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Post by matchesrulezu on Apr 4, 2019 18:05:22 GMT -6
"...'I'm coming.”
- Virgil
The sun was descending, following its path to the horizon, as he brought his last mouse to the small fresh-kill pile his patrol had accumulated. He looked up at the still blue sky through the trees that were just ever so slowly beginning to show life again. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath. The air was still today, calm. And finally able to take comfort in knowing Eira was actually dead, he felt the most comfortable in his own territory than he had in a while. Thanks to Trenchflame, he had finally faced his fear of her shadows behind every tree and was able to leave the camp. After their talk, he slowly found his way back to his clanmates, taking more of the previous role that he had even though he knew he would never be quite the same. As a result, he felt that his clanmates were able to begin looking past his scars, able to see him again and not what Eira made him. Still, knowing that she was still out there left a weight on his shoulders, wanting to make sure she didn't hurt anyone else. So when Thicketfrost brought him news that Ashenstar had actually slain Eira, an overwhelming wave of emotions crashed over him and relief so sweet that he felt like it was the first time he could truly breath. She was gone, and he was that much closer to finding peace again.
Raggedstar's thoughts were disrupted as he heard the rest of the patrol approaching. Turning, he raised his tail in greeting, eyeing their catch with his good eye. "This has been a profitable expedition," he observed, thankful that new-leaf was finally over. "I think we are quite ready to head back to camp with our bounty."
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Post by Warrioress on Apr 4, 2019 18:10:01 GMT -6
Emeraldeyes raised her own tail in greeting as she came up with a sparrow, the first she'd seen and was happy to have caught. Setting it down she shook her head to dislodge some feathers briefly. "I agree, this should be enough to feed the elders and queens" she mewed with some enthusiasm in her voice. She was just as happy that new leaf was over and green leaf had finally took hold, bringing prey back after the depletion of prey when teh three clans had lived in the territory combined with leaf-fall and leaf-bare.
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Post by gingerluna on Apr 4, 2019 18:33:30 GMT -6
Redflame couldn't remember ever hunting with the Clan leader before, and he'd never been more stressed on a patrol before. He'd only caught two mice, but thankfully Emeraldeyes hadn't let the pressure get to her. "Y-yeah, this looks good," he said, putting the second mouse down on the pile. "I wonder if we'll even be able to carry this all back!" he said, in a thin, too loud voice. He avoided eye contact with Raggedstar, realizing how not funny the joke was, and scrambling to pick up as much prey as he could. With his jaw aching, he turned towards camp.
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Post by matchesrulezu on Apr 4, 2019 18:45:41 GMT -6
Sensing Redflame's anxiety, Raggedstar smiled and chuckled softly. "If it comes down to it, we can carry everything as far to camp as we can and then send someone to fetch the rest of it, right?" he joked back as the young tom grabbed as much as he could. He was fairly certain that he could speak for all of them when he thought that he was ready to be back in camp, resting in the clearing. Leaning down, he picked up as much as he could, as well, not wanting to leave too much for Emeraldeyes. Looking up at her, he made sure she was ready too before flicking his tail to gesture the patrol to move forward.
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Post by Warrioress on Apr 4, 2019 18:55:46 GMT -6
Picking up the rest of the prey, Emeraldeyes following after Raggedstar, gently brushing her tail against Redflame's hindleg to try and help his anxiety calm down, he would be no good to anyone if he was so anxious. She realized right away that one issue of this much prey was that she couldn't scent anything beyond what she was carrying.
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Post by gingerluna on Apr 4, 2019 19:11:03 GMT -6
Redflame quickly hopped forward, realizing they'd all eat tonight, and he couldn't remember the last time that'd happened. He bounded forward, nearly dropping a mouse, What happened next, he barely saw. There was a flash of red, and then he was knocked onto his side and there was a burning pain in his shoulder. All the prey was scattered and he let out a startled screech, scrambling to free himself from the large, stinking animal whose jaws were reaching for this throat.
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Post by matchesrulezu on Apr 4, 2019 19:21:13 GMT -6
He just barely heard the approach, but it was too late before Redflame was attacked. Fox. Dropping his prey, Raggedstar immediately bound forward, swiping the fox's face with a murderous hiss to prevent it from finishing its attack on Redflame. He had to keep the fox as focused on him as he could, seeing that Redflame was already seriously injured, although he didn't think it would prove fatal. Raggedstar himself wasn't in much condition to fight the fox, but out of his patrol, he was the only one with more than one life. Still, though, he knew that they would need help. This fox, while obviously having had a hard leaf-bare, was still young and seemingly healthy. "Emeraldeyes, fetch more warriors from camp," he instructed, the tone of his voice leaving no room from arguments as he and the fox sized each other up, never taking his good eye off of the fox.
