»»— Rat Vs Raz —«« TW: BLOOD, fighting, piercing ear, so uh- yeah! You've been warned Tn made by: @SilverFeatherPro101 Raspberryheart moved cautiously along the edge of CavernClan’s border, his paws pressing lightly into the damp earth as pink eyes scanned the territory for any sign of movement. He wasn’t just here to patrol or look for herbs, xey were searching for a specific cat, Daybreakstar. Being this close to the border after everything that had happened… it felt dangerous, like standing at the edge of a cliff he’d already been thrown from once before. "Surely lightning doesn't strike twice. "He meowed, trying to reassure himself, but his muscles remained tense, claws unsheathed just enough to dig into dirt if needed. A glint in the grass caught his attention, pulling him from his thoughts. Xeir ears twitched forward as he tilted his head slightly, eyes narrowing against sunlight reflecting off something unnatural among the green blades. Curiosity winning over caution for once, xey stepped closer and nudged aside foliage with one paw, revealing an unexpected sight: a delicate pair of earrings, their silver edges gleaming where they lay half-buried under crushed leaves and old rain scent. How long had they been there? Who left them? Where... Where did they come from? The earrings were stunning, delicate pearls that caught the sunlight. Xey traced a paw over them, admiring how they shimmered against the earth before lifting his gaze to scan his surroundings once more. No scent or sound of nearby patrols... just a rustling thicket and, beyond it, a raspberry bush, its branches heavy with plump fruit. A thrill ran through him. Perfect. Xey padded over quickly but carefully, mindful not to drop his newfound treasure. Once there, he set down the earrings on a broad leaf for safekeeping before nudging aside thorny tendrils with his nose, ignoring tiny pricks against his fur to seek out just the right tool, a sturdy thorn still clinging to its stem after last night’s windstorm. Hooking it free with practiced claws didn’t take long… but then came hesitation. His breath hitched as he pressed needle-sharp point against flesh near the bottom of his ear . A sharp inhale followed by pressure, a stinging pain radiated outward instantly as puncture bloomed crimson beneath dark fur, one drip… two drips staining his shoulder before trickling further downward towards soil beneath paws where they vanished among roots unseen. He repeated the process with the other ear with even more hesitation than before. Pain lingered hot behind his eyes even after dropping the bloodied thorn aside hurriedly. No going back now. while trembling paws he grabbed the pearl earrings that had been left waiting patiently upon a leaf-bedding moments prior… With two small clicks and some hiss of pain, the earrings were finally on. His breath came in quick, shallow pants as he froze mid-step, ears flattening against his skull when the world around him shifted. The trees loomed higher- No, they were higher. The grass towered like saplings where it once brushed his belly fur. The scent of damp earth and crushed raspberries flooded his senses tenfold as everything grew… No. A sharp inhale. A frantic glance downward at paws too tiny to be his own. It wasn’t the world growing larger… He had shrunk. His stomach twisted with a feeling of unease. Even the smallest pebbles now looked like boulders beneath him. A high-pitched mewl escaped him before he could choke it back, heart hammering so loud he swore predators would hear it for miles. And there, stark against the dirt despite their miniature size now… Were those same droplets of blood from moments ago, his blood glinting like rubies on darkened soil where they’d fallen when he was still his normal size. Xeir fur puffed up along every inch of his frame while he tried to desperately not think about how easily an owl might see him as an easy snack. He couldn’t even fly away due to his broken win. His ears swiveled frantically, straining against the rustling of distant leaves. Each sound magnified tenfold in his shrunken state. At this size, even a beetle could be dangerous. A fox? It might as well be a monster. The undergrowth trembled. Then there it was. A hulking shadow lunged from the bushes, its wiry fur bristling as white teeth gleamed like daggers in the dim light. The creature didn’t hesitate; it was on him before he could bolt, pinning him with claws like curved thorns into his back before he had time to twist away. "Get off!" He writhed beneath its weight, kicking wildly with his hind legs until one desperate strike collided with its ribs. The rat let out a screech but didn’t release him. Instead its jaws snapped inches from his throat as a rancid breath hot against his neck made panic surge through every vein like fire. [ Cont below ]
Until instinct took over. A yowl tore from him as he bucked harder this time, throwing all remaining strength behind one final kick sending it staggering just enough for an opening. He didn't wait another heartbeat to flee scrambling backwards only to feel loose soil give way under tiny paws mid-retreat sending tumbling head over heels down an unexpected slope where brambles ripped at fur until finally skidding onto flat ground again… The impact of his fall still reverberated through his bones, leaving every muscle trembling and sore. Jagged scrapes from the tumble stung where dirt and debris had ground into them, but worse, far worse were the frayed remnants of the careful bindings that had once secured his broken wing. The vines, painstakingly woven to hold the fragile bones in place, now hung in useless tatters along his flank, their snapped ends dangling like broken spider silk. He barely had time to lift his head before movement flickered at the edge of vision, dark fur surging toward him too fast for flight even if he’d been whole. Then weight crushed him back into dirt as needle-sharp claws sank deep between ribs while teeth like shards of flint clamped down on hind leg tendon with terrifying precision. A scream ripped free before he could choke it back, Every nerve screamed louder than his voice ever could as copper tang flooded tongue where fangs bit own lip bloody trying to stifle sound lest more predators come running… (End here since this is where the thread with Topaz and Raz starts)
