ANYWAY YOU GOT TO [ dazzlepaw ]

[SNAILSTRIDE]

Some creatures seemingly found comfort in being utterly miserable, as if they feared allowing themselves any semblance of happiness because they knew it would eventually go away. Snailpaw had met plenty of those WindClanners in their ten moons of life, and he'd never quite understood them. The comments of their clanmates had weighed on their mind for days and it sucked, it was suffocating being unable to confront those feelings for fear of being labeled a 'traitor'. They had, however, found some solace in the fact that they were not alone. More and more it seemed the inter-aggression WindClan showed each other was coming to light, and even if it did not result in a change from the status quo, it at least left the apprentices with a voice often snuffed out by the adults. They'd been nervous to witness such conflict the other day, but now that the dust had settled, Snailpaw was ready to introduce themselves to the one seemingly at the center of it. Sapphire eyes scanned the camp quickly, taking particular interest in the tunnel entrances that lined the walls. It was there where he first saw the aforementioned troublemaker and lunged towards him, skilfully weaving past the sleeping bodies from the morning patrol.

"Psst... hey hey hey... hey you." They mewed barely above a whisper, hoping to grab his attention. Snailpaw crouched and moved forwards the last few steps, a lighthearted attempt at stealth that was unnecessary at sun high. Cats were either snoozing or out on patrol or doing other important tasks already, they sincerely doubted a couple of apprentices would be paid attention to when they weren't doing anything suspicious or amoral - there'd be time for that later. A cheshire grin appeared on the marbled tabby's maw, a promise of mischief glinting within it. Perhaps it was not the best idea for an impressionable apprentice to find a bird of a feather, but they figured it couldn't hurt their reputation anymore than last week's spar had. "Hi. So... I kinda needa run from camp before my mentor finishes sharing tongues but he's uh... he's near the camp entrance. You know the tunnels right? Wanna find us a getaway route?" A promise had been made to Smokepaw a moon ago, 'I'll never go into the tunnels again', Snailpaw had promised. If he had an escort, then a repeat of last time wouldn't happen, right?

@DAZZLEPAW


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[DAZZLEPAW]

Aww man, he was so bored that day as he arrived back into camp after his latest patrol. Nothing out of the ordinary had happened and like usual all attention had been on Shinepaw, his perfect sister who never did anything wrong in the eyes of their parents or clanmates for that matter. Dazzlepaw was last to leave the tunnels to arrive back into camp and at front was Shinepaw surrended by her 'admirers'. He swore one day Volepaw and Beetlepaw were going to kill each other to the death to win his sisters affection!, to become her mate. Haha, he couldn't wait for that day to happen really...only because it would be fun to watch them make a fool of themselves.

A brief grin had reached his maw but that would soon fade away again when he heared a hushed voice coming not that far away seeming to call out to...him?. Really?. Dazzlepaw looked over at Snailpaw with suprise, and after having looked around him to make sure it was him they had tried to make contact with the tunneler decided to approach closer now curious on what on earth this moor runner could possible want especially with that grin on their face which only could mean trouble.

He said nothing allowing the other apprentice to explain their situation and oh boy now he really was interested!. Dazzlepaw's eyes went wide, pretending to look shooked over the fact his denmate wanted to sneak out!. " But snailpaw, that's such a naughty thing to do!" he whispered back with a dramatic voice like this was absolutely unbelivable that his clanmate would want to do something like this. That short lived show however did not last long and soon a grin of his own would fall into its place revealing his true nature. " Heh!, you've come to the right one then. Follow me and i will have you gone from here before your mentor even knows you're gone!." he would signal with his head for them to follow before he turned tail and sneaked himself back to the tunnels entrance. Before he went inside stopt as his ears twitched back and forth, his attention drifting back on the patrol he just had returned back with. Good, looked like all of them had disappeared into their dens to get some sleep and his own parents wouldn't even care if he returned back or not soooo, luck was on their side!.

Once he knew it was clear to leave he would enter the tunnels once more and leave the light to return back to the darkness where he always felt like he belonged. " You better make sure to not lose sight of my tail so you dont get lost in here....if you do... oh boy you might never find your way out again!, haha!." he snickered, thinking that was funny.
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[SNAILSTRIDE]

Snailpaw's eyes briefly widened as if believing that they'd chosen the wrong cat for the job, but it didn't take long for them to pick up on Dazzlepaw's exceptional sarcasm. With it, the fear of being ratted out melted away - a ]good influence may have been what they needed right now but it wasn't what they wanted. Good humour returned to the marbled tabby with a smirk and a nod. "Knew you'd be the right cat for the task." With their belly low to the ground, they followed after Dazzlepaw, back into parts relatively unexplored by the apprentice. They'd been a tunneler apprentice a long, long time ago, but a sudden growth spurt and a flurry of fur growth and convinced half of the clan that they would become far too large to be successful at the job. Several moons later, it was apparent that most of them had been wrong. The tunnel sides pressed against the tips of their hairs and they'd be damned if they tried to stand or maneuver quickly, still, it wasn't as bad of a fit as they'd been convinced it would be.

