Hunted [SITEWIDE]

A chilling howl caused the fur along Littlepaw's back to stand on end before he was even roused from sleep. The horrific sound echoed in the ears of every cat around the lake, surreal, and as if coming from a dream rather than reality. He blinked slowly and sat up. Yowls rose up in the camp from his panicked clanmates. Perchstar's voice ordered them to run. The medicine cat apprentice's pelt was puffed out but his eyes clouded with confusion. Rather than immediately darting from the nest, he sat there dazed. Littlepaw! Littlepaw! Hearing his own name snapped him from the stupor. It was Cindersky's voice.

Jumping up at once, the young tom's claws snagged his hare pelt. Littlepaw had never left anywhere in a hurry, the life of a kit hardly demanded it. Ignorant to the impending danger and thinking only of what his role demanded of him, he haphazardly scraped as many herbs as possible into the hare pelt. Shreds of leaves and plant matter scattered about and flecked the fur along has maw and forepaws. Air stuck in his throat as he gripped the pelt in his teeth and darted after Cindersky. Given the fur crammed into his dry mouth, he couldn't speak, and just met her gaze with wide and terrified eyes.

Riverclan cats fled in every direction. Blood roared in Littlepaw's ears as his jaw clenched impossibly tight. In his short life, nothing has ever caused his heart to beat so impossibly fast while the world felt incredibly slow. Sound was muted. As he followed after Cindersky, focused on her tail, he hardly felt his paws as they touched the ground or the oversized bundle battering his chest. They were at the fringes of the fleeing group and his clanmates were little more than flashes of color out of the side of his eyes. There was no time to think about where every cat was despite the names of those he loved darting in and out of his mind. Please keep them all safe. Please, Starclan.

All it took was that split second of distraction, his eyes squeezing shut with the silent prayer, for him to go tumbling over the pelt he carried. Littlepaw lay sprawled out with his sides heaving. Precious slivers of time passed as he recovered. Panic eventually drove the grey and white tom back to his pads, sending him diving back for the precious herbs that he couldn't lose. The clan needed them, depended on them. But turning back had been a fatal mistake. Immediately his eyes settled on the broken frame of a cat, snow-white fur stained with streaks of crimson. He'd never seen death before but it stared right at him, prying open his soul, and causing an overwhelming ache to send his limbs crumbling in an instant.

There was no time to vocalize the pain that tore through him. All that echoed in Littlepaw's mind as he stared as the monstrous beast charging towards him were soft words, ones that had soothed his very being and helped him to find companionship in the midst of loneliness. I shall help keep you warm. Tears stung his eyes as he pressed himself down into the soft hare pelt. He stared ahead, numbed, as gnashing yellowed teeth charged towards an easy victim.

One moment, Goldengale stood silhouetted against the moon, snarling right back at her foe, and the next everything shattered.

There had never been a future where she dodged the sharp gleaming teeth and powerful paws, always too stubborn, always too protective, always too reckless for her own good. No; to flee would strip her of everything she was, and yet for a moment, clear despite the rage, Goldengale knew what terror was.

It was the hot rancid breath that lingered in her nostrils. It was horrible great teeth shining in the moonlight. It was the pain, and with that all rational thought died, swept aside by the tide of sheer overwhelming agony. She was on fire. Her face was on fire, and her leg, and at the same time it was all terrifyingly numb, and everything was blood and flame and pain and terror. Maybe she was screaming, or maybe the sound was blocked by the blood pooling in her throat, for nothing mattered except for the pain and the blood and the darkness closing in.

Goldengale didn’t want to die.

Never before had the possibility crossed her mind with even a shred of worry, but now she laid on the ground, choking on her own blood, in pure agony, and knew that she didn’t want to die.

She was afraid of it, and that scared her.

Belatedly, movement registered in her mind, her eye flickering open for a moment. Someone was calling her name, across the great moors and in the wind, so distant and faint. She couldn’t. She couldn’t listen. She wanted to- she needed to- but it hurt too much. It hurt too much, more than anything she could’ve ever conceived, and she welcomed the darkness as it enveloped her. It was the absence of pain, and that was all that mattered. That was all that mattered, except that there were things that mattered in life— the gleam of golden fur that wasn’t hers, the smell of sweet moor-grass instead of metallic blood, laughter and light and love— and they were worth living for.

They were worth living for, she thought, and with that slipped into nature’s sweet mercy of slumber.

