EASIER SAID THAN DONE | open & joiner

[BEARPAW]

"NOBODY TEACHES YOU TO WALK WITH OPEN HANDS"​

The days grow colder and colder, and with each sunrise Bear's worries grow. Her thick coat has kept her warm thus far, but it's getting harder and harder to find enough to eat, especially since she's never been the best hunter. She knows that the temperature will only continue to drop, and the prey will only continue to dwindle, and it's this growing urgency within her belly that spurs her onward. Bear knows that somewhere around here there's supposed to be other cats, and though she's heard talk that they're not always the friendliest, the molly is practically desperate at this point. That feeling of security that only comes from being with others is something she sorely misses, and frankly Bear isn't equipped to deal with leaf-bare on her own. Though, as she continues her march, she can feel anxiety worming it's way through her pelt. What if she can't find these other cats? Her track record for finding others is...nonexistent, really, and though it feels as though it would be hard to miss such a large group, it really would just be her luck to stumble right by them.

Or, what if she does find them and they really are as unfriendly as she's sometimes heard? What if they won't let her join, or worse, they try and attack her? The thought is enough to make her hesitate, one paw poised in the air. As she's momentarily frozen, a strange scent wafts through the air - it definitely smells strange, but it also smells like other cats, she's sure of it. Steeling herself, Bear creeps forward until she can make out what seems to be a scent marker, extending in either direction. It must be a good sign, right? Except now that she's here, the molly isn't exactly sure what to do next. Just...walk over and introduce herself? She takes a few cautious steps over the border before shrinking back, shaking out her pelt. No no, that wouldn't do! Surely she doesn't have the authority to just go waltzing in to these strange cats' home when she doesn't have any idea whether they're friendly or not. Maybe she should call for someone? That seems silly, though - what if there's nobody around and she's just yelling to herself? The situation certainly has Bear stumped - does she just wait for someone to show up, then? Surely if they went through the trouble of making their borders known there like this they had to guard them, right?

✦ ★ ✦​

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[Coyotecrest]

I won't apologize for being who I am

Cream dipped paws carry the young apprentice forward, mint green eyes skimming the territory ahead of them. Thistleback promised to teach him some stealthy aerial combat moves today right after a few lessons on climbing. There was a minor buzz of anticipation wafting off of the tabby's long coat. He appreciated the daylight warrior pulling him away from camp, to get away from the stress currently surrounding it. He takes a moment to glance back at his mentor before glancing forward again, halting as he picked up on a strange scent. "Thistleback...?" Coyote whispers into the stillness of the air. Surely the piebald tom had picked up on it too?

It was a cat for sure, however she did not smell like thunder or even riverclan. The spotted tabby stalks forward, honeyed ears angled forward as her gazes upon the molly that looked to be somewhere around his age. "Hey," Coyotepaw greets, his tone friendly enough whilst noting her nervous stance. It reminded him of when Leopardcloud and himself happened upon skyclan's borders for the first time. His "sister" had been so anxious that day. "Are you lost?" He questions finally, gathering his paws underneath him to take a seat.​

Tryna throw shade on me say a lot 'bout you​

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[BEARPAW]

"NOBODY TEACHES YOU TO WALK WITH OPEN HANDS"​

At the sound of a voice, Bear jumps, train of thought completely derailed. It's everything she can do to hold back a verbal cry of surprise, even though this was exactly what she was hoping for, right? Someone presumably from this group of cats? Not that she had expected someone to show up so quickly. She takes in Coyotepaw as she tries to collect her scrambled thoughts - he doesn't seem on the verge of attacking, or trying to drive her away, but you can never be too sure, really! "Um, hi there," she responds to his greeting, trying not to seem too nervous. Er, maybe she shouldn't be too confident, either, since she's the one walking in unexpectedly like this. The momentary lapse of silence between the two feels like forever to Bear, and she's not sure whether or not to break it herself when Coyotepaw breaks it with a question.

Is she...lost? Well, she's certainly felt lost for quite some time, though maybe that's about to change. "No? Or, er...maybe?" she offers, whiskers twitching. "I mean...I've come looking for a group of cats? I heard that there was a...clan, I think it was called? You know, just a bunch of cats living together in one place. I wanted to join, maybe? If - if that's even where you're from." As Bear rambles on, she's cringing inwardly at how uncertain she sounds - if she were in charge of letting cats into her group, she wouldn't let herself in! Or, she wouldn't let someone who sounded like herself in. Well, really she probably would if they asked nicely enough, but that's beside the point! It's too late to take back all her words now, so she'll just offer him a nervous smile instead.​

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[QUILLSTRIKE]

