The Badger

[Alex the Steamed Rice Eater]

Smallclaw was searching for water voles. His eyes darted back and fourth, and his mouth drooped open, taking in all scents. But he did not smell the abundant water voles. The tawny tabby tom smelled something he had smelled only once in his life...

Badger.

It was close by. He could hear a shallow breathing behind him. Smallclaw turned around, and saw a large, black and white striped figure approaching him. The badger was huge, but desperately thin, and hungry. He hadn't eaten in a long time. Giant sickle claws glinted in the sunlight.

Smallclaw screamed for help.
Wrong move.

The badger charged. It was surprisingly swift. Smallclaw hissed, hackles raised, and fur bristling. He tried to look bigger, and intimidating, but he failed. Smallclaw saw sickle claws upraised before blood blinded him. He screeched. Smallclaw jumped on to the badger, attempting to get a hold on the badger's hide, but his pathetic claws could not get a hold of the famished badger. Blood blinded him again, and a wave of pain shot up his body.

Help... help...help...

[Riverflame]

(( Hope it's okay that I join? ))

Riverflame padded towards the wetlands, hoping to find prey. She raised her head, drawing in scents from around her. The putrid scent of badger hit her before the yowls reached her ears. Immediately, she charged forward, towards the fight.
"Smallclaw!" she meowed, breaking into the fray. "Are you alri-" her question was interrupted as the creature's paw swiped at her, catching her shoulder as she retreated a few steps back. "Are you alright?" she finished, jumping back to help the tom. She took a few swipes at the badger, but her claws just couldn't get through the matted fur.
The she-cat spat in frustration and jumped, swiping her claws across it's face. She was aiming for it's eyes, but the creature swung his head upward, and she hit it's nose. There was no way they could kill this thing! If they could just drive it off, that was their only hope.

[Alex the Steamed Rice Eater]

OOC: Yep, it's fine.

Smallclaw lay on the ground. His body was exploding with pain. He could only see out of one eye. With a wave of nausea, he realized that his eye was gone. The warrior was highly disoriented. He saw Riverflame trying to fight off the badger.

The tawny tabby tried to go for the badger, but when he took a step with his hind leg, he saw the blood welling out of it.

The badger had chewed the toes off of his foot.

Another wave of pain shot up his body. It felt like sharp things were poking him all over. His body was spasming, and he collapsed. He lost control of his hind legs all together. The tattered body of Smallclaw tried to crawl over to fight.

Smallclaw looked into Riverflame's eyes, a pool of pure fear.
The badger took another swipe at Smallclaw, slicing at Smallclaw's side. He screamed, and cried out, in pain.

"Please, Riverflame, tell Hawkstorm I still care..."
With that, the warrior collapsed, sides heaving.

It's not my time... Oh, StarClan, it's not my time to go. Why do I have to leave now?

Smallclaw took one last look at the world, the horrible, bloodstained world that Riverflame was left to fight in.
-----------------

Smallclaw saw Silverpelt. He looked down at his own body, and to his amazement it wasn't tattered. He could stand.

That's when he saw the stars in his fur.
"No..." he said. "Why..."

His spirit rushed to the fighting Riverflame. He needed to make contact with her one last time.
"And I still care about you.... run away from this badger. You don't have a chance fighting it off alone."

Smallclaw took one last look at the she-cat, and knew it was his time to join Silverpelt. Wailing, he bounded up, being greeted by the deceased warriors he had previously known in life.
---------------------------

(Holy shiznits, that was long. Well, I killed him off. Poor guy. )

[Riverflame]

(( Lol. But oh noes! *sob* Haha, did he really trust Riverflame would listen when he told her to run? Good thing she was wounded, or else she'd fight until one of them was dead. x3 ))

Riverflame dodged a swipe from the black and white animal, and noticed for the first time how heavily the tom was bleeding.
"Smallclaw!" she choked out, forgetting the badger for a moment. It was mouse-brained of her, but she couldn't let the tom die while she continued fighting. It somehow seemed wrong. She padded over, ducking her head to avoid the creature's snapping jaws, and winced as she put weight on her foreleg. The badger must have clawed deeper than she thought. But she made it over, and a fierce anger burned in her eyes. If she would have made it here sooner, maybe she could have saved Smallclaw. But she hadn't come in time. He was dead, gone to StarClan.
"I'll tell Hawkstorm. I'll see you in StarClan," she murmured, and then turned back to the badger. It had advanced. Riverflame grabbed Smallclaw's body by the scruff and ran back to camp.

[Alex the Steamed Rice Eater]

OOC: This post is making me cry. WAAAAAH! x3

Smallclaw was greeted solemnly by a chorus of voices.
"It is always a sad day in StarClan when such a young cat joins us."
"I'm sorry your life ended so abruptly."
"You had so much of your life ahead."

These greetings only made Smallclaw feel more like a horribly sad outcast. A terrible pressure pressed down on Smallclaw. He could only lay down and cry out, silver shining in his fur. He was totally lost. He had never really made any friends in life... how would he cope with having to stay trapped in this horrid, dark hole that was StarClan for him?

[Charbarboo]

((OOC: Oh no! Smallclaw!))

[Lord Pheonixfire]

(ooc: so sad and poor Smallclaw. You killed him off brilliantly Alex)

[Super Lemon]

((ooc: WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!
*sniff*
hey... that means i can kill my apprentices without guilt! ))