Closed Border SkC if you wanna come play you gotta start with me ˚ˋঌ˖ an ambush

[FLEAFIRE]

-

Vegetation whispered over her pelt, chipping pieces of the mud shell she camouflaged with. A breeze ruffled overhead, clouds drifting over the moon. The trees shed long, drifting shadows. Each toe placed with thought into the grass, edges first for quieter steps. The ground was firmer, not as eager to devour her.

Hadn't been long since she led a patrol to the fourtrees border. She took her time patrolling then, making note of places with good cover. A lot of effort for someone she only kinda liked, even Fleafire had to admit. The other warrior really needed to pick up some survival skills. If Sealdawn weren't so carefree, that fight might not have ended up so one-sided. They went and made a fool of them, and now she had to make things right.

SkyClan had gotten cocky since the gathering. They had it in their skulls that they were somehow better just because they made up some rules. Total load of crap. The world didn't work like that. Preach all they wanted, they weren't better than anyone.

Sealdawn hadn't crossed one of their borders. They didn't provoke the attack. Knowing her clanmate, she didn't know what was happening til it happened. Careless. Soft. Didn't she warn them once that something like that would happen? Not every cat liked to make friends.

Now she had to take one back for them. Go figure. SkyClan wanted to play dirty, so tonight, she would even the score with blood.

Eventually, she settled in one of the spots by a patrolled trail. Anyone could tell by the balding ground and the freshness of their scent along it. Cats crossed there often enough, and a patrol had probably earlier that day. A perfect spot for an ambush. There she waited, clinging to the shadows that gathered there. Shadow clinging just as well to her, whether she realized it or not, smoke to fire. Her body lay flush with the dirt, folded ears pricked for pawsteps.

// This thread is CLOSED for now. @Chrysalisgaze

I check myself 'cause I should be dead

FLEAFIRE

14 MOONS
SHE/HER
- Undersized cinnamon solid with folded ears. She's thin but stubby with very messy fur.
"SPEECH" - crimson | 'THOUGHTS/EMPHASIS' - crimson

Fleapaw values family the most with survival at a close second. In conversations, she is blunt, fun-loving, and clever. She is guided by her desires which often leads her astray. Despite her abrasive personality, she cares deeply for those she loves and will do anything to protect them. Due to her experiences, Fleapaw is corrupt and has minimalistic, if any, morals. She does not care for the warrior code and its restraints. Neither does she believe in StarClan. Growing up in a kitten mill, being separated from her mother, and ending up on the streets have deeply affected her view of the world.

The rings of flame still inside my head

 

[Chrysalisgaze]

♡

𓆦 𖢥 𓆨 𓆣 𐀔 Chrysalisgaze 𐀔 𓆣 𓆨 𖢥 𓆦

Chrysalisgaze has felt on edge ever since the skirmish with ThunderClan at their borders. She knew it was foolish, but she found herself going out alone to observe the borders more often than not, just in case a brave or a foolish soul dared to try their luck. This was not new for her, it was how she had entered the ThunderClan skirmish in the first place, but she's definitely been going out a lot more since then.
Tonight she found herself surveying the four-trees border - not for any particular reason, just how luck would have it, nothing but a mere coincidence. She didn't expect to see or hear anything, after all, that's how these things usually went for her. The lonely night patrols were often quiet, with nothing but the forest's life to keep her company.
Crack
A loud snap of a twig made her head jerk in the direction of the sound, but she saw nothing. Probably just a squirrel or a young deer, Chrysalisgaze reasoned. Nothing to worry about, not even as prey, for it would be too far gone anyway. She shook her head, mouth curving upwards in a smile - it was silly to get startled by a simple forest noise and she knew better than that. There was nothing of concern out there, just like every night she has gone out - even as she opened her mouth to taste the scents around her, all she smelled was the bark of the trees and mud. Nothing surprising, considering the recent rains coming from WindClan's side.
Chrysalisgaze sighed and turned around, ready to climb a tree to survey from. She wouldn't be out for too long, she told herself, she had a family at home waiting for her and a new queen she wanted to check up on. Chrysalisgaze has felt quite overprotective of the young Rain and she wanted to make sure the molly had everything she needed.
Chrysalisgaze would be out only for a little while...

