pafp EVERYTHING STAYS ☾ prompt, gift


⋆⁺₊ ☾ ⁺₊⋆ Carrionplace is quite wonderful, no matter what certain clanmates may say. There's so many fascinating things there, if you're willing to look past all the rats and rotting meat -- and Swanpaw is.

He trots back to camp proudly, even if it is not prey he carries in his jaws. It doesn't smell particularly enticing but that is besides the point; it reminds him of a certain someone who he's come to admire. It's large, prey-sized, with fur that must once have been white. Yet its guts spill even paler, fur in place of blood -- how strange! But that's not the resemblance it carries. Around the creatures neck is a thread of bright blood-red, woven like thickened spidersilk. It's beautiful, though tattered. And despite it's tiny size, its face seems... almost like a bear.

Maybe that's morbid, to see this bear made of blood and cobwebs and think of her. Not the old Poppypaw, but the new one, the prophet in the form of a corpselike reflection. The thought doesn't really bother Swanpaw. He searches the camp for them, drowsy eyes alighting as he locates a familiar pelt of white and crimson.

He moves quickly, by Swanpaw standards. Languid yet purposeful. Sets the treasure at her paws, smiles down at it. "It came to me," he begins, without preamble, "in the carrionplace. It... made me think of you..." Soft blue eyes turn upwards now, to the younger apprentice. "I... would like you to have it, if you would like it..." He smiles easily, certain that Poppypaw will see in the gift the same thing he does. They seem to see eye to eye more often than not, after all.

  • PROMPT: Carrionplace is full of many odd things, you find something that reminds you of someone. Maybe it would make a good gift.
    pls wait for @POPPYPAW !

    ( imagine this but nasty & torn up bc it's been sitting in a dump <3 )
  • 65035420_GiaBine7dcKpkS2.png


    "SPEECH"
  • SWANPAW ☁︎ he / him, apprentice of shadowclan, ten moons.
    a pale, silky-furred cream tabby with droopy blue eyes.
    dreamy and detached, more ghost than cat. known for his perpetual sleepiness.
    halfshade x smogmaw, littermate to applepaw, garlicpaw, & ashenpaw.
    peaceful and healing powerplay permitted / / underline and tag when attacking
    penned by SATURNID ↛ saturnids on discord, feel free to dm for plots.
 
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ᶻ 𝗓 𐰁 Most of all, Poppypaw believes that their favorite part of having their paws on the earth is how much love there is to be shared amongst the living. Even when the cold talons of death grip their lungs in the form of dread, there is always some opportunity for warm-blooded kindness or curiosity to remind Shadowclan that there is much to be loved in being alive.

Friendship is one such sublime phenomenon.

Though Poppypaw has room in their heart for all their friends, there are scant few who understand the unique position she is in. They are grateful to have a confidant in the form of Swanpaw, who understands all too well the burden of spiritual responsibility placed upon their all-too-corporeal shoulders.

He enters her field of vision and she is brought immediately to her paws, meeting the older apprentice as purpose fills his stride. A gift ! "Oh, this is beautiful!" they purr, pressing a nose to the fuzzy entrails with a pleased hum. "A creature made of softness through-and-through... What a blessing." How serendipitous a discovery... and its crimson and white visage a reflection of her very own... What a lovely thing to remain fluffy and comforting even as a corpse disposed amongst the carrion.

She moves to rub affectionately on Swanpaw's flank and dips her head in a curtsy, "I will treasure it... thank you. Soon a blessing for you will fall upon my paws as well, I look forward to sharing it." The dead fluff-filled bear will continue to have a comfortable existence within their nest, and Poppypaw is filled with happiness for the gift of affection now tying them together.

  • OOC:
  • poppykit - poppypaw
    — agender they/she. 8mo apprentice of shadowclan
    — aro-ace. friend to all.
    — a tiny, fluffy white and dark red tabby cat with pale, wraithlike blue eyes
    — smells like mushrooms, dust, and foggy night air
    — deaf in left ear
    — sounds like lain iwakura, with a flat yet gentle high-pitched tone
    — “speech”, thoughts, attack, 'poppypaw'
    — icon by mercurial, fullbody and pixel headshot by dejavu
    — penned by eezy
  • disclaimer: poppypaw is not always operating completely within reality! they are affected by some delusions and may see, hear, react to, and interact with things that are not actually there. most notably, she will believe herself to have interactions with starclan as a whole and specifically, the deceased shadowclan apprentice Poppypaw. these are not reflective of ic reality and are not real interactions with starclan or deceased characters! this is not an attempt at powerplaying, godmodding, or metagaming.
 
