The Fallen Hero [P]

[Moonraven]

Batglare
Batglare eyes were on the horizon while listening to the other cats speak. He was ultimately forced back to staring at Wolffang's mutilated corpse when the tom's spirit appeared. In all years in WindClan, Batglare doesn't believe he's seen a StarClan cat before. He had a more casual view of the spirits in the sky and so never sought them out or had a reason to.

Batglare blinked his eyes while staring at the star-speckled cat and almost missed his kind words. He gave a small dip of his head in response to the common and nothing more. He wasn't as close to Wolffang as some of these cats and had a more professional relationship than anything. He had respected the tom as he would any senior warrior and tried not to be too touchy about his interest in Twistedpaw. He knew there was some history between the two but nothing Twistedpaw ever spoke to him about.

It probably had something to do with Ashfeather, but he never delved into topics that didn't pertain to him. Hearing that Wolffang seemed pleased that Twistedpaw didn't turn out like her lookalike confirmed his initial thoughts. It probably had something to do with guilt, Batglare's never thought about it before.

The news about Rosebriar didn't hit him much most likely due to his more distant relationship with Wolffang. Still, the wrongness of this made his stomach roll. He hoped the molly rotted in the dark forest.

The elder warrior waited patiently as the rest of the cats went through their emotions, and Wolffang's spirit faded. Leechscar was snapping out orders and Crowtooth looked ready for a fight. Batglare silently reminded himself to keep an eye on him and Leechscar during the battle. He couldn't get a fix on their mental state and did not want either one of them to be reckless.

His intense yellow-green eyes danced over to Deadpool who looked like she was in a daze. It worried him more than he liked and was glad that Leechscar decided to leave her behind. As he rose to follow the other two furies, he briefly leaned in to brush his flank against Dapplebreeze as he passed her. "Mind her." He grumbled softly for the she-cat's ears and glanced at Deadmoon. Out of everyone she had to be the most distraught about this as it was her kin she had lost and another who had caused it.

He knew Dapplebreeze would watch out for Deadmoon regardless of Batglare's request but it made him feel better asking. He pulled away to pad up behind Crowtooth. "Lead on," He urged Leechscar with a flicker of his ear.

@Rani [Crowtooth] @Undertaker [Leechscar] @Alchemist Kitsune [Dapplebreeze] @gs29513 [Deadmoon]

[Alchemist Kitsune]

| Dapplebreeze |
69 Moons - WindClan Fury Lieutenant
Agatha Kitty - Active | Silver Tongue - Active | Beefed Up [Tier 3] - Inactive

---

The words had barely left her mouth before Dapplebreeze was left speechless, surprised for the first time in seasons. When one lived the harsh life of a warrior for as long as she had, there was little left to surprise her. And even in all her moons, she had never seen something like what transpired before her now. A spirit. A warrior of WindClan, stars studded in his pelt as he readied to make his way to Silverpelt.

Of course, even in death Wolffang was a cat sworn to duty. To his clan. He could have wallowed in the knowledge that he was dead, fallen to the same cruel fate he had succumbed to before. Instead, he relegated facts. Important knowledge that was essential for the warriors to know how to move forward. The more she heard, the more the fury's face hardened. To know that a cat long gone had manifested such vileness. Had somehow clung to such petty, earthly needs for murder and vengeance. It sickened her, especially when one considered the fact that the Dark Forest dweller had intended to take down an innocent apprentice in such brutal fashion. All while leaving this creature here in their territory for more cats to fall victim to it until it was dealt with. The sheer amount of treason in display by a cat who had once been a clanmate was enough to make her insides burn with a simmering rage.

It was a bit ironic how Wolffang then turned to her, praising her kindly in a fond, final farewell. For her kindness. Her patience. Her ability to see past division and hatred. Would he say such pleasantries then if he knew? Of the bubbling distaste for Rosebriar that swelled within her? Pride made her hope so, even as she bowed her head in his direction. It was a silent farewell, but Dapplebreeze did not feel it was her place to speak back to the tom. Who knew how long he would be able to hold his form here? The fury would not be the one to take up this short, valuable time from his friends and family. From those closest to him.

And yet even she could not help the small gasp that escaped her at his final words. Oh... Oh dear. Oh stars. Leopardsong was pregnant? With Wolffang's kits?

The rage left her as he vanished, sorrow for the soon to be mother making her heart ache. Kits that would never know their father. She and her first mate had admittedly gone their separate ways soon after she'd had her first litter. Dapplebreeze and him had simply... had different paths they'd wanted to walk in life. Not to mention they soon realized how much better they worked together as friends. Yet even then they had known him. Her darling kits. Had known his stubborn, reckless face. His daring bravado. To understand that Wolffang wouldn't be there for his own little ones nor for Leopardsong... it was devastating. A cruelty far greater than Rosebriar had no doubt intended.

"We should fetch Leopardsong for the burial as well..." she mewed delicately after Crowtooth spoke, closing her eyes as she gave one final moment of silence for the fallen warrior before Deadmoon's voice grabbed her attention.

A look of empathy crossed Dapplebreeze's azure hues as they followed the pale warrior's march to the crowfood. If she had volunteered to take the crowfood away, she no doubt meant to put distance between herself and her brother's body. It was true that the patched warrior had differences in the past with this one. Her penchant for disappearing when things got rough. Her flaky nature. Her abandonment of Whisperbreeze's sole heir.

