private choking on swallowed anger ⍋ moonpaw

[valesight ➶]

⸙͎｡˚⋆ ⍋ ѧѦ ѧ⍋ ⸙͎｡˚⋆

The refractions of reflection that came in fragmented ice warps his face in such a way he does not recognize himself. He peers at it with sharp buttercup eyes, trying to decipher the planes of his face, the shape of his eyes, opening his mouth in a vain attempt to peer at his ivory fangs, stare at the rough texture of a pink tongue. It aches... and it aches sorely in a way that his hungry belly doesn't... something that rings in his head with a stabbing, twisting sensation. Why did it hurt?

Was it just a headache?

The solution was obvious.. to seek out the pale priestess whom he didn't idly fear and did not feel openly shunned by. Ravensong had not made the best impression, having stepped over him with lack of care or interest when he had just been brought to camp. Rookfang had been slick-furred with his own blood, raggedly breathing and begging for help. The corvid-feathered knight had frightened him and saved him all the same; he could not imagine a life without his big brother to protect him. And he loathed how eager Redpath was to aim his kitten-sharp claws at unseen enemies. It was in the name of practice but...

He slinks like a tumbleweed across the camp, leaning towards the dimly lit medicine cat's den with his jaw clenched firmly to dull the pulsing that lived just above his lip line, somewhere in the skull as if his nose were broken... or his jaw were misaligned. "Psssthhhht.... medithine girl," he whispers, the hissing sound of his "s" and "c" more alike a trilling "th" in enunciation. A lisped thing, unlike his usually delicate and articulate prose.

"Can... you help me?"

@Moonpaw​

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[Moonbeam]

Apprenticeship, Moonpaw noticed, was the same thing over and over again, monotony and practice until things got perfect - it didn't matter if you were training to be a warrior or a medicine cat - it was just different things to learn and practice. She was getting ready to do her own practice, trying to remember what herb went with what ailment that she'd learned so far, often finding herself mixing them up when she heard the soft whisper of Valepaw and ears pricked and swiveled as head turned to the entrance of the dark den. She noticed the new lisp that had occurred, something that was unusual even for the younger apprentice that often spoke odd by other cat's standards.

Curious she pushed forward towards the entrance, head cocked for a moment as different things swirled through her head. If Valepaw was asking her for help it couldn't be something too bad, right? And he didn't sound panicked, at least not now. "What's going on?" Soft voice questioned, eyes flickering over the other for a moment before stopping. He wasn't bleeding that she could tell, so maybe this wasn't a medical thing?

I WISH PLANT LIFE ꕥ WOULD GROW ALL AROUND ME

• 

• MOONPAW formerly Ratpaw || NPC x NPC || sister to Rowanpaw || apprentice to Ravensong.
  -- She/Her || 8 moons old, ages every 17th
  -- smaller than average, small rounded ears. SH white masking cinnamon torbie with orange eyes.
  -- soft-spoken, often found humming, tries to comfort others by smiling

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[valesight ➶]

⸙͎｡˚⋆ ⍋ ѧѦ ѧ⍋ ⸙͎｡˚⋆

Thank stars... the only one in this forsaken water-hole that didn't feel the name to call him 'Valepaw' with every breath... It instantly eased the spiky fur on his shoulders, deciding that she was the best option truly, for sure. So what if she was an apprentice? If that tight-lipped mentor of hers was any good, she'd already know how to do something right? "My hea'.... th'killing me..." Rubbing a paw at his cheek as if to notate his point, he is very abysmal at identifying the real source. With a hissing, gritted bite, it is noticeable under black-pink gums are convenient spots lacking the typical ivory fangs of most adults...

Not a headache...

"Mouf' hur's..."

If anything, he was of great help to the night light's training.. giving her things and individuals to practice on. Though... he truly rather avoid the pain and suffering to accomplish that (did medicine cats only ever learn when others were begging for help?). "An omen? Th'ould thtop...t'h'raining," he asks, hopeful it might mean he is relieved of any further battle testing or swimming practice with Redpath (he misunderstands what 'omens' from StarClan actually are).​

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[Moonbeam]

Admittedly, although she was learning things Moonpaw felt as though she didn't have a proper grasp on everything she'd learned so far. When Valepaw complained of a headache she felt a bit lighter, she knew how to help with those as it was one of the first things she'd learned, her own mentor suffering from them often enough where she would have been surprised if that hadn't been the first thing she'd properly learned with him. But when the young tom rubbed a gentle paw against cheek she was more concerned for a moment, unsure of how to help with toothaches or if what she did know if it would help properly, before she noticed the tell-tale sign of breaking in new teeth and concern quickly faded into sympathy.

"Sadly it doesn't mean no more training, but it does mean you're growing up." She'd offer, small reassuring smile quickly placing itself on her maw before words came once more, "I'm not too sure about an omen or not, I haven't ever heard of any about teeth-" She'd let out a small laugh at this, "You're losing some more of your kitten teeth, so new ones can come in. I finished losing mine not too long ago." And oh the pain, she remembered the pain. She felt like she couldn't eat properly for a week, but she was glad it was over with. "There's not much to do to help the pain until the tooth comes out, at least not something that can help permanently." She remembered what it looked like but couldn't quite place the name of it at the moment, too many names and attempts to learn things shoved in her head.

