CATCH OF THE CENTURY |☀| rta

[LIGHTSTRIKE .]

❝ WE HAVE YET TO CRASH ✧°.☀ —————————————————————————————
Sticks were cool. Everybody loved a good stick. A cool stick, even more so. This stick? Extremely cool. Too cool not to keep, actually.

What was cool about it? Well, it was unusually straight, for one, and crazy long. (Well, it used to be. He accidentally snapped it upon its discovery. Now it was less long). Most of its bark was already missing, the pale wood beneath smooth to the touch. It was here now Lightpaw sat in camp, eyes narrowed with concentration as he switched between scraping at it with his claws and gnawing at it to remove the rest. Bits of bark were scattered everywhere, and he was pretty sure he would be spitting out wood for weeks, but it was probably worth it.

"Just a bit more," he mumbled to himself, shifting it about to scrape at a chunk that was being particularly stubborn. Whatever came next once this project was over was up to future-Lightpaw. For now, stick.

[penned by its_oliverr - ☀]

——————————— ☀.°✧ BUT WE STILL MAY AS WELL ENJOY IT ❞ ​

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[WILDHEART]

ThunderClan certainly held no shortage of strange cats with weird habits. Wildheart had been reclining in a patch of sunlight in the camp when he found himself being disturbed by the sound of another cat faffing about with what seemed to be a stick. Bits of bark sat scattered about and it left him somewhat bemused. "I hope you intend to clean all that mess up once you're finished." He called as he sat up with a stretch, easing the stiffness out of his back.
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[DOVEPAW!]

.you want a battle —————————

————————— i'll give you war.

▵ ———————— ◮ ———————— ▵

THE FRECKLED TOM WATCHED WITH A CURIOUS TILT OF HIS HELM, watching the other apprentice work on the elongated stick. He understood being obsessed with things, grinning at the memory of having brought a frog into camp to show the other kits and apprentices. Ah—No doubt a lot of Thunder Clan was disappointed, but why kill when it wasn’t necessary?

Dovepaw hummed, shuffling over towards the two with a curious chirp. “I c, can help c, clean!” Offering Wildheart a nervous grin, the apprentice peered at the stick with a curious hum. “W, What are y, you going … going to d, do with it?” He had never seen a stick like it, of course, Dove was often too wrapped up in his own head to notice. Just like my hunting. His shoulders slumped at the reminder, only to brighten, grinning timidly. “I, It’s a r, really cool s, stick!”

thoughts speech​

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[STORMFEATHER]

What a silly thing to be doing—Stormpaw thought to herself. Cats did not eat sticks, and she had never heard of any cat skinning the bark from them like Lightpaw was. However, fully intrigued, the torbico waddled over to take a closer look at Lightpaw's project.

"Hey!" She puffed up defensively at Wildheart, her eyes widening with mischief. She knew the young warrior as a rowdy apprentice, and while her opinion of the tom varied, she had never stopped liking poking at his fur. "He will. Won't you, Lightpaw?" She sat up straighter, ears twitching as Dovepaw bounded in as well. "Of course it's a cool stick." She nodded, pulling her head up more aloof.

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[LIGHTSTRIKE .]

❝ WE HAVE YET TO CRASH ✧°.☀ —————————————————————————————
Just like that, the last piece of bark popped off and joined its brethren upon the earth. Expression full of contentment and victory, he sat back to gaze at his handiwork, running a paw over the smooth surface. A calling voice had his ear twitching to the source, and Lightpaw raised his head.

Searching eyes fell upon Wildheart, who was staring in his direction. The look on his face shifted into something more snide. It was just bark, why did he care? The ground was already made of dirt. "Just don't roll in it," he commented back, nearly at the same time that Stormpaw leaped to his defense. He snickered softly under his breath.

The golden tom had settled for idly rolling the stick back and forth upon the ground, and next to approach was Dovepaw. Why were they all suddenly so interested? Although to be fair, his stick was even cooler now than it was when he'd first found it. "What's all the fuss about cleaning it up? There's leaves and sticks everywhere as is. Anyways," he continued, looking back down at his prize, "not sure. I just think it's neat."

Lightpaw patted it. "Without the bark it's really smooth. Come feel it, it's pretty cool." He jerked his head in an obvious indication to get closer, pushing the stick in their general direction. "Bet I could use it to mess with the kits, or something. Or Nightbird. That would probably be funnier." Messing with Nightbird was always funny. Being punished, not so much.

