[♛ 𝔽𝕒𝕓𝕣𝕚𝕔𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟]

<sub>“We're under attack!” Brackenstride's voice jolted her to wakefulness, her white paws flailing for purchase in her soft moss nest. “TREECLAN IS UNDER ATTACK!” A cold terror suddenly pulsed like ice through her veins, and Robinpaw threw herself out of her nest with her denmates surging around her, furious yowling erupting from the dark camp beyond the den. Even before she bolted out, she felt sick to her stomach at the sight of dark shapes surging from the edges of the camp and meeting with the groggy, tired resistance from TreeClan's warriors. “NightClan!” She hissed, as though there was any doubt as to who was responsible for this midnight assault on her Clan, her kin. Pumafang shot past her, his powerful black body rippling and his fangs flashing out, drawing the blood of a NightClan warrior. “Defend yourselves!” She heard him screech as he fell upon a tortoiseshell NightClan warrior, her cry of pain drowned out among the sudden eruption of snarling and screaming all around her.

This was what jolted her out of her dazed state. She had been trained for this. Her Clan needed her, StarClan knew what these cats were planning. They could even attempt an assault on the nursery, their honour had run so dry after so many seasons of corruption and hatred. With an image of poor little Sagekit, mauled and broken by some bloodthirsty NightClan monster, she found herself dashing for the nursery, green eyes blazing with determination. But she never reached the nursery. A golden tabby shape cannoned into her side, knocking her flat to the earth. Letting her body roll with the weight of her sudden attacker, Robinpaw let out a furious caterwaul, her claws digging into tough feline flesh. “Where do you think you're running off to?” A voice sneered in her ear, and golden eyes gleamed mockingly down at her as claws struck across her calico muzzle. Blinking back the sudden spray of blood, Robinpaw used her rear legs to kick at the golden cat's stomach.  Battle wasn't the time to talk back to the enemy, if this cat wanted to waste her breath spitting insults, let her.

Waspstripe let out a wheezing cough, winded long enough for Robinpaw to wriggle free. “I'll skin you for that, you little she-rat!” The NightClan warrior snarled, clearly humiliated that she had been caught out with such a basic trick. Robinpaw was too big now for the battle move Finchcloud had taught her all those seasons ago, but she wasn't about to let this cat maim or kill her or any of her weaker clanmates without at least leaving her with a few scars. Her confidence peaked, and she spat a threat and lashed out with a white paw, striking her claws over Waspstripe's eye. I can take this badger-mouthed mousebrain. She tensed her entire body, adrenaline surging through her blood. 

“Having trouble with the apprentice, Waspstripe?” A drawling voice meowed behind her. Oh no. Robinpaw whirled around to face her new enemy, a solid blue-grey she-cat with amused green eyes. Robinpaw shuffled left, her eyes darting from one enemy to the other, pelt bristling. She wanted to get up against the wall so she didn't have to defend both sides, but the experienced fighters could clearly see what she was trying to do and circled around her like wolves, teeth bared. They both charged at the same time, and Robinpaw's mind whirled frantically. She didn't know who to turn to face, and her inexperience in fighting became her downfall. She shrieked as teeth dug into her right shoulder while the other cat snatched her rear leg, unbalancing her. Her muzzle hit the ground with a grazing stab of pain, and she found herself trying to defend herself against an onslaught of claws and teeth from two foes, both much stronger and more accomplished in battle than she was. Are they going to kill me? She thought in panic, a drop of blood from a cut over her eye trickling down her muzzle.</sub>

Ghost the Undead Goddess / 669

[Deleted]

From asleep to awake in less than a heartbeat. The yowl had gone up, TreeClan was under attack. Actually sleeping peacefully having just returned from the Moonhigh patrol, Ducktail woke with a start.

All he could scent was fear-scent. Fear-scent and hunger. This wasn't just a border skirmish - not anymore. These cats were aiming to kill. 

Adrenaline forced Ducktail's conscious thought to momentarily shut down. It also propelled his legs forward, carrying him out of his den and into the main body of the camp. Furious caterwauls were ringing around the camp, various cats locked in the dance of furious battle. 

Many cats who clearly did not need his help.

His thoughts flashed briefly to Sagekit, hopefully still safe in the nursery, and his head and his eyes followed his train of thought. 

What he saw made his blood run cold.

Robinpaw, cornered, by two NightClan cats who were definitely hungry for the kill.

His mind flashed back. The river - the yowling that seemed to echo around the clans that, after closer inspection, seemed to be coming from him... Ravenpaw's terrified flailing as the current forced him under... washing up slightly downstream, barely breathing... watching the last flashes of life leaving his waterlogged fur. The light leaving his eyes. The sense of utter desolation. It swallowed him whole then, and it was swallowing him whole now.

But Ducktail wasn't a helpless 'paw anymore. He'd had training. Preparation. All his experiences had led him to this moment.

He would not lose his only other sibling. Not. Like. This.

Sounding a battle cry of his own, he gave a mighty leap, barrelling into the closest of the two invaders, not caring that this was all wrong, not caring that he could get hurt. Only caring, in that moment, that his sister was safe.

He sent the cat sprawling. This gave him the time he needed to get in between the other attacker and his sister, forming a shield.

Hissing at Lilyfrost, the cat still standing, his teeth bared, he spat "Want her, you piece of foxdung? You'd better go through me. But you'd better be careful. Because without her, I have nothing to lose. So let's dance."

He began with the basics. Swipe to the left, claws gained purchase, blood spurted from a superficial tear to the other cat's ear. Swipe to the right, missed. The other cat was wise to his plans and dodged accordingly. But Ducktail expected this, himself. He feinted, aiming left with his eyes, but right with his claws. Another spurt as Lilyfrost's already torn ear became just a little more torn.

