He Who Laughs Last__x

[Bristle + War]

<sub>[...Where'd that come from Kest? xDD If you mean Crisp and Hawkclaw, then Crisp wouldn't be in the camp when he fights with Hawkclaw, if he does at all.

Kestie, shall we start the Darkie/Falling thread? ;3]</sub>

[Kest]

[ actually, that had nothing to do with the Hawkclaw/Crisp thing ^^' sorreh if I confused.

And yesss, let's start the Darkangel-Fallingsky fight. =D
Kestrel hasn't ordered her Clan to attack yet, but if Darkangel gets Fallingsky mad enough, she's disobey Kestrel and charge Darkangel. ^^ ]

[Bristle + War]

<sub>[Okay, just making sure x33

And Darkie's good at getting cats mad. Should we start a new thread and get Falling mad there, or do it here then start the thread?]</sub>

[Kest]

A black she-cat with dazzling golden markings stepped from the BoneClan lines and hurled her words at Fallingsky.
Fallingsky answered with a roar of rage and a swift, murderous charge.
Kestrel did not try to hold the warrior back, although she was betraying orders.
Kestrel knew anger, and she saw the strength of Fallingsky's hate and the weakness of her self-control. There was no way to stop her.
She only prayed her warrior came out alive.

Kestrel watched the BoneClanners with cold eyes. Her tail was still. She was not unduly nervous.
"My cats," she said in a low, carrying voice that could be heard by RisingClan alone. "Engage them on the hillside. We are more practiced in fighting on uneven ground; the advantage will be ours."
She turned and scanned her ranks, pride and ferocity in her mismatched gaze. "I give you permission to kill. It is not, I believe, a usual practice among Clan-battles--it is against their Warrior Code. But have no qualms. Take as many as you can."
Her eyes flashed two colors. "My cats, my brave RisingClan warriors...
attack."

As she gave the order she stepped aside.



At Bane's order, Melee bounded forward, claws-out, excited beyond words.
He loved a fight.

Darktrack slinked forward, crafty and calculating. He, too, was ready for battle...but he wasn't dumb like Melee. No running head-first into the enemy.


Shadowedfate hung back, her blue eyes glittering. Her sister followed her anxiously, kneading the ground as she walked.
"Calm, sister," Shadowedface hissed, her gaze trained intently on the unfolding battle.
"When will we fight?" Dangeroushope asked, her ears turning briefly back.
Shadowedfate cast her a look. She answered with one word:
"Soon."

[Battlecry]

As Bane turned away, Barbwire stepped away from the battlefield, her eyes on Risingclan at all time. She took her place at Panic's other side, eyes gleaming with a certain thrill. Though the apprentice had never actually stepped onto a warfield, Sharpfang had taught her enough to know every muscle turn, every movement, every pinpoint attack. Sharpfang himself couldn't help but let out an audible proud sigh as he turned and took his place directly at Bane's side. He had no lopsided grin now, just a serious expression, his single snaggle fang jutting below his chin. "It b'gins now," He murmured quietly. He turned to look at the proud leader as he let his tears fall. However, Sharpfang didn't take this as a sign of fear. No, was it pride? Perhaps. Though Sharpfang wasn't typically a very emotional cat, he let his tail tip escape from where it lay on the ground and give a simple flick against the Dark Leader's flanks, a sign of friendship, a simple expression that said he would be there 'till Bane's very end. At Bane's command, he didn't follow his leader upon the rock to watch the fight commence. In fact, as he surged forward, he and Goldenblaze falling into perfect allignment as they charged the battlefield.

