private BOTH OUR EYES LOCK TO THE TIDE // iciclefang

[STORMYWING]

☁︎

// @iciclefang

Being in the mountains is unexpectedly exhilarating. It's cold, but not bitter leaf-bare cold. Instead, the air is crisp and clean, and the winds that blow down the slopes and into their faces are fresher than anything she's ever tasted. Other things are different, too. There is no undergrowth for mice to hide in, nor is there falling leaves like leaf-fall in the oak forest. Instead, the rocky outcrops are infested with trees one might find in SkyClan. Pine needles litter the ground beneath her as she scrambles up a mighty spruce tree, eager to get away from the group and spend a little time doing what she enjoys best.

The small warrior stabilizes herself on the odd branch, unused to how much thinner the limbs are than her favorite oaks and sycamores, but she won't complain about the challenge. There is no tree she cannot climb. Breathless, she grins, feeling that familiar rush of adrenaline course through her veins as she scrambles on agile paws up another branch, and another. She spots where two branches cross to the tree next to her own and is already slipping towards it, muscles bunching so she can leap. Through the chilly air she soars, tail streaming out behind her before she lands on an even thinner branch. It bobs and sways under her weight but she allows her muscled body to move with it, claws sinking into the frosty bark.

She is panting from the exertion, but that same grin is ever-present on her face as she makes her way towards the trunk, where the branch is broader and stronger. It's only then that she peers down and notices she is not alone. "Iciclefang," She chirps in surprise, staring down into ice-blue eyes where the other stands on the snowy ground below. "I didn't see you. I thought you were back with the others!"

I WANNA TASTE LOVE AND PAIN ☁︎

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[iciclefang]

“Oh…” The sound Iciclefang makes as she watches Stormywing scale the pine tree is nearly inaudible. It’s a whispered exclamation, an admission of something that bounces on the tip of her tongue. There’s something in the way the tabby’s golden eyes gleam as she hooks her claws into the bark, shredding into it as she pulls herself up. Shoulders work and muscles ripple cleanly beneath snow and silver fur. There’s determination in every movement, but more than that, there’s pleasure—Iciclefang imagines she’d look similar half-emerging from the water. There’s passion and experience, and oh—

Oh, her eyes don’t leave Stormywing. She’s remembering the courage she admired in another she-cat, long ago, courage in the face of traumatizing experiences, but this is different. That had been the admiration a girl has for another girl. This is something she’d never felt for Ashpaw, something she’d never given the chance to bloom between them.

She feels her flesh heat beneath her fur when honey-bright eyes meet her own. “I just got here,” she lies easily. Her ears flick forward, her breath steaming in a pale cloud before her. “You made that look easy.” She gives herself a shake, smooth coat fluffing up against a chilly wind. “You almost have me believing I could do it myself.”

ooc ✧ 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘦𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦

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  — iciclekit . iciclepaw . iciclefang
  — she/her ; warrior of riverclan
  — lesbian ; single
  — short-haired tortoiseshell with white and ice-blue eyes
  — “speech”, thoughts, attack
  — penned by Marquette
  — chibi by Pin

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[STORMYWING]

☁︎

Stormywing's head cocks to the side, easily believing the other's lie. At her praise, her cheeks grow warm beneath snowy fur. "Really?" Ever-confident, she doesn't want to let the she-cat down, and so she does what she always does. She feeds into it, letting her arrogance fuel her as she straightens herself. "Well, I'm the best climber in ThunderClan. You should see me in a sturdy oak!" It's obviously an exaggeration, but she still flashes a smirk, ever-so-slightly wobbling with bashfulness.

Iciclefang's next words light up her eyes with an idea. "Why don't you give it a try?" She suggests eagerly, hopping down to the next branch nearer the ground. "I can help you, if you want." She doesn't bother to think about why she wants to spend so much time with the RiverClanner. She doesn't have to. Stormywing has never been a stop and think kind of cat and she won't start acting like one now. All she knows is right now, she wants to climb this spruce tree with the stunning tortoiseshell.

Her paws slink down to the next branch, and the next, before finally she's crouched on the lowest branch. "Just jump, and sink your claws into the bark. And keep your body close to the tree," She instructs as she leans down, her draping tail twitching to and fro behind her.

I WANNA TASTE LOVE AND PAIN ☁︎​

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[iciclefang]

Stormywing glows after Iciclefang’s praise. “Really?” The tortoiseshell gives a barely-perceptible nod, her eyes roaming from the gray tabby’s foothold on the pine branch to the rest of the tree. “I’m the best climber in ThunderClan,” the other she-cat boasts, her smirk widening. “You should see me in a sturdy oak!” The tortoiseshell gives a faint huff of amusement. Her breath smolders pale in the darkness. “Well, on our way back, you’ll have to show me in the first oak we come across.”

She is content to stay earthbound, but Stormywing’s insistence has her hesitating. She’s not a climber herself, and with the ache in her shoulder that is improving by the day but still present, she isn’t sure she’ll do much more than make a fool of herself. “RiverClan cats don’t climb,” she protests, but then the tabby offers to help her up, slithering down to the lowest branch so she can assist. Iciclefang’s smile thins, but she can’t let the other warrior think she’s afraid of the ascent.

So be it.

She rises up onto her hind legs, pressing her forepaws into the almost slippery pine bark. Her claws slide from their pouches, sinking deep. “Okay, ThunderClanner… I’m trusting you,” she says in a near-grumble. With a rolling of her muscles, Iciclefang hauls herself up, and though at first she’s suspended with no further movement, she begins to scale the tree with wobbly, uncertain movements. When she’s finally high enough to join Stormywing on the low branch, she all but collapses onto the thickest section, her legs trembling with effort and a touch of nerves.