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Post by Warrioress on Apr 4, 2019 19:23:31 GMT -6
Emeraldeyes had jumped back out of instinct when the fox suddenly appeared, dropping her catch and a snarl forming her face. She had tensed her muscles to lunge forward when Raggedstar's order came. She hissed out a breath but tore off through the undergrowth as fast as she could, heading for camp and help. Hoping that everything would be alright.
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Post by gingerluna on Apr 4, 2019 21:40:01 GMT -6
Everything was moving so fast around him, but Redflame realized that the fox was no longer on him, and he scrambled to his paws, gasping in pain as his injury twinged with pain. He turned to see Raggedstar facing the fox, and stared at the leader with wide eyes. Blood matted his fur and the pain was worse than anything he'd felt in his life, but he had to help. He limped forward.
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Post by matchesrulezu on Apr 5, 2019 16:32:13 GMT -6
Raggedstar was so focused on the fox that he didn't realize that Redflame was moving again until the fox turned its attention back to Redflame, no doubt drawn by the fresh scent of the young tom's blood. "No!" he yowled as the fox moved to attack Redflame again and he jumped to attack the fox, clinging to its side. The fox howled in anger and pain, but he had not been able to gain the best position on the fox due to his bad legs, and the fox was able to reach back for him. He felt the fox's teeth sink deep into the flesh, one of it's canines resting in his neck, and it ripped him off of it. As the fox tore him off, he could feel the flesh tearing. He rolled from the toss and stood back up, glad to see the fox's attention back on him, but he could feel the blood flowing steadily from the wound. Raggedstar could tell that it would prove fatal, but he had to go as long as he could. Emeraldeyes had to be back soon and with a determination he hadn't felt in moons, he hissed again at the fox. "Stay back," he instructed Redflame, but his tone was gentle as he tried to keep the pain out of his voice. Raggedstar knew that he could never forgive himself if Redflame were to be further injured or die. "I have a life to spare. Stay back and keep an eye out for Emeraldeyes, she should be arriving with backup."
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Post by gingerluna on Apr 6, 2019 13:42:42 GMT -6
"B-but..." the tom stuttered, flinching back as the fox attacked the leader. He couldn't just stand here and watch Raggedstar die! That wasn't what warriors did. But warriors also listened to orders. So he limped a steps in the direction Emeraldeyes had darted off in, head flicking back over his shoulder frantically to check on Raggedstar. Come on...why wasn't anyone coming? "Help!" he yelled, taking another step forward. "Someone, help!"
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Post by matchesrulezu on Apr 12, 2019 15:52:22 GMT -6
Raggedstar almost panicked when it sounded like Redflame was going to argue with him and force his way back into the battle. The smokey tom knew he was barely in any condition to fight the fox one-on-one and would likely go down soon, feeling himself begin to weaken with the blood loss. He needed to make sure Redflame was safe before he collapsed, had to fight just a little longer. When Redflame began calling for help, hoping that the patrol would be near now, the fox began to turn it's attention to the young warrior, but Raggedstar hissed and swapped at the fox's face to get his attention back on him. The fox snarled in anger, focus back on him as they began to circle again. His vision was beginning to blur and darken, but he shook his head to fight it, his breath becoming haggard as his energy seeped from his open wound. He knew the fox was sensing his weakness from his injury, but Raggedstar swiped at the fox one more time before he fell to the ground. As his consciousness fell into darkness, he could hear the approaching footsteps Emeraldeyes and the patrol, thankful that he lasted as long as he needed to before his sides fell still.
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Post by gingerluna on Apr 14, 2019 11:45:21 GMT -6
Redflame could hear cats coming, and soon he spotted the familiar pelts of Emearldeyes, Echofrost, Twilightstorm, and his mother. He turned just in time to see Raggedstar fall, and in a panic, he surged towards the leader. The fox turned on him and hissed, but his mother took over the fight, leaping forward and aiming to deepen the wounds on its sides. The fox snapped at her in the air but she dodged it, landing on the fox and raking its sides. The fox shrieked in pain, bucking her off. She fell and skidded in the underbrush. "Redflame, go to Raggedstar!" she shrieked. "Whispermoon's on her way!" Redflame nodded shakily, rapidly limping over to the fallen leader. He'd lost a life. What were they supposed to do? Anxiously, he nudged the tom, licking at the blood matting his fur. But the wounds had closed. Why wasn't he coming back?
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Post by Warrioress on Apr 15, 2019 11:44:14 GMT -6
Emeraldeyes didnt think she had ever run as fast in her life. She had practically skidded into camp, panting and trying to get out that there was a fox and they needed help. Luckily Echofrost had been near and heard what she had managed to say. Before long she was bolting back through the forest with the deputy and two other warriors at her heels.