Then he saw red, as blood filled his eyes from a cut sustained at the claws of Waspstripe, jumping back into the fray. 

Ghost the Undead Goddess ♛ 𝔽𝕒𝕓𝕣𝕚𝕔𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 | 465 | NOT. LIKE. THIS. Ducktail mad

[Ghost the Undead Goddess]

Minktoes

The way that she dances,

ain't afraid to take chances

The pretty molly was resting comfortably within her nest, sleeping in a rather unique position though a normal sight when it came to the chocolate masked she-cat. Her paws were hanging in a relaxed position above her exposed, soft underbelly as she lay curled almost in a circle on her back. 

Her dreams were simple, as was the way she went about life on a daily basis, just her padding happily through the forests of Treeclan's territory with the familiar companionship of Brackenstride nearby. The chunky pawed warrioress could practically feel the itch within her claws to scale the side of one of the brilliant oaks surrounding them. 

A purr was starting to rise within the throat of the sleeping she-cat before a startling yowl from the clan's deputy shattered the foggy dream as she fell back into a dreary consciousness. It wasn't so much the startling realization that Treeclan was being invaded that flustered her as it was the sheer panic exhibited by her clanmates. 

Like the waters of a swollen river, a sea of pelts went flooding from the den in all directions to both fight and protect others. The yowls and caterwauls rose within the once silent night air, practically setting the normally relaxed Minktoe's creamy fur on end along her shoulders and down her spine. 

In a quick fashion, the polydactyl she-cat made her way to the nearest tree and slipped into the nearest branch that overlooked the clearing of the camp that was overloaded with dark shapes of fighting, vicious cats. Those wide blue pools were flickering with confusion and heart-racing shock as she tried to get a grip on the surrounding below her. 

A yowl caused Minktoes to quickly turn her head, finding the familiar shapes of Robinpaw and her brother Ducktail locked in a fairly intense battle with two aged Nightclan she-cats. Quick on her paws, the chocolate point Treeclanner made her way through the overhanging branches before sliding those curled claws from chunky brown paws and launching herself down in a surprise drop attack.

She felt her body jolt slightly upon impact as Minktoes dropped onto Waspstripe's back, causing the latter of the two she-cats to crash into the unforgiving ground of Treeclan's camp. In a flurry of claws and fur, it didn't take long for Minktoes to find herself squabbling with the elder molly in the rising dirt as they rolled about in an attempt to score an attack for gain footage. 

With a quick kick to the gut, Minktoes freed herself from Waspstripe's grasp and rolled to find her paws. There was a slight sting on her cheek as blood beaded up along a small cut right below a watery blue orb. She hadn't even been aware that at some point the invading feline had managed to slice at her round face. 

"Filthy squirrel-brain, dropping down from the trees like that." Waspstripe snarled, tail lashing behind her as she fixated the brown point Siamese in front of her. There was a slight stiffness in her movements that suggested Minktoes' initial attack jarred her shoulders somewhat. 

Though, Minktoes felt as if she jarred her whole body as her legs still felt a bit wobbly. Though it could also be just the racing of her heart within her chest as the blood pumped within her ears.

A mischievous smile rose to her colored muzzle as her poofy tail flickered behind her for a moment, "I could be a stinking toad-breath that sneaks into other clan's camps." Though there was the clear tone of a taunt within her voice, it didn't stop the indignation that rose within the Treeclanner's chest at the pure audacity of the Nightclan warriors. 

treeclaN

♛ 𝔽𝕒𝕓𝕣𝕚𝕔𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 @calico Fawn (Brackenstride mention) & 631 words

[♛ 𝔽𝕒𝕓𝕣𝕚𝕔𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟]

<sub>The tortoiseshell molly's eyes stung with blood, screwed shut against the metallic burn. Her ears rang with the screeches of pain and fury that sounded so distant and yet so close. But above those screams a familiar yet frighteningly animistic howl rose above all the rest. She almost didn't dare to believe it as claws were wrenched free of her shoulders, her attacker ripped away from her like a leaf torn free of a branch. Her head spun wildly as she regained her paws, green eyes swivelling to take stock of the new situation. Ducktail stood in front of her, barring the NightClan warriors from reaching her, his eyes maddened with hysterical passion. "Want her, you piece of foxdung? You'd better go through me. But you'd better be careful. Because without her, I have nothing to lose. So let's dance." His words, in contrast with his body language, were terrifyingly low and calm.

Robinpaw was speechless, her eyes round as two moons. Ducktail was the last cat she'd ever have expected to come to her rescue, and she felt torn between the need to say something to him and the memory that they were on a battlefield and now was not the time to get emotional. Still, tears pricked at her eyes as she stepped forward and took her place at her brother's side, blood oozing down her shoulder. She bared her teeth in a furious hiss at the NightClan warriors, hopefully sending the message that together, these two cats would make formidable opponents. Staring back at them were the beady, coldly furious eyes of the NightClan cats who had thought they'd earned an easy victory. 

"I think now is a good time to run." Robinpaw growled, and though her words were courageous her voice tremored. She was shaken up by how easily the two experienced warriors had overpowered her. Sensing that tremor, Waspstripe sneered. "NightClan warriors don't run. Especially not from wet-behind-the-ears kits." And that was when the two savages charged.

That charge was abruptly cut short as a shape suddenly plopped down from the sky. Minktoes landed like a furry missile onto Waspstripe's back with an audible thump that made Robinpaw start. She barely had time to see the vicious warrior go down beneath the tree-dwelling she-cat as the second NightClan cat cuffed her across the face with a strong, well-aimed paw. "Sneaky swamp-breath!" Robinpaw yowled, locking her front paws around the she-cat in the hopes that Ducktail would take the opportunity to attack her.</sub> 


Ghost the Undead Goddess  @calico / 468