burning bright [open to all]

[jinxeh]

The still air of the morning did nothing to calm the tom cat. His mind swam with thoughts of his father, and his mother, of the dreams that continued to wreak havoc on his mental state, and his physical state. It had been a good moon since he had gotten a full nights rest and he could feel it in his fatigued muscles and constant head ache that pounded within, day in and day out. Of course, he could go and get it fixed, bug Frostbite about some herbs to ease the dull throb, but he wasn't one to ask for help about something so trivial and seemingly pointless. The troubles of the Clan were more important than a silly head ache that had been keeping him up at night.

However, the lack of sleep was starting to make his temper worse, little things began to set him off, more so than usual. What was it today? A sore paw. It was nothing more than having slept - or laid - on it wrong during the night, causing the bones within it to grind against each other in a gruelling pain. Well, it wasn't so much a pain as an inconvenience. Crimsonstar's anger had flared up when he had tried to rise to his paws, and felt a sharp fiery shock shoot up his leg and blossom into an array of sparks within his shoulder. So, here was, still laying within his den, knowing that the Clan life was starting to come alive, and soon, warriors would be taking out their apprentices and what not. Grumbling, he rolled from one side to the other and began slowly stretching out each toe in his sore paw, wincing at the discomfort it was causing him.

Seconds turned into minutes, and minutes turned into what felt like days before the pain had subsided to nothing more than a tingle, as if his paw was asleep. Grunting, he drug himself to his feet and stretched out the rest of his body starting with his spine. The release of tension in his muscles, did little to relieve the tension in his mind, but it made it easier for him to walk. Flicking his tail, and giving his chest a few quick licks, he proceeded out of his den and into the blinding morning light. Pupils becoming no more than slits against the horizon, he made his way down to the middle of the camp, where his warriors were beginning to rise from their dens and make there presence known to the now faded Silverpelt. Crimsonstar yawned, and seated himself, carelessly wrapping his tail around his paws.

[Thorn]

Skyhawk, troubled that day, just like any other day, pushed himself to his paws and shook his messy gray fur. His bristled tongue rasped over his messy fur. When it was all neat, and he was satisfied he pushed his way out of his den. A small thorn tugged at his gray fur but he just shook it away and continued on. His paws made large dents in the sandy earth that made up Thunderclans camp. He looked down on them and just shook his head. HE had been away for so long and yet it seemed like the only cat who really knew him was Frostbite and he honestly didn't like the she-cat that much. Her bitter tongue got the best of him most days.

His troubled eyes lifted for just a second to meet the rising sun and of course the noble thunderclan leader Crimsonstar. He tilted his head to the side and twitched his silver whiskers. Perhaps this would be his chance, the chance he had always been waiting for. With sluggish strides he made his way over to the tom ignoring the loud rumble in the pit of his being that told him he was hungry and possibly thirsty."Crimsonstar" he mewed. He padded straight up to him and wrapped his long snake like tail around his paws before dipping his head in greeting.

"I owe you and the clan a rather large sincere apology, and I don't even know where to start."

[jinxeh]

Where he was seated in the Clan, gave him a sight advantage to the happenings, and it was no surprise that at this time of day, there wasn't much. There was a few warriors heading out with apprentices and kits playing at he mouth of the nursery and some warriors looking rather groggy as they pulled themselves out of the warriors den. Crimsonstar couldn't help but roll his eyes at how tired they looked. What did they have to be tired about? All they did was go out and hunt, and come back and complain about how dog gone tired they were. It ticked Crimsonstar off, but he wouldn't confront them about it. No, he wanted to know who were the biggest complainers in his Clan. Complaining was weak, and everyone knew that he hated weakness. Raising his eyebrows in an dismissive smirk, he slowly blinked his eyes. As they opened, he became very aware of a warrior approaching. A warrior who he knew quite well, but didn't particularly like.

Crimsonstar was more than a little disappointed and disgusted in the gray tom cat. The cat had left to become a kitty-pet, something that strictly against the warrior code, as everyone was aware of. Still, even Crimsonstar couldn't ignore the fact that he was strong able-bodied warrior and beneficial to the Clan, which played a huge role in his acceptance back into the ThunderClan. Crimsonstar hadn't been the one to accept him back, but he was close to being named leader when he was accepted. The tabby brute had debated about banishing him when he returned from the Moon pool, but he had not, just for the reason that he was a good warrior. However, the ThunderClan leader had zero respect for the tom cat. Anyone who left the challenging life of a Clan cat to be pampered and treated like a pet was not worthy of his respect. Giving the tom a blank expression as he approached and came up close to him, he showed no signs of caring, or even that he was aware of the cat, that is, until he spoke.

