Ambient night | Snailpaw

[Firefang]

Irritation prickles within her, burning hotter by the second as she replays the words Snailpaw meowed to her earlier when she was helping Rainpaw and Snowpaw clear out snow. What did they mean by that, date? With Icepaw? They were insane completely and utterly insane, they had some nerve even making such an assumption! She couldn't get their words out of her head, and of course they said it right in front of everyone including Icepaw she never felt herself burn so hot, they were lucky she didn't bury them right there, it'd be easy to dispose of them with all this snow! But she wouldn't, couldn't really even if they were just as useful dead as they were alive they'd be missed and she also wouldn't do that to any of the apprentices even if they tempted her more then any other lately. Didn't mean she wasn't going to get him back and that's exactly what she's doing as she sniffs around the camp ignoring the snow and wind brushing against her pelt as she searches for them.

They blend in easily with the hues of the night against all the white but they don't stay hidden for long. She hurries over to their snoring form, her paw strikes out to bap at them on the face, it's not intended to harm them but it's hard enough to wake them up. ❝Get up Slowpaw! Up and at em'❞ her jaws snap shut with a click and she impatiently backs up so they could come to without being met immediately with her soot black paws. ❝We're gonna go out and hunt right now while everyone's asleep, and while we're lookin' around out there I got some things to say to you❞ the way she speaks makes it obvious those said things weren't going to be pleasant but she doubts they'd comprehend that, even things that were obvious went over this mousebrains head.

@SNAILPAW
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( PLACE ME IN MY CASKET TONIGHT ; BECAUSE IM ALREADY DYING INSIDE )

 

[SNAILSTRIDE]

A light sleeper, Snailpaw's eyes shot open immediately as they were hit in the face with a swift paw. "Whu?—" 'Get up Slowpaw!' They heard, following the charcoal colouration of a familiar apprentice upwards until they met Firepaw's eyes, the only obvious thing with night's dark background. Realisation that the moon was still out caused their muscles to slacken in protest, their tail lashing in a rare display of irritation. They likely weren't going to try their best in the coming days anyways, it was too cold and the clan's mood was too somber, but Firepaw was not helping by interrupting important sleep. Snailpaw's ears perked up attentively, presuming that Firepaw would've had good reason to wake him up but then... she asked him to hunt. They blinked incredulously - were they still dreaming or something? Reluctantly, the marbled tabby slipped out of the crevice they'd tucked themselves into, stretching their muscles one by one as they were met with winter's familiar bite. Snailpaw opened his mouth to interject when Firepaw added to her request, their head slowly tilting to the side. "Firepaw I always love talking to you but... I'm not sure if you've noticed what with those tunneler genes and all but... it's the middle of the night!" They tried their best to whisper.

"I'll talk and if anything's out this time of night I guess I'll hunt but.... is everything alright? Normally if someone asks me to walk with them in the middle of the night I'd think 'hmm, they're gonna murder me!' but I don't think you'd do that, would you? Is there a reason why you can't tell me what's wrong here?" Even if they'd agreed to leave camp with Firepaw, they knew they were still dragging their paws, their curiosity and penchant for chaos had limits when it meant escaping the one time they were allowed to be lazy. Still, Snailpaw kept their ears perked forwards, ready to hear the other apprentice out. They hadn't stopped to consider that they might have been the problem, they got along with the other apprentices well enough and Snailpaw couldn't think of anything particularly incriminating they'd done that'd upset the she-cat. They tried their best to smile, but the confusion marred its normal saccharine cheeriness. Giving one last longing look towards their den for the night, the marbled tabby was ready to follow Firepaw wherever she was going to take him.



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[Firefang]

It's funny in a way, if the roles were flipped she'd be beating Snailpaw into a pulp for disturbing her but right now she looks half annoyed waiting for the sluggish apprentice to get his butt up almost deliberating over gripping him by the scruff and lugging him up by force. She's patient though, as patient as she possibly could be and she half expects them to roll over and drift back into their dreams; probably dreaming about something stupid too. She wants to bat at their face when they blink up at her dazed and confused and now sleep deprived. They aren't moving quick enough for her she wants to be out of camp already where she can yowl in their ear as loud as she wanted. Her ears flatten indignantly as they snap back at her, agitation getting the better of them ❝I'm not blind mousebrain I can tell, now get up! Move! Move!❞ she hisses and she's not quite as careful as they are with keeping her tone down but it isn't egregious even if she's still pushing her luck.

They do rise to their paws at last there’s a look of offense that crosses her features however at their insinuation. ❝You’re a real pain in my ass but I’d never murder you, jeez what do you take me for❞ she huffs already beginning to move paws crunching lightly in the snow with every step. She throws her head back so they can hear her however ❝Everything's fine mousebrain I just wanna talk nothin’ serious. Just hurry up, I wanna be back before everyone wakes up, I dunno what my mentor has planned tomorrow. Not in the mood to hear their lecturing❞ she’d heard plenty of it, yet never learned her lesson unsurprisingly. She jumps into a brisk run until she’s out of the camp, expecting them to come in step with her.