 

[FLEAFIRE]

-

Fleafire didn't know how long she waited there. Long enough that she got bored and her eyelids started to droop. A yawn pried open her maw, focus weaving in and out.

Until her ears picked out what she'd been waiting for. The hush of paws along the narrow path, coming right to her. Folded ears lift to take in more information—only one set of paws?

A sudden rush of awareness takes hold and drags her back. Fleafire rises to her paws, body coiling into a ready position.

A beat passed, and then another until it feels like the anticipation would drive her off a cliff. The dark doesn't hinder her ability to find them. She spots them easily, everything from their whiskers to the muscles rippling beneath their two-toned pelt. It's a warrior much larger and bulkier than she is, but it doesn't put her off. Her claws slip free of their sheaths. Unlit coals trailing after them as they drift past her hiding spot. Only then does she begin to slink out from cover.

Somewhere behind, there's a loud crack that startles them both. Fleafire stiffens, one paw hovering over the grass. When their head spins toward her, she can feel the heartbeat in her throat. But they don't see, staring somewhere into the distance. She isn't sure whether to be grateful for the clouds tonight or her height, maybe both.

Fleafire doesn't waste another chance. There is no warning. No snarl or anything to brace for. Only the grass hissing under her paws and claws hooking into the flesh of their back.

// Using aphotic to stay hidden. (1d20 → 10 → safe from sight loss... for now.)

The blue facade slowly turning red.

FLEAFIRE

14 MOONS
SHE/HER
- Undersized cinnamon solid with folded ears. She's thin but stubby with very messy fur.
"SPEECH" - crimson | 'THOUGHTS/EMPHASIS' - crimson

Fleapaw values family the most with survival at a close second. In conversations, she is blunt, fun-loving, and clever. She is guided by her desires which often leads her astray. Despite her abrasive personality, she cares deeply for those she loves and will do anything to protect them. Due to her experiences, Fleapaw is corrupt and has minimalistic, if any, morals. She does not care for the warrior code and its restraints. Neither does she believe in StarClan. Growing up in a kitten mill, being separated from her mother, and ending up on the streets have deeply affected her view of the world.

Evil denizen.

 

[Chrysalisgaze]

♡

𓆦 𖢥 𓆨 𓆣 𐀔 Chrysalisgaze 𐀔 𓆣 𓆨 𖢥 𓆦

There was nothing to warn Chrysalisgaze - no sound and no scent. One moment she was getting ready to leap up the tree, the next she was on the ground, fur bristled as an attacker she had not seen or heard before clung to her pelt. "What the..." is all she managed to gasp out before she spun around, hissing at her opponent.
Who even was this cat? Chrysalisgaze could not tell - their fur was cloaked in darkness and mud, scent hidden by the dried muck. And frankly, Chrysalisgaze had no time to look over her opponent as she was flung into a battle she has not asked for. The only thing she could tell was that the attacker was smaller than her, though certainly not weaker.
Her own claws unsheathed on instinct, connecting with her opponent's shoulders, as she tried to kick them off with her hind legs - but to no awail. The small cat's grip was too strong, claws hooked into her flesh. All Chrysalisgaze could do was attempt to bite at the cat's legs, hoping they would let go of her. "What do you want from me?" she hissed in her opponent's ear, though it came out almost as a pleading choke instead of an angry demand for answers.
She had been caught off-guard. Though she had been at the border to survey and look out for trouble, she had not expected to be attacked, especially not without any warning. Chrysalisgaze was a good warrior, of that there was no doubt, but even she couldn't do much against a surprise attack in the middle of the night. All she could do was hope luck would be on her side and she would manage to shake off her opponent without much injury to herself.
All she could do was fight with all she had in her.

 

[FLEAFIRE]

-

The ambush took time to prepare, but it's worth it. There isn't time to bask in that small victory before they find the ground together.

Their bodies tangle, a blur of grey and muddy brown rolling through the dirt—claws traded on either side. In the chaos, the other cat's claws find her shoulder. Fleafire doesn't realize until the wind brushes across the wound.