The golden molly lay limp on the grass, her brother’s words slowly seeping into her heart, blood pooling on the dirt, the steady rise and fall of her chest the only sign of life. Her left leg was all bloody wreckage, severed almost neatly at the elbow, and a few teeth showed through the blood where her muzzle had been torn, but Goldengale still drew breath, stubborn as ever.

”I love you too,” she told the dream, and her reward was only silence.





Frostpaw met her mentor’s eyes with undisguised relief. She hadn’t seen Swiftheart in quite some time, but of course she appeared when she was needed. She was wonderful like that. “Thank you—“

Leaning heavily against her mentor, the small apprentice made her escape, breathe still catching in her lungs.


Goldengale is not actively dying anymore thanks to Tallshadow.
Frostpaw is making her escape with Swiftheart.
Paledove has made her escape with all her kits

The large beast growled as it's attention was torn away from easy prey, by claws barely sinking into it's pelt. The low rumbling in it's chest didn't cease as it turned to the Shadowclan leader it's mouth easily closing around the she-cats torso, biting down with ease. Teeth piercing and crushing what was in the area. As soon as it felt the prey fall still and shook it's head throwing the prey away.

Wolf #5(?) used Fatal Bite dealing damage, -45 SP

Leopardstar:
0/80 HP KO'd
156/170 SP

Wolf:
589/600 HP
755/800 SP

---

Echomist watched helplessly as his mate raced in to fight the wolf. Horror covering his face as he watched the wolf bite down on his leader crushing her with ease and then tossing her aside. No no no.. This isn't how it was supposed to go. No one else was supposed to get hurt, no one else was supposed to help him. Green eyes frantically scanned the area looking for the deputy. "Sablestrike! Get her out of here! Take the clan and go!" He yelled out.

His gaze turned back to the wolf, knowing he would have to take it's attention back. Shadowclan needed to escape, no matter what, no matter the cost. The weak tom steeled himself before launching himself at the wolf.

Echomist used Jumping Strike dealing 7+1 damage, -7 SP. Night Finesse is active. Tough Pelt is active.

Echomist:
60/60 HP
113/120 SP

Wolf #5:
589/600 HP (-4)
755/800 SP

---

Tigerstar gasped out as soon as he felt the creature bite down on his body. The pain was immeasurable. Out of the whole time he had been alive nothing felt like this at all. Whatever he could deal with it, knowing his clan would be safe, that was until Sootstorm showed up, and tried to assist with fighting the wolf. The leader could feel anger burning under his pelt. Why didn't he listen? Why didn't he take the clan and run like he ordered?

"Take the clan and run Sootstorm!" Tigerstar yelled at his deputy, harshness in his voice. "There is no winning against this thing, leave and I will follow behind!" He knew that he would have to keep the wolf distracted long enough for Sootstorm to escape, but that was okay. He could do this. He would do this.

Tigerstar used snap dealing 10 +2 damage, -7 SP. Star Striker is active, Tough Pelt is active.

Sootstorm:
70/70 HP
146/160 SP

Tigerstar:
37 / 70 HP
136 / 150 SP

Wolf #1:
579 / 600 HP (-6)
755 / 800 SP

Sprucebark

Sprucebark felt a slight amount of relief when he found his mate Scorchlight and she was asking him so many questions, his eyes went wide with fear and his pelt was all poofed up trying to look bigger than he was. He distantly heard his mum yelling at him to get Duckpaw up and he staggered over following his mate to the apprentices unmoving side.... The apprentice was stuck in a sleep unable to move but seemed to be aware of what was going on? In either case, Scorchlight and Poppyshine were right they had to get the apprentice out of here and to safety!


"They are not waking up, they are stuck asleep... we dont have time, here... I'm gonna carry him you run right by my side and stabalize him so he doesnt fall off" his voice was quivering with fear as he looked at his mate explaining his plan, he didnt see any other way.


Deep down he was not so sure he would be fast enough carrying a clanmate, but he sure as stars was not about to let his mate be the one to do it.

"Up you come Duckpaw!" he meowed and nuzzled his way underneath the trapped apprentice getting himself to "catch" the apprentice as they rolled onto his back.

"Alright. out we go! Scorchlight make sure they don't fall off" he meowed and started to run as fast as he could with Duckpaw balanced on his back.

please... do not fall off he thought screaming to himself.

