Smallpines

[~Fierce~]

~Streampelt~

Streampelt was still in a mode of panic as thoughts and memories rushed through his head and the other two fought the coyote. Streampelt snapped out of it and he looked at the two warriors. He winced as he saw Kestrelwing’s wound again but he fought back the memories and he stood up shakily. Getting himself together, he made sure he was ok and not shaking before leaping towards the coyote and landing on its back. He scratched at it before leaping back down and heading for its stomach. He scratched at the coyote’s stomach, flinching as he saw the wound he had caused on the coyote.

@Puddle~ @spade

[Willie Warf]

Originally Posted by Fierceclaw

~Streampelt~

Streampelt was still in a mode of panic as thoughts and memories rushed through his head and the other two fought the coyote. Streampelt snapped out of it and he looked at the two warriors. He winced as he saw Kestrelwing’s wound again but he fought back the memories and he stood up shakily. Getting himself together, he made sure he was ok and not shaking before leaping towards the coyote and landing on its back. He scratched at it before leaping back down and heading for its stomach. He scratched at the coyote’s stomach, flinching as he saw the wound he had caused on the coyote.

@Puddle~ @spade

Stonefoot Grabbed a coyotes tail, feeling the bones crack. He dropped down as the coyote ran away. Three more. He saw Streampelt about to be attacked by a cyote behind him. Stone foot ran and headbutted th coyote in the head, distracting it from Streampelt. Sadly, It was now focased on him.

[JackHunt_17]

Originally Posted by spade

From where he lay on the ground, Kestrelwing quickly rolled out of the way of a coyote paw hurtling towards him, connecting with the ground in a loud thud. That had almost been his head.... Frustration surged within him and he sprang up, lashing out again to strike the coyote across the face. Stupid mutt! With each lash he felt the coyote back up until it's vicious snapping teeth turned into whimpers of panic. Turning tail, the coyote fled from the fray with Kestrelwing swiping at its hind legs as it retreated.

His heart pounded in his chest and blood roared in his ears as the tom glanced around to the rest of his Clanmates. Briefly, he caught sight of Junipersong, and anger burned in his belly. What was she doing here? She was injured and ordered to remain in camp!

There wasn't time to figure that out though, as Berryscorch caught his eye. It seemed Streampelt was locked in a state of panic so Kestrelwing launched himself to her aide, fastening his teeth into one of the brute's front legs. Hearing a yelp from above, he continued to bite away at the leg, raking his forepaws down the chest of the beast, hoping to give Berryscorch enough time to get a claw or two in.

// @Puddle~ @gs29513 @Willowfern @Angelique @Fierceclaw @Bramblefire01 @QueenCocaHead @Dizerel

Stormrunner sent her coyote howling away, and emerged with a torn ear and a sliced eye, but nothing worse. She saw Kestrelwing and Berryscorch struggling with a coyote and rammed herself into the beast, knocking it aside.

[Madelaine]

Tinytiger padded right after the patrol and felt a coyote jump at him. He let out a weird snarl with his mouth. It was due to half his muzzle missing. He dug his claws into its side and went deep across and sent it running. It ran a few paces before turning around on him. It lunged at him, but he managed to move away, but not in enough time. He felt claws rake his the good side of his muzzle, leaving a scratch. Tinytiger let out a growl and jumped at it nipping at its side.

// @Puddle~; @gs29513; @Willowfern; @Fierceclaw; @Bramblefire01; @QueenCocaHead; \\

[spade]

As he felt Stormrunner ram into the side of the coyote, Kestrelwing slipped out from where he'd bit the front legs. He knew that two warriors on that coyote would be more than enough. He snarled and snapped at the beast with glinting fangs. Hopefully Stormrunner, Streampelt, and Splashleap - boy there were lot's of 's' names in this Clan, weren't there? - would be able to handle it.

