Round 5

[Darkstar]

Moonfeather appeared in the center of the clearing, the remaining cats gathering around her.

"This will be a break round. Feel free to do as you please. Converse. Con. Do whatever it is you mortal cats do these days."

[Ibiswing]

Ibiswing held her breath as she stood in front of Moonfeather. What horrible obstacle would be in their way this time? She squeezed her eyes shut, but then Moonfeather announced a... break round?

Are you kidding me?

The she-cat let out a semi-relieved huff and knitted her brow. No deaths? She moved over to Cloudbreeze and nudged her friend's neck gently. "Um, I guess we're supposed to talk to each other? Or something?" she mewed. "I'm still kind of suspicious of Moonfeather. She can't be letting us have an easy break like this. It's just too easy. Don't you think?"

[Falconwing]

The tom growled and pushed his way past some undergrowth, searching for a water source. He heard the trickling sound of water and called to the others, letting them know that it was there.

Falconwing panted as he reached a pretty decent looking place. It had a river, a few trees here and there, and the soft sound of scuffling prey. But food was the last thing on his mind. He coughed and nearly slobbered at the sight of the river, rolling lazily. The tabby trotted over to it, nearly falling over as he laid on his stomach, scooping in water with his tongue and paw. He sighed in contempt, his belly swelling largely from the intake on water. Although, it looked beautifully clear, it left a taste in his mouth. He swiped his tongue over his jaws over and over, finally ridding of the taste. He sat back, staring at the ground as he dragged himself away from the water. He wasn't hungry, just thirsty. He was covered in soot, his nostrils were caked with it and his throat was dry. He looked around, making sure that the other tributes were ok. The tom pushed himself up to his feet and walked back to the others, his head hanging low and sleep weighing heavily on him.

"Are any of you hungry?" the tom asked, his voice scratchy. His eyes burned and his skin itched as he blinked, licking his paw.

[Cloudbreeze]

Cloudbreeze felt someone nudge her, looking over at Ibiswing with unclear eyes. She listened to her words, but everything sounded like gibberish. She was still trying to get past Willowbreeze's death.

"She isn't dead, Ibiswing. She isn't ..."

It was no use doing this. She couldn't help in though.

At Falconwing's question, she shook her head, closing her eyes.

[Crystalclaw]

Crystalclaw looked around at every cat. A break round? What did that mean? Was she supposed to just socialize and get close with cat's that where gonna die. She had already seen emotionally attached cat's die and the other would be sad forever. No way was she going to interact with them. Of course she might tag along. But no talking and no getting along.

She followed Falconwing and Cloudbreeze with the other's on her tail. Probably. They came to a halt and she bent down by the river to take a drink. The water cleared her throat and made her feel more replenished then ever. She could stay there in that moment forever, if she wanted to. But she needed to be able to.move. Who knew what might come next.

[Ibiswing]

Ibiswing watched the scene unfold quietly. She watched as Falconwing drank water, and it seemed to her like he was acting a little weird- but then again, his friend and Clanmate had just died. Why shouldn't he be acting weird? She shook her head. "No thank you. I'm fine," she mewed, dipping her head and shooting him a little smile. "Thanks for asking, though."

She sighed as Cloudbreeze spoke, and gently licked her friend's forehead. "Willowbreeze has passed away," she said quietly but firmly. "One day, we'll see her again in CloudClan. I'm sure she's very happy there, prancing about in the stars and all." Ibiswing didn't want to say that the day they'd see Willowbreeze again could be very, very soon for either or both of them.

[Cloudbreeze]

The gray and white tabby gave a sigh. Cloudbreeze glanced back at her tail, shaking her head.

"The dog got my tail. The one that strayed from the others."

She winced as she moved her tail over, looking at the dried blood on her fur she hadn't gotten the chance to get off. It stung with a pain like she never felt before. Cringing, she lay her head down, sighing.

[Falconwing]

Falconwing sighed, hearing the troubles echo. He coughed, shifting his weight to get a bit more comfortable.

"I am sorry for your loss-...losses. They are in a better place know. But, all of us need rest. Why don't you guys try and sleep, I'll stay up and keep watch, just in case Cloudclan tries to pull something," The tom meowed, sitting down. He curled his shabby tail over his paws. His pelt used to be so glorious looking, but now it was bleak and darkened. Falconwing coughed again, clearing his throat. It felt like something was stuck in it. Probably some more soot lodged in his throat.

His stomach grumbled, making the tom look at his paws in slight embarrassment. He must be hungry. There wasn't time for food. Besides, everytime he would even look at something alive, the flash of Crimsonsky's battered pelt always reminded him of his dead clanmate.

[Crystalclaw]

Crystalclaw watched Falconwing suspiciously. No way was she going to fall asleep under his watch she barely knew him. What if he was tricking her into a deep sleep that she would never wake up out of. She stood her ground.

"I think I will stay awake, with everything happening I won't be able to sleep" she announced. "I'll keep watch too."

[Falconwing]

[Since nobody is really responding and we also have to move this plot along]

Falconwing glared at Crystalclaw. Did she not trust him to make sure no danger would come near them? He coughed again, slightly growling.