[penned by its_oliverr - ☀]

——————————— ☀.°✧ BUT WE STILL MAY AS WELL ENJOY IT ❞ ​

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[nightbird]

nightbird was enjoying a meal of her own not far away, one of much more sustenance. she was not completely oblivious to lightpaw's strange activity having watched him drag the impressive stick over, just didn't really care to say anything about it. he was busy and staying out of trouble. while she would have preferred for him to be practicing something rather than chew on a stick, it was better this than any mischief he could get up to.

wildheart's chiding met her ears just as she was finishing up on a mouse. grey gaze narrowed onto the flame pelted tom. although one of the perks of being named a warrior was throwing around the newly earned power, he would be smart to find someone else. she could boss her apprentice around just fine on her own.

as she began to make her way out of camp, she saw the group grow almost rapidly. many idle paws, gawking over a stick. how cool could the small stretch of wood be to draw so many eyes? peering over as she trotted by, she saw nothing worth stopping over. however, her own name rang in ebony ears. it took little thought to decipher what for. "hilarious," nightbird echoed, looming over the group like a shadow. suddenly, she decided that no more time needed to be spent looking at the stick. the mention of a prank at her expense having very much to do with it. "if you all like sticks so much, perhaps you would enjoy picking them all up from around camp. be a shame if some poor elder were to trip on one."​

 

[DUSKBIRD]

Duskpaw had most definitely come to this conversation intending to have fun. Really, he had. There's a grin already half-formed on his face as he bounds up to the other apprentices. Sticks weren't much of his thing. They were useful, and sometimes found in interesting shapes or in an odd, uncertain state of being that he loved to study, but when they're off on their own it's not as important. But what is also not important? Perhaps even less important on their grand list of all things important? Pissing off Nightbird. As soon as Lightpaw even mentions messing with their shared mentor, the gleeful grin fades fast into a look of startled shock, and then– then he hears it. Hilarious. Though Duskpaw has not been a part of this moment at all until now, their mentor's tone still makes the young apprentice duck as if shamed.

"All of us?" he clarifies, and immediately has to suppress a wince. It would seem even whinier to follow it up with a but I didn't even do anything! so he doesn't, instead fixing Lightpaw with a slightly sulky look what you did glare.

˗ˏˋ〚  OOC NOTES 05.20.2023 〛´ˎ˗

• ooc: —
• ──── duskpaw. apprentice of thunderclan. he / they.
  ──── blazestar x little wolf, older littermate of skykit.
  ──── does not know of his father / skyclan heritage.
  
  ──── an undefined kitten with long, dark brown fur that fades just slightly near the chest, throat, and ears, while the tip of their tail burns with the bright orange tabby flame. eyes are a deep, rich amber-brown, seeming red.
• "speech"

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[✧ Sleekserpent.]

I DON'T KNOW EUPHORIA
sleekpaw | 04 months | genderfluid | he/she/they | physically easy | mentally hard | attack in bold mistyrose

---

Unlike duskpaw, sleekpaw has no such qaulms - or rather, they simply lack the filter to keep their opinions to themselves. "Why should we have to clean up his mess?" he questions softly, nose wrinkled at the thought of having to touch spit-riddled splinters, but orders are orders - if push comes to shove, he'll do it, albeit reluctantly. She doesn't get what the big deal about the stick it - there's nothing pleasing about sticks. They're dull and brown and a dime a dozen out here in the woods - and nothing more. Not like flowers, with their pretty petals and delicate stems, or feathers with their seek softness that shimmers in the light. What a useless thing to keep.

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[LIGHTSTRIKE .]

❝ WE HAVE YET TO CRASH ✧°.☀ —————————————————————————————
Lightpaw wasn't stupid. He knew Nightbird was nearby when he made his comment, and he had made no attempt to ensure she didn't hear. In his opinion, that just made it better.

Hilarious, she drawled with no humor, and that smug looked turned to his mentor instantly, quickly shifting into that of faux innocence. "Hmm?" he hummed brightly. "What is?" Surely not him.

She mentioned dragging them all into cleanup duty, lest an elder suffer the consequences of his depraved actions, and he sucked in a gasp of mock offense. "You think so lowly of our elders, Nightbird? I never thought you the type. I have the utmost faith that they wouldn't be bested by a twig on the ground." He nodded firmly once.

A few apprentices speak out against the idea of being dragged into cleaning duty, and Lightpaw sighs and shakes his head. "You guys are right. I think it's about time we overthrow our tyrannical dictator, be free of our chores once and for all. What do you say, Duskpaw?" His eyes glinted with mischief as he side-eyed the dark she-cat in question.

The golden tom lifted the stick in his mouth, waggling it lightly from side to side as if to test its weight. Then, lifting its end higher, he moved to bop Nightbird on the head. Hardly enough to hurt, plenty enough to be a nuisance.