"We are gonna be okay Scorchlight run right by my side and stabilize Duckypaw!" he meowed and took off running faster and faster, he dared not look back at all

Sprucebark is following poppyshines orders and has picked up duckpaw and is running with Scorchlight

Chaos entered the camp as Rookfire saw wolves enter camp.

He had never seen a wolf before, but Iniko had told him stories of what they were like. Giant dogs that could rip a pelt in half that not even the fiercest of Asylum could bring down. It was terrifying that these creatures that he'd only heard rumors of were now here.

Sunflare, without the knowledge Rookfire had of these creatures, was already wrestling with a wolf. Echomist was luring out a second wolf, catching its attention. Leopardstar called for ShadowClan to run, before attacking the wolf focused on her mate. Leopardstar could help Echomist escape, but Sunflare was still lodged right underneath the wolf, hissing as he slashed at the wolf's exposed belly. The problem with that is that it leaves you exposed, and you do not want to be exposed fighting a wolf.

He had to get that wolf off of his son. Then he could run.

Dashing full speed into the wolf's side, Rookfire tried knocking the wolf off of his son. He wasn't sure if it would even be effective on something so large, but if he could stun it for a heartbeat - or even get its focus on him so Sunflare could get back on his feet - they could both get away safely. "Sun, we gotta go! NOW!"

StarClan, please let us both survive.

Rookfire used Sanctum Strike on Wolf #7, dealing 4 damage (because of Tough Pelt) and costing 10 stamina. Wolf is not stunned due to Beastly Size.

Rookfire:
HP: 50/50
SP: 110/120

Sunflare:
HP: 60/60
SP: 115/140

Wolf #7:
HP: 586/600
SP: 800/800

(I think the wolf fighting Leopard and Echo is Wolf #6? could be wrong)

~~

Ambersun had been in camp as wolves entered the camp. She had only heard stories of wolves when she was a kit, how they hunted in packs and were dangerous for a clan cat to face, but she also knew that the elders she tried prying those stories from couldn't elaborate when she pressed them; perhaps they never experienced what a wolf was like before, just told stories about them from their elders when they were kits.

It was nothing like seeing them in person. The snarls shook through her bones, their eyes were lit with an emotionless fire, their giant teeth hidden under their lips that could easily snap a cat's neck in half. Ambersun was paralyzed with fear, barely able to move. Maybe they'd just... walk right past her if she stood still enough.

No way, she thought. They'd smell my fear-scent in an instant. Just look at that giant nose. Which meant she had to run. Now.

Then Brackenpaw dashed straight towards one of the wolves.

And Ambersun followed.

With all of her strength, she tried to catch up to the young apprentice before he did something he would regret. Grabbing him by the scruff, she picked him up before immediately dashing away from the wolf. "Are you a mousebrain?" she scolded. "You can't attack a wolf by yourself! Their teeth are as big as your neck! Do you have a death wish?" As the adrenaline started to fade, it occurred to her that she should not be running while grabbing a cat by the scruff, though Ambersun didn't know how to escape the wolf without running.

"I'm climbing up the tree. We'll wait it out here until they go away." She did not trust him to go down on his own until the wolves were gone, so she tightly gripped his scruff while jumping up from branch to branch. Finally finding one that felt sturdy enough to hold both their weight, the light ginger she-cat rested on it, Brackenpaw hovering over the base of the branch. It wasn't the best, but at least he wasn't dead, so she'd take it.

Ambersun took Brackenpaw up into a tree, forcibly disengaging him from the fight.

Multiple idiots seemed keen on fighting with the beast, and it had no issue in continuing to do so. A large paw struck at the cat closest, aiming to not only bowl it over, but disorient it as it would lunge forward. Growls rippled along its drooling maw as its face snapped close to the cat's head, hoping to intimidate its potential prey before it would ultimately end it. At least it liked to play with its food.

Wolf #1 used Heavy Blow against Tigerstar! It dealt 26 damage and used 30 stamina.
Sootstorm:
70/70 HP
146/160 SP

Tigerstar:
11 / 70 HP (-26)
136 / 150 SP

Wolf #1:
579 / 600 HP
725 / 800 SP (-30)

---

Annoying gnats came at the wolf from multiple angles, but its snarling was not over. Even as an undeniable yelp came when fangs pierced its nose, all that did was bring the beast's frame flinging towards a tree, slamming the golden-furred mongrel against its base to get it off. Though blood now poured down the front of its snout, it didn't keep its maw from parting once more, enclosing around the particularly-fluffy tail with a crunch! as its sharp teeth held no regard for the bone it snapped right through. Yanking its head back, it pulled clean away, a growl reverberating in disappointment from not getting to fling the cat around more.