"Oh, so you think that I will let creatures devour you all? I can take care of the watch, th-" The tom lowered his head, his back arched as another violent cough took over him. Something warm flowed into his mouth. He spat it out. Blood. Falconwing looked at the spatter of blood with confusion before his stomach twisted. His chest tightened, making it hard for him to breath. Falconwing stumbled backward, something surging into his throat. It tasted awful. The tabby turned and vomited on the ground, the liquid pooled around his feet. His stomach kept twisted. He gritted his teeth as pain kept striking him constantly. A small whimper escaped his lips as he stumbled once more, catching himself. Once more, he ducked his head and vomited again, his throat tight and his body tired.

Then came the convulsing. Falconwing propped himself up slightly, panting before his back arched once more, pain shooting through him. He shrieked, falling to the ground, twisting violently as he thrashed. His eyes were widened as fear coursed through him. What was happening? Was...was he going to die too? How pitiful. Falconwing screeched once more, his paw clasping his mouth to quiet himself. But, his paws shook too much to even muffle anything. As the tom convulsed, he looked around, his vision slowly failing him. Tears slowly gathered at the edges of his eyelids. They slipped down his cheeks.

And then, it stopped. Falconwing was dead.

[Ibiswing]

Ibiswing nudged Cloudbreeze softly. "I know. You'll be fine," she said, the words feeling like lead in her mouth.

Suddenly, she heard a violent coughing sound from the riverside. She turned her head, whipping it around, and as if it were a dream, the image of Falconwing convulsing on the ground swam before her eyes. The she-cat's mouth parted slightly, and she rubbed her eyes. Her feet refused to move. "No!" she cried out. There weren't supposed to be any deaths!

And then, he was still. She ran over to him and nudged his body- cold. Dead.

[Cloudbreeze]

Cloudbreeze had closed her eyes, sighing before she sat upright again, hearing Ibiswing's cry. Standing up, the gray and white tabby walked slowly over there, one thought running through her mind.

RockClan is the last clan with both tributes.

"There are three now."

[Crystalclaw]

Falconwing began to say something but his sentence was interuppted by a fit of coughing. Blood splattered forward hitting the she-cat's white pelt staining it in crimson. She gasped and instantly pulled back. Her hair stood on end. Tears where pooling in her eyes. Why was she crying. This was the one thing she didn't want to happen. She didn't want to be attached.

"Forgive me. Please just don't die. Too many have died. No, no, no. It's my fault. Mine" she stammered slowly veering on the edge of her sanity. Falconwing went limp and Crystalclaw sent a growl of frustration and sadness into the night.

[Teller of the Sunken Sun]

Underbrush. They'd encountered underbrush. However, Sunteller did not deter from his path. He had a sure feeling about the direction that they were supposed to head in, and ancestor that had visited him in his dream had told him that this was to be his journey. He was to head towards this clearing, the location of which he was not completely sure of-- only the general direction. He'd brought a small group, a small scout group with two prey-hunters and a cave-guard. They were not intimidating to say the least, and they were not going with ill intentions. However, Rat's speech about savages had made Sunteller cautious, and he was wary of encountering others-- no matter what they were. He was on edge, uneasy, but tried to appear calm for his fellow Tribe members. If the leader was freaking out, how were they to react? No- he had to maintain his cool. 


As he padded along, he suddenly paused mid-step, right paw held in the air as if he'd frozen, his tail just above the tops of the grass they stood in. This was not the mountainous terrain he had prepared himself for. He had never learned how to fight in terrain ... not littered with rocks everywhere, not covered in obstacles, things they could use to their advantage. But this scent- this scent that brought uncertainty to Sunteller, was that of many cats. He allowed his paw to be placed delicately on the ground, halting completely and then lifting his tail as if to signal a warning, to signal all of them to stop. He tilted his head towards the side, not turning away from the land before him so that he may watch for any incoming hostiles.

"Rat, could you give us a quick rundown about what we should do if we encounter some of this--- savages, as you called them." It wasn't that he was afraid-- oh, no. He was not afraid. He was reassuring himself of that. He just liked being prepared, you know. To know what to do if anything were to happen. Yes, that was exactly what he was doing. Preparing for the unexpected. 


[Rat Who Scurries Through Rocks Raven of the Stormy Sky Ash @wtbad]

[Deleted]

Wind of course had been permitted to go. She followed the group of 5. There were 3 prey-hunters, 1 cave-guard and their leader. Teller seemed pretty young and he could probably take on a cat or two if needed. They padded for a little bit before they came face-to-face with lots of underbrush. Teller didn't veer away from the underbrush though, he dove into it. Cautiously she followed behind him, keeping her ears perked for signs of danger, like other cats. She stopped when they broke through the underbrush and onto a rocky area.

She sniffed the air, there were many cats smells and the reeked smell of blood. "Teller, smell carefully, there is blood." She whispered seeing him brace for something. Anything could happen at that moment, the other cats could not notice them, they attack, they could and flee or they could stand their ground and maybe still fight. The tribe was needed to protect their territory and if Wind had to fight she would. She unsheathed her claws and stood still listening for the other cats in case they charged.