achilles, come down & dozing

[SMOKESTAR]

Smokethroat did not sleep, not like a normal cat did. He had something, some kind of ailment that he was still uncertain the details of-but it kept his mind buzzing well into the late hours and his body itching to spurn him into continuing on about his duties rather than simply rest. A combination of his inability to sleep sometimes as well as his almost borderline neglectful work ethic left him sometimes feeling too disoriented to do anything occasionally. It was a slow crash, a quiet collapse, it started in the morning and by the afternoon he would drop into his nest and be completely unresponsive for the rest of the day, only to wake up the next none the wiser and back to his habits. His rests were heavy, deep and difficult to disturb, when he got to that point. It would take a momentous effort to wake him and perhaps none to gentle means but most of the time he was left alone. Except today. Today he had laid down near the outside of the warrior's den for a moment and in the brief time he closed his eyes his senses all but shut off one by one and he was out, head dropping to his paws tail curling to his side.

It was Puddlekit who noticed him first, approaching and asking loudly and obnoxiously if he was tired and when he got no answer the kitten went and fetched a small rock to set atop the warrior's dozing head. When that also got no response he found another and then another until a small stack of them were there now undisturbed aside the faint rise and fall that a sleeping body offered.

Puddlekit would have continued had a nursery queen not come and grabbed him, scolding him for wandering away when he was in time-out for slapping another kitten with a fish that morning.


Smokethroat continued to sleep, one of the rocks slid down from atop his head to the bridge of his nose where it balance precauriously there at a light tilt.


​

 

[STORMWHISKER]

It was making his head spin, the sheer amount of cats around him, the diversity of ages but also all the rules and the ways they did things. All these cats had such weird names. Such as his brother, who he had learned no longer simply goes by Lightning but Lightiningstone. Personally, he thinks it is all a bit silly but surely he would not be staying for long right? Definitely not long enough that they would be giving him one of their silly names. I mean, come on, why did the kits need to be named -kit? It was obvious they were children! But perhaps maybe these cats were dense. Who knew? And he couldn't even begin to wrap his head around this whole 'warrior' and 'medicine cat' or 'lead warrior' nonsense. His head was spinning from trying to learn it all, leaving him tired from the exertion.

He watches from where he rests nearby as Pebblekit (Why couldn't they have just named them Pebble?) balances a rock on top of Smokethroats head with curious green eyes, stacking one after another until the child is dragged away by his mother. When one of the rocks begins slipping down the black tom's face, Storm rises to his paws and bows to the ground, like he is stalking prey. The stone was in a perfect position, he watches it teeter back and forth before it comes to rest, though it would not be resting long. "Don't worry I'll save you! he screeches before launching himself in the air, whether he is talking to SMokethroat or the rock is unclear. He sails across the camp and with one paw outstretched smacks the rock clean off Smokethroats muzzle. "I got it!" he announces proudly, not caring to look where the pebble may have gone. ​

 

[DogTeeth]

What a tired warrior, bless him- Dogteeth thinks as he passes by the snoozing man with a bundle of old stale moss in his maw. Careful not to disturb with his back-and-forths from the den. The LaPerm idly wonders if he should indeed wake the white splotched black of a cat to lay his head on something softer than the dirt. Blank-faced at first, a smile absolutely blossoms over his lips as he spots Pebblekit stacking up their namesake on Smokethroat’s head. Dogteeth wordlessly continues his work, heart warmed by the little mischief but otherwise- he does not witness the queen scolding and returns in time to see a young apprentice soaring in the air with a declaration with the drama fitting of an Opera.

THAP. !" ouch" he yelps, it’s short and high-pitched with that sort of butterfly-like lilt he had.

A small sting pops him right on the temple. At first he’s stunned and confused, standing in place with his blonde toes splayed with the sudden and strange assault. Big blue eyes blink toward Storm, and the stack of little rocks on the exhausted warrior’s sleepy head.

" you got- me " that warmed smile returns and he idly rubbed the spot afflicted by the small thump. " you little mischievous things " he chirps but with absolutely no scolding in his tone. No, Dogteeth was not the sort. Calm sights dropping back to Smokethroat, awaiting the response to such- shenanigans.

​

OOC INFO REF

• —
  
  
• — Dogteeth | twenty-five moons | cis-male
  — warrior of Riverclan
  — gay | crushing on n/a
  — small curly-furred blonde and tan tom with dazzling blue eyes.
  — very gentle soul / easily upset and sensitive
  — deals a nasty bite | physically medium / mentally easy
  BIOGRAPHY——— ✧
  
• 
  
  

​

 

[SMOKESTAR]

Somehow he remained blissfully unaware of the collection of pebbles left perched on him even as they were jostled in his slip but he could continue in his rest at the sudden rush of air and faintest catch of a paw brushing over his muzzle with a bold declaration. At the same time Dogteeth gave a surprised cry at being struck by the stone, Smokethroat's head snapped upward with teeth barred and fur bristling around him in fine points in a brief burst of panicked adrenaline. It was only after recognizing Storm (new, apprentice-aged, Lightningstone's brother) that he allowed his fur to settle back down along his spine; no longer forming the sharp ridges that would put a porcupine to shame in their prickliness (literally and figuratively).
The dark tom frowned, blinking sleep from both orange eyes as he regarded the young storm-colored tom and Dogteeth's gentle chidding as if he had not just been struck in the head by something due to foolishness.
"Be more mindful of your surroundings, Storm-why were there stones on me.....nevermind." It wasn't worth dwelling on, no doubt one of the more troublesome kits or apprentices had thought themselves clever to take advantage of his deep slumbering that not even a touch of thunder would shake him from. He made a mental note to try and sleep in the den when he could, but it was hard to determine where he'd drop if he was tired enough.
Shaking himself awake he turns from the youngster to the golden tom and realizes this was probably their first time talking outside of briefly in passing during patrols and the like, for whatever reason that made him suddenly uncomfortable and he scuffed a paw idly, "Are you alright?" He raised a white-touched paw to his head, gestured at his own temple for emphasis, "Should I get Beesong?"

