Whac-A-Mink [WC/ShC]

[SentimentalSquid]

~ BRIARSPLASH ~

shadowclan warrior | she-cat | abrasive, standoffish, loyal

~

Briarsplash let out a mrrow of amusement as Dawnstar insulted the WindClan bunny. Not even her own Clan would listen to her! How silly was that. She briefly wondered if Dawnstar would mention that at all to Twilightstar — or just let their ignorance to Swiftfire's commands speak for themselves. That seemed payment enough in a way, though it would be humorous to Briarsplash to see some sort of 'punishment' or humiliation that followed.

The large warrior also felt a small glow of pride — her leader had indirectly commended her, and that felt good. She'd sought out approval like this since the day she was adopted into the Clan, all those moons ago. Sometimes she could forget she wasn't Clanborn, and this was one of those times.

Feeling all the more powerful and capable with her leader on her flank, Briarsplash continued to fight ferociously against the minks, swiping at any and all that dared to stream past her on their escape attempts. The next nearest one to her, she sank her claws into it and flung it into the air. It spiraled and landed with a thud on the ground, winded.

Just like prey.

With a fierce smirk Briarsplash quickly snapped its neck and shoved its body away, looking for any other chance to strike. But by now, the flood of minks had dwindled, leaving more corpses than living creatures littering the moor grass.


[3/3 minks defeated]


/ @Undertaker @Tiabirb [for Swiftfire mention]

[Wingnettle]

Originally Posted by starry

Palesong hastily whipped around as the minks started attacking. Her ears briefly swiveled into Lynxshade's direction as the enforcer mentioned she would be teaming up with her. Sure, she could do that. Her aquamarine hues widened as the first mink slammed into Lynxshade and she quickly extended her claws. A gasp escaped from her maw before she fully turned her attention to the enforcer and the mink. With narrowed eyes she raked her sharp claws down the minks flank, wanting to make it harder for the peasant to breathe.

Then, she extended both her paws, holding it in place and shooting a glance at Lynxshade. "Can you finish it... while I'm holding it?" she wheezed, a bit out of breath. The mink was still thrashing a little, its tiny fangs digging into her paws and legs, but she ignored the pain and made her grip even stronger. Just a few more moments until Lynxshade would surely be able to finish it..

Lynxshade

Shadowclan Enforcer
33 moons | she/her
Shadow Fiend | Primal Instincts | Beefed Up (T3) | Bilingual (T3)

In a quick move, Lynxshade freed herself from the mink grasp and pushed her hind legs against it with all the strength she could gather, then swiveled her ears toward Palesong, who was struggling with another one and needed her help.

Swiftly, Lynxshade dived with her fore legs stretched forward and her sharp claws unsheathed, sinking them into the mink's pelt to hold a grip before grasping its neck in a mortal grasp. Blood spurted in her mouth as she bit and broke the mink's spine, but there was no time to linger around. "Palesong, watch your back!"

At that moment, another one much bigger was looming over the unaware apprentice. Lynxshade lunged forward to push Palesong away from it, but before she could do it another one attacked her from the left side and raked her flank with its tiny sharp claws.

She turned around, flailing wildly with her forelegs to push it away from her, but she was caught off guard and the mink hooked her ear. A sharp pain radiated from the tip of her ear to her head, and she felt warm blood trickling in her eyes. For a moment, she wondered if she even had any more a tip of her ear.

---

[Moonraven]

It sounded like someone had gotten on Crowtooth's bad side. The WindClan leader swerved her ear towards the angry tone but didn't bother checking on it. She was too busy breaking the thin leg caught between her fangs. She released the bite and allowed the mink to scurry off with the others too injured or fearful to confront the cats. Twilightstar tensed as she felt more than saw the presence coming to her blind side, she swung her head muscles tense for another fight, but found Crowtooth at side her side instead.

"I was just going to call for you, come on, after them." The WindClan leader meowed, glancing at the cats once more. This battle had gone from being vastly unnumbered to mink bodies strewn across the ground. Those too stubborn or bold continued fighting a losing battle, but Twilightstar did not doubt the warriors fighting.

Comforted with the thought, Twilightstar ran off after the retreated minks, ignoring the disgusting crowfood thrown around, WindClan would have to clean that up after. She slowed after entering the cave behind the waterfall, not surprised to find that the minks had made a den within the first cavern. There were several dark bodies crowded together, only the majority of them seemed far too young or old to fight let alone defend themselves.

