all these fairytales are full of shit [tree-climbing]

[QUILLSTRIKE]

I FEEL LIKE AN ASTRONAUT IN THE OCEAN​

---

Ok, time to train so that he could live his nice, boring, normal life. Huh. Funny. You'd think one wouldn't require training to simply be 'normal', but here he was doing just that. Granted, he had been raised in twoleg place where things had been similar but also very different, and there was a lot that chimera didn't know about or had to alter to suit his new environment better.

Climbing was a perfect example of this.

He'd one a lot of it throughout his life; climbing fences, poles, garages, railings, etc, but there was something different about hauling yourself thirty feet into a tree and being able to move around with precision and confidence. It wasn't something he ever thought he'd have to learn, but apparently it was a pretty big deal among the Skyclanners and since he was now one of them he would probably need to learn it too.

And to be fair, Quill had been doing a pretty damn decent job of it.

While he was still young and had some growing into himself to do, he was tall and had long, powerful legs that allowed him to scurry up the side of the tree with a fair amount of ease. But once he was a good twenty feet or so up practising walking on the branches, its wasn't so easy. He was tall and awkward, with large paws that seemed to be working against him. His balance was hard to keep, and while he managed to -rather gracelessly- leap among the branches a few times, on the fourth time his paws slipped.

Claws scrabbling wildly at bark as he pitched forward and was suddenly falling. His claws managed to snag the branches just enough to slow his fall for him, and when he landed with a pained hiss it wasn't from the impact so much as it was the sharp stone that had dug into his shoulder. With a groan the youth would sit up, finding his feet and shaking the dust and pine needles from his coat before turning to check the damage.

It wasn't bad at all in his opinion. A small, shallow puncture with some blood that would clean up fast enough. He'd had way worse, and didn't seem to bat an eye and the bleeding wound before he got to his feet and made his way back over to the tree, crouching down in preparation of leaping up to try it again.
​

---

skyclan - male - 6 months - bisexual - homoromantic - single - very tall tabby tomcat with broad shoulders

 

[butterflytuft]

Climbing a tree is still something Butterflypaw hasn't attempted yet. The thought of being so high up in the air terrifies her straight to the bone, so instead she's contented herself with watching. Wide yellow eyes watch her fellow apprentice scale the tree, her tail twitching curiously. He makes it look so easy! She isn't jealous though; truthfully she wouldn't be able to find it in her to want to be good at such a scary thing.

Bits of bark fall to the ground as her denmate loses his footing, and she hops to her paws in alarm. A sharp gasp escapes her as he tries to catch himself on a branch and lands unceremoniously on the ground. "Oh gosh! Are you okay?" She squeaks, hurrying over to him. "Do you need to see Dawnglare?" Normally, she isn't so talkative around cats she doesn't know well, but he's hurt!​

 

[~Deersong~]

A soulmate who wasn't meant to be​

---

Deersong had been in the trees herself, the wispy pawed molly had become quite a talented climber since the days of her joining. Some cats had even joked that she must be part squirrel with how effortless she could climb, but that was only because she had usually practiced in secret and had honed this skill for several moons.

She would land on a branch just in time to see Quillpaw hit the ground and she winced lightly, remembering her own days of falling and how discouraged she would sometimes get. The warrior would work her way a bit more gracefully than Quillpaw down the tree, landing almost soundlessly before the two apprentices and her half-lidded gaze would only glow with content, "That was a good climb, Quillpaw. Your form is almost perfect."

Deersong would move to sit beside Butterflypaw, giving the younger molly a warm smile of reassurance as she continued, "Don't you bug out now, Butterfly. Quillpaws' a strong tom cat, and landing on your feet is a trait all cats gotta learn. Can't tell you how many times I've fallen out of trees while I was learning."

Her half-tail would towards the tree, "If you feel up to it, I'd say try at least one more time." ​

 

[QUILLSTRIKE]

I FEEL LIKE AN ASTRONAUT IN THE OCEAN​

---

"Oh gosh! Are you okay?"