​

 

[BEESONG]

Ouch!

Like a phantom summoned from the depth's of it's grave, Beesong emerges from the medicine cat's den. His calculating gaze roves over the camp, seeking out the source of the pained noise, until it lands on Smokethroat, Dogteeth, and Storm; the former of which has suggested that they might need the healer himself. The cinnamon tabby huffs; another day, another injury. It's become routine at this point.

Small paws carry them over to Dogteeth's side swiftly, examining the way in which the curly-furred tom rubs at his temple. "Headache?" Beesong guesses, unaware of the offending pebble at their paws which had struck Dogteeth moments prior.​

 

[STORMWHISKER]

Ouch!

At Dogteeths cry out in pain, Storm immediately shrinks back, afraid, tense. He had hurt an adult. He expects anger, raised words, and a stern scolding. He expects punishment. These cats were strangers in his eyes, he had no idea how they would react. But no, Dogteeth's voice is gentle and Smokethroat, after a brief startle, settles down as well. He lets out a breath of relief. "I'm really sorry" he says quietly to both toms, meaning it. Sometimes he forgets himself. For so long, he had been an only child, for so long he had had to keep his energy in check but here it felt different. He felt like he could let it out. For a moment he contemplates whether or not he should tell Smokethroat that it had been Pebblekit that had put the rocks there in the first place, but the moment has passed and the opportunity is missed.

The next cat that approaches is even more curious. He emerges from the depths of some den, seemingly summoned by Dogteeth's cry in pain. He watches as he approaches the blonde warrior and asks if he has a headache. Hah! Storm almost lets out a laugh. That's one way of putting it" he speaks in an amused tone, seemingly already forgetting he is the cause of said 'headache' ​

 

[DogTeeth]

Dogteeth’s paw plops to his chest in alarm as Smokethroat’s teeth display menacingly and the jagged black prongs of his fur halo upward in instinctual warning. The man’s cute little white spotting didn’t do well to soften the scene of a snarl. It dissipates though, quickly as he recognized the kid. Dogteeth’s smile returns to his maw, but softens on the edges when Storm is scolded. Heart stinging a bit when the apprentice shrinks back. " OH- it’s quite alright darling " he hums softly, aiming to brush his curly-furred tail over Storm’s shoulder.

Smokethroat’s asking if he needs Beesong, gesturing to his own head in a way that made Dogteeth chuckle a bit. The blonde feels a bit shy now under the orange stare- he hadn’t spoken much to the lead warrior, Dogteeth kept himself a distance from the more intimidating birds of the flock. " I’m fine- … you sir- uh, heavy-heavy sleeper " he speaks around a toothy grin.

Headache?, briefly distracted but still idly rubbing his temple he blinks dumbly at Beesong. Storm speaks up and Dogteeth puffs out a laugh. " you cheeky devil !" Dogteeth narrows his eyes at Storm.

" all is well~… good to see you getting some sun " he offers the medicine cat with a glance to Smokethroat.

​

OOC INFO REF

• —
  
  
• — Dogteeth | twenty-five moons | cis-male
  — warrior of Riverclan
  — gay | crushing on n/a
  — small curly-furred blonde and tan tom with dazzling blue eyes.
  — very gentle soul / easily upset and sensitive
  — deals a nasty bite | physically medium / mentally easy
  BIOGRAPHY——— ✧
  
• 
  
  

​

 

[SMOKESTAR]

Heavy sleeper. "Ah....I am sometimes." It wasn't often, but sometimes he just let himself sink in to deep for anything to really reach him and it only came about when he was having a series of more listlessly frantic nights; the insomnia dragging him on walks and pacing around the camp, viciously refusing him the rest he required to function. It added some level to his irritability at times, he was not generally so grumpy but lack of proper rest did things to a cat.
Smokethroat shrugs almost sheepishly to the comment itself, nodding to Storm in a quietly dismissive way. Accidents happen.

"No harm meant, I suppose. Besides if you wanted to murder Dogteeth you would need a decidedly bigger rock. This rock here..." His paw moves to lightly nudge the culprit that had been so hastily sent flying, "...this one would take out Beesong easy, but the bigger the cat the bigger the rock after all." There is a mischievous glint in both fiery eyes as he regards the healer in amusement, shaking his head once in jest before regarding the fact the earthen tom might be so fragile as to be destroyed by just a pebble.
"Ah...while you're here Beesong, if I might bother you with questions on things that help a cat sleep. I'd rather not turn into a rock in the camp again if I can help it but you know...restlessness."



​