CRESCENT DUNES \ drizzlepelt

[TWITCHBOLT]

Right, well, that was that. What a spectacular failure. He imagined Daisyflight was looking down on his with disdain in the nettle-green of her eyes, thinking- is this what I trained you for? Because oh, oh he'd tried. Doompaw had been starting to get it, he'd been thinking, before Abysspaw went missing. Before he also went missing...

At least it hadn't been a spattering of blood this time. At least. Or- well, not a spattering of blood in SkyClan's territory.

A blue-striped shape drifted into his vision, a reminder blinking into his mind. Right- hadn't been becoming, they way he'd spoken to Drizzlepelt. Rushing them along like they were kittens, like he was better than them. Better for losing his apprentice. Mismatched paws rushed along to meet the tom, head canted, shivering of course. "Drizzlepelt, I- " And his voice hitched, erupted into an ugly cough. Great start. "I, I... wanted to say. Shh-shouldn't've... yelled at you, the other day. I was- was... just stressed," and when was he not, "And- and I'm sorry." ​

penned by pin ✧​

 

[Drizzlepelt]

Twitchbolt was not a cat that Drizzlepelt expected to lash out at him, but he could sympathize. He’s not sure how he’d react if he was in his paws, but it would not be pretty. Maybe he’ll understand whenever he gets his first true apprentice, but there’s only one situation that comes to mind. It’s the memory of his mother abandoning him, leaving him to rot away in the harshness of the last leafbare. But even if he was sad at the time, he has come to ultimately be happy with her decision.

He doesn’t think too hard about what kind of cat he’d become if he didn’t have time to grow on his own, away from her abuse.

Still, he didn’t expect Twitchbolt to come up to him and apologize. Maybe he should have, but he really didn’t see the anxious lead warrior as the one in the wrong. There was no wrong, in his mind. Drizzlepelt brushes his tail over him in a comforting manner, giving a kind smile. “You were understandably stressed! You have nothing to apologize for. I just hope you’re doing okay…that’s what I’m worried about.” He knows from experience just how much stress can affect you. “I’m always willing to lend an ear, if you need it.”​

 

[TWITCHBOLT]

Drizzlepelt, kind at heart- truly kind, and not the shivering and uncertain sort of kind, the easily riled sort of kind that Twitchbolt was- comforted him, now. Insisted there was nothing to be sorry for. Turning it back around on him, like- like any good cat in a nice conversation should, but Twitchbolt felt such a writhing wrongness about it that he visibly flinched at the draping touch of the other tom's tail.

Still getting used to that then...

Understandably. Why, why was it so difficult to feel understandable, even when other cats said he was? "Cats I've known have deserved me yelling at them, and you weren't one of them. I'm- I'm still sorry." How could he even equate Tidespin and Ravencall to a few cats flocking for his patrol? He couldn't- shouldn't have shot those same daggers at them, frenzied by panic and a gnawing doom that had bothered him night-long.

He sighed. "I'm... coping. I don't know what to do with myself, really." He spoke without really thinking. Scuffing the earth with a white-gloved paw, he looked apologetically at the other warrior. "I can't- burden you with this. He was my apprentice."​

penned by pin ✧​

 

[Drizzlepelt]

Drizzlepelt immediately retracts his tail when Twitchbolt reacts negatively, flinching from its touch. He mumbles a quick apology and then puts it back behind him, tucking it in. He probably should have realized that the chocolate and white tom was the last cat to appreciate a random action such as that…oops. He’ll try his best in the future to respect his boundaries.

“I accept your apology,” he says at the other’s insistence, a smile forming on his face. If that makes Twitchbolt feel any better, then he’s willing to allow it. “And that makes sense. I wouldn’t either…” Drizzlepelt hopes that nothing such as this happens again, but SkyClan is good at losing cats if anything. It was pitiful, really. But there’s not much he could do about that, unfortunately.

His face gets serious at Twitchbolt’s last comment, however. It’s not anger, but he wants his words to be taken earnestly. “Listen,” Drizzlepelt starts, “you are not burdening me with this. I asked you in the first place. I know Doompaw was not my apprentice, and I know we don’t talk much, but I care! I want to listen to you if you need help. I know what happens when you hide your pain…it will make things worse.”

He looks away for a second, lost in memories. Memories of holding all of his issues with his brother in until it boiled over, holding in just how much WindClan scared him and almost breaking. It’s not done him any good, only make him more paranoid. “We can both try our best to improve, yeah? So let yourself be cared for. And it starts somewhere.” Drizzlepelt slides one of his front paws over, not reaching too close but putting it there for support.​

 

[TWITCHBOLT]

Drizzlepelt's face suddenly went quite steely, a stern look in his eyes, an unmoving, hard stoniness on his face-muscles. Usually that tom was pretty gentle, a kind face around camp- it was for that reason Twitchbolt had always liked him- but the look he bore was something unfamiliar. Not unkind, not scary, but... serious. Even. Twitchbolt still shivered, but felt a little more stable as soon as he met his eye.

A wobbly but sincere smile found its place on Twitchbolt's face. "I think we should talk more," Twitchbolt admitted, a hoarseness in his voice. Always present in the place of genuine sentiment was that little squeak. His wobbling words quietened and became something softer, even as he shook all the while. "I- I appreciate it. 'N you're- you're completely right, y'know. Never- never helps, holding stuff in..." StarClan knew he'd been ripping himself apart inside about his feelings for Quillstrike, until the other tom had confirmed there was never anything to be worried about in the first place...

One thing had not slipped past Twitchbolt quite so easily, though. One little phrase. I know what happens. Concern quivered on the brown-and-white tom's face. "You're- you're not bottling anything up, are you?" The words came with a smile, something... sort-of easy. ​

penned by pin ✧​