built for pain — casual climbing

[DUSKPOOL]

anger makes you stupid . stupid gets you killed .
︶꒦꒷♡꒷꒦︶

Duskpool moved sluggishly through the undergrowth, tiredness weighing his bulky frame down when he stopped just beneath a towering pine. He breathed, relishing in the familiar scent of pine flooding his nostrils, subtle hints of SkyClan. It’d been difficult getting used to clan life, sometimes Duskpool found himself wandering the territory alone, or sleeping outside of camp, tucked away in a hallowed pine with a nest that desperately needed new moss.

He huffed, backing up a few paw steps away to let a molten gaze scan the tree for paw holds. The warrior made no move to follow through, shoulder pulsating in mind waves. It wasn’t anythin’ much, but it sure as hell beat bein’ stuck in camp.

The obsidian warrior didn’t have much hope. Not since the climbin’ that cliff that pulled his shoulder right out of its socket with a churning stomach and pain somethin’ incomparable. He winced at the memory. Best not to repeat that.

He never been good at climbin’ but he’d did a decent job. Now? Duskpool didn’t have a lick of confidence. His shoulder throbbed, not as stiff as it had been before, but tender to the touch. He hadn’t given himself much rest since returnin’ with foggy vision and weakened limbs, but Duskpool was a stubborn thing.​

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[softheart]

Oblivious to Duskpool's injury and the clear struggle, dazed blue eyes regard the climb with empathy, relating to the feeling of feeling unable to climb, "I'm not good at that either." he shares, as if that's Duskpool's issue. Even when he lived with his housefolk, climbing up the fluffy white thing that was made for climbing always had his hurtling to the ground somehow. That isn't to say he hasn't been trying. His attempts in SkyClan are laughable, but the attempt had been made.

"Oh." He seemingly notices the wincing after it's already happened, alongside the struggle, not very perceptive. "Are you alright?" Already round blue eyes rounden more slightly. The injuries he's witnessed in the clan offer him a little of a feeling mostly foreign to him, fear. When he lived with housefolk, there was a distinct lack of any hurt, Dolly especially sheltered and well taken care of. "You could go first, show me how it's done." he drawls, in his usual slow way of speaking.
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[DUSKPOOL]

anger makes you stupid . stupid gets you killed .
︶꒦꒷♡꒷꒦︶

He grunted in response, tossing a glance in Dolly’s direction, wooly tail flickering in muddled amusement. He hadn’t been all that good either, even before climbin’ that damn cliff. He was more useful on the ground than anythin’ but that didn’t mean he didn’t like climbin’, but that ship long sailed, not if he risked makin’ his shoulder worse than it was, possibly rippin’ it out of his socket. He wasn’t thrilled about being stuck in camp for however many sunrises.

Pullin’ himself free from his thoughts, Duskpool couldn’t help but shake his helm, glancin’ at the other through his peripheral. “Don’t need to worry about me, kid.” He grunted in deadpan amusement. Turning to face the other fully, the battered warrior shook his helm slowly. “Won’t be much use.” Jerking his chin toward his shoulder. “Can’t do much climbin’ anymore, kid. Might not be all that good at climbin’ nowadays, but real decent at givin’ ya some tips.” He gestured to the tree with a flick of his tail. “Ain’t about to let anyone else fall.” He’d add, not botherin’ to elaborate further on the mess. ​

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[TWITCHBOLT]

Duskpool was often the type to deflect, Twitchbolt had noticed. Maybe it was noble. It was noble, really- but it only seemed to end up causing him a load of pain. Be it physical or emotional. Despite their lack of any tender closeness, Twitchbolt truly believed Duskpool was a kind tom beneath his boulder-hard exterior. His hear was soft and he protected it well, but... often, Twitchbolt worried he did not offer himself even a quarter of the concern he extended toward others.

Twitchbolt blinked, rustling pine-needles as he leapt onto a lower branch from the treetops. Not-quite-yet would his paws touch the ground, but he looked between Dolly and Duskpool with a small smile of greeting, noting the concern in the former tom's voice. When was the last time he'd seen Duskpool not in some sort of pain? "You're not... working yourself to the, to the bone again, are you Duskpool?" Twitchbolt asked. There was room for a little bit of humour, but most of all he made his concern clear. As long as he wasn't actively hurting himself... he supposed climbing tips would probably be well received.​

penned by pin ✧​

 

[Johnnyflame]

HE SAID, "WELL MY NAME'S JOHNNY, AND IT MIGHT BE A SIN
BUT I'LL TAKE YOUR BET, AND YOU'RE GONNA REGRET, CUZ IM THE BEST THERE'S EVER BEEN."​

---

"Yeah, Duskpool." chided Johnnyflame with narrowed eyes, though the faint smirk betrayed his amusement toward the audacity of the tomcat standing before him. nThis guy- did he not know how to take his own advice? He'd just told Johnny to quit pushing himself and here he was trying to rip his own arm out of it's socket again. "Yer a right glutton for punishment, you know that?" he said, shaking his head with fondness before turning his attention to Dolly. "I can show ya how it's done if ya like? Give you the visual demonstration while Dusk explains?" he offered.

---

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[softheart]

He takes in the worry pointed at Duskpool and his head slowly leans to the side, as if to figure out a puzzle, it takes a moment for him to process that it's an older injury, eyes drifting to the frazzled looking feline to the daylight warrior. The well groomed ragdoll blinks slowly, taking in the words directed his way. He can't imagine being in a similar position, living a life for a long time that has been luxurious.

"Yeah." He agrees plainly, a dazed smile curving his lips. "Show me how to do it." Scrabbling up fences has been in his experience - something he's never good at, hauling his fluffy hindquarters up behind him mostly serving to drag him down. It's a skill he's equally hesitant and wanting to improve, figuring from the significance of the tall trees often climbed that it will be invaluable to be good at. Previous attempts are what should be embarrassing, not an emotion he's well aquatinted enough with to care.

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[DUSKPOOL]

anger makes you stupid . stupid gets you killed .
︶꒦꒷♡꒷꒦︶

He snorted, shaking his helm. “Ain’t got nothin’ to worry about.” He rumbled, tossing a glance toward Twitchbolt and Johnnyflame, wooly tail flickering in mild amusement. Despite the hypocrisy, the smokey warrior had been getting better ( arguably ), but even he doubted it’d last long enough, shoulder still tender and he sure as hell didn’t want to risk yankin’ the thing out of its socket again. He wasn’t too keen on feeling that kind of pain that nearly made him empty his stomach.

“Glutton for pain, eh?” He mused, brow raised. “Ain’t got nothin’ to say to that.” He snorted, shrugging in half-hearted amusement, molten copper sweeping up the trunk, observing the closest branch with a rattling rumble in agreement, glancing at Johnnyflame through his peripheral. “That there branch will hold yer weight.” He grunted, wooly tail curling over his shoulder to point at a low-hanging branch. “The lowest branches will support yer weight better than when ya get to climbin’ up.” He rumbled. “That’s when ya gotta be sharp, but that’ll come later when ya get the hang of it.” He finished with a slow sweep of his tail, having dropped it to pool on the ground lazily, no doubt collectin’ foliage that’ll be a hassle to get out.

“Make sure ya have a real good grip with those claws of yers, it’ll help ya propel upward.” He spoke, glancing over at the other. “Ain’t gonna get far if ya don’t have a good grip, otherwise yer gonna fall.” He rumbled.

/ super super late post ​

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