Wolf #2 used Iron Bite against Sunfire! It dealt 33 damage and used 45 stamina.
Sunfire
20HP / 143SP (-33 HP)

Lionstripe
Dead

Brackenpaw
Forced to disengage

Wolf #2
588/600 HP
710/800 SP (-45)

---

It had the taste of blood in its maw, and now, it spotted where more could be sourced. Such a little thing, it may as well have been a mouse. An easy snack... until a cat launched at its face. Angered snarls reverberated from the entire beast's body, and with a twist of its head, threw the small she-cat to the ground. It wasted no time launching its teeth forward with a snap! and closing around the she-cat's tail, pulling nothing but remnants of the appendage away as it ripped backwards. If they wanted to play, they would get to play.

Wolf #9 used a hardened Iron Bite! Dealt 40 damage and used 45 stamina.
Cindersky is out of the fight!
Cindersky:
0 / 40 HP (-40)
93/100 SP

Wolf #9:
595/600 HP
755/800 SP (-45)

---

Reserving Wolf #10 for other use.

Sablestrike had laid himself down for the night as melodic howls split the silent night. Immediately the tom could feel his pelt stand on end, yet he let out an exasperated sigh all the same. It was another predator that thought it could encroach on their land. Lifting himself from the nest Sablestrike scanned for the unlucky beast too stupid to know it would be nothing more than a nuisance. The infernal song continued as chaos ensued, a perfect backing to the slaughter to come.

Echomist seemed to be trying to get the attention of one of their new enemies, and as it took steps from the bush that had concealed it Sablestrike got a decent look at the thing. They easily eclipsed the size of a dog with pelts to match, scarred, but that meant they were able to be brought down. Echomist had been among the sick of their clan, and judging by his stance the tom hadn't fully recovered, if he had gotten better at all. Sablestrike barreled toward the tom to provide assistance, being beaten by Leopardstar as she threw herself head-first into the battle. He would expect no less from her, the warrior that hunted predators for sport.

Freeze.

Teeth reached for the Shadowclan leader, securing her in an iron grip and wrenching the life from her body. The tom stared, a cold feeling spiking along his limbs. Shaking. Was he shaking? When had his eyes become wide? Sablestrike's jaw hung open as the giant beast with a size rivaling that of monsters tossed Leopardstar's body aside as if she were just some insignificant creature. Leopardstar, a warrior that he had seen as invincible, felled so easily with a single bite. He had to run, but he couldn't will his bones to move. Sablestrike! Eyes teared away from the beast for mere moments as Echomist called to him. "I-" He had to fight, didn't he? It was in his nature to throw himself recklessly at any foe that threatened Shadowclan and rid them of their wretched lives, but something told him that not even Starclan would save him from this beast. A harbinger of death, truly invincible.

"S-Shadowclan, don't fight! Flee and avoid them at all costs!" Fear filled the tom's voice as he repeated the instructions, and stars when was the last time he had felt like this? Starclan had always given him a reason not to fear anything, his ascension to leader planned before he had been born was a path that nothing could change. Nothing, except for these beasts. Move, mouse-heart! Move!

Paws flew through snow as the stygian tom regained control of his body. Skidding to a halt at his leader's body Sablestrike gave Echomist a look of appreciation and respect, though those were undoubtedly hidden behind the veil of fear still clouding him. Securing his teeth in the molly's scruff Sablestrike began pulling her away from the fight with all his strength. She was a molly near twice his size, making for an uncomfortable and challenging task, but he needed to get them both out.

