CUPID'S CHOKEHOLD ⊹₊° edenpaw

[LUPINESONG]

❀‿ Lupinepaw was, like, super happy that her friends were dating each other. It was... kind of out of nowhere, in her opinion, but still... Cute. Still, something itched at her, prickled at her spine, and twisted uncomfortably within her chest. And it could have been the recent expansion of her family, or the impending warrior assessment looming up above her head, but this feeling was distinct in its... discomfort.

She worried mostly about what their partnership meant for her. Immediately she was pressed with fear, the image of the two of them walking off together with their backs toward her. She conjured up a vision of their warrior ceremonies — they would be getting their names together, she imagined — where they would be pressed up beside each other and run off to go cuddle or something, and no one would be there to congratulate her. In fact, everyone would forget her name entirely when they chanted at the end. Also, in this dream, Orangestar would name her something like Lupineclaw or Lupineslash as a dig at her being a complete disappointment at combat.

It's such a bad dream...

Even if reality didn't play out exactly the way she imagined in her nightmares, she still was nagged by the thought of their relationship (and also hers, let us not forget...) wedging Lupinepaw away from her dearest friends. And this was part of the problem... She was a good friend to Edenpaw, right? Even if trying to talk to Cherrypaw nowadays was like trying to speak through a puddle of pine sap stuck to her tongue... Lupinepaw had a tentative assurance in their established bond that she could not be blown off like a simple dandelion seed. With Edenpaw, though...

She envied them. This she was aware of. Lupinepaw knew that it was only a matter of the consequences of her own actions (being dodgy about padding after another one of their peers for so long) that she made things so weird between her and Cherrypaw. But even still, she was jealous of Edenpaw's position so comfortably by Cherrypaw's side, of their uncomplicated affection for one another. Why couldn't things be so easy for her?

So, Lupinepaw busied herself with a little pet-project. She was going to make sure that she would not be tossed somewhere out of sight.

She found the daylight-apprentice alone for a moment, sitting in a small sunny patch off to the side of camp, and made her way toward them with a graceful stride, a squirrel from the freshkill pile in tow. Lupinepaw sat beside them closely, wrapping her tail behind them casually and brushing pelts with their pale flank. "Helloo, gorgeous," she purred, "Help me eat this, will you?" The prey would be left forgotten at her feet for the moment, waiting for Edenpaw to take their bite first.

"Sooo, I heard the news...!" She started expectantly, a careful eye trained on the other's face for their reaction. Sitting this close to them, she could smell the lingering ghost of Cherrypaw. Which, like, figures... Since they were practically doing everything together lately, but, "... You caught your first prey recently, right? What'd I say, I knew you could do it!" Surely Edenpaw had to have a positive opinion of her for going out of her way to help them when she totally could have just rejected them if she wanted to...

CHANGE, LIKE THE SKY, ⊹₊°❀‿ LIKE THE LEAVES, LIKE A BUTTERFLY.

• OOC: @edenpaw ?!
• 
• 
  — lupinekit . lupinepaw
  — trans she/her. 11mo apprentice of skyclan. mentored by dandelionwish, padding after falconpaw
  — bobbie x duke. littermate to crowpaw & drowsypaw. older half-sister of hollykit, lionkit, and candorkit
  — a tall, pretty, long-haired black smoke with low white and green eyes
  — smells like sweet lupine flowers and young pine needles
  — "speech", thoughts, attack
  — fullbody by pikaihao and funnyguy by pin
  — penned by eezy

​

 

[edenberry ?!]

𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊 〰 Loafed comfortably where the sun's rays could sink its claws into the darkest stripe of their fur, Edenpaw found it to be alike those weird black panels at the top of some of the houses in their neighborhood. They gleamed and glistened with the heat that rolled off them in odd waves and seemed to enjoy it.. they were always pointed towards the sun. Eyes close in brief reprieve, trying to commit the pathways to memory, to imagine the Twolegplace clearly as they would memorize SkyClan's territory. It was weird... to have two lands to know and wander through.

At least, they could take solace in not getting lost. Hazelbeam's Twoleg was nice. They could still afford the luxury of a promised meal and a warm place to sleep. It became less painful with every morning they woke up to a gentle hand on their head. A little scratch under their chin that they could never quite replicate out here in the expanses of the trees. They almost think they've imagined it so perfectly that they can smell their dinner- but there's a sappy scent that hides there and with a small 'mrr' of surprise, Edenpaw practically jumps to feel equally sun-soaked shadows brush against the paleness of cloud fur.

Peeking up at Lupinepaw, who had somehow grown into her length a lot better than Edenpaw had so far, the compliment sends a butterfly fluttering in their tummy. It was so flattering, a bit unexpected even, coming from one of the luckiest molly's in the whole camp; she had been pined after in small glances and the company of Falconpaw for what felt like ages now (even if it had only been a month or two max). "You're one to talk," they purr, flushed with embarrassment as they extend their legs to sit up properly. She is suffocating in her closeness; her sweet smell intoxicating from this lacking distance.

It isn't a proximity often afforded to anyone; something earned with delicate trust where Otterpaw had made it fractured and uncertain.

Turning meadow-greens towards the squirrel, an amused smile twitches at their whiskers.. maybe it was a bit of a bias now but... squirrels felt like good luck charms. It'd been awhile since Blazestar had opted to ask the kittypets not to steal bites that hungry warriors needed more and so, they would not deny the way they practically salivated at the thought of having a bite- eager and impatiently they take the opportunity.