Lovely, they had kits, and a lot of them. Without hesitation, Twilightstar darted in amongst them and lashed her claws across one of the kit's faces. The injured kit let out a screech of pain and ran towards the passage where their original den lay. Its denmates followed as some of the injured, retreating adults chittered loudly at Twilightstar. One bleeding mink nipped at one of her legs, but backed off immediately when hissed furiously at it.

They seemed beaten, putting a fight to defend their retreating kits more than to fight for the sake of fighting. As the cave emptied of minks, Twilightstar issued a challenging snarl to the few minks that appeared braver and left Crowtooth to cave in the tunnel.
@Rani [Crowtooth]

---

Dreamlight took a light breather as she noticed the number of minks decreasing significantly. Whisperingpaw joined her and she couldn't help but shoot him a beaming smile after admiring his fight. "Yup," The young warrior purred, eyeing his bloody muzzle. "You fight as fierce and bravely as a warrior. I'll make sure to tell Twilightstar. I'd certainly be honored to fight at your side again." Whisperingpaw was overdue for a warrior ceremony.

Dreamlight could feel her back was bleeding, but a glance told her that she had gotten off without too much damage. She missed this excitement, this fun, this desire to live life to the fullest. It was also nice to have someone ask if she was okay, to show that they cared even if it was just because they were paired together. Dreamlight was sure she'd fall right back into her depression when all was said in done, so she was going to live in the moment for as long as she could.

"Come on, let's catch the stragglers." Dreamlight meowed excitedly, ignoring the urge to lick Whisperingpaw's muzzle clean. She doubted she was any cleaner than him. Looking around for her next opponent, she saw not too many minks left fighting, so shifted towards one of the fleeing minks. She had only planned to give its tail a nip, so she was surprised when the mink turned and lunged at her face.

She gave a screech of pain as claws scored over her eyes, she jerked backward and shook her head furiously, tossing the mink somewhere behind her. That hurt, like really hurt, but rather than crying about it, she quickly began trying to wipe the blood out of her eyes. She wasn't done fighting yet! After a second she gave up on frantically cleaning her eyes, it merely caused her more pain. "Whisperingpaw." She called for the tom.

@ChaosBringer. [Whisperingpaw]

[ChaosBringer.]

Whisperingpaw(153/100)
Beefed Up T1 [ACTIVE] Survival Instincts[ACTIVE] Just a Scratch


Whisperingpaw let out a bright smile at Dreamlight's praise,
the adrenaline fading. "Thank you." He said, shaking out his pelt. His wounds barely stung for some reason. They felt like a kit had just poked him with their claws. Dreamlight kinda reminded him of himself. She had the same look in her eyes. The sad look. Once Dreamlight spoke, Whisperingpaw nodded and followed, dashing to the side and chasing a mink away. A screech of pain caught his attention.

Adrenaline, anger, and vicious bloodlust struck Whisperingpaw like thunder. A mink had clawed Dreamlight's eyes. At her call, he bounded over on silent paws and crashed into the mink who'd hurt Dreamlight, his claws digging into its foul-smelling flesh. Whisperingpaw snapped his jaws around its neck and threw it to the ground harshly. Before the mink had time to react, he attacked with a flurry of slaps to the face, his claws unsheathed. Whisperingpaw hissed in anger as the mink bit a toe of his before slashing his other paw across its face. His jaws went for the neck once more, a loud crack filling the air as he crushed the mink's neck between his teeth.


Whisperingpaw remembered Dreamlight and bounded over to her, his eyes full of worry. "Dreamlight?!" He cried, seeing blood over her eyes.

@Moonraven

[Alchemist Kitsune]

| Dapplebreeze |
Agatha Kitty - Active | Silver Tongue - Active | Beefed Up [Tier 2] - Active

---

There was no gusto in Dapplebreeze's face as she realized she had been left in the company of one of the toads, her distaste only curbed the by the presence of a clanmate. A look of excitement crossed her features nonetheless at the sight of the battle before her, and after a sideways glance at Watertail accompanied by a tail twitch signaling she was going in, the patched lieutenant followed after the surprisingly small ShadowClan tom, whiskers curled with bloodlust. This was not the first time she had encountered the squirming mass of vermin that attacked their home, the last time also in the company of the vile marsh dwellers and their queen. In the heat of battle, however, that mattered little to the patched she-cat, and the fury leaped on top of a mink whose attention had been elsewhere, plotting another's demise. Taken by surprise as it was, it screeched in shock and anger as the fluffy molly sank her teeth into its ear, a strategy that had worked well for her before, her claws grasping onto its back ferociously.