“Yeah, I thought you were making it look easier than it is,” she puffs, her eyes sparkling with the accomplishment. “How high do we have to go? Have mercy on me, thief girl.” She half-turns, blue eyes sparkling with rare mischief.

ooc ✧ 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪 𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘦𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦

•  
•  
• 

  — iciclekit . iciclepaw . iciclefang
  — she/her ; warrior of riverclan
  — lesbian ; single
  — short-haired tortoiseshell with white and ice-blue eyes
  — “speech”, thoughts, attack
  — penned by Marquette
  — chibi by Pin

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[STORMYWING]

☁︎

"I got you," She assures, a bit of laughter in an otherwise - oddly gentle - voice. She crouches in standby, waiting to see if she's needed. It's sloppy and awkward, but Iciclefang makes it onto the branch and clings to it as if her life depends on it. She snickers a bit in amusement but doesn't let the opportunity to praise her go by. "That was good - for a water-logged RiverClanner, that is!" With her joke, she ventures to reach a paw out and nudge the other's shoulder, her grin widening.

"Okay, just a few more branches. I'm right with ya. But you gotta see the view from up here," She trills, turning to leap up to the next branch. She is quick to crane her neck back down, swift to help if she is needed. She can feel the adrenaline running through her legs and must suppress an energized shiver. Spending time alone with the she-cat is far more preferable than with the group. She doesn't ever want to head back to the others; she only wants to get to know Iciclefang more. "Do RiverClanners really never climb, anyway?" She mews down at her, golden eyes glittering with curiosity.

I WANNA TASTE LOVE AND PAIN ☁︎​

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[iciclefang]

◇────────────【☆】★【☆】────────────◇​

XXXXXStormywing promises her only a few more branches to go, and Iciclefang gives her a weary but determined nod. She watches the ThunderClan warrior’s movements as though hypnotized by the sway of her body and the tug of muscle under striped fur. To her question, she mews, “No, not at all. Why climb when you can swim? Our prey is in and around the river, you know.” She flexes her claws again, following her unlikely friend up with slow, precarious movements.

XXXXXShe kicks out with her hind legs, claws scrabbling for purchase against the slick pine bark. “Our trees are mostly willows and the like,” she pants, hauling herself onto the branch beside Stormywing. For just a moment, she wobbles, then catches herself. With relief, Iciclefang lets herself relax, flank resting against Stormywing’s. It’s almost electric, the way their pelts brush—she’s never felt anything like it before, not even with Ashpaw. “Erm—sorry,” she murmurs, averting her gaze. “Just need a bit of a rest. I’m getting the hang of it, but you won’t catch me swinging from branches like a squirrel any time soon.”

XXXXXHer pale blue gaze flicks away from the ThunderClanner and toward the horizon they’ve captured. Picturesque, the moon hangs low and round above the distant mountain peaks, showering silver on everything beneath its watchful eye. Her jaws part just slightly, awed by the sight. “Wow,” she murmurs, forgetting herself temporarily—she falls back into Stormywing’s side, moved by the view sprawling ahead of them. “I never imagined it would be like this… did you?” And suddenly, she doesn’t know exactly which this she’s talking about, which it.

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[STORMYWING]

☁︎

Iciclefang makes a good point, she acknowledges with hum. She guesses willow trees wouldn't be the easiest to climb. "There ya go," She trills eagerly as she flops onto the branch next to her, trying to pretend she's not noticing the brush of their flanks. "Sorry for what? You're doing great," She replies boldly, similarly shifting her gaze, back towards the horizon. She swallows harshly, throat suddenly feeling awfully dry.

Wow, She utters, and it's enough to draw Stormywing's gaze back to the moon, following her companion's icy blue eyes. Suddenly, the tortoiseshell is leaning against her and she can feel her breath catching in her throat. The beating of her heart has quickened like rabbits' steps and she risks a small glance back in her direction. "No," She breathes, no longer looking at the moon. The view is right next to her; it is moonlit shadow and fire, encircling sapphire eyes. "Beautiful," Without thinking, the soft words slips out. Her cheeks are warm now and she must quickly look away, back to the horizon. "Th-the moon." Mouse-brain! What the heck was that?

I WANNA TASTE LOVE AND PAIN ☁︎​

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[iciclefang]

◇────────────【☆】★【☆】────────────◇​

XXXXX“Sorry for what?” Stormywing meets her gaze briefly before flicking her sunset eyes back to where the moon rises. Iciclefang feels her throat thicken, but she makes no reply—their bodies fit together like they were meant to, like StarClan had writ their stories long ago, like this moment had been fated to happen. She can feel Stormywing’s eyes on her, and though the other warrior says, “Beautiful… the-the moon,” she knows. She feels herself puddling and then sipped and then gulped by Stormywing’s gaze, and she tingles from the tips of her ears to the bristling tip of her tail. Tiny sparks run along her spine and threaten to fluff her fur.

XXXXX“I’ve never…” She trails off, lost, meandering. The feel of another’s heartbeat, so close to hers, distracts her. They are in sync in a way RiverClan and ThunderClan has never been, staccato behind fragile ribcages. She swallows, suddenly uncomfortably aware of how warm she feels even in the face of the cold mountain air. “I’ve never felt—felt anything like this. The view,” she says, her claws seeping into the tree bark and digging.

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