He could've laughed. Apologize? No apology was good enough for what he had done, but Crimsonstar would listen for his own amusement and to watch Skyhawk squirm as he tried to win over the leader.

"You could start by telling me why, forgiveness for what you did should be granted to you." He had tried to not let any emotion leak through his words, but they were cold, and rather unwelcoming. Cocking an eyebrow, he tilted his head to the side slightly and the corners of his mouth turned up into a chilling smile. "You are a good warrior Skyhawk, but abandonment of a Clan is not something that is easily forgiven." Some tact returning to his words, he spoke more evenly.

[ooc// I apologize for Crimsonstar, he's kind of a jerk xD]

[Thorn]

Skyhawk twitched his ears. His nerves were unaffected by what the tom spoke about. Skyhawk wasn't a kit and wasn't fearful of his higher ups, nor did he care whether or not he forgave him, in fact, he didn't have the whole story yet.You are missing 85% of the story Crimsonstar, and you are going by what you have heard your clan mates whisper about. You should know as well as I do that I fell off a cliff." he mewed. This much was true. His pale colored eyes glazed over as he thought back to that day.

Skyhawk padded into the clearing and dropped a mouse into the prey pile. Thornstrike was ill so he had asked him to oversee Emberpaws training today.With a twitch of his young whiskers, the young warrior mewed inside the apprentics den."Emberpaw, we are battle training today!" Skyhawk mewed. His eyes beamed with amusement as he ran towards the camp entrance. He would take Emberpaw to the very tip of Thunderclan territory. Almost to the point where it became unknown. Emberpaw trailed closely behind him. He was excited to become almost a warrior.

Skyhawk's eyes snapped back in as he looked at Crimsonstar. He fished his memory for the event and had it brought to the very front again."I was asked to shadow Emberpaw because Thornstrike was sick. I took him to the very top of Thunderclan's territory. This would have been when you were a deputy Crimsomstar. Don't you remember?"His eyes went out once more to the event that nearly killed him.

Skyhawks tail was thrashing back and forth. Emberpaw requested to fight claws unsheathed. The fight was brutal but Emberpaw was proving his worth as a mighty warrior."When I come at you I want you to dodge!" He saw the apprentice nod with heavy breath. Skyhawk sprinted with all his might and leaped at Emberpaw. What he didn't know was that Emberpaw was at the edge of the cliff. When Emberpaw stepped aside, the gray tom went falling over the edge. With a loud yowl skyhawk fell off into a deep ravine his body unmoving.

"SKYHAWK!!! Emberpaw wailed.

Skyhawk whipped his head his harsh gaze stabbing into Crimsonstars."You knew he was a good fighter, he wanted a fair unsheathed claw battle, and we did. He was a terrible dodger so I helped him with that. When he stepped aside I fell over. Did he not report that I was unmoving or did he simply just leave me there? I would assume he reported it. When the patrol went to find me I was gone? yes? or did they not go and you just held a vigil for me without knowing?" he asked flicking his tail back and forth. Without even waiting for an answer he looked at Crimsomstar."Want me to continue or have you had enough of my so called foolish babble?"

[jinxeh]

The leader could think of other, more important things he could be doing than sitting here in the middle of the camp, with a warrior who did not deserve the title. He could have led a border patrol, or a hunting patrol. Could've conversed with Frostbite about any signs of StarClan, and sick cats. Instead he had to sit here and listen to a cat babble about things that Crimsonstar could honestly care less about. It took everything in the toms body and will, to not roll his eyes when Skyhawk started ripping on him. Fell off a cliff? Now that was something he hadn't heard before. A bemused look touched his features and studied the toms cat face for sincerity. Crimsonstar wouldn't admit if he happened to be wrong about his judgement of the tom cat. He was too proud for that. No, he would rather have an enemy than be deemed a weak leader. He had received a life of judgement, but he had never been able to accept that he was wrong, and this would be no different.

