achilles come down — troutsnout

[FOXTAIL]

Foxtail found himself padding after Troutsnout, a warrior four moons younger than him. She has barely been a warrior, merely only two moons, but those first two moons feel so much longer than that. He can't believe that he's been a warrior for nearly seven moons; it feels like he and Feathergaze were sharing tongues at their two moon mark just yesterday. Time went by so slowly as an apprentice, though he wonders if being apprenticed so young contributed to it. Or perhaps it was due to his mediocre apprenticeship... Maybe it would've been faster and more exciting if he had a better mentor. He shakes the thought out of his mind, letting out a quiet sigh. Troutsnout had asked him earlier if he wanted to go fishing, and the young warrior knew he couldn't resist catching some fish.

Troutsnout seems pretty friendly. He doesn't know her too well, but in the instances he's shared a word with her, she has been nice. A cat who is easy to befriend, and overall pretty easy going. Foxtail on the other hand, is quite the timid warrior. He isn't nearly as outgoing as her, but he follows her along through RiverClan territory as they get closer to their destination.

Finally, they arrive at the main river. With a light smile on his maw, the fuzzy warrior crouches at the shore. His olive green eyes scan the water for any fish, but movement in his peripheral catches his attention. He looks up as the younger warrior enters the river. He catches her blue gaze in his eyes, and Foxtail suddenly finds himself looking away; his olive green eyes staring at the flowing river. "O-oh, I-I don't know if I'm up for swimming today," His voice stammers and his tail nervously swishes behind him, his ears pinning back with shame. He doesn't have to say another word; Troutsnout can probably already tell that Foxtail has a fear of water. What RiverClanner would deny the invite for a comfortable swim while fishing?
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𝐨𝐨𝐜 𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭

• @Troutsnout
  
• 
  
  

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  credit to skaicraft (via insta) for the artwork <3
  
• Foxtail

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  warrior
  warmhearted
  timid
  experience: trained
  backstory: tbd
  biography: [HYPERLINK]
  credit to sixbane for the minis & tropics for the icon <3
  

  cisgender male [he / him]
  eyes: green
  pelt: cinnamon/chocolate
  fur length: long
  parents: dawnflower and redfur (riverclan npcs)
  18 moons
  

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[Gladefrost]

Her chambray gaze meets the tom-cat's olive hued gaze and he pans his focus towards the flowing water that gently lapped at her limbs. Riverclan tends to have some loose-mouthed queens, elders and warriors so it's sometimes easy to hear about someone's past without willingly wanting to know it. She didn't know much about Foxtail's fear for the water besides it having to be a incident of common peer pressure when he was an apprentice, not to mention having a mentally and physically abusive mentor. She's not going to force him to get in the water, make a snarky comment or anything of the assortment as she lets out a soft, "okay". The waters feel good on her worked body, eyes closing as she enjoys the waters as they soak her long coat.

Troutsnout gently floats on the water with her faintly paddling to keep her from flipping with the gentle sway of the water. Whenever she was in the waters, she felt free in a manner and didn't feel bound by her shackles. She was a young warrior but it was clear that she overworked herself for a sort of compensation, was it compensation for her lack of happiness because she constantly everyone first? It was an unknown fact, it was just clear that she barely slept, took care of herself and rather put herself on the bottom of the food chain before herself. Her gaze swafts over the river, a weak hum leaving her lips as she observed for any clueless fish. "I hope... one day you will enjoy the waters again." A gentle statement as she glances at the older warrior who stood on the shore, a chambray gaze looking to the skies.

A stray fish wanders in a distance as she sits still in the wadding waters, watching as the fish slowly approaches her wearingly but it's too late for the fish. A sudden splash comes from Troutsnout as she quickly dives forward and under the water for a moment, claws snatching into the fish's flank as she bites into the thick neck of the scaled animal. Her coat is drenched and heavy as she surfaces moments later with the fish in her jaws, paws resting on the shore as she holds her head up with the fish in the sky before slowly climbing back up on the shore alongside Foxtail. "It's nothing to be ashamed for fearing the water as you have your personal reasons... what happened to you could've happened to anyone that day."