Sablestrike has called for Shadowclan to flee and is dragging Leopardstar away

One moment Brackenpaw had a mouthful of wolf pelt the next he was being forcefully ripped from the beast, claws snagging in the mangy creatures pelt taking clumps of the it with him too. He yowled in protest, feeling teeth in the scruff of his neck, and his whole body being whipped backwards. He tried to break free, claws scratching at whoever or whatever had grabbed him, angry snarls leaving his mouth as he fought. “Put me down!” growled Brackenpaw indignantly “i need to go back! You don’t understand it is going to kill them all! I have to stop it, it is going to kill Honeypaw and Harepaw and Shatteredsky, there’s no other way!” a the brindled tom squirmed harder, but the grip on his scruff only tightened and he let out a loud yelp. The wind was whipping in his face and his body jerking as his “saviour” dragged him further from the drooling beast. Brackenpaw wanted to cry and scream, his paws beat uselessly at the warrior’s chest as he wailed at her to take him back. “Please! Let me go! I don’t care, I have to save them. I have to protect them! Put me down you foxheart, or I’ll make you! Now! Let me go!”

He was growing more and more desperate his voice cracking, and he was beginning to feel light headed from fighting and the force of his body being pulled where he didn’t want to go. Suddenly the wind shifted and he was being hauled up a tree. Brackenpaw’s ears were pinned flat against his head, his pelt fluffed and strength waning. Even when they stopped moving the warrior held tightly on to his scruff, holding him just above the branch so he couldn’t use it to break their grasp. Brackenpaw was snarling and scrambling still trying desperately to get to the wolf. But he wasn’t expecting to find himself so disorientated, nor the aching pain in his neck. He couldn’t fight like this. Hissing, he turned to look at the cat that had doomed his siblings as best he could. The cat that was going to make him watch as the wolves killed his whole family with the same ease they had disposed of Lionstripe. Ambersun. The name was like poison in his mind. He would never forget this, never forgive her. His siblings were worth so much more than him, and this mole had chosen him, chosen him to suffer all their losses. The same way he had already suffered over his mother’s death. Everything he had done had led to this moment, led to his sacrifice for them so they could live, and now Ambersun had taken it from him. She had taken his purpose, and was going to force him to live through it. His blue eyes burned with hatred as he growled at her. “I’m going to make you wish the wolves had gotten the both of us.”


He meant it. Brackenpaw wasn’t a cruel cat, but no one came between him and his siblings, and Ambersun had done just that.


Brackenpaw is throwing a tantrum.

---

Silverpaw stepped out into the open, and was immediately met with utter chaos. The sights and sounds around them made their blood run cold, but she was finally able. Finally able to help her clan. Silverpaw wasted no time clamping down on the fear that ran through them, and putting herself into action. Memories of Quailprowler’s training rushed through them, as she gazed upon the beasts. She’d taught them how to deal with larger enemies, how to use their size against them, but this was different. Even Quailprowler as large and powerful as she was wouldn’t stand a chance against them. One of the wolves was already upon ThunderClan, and they watched frozen in horror as it devoured Twilightkit. Silverpaw bit down on the scream they felt brewing. She had to do something, no one else was going to end up like Twilightkit.

Using her long limbs, to easily cover the ground beneath them Silveroaw trotted to the nursery, coming to the aid of those most defenceless. Technically, Silverpaw should still be in recovery, and her joints still ached, but they had a job to do, and they hadn’t felt this good in moons. The adrenaline from the situation was also helping to keep the silver apprentice strong and focused. “Kits!” she yowled “There is danger, we must move now! I will carry those that are slow.” Silverpaw didn’t care for their protests, nor look at who she was picking up. The molly placed two kits on her back, knowing that their angular frame, and malnourishment was helpful in this case, giving the tiny cats something to cling to as she ran. As Silverpaw departed the nursery they picked up another protesting kitten by the scruff and darted towards the rest of the fleeing ThunderClanners.

Silverpaw is carrying several kits to safety! They are a good and well behaved apprentice that listens to their higher ups. Be like Silverpaw, not Brackenpaw

Chaos enveloped the entire lake. Thankfully Perchstar had managed to make her voice heard right before all else became inaudible. Several cats ran past her that she saw. She ushered them onwards, hurried, trying not to let her frantic movements become sloppy. Poppyshine was awake and helping, too. They could get through this, hopefully without any issues. That's what she'd thought, anyway, before the first beast came crashing through their makeshift defenses. Enormous, with teeth as long as some limbs, eyes that held nothing but malice and murder. A fox cross-bred with a nightmare. The image of Ashflight hanging from terrifying jaws flashed into her mind for a moment before she forced it out. "Do not engage!" she called out, as loud as she could manage. At least her voice remained steady. They could make it out of this safely. They could run, they could flee, they could--

