Assignment: Gorsehawk & Stealthstar- Into the Gale

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The air was frigid and storm clouds stalked through the morning sky, cloaking the sun so that its warmth could not be felt by any living creature below. Amber eyes shun in the dim light, their eerie glow seemed to illuminate the shadows. A thick furred feline crept through the snow, keeping low so that his belly fur brushed against the snow. He remained unseen as he trekked across the rugged terrain of death valley. A sunrise ago, the queens awoke to find their kits missing. It was assumed that they were stolen, plucked from the den by rogues. The thought alone made the warrior's features pull back into a snarl. How dare they waltz right in and raid our nursery... Gorsehawk thought with unfathomable contempt. If I get my claws on those foxhearts, I rip the pelts from their backs.

A flash of lightening set the dark atmosphere ablaze and thunder roared in the distance. Fur spiking ever so slightly, the brown and white tabby glanced up at the sky apprehensively. A flash of movement in the distance caught his eye, and he dropped to a crouch instantly. His eyes had a dangerous glint as he peered out from behind a weathered stone. The thick-furred feline could faintly make out the form of a feline rummaging through the snow a few fox-lengths away. Gritting his teeth, the amber eyed tom bit back a battle cry. On silent paws, the skilled snow-walker prowled forward. He couldn't make out the feline's pelt against the blackened sky nor could he detect a scent. The intruder was unfamiliar as far as he was concerned, and with rogues stealing kits from their mother's, there would be no chances for trespassers. Bunching his toned muscles, the large feline braced himself to spring. Teeth bared and claws unsheathed, the SkyClan warrior leapt into the air ready to sink his natural weapons into soft flesh.

[Waffu-Waffu]

Gray tipped ears heard the approach of someone, but the harsh bareleaf winds and snow made it difficult for the large furry tom, Stealthstar to tell who it was, or exactly where they were coming from. His pale blue eyes scanned the white blizzards in an attempt to see what was going on, and soon enough, he saw something burst from the snow with fangs bared and teeth unsheathed.

The leader barely took a second to disappear into the snow, his fur blending in almost perfectly with the powdery snow before he completely buried himself underneath. The perpetrator would land right where his body was, before he moved, and he would strike.

There was a crackling of the snow as paws landed, and at that moment, the tom burst out from the snow, his paws tucked into his chest as he barreled forward, his head bowed down his horns slammed into the side of the creature, knocking it over, where Stealthstar took his chance to pin it down and kill it quickly, but just as his paw was about to step onto the tom’s throat, he recognized his deputy. “Huh, Gorsehawk! What a relief!” He gave a sigh and backed off, his claws sliding back into their sheaths as he waited for his friend to get up once more. “Oh gosh I thought I was going to have to spill some blood!” His laugh jingled as he pressed his chilly nose into the leaner tom’s neck fur in apology. “My my, but I’m sad to say we hardly have the time to dilly dally…Kittens, you know?”

His eyes flicked towards the dreaded place, Death valley, his orbs set on the tiny ridge the two would have to cross to follow after the thieves. “I…I have a feeling they went this way…” How many kittens had they dropped? How many had died when his guard had fallen just a touch too much. His anger flared, but Stealthstar couldn’t help but feel a shock of fear. He was clumsy still, just not quite as bad, and though he was the leader of Skyclan, he had never crossed the narrow ridge and risked death, but he had no choice, and he faced that feat with a smile as he looked back once more at Gorsehawk. “My friend, join me? I could use my trusted Deputy’s assistance now more than ever…What do you say?”

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One second his quarry was there, the next it was gone; vanished like a winter phantom. Instead of soft fur like it was intended, the warrior’s paws landed roughly on the frozen snow, sending flurries scattering. Hissing with rage, the brown and white tabby whirled around just in time to see the formidable shape of a feline spring from a snowdrift. He felt the impact of a hard skull ram into his flank, toppling him over and burying him into the snow. The tom better think fast or the larger cat would surely claim his life in this vulnerable position.

His orange eyes met familiar pale blue as he raised his paws in an attempt to defend his throat. The voice of the stranger revealed his identity instantly. Grumbling and muttering profanities under his breath, the deputy rose to his full height, giving his burly coat a rough (and rather embarrassed) shake. He let his baleful glare wane into a half grin as his friend and leader removed his muzzle from his neck. Gorsehawk watched as his companion’s placid gaze drifted across the scenery.

“Over there? What makes you so sure?” He inquired, following his leader’s gaze to the precarious ridge. The logical feline frowned and his brow furrowed. Naturally the scatterbrained feline would choose the most dangerous route in the territory. But he had to admit that Stealthstar could be correct, after all, the tom had a knack for decisions of this sort. Shrugging and letting out an exhausted sigh, the large warrior turned to meet his leader’s eyes. ”As if I’d let your clumsy ass go on such a trek alone!” He snorted with amusement. ”If I get my claws on those kit-stealers, I’ll throw them right off the mountain,” Gorsehawk meowed, lashing his short tail.

Matching his friend’s strides, the two felines padded across the snow towards the natural bridge.