The Chronicles of Koipaw

vi

Black and Blue
word limit - 1500
points earned - 10

Thick, heavy fog lay below granite peak, spreading it's moisture around the rocky plateau and disabling long distance vision. Veins of impure salt swirled along the stone crags, creating an ethereal marbled effect on the mountains. A circle of towering cliffs surrounded a lush, V-shaped valley. An aquamarine waterfall sliced through the morning mist, it's frigid water spraying from a crack in the highest pike of the mountain cluster. Rough kobicha tree trunks with brittle, peridot leaves protruded from the thick clouds of smog, creating small clusters of lavish jade clouds. The clean mountain air was stagnant, allowing a cold frost to lay on the hard, rocky floor. Below the dense veil of clouds were dozens of cats gathered on either side of a powder-blue brook, snarls plastered on their faces.

"AsterClan, attack!" Yowled a dirty blond tom-cat with dull green eyes. A swarm of particularly lanky cats leaped over the stream, herding themselves into battle. The first few seconds were a complete frenzy, cats from both clans trying to pick off the easiest cat while subsequently being picked off by the strongest warriors. Every cat had jumped to the other side of the rushing water but one. The warrior was one of, if not the biggest cat in the battle. His shoulders and hind legs were packed with pure strength and muscle, his claws sharper than a badger tooth. With a freckled face and gleaming ultramarine eyes, this warrior was the perfect combatant. His fluffy face snapped back and forward, searching for his unknown factor, and finally, he found it.

In an almost cliché way, a clear path was open for a split second, revealing a beautiful chocolate-and-white tortoiseshell with elegant features and a regal expression. Bunching up power in his hind muscle, the warrior took three forceful bounds and sailed across the rushing rivulet in one formidable leap. The freckled warrior took advantage of the prompt path and ran to the she-cat, his eyes wide; his whiskers twitching with anticipation. As soon as the sapphire-eyed warrior reached the tortoiseshell, the path closed, trapping the pair in a circle of fighting cats. The two dipped their heads, acknowledging each other in a mute communication. Their eyes locked, his Egyptian blue orbs reflecting her forest green ones, passion igniting in both of their feline gazes.

"It's time, Grizzlyfang. I've trained you harder than I have with any of my clan's apprentices." Her tail kinked as she continued. "Our leaders fight a pointless battle, yet today is the day I shall finally see if you're ready to beat me." No further words were exchanged as the two dropped into a delicate crouch. The two had almost exact skill, yet Grizzlyfang had the strength to make up for the stamina he lacked against his opponent. They circled each other for a few moments until the bicolour she-cat leaped high in the air, aiming for the Scottish Fold's hairy back. In retaliation, the tom-cat easily rolled away and brought his paw across his rival's face, only just missing her eyes. Saccharine metallic blood sprung from the rake, splashing on the ground. This was only simple moves, the muscular warrior realized with a jolt. She was testing him, and he had succeeded. It was time for an actual battle. Again, the molly ran at Grizzlyfang with speed to match a swooping bird and contorted her body underneath his legs.

Badger Defence

The AsterClan tom-cat could almost hear his mentor whispering the perfect counterattack. The unorthodox move was one used on angry badgers, but would be perfect in this situation. Grizzlyfang waited until the dappled she-cat was only a whisker-length from him and then leaped over the tortoiseshell, turned on his back legs and bit her leg. Clumps of tepid, sticky blood spurted out from where the large tom-cat's yellowed fangs pierced his foe's thick skin. Shrieking in pain, the multicolour she-cat whipped her turn leg away from her attacker. Beneath the pain flooding her Dartmouth-green eyes was pride and delight; her apprentice learned so well from her. Both stood only a fox-length from each other, surveying what to do next. "Thank you for teaching me, Puddlestalk." The folded-ear cat murmured. Then, he attacked.