A soft, white-furred form flew past her eyes. Egretswoop. Her normally soft honey eyes crazy and wild, claws unsheathed, heading straight for the bloodthirsty beasts. Perchstar had no time to react--and even if she had, it would have made no difference. A silver pelt crossed her vision--Mistwalker, whose slow movement had been hastened by the appearance of Egretswoop. With her final breath, the warrior who had earned the leader's trust and proved herself mighty in battle protected a Clanmate. But not even she could withstand the achingly loud crunch that reverberated through Perchstar's ears. She was unable to keep a brief wince from her features. But as always, the sharp stab of grief in her heart would have to wait. Everything had to wait. She had things to do. Hurriedly she pushed Mistwalker forwards, as gently and yet as quickly as she possibly could. "Go!" Frantically, light blue eyes scanned her surroundings, seeing if anyone else lagged behind. But caught up in escorting her own daughter to safety, she'd missed--several fox-lengths away--Littlepaw's stunned face, frozen in his tracks. Missed it, but Cindersky had caught it.

No sooner had Perchstar turned around to assist further with the escape of her Clanmates than she found it was already too late. The last cat she would have expected to charge headlong, foolishly, into danger. Eyes normally full of kindness gone almost glassy with pain. Cindersky. Bleeding on the ground. A slavering wolf standing over her, blood dripping from its maw with a detached tail looking like a single shred of fur against its ominous enormity. Perchstar's mouth opened. No sound emerged. Her throat too strangled to breathe, let alone to free the heart-rending shriek that tore its way up from her chest, which died unsung just as Cindersky's breath began to falter. She wasn't dead--she couldn't die--not her too, not after everything--not another one lost to her--!

No.

Some part of her, cultivated always for moments like this, took hold of her body. The rest of her mind screamed in tortured agony, unable to comprehend. But no comprehension was necessary. It was a moment for action. The rest of her could scream later. Later, later, always later.

Wild eyes seized on a nearby figure, whose fur standing on end indicated that he had witnessed the same thing she had. Littlepaw--though still shell-shocked, now safe--had been nearly flung in his direction. There was only one thing to do. With quick, precise movements, Perchstar hurtled forwards towards the beast. Towards the light gray quickly becoming subsumed by red.

No no no no no no no no no

One leap, powerful hind muscles bunched up with all the strength that Perchstar had recently regained from her illness, put her between the drooling wolf and Cindersky's immobile form. She had time for only one more thing. There was a frantic light in the back of the leader's eyes as she bent down, roughly taking her former apprentice's scruff in her teeth and half-tossing, half-shoving her as far away as possible. In Larkspring's direction. "Take her!" The voice, normally so calm and composed, was nearly unintelligible through its choked harshness. But it was an order that could not be denied. "And Littlepaw, too! Go!"

For her, the loss of life would be nothing. But if she lost another cat so dear to her... if she lost... if....

Perchstar turned back to brace herself for the familiar pain of teeth ripping through skin.

Perchstar has given Cindersky to Larkspring, and placed herself between Wolf #9 and her Clanmates.

--

Cacophony. Dovepaw's ears rang. Swanpaw he found quickly, but either the others had already fled, or he could not see them anywhere. Another voice called out Pigeonpaw's name, but he hardly heard it. "Ravenpaw, Owlcall! Pidge!" They had to be somewhere! His paws moved slightly, but aimlessly, uncertain which way to turn. Then the nightmares arrived. Wide pale-blue eyes couldn't even comprehend what they saw. What... what are those things?!

Whatever they were, they were coming this way--and fast. He had to find them all. And Murkyriver, too. But his thoughts were stopped short by a sudden sensation. Something heavy and warm dropped down on top of him--something that carried an exceedingly familiar scent. Egretswoop. Milk. He turned sharply, chest tight with confusion, to find alarming tears on his mentor's face. Tears? Why? He was here! They were all going to escape together! So why did her eyes carry that look of finality? Why had she given him her pelt? Weren't they... weren't they going to get him his own? Someday? The sound of his other name--Iron--somehow made it through the clamor. "What? I--I don't understand..." She shook her head at him and said something else. Then, in a moment, she was gone. But his eyes followed her. Trailed her and opened wide with sudden horror when they realized the direction her movement led. When they saw. When they watched her fling herself straight into the jaws of the terrifying enormous beast and watched the white suddenly marred with a violent burst of crimson.

