[Taxx]

Watch me, I'll make a name for myself

With a bounce in her step, Crowflame padded through the pines toward the Clearing, looking forward to the sparring practice she'd been assigned to. Snakestep was at her side, but he wasn't looking all that enthused at the coming practice; Crowflame didn't have any doubts about his bravery, not after he'd helped her tackle that raccoon- a memory that still flooded her with pride since neither had taken so much as a scratch before killing the creature. Maybe it was just the thought of fighting Clanmates?

She reached over to brush his cheek against his shoulder. "It'll be okay, Snakestep. Practice will keep us sharp. We can spar together if you want? If Darkstar agrees." She glanced ahead to where their leader was leading the group, and then at Cinderfur trailing behind, a light frown crossing her face at the distracted air about the black tom. He was different and she didn't understand that, either- maybe she'd talk to him later.

Then with a huge leap, she sprang toward Darkstar, landing just beside the older she-cat and aiming a double front paw strike at her before bouncing back out of range of any retaliatory swipes; back arched and eyes gleaming, she flashed a grin at Darkstar and waited for her to react.

Crowflame

NightClan Warrior

I won't be just another face in the crowd

@zen || Notes

[Deleted]

Padding along beside Crowflame, Snakestep only felt uneasy at the sparring sessions Darkstar had begun to lead with the warriors in the Clan. It wasn’t the sparring sessions themselves, rather what they stood for: looming war. He would fight for NightClan as hard as any other warrior, but that didn’t mean he wanted to. But peace seemed impossible. Darkstar didn’t seem to want peace. The dark tortoiseshell cast a glance back at them and Snakestep’s fur rippled uneasily. Her eyes were always so intense, like if she looked at him too long he would burn up into nothing. He sighed as Crowflame tried to reassure him, his companion far more excited about what they were about to do than he was. Silently, he wished Briarthroat was still alive… surely there would be peace if he had become leader. Suddenly Crowflame sprang forward and Snakestep watched with wide crimson eyes as she aimed a double blow at their young leader.

At the head of the little group, she had hardly expected one of the young warriors with her to start their sparring early, Crowflame’s little ambush working perfectly as she felt the blows on her side. Instinct had her spinning to lash out before she had even thought about it, but Crowflame had already leapt away. Her tail lashed once, out of eagerness rather than anger for getting caught off guard, as she levied a burning gaze on the younger she-cat, “Good use of your opponent’s unawareness, but you’ll do more damage if you unsheathe your claws.” Darkstar’s own claws flexed into the earth as she spoke, “Your enemy won’t hold back and neither should you.”

Snakestep’s tail twitched as he looked between the two uncertainly. Darkstar wanted them to unsheathe their claws? But they were just practicing with Clanmates! His ears twitched back, uneasy, and he cast a quick look over at Cinderfur.

“Don’t waste the element of surprise. You could have very well had me defeated with little fight at all,” she stalked around Crowflame, careful to give no warning sign before she darted forward, swiping one unsheathed paw at the younger she-cat’s face as a testing blow. It would be easy enough to avoid, but Darkstar was more interested to see how she would counter.

Taxx

[Taxx]

Watch me, I'll make a name for myself

Darkstar jumped away as Crowflame aimed the blows at her, ears pinned back and tail lashing, but the younger was out of range already and grinning. Her own tail flicked at the praise and advice, and she took it with a single nod. She wasn't an apprentice anymore, but that didn't mean there was nothing left to learn- Darkstar was a seasoned warrior and an exceptional fighter; Crowflame would be happy to take whatever pointers she gave, and keep them in mind.

Her gaze, briefly flicking toward Snakestep and Cinderfur, spotted only the white tom; the bigger, darker one was nowhere to be seen. Was he circling behind? She couldn't take her eyes off Darkstar to check, as the ginger-and-black she-cat circled her. When the blow came she was ready. She ducked under it, coming up with her face pressed into the joint of Darkstar's leg, and reaching to wrap her front paws around her middle, hind legs planting firmly. Her intent was to grip her leader firmly, hopefully taking her off balance with a twist, pinning the older cat beneath her.

Crowflame

NightClan Warrior

I won't be just another face in the crowd

@zen || Notes