call me when the world looks bleak [ maggot ]

[SUNFLOWERMASK]

.°☀ AND IF IT EVER STARTS TO FEEL BAD, LITTLE FANG

---

It's Sunflowerpaw's first time out of camp alone since their injury. Maybe not the best idea, but they and their clanmates have only just been allowed back out of camp, and they can't resist the chance to exercise their new freedom. It feels good to go out exploring again, to wander at their own pace rather than limping behind a patrol. There's still the undercurrent of fear in their chest, waiting for some tragedy to strike when they're too far for anyone to find, but it's not enough to dissuade them.

They're getting a bit better at navigating WindClan's territory now. Curiosity has always driven Sunflowerpaw's steps, and fear of war and the recent attack on their leader do not sway them from their need to know, to understand. So, to the ShadowClan border they go. Soft, uneven steps trace their way through the trees lining the Thunderpath, skirting the border but crossing. Golden eyes sweep across the marshlands on the other side of the divide, the home of the half-starved and battle-hungry, cats known to the apprentice only through fearful tales.

The Thunderpath is quiet right now, empty black stone in lit by the setting dusk sun, its rays cast upon them through the thin veil of trees. There's a calm here, alone in the fading light, skirting the line so close to danger. Lost in reverie as they pace along the border, Sunflowerpaw does not notice as they ShadowClan scent grows fresher, does not realize that they are not so alone as they think.

---

IT'S EASY TO EXPLAIN 'CAUSE THIS WORLD'S NOT TAME .°☀

⟪ OOC ⟫ ⟪ INFO ⟫ ⟪ REF ⟫

• // @Maggotfur.​
• SUNFLOWERPAW named by their half-brother vulturemask after his friend and mentor.
  — they/them, 5 moons.
  — windclan apprentice, mentored by wolfsong.
  — reserved yet loyal, distrusts most.
  — mild limp.
  
  primary character, high activity. penned by saturnid.​
• 

​

 

[Maggotfur.]

EYES COVERED IN INK AND BLEACH​

maggotpaw | 05 months | female | she/her | physically easy | mentally hard | attack in bold mediumpurple

---

​

Maggotpaws mentor doesn't seem to like her much - which is fine by the girl, since she doesn't like them much either. But it does mean that slipping away from camp is all to easy - not a single watchful eye turned upon blue and white frame as the girl slips away in silence, everyone to focused on the newest litter of monsters to grace the nursery - she really doesn't see the appeal. Paws carry her swiftly along, and she's not paying much mind as to where they lead her until the familiar acrid scent reaches her nose - and turquoise gaze actually gleams for a moment in excitement. The thunderpath is rarely short of carrion and other interesting finds - the perfect place to seek out trinkets to add to her hoard.

Pace quickens as she pushes past the undergrowth and the black paved path cuts into view - and suddenly she slams to a halt, tail lashing. She's not alone. A pale frame decorated in grey and lilac, like dust and pollen and ash. They seem to be young - an apprentice like herself perhaps, and utterly alone. Tufted ears twitch, and she wars between continuing on or leaving. She doesn't think the stranger poses a threat - Maggotpaw is large for her age, no longer the sickly child she once was, and she's confident in her abilities to handle another child. Tch - whatever.

She says nothing - content not to draw attention upon herself, as her eyes narrow onto a familiar white sharp upon the path - a discarded bone, picked clean by the birds magpiepaw is ever so fond of. Finders keepers - it's hers now. After waiting a moment to make sure there is no tell tale rumble of earth, no roaring growl, she darts onto the darkness - sun warmed so hot that her paws almost burn from it's heat, and she grabs the bone in her jaws. Her find brings her that much to closer to the other feline and she freezes at this realization - blinking slowly, challengingly almost, as her cold gaze raises to meet sunflower gold.

​

 

[SUNFLOWERMASK]

.°☀ AND IF IT EVER STARTS TO FEEL BAD, LITTLE FANG

---

A sound -- pawsteps on the Thunderpath, quick-moving thrumming. It catches Sunflowerpaw's attention immediately. Ears perked, head jerking towards the noise, body stock-still. There's another cat, standing on the path, grasping towards some object that that lies upon it. A ShadowClanner.

She's much bigger than them, but there is youth in her features; an apprentice, just as they are. She is not one of the scrawny, starved creatures that their clanmates speak of; no, instead her form is long and graceful, adorned with a thick mane trailing into the rest of her blizzard-coat fur, moonlight-silver pelt wrapped in snaking tendrils of deep blue.

The ShadowClanner freezes, suddenly still, and her head -- white as the thing she holds between her teeth -- lifts up, up, until vivid turquoise meets sunflower gold. Sunflowerpaw's frozen mind sets to racing. A ShadowClanner, alone, not on a patrol, what's she doing this close to the border? They suppose the same could be asked of them, but it's different for a ShadowClanner. Yet she makes no move to cross the border, to attack, does not speak any words of threat. She remains standing on the Thunderpath, ice-cold eyes blinking slowly at them. For a moment, the two merely stare at each other, Sunflowerpaw a deer caught in monster-gaze (no actual rumbling from the Thunderpath, that's good, wary as they are they don't want to watch this other cat fall prey to a monster).

