Don't Tread On RiverClan

[BEAR.]

Lionstorm's urging to Fallenstar have finally paid off! .. Or have they?

A large patrol of RiverClan cats have swarmed ShadowClan camp! Led by Lionstorm, these bristling cats are prepared to teach ShadowClan a lesson about stealing their territory. All they need is to wait for Lionstorm's signal.

However.. things don't go as planned, as when Lionstorm challenges Windystar and Forestshade to a fight, there is no answer. Only silence, in the wake of ShadowClan's loss. Upon being informed of this, he is stumped and calls off the attack, leaving ShadowClan unharmed.

THERE WILL BE NO FIGHTING UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE, AS RIVERCLAN WILL NOT MOVE TO ATTACK SHADOWCLAN FIRST. In the event a ShadowClan cat lashes out, the threatened RiverClan cat is authorized to annihilate their opponent before resuming their position. you will be disowned if you don't win

Please wait for my post with Lionstorm before responding, as he leads the attack. This is based while Agaveheart is meeting with Fallenstar, meaning she should not be present during the attempted ambush.

THIS IS OPEN TO BOTH SHADOWCLAN AND RIVERCLAN. RiverClan cats will need to exceed 7 moons old to have been brought on the patrol.

[BEAR.]

Finally!

After all the back and forth at the Gatherings, with Fallenstar-- he had been given permission to take a patrol to teach ShadowClan a lesson they wouldn't forget, and his paws were itching to get started. Crossing the border was a breeze, and it helped that RiverClan had moved the markers back far enough to take a pretty chunk of ShadowClan land in the process. Windystar and ... that shady deputy of his were both too dense to notice, and the warriors that attempted to correct it had only fueled his claims ShadowClan were stealing land.

They made it so easy, and now - they were paying the price of ignorance.

Paws slapping against the mushy ground, Lionstorm was at the head of the swarm of RiverClan cats that burst through the camp entrance, teeth baring back as his gaze examined the dark camp. "Windystar, ... Deputyshade, come out here and face me!" He couldn't quite recall that one's name anymore, despite having argued with him on several occasions. Oh well, he knew who he was with his questionable ideals about traitors.

When no one challenged him, he tried again, voice growing shrill at his yowl. "I said face me, you cowards! Are you both too scared to face the consequence of your carelessness? Come out, before I have my Clan demolish your Clan, bramble by bramble!"

[Freesia]

@BILL.

It was currently difficult times for ShadowClan, to put it lightly. Not only had they lost their leader, but their deputy had also stepped down. Now, ShadowClan's guidance rested on the shoulders of their medicine cat, Agaveheart and their senior warriors. The entire feeling of the camp was just...empty. Without a leader or a deputy, they were vulnerable. No one seemed to know what to do. Agaveheart was trying her best, but it was obvious that even she was lost.

So when ShadowClan's camp was flooded with RiverClan's fishy smell, Dustypaw was somehow not completely surprised. It was inevitable. Even if the other Clans didn't know that ShadowClan was leader-less, they could probably feel that something was off. The small apprentice had been napping in the apprentice den when RiverClan had rushed into the camp, with their deputy at the lead. His curiosity getting the better of him, Dustypaw slowly and cautiously stuck his head out just far enough for him to see what was happening. His stomach dropped at the mention of Windystar and Forestshade.

Of course. Lionstorm had no idea what had happened. He would receive no answer from the high ranks, unless someone explained to him what happened. Wide-eyed, the apprentice pushed his head further out of the den so he could get a better view of just how many cats there were. Oh, StarClan. It looked like there were enough for one on one with the ShadowClan cats. Dustypaw was sure that he could be seen now, but he didn't care. If they saw him, they saw him. He would even tell them about Windystar and Forestshade himself, if he had to.

((open ig))

[pidgeon]

@BILL. @Delta

Owlfeather yowled a warning to her clan. Seeing as no other senior warriors had stepped up yet, she padded forward, her head held high and her tail twitching. Her fur was not bristling, and she remained icy calm.
"Lionstorm, what do you hope to gain by attacking us today? We've left RiverClan alone as of lately, and we have no quarrel with you. Unless, that is, you're here to falsely accuse us of more wrongdoings." She sat proudly with her mottled tail wrapped neatly around her paws, clearly not poised to attack. She knew she could not take on the whole of RiverClan alone, so she might as well not bother provoking them, at least not until the rest of her clan appeared. She wanted to avoid telling the RiverClan deputy about what had happened, as much as possible. It was inevitable that he would find out eventually, but she would stall him for as long as she could. It was not her place to tell him her clan's mournful secret. She noticed Dustypaw and passed him a wary glance. She hoped she had distracted the patrol from the young apprentice, too. She hoped that Dustypaw would use the old she-cat's distraction as an opportunity to warn Agaveheart.