Within the tunnels, they can hear their own breath, and smell nothing but the soil, they have no clue where they're being led but they trust Dazzlepaw not to leave them stranded. The other could be a cruel troublemaker, perhaps the faith in his clanmate was misguided. When it came time to choose between having to be rescued from the tunnels again, or having to endure another one of their mentor's unorthodox training sessions, the former still somehow seemed less humiliating. Brief worries creep up into their head, they remind themselves it won't be too long until they see the sunlight again, they just have to follow the tunneler. Smoky ears flatten briefly at the reminder of such a thing from the other, swearing their heart practically stopped a second at the thought of being left behind to rot. "Yeah uh... that might have already happened once or twice." They chuckled nervously, their grin practically audible. "Came down here by myself a few times to escape... only, I'm not exactly good of keeping track at where things are... like entrances and exits."

It could be difficult to keep on top of organisational tasks when one was near-perpetually lethargic, save for the brief bursts of energy that overcame them when they got a chance to socialise. They didn't envy Badgermoon's job, having to keep track of where all those cats were being set off for patrols sounded like too much work. After a brief pause to let their story sink in, Snailpaw continued. "Thankfully Smoke and Rainy practically live down here, I don't blame them for that. The way things can be on the surface sometimes, I'd wanna be a mole too if I can sleep off the drama in a dingy little tunnel. Do... do you do that? Come down here to sleep?" Would Dazzlepaw get caught by patrols? They moved at a quicker speed, almost bumping into the other's hind legs, not out of fear of being abandoned, but to make sure that they didn't miss even an ounce of information.

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[DAZZLEPAW]

Already happend?. Dazzlepaw couldn't help but to snicker to themselves when the moor runner actually admittedly not only to have been down here before but actually have got lost!. That was just fantastic. What a funny cat this one was. " You most really have been desperate to get away then if coming down here without any direction at all on where to go. " he pointed out not exactly thinking that was the most clever decision to do in Snailpaw's situation but who was he to judge?. Snailpaw's mentor didn't exactly seemed like 'miss nice guy' if asking him about it. Hmh. " You were lucky ya got out. It's easy to die down here y'know even for us tunnelers. " he hummed as he thought about all possible ways that could go wrong down here. Tunnels collapsing was just one of them.

Dazzlepaw keept on moving them forward as he took them through different tunnels while he contunie to listen and keept his attention around his surrendings while at the same time eagerly listening as his companion behind him keept on talking. Smokepaw and Rainpaw, yes of course. Snailpaw was a friend of theirs, weren't they?. Nice for them to have friends he guess. " I've no clue what you are talking about. Watching ya clanmates tear each others throats off seems like a fun day on the surface!." he said with playful sarcasm, obiviously making fun of the whole idea. He understood completely what Snailpaw was talking about here even though sometimes he wished he could be up there to see it just so he could have a good laugh about it. Family, looking out for one another. Badgermoon truly was a funny guy!.

Suddenly he would stop without any warning which might have made Snailpaw to bump right into them. Dazzlepaw paid no attention to this if so as he turned his head around to stare at them from his shoulder view. " Ah yes of course. I love sleeping in the tunnels while risking to get run over by rabbits or my own clanmates, get the tunnels crash down on top of me or...or...water suddenly rushing in through a hole from the surface drowning me. Sounds like a real fun sleep adventure!." he giggled as he told all the reasons to why sleeping in the tunnelers never was a good idea, and that life down here was not as easy that his denmate might think of it to be. Most of the times it was dark and with every tunnel looking the same it could be difficult to found the way back out.

His grin faded as he looked ahead of himself again, his ear flinking. " I do have a secret hideout though. Even you can get there from the surface. "he paused and cast a glance back from the corner of his eye, grinning widely. " Want me to show ya?."
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[SNAILSTRIDE]

The tabby's ears burned as Dazzlepaw talked about their decision to enter the tunnels, a nervous chuckle escaping the feline. "Yeah uh... Shrikewing's what you'd call an asshole. Tough guy, mean streak if you don't do what you're told, his mom's always been nice to me though, I dunno how they're related." In the dark, their eyes caught a glimpse of the long scar running up the underside of their own leg, the immediate fur around it stained a stark white. "Anyways I try to avoid him when I can, even if that means risking certain doom I guess. Easier than his company sometimes." The apprentice muttered the last part beneath their breath. Recent events were making them more cynical, they knew themselves well enough to recognise how bitter their own clan was making them. It was not helped by Dazzlepaw's blatant sarcasm, the imagery of clan killing clan causing them to nearly jolt out of their skin. Sheesh, was it too late to become a tunneler? "Yeah that's not for me. Some of the moor runners get a kick out of getting their claws all bloody and gross, must be the power trip of having someone else's life in your paws."

