a not-so-new face [open/joining]

[Johnnyflame]

LIVE AS IF YOU WERE TO DIE TOMORROW​

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It had been almost three weeks since Thistleback had brought Johnny to Skyclans camp. Three long weeks of staring out at the woods and trying to get his shit together enough to make a choice. He'd told Thistle he'd come back, that he wanted to at least try the whole daylight warrior thing, but after returning him and setting paws back on familiar soil the guilt had set in.

And so he'd spent nearly three weeks sitting on the edge of uncertainty.

It was a new look for the bobtail for sure. Typically Johnny would make a choice and dive straight in without hesitating for a moment, but this? This wasn't a matter of 'what do i want to do about it'. This was a matter of 'loyalty', of drawing new lines and boundaries that he could be sure everyone would be okay with.

He didn't want to half-ass this.

Thankfully, Skyclan seemed eager in its own way to remind him of it's existence. His fence was visited often by cats from the clan who'd come creeping from the woodland, and he'd even gotten into a scuffle recently with a shecat who'd mistaken him for one of their daylight warriors after he'd been caught trying to sharpen his near non-existent hunting skills. Of course, the fresh scratches along his cheek and shoulder were hardly bothersome. They felt like medals of honor pinned upon his skin, and he wore them proudly even if his twolegs had fussed over him and cleaned them up already.

Though he'd only been there once, the way to Skyclans camp as locked in to the bobtails head already, and the stocky patched tomcat picked his way through the woods with confidence. Sure, he still had a bit of that 'new guy' nervousness, but it would have been hard to tell if you weren't familiar with him because Johnny had never really been a fan of hesitation. If he made a decision he stood behind that decision whole-heartedly, and since he'd come here to join Skyclan, there was no point in acting as if he was uncertain about it.

He knew what he wanted.

As the entrance to the camp came into sight, Johnny slowed his paws to a halt. Thistleback had told him to come back and visit whenever he wanted, but even with an open invitation it didn't feel right to stroll right into the heart of their home without permission. There were kids in there, families who wouldn't be familiar with him, and so instead he made his way over to sit at the base of a nearby tree, well within sight of the next cat to come through.

Once he'd properly announced his reason for being here, then he'd go inside...

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[Orangestar]

"You waiting for Thistleback, Johnny? He shouldn't be too far out." Orangeblossom's tail flicks in a friendly greeting to the calico tom as she passes, expression set in a hard line - despite her relative good mood, it's hard to ignore the limp in her step and her laboured breathing. They all knew that the black-and-white lead warrior had invited his friend to visit any time he wanted to, on his own responsibility, so Orangeblossom doesn't feel the need to chase him off - but she does take the opportunity to stop, slowing to a halt next to the visitor and stretching her bad leg out with a wince.

— info

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  orangeblossom. tags.
  — she/her, skyclan deputy.
  — mentor to eveningpaw.
  — attack in #e08550. uses trees as an integral part of her fighting style.
  — mean enough to note that her thoughts don't reflect my opinions as a writer haha.
  — penned by mercibun; @ me in any official tabbytales discord for plots. :]
  — art by merc!<3
  

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[TWITCHBOLT]

Not long behind Orangeblossom, as he emerged from the undergrowth it did not take Twitchbolt and his hyper-aware sensibilities very long at all to notice the chimera tom- for a moment, seeing an unfamiliar face set his fur into a coat of thistles, fluffed up in obvious alarm. Though he was easily startled, Twitchbolt was not idiotic, nor did he have a poor memory. This was- Thistleback's friend, wasn't it? He'd introduced him to everyone... and though the two of them hadn't spoken directly, Thistleback was someone that the mahogany-and-white tom trusted. If he was fine with Johnny, then...

"Uh, hi." It was a hoarse greeting, punctuated with an awkward smile- but there was sincerity about his demeanour as he flicked his kinked tail to accompany his words. Johnny was... lingering, though. Waiting for Thistleback- that was what Orangeblossom had said, and he wouldn't doubt her judgement was sounder than his.​

penned by pin ✧​

 

[BLAZESTAR]

Blazestar can scent a stranger in the camp from within his den, though at least this one is usually being moderated by Thistleback. The Ragdoll pushes his way through the elderberry bush guarding his quarters, dark eyes flicking from Twitchbolt and Orangeblossom to the bobtailed tomcat sitting between them.

