ThunderClan Territory

[Jesse]

Originally Posted by Venus

Hm. Why the sudden switch of tactic? Honeybrume was never a fan of self-pity parties, and his erratic transitions between obsessive and calm really creeped her out. Sighing sharply, she looked up at Goldenshade with an unsure, quizzical expression. "I don't understand you. Why would you be so 'love-struck' by a she-cat who scratched the fur off your nose? And I believe your judgment on love is extremely shallow and flawed." She shook her head in bewilderment. "You don't even know me! And I know nothing about you." After a brief pause to re-think her words, Honeybrume's gaze turned cold as she addressed him with a low, serious hiss. "No. I know who you are. You're a selfish and obsessive fox-heart. I know that you are rude, absurd, and have absolutely no regard for others' feelings. So tell me why should I care about your feelings towards me?" Her tail lashed aggressively behind her as she waited for his response.

The tom stood rigid and maintained an impassive expression as she berated him, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. What an unattractive personality. Far too abrasive.. No matter, he'd buff that out himself. He'd make her perfect.. A molly worth bearing his kits. Not that having kits interested him much. Last time he tried them they turned out ugly. Besides, they weren't very exciting. He'd managed to tune out most of Honeybrume's rambling, twitching his whiskers disinterestedly. When she finally finished, he resumed his theatrics.

"Do you need a reason to love someone? It would be quite superficial of me to be able to list off the things that I like and don't like about a cat, now wouldn't it? But clearly you have no problem doing it yourself.." He spoke flatly, but his words were scathingly critical. "I suppose I.. don't know why, truthfully. Then again, how could anybody like you after making such bold assumptions of a cat that you "know nothing about". Oh.. and how could I forget the time you struck me in the middle of camp? If I'm a foxheart, what does that make you?"

[Doom]

Originally Posted by xeno

The tom stood rigid and maintained an impassive expression as she berated him, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. What an unattractive personality. Far too abrasive.. No matter, he'd buff that out himself. He'd make her perfect.. A molly worth bearing his kits. Not that having kits interested him much. Last time he tried them they turned out ugly. Besides, they weren't very exciting. He'd managed to tune out most of Honeybrume's rambling, twitching his whiskers disinterestedly. When she finally finished, he resumed his theatrics.

"Do you need a reason to love someone? It would be quite superficial of me to be able to list off the things that I like and don't like about a cat, now wouldn't it? But clearly you have no problem doing it yourself.." He spoke flatly, but his words were scathingly critical. "I suppose I.. don't know why, truthfully. Then again, how would anybody like you after making such bold assumptions of a cat that you "know nothing about". Oh.. and how could I forget the time you struck me in the middle of camp? If I'm a foxheart, what does that make you?"

The molly took a few steps back at his harsh remark, puffing out her fur in embarrassment and dismay. "I only struck you because you wouldn't leave me alone!" She stamped her paw in the dirt, resisting every urge in her body to whomp him once again. She didn't want to believe him, but Goldenshade's eerily calm tone was beginning to frighten her. He seemed so sure, so disappointed – it made her doubt her own morals. Was she wrong for striking him like that...?

No! He cannot shame me like this! Unwilling to give in to his manipulative words, Honeybrume shook her head in a fretful manner, backing away from him even further. "There's nothing wrong with asserting boundaries!" The molly added, but her words fell on an uncertain note. She was losing confidence.

[Jesse]

Originally Posted by Venus

The molly took a few steps back at his harsh remark, puffing out her fur in embarrassment and dismay. "I only struck you because you wouldn't leave me alone!" She stamped her paw in the dirt, resisting every urge in her body to whomp him once again. She didn't want to believe him, but Goldenshade's eerily calm tone was beginning to frighten her. He seemed so sure, so disappointed – it made her doubt her own morals. Was she wrong for striking him like that...?