Yes he sees it. He sees Swanpaw carrying the strange... Thing. He's not sure what that is, but he watches from afar as it is presented to his daughter. His eyes are GLUED TO THE SCENE. Was Swanpaw hitting on his daughter???? Perhaps if it were anyone else, he would have felt the urge to bite them. But Swanpaw... Was just a sleepy little guy. Smogmaw and Halfshade's son, he remembers watching him grow alongside his siblings. He hasn't done anything bad or questionable, and he seems to share interests with Poppypaw. So this is fine.

This is totally fine.

A soft smile crosses his maw as he watches Poppypaw accept the gift. Isn't this sweet??? This is so cute. What FLOORS HIM is the affectionate rub to Swanpaw's side Poppypaw gives Swanpaw. That's when it registers in Frostbite's head. His little girl is growing up. Look at her. She has. She has a boyfriend. Is that what he's seeing? Are they dating? Are they a thing?? Regardless of what it is, Poppypaw isn't the little fuzzball trying kneading at his pelt to share her crimson color with him anymore. She's growing up and soon, she won't need him anymore.

Outwardly, those who look at him will see a simple smile as he watches. Inwardly, Frostbite is a mess. He's never heard his inner voice cry before, let alone a cry so ugly. His kits are growing into adults and he feels old. He wants to find a snow pile to bury his face in and weep for a little.​
 

Lividpaw watched from a distance the strange gift Swanpaw was giving out to Poppypaw. It was one that made little sense to him to why anyone would bring a twoleg item to their camp. But at the same time he didn't understand gifts at all. He rememberd that someone had gifted him a feather a little while ago, a gift of mystery since he didn't knew who it was although he had his suspects.. Lividpaw had long since thrown that feather out from his den. His brother on the otherhand still kept the stone in their nest like many else had done he assumed. To him it seemed pointless. The affection that was being shared between the two brought an unfamilliar yet familliar sensation to his chest. He for sure wouldn't describe it as pleasant.




 


Having glimpsed the broader world beyond the clan's claimed domains—the jagged mountain peaks, wide-reaching underground tunnels, a boundless body of water seemingly bereft of any endpoint—the deputy has cultivated this strange fondness for Carrionplace. Enclosed in its chain-woven barriers is a peek into that grander scope outside their boundaries, where indecipherable objects lay in messy piles, foreign foods ever abundant for the taking, and strange scents never picked up elsewhere.

He takes personal satisfaction when his clanmates venture to Carrionplace for themselves, and while safety cannot always be ensured for the artefacts brought back to camp, every speck of new knowledge attained makes for a net positive. For this reason, a gentle upward curve touches his muzzle when his son, Swanpaw, returns to the clearing with such an oddity clenched in maw.

It is only what happens afterwards that truly gives Smogmaw pause.

Naturally, the tabby gravitates toward Poppypaw's father, who was undoubtedly befuddled in a manner not terribly unlike his own. Though his dark-dappled tail isn't all up in a knot just yet. Amber eyes remain trained on the two apprentices as his paws cease their movement beside the lead warrior. Haunches slowly lower against the cool ground, all while his chin lifts a lone increment. Affection. There's affection between the two apprentices, as obvious as the next coming moon.

It is... a curious realization, but not one Smogmaw gives too much thought to. Youth and their fickle whims, and all that. "Heh, look at 'em," he utters in a low mrowr, at a volume intended only for the other tom's ears. "You'd think subtlety'd come more naturally to a couple'a swamp cats." Earnestly, he hopes it is simply a platonic gesture. After all, he prefers viewing Frostbite as a friend and ally, and not an in-law.

 

⋆⁺₊ ☾ ⁺₊⋆ He knew, he knew that the corpse of this soft-thing was meant for Poppypaw. It is received with delight, and warmth fills Swanpaw's chest as he watches them bury their face in the fluff. He's done well to bring it to her. He does not expect, though, the brush of fur against fur, the affectionate nuzzle granted by the blood-and-cobweb apprentice. "Oh...!" slips softly from his maw, surprise coloring his face in a way it rarely does.

It takes him a moment to process as the other apprentice drops her head in a curtsy, speaks of blessings given in return. He feels almost flustered at the prospect, had not thought to hope for it. But ah, he should not read too much into it. Poppypaw is a generous cat, a kind cat, he knows this of them. "I... will look forward to it as well," he breathes, giddy and light. How kind, how lovely. What he does know, for certain, is that they must be tied together somehow. This gift, given to him and meant for them, is proof enough.


  • 65035420_GiaBine7dcKpkS2.png


    "SPEECH"
  • SWANPAW ☁︎ he / him, apprentice of shadowclan, ten moons.
    a pale, silky-furred cream tabby with droopy blue eyes.
    dreamy and detached, more ghost than cat. known for his perpetual sleepiness.
    halfshade x smogmaw, littermate to applepaw, garlicpaw, & ashenpaw.
    peaceful and healing powerplay permitted / / underline and tag when attacking
    penned by SATURNID ↛ saturnids on discord, feel free to dm for plots.