The SkyClan warrior thrashes beneath her, hind legs battering against her ribs. Fleafire clings to them, a growl jostling from her throat. They ask why. A question anyone would've asked, but it isn't like she owes them much of an answer. If she wanted them to know the whos and whys, hell she could've just walked up and started swinging.

Fleafire clenches her jaw to keep from biting through her tongue. "For you to bleed like ours did!" Each word pops and sizzles behind her teeth. "Not so cocky now, are we!?" She wouldn't spell it out for them. Didn't even matter if she was the one who'd hurt Sealdawn—any SkyClan blood would do.

She curls tight to guard her belly against the others' claws. The advantage is hers, but not the control she wanted. They were too close, tangled up in her like ivy. She learns that lesson the hard way. A pressure radiates up her leg where their teeth latch. Fleafire yowls and twists to take a swipe at their muzzle.

The life support's punctuated hum

FLEAFIRE

14 MOONS
SHE/HER
- Undersized cinnamon solid with folded ears. She's thin but stubby with very messy fur.
"SPEECH" - crimson | 'THOUGHTS/EMPHASIS' - crimson

Fleapaw values family the most with survival at a close second. In conversations, she is blunt, fun-loving, and clever. She is guided by her desires which often leads her astray. Despite her abrasive personality, she cares deeply for those she loves and will do anything to protect them. Due to her experiences, Fleapaw is corrupt and has minimalistic, if any, morals. She does not care for the warrior code and its restraints. Neither does she believe in StarClan. Growing up in a kitten mill, being separated from her mother, and ending up on the streets have deeply affected her view of the world.

Sit by your side for the day to come

 

[Chrysalisgaze]

♡

𓆦 𖢥 𓆨 𓆣 𐀔 Chrysalisgaze 𐀔 𓆣 𓆨 𖢥 𓆦

The two cats tangled together like brambles, claws and fangs sharp as its thorns. For you to bleed like ours did, the attacker said, and Chrysalisgaze wondered if perhaps this was a ThunderClanner. But there was no way - ThunderClan didn't have enough mud on their territory for the cat to disguise itself fully in it. And besides, ThunderClan opposed them publicly, there was no need for stealthy attacks and ambushes.
Chrysalisgaze couldn't think about this any longer, her health was at stake, the warrior's sharp claws threatening to cause her serious damage. She averted her face just in time for the claws to graze her cheek instead of eyes - this warrior was not playing, no, they were fighting visciously and without mercy. The movement caused her to let go of her opponent's leg, but at least her eyesight was safe. For now.
The attacker had made one fatal mistake however - by swiping at her eyes, they had let go of her pelt and she was free of their claws. With swift movements, she rolled under them, using one of the movements her mentor had taught her. Chrysalisgaze, carrying only her own weight now, stood on her legs and leapt at her opponent, fangs ready to tear into their back. She felt blood in her mouth, but didn't let go - if this cat fought with no honor, she would have no mercy for them either. She had to protect herself first.
With her fangs preoccupied, she held onto the other cat's coat, preventing them from turning around and swiping back at her. Chrysalisgaze hoped this was enough to send the cat back where it came from, though something told her it would not be this simple. Nothing ever was, after all, was it?

 

[FLEAFIRE]

-

The leverage she guarded flipped on her in an instant. She realized her mistake too late—the larger warrior using their newfound freedom to pin her.

Her breathing turned ragged against the dirt, each inhale dragging grit into her mouth. Claws buried deep, weight pressing down, pinning her like needles through butterfly wings. And there they dissected her—sharp canines tearing into her back. "Get the fuck off!" She gargled, the sound that tore out of her sounding anything but feline. She fought harder, claws raking ravines in the grass, hind legs scrabbling as if she hoped to crawl out of her own skin.

She twists violently, her body curling sideways beneath the other warrior. Pain flared where their claws dug in, flesh tearing with it. All her squirming is surely ripping deeper wounds into her back, but she doesn't care. She wants out now.

She bent sharply to one side, forcing the motion, hoping it would knock them off balance. She folded onto one flank, joints throbbing from the pressure as she lashes out with her hind legs.