Surveying the battle scent from where he stood Kestrelwing realized there were only a few coyotes left. One that was grappling with Tinytiger, the other one that Stonefoot was occupied with, and the last one that had three warriors over it.

There was one beast that was stalking around the edge though - the one that he had grappled with at the very beginning. Had the mutt come back for more? With a yowl, Kestrelwing launched himself across, clearing the space as he landed in front of the snarling beast which had jumped to meet him. He reared up on his hind legs again, slashing at the coyotes' face. Sharp fangs snapped towards him, causing him to duck and bounce to the side.

But this mutt was fast - and seemingly back with a vengeance. With a fierce howl the beast lowered it's head and rammed into the side of Kestrelwing, sending the gray tabby rolling back until he hit a rock with a loud thud. Spots began to cloud the gray tabby's vision as he lay there, unaware of the mutt advancing. [for Juni! @Dizerel ]

// @Puddle~; @gs29513; @Willowfern; @Fierceclaw; @Bramblefire01; @QueenCocaHead @Angelique

[Willie Warf]

Stonefoot leapt tonto the coyotes back, scratching at its face from above. He got thrown once again as the coyote ran, now blind. Stonefoot looked around it looked like they where going to win.

[Willowfern]

Fishspeckle
________________________

Hissing, Fishspeckle clamped his jaws shut on the ugly brute’s tail, it howled in pain and whirled around to face him, biting him hard on his already bleeding back leg.
“Aah!” He screeched, dropping back as the blood gushed out of the wound.
Snarling and even angrier than before, Fishspeckle drew himself up to his full height and rained the dark forest down on the coyote, scratching, biting and tearing at end exposed area of the coyote’s body.
Letting out a final howl of anger, the cruel canine turned tail and escaped back into the trees.
Spotting Kestrelwing ( @spade ) nearby, Fishspeckle limped over to the patrol leader,
“Kestrelwing, Anything I can do to help now? I’ve chased my coyote off.”

@Puddle~; @gs29513; @Fierceclaw; @Bramblefire01; @QueenCocaHead @Angelique

[~Fierce~]

Streampelt~

Streampelt padded away as the coyote ran away. He looked around but then his head pounded. Memories were coming back to him. Gashes, wounds, death...Streampelt shook his head. No, not the time to think about it. He needed to tune out the memories for now. But that would be hard, considering that Kestrelwing had a wound too much for Streampelt to handle.

@Puddle~ @gs29513 @Willowfern @spade @Bramblefire01 @QueenCocaHead @Angelique @Dizerel

[Dizerel]

She was approaching now. Thankfully, it seemed to her that her clanmates were winning. Cut up and bruised perhaps, but no losses yet! Maybe she really didn't need to come out here at all.

Then she saw Kestrelwing.

The coyote slowly approaching her friend, it was definitely going in for the kill. There was no time to act. No time to think. She dashed at it with blinding speed, at first aimed for its shoulder to hopefully bowl it over. As she was approaching, it also seemed to be lunging for Kestrelwing. Hitting its shoulder wouldn't be fast enough.

The coyote lunged forward and time froze for her. The very next instant, there she was, standing between her friend and the beast, fangs sinking into her back and side. There was no yip or cry from her, even though parts of her fur were already stained a dark red. She didnt look like she even felt the attack. The coyote, a bit confused, tried to make a follow-up swipe at her face. Finally, time resumed for her, Mostly dodging out of the way, getting a small little cut across her cheek. Fury coursed through her veins for the first time in nearly 12 moons.

The coyote tried to grip her in its jaws and shake her around or toss her, but she held firm. "Disgusting. Going for someone while they are already down and out of the fight" She growled low, and in one swift move, rolled her way out of the canine's jaws, not caring that it tore through her flesh even more. Following that up with a swift shoulder tackle to get the creature off balance. "You do not belong here. This is My territory. My Clanmates. My Friends." Emphasizing each sentence with a swipe to its chest. She had it pinned now, her claws putting its throat and chest through a furious blender. "I WILL NOT TOLERATE IT. I SWEAR TO STARCLAN. EVERY LAST INTRUDER WILL HAVE TO GO THROUGH ME FIRST."