Amberstar let her head raise. She had spoken with Kestrel's small bird earlier, and moved her clan to match Kestrel's battle plan. It was quiet on the fields, deathly silent, and she slipped a look at her clan behind her. There was fear in her eyes. Fear for herself? Never. She would die standing for her clan then fall to her belly living.
.. No.
Fear for her clanmates, so willingly having followed her into ever rut. And here, some would perish, some would lose respect for her, even. "Treeclan.." She said quietly. "I treasure that you have allowed me, a simple cat, to lead you into the very heart of your lives, the very heart of this battle. I hope to Starclan and above you will all follow me to the very heart of the end of this war," She murmured, casting her gold gaze over the sea of cats at her backs. Even Colt looked touched by her statement, but it was not the case. Actually, as she looked away, he turned his expression, no longer smug and cool, warmed by Magnum's comment. "I hope to see you to the bitter end of our days. I pray it not be here," He murmured, eyes shining as he softly licked her ear. "Fight your hardest, for Treeclan, for me!" Barked Amberstar. "For Greed, for Magnum.." Murmured Colt, so quiet he may have been the only one to hear it. "Go.." And away they went, Amberstar in the thick of the wave of cats, headed straight with a sickening bang into the center of the battlefield.

Snowstar had no comforting words to offer, or any words of praise for her clan. Her silver-sage gaze as she turned her back on the potential battle, suffocating her with the taut air, was enough to show her pride for her clan. Her gaze swept over each cat that looked back, her gaze stopping for a heartbeat longer on Dragonpelt before turning to her deputy. "You've not been my deputy for long," She murmured to Warfox. "But I trust your battle skills will save you and your clan and allies in this war, and bring justice on this field of blood." She looked up. Perhaps this was her last look on the lush valley, her last gaze upon her life. Her heart missed a beat, almost as if she had leapt off a rock only to find the bottom was farther than she expected. She let a single tear roll soundlessly over her face as she realized she had never gotten her 9 lives. She would give her final life willingly for her clan nonetheless. And without a second's more hesitation, she flung herself down the slope, tail high at the face of her clan, ready to take it all on.

[Alright, I really want to get a battle between Soulless and Barbwire in there, and if I may request to add the Amberstar x Goldenblaze scene with somebody, since I roleplay them both? Also, it'd be interesting to play out Goldenblaze and Blackheart as well? Let me know through PM or here if you want to set up a fight with one of my characters. ^^]

[.::Umberwings]

[ooc - If you have a challenge/battle for one of my characters, please PM me so it can be setup. x3]

[Bristle + War]

[Kestrel]

[ Bristle! -pokes- Bristleclaw can fight Sovereign. He's my DuskClan apprentice I'm throwing into the fray. He should be skilled enough and old enough to be some contest to Bristle, but she'll chase him off in the end, being bigger and more experienced ^.- ]

[Battlecry]

[That actually sounds like a good idea, Bris, unless you want her to fight Sovereign. ;3 Since their allies, I don't see why they WOULDN'T fight alongside eachother, whether or not they know eachother. ^^]

[Onyxdart]

The deputy bowed his head in a nod to Snowstar, eyes regarding her for just a moment before they went back to scanning the now moving battlefield.

Now it got interesting.

Snowstar bounded forward and Warfox followed after her. He glanced to Mistclan, but only for a moment- it would be a chore trying to keep track of everyone, but that was what he was trained for. And if War happened to show up... well, giving the tom his just desserts wouldn't bother Warfox at all.

Onyx fidgeted in place the whole time they had to stand there, waiting. Just waiting, and no one doing anything- except Kestrel and Bane and one of the other Risingclanners. She stood perfectly still just when Amberstar was speaking, and then everyone else was moving so she didn't feel quite of out of place with the fidgeting. She bounded after her leader, though not headlong out in front. As far as her opinion went, she wasn't of use to anyone dead, and this was all entirely bewildering to her.

