Private Thread Plot Thread Do You Hear the Call?

Think before you leap. Find the right route. ~Shadefrost
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Shadefrost’s tail flicked once at her grin, the tension along his back easing just a fraction. He gave her a small, approving nod, careful to keep his voice calm.

“That sounds good,” he murmured, eyes scanning the trees even as he followed her lead. “I… I’ll keep watch while you move ahead. Your instincts usually find the best spots anyway.”

He paused, whiskers twitching as a faint rustle passed through the undergrowth. “If a squirrel,or anything else, crosses our path, I’ll be ready.”

Even as he said it, he relaxed enough to let a tiny smirk tug at his muzzle, though it disappeared almost instantly. With Leopardrose beside him, the forest didn’t feel quite as unpredictable.

Spawn of flame, Thunder-struck, from the ashes I rise
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Leopardrose’s whiskers twitched at Shadefrost’s quiet confidence, her own posture loosening just enough to match the ease in his voice. but as she opened her mouth to reply, a sound tore through the forest.

Her ears snapped toward the sound. "Shadefrost - !" She burst through the ferns, lungs drawing in the sharp tang of blood. Rogue. The tortoiseshell.

Leopardrose skidded into a small clearing just in time to see the tortoiseshell rogue’s claws rake across Quailcall’s shoulder the ThunderClan warrior pinned beneath her. The rogue’s eyes gleamed wild and feral, teeth bared as she leaned in for another strike.

Leopardrose’s snarl ripped out of her as she launched forward, every muscle coiled with the same cold fury she carried for moons.

The rogue finally lifted her head, eyes flicking toward Leopardrose and Shadefrost and hissed.

Think before you leap. Find the right route. ~Shadefrost
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Shadefrost’s heart lurched when Leopardrose shouted his name, but his paws were already moving.
He broke into the clearing seconds behind her, and the scene crystallized: Quailcall pinned, the rogue’s claws red, Leopardrose braced for a fight.

He moved to Leopardrose’s flank, pressing close enough that she could feel the steadying heat of him.

“Leopardrose,” he murmured, soft, grounding, before his gaze snapped to the rogue.

The softness vanished. His tail lashed once. He may be a nervous wreck but no cat messed with his clanmates. 

“You’ve made a mistake.” Not loud. Not dramatic. Just a simple truth spoken like a threat.

He angled his body so Leopardrose had the cleaner strike.

“Stay on her left,” he said quietly, eyes never leaving the enemy. “Her balance is off. I’ll take the right.”

Spawn of flame, Thunder-struck, from the ashes I rise
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Leopardrose didn’t need more than a heartbeat to fall into rhythm with Shadefrost and nodded.

The rogue lunged first.

Leopardrose met her with a snarl, sweeping left. The tortoiseshell’s wounded side from Quailcalls claws dipped, her strike overextending. Leopardrose slipped under it, jaws snapping grazing fur but not enough to penetrate.

First step was to get the rogue away from Quailcall of which she could tell was still breathing. For now.

The rogue lunged again, fury wild. Leopardrose pivoted, forcing the rogue to turn her injured side toward Shadefrost's waiting claws. She trusted his timing as much as he trusted her openings.

Think before you leap. Find the right route. ~Shadefrost
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Shadefrost moved the instant Leopardrose opened the rogue’s flank toward him. His heart hammered in his ears, breath sharp with the copper tang of blood, but his paws knew what to do.

He slid in low, claws raking across the exposed side in a clean, practiced arc. The rogue shrieked and stumbled, forced back from Quailcall as Shadefrost withdrew to Leopardrose’s flank.

A tremor ran through his tail, puffed out with adrenaline, but his stance stayed firm.

“She’s off balance,” he said quickly, eyes flicking to Leopardrose for half a heartbeat before snapping back to the rogue. “I can push her right if you take the left.”

His chest rose and fell faster than usual, but his claws remained unsheathed, steady.

“We can drive her off, just keep her turning.”

Even nervous, his voice held a quiet certainty.

He trusted Leopardrose’s rhythm.
And he trusted himself to hold the line beside her.

Spawn of flame, Thunder-struck, from the ashes I rise
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Leopardrose matched his momentum. Shadefrost’s strike threw the rogue off balance and Leopardrose surged in on the opening as she hooked toward the left just as he’d called.

The rogue lunged past them toward the woods and Leopardrose was in pursuit. She pounded after the rogue, leaves flying passed as her sleek frame erupted from foliage to fern. That is... until the last trace of pawsteps vanished into the distance.

Only then did she lower herself, sides heaving with controlled breaths, and flick her gaze toward Shadefrost. "Foxdung! We... should go to Quailcall and bring her back to camp." Her paws moved down, scooping up some moss in her mouth before galloping over to the red ticked warrior.

Still alive...but for how much longer she couldn't know.

Think before you leap. Find the right route. ~Shadefrost
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Shadefrost skidded to a halt beside her, sides quivering with leftover adrenaline. “They... they’re gone,” he breathed, shock and relief tangled in his voice. His gaze followed the empty trail a heartbeat longer, then snapped back to Leopardrose.

“Quailcall. Right, right.” He forced his fur to lie flat, swallowing hard. “Let’s get her home.”

He hurried to Leopardrose’s side, helping brace Quailcall’s weight as best he could. His paws still trembled, but his voice steadied. “We’ve got you. Just… stay with us.”