And yet something had changed since her last return. The senior warrior wasn't certain what it had been. Snowybreeze's soft nature keeping her there now? Wolffang's exemplary work ethics rubbing on the once less than trustworthy warrior? Whatever it was, she wasn't sure, but she wasn't so proud as to ignore the improvements. To turn a blind eye at how Deadmoon had turned into a dependable clanmate. One that the lieutenant would gladly give this respite to in her time of mourning. If the weight of her brother's corpse was too heavy for her heart to bear, she would carry him on in her stead.

Her attention momentarily fluttering from the short furred molly as she felt a by now familiar flank brush against hers, Dapplebreeze allowed blue eyes to meet yellow as she turned to gaze at Batglare, his soft grumble perking mismatched ears. A small, knowing smile gracing her maw, the former queen nodded respectfully at the commander. She'd had every intention of keeping an eye on the grieving she-cat, yet it warmed her heart to see the brown and white tom display - if perhaps only to her - his softer side. That obvious caring he carried for WindClanners. It was perhaps not the soft, warm care that her grandson gave. Nor the maternal, gentle nurturing she herself was prone to. But it was there for those who cared to see past the warrior's usual stern glare.

She didn't respond audibly to his own utterance. Preferring to keep his soft spoken words to herself as he had no doubt intended to keep them. Instead, she padded towards Wolffang's body with purpose. She was perhaps dainty looking. Round. Soft. But despite her delicate looks, the lieutenant was a hardened warrior of WindClan. She wouldn't leave the tom's body here to attract more predators or to be taken away. But she refused to leave his living sister to enter enemy territory by herself. With far more ease than seemed possible of the stout female, she shimmied her way underneath the tom only to stand with him on her back. With one final nod - more so directed at her fallen clanmate in the off chance he was still there with them - she bounded off, following Deadmoon towards the enemy's domain.

---

@Moonraven [Batglare] | @Undertaker [Leechscar] | @Rani [Crowtooth] | @gs29513 [Deadmoon]

[Undertaker]

@Moonraven - Batglare | @Alchemist Kitsune - Dapplebreeze | @Rani - Crowtooth | @gs29513 - Deadmoon |

Leechscar waited until he had both Batglare and Crowtooth at his side before he headed off in the direction that Wolffang had pointed out to them. He hoped that they weren't moving too slow or wasting time, if the coyote crossed into RiverClan's territory they'd be fine since it was currently empty, but Leechscar wasn't nearly as confident knowing his away around the fish's territory.

As they moved, he noticed smaller signs, bits and pieces of torn up crowfood, flattened grass, and droppings, that led him in the correct direction. He figured he and the older two would have found the coyote independently with how obvious it was. But being pointed in the right direction saved time too.

It wasn't long until he spotted the thing called a coyote. It had its back to the three cats, several fox lengths ahead of them. It looked long and slim, with
its grayish pelt stretched thin over bones and a messy bushy tail that sagged lowed to the ground. He could barely make out its long, sharp face. He'd say it resembles a fox, just bigger.

Leechscar lowered himself towards the ground and cautiously slipped into some thick heather. He had kept them downwind to the best of his ability, but as the wind could be unpredictable, he felt more comfortable keeping hidden in the strong-smelling plant. Less to worry about if the scent is properly masked. Even though it was bigger, it didn't look like much to him. He's seen scarier vultures.

It took Leechscar a bit to figure out what the creature was doing. It was digging, he was not sure why or for what, but maybe it was making a den. The coyote hadn't come from WindClan's territory from what Wolffang's spirit had said. Whatever it was doing, it seemed like a good time to jump it while they had the element of surprise.

"I can get on its back and keep it distracted think you two can kill it?" He turned to glance at both Batglare and Crowtooth. He assumed they'd have a better idea of how to kill the coyote if he kept its fangs and attention on him best of his ability.

[Rani]

Crowtooth
Windclan Tunneler/Fury | He/him | 50 Moons

Power Card: Cold Gust

The look of the coyote was just as rabid and vile as Crowtooth remembered from his kithood. At the time young and squealing as he was pulled from his home by Dapplebreeze, ironically enough, beside Bravekit at the time, the entire clan scattered before the pack. In apprenticeship after, he'd been taught more of the beast that haunted his nightmares but seeing it now for the first time since he was a kitten.... It was smaller then he thought it'd be.


Dangerous still, it'd killed his friend, but regardless, smaller.


Crowtooth was not a stealthy cat and so, seeing as Leechscar had aim to turn this into an ambush of sorts the ever wheezy tunneler hung back behind a tree and spoke not, only nodding at Leechscars question.


Yes, if Leechscar could weigh down the beast in a method that wouldnt put him in the beasts jaws then Batglare and him could be more then fast enough to kill the coyote before it could escape Leechscars grasp and do harm. In fact, though he couldnt say it at risk of his deep voice alerting the canine he had plans to (as soon as Leechscar distracted it) take the coyotes paws out from under it with a blast of wind, putting its throats dead where it could be reached. The shock of that in conjunction with the distraction and the relative skill of the combatents would make the work short.


He just needed to wait for the grey fury's signal to move.


@Moonraven @Undertaker @gs29513 @Alchemist Kitsune