[/center]

[Bane]

(ooc| kay, I will totally be a hypocrite but keep conversation about who wants to fight who to PM's and ooc please =])

[Sunpelt]

OOC: Just so all you know. These are my cats. Any challenges so let me know.
Life-- Chasm's apprentice (Let me know if he's suppose to be in the camp, Kest)
Ahava-- Mistclan she-cat
Duo--Treeclan tom, part of Greed's group
Sunpelt--Treeclan tom
Yang--Stoneclan tom
Zeporah--Stealthclan queen (has not arrived)

[glow=black,3,500]Life stood ready, just aft and behind his teacher, Chasm. Throughout the past weeks since the gathering, the warrior apprentice team have been hard at work. Training, training, training. That's all he can remember doing, other then eating and sleeping... and hard at that. He's been taught well, nervous though he was at his first fight, and a big one at that. This was no border brawl and he knew it. It scared him... somewhat... but he was willing to do it. Little Life, now a young teen tom, was willing to put his life on the line. And all for one cat. Kestrel. He'd go to the ends of the age and back for his mighty leadress. She'd touched his life, saved it, and now it was time to repay her... though he doubted such a dept could ever be repayed...

And so when the call was cried, he ran on down with the others. Sticking close to Chasm, being his wingman for as long as fate let them... Though in his heart he was guarding Kestrel... And in a way, he was... and that's why he stuck close to Chasm as they entered the battle.[/glow]

[Battlecry]

Coppersong looked on at her leader, dark hate in her eyes, as she called Soulless forth. She didn't hate Soulless, no, she even gave credit to the fact that Soulless stepped up so undauntingly in the face of an enemy. It was Kestrel she hated. She hated how all the attention was given to Soulless, she hated how she favored the former Boneclan cat, and she hated how Coppersong got left in the dust over her. Her apprenticeship should have been moons ago. She had never spoken directly to the young she-cat besides when she had accepted she and her brother into the clan in the first place. She looked down into the dust. Her name hadn't even been called out to join the ranks, even though she was older than Soulless by a few moons. She gave a sad glance at her brother, Farwing. She didn't stand to this battlefield for Kestrel, like many had. She fought for her brothers sake, for the most part, to give him a content life even if she died in the face of it, and for Soulless, who had so willingly left her life behind to find her future when Coppersong spent so much time dwelling in her past. So she had never found her mother, and perhaps she would die here in the hands of an enemy cat before her friend's eyes, but she couldn't think on it any longer. It pained her. It was only until she turned from Farwing to glance across the fields at another clan, for the amber color had caught her eye, that she realized the familiarity between them. Could.. she.. be..? Even as Kestrel sang out the command, Copperwing couldn't move for being lost in thought. The leader.. The leader of Treeclan, she knew it, it had to be, who else had that coat color? Even Coppersong had patches strewn about her coat with that same coppery beauty threaded within it. It was only until Amberstar had lurched forward, her clan at her back, that Coppersong finally flung herself forward into the battle.

-x-

Fifthconsequence lurked at the back of Boneclan's ranks, skulking, thinking, planning. Perhaps the other Boneclanners thought there to be something wrong with the dark she-cat, she always remained so quiet unless she talked to herself, and always had a maniacle glint in her eye. Oh, hehaheh. Ahem. It was with a sour look she browsed over the ranks, deciding which cats needed to be killed, she was confident in the fact she would not die. However, a brief glance at Mistclan's [pitiful, she may add] and skipped over, and her head jerked back to face it, almost with a twitch. Four cats, side by side in a strong line, faced Boneclan near the outskirts of the small group. One had a cool and steady head, ears leaned back, a tabby kind of mix in color. Firstfrost. The second, dark in color, a bitterness in her eyes, and Fifthconsequence knew whom it was. Afterall, the sisters shared the dark coat color. Shame it was Secondsin whom got her sister's bad rep, and not the other way around. Third, and by far the most noticeable by the cheerful and confident look on her face proved Thirdsummer still to be as stupid as she remembered. And then the fire-eyed Fourthwar, shifting restlessly in his spot. He was ready, as always, for a battle. Indeed, he would be getting one soon enough. She grinned. There were many dark cats in Boneclan, fortunatly, it bode her well she didn't stick out. With a grin, she seemed to sink into the rest of the mess, padding into the center and surging forward on the command before she had a chance to stop.

