Large, muscular, dappled gray tom with light cream-gray fluff covering the front of his neck and chest; amber eyes.
Wolffang felt a surge of delight as Batglare buckled beneath his weight. It still surprised him, how powerful the senior warrior was. He could feel the thick cords of muscle running beneath his dark fur and the sturdiness of his build. All the more reason to fight as hard as possible. Wolffang clung on tightly, feeling his own muscles bulge and hoping that his attack on Batglare's neck would work. But he doubted it would be that easy, and he was right. He felt Batglare dip lower. Am I that heavy? he wondered.
Then he realized what Batglare was trying to do. Wolffang's amber eyes widened as the bigger cat surged upward with more force than a river bursting its banks, swinging his broad head backward. At the last moment, Wolffang craned his neck away from Batglare so that hopefully, Batglare would get nothing but a face full of light cream-gray fluff. Wolffang's grip slipped, and he felt his hind legs slide off. Hare dung! However, his front paws were still securely clamped around Batglare. Narrowing his eyes, Woffang attempted to hook his broad paws around the thick, muscly area by Batglare's shoulders and use that leverage to haul himself back onto Batglare's back. If he succeeded, he'd wrap his hind legs around Batglare's back, too, to keep a secure grip.
~ TWISTEDPAW OF WINDCLAN ~
Small, skinny, black she-cat with a light gray belly and tail-tip; has a crooked jaw, mangled tail, and one blind eye.
Twistedpaw heard Fallownose's call as it split the air. Her head shot up, and she temporarily forgot about the mass of cats swarming around her. Cowtuft was out? Oh, no! Now WindClan's team had no medicine cat to heal them - and StarClan knew that Twistedpaw, with absolutely no battle experience, needed that. Her stomach churned. What are we going to do now?
The black apprentice looked around wildly. She had to help her teammates! However, there was so much chaos, and she didn't know what to do... What if I mess something up? What if I distract my Clanmates and make them get out of the game? Her heartbeat quickened. She felt so lost and confused, and she was worried that if she tried to do anything, she'd mess it up.
Then a voice sounded nearby. Twistedpaw jumped, squealing, and whirled around. Her pelt bushed out so she appeared twice her size. Was someone going to att- Oh. It was Twilightstar. A hot wave of embarrassment surged through Twistedpaw. She forced her fur to flatten and readjusted her crooked jaw, which had listed severely to the right. Oh, StarClan, that was so embarrassing! I looked like such a hare-brain...
But Twistedpaw found that now was not the time to dwell on mishaps. Twilightstar wanted her to... help get revenge on Cowtuft? And something about Fallownose being "cheeky." Her head spinning, Twistedpaw nodded, hardly noticing her leader's amused tone and the big smile on her face.
Wait, she had to attack the deputy? If her mismatched eyes were round before, that was nothing compared to how far they'd stretched now. Her blood began to thrum, cold fear gripping her with icy claws. Twilightstar's simple instructions suddenly seemed a lot more complicated. I need to attack him when he isn't looking... but how do I know that he isn't aware of me? Can't he turn around and see me? What if I make too much noise? I'm small and skinny, but with my tail, I'm not the stealthiest cat... What if I miss?
But there was no time to think this through, and Twilightstar - Twilightstar - was counting on her. For some reason, Twilightstar had decided to trust the ugly, deformed cat who had driven her mother, father, and Clanmate to insanity. A weakling. Someone with no battle training.
Is she trusting me too much? Being too nice, like Batglare? Or... Does she actually trust me? Does she think I can do this?
No matter what, Twistedpaw had to try. She nodded, legs trembling. "I-I'll t-try my b-best," she stammered, too astonished to keep her voice steady. I can't let Twilightstar think I'm unprepared! Twistedpaw straightened, shook herself, and gave Twilightstar a more confident nod. All the while, her heart beat, and her head swam.
I can't believe she's trusting me with something as important as this! Maybe... maybe I'm not a total failure. Not everyone hates me. And... that's okay.
Then Twistedpaw glanced over at Fallownose and gulped.
Oh, StarClan, help me. I really don't want to mess this up.
__________________
Some of my characters think or act in ways I disagree with. Please understand that I do not support or condone these thoughts or actions.
Lilacpaw felt a surge of pride swell in her chest as she managed to land on top of Brightpaw - looks like she judged her trajectory right after all. Though the celebration was short lived as she felt the other squirm beneath her paws. Oh stars, she wasn't crushing her, was she?! Swaying side to side, Lilacpaw was just about to move away before a paw came swiping at her. Looks like Bright caught her at her most distracted moment - something she would have to remember to avoid in the future - as the other apprentices paws smacked her square in the cheek, sending Lilac stumbling dramatically onto her back
"Good hit!" She mewed aloud, paws dangling in the air for only a moment. Lilacpaw quickly tried to scramble back up to her feet - leaving her wide open for a potential attack.