"Hello," he murmurs, dipping his head in greeting. "I haven't seen Thistleback -- the lead warriors are quite busy, usually. Is there something you needed? A message to pass on? His tail begins to twitch behind him.​

[ PENNED BY MARQUETTE ]​

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[Johnnyflame]

LIVE AS IF YOU WERE TO DIE TOMORROW​

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To his relief, the first cat to arrive was familiar- Orangeblossom, the clans Deputy. He quickly got to his feet to greet her properly, not wanting to appear disrespectful to a superior eve if she technically wasn't his superior. Her greeting was friendly enough, quick to inform him that Thistleback was out, and while he hadn't come solely to see the piebald tomcat, he nodded a thanks just the same.

"Rough day of training?" he inquires with a nod toward her injured limb, tone casual, a friendly attempt at conversation as he waits, but genuine interest present as well.Thistleback had taught him a lot about Skyclan, but there were details he knew he would never fully understand until he experienced them himself.


From beside the shecat another voice piped up, a jittery looking young tom who offered him a greeting as well, and Johnny was quick to quip back with a "Hello." of his own, offering what he hoped to be a friendly enough smile to let the guy know he wasn't planning his murder.

The final cat to appear in those first few moments, was Blazestar himself. Johnny had been hoping to be directed to Thistleback so he could let the tom know of his decision, but it felt wrong to not speak his intentions aloud when both the clans leader and deputy were standing in front of him and Thistleback was nowhere to be found.

"Um, actually sir, I've come by because I wanted to join as one of your daylight warriors." he explained, bobbed tail giving a little flick as he got right to the point. "I've spent a lot of time re-thinkin' my priorities lately, and I want to help contribute to what you've all got going here. If you'll have me, that is."

He knew he was a work in progress. He could fight but he'd never hunted a day in his life and had no idea what the daily routines of a forest cat were, but he did know himself, and he was willing to put in the time and work to walk among the best of them. Something about Skyclan and it's cats just felt... admirable? honorable? He wasn't sure really, but it felt vry much like the kind of place he wanted to be a part of.
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[Fireflyglow]

"Sure you can take this lifestyle?" Fireflypaw quips up as he arrives, standing beside his father with a cheshire grin on his face. He wants to believe that Johnny would be a good match here, but the doubt is ever so evident in the way he avoids the gaze of the other tom. A hyena-like giggle leaves his lips, and he finds himself cackling like a mad man. "Ya can't just change 'yer mind, y'know!"​

 

[GREENEYES]

He hasn't met the cat Thistleback had brought to the clans, but Greenpaw has heard of Johnny. Word travels fast through SkyClan, after all!

So, when a strange cat appears, and others start mentioning Thistleback, ginger ears perk up with intrigue. Is this Johnny? The boy bounds over, eyes bright.

"Are you Johnny?" he asks, "I'm Greenpaw! It's nice to meet you!" Thistleback had brought him around before to meet some SkyClanners, it would only be polite if Greenpaw introduced himself too. The apprentice listens as the kittypet speaks, as an explanation for his arrival is brought forth.

"You want to be a daylight warrior? That means you'll have to keep coming back, you know," Greenpaw tells the patchworked feline. Maybe he'll have trouble with that, since it's been so long since Thistleback brought him around the first time? "But! That means you can also get a cool name, like... Johnnynose or... Johnnyspots! Or..." he hums, tilting his head to the side.

"Or, well, I'm sure Blazestar'll come up with something, if you want a cool warrior name!"
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[ThistleBack]

Ears pinned back, ferns are punched down as he storms through the woods. His eyes slitted, his mood a brewing storm. A jackdaw in his jaws, dark feathers tickling his nose and driving nails into his nerves. Thistleback hated the ticklish feeling he got from things touching his skin, especially when he wonders if Johnny was coming back. Why had this been bothering him so much. Was it truly a set of claws lost, or the smile of a man stationed in a garden forever- never to break his leash.

The man was purely loyal, but to the wrong cause. Twolegs could do anything, were gifted and spoiled like furless gods. Johnny didn’t need to give his whole life to them. Only to be buried in a shallow grave just like Rhinnon. The day they left him in the heated monster, suffocating. If any of his children ever ask him to have twolegs, he would never say yes.

Fireflypaw’s cheery giggles fill the air as he nears camp along with Greenpaw’s excited gush of words. Johnny. Thistleback’s thick scarred limbs rotate faster and he strides quickly through the forest in hard thuds. Slowing as he spots the gathered, Blazestar, Orangeblossom, and Twitchbolt among the voices he caught. He’s back, and whatever cloud that was building in the lead’s head was suddenly vanquished.

