could have second thoughts, Tigershriek landed on the fox's back, clawing desperately at her eyes, her throat, anything to gain the advantage. He found himself knocked to the ground seconds later, despite having found purchase. The air knocked from his lungs, it was all the tom could do to look at the fox as it sank its fangs into his throat. Wildly thrashing, Tigershriek attempted to break free, but he couldn't. He wasn't strong enough.

So this is how I go.

The light had already begun fading from his vision, and the pain of his wounds had begun to subside.

I thought I was strong enough... I'm sorry.

The warrior apologized with his last moments, knowing Shadowclan would lose a warrior. Maybe Nightpaw would care, did Tigershriek have friends? As his ghostly form begin gently going towards Starclan, the tom pondered that. He had always been so worried about fitting in, had he ever really made any? Perhaps someday, when all was said and done, he could finally speak with Nightpaw properly. Hopefully, not for a long while, though.

The fox, seeing its enemy defeated, retreats.

ooc: feel free to find his body, be traumatized, etc <3

Sunflare had followed at a safe distance. He may not be a senior warrior, but he wanted to see a rite, to weigh the decision of his own target. And then it all went downhill. Before Sunflare could do a thing, Tigershriek was dead. Sunflare stayed hidden, not daring to approach the body and bring the fox’s attention to himself. Tigershriek was dead. And Nightpaw had done it to him when he created the Rite of Passage.