elementary // o - mossball

[ARCHIVEDnoia]

This place could really be... gloomy. She tried not to think about it much, as principal. Most because she had always been surrounded by this scenery. But there was something about the camp in general these days that just felt... Hm, what was a good word for it. Stiff? Literally stuck in the mud? Bored? Desperate? Or maybe those were words simply applied to herself as she sat in camp, contemplating what the rest of her day might bring. The people here had good hearts - this she could hardly deny. But she also knew well enough that - well, they needed something to do. And though as childish as it might have been, the one quickest idea that Cricket had was a good old game of Mossball. It was simple, it was quick, and most of all, it got them all up and doing something fun.

It didn't take long to set up, and even less than that for Cricket to start on the prowl of dragging poor innocent souls into the game. Some of the clan kits were easy, and other apprentices were easily swayed by not having to do their chores. "Come on! Kick it back, kick it back!" she yelled as the mossball went wayward, flung too far under eager paws and enticing an even bigger playing field.​

 

[Magpiepaw]

There were so few kits in ShadowClan and even fewer still who would play games with him, most shyed away from his strangeness unless they were Maggotkit who was twice as strange but even less inclined to play. The black and white kit's head lifted as he watched the mossball go scurrying across the ground, immediately he was on his paws and scrambling out of the nursery to go pursue it to the best of his abilities; zigzagging in awkward loping steps as he hobbled and bobbled his way over only to tip forward face first into the ground right before he reached his prize. The melted snow and a their already marshy territory meant he was peeling himself dirty from what was basically a puddle of muck, wide eyes widening evermore as it dripped from his face to his solid black paws but he was still just as enthusiastic about playing despite his tumble. Magpiekit was resilient, he had to be. The world had tried to eat him plenty of times already and with his clanmates so despondent and prone to emotion he was managing well when left to his own devices.
Tiny white teeth, sharp and needle-like, plucked the ball up and he swung his entire body around to fling it back towards Cricket with gusto. She had said kick, but he did not trust his wobbly limbs to be able to give much force behind it so he had done what he did best; improvise.

​

 

[Ravenwatcher.]

So I walk alone down the darkest roads​

---

Ravenwatcher was not one fond of games, even as a kit she had strayed away from such foolery, opting to watch the others while her deep blue gaze normally stood staring at the exit of camp, watching as warriors during their shifts pooled in and out during the days, soon herself was part of this droning act, going day by day, hunting, checking the borders, you name it, another cog in the machine. Not that she minded, of course, preferring the comfortability of being only a warrior with no more burdening tasks than that at hand.

She had been watching the clearing of the camp when a mossball wizzed through the air, prompting the wiggly little kit, Magpiekit to go scrambling eagerly after it while the cat who had thrown the ball in the first place encouraged the tiny little scamp of fur to kick it back, but instead of kicking he would scoop it up with his maw and toss it back to the other which she softly snorted to herself, tail curled softly around her paws, they were just kids having fun, so in silence the young warrior watch, but not before calling out in warning. "Careful not to get underneath anyone's paws" her monotone voice stated towards them, her blue gaze emotionless as she decided to watch the two play with the moss ball, not finding any urge to join.​

"speak""Thoughts"​

 

[Starlingheart]

"SPEECH"
Cricketpaw is not wrong about the state of ShadowClan being desperate, they reeked of it to be frank. Starling was willing to do anything for a reprieve, even trade away her herbs as she had done when Wind Clan stood upon their borders, prey clutched in their mouths. She would have traded away her entire stock of they had asked but luckily they hadn't. She just wants to protect them, to keep them safe and fed as much as an 8 moon old can.

She feels some sort of responsibility for Magpiekit, like a protective older sister. She had found him after all, and vouched for him to be let into ShadowClan. They couldn't just leave him at the border. She's glad they didn't. She watches as he and Cricket play a small smile tugging the corners of her lips upward. It was nice to see a little bit of happiness infiltrate their camp, where everyone had been so down lately. It does sour her mood to remember this is the only thing these younger cats had ever known, hunger and despair. She hopes they make it to spring, that they see life is not always so bad, though she has yet to see it herself she has been assured it's beautiful. She hopes so.
​

 

[smogstar]

Ah. Mossball. How nice it is to see that some things never change. The tom cannot recall ever having a go at it during his youth, though he remembers all the times his siblings beckoned him to play. It was too soft a game for a cat of his tastes—formative Smogmaw much preferred pastimes like play-hunt and "who bit me?", and he happened to be exceptionally talented at the latter.

Half-lidded eyes watch on in unbridled monotony, mud-toned pupils lingering on the mossy sphere in its precarious journey between Cricket and Magpiekit. The two appear to be having relative fun, a fact which is alleviating as it is endearing to see. As all of the grown-ups mope about death and dying, at least the kids are able to have fun.

Neither of them are very good at mossball, unfortunately. He could kick their asses without breaking a sweat.​