The spotted tabby would murmur as she settles the fish down as she coughs softly after swallowing the water on her dive, leaning back on her paws as she stares down at the water. "You... didn't deserve what happened to you." Her words are comforting yet she doesn't look at the cinnamon tailed warrior so he doesn't feel obliged to avoid her gaze of shame once again. She shifts her positions to lay on her stomach, paws dangling the water's edge as she stared at her own reflection. She hates it, because she's doesn't know what to feel when Mistybird called her pretty— it's a foreign concept to her.

"I won't let the water hurt you, or anyone pressure you into that situation. Okay?" Troutsnout states as she offers him a weak smile, exhausted chambray eyes meeting his olive gaze. This felt awkwardly intimate telling someone that she would protect them, as she was used to telling her siblings or the kits that she wouldn't let anyone harm them. She tucks her paws underneath her chest as she yawns softly, a long plumed tail swaying as she removes her gaze. "I'll be here for you... if you ever want to get comfortable to the rivers again, you are a ... brave warrior." Her voice would murmur as she slowly stands up, watching the waters once more for anymore fish to catch and bring back to the refugees or the camp.

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OOC
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[FOXTAIL]

Foxtail should know a cat like Troutsnout wouldn't get upset at him, but for a brief moment he can't help but worry. RiverClan cats are supposed to be connected to the river... are supposed to love the water. It's a main factor why they are unique when compared to the other clans; they're the only ones who willingly swim. Yet he feels shame that he doesn't have a strong connection to it, like the rest of his clanmates. ...It's not like the young tom won't swim entirely, in all technicality he isn't a dry-paw, but it isn't something he particularly enjoys. He remembers that fateful day like it was yesterday; he remembers how frigid the water was, and how he failed to keep his head afloat. ...He remembers sinking, before being yanked out of the water. In those horrifying long seconds, he thought he was going to join StarClan far too early. He blinks with some surprise as the chocolate spotted tabby softly mewed a simple "okay", as she continued to enjoy the water.

She appears to be quite calm while in water. She's far more relaxed than she typically appears to be, perhaps the river helps soothes the constant pressure that's on her chest. ...Even though he wishes he could feel that at peace when taking a swim, he feels happy for her— that the river brings her comfort. He wouldn't wish his fear of water on any RiverClanner. Sometimes it can be so draining— he wishes he could jump in alongside Troutsnout and enjoy the cool water, but his paws tremble at the thought. "I hope... one day you will enjoy the waters again." His ears prick up at her gentle voice; she speaks with such understanding and sincerity, and he appreciates her for it. Not all RiverClanners were so understanding about it in the past. "I-I hope s-so too," He mews as his olive green eyes scan the water from the river bank, "I really hope."

She slowly climbs back onto the shore beside him with the fish in tow, but he focuses on the river over her gaze. Word travels fast through RiverClan, and can stick around for moons. His accident with the frozen river occurred when he was an apprentice, an apprentice whom didn't know how to swim yet. It's been a long time, but cats grow curious. Wonder why Foxtail declines the simple invite for a swim; or wonders why he seems to frantic when he does. "I... I wish I could just let it go," He sighs, ears pinning back to his skull. He doesn't say a word as Troutsnout murmurs another comforting statement, silently nodding. His life started out tough, and it didn't help having Ashpelt as a mentor, but he feels grateful for the cats that have supported him to this point. They made his apprenticeship bearable, and warriorhood enjoyable. "I won't let the water hurt you, or anyone pressure you into that situation. Okay?" He feels some relief in his chest as he gives her a nod of understanding, pulling his gaze away from the river. He looks over at her with a gentle, light smile... his paws still and no longer trembling. "T-thank you Troutsnout... I'll keep that in m-mind." He mews in response to her offer, giving a nod of thanks.

For a brief moment, the young tom doesn't say another word. His olive green eyes observe the younger warrior, noting how tired her eyes appear to be. The relaxed she-cat that swum in the water isn't there anymore, and he has to stop himself from lightly frowning. He... he knows that Troutsnout is a hard worker. For the short time they were apprentices together, before Foxtail was given his warrior name, he remembers how much she worked, and strived for her clanmates. And as a warrior, her dedication to her clanmates has only gotten stronger. It's a clear fact that Troutsnout tends to... overwork herself. He admires how much she cares for her clan, but he feels worry. "You.... Y-you look tired," He finally mews, his ears pricking back up. "W-when was the last time you got some r-rest?"

