attempting optimism [pigeonsong]

[QUILLSTRIKE]

DARK BLUE, DARK BLUE, HAVE YOU EVER BEEN ALONE IN A CROWDED ROOM?​

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OOC- rolled a 17, caught a bird (thrasher)!

While Quill had certainly made use of the pines before his stint in the twoleg shelter, upon his return he was seldom seen outside of them when beyond the walls of camp. The dark chimera was a constant presence in the treetops overhead, his steady gaze sharp on their surroundings whether he was with a hunting party or border patrol, paws only ever touching the ground when he deemed it necessary.

Sent out to hunt alongside Pigeonsong, this outing was no different. The tall, muscular tomcat prowled through the trees with sharp eyes and steady paws, jaws parting to catch a scent. And eventually, he did. A bird, closeby, and soon he found himself positioned on the branch across from a roosting Thrasher. The bird was plump and healthy and had its back to him, and Quill wasn't going to waste his chance.

He made his move.

A powerful jump had him landing on the avians branch, and just as brown wings opened in alarm to take them skyward, Quill was pinning them to the branch. His fangs quickly found their throat to deliver the killing bite, and a moment later he was standing on the still-swaying branch with his prize in his jaws. Twitch wasn't all that crazy about birds, but he was sure Bananasong would like it, and the idea of bringing prey to his mate -something his father never did with his own- filled him with a sense of pride as he made his way back toward where Pigeonsong had gone to hunt, wanting to see if the other tom had been as lucky as he had with a catch.

@Pigeonsong
​

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skyclan - male - 15 months (Feb 17th) - bisexual - homoromantic - single - a very tall, dark chimera tomcat with mismatched eyes and several scars. has bluejay feathers woven like spikes along his spine and neck.

 

[Pigeonsong]

Admittedly, his mind was elsewhere as a squirrel nibbled ahead of him. Halfheartedly, he stalks forward, unable to give his full attention to this hunt. It's not really a patrol he wants to be a part of anyway. Truthfully, it's not Quillstrike's fault that he's feeling the way that he is but he still would rather be anywhere else besides patrolling with the other tom. Tail flicking distractedly, he'd leap at the small mammal, form sloppy and he lands wrong, wrenching his paw.
He hisses with pain and holds his forepaw in front of him, holding back a whimper. It's nothing seriously but it's enough to put an end to his patrol for the day.

The sound of foliage moving steals his focus and he turns to face multi-colored tom. "Stupid squirrel." He'd mutter, teeth still clenched and jaw set hard with frustration. This wasn't his fault, he'd remind himself, fighting off jealousy and indignation as he stands as sturdy as he can. His face is screwed up in pain but he does his best to play it cool. The last thing he wanted was Quillstrike tending to him as though he were some kit, even if that's how he was acting.

"I'm fine, it's fine. There'll be more prey running. Just give me a second." The tom mewls, hoarsely.
Recently so many things felt beyond his control and now he was slipping, in a million moons he'd never dream of speaking to a clanmate like this, but now it spills from his maw involuntarily and guilt takes hold of his expression.
Quillstrike was a good and honorable warrior, he didn't deserve this.

"Sorry, it just really hurts." Pigeonsong would admit at last, staggering a bit as he keeps his paw off the ground.

 

[QUILLSTRIKE]

DARK BLUE, DARK BLUE, HAVE YOU EVER BEEN ALONE IN A CROWDED ROOM?​

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In complete contrast to Pigeonsong, Quillstrike had very few feelings on being paired with the other tom for the patrol. To the chimera it was just another day and another patrol, and he remained completely oblivious to the fact that the cream tabby was struggling emotionally because of something he'd done. So for Quill, this was just another hunting trip with another clanmate- nothing out of the norm.

The chimera was up in the trees when Pigeon missed their catch, wtinessing the half-hearted attempt with curiosity, unsure of whether he should be annoyed with their obvious lack of a proper attempt or not. In the end he decided against it. He may not have been close to the light furred tomcat, but Quill knew well enough that they weren't typically one to screw around when it came to getting a job done. Besides, it looked like they'd landed wrong, and so he quickly dropped from the tree and made his way over.

"I'm fine, it's fine. There'll be more prey running. Just give me a second."

A brow raised at the almost snappy words thrown his way, and while Pigeon was quick to backtrack it didn't stop the fur on Quills neck from spiking slightly as his surprise and initial annoyance bled through.