-x-

Ai, when are we going?! Complained Thirdsummer, although it was more in a cheerful manner than anything. She was received with at least 3 disapproving looks, all from her kin. War is not something to be happy about, Thirdsummer Growled Secondsin, bitterness in her voice. Relax, both of you, the battle will be soon enough. I simply hope... He didn't finish his sentence. Relax, none of us will be dying, not here, not today. Although there will be death! He hissed, a happy but anxious gleam in his eyes. Fourthwar, obviously, had not lost his lust for battle. They all soon quieted down, waiting, watching, thinking, even as the battle began and their command not yet given.

[Bane]

ooc| introducing Hawkclaw to the fray - any active DuskClanners please follow suit! I'mma say that Hawkclaw banded together those still around, and led them instead of Bloodstar who is mysteriously away. Is that okay with people?

Only the strongest will survive
Lead me to heaven when we die__x[/size]

What had life become? He had been young once - now his muzzle was frayed with adolescance. His walk no longer held a jolly skip. Maturity had ruined him.

His loyalties? He had none. He had only ever been Sabrestar's cat. Bloodstar... he was a fool that he thought he could replace Sabrestar, make DuskClan brilliant again. In that, he had failed. For where were DuskClan now? Not by Bloodstar's side.

So why had Hawkclaw decided to fight this war at all? The thrill of something to do, perhaps? He had been trapped in DuskClan for long enough. Now, the young deputy wished to live his life, instead of living under the rule of a cat he didn't like, and in the vague hope that Sabrestar would one day return. There was no reason to DuskClan anymore - no point to it all. Many didn't even respect him, for his age was atleast a year beneath those below him.

He was worthless in this godforsaken forest. Should he fight with honour, perhaps leaving would not feel so selfish, for he would have done something useful for his petty clan. He could then live as a rogue, not be shamed by acting with immaturity for fear of losing his rank.

Onto the Meadow he slunk, long tail dragging on the ground. What little that remained of DuskClan followed him. They were late - he cared not. They were here. His eyes held nothing - pride, anger, hatred, amusement. None dared stain his perfectly neutral expression.

The first that he sought out was Bane. Sabrestar had once allied herself with the BoneClan leader. Hawkclaw thought nothing of the tom. But he would honour Sabrestar's memory by fighting at his side. Carelessly, he wandered across what would soon become a battlefield, not looking directly at Bane, but sitting momentarily beside the stone that he sat upon like a throne.

"You have allied yourself with a failing clan. But we are here."

There was silence. What was he to say that meant he must pause for so long?

[/size]
"I understand what you have risked in allying yourself with BoneClan. You are Sabrestar's old deputy, correct?[/size]

"I am still deputy, but under a different leader."

The scorn he was unable to hold back. Bane snorted in cold amusement.[/size]

"Do not hold back that hatred, tom. I would not be the only one interested in seeing what power you behold."[/size]

Strange words, but Hawkclaw considered them as though they had been spoken by a God. Do not hold back... he did not plan to. This was his moment to rid himself of all and any responsibilities, and along with that, the honour and respect - or what little of - his clan mates had for him. He would start a fresh. And what better way to start his new life than with a good old fashioned killing.

He nodded slowly, then padded cautiously into the fray. He felt like a different cat after speaking with the BoneClan leader. Should he feel honoured for being acknowledged, or disgusted that he now obeyed Bane like his lap dog. That tom, he was strange; strange, yet he yielded such power. To make a tom like Hawkclaw act as though brainwashed? No wonder so many fell under his rule with ease.

At first he observed. A couple of fights broke out around him - no deaths as of yet. He seeked the eyes of the other clan leaders - and once he had them, he held them with brewing confidence. Now, his eyes were dark - he sent metal messages of what hatred he held for every one of them, how his clan may have been ruled by an idiot but he would not follow suit. They would see a new Hawkclaw on this night.

Then he ran. Ran at the first cat he saw.

And should he die, he would die like a martyr. With honour.

With dignity.
[/size][/blockquote]

x__I am the shadow on the wall
I'll be the one to save us all.