There's so many questions that Sunflowerpaw could be asking -- should be asking, interrogating this near-trespasser. Yet the thing that catches their eyes most (when they finally wrench them away from the ShadowClanner's own) is the bone which the she clutches in her jaws. Despite themself, they creep a bit closer, paws brushing the edge of the Thunderpath. "Pretty," they say softly, gesturing towards the it with their lifted paw. It's a good find.

---

IT'S EASY TO EXPLAIN 'CAUSE THIS WORLD'S NOT TAME .°☀

⟪ OOC ⟫ ⟪ INFO ⟫ ⟪ REF ⟫

• //​
• SUNFLOWERPAW named by their half-brother vulturemask after his friend and mentor.
  — they/them, 5 moons.
  — windclan apprentice, mentored by wolfsong.
  — reserved yet loyal, distrusts most.
  — mild limp.
  
  primary character, high activity. penned by saturnid.​
• 

​

 

[Maggotfur.]

EYES COVERED IN INK AND BLEACH​

maggotpaw | 06 months | female | she/her | physically easy | mentally hard | attack in bold mediumpurple

---

​

The distance between them suddenly feels to small, and maggotpaw cannot help but worry for one moment that perhaps she'd judged wrong. Will this come to blows? But the windclan apprentice does not do anything of the sort - only stares at the find clutched tight in her jaws. Pretty they say, one paw raised, and she almost wishes they were complimenting something else - someone else - and not the bone. Its a strange but not unfamiliar feeling - she wants to be noticed, be remembered, be praised. Wants the love and attention she feels she deserves, even if she'll never admit it.

Long tail twitches, and then lashes, expression flickering as bright eyes flash through a range of emotions in a short time. Tch. "Then here," she says, and though her voice is lilting it is cold and toneless. It is just a scrap left behind - not even a good find... she would be willing to share just this once. If only because the apprentice seemed scared for a moment - guilt, that's all it is. She drops it, rolling it wit her paw so that it moves the last few tail lengths across the scent marker that she is not willing to risk passing.

A quiet rumble begins to fill the air and the fur raises on her slim figure - she doesn't even spare a goodbye as she turns and flees - with more than a few moments to spare before the monster comes rumbling down the path, but maggotpaw will not risk it. It is better to be safe than sorry. Safely ensconced in the cover of the marshlands once more, blue gaze flickers and flashes in the light - and she turns to look back, giving a simple tip of her head before vanishing into the undergrowth. A silent goodbye to the stranger. Perhaps they'll meet again, and perhaps next time she'll remember to ask their name. Or perhaps they never will. Only time will tell.

// out

​

 

[SUNFLOWERMASK]

————— ☀ —————
AND IF IT EVER STARTS TO FEEL BAD, LITTLE FANG

They're not quite sure what they're expecting with their words, nor do they know how to parse the ShadowClanner's reaction. A strange look passes across her face, tail lashing, and for a moment they wonder that they've said something wrong, that they've angered her somehow and are about to be the second WindClanner in recent memory to be attacked by a trespassing enemy.

But her paws do not move to cross the border, and her claws do not unsheathe. Instead, her voice comes cold and lilting, words that they don't understand until she's kicking the bone towards them. A rumble comes then, taking her away with no goodbye, fled back into the marshes. They feel a pang of loss as the monster passes, but — she's still there, gives them a small nod.

And then she is gone.

Sunflowerpaw stares, dumbfounded across the border. For a moment, they do not move. They merely watch the place where the other cat disappeared, as if waiting for her return. It was a strange interaction, and not at all what they were expecting from a marshland cat, none of the outright hostility, and far less of the expected fear. They don't quite understand why she was acting like that, but... There is a pristine bone lying within their reach. Is it a gift? It feels strange to call it such. There was no kindness in the giving, and yet it is theirs to keep. A memento of this unusual cat.

Slowly, Sunflowerpaw picks up the bone from where it lies at the edge of the Thunderpath. It is difficult for them to tear their eyes from ShadowClan's territory, still watching for the apprentice's reappearance. But they do, and they turn to leave, prize clutched carefully in their mouth. It is pretty, pristine and crow-picked, but their mind has turned now to the one who gave it to them, too late to say anything more to her.

Will they see the other apprentice again, they wonder, as they pad back to camp? Despite themself, they can't help but hope so.

IT'S EASY TO EXPLAIN 'CAUSE THIS WORLD'S NOT TAME
————— ☀ —————

.°☀ info ; visual

• // out
  ​
• SUNFLOWERPAW named by their half-brother vulturemask after his friend and mentor.
  — they/them, 6 moons.
  — windclan apprentice, mentored by wolfsong.
  — reserved yet loyal, distrusts most.
  
  primary character, high activity. penned by saturnid.​
• "SPEECH"
  ​
• 

​