At this point, the Coyote was far beyond dead. Its throat and chest cavity was now just a bloody red pile of mush with bones sticking out. Looking down at her work, her paws stained a deep red. She spit down on the corpse she just mutilated. "We are Riverclan, and we are proud."

Then, her clouded judgement lifted. She immediately turned to Kestrelwing, rushing over to help him up. Her back and right flank looked like it had gone through a blender, and she was barely phased by it. "Friend, are you alright?"

[spade]

Everything had slowed around the tom. From the noise of teeth and yowling, to the sights of greenery and frost. Time moved in fractals around him, crystalizing in singular moments that stood apart from each other with dazzling differences. Vaguely, the tom was aware of the commotion around him, but like he was outside of his own body observing it.

And actually, as it turns out, he was. From further up he opened his eyes to see the scene before him; his Clanmates, bloodied and bruised, battling with every sliver of energy they could muster. They were driving the coyotes back, sure, but at what cost? Was it worth it to receive these wounds?

"Little bird."

The voice snapped his head up, and Kestrelwing's yellow gaze widened as he turned to see the last cat he expected walking towards him. Her dusty black pelt would be familiar to him in a sea of fog, the one light that could cut through the deepest doubt he had in himself and his Clanmates. Eyes, a tragically beautiful shade of yellow similar to his own stared back at him, round and full of love.

"Mother..."

Suddenly everything seemed... unimportant. The coyote battle, RiverClan, protecting his home. All the gray tabby wanted to do was curl up against the familar scent of Duskfall and forget all of the heartache he had endured. Without a word he pressed his head against the mollie's shoulder, legs and limbs crumbling like dust against her. All the emotions he had been hiding, all the pain he had been holding back for the sake of stepping up to serve his Clan, crashing down like storm waves around him.

"Don't cry, little bird. Your home needs you."

Her words sliced into his heart, splaying it open and stitching it back up again. "I don't want to go back. I want to go with you," he breathed, an ache in his voice that had never been heard by any living cat. RiverClan wasn't his home, not since his mother had left. "My home is with you. RiverCland doesn't need me."

A lick across his cheek, Kestrelwing felt a tail circle around his back. Just the slightest touch, but it was enough to lend strength to him so that he could bring himself to meet his mother's gaze. "Oh sweetheart," she purred, wisdom and kindness creating a soft lace edge to her voice. "You still have so much left to do for your Clan. Your blood may not be Clanborn, but your heart is."

And as soon as she had come, Duskfall was fading, drifitng upwards in a spiral like stars returning to the sky. "No! Wait! Come back!" Kestrelwing cried, reaching himself upwards to try and capture the essence in his paws. But his attempts were futile, and the gray tabby landed back on the grass with empty paws.

He had to go back, didn't he? Turning to look at where his body lay, limp and ragged, Kestrelwing sighed.

For you, mother...

Back in his body, Kestrelwing blinked his eyes open, realizing that most of the fighting around him was dying down. Yelps from where Streampelt, Splashleap, Stormrunner, and Stonefoot were battling still reached him, but they were winning it seemed.

Hearing Junipersong's voice he let out a gruff snort, hauling himself to his paws with just a bit of help from her. He was furious at her for disobeying Lionstorm's orders and coming with, but a bit conflicted - who knew what would've happened to him if she hadn't showed up. So for now, the tabby only nodded in her direction, a look in his eyes that said they would talk once they were back at camp.

Bringing his attention to Streampelt, he sighed. "There's just two beasts left, let's go take care of them," he growled, eyeing the two coyotes that were left. They would be no match for the remainder of the RiverClan patrol.


@Puddle~ @gs29513 @Willowfern @Fierceclaw @Bramblefire01 @QueenCocaHead @Angelique @Dizerel