pafp EXIT, GOD ✦ sparring

[CICADAFLIGHT]

Sparring is an eternal challenge for Cicadapaw. He is too brutish, too bloody, too wild, and far too painfully aware of it all. When did it begin? Did it begin as a kit, playing too rough, earning the ire of full-grown warriors? Did it begin as a younger cat, grappling with the rogue, tasting the sweet song of blood? Did it begin before he knew, nestled against his father's flank with fury a slumbering beast at his core? Whichever it is, does it really matter? What matter is what it does to him. What it does to the cats around him.

As a kit, he'd played too rough, bitten too hard, strayed too far. Now a stumble becomes an argument, a greeting an insult, and always the memory. The memory of writhing flesh under his claws, chest heaving and taut, sweat and blood mixing on his paws. The feeling that he was finally, blessedly in charge. In control. That he was finally free. The feeling had bled away with the rogue's heart-blood, and he's left with sunken eyes and disturbed dreams, sparring too hard and taking it too personally.

Now, pacing a half-circle, he doesn't worry about these things. Framed under the cold sun, he spars not an enemy or an irritation, but his sister. His sister who has always stood by him (he hopes); his sister who he had killled with. Cicadapaw knows she can match him blow for blow, claw for claw, fang for fang (save one). He doesn't worry about taking it too far, about crossing that ever-present line; under Iciclefang, his skills bloom like blood in water. Under Smokestar, so do hers. He doesn't have to worry about looking into her mirror eyes and seeing an enemy, seeing his father, seeing a light to be extinguished; this spar need not be one of pressure. It can just be siblings practicing, building their skills and having fun.

"You ready?" He grins, a rare sight that reveals his own token, a gap in pearled fangs. His bent tail swishes as best it can with excitement, the pair of them—black and white, blue and amber—bathed in the searing light of the sun. Cicadapaw waits only a hare's breath for a confirmation before he charges forward, aiming to charge at the junction of Beepaw's chest and leg to set her off balance. If an audience gathers, he pays them little mind, floating on the thrill of the fight. If successful, he'll aim a heavy-pawed but sheathed swipe at her muzzle and then dart back. It's an unorthodox move, not going for the pin, but Cicadapaw's well aware his sister likely bests him in terms of sheer strength, what with his hollow-chested build.

That, and he doesn't have rage to drive him in this fight. He's not sure whether to be grateful or sorry.

something holy wants to get out ✦ ( but you can't let it )

• please wait for @BEEPAW. !!

• 

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  cicadapaw ; apprentice of riverclan
  x. he/him ; 5 moons ; tags
  x. unsightly black-and-white tom with heterochromatic amber and blue eyes
  x. played by dejavu
  x. son of smokestar and cicadastar ; brother to beepaw and starlightpaw. apprenticed to iciclefang.

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[BEEFANG]

FIGHT SO DIRTY BUT YOU LOVE SO SWEET — Beepaw recalls the last time that she had a spar, how claws had slipped out prepared to hook onto flesh, and how she had rolled a body off of herself. Crimson beads of blood blossoming where claw met the skin of her friend, Moonpaw, and the younger molly had felt guilty for it immediately apologizing to the milky furred feline. Her mind thinking about how she had knocked the breath out of the other, how she had taken the breath from the rogue during their fight for their home, and how Cicadapaw had been there to aid her. With her brother, she feels secure and safe even if Cicadapaw's view on things may be tilting and distorting given with everything that had happened to them. He's her anchor, one that threatens to sink her into the depths along with it, and yet she cares not continuing to stay close to him due to being born of the same blood and letting the river run red with rogue blood drawn by their own paws... The very same ones that kneaded at the belly of their father, stepped out of the willow den for the first time, that batted around a moss ball with kit-like wonder, that traveled into kittypet territory, that sunk into unpleasant mud and marsh, and had stripped the very soul from the body of an enemy. It's hard to imagine that their life had been good once maybe not perfect but they had been happy, they had been a complete family. The rogue had not only left their camp and home in ruin but those closest to her.

Her mismatched gaze locking onto Cicadapaw's with both of her ears pricked forward, mimicking his half-circle, and tail sweeping behind her as she watches him closely. They'd likely match each other during this spar due to Smokestar having mentored Iciclefang but she wonders silently if the new lead warrior had picked up any new skills during her moon away from Riverclan. Had any of the other clans taught her anything related to fighting? A question for another time, she supposed only to mirror her younger littermate's rare smile with her own "Always." Its not long before her brother darts forward, his first move taking her by surprise and she stumbles slightly to catch her balance noticing him drawing near for another attack does she manage to tighten her core, rolling away from his heavy pawed swipe, and springing forward aiming to land her own heavy swipe with sheathed claws to either of his fawn-like legs to hinder his balance and drew back momentarily.

The thrill of the spar already causing her heart to beat loudly within her ears, the adrenaline to surge her forward for another attack as she dives forward potentially underneath her brother and used her hind legs to lightly kick up at his gut to knock the breath out of him and off his gangly legs, if she proved successful then she'd roll away once more and spring back onto her paws, whip around and face him once more ready for whatever he'd throw at her. A test of skills and having fun, the toothy grin still present on her maw as ears lay flat against her head.

𓆟. ° .• . TALK SO PRETTY BUT YOUR HEART GOT TEETH

• 
  ❥ 5 moons old
  ❥ riverclan apprentice
  ❥ sexuality unknown; single
  ❥ daughter of cicadastar and smokestar
  ❥ sister of cicadapaw & starlightpaw
  ❥ "speech", thoughts, attacking
  ❥ easy; still learning how to fight
  ❥ peaceful powerplay allowed

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