The truth is black like obsidian

FLEAFIRE

14 MOONS
SHE/HER
- Undersized cinnamon solid with folded ears. She's thin but stubby with very messy fur.
"SPEECH" - crimson | 'THOUGHTS/EMPHASIS' - crimson

Fleapaw values family the most with survival at a close second. In conversations, she is blunt, fun-loving, and clever. She is guided by her desires which often leads her astray. Despite her abrasive personality, she cares deeply for those she loves and will do anything to protect them. Due to her experiences, Fleapaw is corrupt and has minimalistic, if any, morals. She does not care for the warrior code and its restraints. Neither does she believe in StarClan. Growing up in a kitten mill, being separated from her mother, and ending up on the streets have deeply affected her view of the world.

Seek a medicine

 

[Chrysalisgaze]

♡

𓆦 𖢥 𓆨 𓆣 𐀔 Chrysalisgaze 𐀔 𓆣 𓆨 𖢥 𓆦

Chrysalisgaze's opponent yowls insults at her face - is this enough? Will the warrior leave now? Too late does she realise the error of her thinking as she's thrown off-balance, losing her footing.
Her heavy muscles are usually an advantage in a fight, but now they are used against her, turning her strength into a weakness. Before she has a chance to hit the ground, a powerful kick sends her flying backwards and Chrysalisgaze gasps out in surprise.
She should have ran when she had the chance, she should have gotten reinforcements. Instead, she was over-confident, underestimating her opponent based on their size alone.
As her body lands on the ground, her breath is knocked out of her lungs with a forced exhale. Chrysalisgaze's world starts darkening, her vision blurry, head pounding. No. No- she shakes her head, the movement painful, but managable. She fell pretty hard, but nothing she can't walk off. With hot blood rushing through her veins, she opens her eyes again, ready to pounce back into the action.
But her attacker didn't wait for her to clear her head. They leap after her, gaze angry and claws outstreched towards her. All Chrysalisgaze has time to do is protect her most vulnerable areas, twisting to hide her stomach with her legs and turning her head to hide her throat.
Too late.

 

[FLEAFIRE]

-

Fleafire rolled onto her side and came up in a crouch, breath rasping through her throat in starved hisses. Fire crawled down her spine, nerves screaming from damage she couldn't see. Blood ran down her back and over her spine, shaping into a set of wings. The trickle running down until it fell in thick droplets, spattering the grass beneath her paws. She sways, ground stretching out from under her. Adrenaline racing through her veins until it all boiled down to the pulse in her ears and the writhing shape ahead of her.

The forest seemed to inhale them. Just the two of them, framed by dark and breath and blood. The other warrior was still reeling after hitting the ground. Their sides pulsing, struggling to pull air into their lungs. The bigger ones really did fall harder.

Now would've been a good time to run, but she wasn't finished yet.

Neither of them would get a chance to catch their breath. A small shadow raced forward, claws flashing up to catch the moonlight before arching into their exposed throat. They carve through open space to meet their mark. The ground spackled in globs of red. Over before it truly ever began...

Get tough. Don't back out. Time to ditch your doubt.

FLEAFIRE

14 MOONS
SHE/HER
- Undersized cinnamon solid with folded ears. She's thin but stubby with very messy fur.
"SPEECH" - crimson | 'THOUGHTS/EMPHASIS' - crimson

Fleapaw values family the most with survival at a close second. In conversations, she is blunt, fun-loving, and clever. She is guided by her desires which often leads her astray. Despite her abrasive personality, she cares deeply for those she loves and will do anything to protect them. Due to her experiences, Fleapaw is corrupt and has minimalistic, if any, morals. She does not care for the warrior code and its restraints. Neither does she believe in StarClan. Growing up in a kitten mill, being separated from her mother, and ending up on the streets have deeply affected her view of the world.

Gate crash. Don't you stop. Countdown to the drop.