No! He cannot shame me like this! Unwilling to give in to his manipulative words, Honeybrume shook her head in a fretful manner, backing away from him even further. "There's nothing wrong with asserting boundaries!" The molly added, but her words fell on an uncertain note. She was losing confidence.

Every step Honeybrume took back, Goldenshade would match with a step forward. He leered down at her, his unblinking glare burning holes into her fur. His powerful voice rolled like thunder in his chest as he spoke. "Why do you keep telling yourself that? You know I'm right. This is precisely the reason none of your clanmates like you.. You're coarse and snobbish.. You place the blame on others instead of facing your flaws.." He closed the distance between their muzzles until his nose nearly rested upon hers, his breath hot against her cheeks. "But I can look past your outer shell.. And I see all the good that you bury inside. Why?"

[Doom]

Originally Posted by xeno

Every step Honeybrume took back, Goldenshade would match with a step forward. He leered down at her, his unblinking glare burning holes into her fur. His powerful voice rolled like thunder in his chest as he spoke. "Why do you keep telling yourself that? You know I'm right. This is precisely the reason none of your clanmates like you.. You're coarse and snobbish.. You place the blame on others instead of facing your flaws.." He closed the distance between their muzzles until his nose nearly rested upon hers, his breath hot against her cheeks. "But I can look past your outer shell.. And I see all the good that you bury inside. Why?"

"Now wait just a minute–" Honeybrume fretted, but she froze when Goldenshade grew closer, shivering when his cold nose touched her own. "I...um..." She didn't know what to say. All his words stung her like a hornet, swelling her throat with anxiety. She looked down at her paws to avoid his gaze, spiraling into a dark place in her mind. Was she really that bad? Part of her believed every word, even if most of it felt like a ruse. For the first time ever – Honeybrume felt disgusted with herself. She stayed staring at her paws, resisting the urge to puke.

But when Goldenshade ended on a lighter note about her, she looked up at him slowly, broken but still tense with irritation. "No, you're right. I'm all those things and worse, but my flaws are what make me who I am." She straightened herself once more, narrowing at him once more, struggling to show last of her strength. "I don't hide anything. These are my true colors, and if you don't like it, then leave me alone. She growled those last three words, hoping he'd view her differently if she displayed nothing but the side of her he obviously hated. I'm not giving in to your manipulative words, Goldenshade. Drink my venom, fox-heart.

[Jesse]

Originally Posted by Venus

"Now wait just a minute–" Honeybrume fretted, but she froze when Goldenshade grew closer, shivering when his cold nose touched her own. "I...um..." She didn't know what to say. All his words stung her like a hornet, swelling her throat with anxiety. She looked down at her paws to avoid his gaze, spiraling into a dark place in her mind. Was she really that bad? Part of her believed every word, even if most of it felt like a ruse. For the first time ever – Honeybrume felt disgusted with herself. She stayed staring at her paws, resisting the urge to puke.

But when Goldenshade ended on a lighter note about her, she looked up at him slowly, broken but still tense with irritation. "No, you're right. I'm all those things and worse, but my flaws are what make me who I am." She straightened herself once more, narrowing at him once more, struggling to show last of her strength. "I don't hide anything. These are my true colors, and if you don't like it, then leave me alone. She growled those last three words, hoping he'd view her differently if she displayed nothing but the side of her he obviously hated. I'm not giving in to your manipulative words, Goldenshade. Drink my venom, fox-heart.

Goldenshade took one final step forward, his furry chest pressed firmly up against hers and his head craned to meet her gaze. He could taste the anxiety that wafted off her like smog. She was losing her courage quickly.. But the she-cat was still stubbornly standing her ground. Give in. Give in, already. He was certain one more push was all it would take. A few more honeyed words.. and she’s be his forever. He was sure of it. You are mine. You belong to me.

