(TW. violence, blood) It dashed towards the source of the sound, heart racing, eyes wide. It searched through the bushes, frantic. Every nerve in their body tried to warn them to be more cautious, to think twice, to consider what could go wrong, but excitement and hope had blinded the Iceclan warrior. They didn’t have time to think that far ahead. If there was even a sliver of hope that this was a Starclan cat, it would grasp it. Finally, they found the source of a sound. And elegant figure sitting, facing away from them. They didn't speak for a moment. They couldn't. What were they supposed to say to a starclan cat? Though they have wished so many times to speak to one, they never really thought of /what/ to say if it ever actually happened. Finally, after a moment of silence, Hauntedhollow spoke. "He-hello." A simple greeting, but it hoped it would do. "You're from starclan, right?" After a second of unresponsiveness, it carefully reached out a paw and tapped on the stranger's shoulder, trying to get their attention. And oh did Hauntedhollow get their attention. The stranger's body turned around quickly. So incredibly quickly, that Hauntedhollow didn't have time to react to the teeth sinking into their back leg. They didn't have time to scream as their attacker picked them up by their leg and shook them back and forth, before pinning them down with a paw, snarling. Gasping for breath, Hauntedhollow looked up, terrified, at their attacker's face. Their mouth was pulled back in a snarl, revealing sharp teeth dripping with sapphire blue ichor. Their grey face held two yellow eyes staring down at Hauntedhollow with hatred. This was not a starclan cat. No, this wasn't even a cat at all. This was a wolf. Starclan had not answered their calls, Starclan had sent a beast to try and kill them. Finally did Hauntedhollow manage to get out of their shocked daze. Hauntedhollow screamed as the wolf tore at their helpless body, tearing fur and spilling sapphire blue blood. It begged that someone would show up, someone to come and save them. They found themselves calling out the names of every single cat they knew. Leopardlark, Blessedhope, Jasminejuniper, even Stapeliashard. Stapeliashard. From the Dark Forest. Who was probably the reason that they had to deal with so many of their problems in the first place. They didn't care who showed up now. They just wanted this wolf to go away. But no one came. Hauntedhollow was left alone, thrashing, flailing, fighting for their life. Just when it seemed like this fight would never end, the wolf yanked Hauntedhollow’s leg again. Pain jolted through them, and amongst the panic, blood, and desperation, they kicked at the wolf with their free leg. They thought that luck seemed to finally find them for the first time in a while, as their hard hoof-like paw connected with something squishy. It took them a moment to realize it had kicked their attacker in the eye. The wolf howled. A pained cry that Hauntedhollow could swore had almost shattered their own eardrums. Hauntedhollow felt the claws that had been tearing at their body lift away. Before it could even blink, the wolf was running, vanishing into the bushes once again.