Half-Turn Belly Rake

Again, his mentor's voice sounded in his head. Grizzlyfang remembered the countless training sessions to help perfect this move and the sleepless nights of practicing. The Scottish Fold took two mighty bounds and darted underneath the dappled enemy, slicing his claws up her belly. As he went to commence the final stage of the move, Puddlestalk swiftly jumped away, throwing the muscular warrior off balance. While the tom-cat was temporarily stunned, the long-limbed she-cat flicked her hind legs in the air as she spun on her forepaws, as quick as lightning, she suddenly raked her needle-like claws at Grizzlyfang's larynx, then tucked into an armadillo ball, rolling towards the spotted tom-cat and throwing him to the ground. A sharp, stabbing pain in the fuzzy feline's throat made him shriek in pain as he tasted his own syrupy blood. A final, well-aimed kick to the tom's chest sent him crashing down the marshy banks of the river and plunging into the icy water.

A wave of arctic water hit Grizzlyfang as his head submerged into the depths. His breath was knocked from his chest as the tri-colour tom-cat searched for precious air. He waited until his soaked legs hit the pebble-covered bottom then with a large, powerful kick, pushed himself to the surface. The warrior submerged, hacking the wintry liquid out of his injured windpipe. He stumbled onto the shallow shore but was momentarily blinded by another wave of frosty water covering his eyes. Through the blurriness that obscured his sharp feline vision, Grizzlyfang could see two tortoiseshell paws immersed in the water, tiny droplets flying away from the disturbed surface. Before the Scottish Fold could retaliate, Puddlestalk swept her leg from underneath him, making his sturdy forelegs buckle and once again, submerging him. A surge of panic overtook the AsterClan warrior again as the realization that he was going to lose this precious battle.

Underwater Push-Off

Grizzlyfang gasped underwater, letting air escape in bubbles from his mouth. The move wasn't generally used by his Clan, but it was a last resort for water-fighting. He had one chance to get this right before his bi-colour opponent figured out what was happening. He channeled all of his remaining power to his hind-legs and swiftly jumped up from the brook's depths and onto Puddlestalk's shoulders. The two tumbled from the stream and back onto the springy grassland of the valley before the tom-cat let go of the calico cat. Both stood up on shaky legs, again only a fox-length apart. Cold steam arose from the pair's black lips, the cold finally getting to their systems. The fight had to end. Now.

Puddlestalk reared up on her lean hind-legs and pushed down on her foe's shoulders. A powerful move, the Upright Lock, yet Grizzlyfang managed to push her off his tender bone and expose the molly's sensitive belly. Thinking rashly, the sapphire-eyed tom-cat dragged his claws into her soft flesh in her belly. He was only halfway down her stomach when Puddlestalk ducked and rolled away from his infliction. Her forest green eyes gleamed with excitement. She ran at him, jumping onto bruised back and kicking his forepaws, allowing the warrior to crash down onto the dirt. Anger bubbled up inside Grizzyfang as he realized that yet again, his unofficial mentor had bested him by attacking his legs and paws. Heaving with anguish, the large, fluffy cat rolled onto his back, flinging his attacker off. The two were too evenly matched; they could not beat each other using normal Clan fighting techniques. Suddenly, he had an idea.

The two continued to battle with petty apprentice blows to the face. Grizzyfang used his advantage in strength to slowly push his mentor towards the icy river. The brown-and-white tortoiseshell had managed to get a few nasty claw marks along her opponent's forehead and chest, while the tri-colour enemy warrior had inflicted a large mark across her neck. For a few more minutes, they fought, until both were belly-deep in the clear ultramarine water. Flicking his tail faster than a rabbit, Grizzlyfang flung water into Puddlestalk's eyes, just as she did to him. The she-cat yelped in surprise, allowing him to have a split-second window of attack. Rushing forward with all remaining energy he had left; the stippled warrior did the only move he could think of.

The Underwater Clinch

Using his unusually powerful muscles, the bulky combatant thrust the angular warrior into the bitter frost of the water. Allowing her to struggle for a few seconds, Grizzlyfang yanked her above the water and then dunked her back under the disturbed surface. This painful cycle happened only twice more before Puddlestalk lost energy, her legs buckling from under her. One final time, Grizzlyfang pulled her up again and threw her to the shore, standing on top of her with his soaked chest puffed out. "You won, kid. It's time you become like me..." the defeated warrior wheezed out in pain.

"...a warrior of darkness."