“But that’s just it.. I do like you for who you are. I like you when no one else does. They just can’t recognize beauty when it graces them..” Goldenshade purred, choosing his words conservatively. “And yet you unfairly push me away based on nothing but your prejudice.. I’m willing to forgive that.. But are you willing to forgive me..?”

[RedHead]

Originally Posted by Slushie

@RedHead

Buckbranch popped his head up beside Flintstar and blanched. The badger was huge, but as it snarled and thundered towards them, he realized it was even bigger up close. At first he though of this as the perfect opportunity to run. Flintstar was distracted, the badger looming over the leader, leaving Buckbranch an opening. He bunched his muscles to bolt, but something held him back. He stared at the badger, saw its flashing claws and watched Flintstar leap forward to counter the attack.

Snarling to himself, he spun around and leaped. He would not be a coward, and he refused to leave Flintstar for dead. Buckbranch slashed his claws at the badger's face, swallowing the bile that rose in his throat as he ripped through fur and flesh. "Get out of here!" he yowled to Flintstar. "I'll hold it off; go get help!"

This was not the situation he had expected to be in. He'd wanted a relaxing walk, a chance to sort things out and possibly redeem himself. He didn't want a fight with a desperate, hungry badger. He sprang backward and jumped forward again, aiming for the head. He would not leave Flintstar to fight this thing alone.

Flintstar’s claws were slipping on the badger’s greasy fur, and after a moment he got thrown off of the beast’s back. He flew down the slope, head hitting the ground, hard. Dizziness enveloped his senses as he stood, vision wavering for a moment before it cleared. Which allowed him a clear view of Buckbranch battling the badger himself.

Stunned, the leader sat there shocked for moment, before the badger started slipping down the slope and he leapt back into action. “We can take it!” He yowled, leaping forwards again and digging his claws into the badger’s hindquarters. It let out a roar and stumbled back, though his flying claws caught Flintstar’s shoulder as he was trying to round it. He let out a howl of pain but clenched teeth together. Looking towards Buckbranch. “Get it’s ears!! I’ll aim for the stomach!” Then he shot forwards, claws ready to strike the soft flesh he began badger’s belly.

@Slushie

[dino.]

@RedHead

The warrior watched as Flintstar was flung from the animal's back, wincing at the thump his head made when he hit the grass. At the leader's command, Buckbranch nodded grimly and backed away for just a moment to give Flintstar some attack room. He flinched as Flintstar's yowl and the badger's thunderous snarls battered his ears simultaneously, but nevertheless lunged forward once more.

Who would have guessed the most dangerous part of a badger's body was its head? While Buckbranch slashed at the beast's ears, the badger snapped and snarled. One bite came dangerously close to tearing his left ear off; the next one did. Buckbranch shrieked and lashed out, catching the badger's nose with his claws. "I can't get close enough!" he panted. Blood streamed down the side of his face, soaking into the dirt. Scarlet welled in the scratch under his left eye. "Flintstar, what do we do? This thing's too big! One of us is going to get seriously injured before he can drive it off." He dodged another swipe of the badger's paw, the talons just clipping his tail.

[Ever]

Athena dashed after her brother she panted as she caught up to him, slowing to a stop beside him and looking back at where theyd come from. It all seemed very crushingly real for a moment. The fact that they were free now, that they were in the cold, they only had rumours to believe to guide them to their destination, there were so many unknowns. She shivered, her lungs felt like fire after all the running in the shockingly cold air. She could see what she thought was their twolegnest, though she'd never seen it from the outside. She was just guessing based on what she'd run by. She wanted to remember, just in case.

Then the moment of longing and regret over, Athena sucked in an icy breath and puffed her chest out. "I can't believe we did it!" Athena said proudly. It felt as though they were on top of the world. "Though we'd better get a move on, it's so cold. I didn't expect it to be so cold." She shivered, looking back to the trees. "Let's go try to find these clans, hopefully they'll take us in. I'm sure they will!"

