[dionysus]

Originally Posted by Constellation

Passionblaze continued to lick his pelt clean, his thoughts were raging. If one had a key to unlock his mind, they would be dead from the concept of of menacing ways. Just like at the skirmish at the border, Passionblaze felt anger. Not with the others. He couldn’t be angry at a couple felines who have the audacity to make up their own minds and choices. He tried to prevent the fight, he tried to stop it...yet, he was itching to get into it. To put short, Passionblaze was angry at himself. Angry that he wasn’t fighting alongside his clan mates. Forget the aching of his bones! Forget the fresh wounds burning his skin! Forget it all and just fight! The deputy stopped abruptly with his grooming when he noticed a pair of eyes on him. Scanning her form quickly, he rummaged through his mind to see that it was Piperwing. Passionblaze tried to ignore her, as he wasn’t in the mood to talk after all the sadistic thoughts jogging through his mind. Yet, she limped her way over to him, carrying two squirrels from the fresh kill pile. Passionblaze rolled his shoulders, wincing once he felt that scar reopened. He stared at the warrior, though it may appear to look like he was glaring at her. His gaze were a piercing flash of golden green, and he was slightly taken aback when Piperwing...apologized? “Well, isn’t that obvious.” Passionblaze grunted. He was still a bit angry, but not at her. It was all for himself. He just had a habit of talking slick to anyone who dared approached him while he was in his mood. During that skirmish, he had jumped in front of Piperwing to hinder Rabbitpounce from lunging at the she cat once more. Piperwing became defensive; she didn’t need his help. That’s a stubborn Molly for you... Passionblaze knew she wouldn’t be able to take on two opponents, unlike him. The deputy was a fighter. This was a tom who played the perfect son, yet loved to provoke others to challenge him...he couldn’t recall the numerous opponents he battled for the fun of it, but it had improved his combat. So, two mollies? That was a piece of prey. “I’d think you’d show more appreciation to a tom who literally would throw himself in front of you to protect you.” He didn’t know Piperwing very well, so he didn’t assume that she was unappreciative. Perhaps, it was only in the heat of the moment. When she nudged the squirrel towards him, Passionblaze looked at it longingly. Piperwing was sitting next to him, eating her fill, but Passionblaze was simply staring at the dead food. Finally, after a few moments, he pushed it away. “I don’t deserve to eat.” He wrapped his tail around himself, and gave his shoulder wound a lick. His anger was still present, but the flame was flickering. Now, he was feeling a depleted of energy, like an overwhelming mess that couldn’t be tamed.

Piperwing didn't wince at Passionblaze's glare, as a weaker cat might've. She was too headstrong and courageous to wilt with a glare. In fact, given the way she'd acted earlier, she probably deserved it. However, she had come to apologize and, in her opinion, deserved no further hostility. With Passionblaze's first comment, Piperwing immediately bristled. Her temper was remarkably short and Passionblaze's little mood fit had ignited it easily. "Excuse me? I came here to apologize. You do not have the right to treat me like that! What in the dark forest did you mean by 'obviously?' What, you think I can't take on two cats because I'm a she-cat? You one of those Shadowclan Fuzz family lunatics? If you are, you can fight me right now and I'll show you just how 'weak' I am. I'll have you know that I just returned from fighting for our clan, like you. So don't you dare insult my abilities." Piperwing did not care who or what Passionblaze was angry at. He had insulted her and would now feel her wrath. Nor did she care that he was deputy. No amount of power gave a cat the right to be rude. "I'd think you'd show more grace to a cat who is apologizing. I admit that I was wrong, but you're in the wrong now. Do you think because you're deputy you have the right to treat other cats poorly? Because you don't. I'll admit that you helped me in that battle, but I didn't ask you to 'literally throw' yourself in front of me. So why don't you stop it with whatever tantrum you're throwing and accept my apology." She sat back down with a 'humph' and continued to eat, eyeing Passionblaze with a fiery green eye. Her anger had subsided somewhat, but she was still very irritated. She was rubbed further the wrong way when he began to feel sorry for himself. Scoffing and rolling her eyes, Piperwing replied in a hard, tough love type voice, "Of course you deserve to eat! Honestly, if you'd stop acting like a kit for one moment you'd realize that you fought for your clan until you literally couldn't anymore. Being sent back to camp isn't a shameful thing. It shows that you were out there in the thick of it from minute one, getting injury after injury. It's only right for the cats who are at full energy and health to relieve those of us who have been fighting for hours. So stop moping and eat your squirrel." Piperwing's aching shoulders slumped as she continued to eat her own squirrel before adding, "Besides, if either of us doesn't deserve to eat, it's me. I'm the one who killed that Windclan warrior. I broke the code, 'A warrior doesn't need to kill in battle.'" Piperwing seemed strong and not bothered, but in reality, the guilt of that battle had been following her like a dark shadow ever since she found out that Rappitpounce had died.