"Thanks! You too," Brightpaw grinned, stood so that they were facing each other squarely. She noticed that while Lilacpaw was getting up, she could attack, and maybe get her down, but she decided to let her clanmate off this time. Wait, not clanmate, Lilacpaw was a RiverClan cat now. She wouldn't let a RiverClan cat get up! Brightpaw rushed over too late and tried to headbutt her shoulder.
__________________
Ain't much that I know what to put 'ere...
"And that, my friends, is how a revolution dies." - Haymitch
Batglare
This battle was proving to be a bit more difficult than he had initially thought it would be. Batglare wondered if Wolffang would actually make him break a sweat here. The older tom's head missed its mark, bumping into fluffy chest fur and solid muscle instead of the Wolffang's head. He felt the hind legs scrabbling behind him but found the tom still stuck to his back like a burr as landed on the ground. He landed extra heavily, claws sliding out and digging into the earth out of habit as his legs trembled with the effort to keep himself from crashing into the ground.
He felt a surge of pain in his bad shoulder as the warrior pressed the pads of his paw there in an attempt to cling to him like a sloth. He hissed softly, and an old battle wound acted up, Batglare was going to be limping after this until the pain died down. The extra weight on his back was not helping with it. Eager to get the tom off his back, Batglare swung his head around and aimed a nip at the paw grasping his bad shoulder, hoping the tom would remove it before he could actually bite it. The pain was irritating. At the same time, he lurched his muscular frame to one side harshly, endeavoring to fling the warrior off his back.
Twilightstar
Oops, looks like she had frightened the apprentice. Twilightstar felt genuinely guilty for it but refrained from actively trying to lick the she-cat's fur down and soothe her. She settled herself pretty quickly but so much hesitation amongst worries pools within Twistedpaw's expression as she contemplated aiding the leader. Huh, it didn't seem like Batglare had gotten Twistedpaw over her crippling lack of self-confidence, or well. She couldn't say that he hadn't done anything with the paw.
Twistedpaw did seem to be speaking up and out more, and it was clear that she was trying to be the best she could be, even with trembling limbs. She dealt with her worries rather quickly, and didn't get stuck. Twilightstar could happily say that she saw quite a bit of Ashfeather, aside from her appearance, as Twistedpaw gave her a positive answer. "Perfect, all I ask is that you try." The leader meowed with a respectful dip of her head.
Twilightstar quickly led Twistedpaw to where she spotted Fallownose, the she-cat had two of the larger warriors, Wolffang and Batglare brawling ahead, and actively used their bulky forms as cover. "Alright, I'll go get his attention and keep it on me. I'll try to keep his back turned to you. What I need you to do is just jump on his back, if we're lucky it'll throw him off balance enough for me to try and pin him or go for his throat. On the off chance that doesn't work, he'll probably try shaking you off. You'll want to dig your hindlegs into his flank and coil your forepaws around his shoulders or neck, no claws. The longer you stay on his back the better chance I have of knocking him off his paws." Twilightstar explained to the apprentice falling back on mentor mood.
"On the off chance, he might actually try to flip over and squish you, unlikely since it would leave him exposed to me, but if he does, you'll want to spring off his back."They might have to restrategize if that happened, but it was a minuscule probability of that happening. "Got it?"
@Tac Nyan
Large, muscular, dappled gray tom with light cream-gray fluff covering the front of his neck and chest and amber eyes.
Thump! Batglare's impact on the grassy ground jolted through Wolffang's body, making it an effort to hold on. Dark brown fur with the occasional peep of greenery filled his vision. Every muscle, every instinct, was focused on the battle. Yes, it wasn't real. But just because it was a game didn't mean that Wolffang shouldn't try. He gritted his teeth together and resisted the urge to sink his long, sharp claws into Batglare's long fur and hard muscle. It would help him keep his grip, but, though he cared about the mock fight, Wolffang knew better than to actually hurt anyone.
There was a flash of teeth as Batglare aimed for his paw. Wolffang knew the senior warrior wouldn't bite hard enough to cause pain, but his point was clear enough. Wolffang drew his paw away - and as he did so, he realized he'd made a mistake. His eyes widened in a flash of amber. Hare dung!
He tried to grip Batglare's shoulder again, but a heartbeat was all he had, and it wasn't enough. Wolffang's toe-tips barely skimmed Batglare's fur before the bigger cat jerked to the side like an unsteady badger, throwing Wolffang clean off. The dappled gray tom hit the ground with a thud! Pain lanced down his side, nothing severe, but the impact had been rough. Wolffang hissed as he attempted to scramble to his paws - but he worried he'd be too slow.
(WARNING!!! The following post will contain internalized ableism and mentions of abuse.)
~ TWISTEDPAW OF WINDCLAN ~
Small, skinny black she-cat with a light gray belly and tail-tip. She has a crooked jaw, a mangled tail, and one blind eye.
