all we are is trust || crappiepaw

[ashpaw!]

"Come on," she whispers. "It's clear — I checked. Hurry."

She'll attempt to nudge them from their sleeping spot, beckoning them from the apprentices' den, out into the night. It's starless, cloudy, a blessing in her mind. They have to be quick... too many of RiverClan's warriors, of its lead council, are night-owls — sleepless, pacing the forest or late-night hunting. They can't afford to get caught. Not for something as important as this.

Checking that Crappiepaw follows, she'll steal from their temporary camp, sticking to shadows, belly low to the ground. It's been ages since she — like — left camp unsupervised on purpose. Since she's snuck out. She hasn't wanted to, for reasons she thinks are obvious, but this... this is her friend.

Gloompaw might ... need them.

They have to try.

She and Crappiepaw have never been exactly friends. They just haven't really talked. But they have (had?) Gloompaw's friendship in common, along with the ache to do something about it.

"Where should we check first," she asks softly, once they're far enough from camp she feels comfortable talking again. "Somewhere — somewhere the patrols haven't covered, right?"
​

—— " i found gold in the wreckage "

✦ ooc ✦ character information ✦ recent events

• sorry it's short! the usual peaceful powerplay to set the scene up, lmk if you need anything changed <3
  @CRAPPIEPAW
  
  
• - 9 month old orange tabby with green eyes
  - apprenticed to lead warrior willowroot
  - crushing hard on iciclepaw
  - happy-go-lucky, mischievous, hardworking
  - very friendly, but defensive of riverclan!
  - got real fucked up as a kid so if she seems like she was fucked up as a kid, that's why
  - "speech"
• - KICKED FOX ASS
  - she is on a JOURNEY
  

​

 

[CRAPPIEPATCH]

Sleepy. They are so sleepy, so ready to keep snoring away in their nest, staving off nightmares and endless worries until the morning light breaches the den. But they have a plan, along with Ashpaw, and the orange apprentice is nudging them enough to rouse them once more from where they have nearly succumbed to slumber.

A thrill rushes through them at Ashpaw’s words—they are sneaking out of camp, slipping out in the middle of the night against the rules. Crappiepaw has never participated in such a bold breaking of RiverClan’s rules, and they cannot lie and claim that they are not nervous about the risk of punishment. But it is for Gloompaw, a friend who is mutual between themself and Ashpaw—is, because they try not to refer to her in the past tense, as though she is dead.

They have not spoken to Ashpaw much, have never seen reason to. They have always been comfortable sticking to the same pawful of companions, but the loss of one of their friends has driven them to extremes. Notably, sneaking out of camp with the overly cheerful girl.

He is silent as he slinks out of the camp alongside Ashpaw, eager to do something, anything to help bring Gloompaw back to RiverClan. Wherever she has gone, she should not be there. She should be here, among friends, among clanmates. He misses her, feels her absence like he would a missing leg.

When the other apprentice speaks to him, he turns wide green eyes upon her, finally allowing his body to shake with the force of the sneeze he has been holding in. "Sorry," he whispers, glancing around them as though some warrior is going to come rushing from the brush to scold them. "There is the farthest part of the territory. The twoleg… area," they suggest, though it is a terrifying idea. They have never seen a twoleg, but they have heard stories from older RiverClan cats about the threats posed by them. Perhaps their idea is not such a good one.
​

[ dancing in the panic room ]​

​

 

[ashpaw!]

It feels like every single muscle in her body tenses at his suggestion, every ligament pulled taut. She doesn't meet his eyes, scared of what they'll show, and instead swallows, throat tight, and — nods.

"It ... it'd make sense," she responds, hoping she sounds stronger than she feels because she suddenly doesn't feel strong at all. She thinks of the scent trail. How it had vanished into nothing. "Twolegs, they... they..."

Does he know what she can't say? Does he know what a twoleg did to Ash — the reason she's afraid? Was he a RiverClanner yet, back then? She doesn't know, but. But. She does know how it feels to be the smallest creature in the whole world against goliath strength. She does know that Cicadastar was killed once, nearly twice, and that Elmbreeze is never coming home.

She does know that twolegs are monsters. Could a girl like Gloompaw stand a chance?

"They take what they want," she finally manages. "And I don't know why she'd just — leave — she loves Koispots, she loves you. She must have..."

Been taken, she doesn't say, but she thinks she doesn't have to.

Twolegplace is the last place in the world she wants to go. But, but, but. She thinks of their journey to this temporary camp, weeks ago now, how tired she'd been that day — how Gloompaw's eyes had softened when she stumbled, kindness offered in passing touch. She thinks of the quiet mornings she'd offered help in the medicine den, sorting herbs, barbed humor that grew on her quick. She thinks of Koispots. Her eyes flick to the side, meeting Crappiepaw's at last.

"Let's go," she says. Decides. "There are cats there — right? Loners? We ... we have the whole night, if no one notices we're gone. We could ask around. See if anyone's heard anything, seen anything..."

She offers them an attempt at a smile. Reassurance, maybe? We'll find her, she wants to say, offer some kind of chipper optimism, but that's really not happening.
​

—— " i found gold in the wreckage "

✦ ooc ✦ character information ✦ recent events

• ooc text goes here
  
  
• - 9 month old orange tabby with green eyes
  - apprenticed to lead warrior willowroot
  - crushing hard on iciclepaw
  - happy-go-lucky, mischievous, hardworking
  - very friendly, but defensive of riverclan!
  - got real fucked up as a kid so if she seems like she was fucked up as a kid, that's why
  - "speech"
• - KICKED FOX ASS
  - she is on a JOURNEY
  

​

 

[CRAPPIEPATCH]

Ashpaw’s words are stuttering, trailing off, and Crappiepaw is not certain why. They can remember something… something happening to her, months ago. Spiderfall was doing something to her, they think—but the calico had been too young then to recall it now. They must have reminded her of something that had happened to her, something that twolegs were involved in. That time Cicadastar died, perhaps? Either way, Crappiepaw understands well enough that twolegs are not to be trifled with. Hopefully, the two of them will be able to avoid being noticed by any nighttime twolegs. Ashpaw says that they take what they want and Crappiepaw shudders minutely.

There are so many ways for Gloompaw to have gone missing. But Ashpaw… she says that their fellow apprentice would not have left them of her own accord—she loves them all, she could not have just decided to leave. "Yes. Gloompaw would not leave us. We are her friends." They wonder where the line is drawn between acquaintances and friends. Are they and Ashpaw friends, now? Surely they would not sneak out together, trust one another like this, if they were not friends.

Their confidence, borne from the success of sneaking out of camp, wavers visibly when the other apprentice mentions loners. Strange, adult cats who might even be the ones behind the disappearance of their friend? They are not sure which is worse—a twoleg taking Gloompaw away, or a cat taking her. They still recall the deaths of Peachpaw and Rainwhisker. But what if this is their only option?

Stiffly, they nod. They have never been particularly bold, but Ashpaw’s determination allows a bit of their confidence to return. "Yes. We can get good information from other cats. This way, right?" They turn, stumpy tail flicking, and begin taking quiet steps in the right direction. They have all night, as long as someone does not notice that they are gone. And if anyone does—they will still have all night. They just might have to face consequences. Crappiepaw has not broken many rules in their life, prides themself on following rules, helping to enforce them, but this is for their friend. There has to be a point where Gloompaw means more to them than the rules.
​

[ dancing in the panic room ]​

​