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( PLACE ME IN MY CASKET TONIGHT ; BECAUSE IM ALREADY DYING INSIDE )

 

[SNAILSTRIDE]

It was too early (too late?) for the hissing down their ear. It was not dissimilar to whenever their mentor found them asleep in the apprentice den, but that was where the comparisons between Firepaw and the warrior ended. They smacked their jaws together, relocating the drool that'd formed on the corners of their mouth. Suddenly, their ears shoot up in alarm. "Woah woah woah I said you're not the type to do that, don't worry. I trust you and I trust this is important I just... it sounds like the horror stories we were told as kids. You know the one with the cat that follows a friendly badger into the night never to be seen again?" They couldn't remember what it was called and pondered their name as they hopped behind their friend. Despite the frequent whispering that coarsened their voice with a volume they weren't used to, their paw steps were quiet as they followed suit. Snailpaw's attempts to escape training had taught them plenty of things, like what lies were effective and how to avoid disturbing the other apprentices when they needed to leave early to hide. They weren't skills they always remembered to use, but they were ingrained within the tabby all the same.

"Alright alright." Snailpaw quietly huffed in agreement as Firepaw mentioned not wanting to hear a lecture, knowing full well that they'd likely receive one tenfold tomorrow due to the interrupted sleep. Maybe they'd have to skip out on training again, they weren't ready to disappoint anyone further than they already had and the last thing they wanted was another injury. The classic tabby broke out into a sprint behind Firepaw, careful not to overtake her while their destination was still unknown. They break out into the wider territory and shudder as the scourging cold whistles through their long coat. Bunching their alabaster paws together and shrinking in stature to try and conserve warmth, the tabby's blue eyes eventually found Firepaw's again. Goodness, she really did look just like the night when the starry sky was her wallpaper. "So... can you tell me what this is about now? I still dunno why we had to come all this way if it's 'not serious'." Their frown is soft, confused but there wasn't a hint of anger on it. Wrapping their long tail around their body, the shivery feline waited as patiently as leafbare would allow for an answer.
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[Firefang]

She has no idea what they're referring to, something made clear by the way her bros knit together in scrutiny as they talk. She never cared for nursery tales not the fantastical ones anyway, the only ones she cared to listen to much more remember were tales of the warriors sometimes brought in of battles and bloodshed. Stories of reality only softened so the ears of kits could comprehend them, now those were real stories not some mousebrained tales of following friendly badgers. She didn't care to really respond to them, her expression would've done that for her in the brief period she was still facing them.

She continues to run ears swiveling picking up the sounds of their paw steps alongside her own, for someone named after a snail they still were a Windclanner even if they did everything in their power to act like they weren't. If they put half the amount of effort they put in chasing her out into the night maybe they'd actually have been a warrior by now. It's doubtful even still in her mind they may bare the same agility but she can't say they've ever shown any kindling of being a decent warrior and that lingers in her mind as she whips around as she comes to a stop far out of ear shot of the camp where she can yowl as much as she wanted and not risk punishment. She's sure long as they returned before the dawn patrol no one would be any wiser, and really she didn't wanna stay out here even close to that long. One sheathed paw comes right at Snailpaw aiming to bap them straight on the noggin it wouldn't hurt, but it'd get their attention. ❝You had some nerve sayin' what you did earlier in front of Icepaw, have you lost your mind?❞ she hisses, fur on her neck prickled and it should've really been expected this was what she dragged them out here for. She certainly wasn't gonna take them to her secret favorite spot, certainly on not what they'd dubbed a date. ❝You thought I was askin' her out on a date? What do I look like to you?!❞ it's rhetorical but knowing them they'd answer earnestly.​

( PLACE ME IN MY CASKET TONIGHT ; BECAUSE IM ALREADY DYING INSIDE )

 

[SNAILSTRIDE]

"Ow! Heeeey" The tabby groaned, patting their head where they'd just been bopped. Their ears flattened in their confusion, their eyes quickly widened incredulously as Firepaw began to yell at him for his previous discussion with her earlier. What had they said to her earlier again? Snailpaw had so many conversations it was hard to keep track, many of them blended into one, what with the similar stories they often had to tell their clanmates. Firepaw answered their confusion quickly and the feline's muzzle formed an 'o' shape - stars, was she still upset about that joke? They hadn't realised it had had such an effect on her, usually someone would be mad for a few minutes then laugh it off, but if it still floated about in her brain.... did that mean what Snailpaw thought it meant? "You look like a cat, I think! A very angry one at the moment but I don't know why." They answered with the same honesty that Firepaw predicted.

What started as a suspicion and a comment to boost Rainpaw's spirits after she was uninvited was beginning to make the tabby feel as if they were in the process of solving a great mystery. They knew it was deeper than what Firepaw was letting on, she never treated any of the other apprentices like Icepaw, and it took plenty of willpower not to smirk. "I mean, you know what it looks like when someone invites a lone kitty-cat to watch the stars? A date. That's what I'd do if I wanted to go out with one of the apprentices, it's romantic, you know? Nothing but you and your loved one watching all those beautiful faraway lights, ah, it makes my heart flutter at how cute it is." Or, maybe that was the cold telling them to get into cover before said heart stopped working for good. Choosing to remain optimistic, they allowed a smile to swipe across their muzzle, as soppy as could be. They'd love to have that sort of connection with one another, Icepaw and Firepaw were very lucky to have each other even if they weren't going to admit it yet. "Besides, Rainpaw was right there and you literally told her she couldn't go! I thought it was the right presumption to make! If it wasn't, and it makes you uncomfortable, I'll never say you like-like her again, promise." They criss-crossed their paws in a 'promise' gesture.

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