Nodding his head in encouragement for the tom cat to continue with his story, Crimsonstar's mind sought out the truth in the toms words, or if this was just some sob story to gain a position of respect back in the Clan. He did remember him being sent to shadow Emberpaw, though it was a very vague memory. He could not remember why he was sent to shadow the apprentice, just that he had agreed without much argument. Showing him no sign of remembering the incident, Crimsonstar kept his gaze steady on Skyhawk's own features who seemed to be slightly pained at the memory that he was telling him about. The tom cat removed his gaze from Crimsonstar's placid one, and there was a moment of silence between them before Skyhawk's eyes pierced his own and the fierceness of them almost caused him to wince. Whisker twitching uncomfortably as the tom started to speak again, his pitch getting harsher and a few keys harder. Opening his mouth to answer him, he was quickly silenced once again as Skyhawk cut him off with a sharp question. Pursing his lips, he turned his ears back slightly before he replied.

"Emberpaw told us that you had fallen over the edge of cliff, now that mention it." Crimsonstar's voice was husky, and came out in a dead pan, not wanting to give the tom the benefit of getting a rise out of the young leader. "I led the patrol. If you're wondering. Your body was gone when we got there. And it wreaked of two-legs."

[/b] Tone turning cold, his eyes narrowed ever so slightly. "We held a vigil for you, a vigil for a warrior."[/color] Pausing to find the right words so to not tick off the warrior too much, Crimsonstar swallowed the bile rising in his throat. "Skyhawk, we thought you were dead. What were we supposed to do? Go on a wild goose chase to hunt down your body? I took half of the Clan with me, everyone agreed to just accept that you were dead. So before you go accusing your Clan mates, accusing your leader, you better get your facts straight." A low growl greeted the last of his words and his eyes flashed with annoyance. "Oh, and sure. I'd love to hear the rest of your story."[/color] Crimsonstar snapped, his lip curling slightly.[/blockquote][/blockquote][/size]

[Thorn]

Skyhawk growled right back. He didn't care about Crimsonstars respect, in fact he didn't need it all."No I didn't want you to chase me like a mother would a kit. I don't need a babysitter. Didn't then don't now, I'm not Skykit last time I checked." he mewed whisking his bitter comment as a throw towards his bitter tongue. That's just what they needed in this clan another Frostbite.
"good Ill continue."

Skyhawk landed with a loud thud his eyes closed and he knew he was going to Starclan. He couldn't think, he couldn't see. However he felt old hands frail and smelly pick him up. He wanted to call out and claw but chose not to. He knew if he ever wanted to see his clan again he would have he let out a weak mew and felt hands stroke his broken body."You will get better."

Skyhawk was in the hands of a two leg. He was placed on a cold table where blue rubber gloves were prodding at him. He couldn't move. he wanted to bite but the one thing that stopped him was his clan. A bright light

Skyhawk looked at his paws."Of course I reeked of Two-legs i'm still alive because of Two-legs you mouse brain." he mewed."I was picked up and restored by two-legs, goodness i'm starting to think I would do more good in Starclan and just haunt your dreams Crimsonstar." he mewed.

Skyhawk woke up. He was able to move! The gray tom saw a frail old man sitting in a chair rocking back and forth. He placed down a small bowl filled with red meat. It wasn't pellets! Did thsi two leg know he was a wild cat? Skyhawk eagerly ate the food. He was able to stand! How long was he sleeping for? He looked at his legs and saw a giant white thing on it. He tried to shake it off but this two-leg scolded him."I will let you go when you are healed kitty." His hand pet skyhawk and the tom let out a purr. He was going to let him go.

It was two or three moons later when those icky white things came off. His two-leg grew sick and died in his sleep. Skyhawk was going to miss his presence he jumped out of the window and started the short trek back to his clan.

Skyhawk looked at Crimsonstar before looking at the rest of the warriors in the clan."I came back didn't I? even after I knew my dignitty would be lost. I didn't feel the need to tell you what happened. Long story short I stayed long enough to get back on my paws. I only have one life, and it was restored, I didn't eat pellets and I didn't have a soft life. I shouldn't have to earn my clan's respect back, for something that was beyond my paws."