The former queen had never shared her clanmate's prowess in combat. She had always been one for outsmarting and outmaneuvering her opponents in battle. But after her last encounter with the minks, she had learned. She had trained. And she was ready to take them down. Let none of them leave this place while she could still stand.

It was instantly clear that the creature had other plans. In a fit of desperation as Dapplebreeze began to shred into its back with her hind claws, the creature slammed its back into the dirt, the former queen taking most of the impact. The pain did little to desist her attack, instead fueling a need for vengeance as she saw it. The opening she had been looking for as the creature shifted its neck in a wild attempt to get away. Without thought, the tan and cream warrior tore at its weak spot, a familiar, metallic taste soon coating her mouth as the creature above her ceased its squirming, becoming nothing more than dead weight on the cat. As if disappointed, the molly kicked the creature off herself with ease, spitting out the red liquid that remained in her mouth before turning her attention to her next victim.

---

@SeonghwasBunnyEars [Watertail] | @gs29513 [Shrewstep]
| Have Dapplebreeze following after Shrewstep down the center valley if I read right! Hope that's alright. |

[gs29513]

She initiated the brawl this time, in a bit of a rush to get this fight over with and at least one kill under her belt. This time her attack was in a more forceful vein. Deadmoon was unlikely to outdo the minks in terms of speed, encumbered as she was, but she did have power. Something Shrewstep lacked, but seemed to be making do without from where she could see him tustling a bit more towards the center of the valley. Perhaps there was just a hint of a desire to spite him, and to prove herself useful, that fueled her desire not only to do damage but to kill. To END this stupid mink and move on with her life, rejuvenated in her confidence or at least in the esteem of her clanmates and sort-of-enemies.

Choosing to simply hack at the thing, Deadmoon used her left front paw something like a flail, bringing it down forcefully on the creature's head. This didn't kill it, she wasn't that strong, but the ensuing pause to its movement gave her a chance to bite at the back of its neck, shaking it like one would a rat. It didn't die as quickly, being larger, and was able to add a few more cuts to those already adorning her chest, but nothing that would impair her from fighting a second mink when the current critter did, indeed, meet its end to be tossed aside. There were more minks to kill certainly, and she closed the distance to one in a decently short time, if she did say so herself. It was only a bound, seeing as there had been so many even now there were still a lot, but it was nonetheless ready to face her.

This time the mink was larger, and smarter. When she tried to same tactic of giving it a good whack on the head it dodged the blow, and came whirling at her whilst she was unbalanced. Suddenly its teeth were fastened to her lower leg, not crushing the bone as another cat might but certainly leaving some deep puncture wounds when she managed to beat it away with her other front leg. At least it was her already useless leg that had been attacked, there was nothing that could make that much worse at this point. As she was shaking out the leg, hoping that the pain would dissipate somewhat (it didn't) the mink came at her again, having recovered a bit faster. It tried to get at her side this time, managing to leave a slash on her shoulder before she fastened her teeth into the scruff of its neck. Pulling it away she was able to get a hit on it as well, but it was mostly superficial. There was definitely a pronounced limp to Deadmoon's movement, more so than usual.

Somewhat giving up on the approach of finesse rather than using her still larger size, Deadmoon decided that it might be time to take the L and just deal with this thing rather than dragging it out. She was unlikely to avoid further injury, and despite being something of a coward she didn't want to actually LOOK like one by only killing one mink. With a surprisingly enthusiastic battle cry by her standards, Deadmoon fully charged the mink like an idiot, claws flying and essentially trying to crush it beneath her weight. It.....sort of worked actually. It wasn't graceful, but the mink clearly hadn't been expecting it because it went down, and then stayed down when she managed to latch onto the back of it's neck and deliver the decisive bite. Shaking her head free of the blood which had begun to collect on it, both from her attacks and from the cuts opened up on her nose and forehead, Deadmoon looked around to see a field of mostly dead minks. Not many live ones at all, and those that were alive were fleeing. Nice. And WOW that mink might have done more damage to her left shoulder than she thought, that HURT.

[Dark]

Darkfall

Shadow Fiend: Inactive | Beefed Up (T3) | Ultimate Predator: Inactive | Hulk SMASH! [Inactive]
___________

Ah, so he’d be paired with almost all of the enforcers? Lovely. The dark-furred tom felt a little bothered by seemingly not even being an option for the leader of the patrol, but he kept his mouth shut. It was fine. The group he was paired with seemed competent enough and he was willing to fight alongside them with no complaints. He did have to admit, however, that he was a little concerned about the presence of Eggpaw, as the apprentice seemed to be having difficulty with their training, but it would probably be fine. He imagined that one of the other warriors would be able to keep an eye on the younger tom, if not Hawkbite himself.