[/size][/right]

[Bristle + War]

A pure ebony she-cat trotted beside Hawkclaw, her tail held high, her silvery eyes bright, a grin on her face. Almost the opposite of the old tom, or old in Sable's eyes. She did not agree with the deputy's disdain of Bloodstar, the father of her kits who now padded in a line behind her, but she did not dare say anything about it to him - who knew what he would do to her. She glanced back over her shoulder, where her only daughter and her own apprentice Direpaw pranced cheerily. My dear daughter, Sable thought, the nicest thing going through her mind. Rip them to shreds. She brought her head back around to see Hawkclaw over by Bane. Ah, the tom we're fighting for, yes? she hissed silently. Worthy. Good, let's fight. The queen half-turned so that she blocked all her kits' paths.

"My children. When you fight, fight for Bloodstar, fight for DuskClan and BoneClan. Fight to kill, my children."

With that Sable stepped aside to let her kits go, unleash them on those nasty RisingClanners. Pride surged through her as Wickedpaw and Direpaw sprang forward in one fluid movement, claws unsheathed, teeth bared, eyes narrowed. Ready to take on the world. Her son and daughter disappeared into the fray, and for a fraction of a heartbeat this worried her. Would they ever come back? Have faith in your children! Sable nodded, and trotted to stand behind Hawkclaw. She and her kits would come home to DuskClan safely.

As Sable spoke, Direpaw barely listened. Excitement and anxiety gnawed away at her, she itched to just go out and kick some RisingClan ass. Her paws kneaded the ground. Thank StarClan for my brothers, she thought, they will defend me if I get into too much trouble. As her mother allowed her to pass, the slim femme hesitated. They will defend me, she reassured herself, and leaped nimbly onto the field.

"Come get me, bitches!"

Her yowl was high-pitched, almost maniacal. She hoped her mother hadn't heard that last bit, but even if she had, it didn't matter - Sable wouldn't punish her for a little cuss.

Direpaw jumped from one small, flat rock to another, just waiting for a cat to attack her. To her brother Wickedpaw it seemed like she'd let down her guard. Now of course this was completely ridiculous, she wasn't that stupid. She sprang off the rock suddenly and landed lightly on the ground, standing near the edge of the battlefield, right in the middle of Rising and Bone. Now what's gonna happen here.

[Kest]

DuskClan was here.
The ragged remnants of what was once a great Clan.

Sovereign stood under the shadow of the trees, watching the battle break out coldly with sapphire-blue eyes.
His tail twitched behind him in thought. It was only a quarter of the usual length, docked short by an impatient mentor who found fault in Sovereign's foolishness.
He would be foolish no longer. He was only partway through his training but he was strong. He was talented.

I want you to remember this name, otherClan fools, he thought, spitting in contempt. You have forgotten us. DuskClan.

He took a slow step forward and charged.
The dying light glinted on his red-spotted, metallic coat. His paws flew.
Don't you ever forget us again!

The young tom tore into the enemy lines, driving with razor claws at the first cat he saw. He did not care who it was; all he wanted to feel or see or smell was the gush of blood.
A direct hit. Don't forget it.



Juukai hung back, her flame-colored eyes darting. Excitement surged dizzily through her veins.
"Fire time!" she whispered, anticipation forming a hot ball in her belly.
She dropped her customary matchbook, picked out a match meticulously between her teeth, and kicked the book into the shadows.
No one would find it.
Juukai crouched low and ran fast, her dense gray coat obscured by the grass.
As she ran, she curved her way around the battlefield, choosing to loop around her enemies and attack from the side.
The windward side. The breeze puffed at her back and she grinned.
The positon was just right.
Juukai dropped down and struck the match against a rough rock with a twist of her head. The match flamed.
Juukai was brave. She was a fool.
She darted toward BoneClan, feeling the fire of the match against her face. The delicious smell of it burning.
She raced right through to the midst of the BoneClanners and dropped it. A small fire broke out.
Time to spread some panic. Discord!