He pushes forth and drops his kill. " you’ve made your decision then " his tone reveals nothing to how he feels deep down. " good lad. " he feels a smile peek from his lips and he clears his throat to push it away. " they shouldn’t own your every moon. You deserve a real family too among your own kind, with honor and honest work " he adds, tail curling a bit with his words. " there is much to teach you. " he finishes.

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OOC INFO REF

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  Thirty-three moons EVENT TRACKER | IMPORTANT INFO
  — Lead warrior of Skyclan since 12.22.22
  — Devoted to Deersong 9.29.22 | polyamorous
  — Father of Coyotepaw, Pricklepaw, and Eveningpaw.
  — mentoring Snowpaw graduate(s) Quillstrike
  — very muscular piebald black and white tom with spiky fur and cold silver-grey eyes.
  — voice & accent
  — biography･ﾟ✧​
  OPEN for Dice battles | stine#3004
  
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[Johnnyflame]

LIVE AS IF YOU WERE TO DIE TOMORROW​

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More cats seemed to emerge as he finished speaking, the first being a younger tom with a wide grin that reminded him -unsettlingly enough- of the tom he'd met at his fence a few days prior. They'd been a skyclan cat for sure if their smell was anything to go by, but they'd been the strangest creature Johnny had ever had the pleasure??? of meeting. They'd spoken to him in riddles and then laughed in his face before walking off when he couldn't answer them properly, not even leaving their name Dawnglare, obviously lol.

"I'm sure." he replied, offering the youth a somewhat strained smile as the memory of that odd cat circled in his head. "I've spent most of my life outdoors anyways, and I'm no stranger to a fight or takin' on responsability. Just might need a bit of time to learn some of the other stuff." before quickly adding, "But I'll learn it. Never was afraid of a challenge."

Next to join them was another young cat, most likely a 'paw', like the one he'd just spoken to. While this one brimmed with energy as well, greeting him with a cheerful, 'are you johnny?' before launching into an introduction that had an honest grin settle on the bobtails maw, more at ease.

"It's very nice to meet you Greenpaw! And don't worry- I don't mind making the trek to camp every day. My twolegs nest is right on the edge of the woods anyways, so it's not a long journey for me to make." he assured them. "Especially if I get a cool name like Johnnyspots." he replied, playing along happily into the childs excitement.

Besides, it wasn't exactly a lie that he intended to earn himself one of those 'cool names'.

Noise in the brush would draw his gaze toward it, just as the familiar visage of another cat pushed its way into the clearing to join them. Bright amber eyes snapped to meet pale shining silver, and he was hit with that same nervous excitement as the last time he'd laid eyes on the lead warrior. There was just something about the other tom that demanded Johnny impress him, though the bobtail wasn't sure if the feeling came from Thistleback, or himself.

"Thistleback!" he called in greeting, stubbed tail twitching in a phantom wave of a tail he didn't possess.

" you’ve made your decision then. God lad. "

He couldn't help but straighten somewhat under the praise, trying and failing to keep the pride he felt toward the comment from bleeding through in his grin or posture.

The toms next words, as always, had a way of settling deep. It had never occured to the patched tabby that he might be lacking something in his life before all this. After all, his life had been good- he was kpt fed and healthy, given affection and the freedom to roam if he pleased. It seemed selfish for him to demand any more than that when so many others had so much less. And so he'd taught himself to be grateful, to be happy with what he had and to not go demanding more.

But Thistleback showing up at his garden fence that day had awoken something in him, something that was insisting he was missing somethig in his life, and maybe that's exactly what it was- a life with a real family among his own kind, where he could do something truly meaningful with his life other than watching trashbins and restlessly pacing the fenceline of a bunch of gardens. He can only nod his agreement, because in a way talking about what he deserves still leaves him feeling a fresh wave of guilt. But that other thing.

"I'm ready to learn." he assured them, the words confident and delivered steady. There were some things, like his home life, that Johnny wasn't sure about, but there were far more things that he was certain of, and this was one of them. "I want to do more with my life than stalking garden fences all day. I love my twolegs, but your right- my time there is wasted. There are cats here that are giving their all to survive and protect each other, and I'd rather contribute to that than guard a few trash bins for the rest of my life."
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