Though he did find it odd that Dawnstar wanted to mix-and-match the healers, he was sure that she did have a good reason for it. It also, in a way made sense to him. WindClan’s healer, while young, had a lot of experience over Mossfreckle who had begun his training mere moons prior. Perhaps she had done it for added insurance? No no no, that couldn’t be it. The Dawnstar he knew barely even trusted her own clanmates, much less some healer from another clan. Oh well, he was sure things would work out in some way or another.

Azure eyes then fixed themselves onto Lynxhsade who was giving orders. She was saying to find a partner to fight with? No thank you. Of course, he trusted her judgment and even agreed that working together was imperative, but that black tabby simply could not comply with such a wish. His larger frame made fighting in close tandem with others a chore, and while he would be watching the backs of his group, he really wanted to let loose this go around. Last time he had been overwhelmed by the sheer difference in number between the minks and his patrol. Things would be different, right now, he would be fighting untethered by mere emotions and unrestricted by the lack of members in his patrol.

Though he had his qualms about the leader of the accompanying clan, he was unable to deny the fact that plunging headfirst into the tunnel was commendable. He wasn’t sure how many lives she had, but he did know that Twilightstar had been around for quite some time. Surely that was a high-level risk? Oh well, she could likely handle herself, plus she had that other warrior with her. It would be fine. He heard Eggpaw nearby asking to hurry up and he sent a cold glare in the apprentice’s direction. The dark-furred tom felt that if anything, Eggpaw should be praying there weren’t many to deal with – especially given the shaking he was doing.

Dear stars the chittering had begun. A shiver went along his spine as he recalled the sheer mass that had awaited him the last time the horrid noise begun. The swarm this time seemed equally as large, however, knowing that his own group was up to the task brought him the smallest of comforts. A sea of dark fur came rushing towards him and he couldn’t help but feel a sense of anger swell within him. That was odd, he hadn’t experienced many emotions since that day…

Regardless, the cats around him were quickly surrounded and were dealing with mink of their own. The large tom used his large paws to swipe at any of the creatures as they passed, but their agile forms made it difficult to score a clear blow on many of them. The ones he did manage to strike simply shrugged it off, sporting various different scratches and carried on. At some point, he didn’t realize it, but one had snuck up behind him – targeting his previously injured leg. A snarl of anger escaped him as he whirled around and sank his teeth into the creature’s body. Unfortunately, he was unable to kill it with one bite, having grabbed it by its midsection, so it sent its sharp claws into a flurry at his face. Closing his eyes to avoid losing one of them, he clamped his teeth down harder as the oversized rat peppered his face with many bleeding scratches. Lovely. That would be a pain in the ass to get cleaned up later. Eventually, the mink he held ceased it’s struggling and thrashing, and he finally let go. Specks of blood were on the ground, and he could feel some of the liquid dripping down towards his eyes. Perhaps he’d see Mossfreckle about that later, if only to avoid seeing his ex-mate once back at camp.

The chaos had thankfully begun dying down, however, a flash of movement at the corner of his vision caught his attention. It was Lynxshade. Goodness, she had a horrible habit of getting herself into trouble. Adrenaline pushing him forward, he ignored the burning in his leg and raced towards the other enforcer. Dawnstar had said none of them were to die, and he’d be damned if he watched one of his comrades get killed by one of these vile creatures in front of him. Darkness danced at the corners of his vision as his eyes locked onto the creature tousling with the other tabby. As if sensing it’s impending doom, it looked up for a moment, but it was already too late. In a flash of dark fur, the enforcer forcefully muscled the mink off of Lynxshade and sank his teeth into it’s neck, not giving it even a second to react. The wretched taste of it’s fur and blood made him want to gag as he held on, but he didn’t release it until he was sure the breath of life remained in it no more.

Still bleeding from the wounds on his face, he turned to the other enforcer with a slight frown. ”You ought to be more careful. Your ear is ruined.” He grumbled before turning his head to see if there were any remaining enemies to ravage.

[ @Wingnettle – Hopefully you don’t mind too terribly if Dark helps out. Also woowee, sorry for the delay. I will very possibly sneak one more post in before it ends. It’s been a very rough last couple of weeks, I apologize! ]