Twistedpaw thought she must look like a featherbrain. With the way she trembled and stumbled over her words, she wondered if Twilightstar thought she could ever be a warrior. True warriors didn't get scared like this. True warriors didn't make their mothers go mad or their fathers leave. True warriors didn't drive a Clanmate away to go missing in the unknown. Fear clutched Twistedpaw, culminating in her belly like ice-cold water. Batglare had told her that nothing was her fault. Batglare had told her that she was a good cat. Twistedpaw knew she wasn't responsible for her brother's death, nor was she cursed, but she was still at fault. She looked horrendous. Her deformities made her underperform. That made others mad at her - and turned Twistedpaw into a clutz.
Ashfeather might've had the same deformities, but she'd been a true warrior, from the sound of it. Nothing like Twistedpaw. Sometimes, despite her happiness, despite all her friends, despite the warmth of her Clanmates, despite her accomplishments, she felt like a failure. A complete and utter failure.
I must look like that to Twilightstar right now.
But to her complete and utter astonishment, the lilac-gray leader dipped her head in what looked like respect. Twistedpaw blinked, unsure if she'd interpreted the gesture right. Surely not! There was nothing to respect about someone like her.
And yet... Twilightstar said that she was perfect, so long as she tried.
The words resonated within Twistedpaw.
Try. That's what Batglare always told her to do. What she always tried to do.
Despite everything, Twistedpaw had always tried to be her best. And even if she messed up, even if she was reminded why Willowsky and Palecloud hated her, she realized that it was possible for her to be happy. It was possible for her to accomplish things. It was possible to be a warrior.
Hope kindled inside her chest, a warm and delightful thing, as did something else: determination. Determination to try her best, to work as hard as she possibly could, to prove that she could serve her Clan and maybe... maybe she could do something that would make Willowsky proud, wherever she was.
With a new sense of certainty, Twistedpaw followed Twilightstar. There's Fallownose. The deputy stood tall and proud in the clearing, a shadow amid the din of yowls, hisses, and thuds. He was occasionally blocked out by the large, bulky forms of Wolffang and Batglare as they struggled. Some of Twistedpaw's nerves returned, making her paws tingle. She took a deep breath.
I've got to try. I can try.
Even though her mentor, one of the Clan's greatest warriors, the leader, and the deputy would all be watching her.
Her determination did not leave, despite the nerves tangled up in it like flies in a spider's web.
Twistedpaw turned to Twilightstar. Her tiny ears pricked as she listened intently to her leader's instructions. Alright, so I need to wait until his back's to me... I need to jump on him... dig my hind legs into his flank? Okay... Grab his shoulders or neck... I think I've got that... No claws, yeah, that's obvious... Stay on his back as long as possible... If he tries to knock me off, I need to jump off him... The thought of her tail getting crushed on the ground made Twistedpaw nauseous. Her head spun. So many things to remember!
But she had to try. If she was afraid to do something like this, she wouldn't be a proper WindClan warrior, and Willowsky would be disappointed in her forever.
Twistedpaw nodded and took another deep breath. When she spoke, her voice was small, but it didn't tremble.
__________________
Some of my characters think or act in ways I disagree with. Please understand that I do not support or condone these thoughts or actions.
Newtberry grinned as he felt his paws hit the other tom's fur, but just barely. He swiveled around so they face each other once more, then ducked a little too late. He felt Silentleap hit the top of his head, shoving him backwards so that he flopped onto his back. Without letting Silentleap take advantage of this opportunity, he shot back up and aimed a paw for a blow to the face. Hopefully that would stun the other for long enough that he could then push him to the ground and pin him.
A brown trans FtM tom, with a stubby tail and green eyes.
▲▼▲
Silentleap jerked backwards, but not without getting hit in the face by Newtberry's paw. He tripped over like the many times before, and slid across the floor.
Silentleap didn't get up, but instead battered his paws everywhere. Hopefully one of the hits would actually land.
Newtberry ran in pursuit but stopped when he saw Silentleap fling his paws everywhere. What type of battle move was this? He stepped back, letting Silentleap pummel the air, then in a quick motion leaped to the side of him and then at him from the side. Yes, one of Silentleap's blows connected, but hopefully he was quick enough to knock him over with brute force.
(Just a quick activity post so they don't get kicked out of the event.)
Wolffang is fighting Batglare.
Twistedpaw is preparing to attack Fallownose with Twilightstar.
__________________
Some of my characters think or act in ways I disagree with. Please understand that I do not support or condone these thoughts or actions.
Batglare
There was immediate relief as soon as the paw removed itself from his shoulder. He took a moment to roll it, wincing as he felt a pang, but didn't have time to actually worry about it since Wolffang finally fell from his back. As the tom scrambled to his paws, Batglare aimed to pounce on top of him, trying to knock the cat flat on his side so he could plant a huge paw on one broad shoulder and aim a few quick smacks to Wolffang's head, a little sloppily with his shoulder acting up, using his other paw.
Twilightstar
The WindClan leader smiled after she got the okay from the apprentice. With that, she swiftly bolted towards the deputy, aiming some rapid paw swipes at the tom's ears and flank before rapidly dancing backward hopefully out of reach of any obvious attacks in retaliation.
@Lillith @Tac Nyan [might drop this event]
Re: Growing Strong
