::Wind:: at my Back

[shiningheart]

[/i] Then he realized something very important. That battle yowl was way too familiar to him. 'Oh no...' He silently rose from his nest, keeping an eye on Ashfeather next to him. His sister twitched, but did not rise. He pushed his way to the camp clearing. He stopped half-way through, blinking in shock at how many cats were in the clearing so late at night. He counted four cats in immediate view: Onestar, Absenteyes, Nettlepaw, and his own apprentice, Windpaw.

He was about to call out to them, only to stare in the same dumb-founded shock that Onestar seemed to be in as Windpaw launched herself at Nettlepaw. For a few seconds, Cinderblaze has a sense of misplaced pride as he watched Windpaw totally own Nettlepaw. Then that thought caught up with thim. Windpaw was attacking Nettlepaw. Nettlepaw was the medicine cat apprentice. Windpaw was attacking a medicine cat. "Windpaw." He growled, stalking forward. That one word was low, but firm.[/blockquote]
[/ul]

[♠ Spade ♠]

Onestar had been frozen in shock, simply watching the apprentices fight, rooted to the spot. However, when Windpaw's mentor made his appearance, he finally stumbled into action, almost literally. He lurched forward before falling into a more steady gait, loping towards the warring cats. He wasn't sure if Cinderblaze's call would be enough to stop the fight and the way things looked right now, Nettlepaw was chasing after Windpaw.

With an assertive growl, the large white tom lunged at Nettlepaw, aiming for his scruff so he could drag and toss him back. He dug his claws into the dirt to anchor himself before trying to move the large apprentice. He snorted and placed himself between Windpaw and Nettlepaw, his shoulder fur bristling and his tail lashing furiously. He cast a smoldering glare first at Windpaw and then Nettlepaw.

"What in the name of StarClan do you two think you're doing?" he spat. He turned to Nettlepaw, figuring Cinderblaze could handle his own apprentice for now. He'd talk to Windpaw later. "Nettlepaw, you are the medicine cat's apprentice. You should know better then to fight with your Clanmates!" he growled, cold disappointment lacing his voice as he turned his amber glare to Windpaw again. "Well?" the white tom prompted. "Go ahead. Explain yourselves." A bit of a sneer appeared in his last sentence.

[A N N I E]

> > Anger and andrenaline rushing through her veins, satsifaction tingling her paws as she felt the warm stickiness of blood. She was about to leap into Nettlepaw's open, outstretched claws. Windpaw's moves normally always went against what most cats expected her to do, like for one, leaping at Nettlepaw. True, she'd have been in danger of getting pinned, but the simple fact she had leaped at him and not away would have surprised him enough for her to gain an advantage at close quarters. She leaped at Nettlepaw, but before she could reach him, a flash of white jumped in her path and her tiny body thudded harmlessly against her leader's massive bulk. She landed with a harsh thud on the ground, hissing as her teeth promptly closed nearly on her tongue. She shot up, hissing at Onestar in a fury, her bristling pelt making her nearly twice her size.

> > The approach of another familiar presence made her whirl around, hissing venomously. She faced her mentor without fear, daring him to give her the few good smacks she so deserved. Onestar was furious, she could tell, but she could also sense the unease in his body from earlier and see it in his eyes at being around her and it oddly made her smile grimly. Her, Windpaw, the very reincarnation of her dead mother. Glaring as harshly as she could through Onestar at Nettlepaw, she spat, "Medicine cat apprentice? HA! We all know he's fooling no one! He fights like a warrior and we all know that the medicine cat code has no room for a warrior's duties." Onestar and Cinderblaze knew enough though, that they could see behind her hostile eyes the look of a broken kit. Only this time, it wasn't normally broken. Nettlepaw's words had shattered her very resolve and dug much deeper than the apprentice had intended.

[τhιsτlə]

____________________________Don't let the Nettle sting the Paw .!

Medicine Cat Apprentice of Shadowclan .!____________________________

It would have been a surprise to see Windpaw leaping at the large tabby, and maybe it was, just a little. However Nettlepaw wasn't going to back off, if need be, he'd barrel the puny she cat over if he had to, Windpaw had claws and speed, yes, but Nettlepaw had claws too, and the strength to match. He'd be more than willing to rerail Windpaw of her tracks.

However there was a flash of ghostly white, a mere obsticle Nettlepaw must face. He felt his paws work at the earth to veer around the white form, however Windpaw was gone on the other side of the white haze as teeth met his scruff and hauled him off his paws. Nettlepaw was tossed back, and finally he tore his amber eyes to the face of this new opponent. The medicine cat apprentice instantly tensed at the sight of Onestar, he faught back the urge to snap at the white leader, however he knew better than that.

Narrowing dark hues at the tom as he spoke, Nettlepaw shook his ruffled tabby pelt. The tom listened almost boredly to the words of his leader, a slight shrug rising in his shoulders. "Medicine cat apprentice or not, I still have claws. Besides, she's the one that leaped at me." Nettlepaw remarked calmly, licking his paw and swiping it over his muzzle and ears, whiskers quivering to set free a stray bead of crimson wine.

He flashed a glance at Windpaw as her voice rang in his ears, a light purr rising in his chest. That was the thing with Nettlepaw, when he was mad, he was pretty darn pissed. The tom was often snappish and ill tempered, but his moods were easy on a swivel, in this case, it didn't take much for his anger to convert back into calm amusement. "Is protecting myself a warrior's duty?" Nettlepaw questioned in disbelief. "I'll admit, I did play a little more than defense there, but I also have a pride, just like yourself, Windpaw. And I'll protect that when I need to."