Dovepaw froze. Everything froze. His paws, his lungs, his half-open mouth from which emitted such a yowl of anguish and distress that he was not even sure if he was the one making it. Egretswoop. Milk. What had she done? That couldn't be her--that body--he was just hallucinating Morningpaw again. But Morningpaw's pelt hadn't become so soaking red, disappeared in the maw of a beast like that, hadn't been in front of him when he died. Died. Dead. Egretswoop. Milk.

The feeling of the pelt on top of him, the freezing winds that blew his Clanmates to safety, he could no longer sense. All he could do was stand and stare in abject terror and stare at the one thing he could not--would not--comprehend.

Dovepaw is unable to move.

--

Hedgekit wasn't awake until the screaming started. Cats were running around, yelling to each other, paws hitting the ground in frantic movements. What was going on?! She had no clue. Her heart beat so fast she couldn't hear anything other than the sound of it thumping. Until this moment, she had never experienced real fear. But suddenly, the mind of a kit heard the pained shrieks of the dying. Her entire frame shook.

Before she knew anything else, she found herself on top of her mother. Pineblossom was here--Pineblossom was safe--everything would be okay, right? But all she could do was nod and follow orders, jaw clamping down tightly with tiny white fangs into a mouthful of the scent that would otherwise comfort her. Tears leaked from her eyes, stingingly warm on her fur.

Hedgekit is safe with her Mamma.

Due to the panic and chaos, there are no medicine cat buffs in effect.

As soon as the howling had began, Badgermask was in the medicine den with her apprentice to grab what little supplies they had left, which she was more than happy to oblige. With Burdockroot no longer at her side, it would be an impossible task to get them all and flee. "They've already been prepared for easy storage, take as many as you can and run. Do not look back until you are safe, do you hear me? The both of you! I will be right behind you." Herbs in mouth, Heatherberry had had full intentions to follow the two as they fled. But the form of her sickly father caught her eye, foolishly taunting the beasts instead of watching out for himself. She was going to push him away and somehow get him to run away with her. To follow Leopardstar's command to ShadowClan to run. Until Leoparstar herself leapt to her father's aid, swinging out at the beast with out hesitation.

It was odd how it all played out so slowly yet happened so quickly all at once: Leoparstar was standing and then she was a crumpled mess laying in blood-soaked snow. Then there was Sablestrike with dragging her body, his mouth moving but words never reaching Heatherberry's ears. That was her dad. She couldn't leave him to face the threat alone! "Dad!" Snow kicked up around her, dusting her slightly greyed black pelt she bounded forward blindly, stopping only when she reached his side. Anger that it had dared to hurt her mother. Anger that it was even here to begin with when she was already so tired from trying to keep her clanmates heads above water during a plague. Anger that she had already lost so many lives, Burdockroot's on top of that. More of a warning than anything, Heatherberry swung out with overgrown claws and nasty hiss.

Heatherberry used Front Paw Strike on Wolf #5, dealing 4 damage and using 7 SP.

Heatherberry:
50 / 50 HP
113 / 120 SP (-7)

Echomist:
60/60 HP
113/120 SP

Wolf #5:
585/600 HP (-4)
755/800 SP

---

For simplicitys sake, Vinecrawler and Firefly have fled after seeing Wolf #4 absolutely obliterate Darkspirit and Twilightkit.

Swiftheart's heart sank as she watched helplessly as her brother went directly towards a wolf on purpose to give them more time.

"ECHOO... noooo get back" she could only helplessly watch him try and hold back the much larger beast.

She was not going to let Frostpaw down to try and go help on what was a certain lose of a fight.

She felt like she had just been stabbed suddenly in the back with the amount of fear and emptyness she felt watching as soon after leopardstar and heather also were fighting.

why... why are they doing this? she thought panicking to herself.

she slowly realized... they are buying us a head start...

It felt like watching her previous apprentice deerleap sacrifice herself all over again like when the dark forest was brought to an end by starclan. Standing there, helpless as a loved one walked into certain death.

She kept frostpaw as high up lifted on her back as she could. "Alright my apprentice, we are getting out of here!" she meowed swallowing the lump in her throat the best she could as she took one last look behind her, she had such a dark feeling about this.

She did not know it at the time, but it would be the last time she would ever get to see Echo again.

She ran as fast as she could with Frostpaw supported on her back. "Keep your eyes looking behind us if you can" she called to her apprentice, they had a head start thanks to their clanmates bravery but frostpaw could be their eyes behind in case anything was closing on them as swiftheart carried her.