Huh?

He turned to find none other than Butterflypaw hurrying toward him, concern etched into her gaze as she took in the injury on his shoulder. He had never actually spoken to her before, but he recognized her easily enough since their nests were kept in the same den. When she asked if he needed to see Dawnglare he simple stared at her, blank gaze seeming to morph into one of subtle confusion before Deerstep dropped from the trees beside them and spoke up on his behalf.

Quill frowned, but not because he was upset with the shecat. If anything she was completely right- Quill was absolutely fine and he did have to learn this stuff. No, it was just weird to him being the focus of attention like this. He wasn't used to the praise or the protection, and while he knew neither was a bad thing to have, a part of him instinctively wanted to reject him. To drive a wedge between himself and these cats to keep them from getting too close.

But that was stupid, and he knew it was stupid. He'd come here to find this after all, to leave behind the stress and drama so that he could just live a nice normal life with nice normal cats.

"Yeah, I'm fine." he agreed, gaze shifting back toward Butterflypaw before Deerstep encouraged him to try again. "Wanna climb with me?" he asked, looking back to the other apprentice. "You don't have to go as high as me." he informed them, figuring it might make them uncomfortable.
​

---

skyclan - male - 6 months - bisexual - homoromantic - single - very tall tabby tomcat with broad shoulders

 

[butterflytuft]

Butterflypaw can't help but flinch in surprise as a cat drops from the skies above, landing just beside them. She squeaks, pelt fluffing out before she realizes it's Deerstep. The skittish apprentice lets her wide eyes relax, her fur lies down slowly. She's telling her not to bug out, and the tortoiseshell can't help but frown. With insecurity already plaguing her existence, it sounds like criticism (despite the nice warrior doing nothing of the sort). She stays quiet and only nods, accepting that she had done something wrong, maybe overreacted.

Quillpaw then invites her to climb with him, and she jerks her chin up in surprise. She glances to the tree, then back to him, then back to the tree...and shakes her head profusely. "N-n-no thanks!" She whispers with fearful eyes. "I'm good right here."​

 

[BASILPATCH]

Basilpaw did not quite understand why his clan-mates felt the need to spend so much time in the trees. They weren't squirrels were they? He watches Quillpaw with a frown on his face, his attempt to scrabble up the bark of the tree only to fall to the ground. And to think, Deersong was encouraging this behavior? Abhorrent. Did she want them all to die? But still, his distaste of Butterflypaw is stronger than his will to survive which is what compels the scrappy young tom to step forward, although every bone in his body begs him not to.

he turns to Butterflypaw first "What're you scared, stinky?" he laughs, thinking himself clever for coming up with the nickname he just had, reminiscent of the time he had first met her and she reeked like nothing hes ever smelled before. "Quillpaw will show you how it's done!" he says, ignoring the fact that he himself was also scared to put claws to tree. He does not offer to join the dark-furred apprentice, but he does turn to look at him, eyes gleaming with interest. Maybe if he watched another apprentice do it he could figure it out for himself? Wouldn't that really surprise Harpyfall?!​

 

[~Deersong~]

A soulmate who wasn't meant to be​

---

The warrior would appear to smile in approval as Quillpaw seemed happy to have another go and even invited Butterflypaw to join him in climbing.

She would blink in amusement as the clearly anxious apprentice turned down the offer, but Deersong would say nothing to the pair of them, no use in making a cat climb when they weren't ready for it, it'd only leave a bad taste in the apprentices' mouth later. But the arrival of Basilpaw and his laughing taunt at Butterflypaw would cause Deersong to tilt her head ever so slightly. "Why don't you join him, Basilpaw?" Her voice would float over the apprentices as she stared at the scruffy tom with her half-lidded aqua gaze, "You could show Butterflypaw that there's nothing to be afraid of."

Her head would tilt to the other side as she purred in encouragement, "Go on now you two, If you do well enough I'll make sure to tell Blazestar of what a great job you did." ​