[jinxeh]

Something about the way the tom was talking to him began to pick at his nerves, tease them with a poke every now and then, and just aggravate the good nature out of the leader. Crimsonstar wouldn't've chased after a cat that had fallen off a cliff even if it was his own mother, he would much rather see her as a whole and beautiful she-cat, than broken and dead. However, right now, he wouldn't mind seeing Skyhawk's broken body laying at the base of the cliff, at least he wouldn't have to listen to him babble about something he didn't really care about. He couldn't help but scoff when he commented on the fact that he was Skyhawk, rather than Skykit. Crimsonstar was tempted to ask him if he was sure about that, because the riding crescendo of the warriors voice was making him sound like a whiny kit. Rolling his eyes, at Skyhawk's last remark the tip of his tail flicked with annoyance and impatience with the whole conversation.Another pause came between the two toms and Crimsonstar had to bite back a yawn that was trying to escape him. Crimsonstar could be rather rude, but that would've been down right disrespectful.

"...of Two-legs you mouse brain."

With the toms gaze on the ground, he wasn't able to see the dark look that had been cast over the leaders face. Eyes narrowing into a poisonous glare, his claws unsheathed and the tips curled lightly into the sand of the hollow floor. Crimsonstar had no tolerance for being called names, demeaning ones, that were a direct slam at his intelligence. Especially when they came from cats like Skyhawk. Tearing his eyes off of the tom, he took in a couple deep breaths, as he felt his temper start to boil his blood and cloud his vision and common sense. Striking the warrior down for making a off hand comment, would not be the best call in this situation. While trying to calm himself, he was ignorant to the words he spoke next, and when he finally let his eyes float back to him, it seemed like the silence was even longer than the one before it. The other warrior met Crimsonstar's own gaze, for a brief second before looking away. What the cat said was true, he had come back, but it still didn't make it right in Crimsonstar's mind. If it had been him in that kind of jeopardizing situation, he would've let himself die rather than be touched by vermin like two-legs. Steadying his temper the best he could, Crimsonstar stared Skyhawk dead in the face, his eyes dark, and emotionless.

"First off, Skyhawk, I am your leader. Don't you dare call me mouse brain again, or I will see that you are punished." Venom dripping from his words, Crimsonstars ears laid flat against his head. "You lived in the home of a two-leg, you let them touch you, feed you. For what? So you could come back to the Clan that thought you dead, only to find that we were abandoned for two-legs?" Anger was starting to seep into his words, his inability to control his terrible temper become more imminent with each word that he spat from his mouth. Clenching his jaw, he felt his teeth grind against each other, sending a searing pain through his skull. "One life? I have nine lives, and I would've given up all of them before I would let one of them touch me."

[/b] Snarling at him, Crimsonstar rose to his paws, his tail puffed out to twice its size and he walked a few steps away, purposely putting distance between the two toms. "I don't know what kind of welcoming you were hoping to get by coming back here, but don't you ever think for a second that you were welcomed back gladly." Voice dropping to a course whisper, Crimsonstar stood with his head lowered and his body taught with the tension of the anger he felt coursing through his body. "You were accepted back into the Clan, because you were seen as a worthy warrior. But I am not Rowanstar." Whiskers twitching, he paused for a moment. "Prove to me you want to be here, because right now, I don't see it." [/color][/blockquote][/blockquote][/size]

[Thorn]

Skyhawk raised a skeptical brow. He simply shrugged the comments his leader was saying into the back of his mind. He had such a temper. Skyhawk just shook his head with disdain. His proud personality was getting to his head and that would make a bad leader. He made a tsk tsk sound with his tongue flipping in the roof of his mouth. He thought for just a moment for the right words to say. The fact that Crimsonstar was so sensitive made the tom smile. Why he enjoyed edging his leader on was beyond his own words.

"Ah but I would have just died, why let such a good warrior go to waste it wasn't my time yet, he fed me raw meat just like a forest cat would eat he didn't lay a hand on me except for the time he picked me up. I didn't wear a collar I was broken to pieces and that two-leg healed me. For that I am thankful. Would I willingly leave the clan for that life? No I would not, your too headstrong to see that a warrior was saved, a good one at that, next time Ill take the next travel to Starclan, at least then I can insult your ways more freely." he mused. The tom spoke calmly but the tip of his tail was twitching irritably. He didn't like Crimsonstar not one bit.