[TitaniumCat]

Icewhisper stumbled on a tree stump, gritting his teeth as the bark stabbed the top of the paw painfully. He cursed inwardly, and slunk into a nearby shrub. This is stupid, he thought bitterly, ruffling his snow-white fur. What's wrong with the cat packs? No. They're Clans. Icewhisper had often seen them sharing food and sleeping alongside each other warmly, while he watched outside piteously, hungry and cold. But there was a reason he hadn't gone to them already. These Clans were battle-ready, and he had seen what some did to invaders. He simply didn't trust them.
But as he watched through the bushes, he realized Clans had more conflict than he thought. Two Clans were facing other, one group much bigger than the other. One of the Clans also didn't seem to have a leader. He slitted his blue eye curiously; he hadn't seen this happen before. One of the cats yowled bravely, "I said face me, you cowards! Are you both too scared to face the consequence of your carelessness? Come out, before I have my Clan demolish your Clan, bramble by bramble!"
Icewhisper watched on. The two Clans seemed to be ready to fight. For some unknown reason, a smile was curling at his whiskers. A soft purr escaped him. As unbiased as he was about Clans, he wanted to see where this was headed.

[BEAR.]

The lack of response from both Windystar and Forestshade was only agitating Lionstorm further, and his voice rose to bellow through the clearing. "Where are you? For cats who claimed they desired peace, you're quick to let your Clan suffer in your place!" And he fully intended on going through with his threats, going as far as to stalk over to one of the nearby dens and claw a piece of bramble from the wall. "Is this what you want? Do you want your camp to be destroyed?"

This was baffling to him, that they were so cowardly they couldn't even answer his call! And his frustration furthered, when a cat who was not them dared to speak out against him. "Quiet," he spat toward the she-cat. "Clearly you have no idea of the happenings at the border-- did Windystar fail to tell you your Clan-mates have been moving the marker, repeatedly, or are you one of the flea-bags who have been doing it? It doesn't matter. If Windystar and Deputyshade don't answer my challenge right now, I will have my warriors destroy this camp mouse-length by mouse-length to ensure you toad-lickers stay on your side of the border.

"If Windystar and his deputy can't keep their Clan in check, I will do it for them." And he looked proud as he spoke, the fluffy spikes of his pelt simulating a chest puff. "The only false accusation here is from you, ShadowClan. If you wanted to avoid this, you should have heeded me when I first confronted you during the Gathering. You failed to listen, and now you'll pay for your imprudence."

@CasperCreates, @Delta

[Fawn]

Fawnpaw trailed into the camp behind Lionstorm, more tentatively than most of his clanmates that'd been selected for the battle patrol. And he... didn't know why he'd been picked, despite his battle training. A peaceful philosophy didn't align well with this, but a craving for justice did. Somewhat. Lionstorm really should've kept the truth of this to himself.

Uneasiness crept through Fawnpaw like winding vines as they entered the camp like it was a full-on charge, the adrenaline in his veins spiking and twisting his stomach into knots. Oh stars, he hoped he wasn't going to vomit. What an embarrassing one for the ages -- coming in to battle ShadowClan over unaddressed border disputes and puking in their camp because he was so nervous.

Fawnpaw tried to reassure himself: he knew the basics of battle, he knew the protocol. He wouldn't be here if Fallenstar and Lionstorm deemed him incapable of fighting with the best of RiverClan. The apprentice peeked around Lionstorm's tall figure as he started to yowl to the heavens above, searching the faces of who would soon be their opponents. It was a decision he instantly regretted. These were the cats they'd have to fight, and seeing the traces of emotion on them that were mirrored too closely in his own clanmates made his heart sink.

A new approach redirected his focus. Fawnpaw realized he'd have to find an apprentice, or at least a young warrior, if this was going to break into a fight. It was customary, after all. The honorable choice to fight within the ranks and keep it fair, so Fawnpaw sifted through the cats coming out of the woodwork only to settle on gray-brown tom that appeared more... worried than anything else.

Fawnpaw's jaw set. This was precisely what he had been afraid of throughout his training when even the hypothetical 'would I hurt another cat?' often came back negatory.

[[open for anyone // @Delta - your character is mentioned, but you don't have to respond :0]]

[Starfall]

[OPEN!]
The grey tabby followed behind his deputy, fur itching and blood pumping, loud thrumming in his ears. It wasn't that he liked to battle or fight. It was more along the lines of showing off. He knew he was good when it came to battles, and he knew most other's knew. So whenever battles came to Riverclan, which now adays was fairly normal, he'd catch glimpses of young apprentices watching him with awe. He'd never brag about it of course, but it did make him feel much much more confident in himself.

Gentlethunder licked his maw, and flicked his ears as Lionstorm called out for the idiot duo of Shadowclan. "It's Forestshade you mousebrain." he snorted at the deputy. It was fairly easy to get under that tom's fur, all you had to do was call him idiotic. He'd blow up in your face in a matter of seconds. The warrior found it amusing, he'd count down how long till the tom finally blew. A smug face blossomed across his features "I think all that power's getting to your head."