She begged her legs to carry them faster but as it was she was already tired from the sickness that she herself had only just recovered from and the added weight of an apprentice sized cat was slowing her pace. She felt her legs burn, her lungs heave as she pushed onwards as hard as she could. She had been a warrior of shadowclan for a while now, the second longest in the clan and had seen the rule of four leaders. And this was by far the hardest she had ever felt her body pushed.

She ran until her vision was starting to blur around the edges and her mouth went numb. Her legs felt like they would give out at any stump or hidden thing that stuck up along their path.

Stopping however was not an option... maybe if she was by herself it could have been. If she was just by herself maybe she would allow for a risky catch of air before going more... She could just curl up and try and breathe, and if they caught up to her... that would be that and she would meet her family that she had lost most of once more...

but no, she had frostpaw's life in her paws now. Stopping meant that she was risking both of them. And that was something she would not do while she still had any amount of fight left in her. She would carry them both as far as she possibly could and if they caught up, she would fight until the bitter end to put herself between her apprentice and these monsters of nature. She would not fail Frostpaw like she had Deerleap, she couldn't lose anyone else.

she ran and ran and ran not knowing where the destination was just that it was away from the sound of screams and wolf howls. Her paw pads were aching, and felt split and dry as she stepped on so many sharp surfaces tearing them up a bit, everything hurt. But at least... they were still moving forwards, at least they still felt things at all.

Each cat scream sent a shiver down her spine and she ran until they slowly became a distant whisper, then more until there was nothing but her own thumping of paws on the earth below and the wind in the trees. She felt like every shifting shadow was another enemy paranoid that at any second they would be bowled over by an attack out of no where.

It was not until they were so far away that she was uncertain where they actually were that she dared slow any. She darted low into heavy undergrowth of a bush and quickly lowered herself to the earth below. She Panted hard her body pushed to the point that it was not going to go any more without at least some amount of rest. She quickly used the time however best she could and gently rubbed mud over herself covering her scent and glanced to her apprentice as she gently slipped her off her back. "h-hold st-still frostpaw this will cover our smell the best I can" she whispered in a quiet voice to not give them away, she dapped mud and ick all over her apprentice too. Her voice was terrified and shaking from it all some of it shaking from fear and some from the exhaustion she felt from this sprint out of here.

She shivered, as the wind blew through the trees and ruffled both of their pelts, the mud made it even colder still but she would rather be cold than some stupid wolves meal. She looked down at her huddled apprentice covered in mud and ick. She almost started to cry... this is what they had to do to survive? Be covered in humility and mud of the earth to try and shake off their own scent? Lose their identity, their home all to try and not be killed with no mercy. She closed her eyes not wanting to cry right in front of Frostpaw.

Her mind raced, trying to recall where she had last seen all her clanmates, everything had happened so fast... Echo... was he okay? leo and heather... Rookfire had been attacking a wolf as well?? hadnt he? Everything was blurring together so much...

stars please please keep them safe. For now however, there was nothing she could do for them. She had been a warrior long enough to know that at this point in time it was every one to look out for themself and those around them, for her currently, that meant herself and frostpaw.

She wished that she could have been braver for Frostpaw. After a minute's or so rest she nudged at her now muddied apprentice gently, "alright come on back up, we need to make as much distance between us and... and that as possible" she said lowering herself back down to get the exhausted, sick apprentice back to where she could be carried.

"Frostpaw? ... I ... I can't promise everything will be okay, I really wish I could... but you are not a kit anymore and I respect that. But please know... no matter what happens I am so proud of you. Don't ever forget that." she gently put her forehead to her apprentices shoulder.

"Promise me?? ... If we get tracked down and pinned by these things that you will run as I hold them off as long as I can... I hope it does not come to that but you have to" She felt miserable.. making someone promise this.

"I'll do everything I can now to make that not happen though, come on, We need to keep moving" she whispered almost as much to herself begging herself and weary body to keep pushing away from this nightmare. With this, she scooped her apprentice back up onto her back and the pair of them vanished out into the darkness and cover of nightfall.


swiftheart is run away fully with Frostpaw

[OOC: cocoa? do you wanna have them be lost for a little while? We could do a topic with them just like separated for a little if you want? It will have to be quick one though because I wanna be back with them in time for the rest of the sitewide but is totally up to you :) ]