 

[Chrysalisgaze]

♡

𓆦 𖢥 𓆨 𓆣 𐀔 Chrysalisgaze 𐀔 𓆣 𓆨 𖢥 𓆦

Time seems to slow down for Chrysalisgaze. She feels her heart beating in her chest, her gaspy breath as she tries to allow air back into her lungs. Her mind flicks to Berrykit, amber eyes full of joy and innocence. They merge with the amber eyes of her attacker - the complete opposite of her son. Hungry, full of anger. She watches as moonlight glints against the cat's outstreched claws, closer, closer, too close...
She can do nothing but try to dodge the incoming blow, a fatal one for sure, if she doesn't do something. If she doesn't do anything. Do something, Chrysalisgaze, do something now.
She raises her paws to protect herself from the incoming claws and yowls in pain as blood splatters to the ground and pain shoots up her body. Pain, strong and numbing, wincing - but only that. Not fatal. Not deadly. It's just her leg, blood trailing down the pale fur, staining it dark. The force of it makes her opponent stagger, surely expecting a blow to a softer area, not to be stopped, giving Chrysalisgaze the moment she needs to get back on her paws.
Despite the pain shooting up her leg, she stands steadily as her opponent lunges again - but this time, she's ready and dodges to the side, claws outstreched to hit the incoming cat. She grazes their shoulder, which is more than she had expected to happen. Disturbed ground and dust floats around them, cloaks them in haze, making it even more difficult to see, but Chrysalisgaze doesn't rely on her sight alone - she has her hearing, the vibrations of the ground beneath her, her smell. And most importantly, she has her instinct.
The small cat emerges from dusty smoke, eyes blazing with fury and fangs bared at where Chrysalisgaze had stood - but she is no longer there. No, Chrysalisgaze watches from higher up - she is a scout after all, lithe, with strong and fast legs. Before they have a chance to spot her, she leaps back down at her opponent, hoping to knock them down and render them incapable of fighting back. It was time for Chrysalisgaze to have the upper paw in the fight.

 

[FLEAFIRE]

-

The thief showed no hesitation—not even a flicker—as she prepared to take her opponent's life. Yet... she wasn't fast enough. The warrior recoiled, closing off the path to their throat. Their foreleg flies up to shield themselves, forcing her claws to bury into the nook of it instead. The vibrations jarred up through her shoulder, pain rippling through her paw. Fleafire's eyes gloss with shock before returning to their original wild state.

She twitched, then lunged again, legs springing toward the other she-cat. They deflected her blow once more, flinging her back with surprising force. Fleafire skidded across rough ground, teeth rattling in her skull, shards of gravel scraping up her pads.

Dust choked the air, clawing at her throat and stinging her eyes. She could hear their paws scraping over the ground, their labored breaths tangled with her own. Again, she charged forward—fangs bared, claws outstretched and hungry.

…But when she lands, there is nothing there.

She stands alone now, particles squirling through the air. Confusion and anger bleed over one another as she whips around. Did they seriously run away? Fleafire would've thought they had more bite than that with the shape that Sealdawn returned to camp in. Turned out they were nothing but cowards. "What a fucking disappointment." The warrior hisses, tail whipping across the ground.

The night went still except for the patter of her own blood dripping onto the leaf litter. No—wait. There was something. A faint scraping or a pricking? Folded ears twitched, muscles tensing as she spins around to try and pinpoint where it was coming from. Unaware of the eyes looking down on her from above.

Get tough. Don't back out. Time to ditch your doubt.

FLEAFIRE

14 MOONS
SHE/HER
- Undersized cinnamon solid with folded ears. She's thin but stubby with very messy fur.
"SPEECH" - crimson | 'THOUGHTS/EMPHASIS' - crimson

Fleapaw values family the most with survival at a close second. In conversations, she is blunt, fun-loving, and clever. She is guided by her desires which often leads her astray. Despite her abrasive personality, she cares deeply for those she loves and will do anything to protect them. Due to her experiences, Fleapaw is corrupt and has minimalistic, if any, morals. She does not care for the warrior code and its restraints. Neither does she believe in StarClan. Growing up in a kitten mill, being separated from her mother, and ending up on the streets have deeply affected her view of the world.

Gate crash. Don't you stop. Countdown to the drop.