Skyhawk thought for just a moment. He knew that if he hadn't fallen there would be a fair chance that he would be a leader right now. He had to think what buttons would push Crimsonstar. Skyhawk was good at that. He didn't want to be this toms best friend. He wanted to make sure Crimsonstar knew that his proud head would lose him a lot of respect down the road. With that thought lingering a coy smile began to form on Skyhawks muzzle. He knew just what to say.

"No your not Rowanstar, and that is why most of the clan doesn't like you." he began."they just tolerate you because they know in the generations to come a new leader will lead and they will be more willing to follow. If I had not fallen of that cliff I would be in your paws right now. Rowanstar told me so, you weren't ready to be a leader because you were to proud and it went to your head. So perhaps you should be thanking me for the nine lives you do have that will viciously drop to just one." he mewed.

Skyhawk looked over Crimsonstar looking for some signs of irritability. He just nodded his head. A welcome? He didn't need to be welcomed."Your the only one who thinks that way Crimsonstar, funny how the clan sees a great noble warrior yet you do not. They were grateful for my return. As were the other clans, personally I think you are just to proud to admit that you are wrong, perhaps you would have more respect Crimsonstar if you stopped having one on one battles with yourself."

[jinxeh]

The main reason the young arrogant tom moved away from the gray warrior was he didn't trust himself and what he would do, given his inability to control the nasty temper that pulsed through his body. Crimsonstar had only ever struck out at one cat before in his life, and that had been his mother, something he regretted above all others in his short twenty-five moons of life as a ThunderClan cat. Though he had no like for Skyhawk, he refused to lay a paw upon his body in anger. Eyes shifting from the tom to the other cats who were gazing towards the sound of the confrontation between the two strong warriors, Crimsonstar let the snarl fall from his face, trying to regain composure. It was harder though, with each word that struck his ears, delivered like a lead bullet to his ears from Skyhawk. And with every word, his dislike for the warrior grew, and swelled up like a tumour in his gut. Green pools returning to the tom, Crimsonstars chest rumbled with another growl at the sight of the cocky smile drawn onto his face.

"Why did it take you so long to come back then, Skyhawk? Surely it didn't take you that long to heal. Don't tell me you began to care for your two-legs." Raising his head higher than the other toms', his head tilted to the side ever so slightly, mockery dancing like fiery across his cold expression. This tom was really not impressing the leader, merely making him question why he came back at all. That conversation, was one for another time though. Despite the fact that Crimsonstar could be self centered, he wasn't oblivious to the fact that he looked like the bad guy right now, with the accusations Skyhawk was spewing at him. "I guess it does count for something that you did come back, and no, I'm not too headstrong to see that you are a good warrior. I'm not ignorant to your skills." Voice evening out for the umpteenth time during their conversation, he was hoping that he would hear that the toms tone was sincere, despite his dislike for him.

Watching the tom, as he fell silent, Crimsonstar began taking in deep breaths, and he slowly felt his anger subside, if only a little bit. He needed to get control of himself, before he made a complete fool of himself in front of the Clan. He was hoping his admittance of his awareness of the toms skills would win him back some brownie points with his Clanmates who were looking less than impressed with the show they were putting on at the moment. Closing his eyes, his teeth grinded against each other again, though not hard enough for it to cause him pain. He just heard the sound of them grinding, and when he reopened his eyes, the tension in his jaw was gone and he focused on Skyhawk again who had opened his big mouth to blab once again, and this time, the words struck home. All tension that had left his body returned in one rush of aggression that caused him to hiss angrily at the tom cat. A low growl was rolling off of him with every word that struck him, each one burning a hole of hatred into his heavily beating heart. This cat had gone too far.

"You have a lot of nerve, fox dung." Teeth bared, he took a few steps toward him, easily closing the distance between them. He didn't even feel the ground as he walked forward, he was so high up in the sky with the anger radiating off of his body in waves of heat and fury. "I could care less whether this Clan likes me! I am a good leader, I am strong, and regardless of what everyone else says about me, I do give a rats tail about this Clan. I would give myself up if it meant that at least one cat from ThunderClan would survive." Seething, his tail lashed out behind, the only sign of anger his body was showing; the rest of him was stark still, his green eyes glaring with loathing into Skyhawks serious blue green ones. He wouldn't lie to himself, he wanted nothing more than to rip out the cats throat, but that would not solve the problem, only create a bigger one, one that he was not willing to deal with. "Rowanstar may have wanted you as deputy, and then as leader," Pausing, his breathing heavy and shallow, "But StarClan did not! If they wanted you as leader, they wouldn't of stopped you falling off the cliff." Dropping his gaze, he backed away.