He pulls away from the river, the sun shining onto his fur. "I admire how much you care for the clan and your clanmates, I really do, but you need to put the same amount of care into y-yourself." He confines to her as his fluffy tail slowly swishes behind him. The sky has seemed to clear up over the last few minutes, and the sun shines brightly onto a patch of grass. Foxtail rises to his paws, unable to resist a quick stretch. His claws extend out for a moment, and the fluffy warrior returns to a normal standing position. "How about we f-forget fishing for now and rest underneath the sun?" He suggests with a light smile, "...The f-fish won't be going anywhere." But who knows how long the sun will shine onto the patch, before clouds cloak the sky!

He pads over to the patch of grass and lays down, feeling the warmth of the sun on his pelt. He looks over to Troutsnout, beckoning her to join him with a swish of his tail. "It'll be relaxing, okay? He mews, his eyes already beginning to feel heavy underneath the sun. His ears twitch to soft pawsteps, and he rests his head down on the soft grass. He closes his olive green eyes, hoping Troutsnout will feel more refreshed in the mean time. As he begins to drift off into a quick rest, he hopes she'll care for herself as much as she cares for others.
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𝐨𝐨𝐜 𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭

• 
  
• 
  
  

  ---

  credit to skaicraft (via insta) for the artwork <3
  
• Foxtail

  ​
  

  warrior
  warmhearted
  timid
  experience: trained
  backstory: tbd
  biography: [HYPERLINK]
  credit to sixbane for the minis & tropics for the icon <3
  

  cisgender male [he / him]
  eyes: green
  pelt: cinnamon/chocolate
  fur length: long
  parents: dawnflower and redfur (riverclan npcs)
  18 moons
  

  ---

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​

 

[Gladefrost]

Trout listened as the older tom-cat agrees with her statement, seeming sentimental to touch the water and embrace it once more without the feeling of dread suffocating him. "It's no pressure to take as long as you need." She would respond as she watched his gaze along the water while he stood in the water bank as she stood drenched to the side. The female doesn't say much as she allows for Foxtrot to think about what she said and on his mental dilemmas. Her paws stand on the edge of the bank, staring into the distance as the wind ruffles her coat. "Mmn, anytime." She would respond towards his thanks, staring into the abyss of the heavens until she feels his gaze on her.

Dark toned ears flick at his statement of her looking tired and she peers down at her reflection, noting the eyebags but decides to ignore it. How could she rest when she had her siblings to watch and tend more, her best friend in the nursery ready to give birth at any given moment, and taking care of the others in Riverclan? A white paw raises to her temple as she ponders his question of when she got rest, her chambray gaze closing in thought before she responds, "I don't keep track. I sometimes barely sleep or skip a meal, but it's nothing." Troutsnout would state as her long plumed tail sways in a slow motion, as he mentions that she should care for herself as much as she did for everyone else. It seemed selfish for her to consider herself first before anyone else, and her jaw tenses at the statement after thinking about it. She doesn't know how to respond thus she simply nods her head, and considers she will do it if it makes Foxtail happy for her to look after herself more.

He notions the idea of fishing later and the rest under the sun that tore through the clouds, the warming ray shining on a decently large patch of grass that the fluffy tom quickly goes to soak the warmth of it up. "Ah... um... okay." She stammers on her words as she hasn't taken a moment to sit and rest in the longest time that she can remember. The spotted tabby makes her way over as she uncomfortably sits in a spot and watches him quickly soak up the sun and melt into the grass similar to a puddle of water that makes her smile. She settles on her haunches and slowly shifts into laying on her side, long legs slightly hugging up towards her stomach.

Foxtail had drifted quickly into a sleep just seconds after his statement, It'll be relaxing, okay? Do others often do this, and enjoy the little moments in life? Her lips are pursed in thought and she slowly rests her chin on one of her forearms staring out at the water with heavy eyes. The sun tickled her dark coat, baking her in an unfamiliar warmth━ one she hadn't known since her parents passed. She blinks the tired away before eventually the warming embrace of the sun swallows her and she drifts off to sleep similar to Foxtail. It was really... relaxing.

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OOC
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