She leans in as if conspiring as she declares her knowledge of... some nebulous thing, prompting a brow-raised glance from the pin-stripe cat. Which news? So many things had been happening in a small amount of time... Probably not about the collar, since she'd been there for that. Maybe Hazelbeam had said something? Stars... that'd be humiliating. They could understand a bit better Slate's frustrations with Twolegs but last thing they wanted was to be associated with the likes of him.

"I still-" they think to get ahead of it, to confess they are not planning on becoming a full-timer any time soon despite the hiccup but Lupinepaw, thankfully, saves them from outing that little tidbit by advancing with a joyous celebration of their success. "Need to thank you for that," they recover (smoothly... hopefully), stammering a small, nervous laugh. "I couldn't believe it! And a squirrel- is that why you brought this one? Awww...." Rubbing their cheek fondly under the soft spot under Lupinepaw's chin, they cannot help but purr. "I couldn't have done it without your help, really! You're the best Lupi!"

Adjusting themself to puff out their chest at her proudly, the gangly feline offers a winning smile, "If there's anything I can do to repay you, you just say the word. I wanna be a helpful friend to you too!"​

 

[LUPINESONG]

❀‿ Lupinepaw purrs as their face presses up beneath her chin, "You're too modest, Edenpaw..!" Lupinepaw wasn't egotistical enough to think that her apprenticing basics-level lesson was the deciding factor in Edenpaw's journey to warriorhood, but it was nice to be thanked, that was for sure. "But yeah, I figured! Honestly, I've been fond of blackbirds ever since I caught one for the first time, I think it's like, a thing."

Edenpaw laughs a bit too nervously for Lupinepaw not to catch it, and she wonders if they're burdened by something she is not privy to. Curiosity swirls with satisfaction as they puff up their chest and grin at her. The daylight apprentice asserts that they want to be a helpful friend to her as well, and Lupinepaw smiles softly, her own pride swelling with the knowledge that she's won them over, though perhaps a bit too easily.

"You're really the sweetest, but no, you don't have to worry about repaying me for anything," she rasps a tongue behind Edenpaw's ear and moves to face them squarely, "I just wanted to help because I consider you one of my dearest friends..." And it was true, she thought, Edenpaw was unfailingly sweet and a loyal friend to them, and she thought she understood why it was so easy for Cherrypaw to fall into a relationship with them.

She remembers the prey she brought over, and takes a few bites as a courtesy, and the two of them sit in a short minute of silence before she speaks again. "You know, you can tell me anything, Edenpaw," Lupinepaw speaks suddenly, the tone of her voice bordering on something truly serious, "If you have any more training questions... or like, you need relationship advice... 'Cause I know it can be harder than it seems, trust me."

She shrugs with a pleasant smile, "But like... yeah! Whatever's on your mind, really, I won't judge."

LOVE ME MORE, ⊹₊°❀‿ LOVE ENOUGH TO DROWN ME OUT.

• OOC:
• 
• 
  — lupinekit . lupinepaw
  — trans she/her. 11mo apprentice of skyclan. mentored by dandelionwish, padding after falconpaw
  — bobbie x duke. littermate to crowpaw & drowsypaw. older half-sister of hollykit, lionkit, and candorkit
  — a tall, pretty, long-haired black smoke with low white and green eyes
  — smells like sweet lupine flowers and young pine needles
  — "speech", thoughts, attack
  — fullbody by pikaihao and funnyguy by pin
  — penned by eezy

​

 

[edenberry ?!]

𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊 〰 The unfortunate reality of having such stark fur means the reddening of blush underneath is all the more clearly visible- where Lupinepaw could hide it, Edenpaw truly struggled and grows more flustered to be cooed at as 'modest'... They didn't think they were.. just a bit of a realist mostly. They weren't the best at anything really, except maybe picking blackberries? "Blackbirds huh? I'll have to remember that," the bi-color cat hums, softly and not much louder than a whisper. They wanted to remember all the things their friends liked and cared about. Just in case.... just in case...

The worst happens...

Lupinepaw presses on with a flicker in her gaze that they can't identify, choose not to, really... insisting that they are just very dear, close friends and aught to rely on each other. To trust one another with fullest faith. She pauses and with a delicacy that speaks to practiced, dainty movements, she takes a bite so that she might maintain the illusion they are just sharing tongues... just being good, best friends. Edenpaw finds her so harmless... and disarming at the same time, weaving words in careful articulation, a ribbon tied their throat where a gray collar had once sat instead.

And what real problem would it be... to tell someone about it...? It wasn't about Cherrypaw, like maybe their friend hoped to provide consolation about, but...

"Can I tell you something really embarrassing," they ask, already knowing the answer to be yes. Their paws shuffle awkwardly underneath them, unable to search green meadows like a serpent invading the tall grasses as they drag their attention to them. They keep their voice low, their maw tucked close to smoky fur so as not to be overheard, if they could avoid it.

"I kinda... got thrown out of my house?" And they aren't even sure they understand why still... and fail to make it agonizingly clear just how literally they mean it. "Haven't really... told anyone because it's like.... stupid and whatever but..." They talk if only to fill the silence but run out of words quickly, dropping off with a small frown.​