It required a disregard for life that Snailpaw didn't think they could ever possess. Life, with all its crazy ups and mega downs, was precious, to toy with it like it was a mouse under one's paws felt like it went against anything a decent cat should've stood for. Then again, they weren't exactly keen on doing anything to protect such sanctity. As long as their own and their friends still breathed, it was easy to ignore the rest of the world. Snailpaw suddenly felt a bony hip collide with their jaw. At first, they were confused, but upon realising that they'd bumped into the tunneler apprentice, a hasty apology was uttered beneath their breath. They listened to the other's words more closely as penance, their eyes drooping sadly as he explained the difficulty of tunneling. "Ah, I hadn't thought about it like that before. Sorry! I know tunnel life isn't easy, but not much about the wild is. Still, it feels like you guys could be doing anything down here and no one would know! It must be kinda freeing in a way... which is strange when you're surrounded by clammy dirt walls. Hmm..."

There was a great philosophical debate to be had about freedom and how a cat could define it. Briefly, Snailpaw grew silent to consider it, content to remain that way for some time until Dazzlepaw said something that made their eyes light up like a Christmas tree. Their muzzle parted in an elated shock. "Oh my Stars, really? You have a secret hideout as well?" Snailpaw had several, mainly to have a place to go when one of them was discovered. Most of them were close to the horseplace, having found that plenty of the older cats avoided it due to the fear of twolegs and past events nearby. Snailpaw reckoned it wasn't as bad as the warriors made it out to be, heck, they'd even begun to name some of the four-legged herbivoress that stayed in the loners' barn. The ability to get to Dazzlepaw's from the surface sparked an interest in the marbled tabby, with mercurial energy, they mewed, "Of course I want you to show me! We should like, trade hideouts or something! You show me this one, I'll show you one of mine. A fair trade, right?"

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[DAZZLEPAW]

Dazzlepaw grow quiet not even saying one word, not even giggling when Snailpaw opend up about their relationship with their mentor which was...not what he had expected for this conversation to go. In truth he was not blind. Dazzlepaw saw a lot more than he let others in on. It was just he decided to give a blind eye to it just like everyone else. It was easier to joke about stuff because he was unsure on how to be serious about certain things like this. He was not used with another cat spilling their problems they had to them. Why would they?. Not even Dazzlepaw saw himself as a trustworthy cat. In that moment he was unsure if Snailpaw was naive, foolish or just desperate to have someone to connect with, who would understand them.

" That's uhm, pfft, Meanstreak, imagine them being named that instead!." he tried but failed breaking into his clown-like personality again. Another pause, another minute in silence before finally words find themselves on his tongue. " That really most suck." he said a bit softer, his voice sounding more genuine then it ever had before. But that moment was brief and soon over again as Dazzlepaw went back into character with ears perking straight up. " In that case come down here whenever ya like!, or if i'm close by give me a wink and i will come rushing in saving ya from Meanstreak like a handsome hero and we can run away into the sunset tail in tail!. " he said with chin held high with a stupid smirk upon his maw secretly hoping his silly remarks would cheer his companion up a bit. He had no other idea on how to be comforting to be honest.

" You think...you can escape all of that down here?." he said thoughtfully having to admit he was a bit amazed with how Snailpaw thought the tunnellers where all better. They were all coming from the same shell. A hum softly left his throat as he thought back on everything he had seen down here. " It's just no one sees it down here..." he mumbled to himself, his eyes turning distant for a moment as his own bad experiences caught up to him. But of course he wouldn't let bad memories steal his attention for long.

He could tell now when he faced them that Snailpaw was let down by the harsh reality of how difficult the job of a tuneller actually was. Maybe there was a glimt of guilt inside of him for having to burst his bubble but it was for the best. In truth...sometimes he wished to be in Snailpaw's fur instead. To run up there on the surface instead of forever being trapped in the dark to never see the sun. " Don't be!. It's all fine!. It's actually quite nice having someone to talk about all of this things with!. Most tunnellers are quite reserved and quiet, not a fun company at all...not like ya!." he flashed another grin along with a wink before his attention had went ahead of him his mind starting to plot out their next adventure. " When ya put it that way i guess that's true!." he had to agree especially with getting away with anything for the better or worse.

He couldn't help but to chuckle to himself when hearing how excited the moor runner sounded over his suggestion to show one of his hideouts to them. Dazzlepaw catch a side glance back as well enthrilled with how quickly they had brightened up, and how pretty their blue eyes sparked in this tunnel. To be honest he had not expected a such positive response!. " Duh, of course i have!. How do you think i can get away with my mischievous evil schemes, nya-hehehe ~~ " he put on his 'evil' face as he faked a evil laughter. He clearly needed more then one hideout to escape to when he had went to far to wait for his clanmates to calm down before he could show his face around again.

" Works for me!. Come on it's not that far from here!." he said not realizing how his own excitement had get the best of him as he happily marched both of them forward again to run through the tunnels with a new direction now, and just like he had promised it wouldn't take long before they finally reached the end of the tunnel and like a flash of lightening Dazzlepaw rushed out of the tunnel with a delightful jump and closed his eyes as the sun shine down on his face. Shaking his fur away from the dirt he spin around on his paws to face his companion who couldn't have been long after him. " Taa-daaa and out we are just like i promised ya!. " he grinned, waiting for Snailpaw to take a look around to see where they were. By the horseplace!. Looked like both of them were working on the same brain here. Of course this was not the hideout he had been talking about. That fun part would be next for him to show them!.

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