[penned by its_oliverr - ☀]

——————————— ☀.°✧ BUT WE STILL MAY AS WELL ENJOY IT ❞ ​

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[WILDHEART]

Wildheart found himself narrowing his eyes at the collection of apprentices, especially at the like of Stormpaw and Lightpaw. "Since there are apparently leaves and twigs everywhere in the camp you can all work together to clean the clearing up. Otherwise you'll be helping Berryheart remove splinters from the paws of kits and elders." Fortunately it seemed as though Nightbird had the same idea for the unruly youth.

The tom swung his gaze towards that of Sleetpaw and he offered a smug looking grin at them. "Because we're not a horrid bunch of ferals living in some grimy hole. If you have a problem with this then take it up with Lightpaw. In the meantime everyone start tidying up, it'll be done in no time if you stop flapping your lips." Though it seemed as though the likes of Lightpaw wanted to keep up the mischief and he found himself watching in fascination as the apprentice aimed to bop Nightbird on the head with the stick. He ended up snorting a laugh of amusement and he found himself waiting intently for the warrior's reaction.
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[DUSKBIRD]

Duskpaw balks at Lightpaw's tone, freezing up tight and tall as his amber eyes go wide. "What? Stop it! You're just gonna get all of us in even more trouble," the younger apprentice protests in a low hiss of his voice, though it's not so low that it would escape anyone within range of conversation. And it sure isn't enough to stop him from doing the most stupid thing Duskpaw has ever seen him do. "Don't–!" Flabbergasted, his mouth snaps shut after that one short word. Part of him expects an explosion, especially when Wildheart starts in with some laughter. Maybe it's his stress or his worries bubbling up to a boiling point, but he can't quite restrain himself from an explosion of words that come in a voice pitched high and frantic. "If you're gonna be laughing at a real warrior, maybe you should be cleaning up instead! You're not even good at being a warrior!" Guilt follows the frustration, but there's no taking the words back now. Instead, the dark feline shrinks a little bit, crouching lower to the ground.

˗ˏˋ〚  OOC NOTES 05.20.2023 〛´ˎ˗

• ooc: —
• ──── duskpaw. apprentice of thunderclan. he / they.
  ──── blazestar x little wolf, older littermate of skykit.
  ──── does not know of his father / skyclan heritage.
  
  ──── an undefined kitten with long, dark brown fur that fades just slightly near the chest, throat, and ears, while the tip of their tail burns with the bright orange tabby flame. eyes are a deep, rich amber-brown, seeming red.
• "speech"

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[nightbird]

nightbird showed no humor towards lightpaw's ploy of innocence, shooting him a dissatisfied huff at the façade. immediately her proposal was met with the worried voice of duskpaw and the soft questioning of sleekpaw. the lead warrior only lifts her shoulders into a shrug as wildheart begins to lecture them about splinters. that was not necessarily what she was worried about, but it was a good enough reason. it was certainly a better excuse than just keeping them all out of trouble.

"on the contrary, i value them so much that i don't want them to worry about where they place their paws," she retorted, tail flicking sharply. she wondered silently if he would care for their so much whilst pulling ticks from their pelts. the smoke scoffs loudly as lightpaw boldly refers to her as a tyrannical dictator, rolls her eyes dismissively. duskpaw quickly begins scolding the older apprentice, she listens and is about to nod an agreement, when there is a tap across her head.

immediately she whips around with a burning glare, swiftly reaching a paw out to aim a cuff to one of lightpaw's ears. it wasn't violent, but by no means was her swipe gentle. "i'm gonna shove that thing down your throat," she mutters the the threat, ears tilting backwards. but wildheart's laughing followed by duskpaw's defense has her turning her gaze back to her other apprentice. she gauges the other warrior's reaction carefully with a narrowed gaze, bringing the tip of her tail to graze duskpaw's shoulder. "sit up, if you're bold enough to speak against a warrior you gotta hold your ground at the least," she said, voice creeping down to a whisper as she addressed the younger feline.​

 

[WILDHEART]

"I suggest you learn to still that tongue of yours, Duskpaw." Wildheart growled in warning as his moment of amusement fizzled out faster than embers in the wind. They might have shared the apprentice den for a brief time but they were no longer on the same level and he knew they would do well to remember that. "If you ever want to become a warrior then I suggest you do the duties given to you in the first place." He warned after stepping closer to the apprentice, not really caring about whatever Nightbird was whispering to him. Though she was soon the subject of his stare and he grinned at her. "Since you're the real warrior, as Duskpaw puts it, I'm sure you can handle dealing with all these apprentices by yourself. I'm going out to hunt, so catch ya later." He purred as he turned to take his leave.
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