[Dreamreaper]

Flanking Hawkclaw’s other side strode two cats.

The older, a tom, lifted head heavy gaze upon the seething forces, listening to Hawkclaw’s words. No; Duskclan was not failing.

As long as Starclan shone above, in the night sky, they should never fail.

The old medicine cat, flicked his tail a few times, considering, as he watched the young deputy, whom he had always view as a friend, charge off in a blaze of glory.

A martyr; a blazing fallen star for their clan.

And then he was off, paws beating the ground in the tempo of a dying drum, heading directly for enemy lines.

On Styx’s other side was a beautiful she-cat, moving with unrelenting, perfected grace. Her sculpted her angled slightly as she watched Bane for a moment, turning to look past him to the warring felines.

Oh yes.

This again. Warfare. She loved it.

The she-cat purred softly, low in her throat, as she charged off right after Styx had. However she broke off from the old tom, heading in a new direction, paw arching back to slash at another female.

But when the other cat turned, Dreamreaper stopped. It wasn’t the scent of Boneclan that had caused her to hesitate.

She knew this cat.

“Why, hello dear sister.”

With that, and a shared amused look, Dreamreaper and Spiderlily leaped onto a hapless young cat, slashing into him, before looking for a more experiences target.

[Heartless]

"Go."

Now.

Now, finally. The tabby smiled slowly, muscles tensing to leap forward, however she stopped.

Pripyat?

His odd look caused the tabby to stop, heart suddenly hammering loudly. Gods. What in the world?

“Your furry butt better get back here soon. If not, I’ll hunt you down, you hear?”

If Pripyat wasn’t willing to leave the battlefield without her, she would follow him straight to Starclan itself should she need to.

And then he was gone, and Spiderlily was alone.

The she-cat turned, as another came for her. For a heartbeat she froze, then dawning settled over her.

“Good to see you’re on the right side, Dreamreaper.”

Side by side the two sisters went barreling forward to their destinies.

Heartless screamed, and feral cry the split the air, and hurled herself forward at the rending of Bane’s final word.

Kill!

The cannibal smiled like a wild dervish to herself, stalking down a perfect target.

Razorblade and Darkazure went forward, seeking targets as well.

[Sunsetfire]

There are those who think
That life has nothing left to chance.
A host of holy horrors
to direct our aimless dance.

A planet of playthings.

.x.

A dance of destiny.

Golden stars breaking and falling, shattering on the blood-spilt earth one by one. Broken, burdened, shadows.

This was the day of days, the one that would live on forever in the minds and hears of all those who would leave this battleground alive.

And in the memories, of those who would not.

Stealthclan was here.

Their golden leader strode forward, arching at the top of the hill and looking down at the seething fury of battling cats. His amber gaze scoped the area, unflinching as it even passed over the vestige of his own father, a dark evil.

Until it settled on one small, broken, forlorn body.

Fallingsky. His dear sister; gone.

Anger flashed through the young leader, his white tail tip flicked and lashed as he shivered. It was only a touch on his shoulder from gentle Highway, that stopped him.

“Fight bravely, my warriors. This is the battle to end all battles, and even if we should not leave this battleground alive, we shall be forever remembered as true Starclan warriors. Fight with honor, and dignity, but do not allow for those hovering in darkness to overcome.”

The leader broke, rushing forward ahead of his warriors, heading for the bitch who still stood over his sister’s body.

Once and for all, this would be over.

.x.

We dance on the
S t r i n g o f p o w e r s

We cannot perceive.
“The stars aren’t aligned
Or the Gods are malign.”

blame
is better to give
than receive.

[Onyxdart]

Jay's tail curled softly back and forth. He stood looking past Sunsetfire at the war already started below. There was already one casualty, he noted sadly, and it incensed his leader. Jay wasn't here to fight. He was here to defend the others who wanted to fight, and to try to make sure that they all made it back to Stealthclan camp, if such a thing was possible in all this madness.

[/center]