I WISH PLANT LIFE ꕥ WOULD GROW ALL AROUND ME

• 

• MOONPAW formerly Ratpaw || NPC x NPC || sister to Rowanpaw || apprentice to Ravensong.
  -- She/Her || 8 moons old, ages every 17th
  -- smaller than average, small rounded ears. SH white masking cinnamon torbie with orange eyes.
  -- soft-spoken, often found humming, tries to comfort others by smiling

​

 

[valesight ➶]

⸙͎｡˚⋆ ⍋ ѧѦ ѧ⍋ ⸙͎｡˚⋆

How... completely disheartening. His face drops into a look of pure dismay and horror- what did she mean this wasn't a bad omen? What was worse than a splitting pain in the face? Training wouldn't be delayed even a day? He shudders to think of Redpath's overzealous, cheery voice. This was surely a torture designed by StarClan to test him as a prince... to overcome a horrible challenge that might make him better.

But he didn't want a challenge... he wanted Rookfang.

Moonpaw's soft laughter is reassuring at least, that he is not dying, even if he does offer a small frown at her amusement. Cruddy priestess... giggling at him like that. His face softens, not nearly as angry as the split second bitter thought might suggest. She explains in gentle tones that this is just... growing up. That her kitten teeth had fallen out of her mouth not long ago, that it was normal. How in the heavens name did that seem normal?! He reaches a paw to his lips nervously, wondering if he is going to be nothing but gums soon... how did one eat without a mouth full of teeth?

"Vewy we'w," he murmurs in resigned sigh. "All of'em? Fall ou'?"

He peels back his lips to try and touch his teeth with soft pads, noting a gap where tiny incisors once had been. Shoot... it had already begun.​

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[Moonbeam]

She watched with amusement glinting in orange eyes as Valepaw's waves of realization showed. A small nod of her head came in response at first as he questioned further All of'em? Fall ou'? "Not all at once luckily, but yeah all of them eventually. New adult teeth come in soon after so you can still eat your food but it's really uncomfy. If it gets bad enough to not be able to talk or eat very well then you can come back and see me or Ravensong." If it was that bad surely Valepaw would be able to sit out for a day from training, the pain being too much. Moonpaw'd been lucky when her teeth fell out that although she was in pain it wasn't bad enough to keep her from training but she'd also enjoyed training and tried to push herself even when she shouldn't. She was sure there were times where others would sit out and just try to relax, she couldn't imagine what else could come from teeth hurting for too long.

Walking back into the medicine den she motioned for Valepaw to follow, rummaging through herbs until she found a small piece of bark and a soft "ah!" escaped the apprentice's lips as soon as she'd found it. "This helps with toothaches." She'd speak while turning around before gently moving the alder bark towards Valepaw, "You just gotta chew on it, try to do it on the side that isn't hurting and it should help." Hopefully. She hadn't tested it out herself but she'd been told this is what it did and she trusted Ravensong to not teach her the wrong things.

I WISH PLANT LIFE ꕥ WOULD GROW ALL AROUND ME

• 

• MOONPAW formerly Ratpaw || NPC x NPC || sister to Rowanpaw || apprentice to Ravensong.
  -- She/Her || 8 moons old, ages every 17th
  -- smaller than average, small rounded ears. SH white masking cinnamon torbie with orange eyes.
  -- soft-spoken, often found humming, tries to comfort others by smiling

​

 

[valesight ➶]

⸙͎｡˚⋆ ⍋ ѧѦ ѧ⍋ ⸙͎｡˚⋆

Fewer teeth... surely this would significantly dampen the already soggy-at-best skill for hunting he had. A plushy, dirt-and-sand coat still proved a nuisance as he developed in size, legs a little too long to be proportional, still not quite as burly as the brother he longed to be a mimicry of. His tail was a lot thicker and fuller than he remembered it being as a measly kitten, it dragged along the ground and collected debris when it wasn't already dampened by melted snow... And now this?

It felt alike a mockery of his status as a youngling prince... like he was more a jester than a noble. The sun-glow eyes of the medicine cat apprentice are soft in their understanding, that she does not spurn his complaints and fears as childish. She is... respectable, gentle-souled as any good healer should be... The apothecary that gently grinds poultices while humming reassurances of wellbeing and health.

Adult teeth, he thinks... was he already so close to his peak? His round, soft ears still felt like those of a baby... a muzzle, his jowls chubby and undefined with kitten fat. He thinks he still is just a tiny little boy... one barely fit for his mittens, much less battle, war, and adult teeth. He thinks of a pair of barely concealed daggers, wielded by a corvid champion, ever brandished as a reminder of passive strength, of wariness. Would he look like that too? A reflection of dark and light, just like the tumultuous feelings of an ever-frustrated heart of youth?

A rough piece of tree bark is placed before him, pearly teeth pulled back in a smile. He stares, thinking about how neatly her teeth fit into place with each other... that her fangs look hardly fully grown in but still correct. It will be alright, he hears her say in a voice disembodied from the way her lips move. And he is fine with that. "Aaah.... than' you..."

He'd have to be... a little less cowardly then. Because Moonpaw had promised it was normal, had not exerted her will over him in the form of a name to force him into bravery. It had been encouraged only in thought and intentioned action. "You're... a good one, pale healer."​

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