The stars were starting to twink out at the night. Athena craned her neck back to she could get a better look as she started padding alongside her brother into the thick forest ahead of them. They winked down at her, shining brighter then duller. Some were brighter than others. She wondered where they cam from... Her eyes returned to the dark woods before the two kittens, her golden eyes turning black as her pupils dialated. They had made it to the edge of the trees. The smells of the forest, so close had her senses in a whirlwind. She'd never smelled so many things at once, and yet heard such quiet stillness.

"Are you ready Merlin?"

@Casper

[Doom]

Originally Posted by xeno

Goldenshade took one final step forward, his furry chest pressed firmly up against hers and his head craned to meet her gaze. He could taste the anxiety that wafted off her like smog. She was losing her courage quickly.. But the she-cat was still stubbornly standing her ground. Give in. Give in, already. He was certain one more push was all it would take. A few more honeyed words.. and she’s be his forever. He was sure of it. You are mine. You belong to me.

“But that’s just it.. I do like you for who you are. I like you when no one else does. They just can’t recognize beauty when it graces them..” Goldenshade purred, choosing his words conservatively. “And yet you unfairly push me away based on nothing but your prejudice.. I’m willing to forgive that.. But are you willing to forgive me..?”

"I..." Honeybrume felt lost. Just a moment ago she was positive this tom was a careless jerk, but now he showed a good point. Perhaps they did get off on the wrong paw – she did recall being grumpy the day he approached her...was she really the one being rude? She looked up at Goldenshade, noticing how close he'd gotten once again, but she couldn't bring herself to push him away. He'll just keep coming back...there's no use in fighting him. And if what he says is true... Honeybrume sighed, lowered her head in defeat, and replied in a lifeless tone. "I'm sorry for how I've treated you. I'll forgive you if you'll forgive me. Just...please, give me some space."

Looking back at him grudgingly, but softer than her usual glares, she furrowed her brows and took yet another few steps away from him. Her ears flattened as she hesitantly lowered her haunches to sit politely in front of him. "So...I suppose we should start over?"

[RedHead]

Originally Posted by Slushie

@RedHead

The warrior watched as Flintstar was flung from the animal's back, wincing at the thump his head made when he hit the grass. At the leader's command, Buckbranch nodded grimly and backed away for just a moment to give Flintstar some attack room. He flinched as Flintstar's yowl and the badger's thunderous snarls battered his ears simultaneously, but nevertheless lunged forward once more.

Who would have guessed the most dangerous part of a badger's body was its head? While Buckbranch slashed at the beast's ears, the badger snapped and snarled. One bite came dangerously close to tearing his left ear off; the next one did. Buckbranch shrieked and lashed out, catching the badger's nose with his claws. "I can't get close enough!" he panted. Blood streamed down the side of his face, soaking into the dirt. Scarlet welled in the scratch under his left eye. "Flintstar, what do we do? This thing's too big! One of us is going to get seriously injured before he can drive it off." He dodged another swipe of the badger's paw, the talons just clipping his tail.

Great Starclan he couldn’t breathe. The badger’s underbelly reeked, and the coarse fur brushed his face as he slid underneath the thundering animal. He heard Buckbranch howling, but it was muffled, and Flintstar was determined to chase this badger away. Reaching up with long claws, he dug them into the badger’s stomach, eliciting a cry of pain from the animal. As the badger bucked backwards, Flintstar quickly rolled out from underneath it, although earning a bruise on his flank from one of the beast’s flailing paws.

He’d heard Buckbranch yowling, and anger kicked up into him as he growled at the badger, now looking at the two cats wearily. Flintstar paced over to Buckbranch, giving the tom a side look before lashing his tail at the badger, who looked about as beat up as they did.
With a final grumble the badger turned and lumbered off, deeper into the outskirts. Flintstar’s nerved were still on end, but he whirled on Buckbranch, green eyes squinted as he scrutinized him for a moment, breaths coming out heavy and harsh.