I FEEL LIKE AN ASTRONAUT IN THE OCEAN​

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"Yeah, this is Skyclan." Quilpaw informs her as the large chimera apprentice appears to stand by Coyotepaw, mismatched eyes observing the stranger with a mixture of indifference and vague curiosity. Skycan was typically pretty open to new cats joining them, so he didn't really see a need to be hostile with her since she was probably going to end up living among them after today. "We don't have the power to accept you though. You'll have to wait for one of the warriors, or our leader."
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skyclan - male - 8 months - bisexual - homoromantic - single - very tall tabby tomcat with broad shoulders

 

[ThistleBack]

Chilled fingers drag through the spiked fur over is spine, the nagging cold from the ground climbing his limbs with every step on callused paws. " nearly there " he speaks briefly, ears worn by war flicked forth. Occasionally stopping to itch at the edge of his collar with violent scrapes like a hound. The weather played tricks on the muscles at times, the twinges felt like itches- how infuriating. ’ Thistleback ‘ " that’s my name " he rumbles out sarcastically, whipping his attention to his apprentice through halflidded eyes. The boy was already stepping through the forest in a set direction, Thistleback opens his jaws and drinks in the scent of a stranger.

Trailing behind with a jerkish spin on heel, the prowling beast would make quick work of the gap between him and the boy he swore to protect. Quillpaw appeared next to Coyotepaw, and the pair were already speaking to the patiently waiting loner.

Maw pressed in a frown, he studies the large youthful nervous feline. " an understanding of borders… uncommon of a stray " he comments, rasped and lighthearted. Halting before the gold and silver longfur , " what’s your name, dear?" as gentle as the razor edge tom can possibly be, he was at least trying.

awaiting her response he would nod " come, lass… we will take you to meet our leader Blazestar " he pauses, turning on his hocks once more the lead the trio home. " I am Thistleback, this is my apprentice Coyotepaw. " he introduces, leaving out Quillpaw should the boy wish to do that himself. " tell us more about yourself. " he offers on accented tongue.

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OOC INFO REF

• —
  
  
• — Thistleback | thirty moons | cis-male
  — daylight warrior of Skyclan
  — bisexual | fallen for Deersong 9.29.22
  — very muscular piebald black and white tom with spiky fur and cold silver-grey eyes. Wears a purple collar with brass clasp.
  
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[BEARPAW]

"NOBODY TEACHES YOU TO WALK WITH OPEN HANDS"​

Another cat materializes out of seemingly nowhere and Bear only just manages to keep herself from jumping again. Why was everyone around here so sneaky? Or maybe she's just distracted, but that's justified! It takes a lot of focus to stay fixated on the conversation at hand, and to not try and flee before she's even made it anywhere. As Quillpaw introduces this place as Skyclan, she can't help but tilt her head with curiosity - Skyclan? What kind of name was that? Certainly strange, though Bear isn't exactly in a position to come waltzing up to these cats asking them to accept her as one of their own and then start questioning the way they operate (even if their naming system is questionable!). He continues on, saying they'll have to wait for a warrior or their leader, and that's enough to make her even more nervous. Bear certainly isn't thrilled at the idea of warriors - it just sounds intimidating, and she's never been all that good at fighting; she can only hope they won't make her fight anyone to prove she's worthy of joining them. As it is, Bear only manage an "O-Oh, okay," before lapsing back into silence.

Mercifully, it's not a long wait before the next cat arrives, though she almost wishes he hadn't - compared to the others, this newcomer is much more intimidating than the others. Bear's whiskers quiver slightly at his stray comment; while she certainly wouldn't have used the term herself, she can't deny that it fits. She certainly feels lost, standing at the border of a strange clan surrounded by strange cats. "My name is Bear," she answers, and it feels remarkably final, in a way - even if it's just her name she's given, it feels like so much more. And just like that, he's already turning, directing them all back the way he came from. It seems too easy, as if there's some hidden catch, but he says they're heading to meet their leader (Blazestar - yet another odd name!) and so falls dutifully into step. "It's nice to meet you all," Bear responds, giving a little nod in the direction of each of them. At this point, it's starting to feel like she's the strange one here, though she supposes that would be an accurate statement from anyone else's perspective. As Thistleback prompts her to tell them about herself, she hesitates. Sure, none of them had been especially unfriendly to her (in fact, they seemed pretty hospitable if they were taking her to see their leader just like that), but it doesn't feel right to tell these strangers all about her past, even when they had full rights and reason to ask. Still, it's not like she can just ignore the question outright. "Me? Well, I used to live a ways away from here for awhile, but I got a bit turned around one day and ended up in the area. I heard that there was a group of cats - Skyclan - around here, so I thought I would come and check it out - it's been pretty lonely just by myself lately."
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