The warrior looked on, eyes raking across every cat that came into view, as they peaked their heads out of their dens and stepped into the clearing. Yet there was still no sign of their leader or deputy. He perked his ears forwards, and he sniffed the air a little bit. Confusion flickering across his face. Were they...were they out? Possibly on a patrol, but both of them at the same time? "Lionstorm, maybe they're out 'patroling the border.' you know, like how Windystar said he'd do?" he said, a sacrastic tone bleeding through in the middle of the sentence. He doesn't think that the leader actually remember'd that. As of recent event's he wouldn't be surprised if Windystar completley forgot about all of this mess.

[OPEN Shadowclan Apprentice]

Cardinalpaw jolted awake as a loud booming voice blasted through the clearing. The russet tom scrambled up, kicking his nest up, moss patches flinging every which way. There was an attack on them? Now? With these bustling questions in his mind he burst out into the clearing, fur fluffing up as the stench of fish blanketed the clan. He wiggled his nose in disgust and strode up next to Owlfeather, an annoyed look plastered on his face as he gave the Riverclaners a snarl. "How do we know you aren't lying fish breath? You could have been moving the borders yourselves we're not dumb." the apprentice snapped. They have alot of guts coming in here, acting like they owned the place. The stupid deputy even tore off a patch of that den he just fixed up yesterday. "You're word isn't law stupid, where's Fallenstar? Hm? Why isn't that fatso leading this instead of his incompitent deputy?" he gurgled in his best intimidating voice he could muster. He was still relatively young, so his intimidating voice was more of angry squeaks to all those listening.

[Freesia]

@BILL. @CasperCreates @Starfall

Dustypaw finally pushed his way fully out of the den and joined Owlfeather and Cardinalpaw in front of the RiverClan cats. The apprentice felt tiny compared to everyone else, but he mustered up his courage and bristled his fur to make himself seem bigger. It seemed unfair to him that RiverClan would come in here, throw around accusations, and destroy ShadowClan's property without even talking first. These cats all looked ready to fight, and that scared Dustypaw, though he wouldn't admit it. He'd never been in a real battle before. He was ready, though. If he had to fight for his Clan, he definitely would.

The small tom puffed out his chest. "A border dispute is no grounds for a camp invasion, even I know that!" he snapped. The tension in the clearing was so palpable, you could cut it. He didn't really see the reason in drawing out telling Lionstorm the truth, but his Clanmates seemed hesitant to break the news. The best cat right now would probably be Agaveheart, but Dustypaw was pretty sure he saw her leaving camp earlier, which didn't bode well for the situation at hand.

[pidgeon]

@BILL. @Delta @Starfall

Owlfeather nodded a silent thanks to the two apprentices for being brave enough to join her up here. She gave them both a warm glance, fierce pride blazing in her eyes at the bravery of her clan's young cats. If Agaveheart wasn't around to break the news, or to decide whether or not to break the news, she might have to tell Lionstorm what was going on. At this point, it seemed it was either that or watch this massive RiverClan patrol destroy their camp. And it seemed as if time was running out. The enemy patrol looked fidgety, anxious to unsheathe their claws and sink them into the nearest ShadowClan cat, tearing them apart like a juicy bit of prey. She dreaded the thought of unnecessary bloodshed.
Furthermore, she agreed with Cardinalpaw. That's a first, she thought as she mulled over the words of the hot-headed apprentice. Whether her clanmates had been moving the border or not, it seemed wrong to instigate a raid on their camp, threatening the safety of kits and elders. This was the very heart of their territory, the place where all cats were supposed to feel safe and cared for. To have such a large enemy patrol within their safehaven was a threat unlike any other.
Owlfeather took one last sweeping glance around the clearing, desperately hoping to see Agaveheart pushing through the entrance barrier to spare her the responsibility of making this decision. But the old medicine cat was nowhere to be found. The tortoiseshell she-cat drew in a deep, steady breath, shutting her eyes in thought for what felt like a long moment. She agonized over the words she was about to say.

"Windystar is dead," She stated sternly. The words felt tough and bitter like crow-food in her mouth. She'd never actually had to utter that phrase before. She glared daggers at the foolhardy RiverClan deputy. "Forestshade is in no place to take up the position," she added, being intentionally vague about the situation.

"If you've got quarrels, they're to be taken up with either Agaveheart or a senior warrior. The latter would be me, at the moment. While we are in this difficult position, I assure you that ShadowClan will still fight you tooth and claw to defend every scrap of our home and our honor. This has not weakened us. We are fit, strong, and plenty in numbers, and you have shoved your oversized nose into our business. You'll not be forgiven easily for making such a stupid decision." Her normally gentle and diplomatic demeanor was beginning to dissolve with the growing hatred that she felt for Lionstorm. Part of her wondered if he was acting outside Fallenstar's orders.
She at last let her fur begin to bristle, making her look larger, but she still sat proudly in front of the patrol.