"I do not want you as an enemy Skyhawk, enemies within Clans lead to the downfall of them. But," not making eye contact he shook his head and looked up and to the entrance to the camp. "if you think I'm so unworthy of being leader, tell me why you came back, even though you knew I was the one leading the Clan." An ice cold presence had washed over his body, numbing it and turning his gaze dead and heartless, as it met Skyhawks eyes.

[/size]

[Thorn]

Skyhawk had really stopped listening awhile ago. He could tell his leader was getting angry. Skyhawk started to let a low growl begin to form in the depths of his throat. He stood on all fours now instead of sitting with his gray tail wrapped around his paws. He stood up and looked into the toms eyes. Skyhawk didn't flinch. His tail twitched back and forth with a heavy flick. He was aware of the clan cats gathering and watching the confrontation. Skyhawk let out a long breath before inhaling again through his nose. With a twitch of his whiskers he began to piece thoughts together before talking.

Crimsonstar was very sensitive to the fact he may be headstrong and not the best leader ever."personal reasons and unfinished buiseness." he mewed with a straight face. He knew if Starclan wanted him to be the leader at that point he would have been a leader. He was meant to fall off the cliff because Starclan wanted Crimsonstar to lead. Or did they?"any cat leader or not would know that Starclan can't prevent freak accidents. You may not have meant to be a leader. It's why Starclan can't prevent death. It's none of their control. They couldn't have protected me from falling. I think that was just the best retorhicle response you could come up with. Even though it's clearly a wrong statement." he mewed.

Skyhawk didn't move. He was still standing and the same distance away as he was."I came back Crimsonstar, to see the clan I was born and raised in. I came back because I knew it was my path to be a warrior of Thunderclan. Of course it was also my path to be a leader. When that will happen, whether I lead a clan or a small group of cats, is up to starclan. But I will continue on the path I must walk whether you are a leader or not."

[jinxeh]

A fiery pulse raced through his body, igniting his nerves like someone had lit a match. The tom rising to his paws to meet his gaze with a steady glare was a threat, a threat to his power as leader. It would've been different if they were alone in his den, but the fact of the matter was they were in front of the majority of the Clan. Challenging his authority of leader was completely uncalled for in the young toms mind, and it boiled his blood. It took everything in his power, his belief in StarClan, the love for his mother, and the deep, steady beat of his heart, not to attack the cocky, piece of fox dun standing in front of him.

The pure, dark loathing for the tom was turning his vision red, and causing his claws to work the earth beneath him. He kept his face almost expressionless, but he could not remove the look that nestled in his green gaze as they bared into the blue green ones in front of him. The tom started talking, calling him out on his comment, and it made him laugh. A cruel, drawn out cackle that curled both his lips and drew his ears back, so that they laid down flat upon his head. Crimsonstar believed one hundred and ten percent that StarClan would've prevented it if the grey tom was meant to be leader.

His laugh dying off rather quickly, his brow furrowed in an angry glare as Skyhawk accused him of making a false statement, and before he could even defend himself, the warrior continued with his pointless gab. The mood of the Clan laid upon him like a black haze, descending over his mind, clouding his common sense, and his judgement. He was steadily losing his control over himself, his paws itching to attack, to destroy, to rip ...

"If you think you'd be a better leader than me," He paused, his words cascading from his mouth in a hiss of fire. "Prove it! With StarClan, and ThunderClan as our witness!" Letting his temper take control, he felt the muscles in his haunches tighten, his hind legs lower and he launched himself forward with a growl of fury.

[Frostbite }}]

Frostbite padded into the camp with a mouth of herbs and saw her leader and skyhawk arguing. Stepping closer to pass them she chimed in on the conversation. Keeping her eyes on skyhawk anyone could tell that things were going to get heated up. Crimsonstar wouldnt attack a member of his clan would he? She padded into her den set her herbs down and padded quickly out and still saw the two bickering. She caught words here and there but her eyes were on skyhawk. You wouldnt skyhawk..dont be that cat.. she thought. Her stomach growled and she shrugged and decided to get something to eat. She grabbed a vole from the pile and headed back to her den enterence. She lied down right infront of it and chewed it as she watched the two toms go at it. If there was going to be a fight she would need to get ready to patch someone, a cat, up from her clan.