"It's fine." he replied, fur settling a bit as he placed the thrasher on the ground between them. "I get it."

Honestly, it was, and he did. He had never known the other to be an asshole for no reason and dark-pelted warrior had no reason to believe he was lying.

"Back when I was an apprentice I busted my own face open fucking around with a rock while I wasn't paying attention. Hurt like crazy. Almost bit Dawnglares head off when they said I was as clumsy as Blazestar." he offered, the ghost of an amused smirk settled on his lips.

"Had a lot on my mind back then." he added almost absentmindedly as his haunches met the ground, gesturing toward Pigeonsongs paw. "We've got time. Might as well sit and give it a rest- like you said, prey will still running."
​

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skyclan - male - 14 months (Feb 17th) - bisexual - homoromantic - single - a very tall, dark chimera tomcat with mismatched eyes and several scars. has bluejay feathers woven like spikes along his spine and neck.

 

[Pigeonsong]

Pigeonsong braces himself for what is sure to be a scolding and finds himself surprised as the other warrior instead tells him a story. Relaxing a bit, he'd awkwardly move to sit on his hindquarters, forepaw held out in front of him.
Dawnglare. Just the name sends a shiver through him, something about the medicine cat rubs him the wrong way. Well that was being generous, many things about the tom rub him the wrong way. He'd never dare to speak such thoughts though and instead nods along, finding himself grinning along with the tom in spite of himself.

"Dawnglare can be a bit much sometimes." the tom adds, tone light. As the chimera sits beside him and offers a rest, he frowns slightly. Aware was he suddenly that he was kind of putting a damper on this patrol. Quillstrike hadn't done anything wrong and now he had to sit here while he nursed his wounds.

"Lately, it just seems like there are so many things outside of my control that distract me."
He blurts out, Spiderpaw immediately coming to the forefront of his mind as he recalls the conversation they'd had during his last training session. She'd admitted to him then that she needed help and that she didn't hurt others on purpose. He'd told her how much he doubted his ability to train, that he truthfully had no idea what he was doing.

"Spiderpaw, has been a handful." The tom would elaborate, seemingly unwilling to spill her secrets to the other but needing someone to be responsible for his negligence. He hated how willing his mind was to blame Quillstrike and Bananasong for how he was feeling.

This was his fault.

 

[QUILLSTRIKE]

DARK BLUE, DARK BLUE, HAVE YOU EVER BEEN ALONE IN A CROWDED ROOM?​

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"Thats putting it lightly." the chimera scoffed, though not unkindly, seemingly amused at Pigeonsongs description of their medicine cat. Some days Quillstrike was surprised to see that the crazy old loon hadn't just poisoned them all in their sleep to save himself the trouble of having to tend to them all, but then again maybe they feared punishment from that 'mother' of theirs.

He didn't know, and he sure as hell asn't going to try pretend to understand.

"Lately, it just seems like there are so many things outside of my control that distract me."

Quill nodded, understanding the sentiment well enough even if it wasn't stemming from an unruly apprentice. He'd expereinced pleanty lately that had run beyond his own control, from watching them carry Daisyflight away for the last time, to the sudden rift that had risen between him and Twitch.

"Yeah, can't imagine it's been easy with that one." the tom replied, though again, the words weren't necessarily unkind, just sort of.. blunt. "Blazestars got to have faith in you though if he was willing to stick you with such a difficult apprentice, which is like, the total opposite of me." he added, amusement bleeding into his words as the corner of his lips turned upwards in a bit of a smirk. "I'm pretty sure he's waiting to assign an apprentice to me because he wants to stick me with a kid who has an attitude as big as mine was."

He hadn't exactly been easy on Thistle, and before him Sharpeye didn't last long either.

"Guess that's karma, or whatever." he said with a shrug, not seeming too bothered by it.

Quillstrike being assigned the biggest pain the ass the clan could find? Sounded about right.

"Aside from Spiderpaw being Spiderpaw, hows being a mentor?" he asked, vaguely curious.

Quill hadn't ever put much thought into being a mentor. He figured it was something that would happen one day, but it was hard to imagine an experience he'd never actually gone through, so putting himself in the shoes of 'mentor' was still pretty weird to him.

​

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skyclan - male - 14 months (Feb 17th) - bisexual - homoromantic - single - a very tall, dark chimera tomcat with mismatched eyes and several scars. has bluejay feathers woven like spikes along his spine and neck.