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otter #EnforcerChallenge
Foggymask had avoided his attack, which wasn't entirely unexpected. General dodging shouldn't be the main thing on show here, and Shrewstep was perfectly willing to admit that it hadn't been his best trick. Then again, there was plenty of time left to settle the conflict. Not that it was a personal one. Or maybe it was a bit of a personal one, as the presence of Clovepool in the corner of his eye reminded him. He'd better put on a good show, and defend his claim not only to the rank, but to the beautiful molly. He wouldn't be surprised if his apprentice was rooting for his opponent, but that wasn't that important to him. More amusing than anything, the animosity he had accrued despite doing literally nothing wrong.
What he had done wrong was underestimate the length of Foggymask's neck. Apparently he had some snapping-turtle-style extension on that thing, because what Shrewstep perceived do be a safe distance away was not so. He jerked back and so wasn't caught by his scruff (which could have been a fight-ender given how small he was), but received a decidedly painful nip on the ear. It certainly wasn't the most grievous of wounds, his lack of a tail could attest to that, but the track of blood that subsequently flowed down the side of his face was a bit grim. As far as he knew facial wounds tended to bleed a lot regardless of severity, but to kits or apprentices who hadn't seen battle it might be a bit disturbing.
Well, first blow to Foggymask. Fine. It was rather odd that the challenger wasn't doing more than counterattacking, he had sort of been under the impression the onus was on the potential replacement rather than the incumbent. Perhaps Foggymask thought differently. Perhaps he was just more of a defensive fighter. Perhaps there was some other, cunning plan in the works. Foggymask certainly thought he had some trick in paw if his smirk was anything to go by, but Shrewstep wasn't quite so clever as to be able to suss out what this trick was. Alas, he would proceed on unaware of the joke nature and his opponent were conspiring to play upon him sooner rather than later.
If Foggymask chose not to take the initiative, Shrewstep was fine doing so himself. He somewhat preferred to counterattack if possible, seeing as he couldn't exactly tank too many hits before he was out of a fight, but he had a few slippery little tricks as well. Crouching in order to give himself a good start he charged, low to the ground, at a spot just behind the left shoulder of his opponent. In an ideal world he would slip under Foggymask and sink his teeth into his opponents tail (somehow he felt slicing at a clanmates belly would not be looked upon fondly), but even if he was stopped from this he could do some damage. His claws were unsheathed, and whatever obstacle he met, be that Foggymask's head, paws or shoulder, would be duly attacked.
Admittedly, this would be a very stupid course of action under most circumstances. After all, Foggymask need only seize HIS tail and then he was very much cooked. Well, Shrewstep, contrary to popular belief, is not QUITE so foolish as to offer himself to his enemies jaws. For one, he was coming in at an angle that ought to make it rather difficult for that snapping turtle neck to reach him. And secondly, there was no tail for Foggymask to grab onto. He had tried a similar trick as a younger, less savvy warrior, and had it duly removed by the somehow-still-kicking Crowtooth of Windclan. So maybe this plan was only a little bit stupid, as opposed to Shrewstep's usual level of very stupid plans.