Echofrost lunged forward after Amberhaze. Swiping the fox at its hind quarters, dodging the blow that was aimed at her shoulder. She growled and bared her teeth at the fox. "Emeraldeyes, protect Redflame and Raggedstar. Dont move him!" She ordered the young warrior. Not even seeing if she obeyed but focused on the fox. They had to move it away from the downed warriors.
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Post by matchesrulezu on Apr 19, 2019 8:26:58 GMT -6
Twilightstorm's feet pounded the ground as he ran with Emeraldeyes and Echofrost to the spot where the patrol was attacked by the fox. As they approached, he saw Raggedstar go down and feared the worst. With the injured Redflame keeping an eye on Raggedstar and Emeraldeyes to protect him, Twilightstorm glanced between Echofrost and the fox. Sensing Echofrost's idea, he lunged at the fox while it looked at Echofrost, his claws making contact with its muzzle and forcing it to move back.
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Post by gingerluna on Apr 19, 2019 10:24:21 GMT -6
Redflame began to feel woozy. Blood was steadily oozing from his shoulder, and the scent of it threatened to make him sick. He was grateful to see Emeraldeyes standing between them and the battle, and he watched his mother and the other warriors anxiously as Amberhaze scrambled to her paws and joined her clanmates in their efforts. The fox let out a long, low growl, its fur bristling as it realized three very angry, very determined cats were pacing towards him. It continued to back up, snapping its jaws and swiping at them, but not with much gusto.
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Post by Warrioress on May 1, 2019 11:59:04 GMT -6
Echofrost growled back at the fox, baring her teeth in a snarl as she lunged forward, her claws slashing out across its muzzle before she jumped back out of reach of its claws and teeth. Her tail lashing behind her.
Emeraldeyes kept an eye on the battle as the three warriors backed the fox away from the downed warriors. She cast a glance at Redflame and noted that his shoulder was still bleeding. Making sure to keep one eye on the fox, she looked around and spotted a clump of moss not even a taillength away, attached to a tree. She quickly grabbed it and backed up towards Redflame. "Here" she mewed as she gently placed the moss on his shoulder.
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Post by matchesrulezu on May 13, 2019 15:48:38 GMT -6
The fox yowled in pain when Echofrost slashed its muzzle and Twilightstorm followed suit, taking another swipe at its face, just barely missing its eye. It yelped and backed up again, eyes grazing back over the downed figure of Raggedstar and the wounded Redflame. It must have noted that it was sorely outmatched and growled again before turning tail and running away. Twilightstorm watched it for a moment and glanced back to see Raggedstar shifting finally, and he let out a sigh of relief before looking at Echofrost. "I'll tail it to make sure it actually leaves the territory," he mewed before following the fox's trail.
- - - - - - - -
Raggedstar finally came to, shifting in the partially decayed leaves that were left from the previous leaf-fall. Opening his eyes, he saw that the fox was gone and Twilightstorm was leaving. Remembering Redflame's injury, he sat up too quickly, letting out a slow hiss as his joins protested. He glanced next to him to see Redflame, weak from blood loss, but at least not in worse condition. "You're still alive," he breathed with relief.
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Post by gingerluna on May 13, 2019 19:12:31 GMT -6
"Th-thanks," Redflame stuttered, focusing on Emeraldeyes as she pressed moss against the wound. Guess she wasn't all scary. As Raggedstar awoke he quickly turned to the leader, eyes wide with shock and disbelief at his words. "M-me?" he choked, scrambling to make sure the tom stayed down. "You /died/!" His heart was racing, quick as the fading gallop of the fox. He was quickly interrupted as Amberhaze practically crashed into him, licking him desperately and replacing Emeraldeyes in holding moss against the wound.
"Where's Whispermoon?" she called, turning to look behind her. "It's all going to be alright, don't you worry, darling. Oh, Raggedstar," she murmured, looking down at the Clan leader. "Thank the stars you were here. Thank you, thank you so much."
Redflame looked down as his mother spoke, knowing she was thinking of Brookcloud. Why had he survived an attack from a fox, while his sister had been killed by falling from a tree? Why had Raggedstar lost a life for him, out of /everyone/ in AspenClan? None of it made sense, and he felt awful inside. He really, really wanted to throw up. But maybe that was just the blood loss.
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Post by Warrioress on May 16, 2019 16:55:47 GMT -6
Echofrost gave a brisk nod to Twilightstorm before he took off after the fox. She turned and made her way over to the injured cats. Noting how Emeraldeyes had taken up guard when Amberhaze took over the care for her son. She nodded, looking over at Redflame, noting that the young warrior seemed a bit weak due to the loss of blood. She beckoned Emeraldeyes and gave the she-cat orders to run back to camp to retrieve Whispermoon, she wasn't sure moving Redflame would be wise without the medicine cat.
She turned to Raggedstar next, noting the new scar he was sporting, "Whispermoon should be here in a little bit, better for her to say whether its a good idea to move either of you" she mewed.
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