[Thorn]

ooc:Not sure if Skyhawk is supposed to win this one so just be like THORN BAD and ill change it >.>

Skyhawk felt his fur begin to rise when the tom let out a long drawn cackle. Was this tom in his right mind? He didn't flinch, he didn't avoid his leaders gaze, at least he was respectful. The tom twitched his whiskers. His weight pushed lower just in case he had to move quickly. Did Skyhawk actually do anything wrong to set this tom off? He only spoke the truth and he didn't see any harm in that. The tom shook his head with disdain. Thunderclan's leader was crazy.

Skyhawk recalled the conversation. All the tom did was apologize. That's it. He also just told his story. He spoke the truth not what the clan whispering about. The whispers from his clan mates were false. What he knew in his mind was true. Their eyes locked for just a moment and the words he spoke next made Skyhawk awnt to flinch. Fight his own leader? That was crazy talk. His next words stung him. Let ThunderClan an StarClan be the whitnesses? he looked at his clan and noticed a bunch of them were begining to gather. What kind of tom would he be if he fought his leader
?

Skyhawk was still contemplating when the tom leaped forward. The tom let out a growl and he knew he didn't have a choice now. The tom dug his legs into the ground and quickly sprung to the side. He lowered himself to the ground and he too let out a low growl. With an evil grin Skyhawk stood up straighter. He didn't even has his claws unsheathed yet. This would be a cat and mouse game. Crimsonstar would be the mouse. With a raised brow Skyhawk just stepped behind the tom. "Something tells me Crimsonstar, a soft lifed kitty pet wouldn't be able to dodge a leader with such ease. Are you rethinking your accusations yet?"

[jinxeh]

Frustration and rage are a bad combination. Feeling invincible and being over confident are another horrible combination. With all four emotions pulsing through him, he struck the ground with a graceful landing, but sending sand flying up around him in a cloud. Seething with fury, he had completely lost his mind, well, control over it for the most part. Working the earth, he breathed heavily waiting to feel the sting of claw ripping flesh, with all his muscles flexed under his pelt of tabby. He could feel the eyes of his Clan mates staring at his tense body, his heaving sides and the look of insanity on his face. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of his mother, her face stricken with horror, and her eyes wet with tears. His father stood with a stone look of disappointment. Neither phased him, they were blank faces in a world of black.

Snapping his head around to look at the tom as he spoke to him, Crimsonstar snarled an insult, not even sure what he was saying and struck out at the tom, with claws begging to rip into his flesh. Crimsonstar's eyes were unfocused, and he didn't even know what he was doing any more. It was as if something had taken him over, a dark force enveloping his mind like a black mist.

But that wasn't true, was it? He knew exactly what he was doing.

"Fight back! Fight back, you coward!"

[ooc// Just like we discussed hun, Skyhawk easily defeats Crimsonstar and yeah. =P In your next post, feel free to just powerplay the whole thing, to get it going faster?]

[Thorn]

ooc:ONLY since you gave me permission

Skyhawk felt a blow to his face and shook his head back and forth at a high pace. His eyes followed the blood droplets and he couldn't help but whip his head around and let out a large growl. At this time cats were in shock that their leader had attacked one of their own warriors. "Your the coward for attacking your own clan mates. But if you insist I'll show you why I am certainly no kittypet and why Rowanstar had a high respect for my battle skills." he heard the cats whispering most didn't think he would win he heard it. The gray tom just growled. His adrenaline was pulsing through his body.

Skyhawk with a quick movement barreled into Crimsonstar using his shoulder. It appeared to knock him off balance and the tom managed to trip him. With an evil grin claws slashed at Crimsonstars underbelly. His large paws landed on his shoulders and he bared his fangs into his leaders face almost mocking him.He let out a mighty hiss sending spit everywhere. His claws dug into his shoulders keeping him pinned. This is something that he couldn't control. His anger was pulsing through him."This is why Rowanstar wanted me. I wouldn't attack my own warriors...."