private FEED THE LIONESS [cragpaw]

[iciclefang]

"You've become a proficient swimmer." Her praise is cool and sparse, doled-out in tidbits, but when Iciclefang fixes her blue gaze on her eldest son, there is pride glowing there. The two of them have taken an intermission from their training, and he'd agreed to wade into the shallow end of the riverbank with his mother for old time's sakes. The water tugs and pulls at their pelts, but her legs move fluidly, threading the current with ease.

"I remember when you were small... you and Crabpaw, almost getting swept away..." She blinks. Stars, that hadn't been that long ago, had it? Cragpaw's limbs are as long as her's now, as strong, and with Ferngill's help, her oldest son could probably swim circles around her.

She hauls herself onto the riverbank; despite the chill in the air, the sun feels luxurious on her sodden tortoiseshell pelt. She pats the bank beside her, beckoning Cragpaw forward. "What's your favorite thing you've learned?" She doesn't like the distance she has with her sons, now, as natural as it must be — she wants them with her, the way Pinepaw is, and she hates how in the dark she is with regards to their training.

『 out of character. 』 ✧･ﾟ:* 『 about. 』

• ooc: @CRAGPAW
• 
• Iciclekit . Iciclepaw . Iciclefang, she/her w/ feminine terms.
  — "speech", thoughts, attack
  — 28 moons old, ages realistically on the 17th.
  — mentored by Smokestar ; mentoring Pinepaw ; previously mentored Cicadaflight
  — riverclan lead warrior. mudpelt x icesparkle, gen 2.
  — former mate to Stormywing ; current mate to no one.
  — penned by Marquette.
  
  
  sh tortoiseshell and white she-cat with ice-blue eyes. confident, capable, proud, dry, conceited, condescending, distrustful.

​

 

[CRAGPAW]

Cragpaw wades through the water beside Iciclefang, his limbs cutting through the current with practiced ease. Her praise, though sparse, makes his ears perk slightly, even if he doesn't show much on the outside. He's always strived to impress her, even if it felt like pulling teeth to get anything from her beyond simple acknowledgment. Well, at least as much attention as the prodigy Pinepaw got, or her youngest precious Crabpaw. But there's pride in her gaze today, and that's something.

He remembers that day too - how small and powerless he had felt against the river as it pulled him away from camp. Now, the water barely phases him, but the memory brings a faint, half-smile to his face. He hauls himself onto the riverbank after her, the cool air biting against his soaked fur, but the sun warms it enough to keep him from shivering. He settles next to her, his paws sinking slightly into the damp earth.

At her question, he hesitates, not quite sure how to answer. His favorite thing? Training has been grueling, but also rewarding. Still, something sticks out more than anything else. "I think…learning to move with the current. Instead of fighting it, I mean." He glances at her, his mismatched eyes thoughtful. "At first, it was frustrating. Every time I tried to swim harder, I'd just get dragged back. But Ferngill said it's not about fighting - it's about flowing with it. The river isn't the enemy - it's an ally." He pauses, his claws flexing slightly as he thinks about his lessons. Cragpaw looks at his mother, searching her face. "I think that's why it nearly swept me away back then," He adds with a chuckle, "I didn't respect its power. I fought it, and feared it. I didn't work with it!" His uncle is awfully smart.
​

 

[iciclefang]

Iciclefang admires the strength in her son's freckled limbs as he pulls himself from the water to sun himself next to her. His fur is dense, but glossy in a way Stormywing's could never be; she is unable to resist the urge to lean close and clean a loose clump of mud from his dripping pelt. "I think... learning to move with the current. Instead of fighting it, I mean." Iciclefang listens with her ears tensed, and when he finishes speaking, she pulls away to regard him coolly. "Ferngill is teaching you well, then."

"The river isn't the enemy - it's an ally," Cragpaw tells her, and Iciclefang's mouth twitches into a smile. "Correct. Even at its fiercest, the river is there to protect us." She is pleased with all he's learned.

"And what of battle training? Where are you at on that?" Blue eyes sear through him, through to the bulk on his body, to the power in his legs. He could be a fine warrior — but would Ferngill hone him to his true potential? Her brother is an excellent swimmer, better than she, in truth, but he'd never been adept at fighting other cats. Or foxes, she thinks, wryly.

『 out of character. 』 ✧･ﾟ:* 『 about. 』

• ooc: —
• 
• Iciclekit . Iciclepaw . Iciclefang, she/her w/ feminine terms.
  — "speech", thoughts, attack
  — 28 moons old, ages realistically on the 17th.
  — mentored by Smokestar ; mentoring Pinepaw ; previously mentored Cicadaflight
  — riverclan lead warrior. mudpelt x icesparkle, gen 2.
  — former mate to Stormywing ; current mate to no one.
  — penned by Marquette.
  
  
  sh tortoiseshell and white she-cat with ice-blue eyes. confident, capable, proud, dry, conceited, condescending, distrustful.

​

 

[CRAGPAW]

Cragpaw feels a flicker of warmth as his mother praises him. When she regards him with that cool, evaluating gaze, it feels like a test, one he's determined not to fail. Her approval is hard-earned, and the apprentice is always chasing it. He nods at her remark about the river, and he's glad she agrees - it's one of the few things he feels certain about, the river's power and superiority.

When she shifts the topic to battle training, Cragpaw stiffens slightly. His gaze hardens with discomfort - he hasn't really gotten the hang of that yet. "I've been working on speed and precision," He replies, keeping his voice steady, confident. He doesn't want Iciclefang to see his hesitance. He flexes his claws in the damp earth, thinking back on their sparring sessions that are fewer and farther in between than swimming lessons. "I'm still learning how to stay unpredictable, but I think I'm getting there."

He glances at his mother, his own mismatched gaze meeting her blue eyes, trying to read her expression. "I want to be prepared for anything." Ferngill's been great, but the tricolored tom know there's more he can learn. More he needs to learn. He won't be satisfied until he's ready to take on whatever comes. There's an eagerness that shines in his eyes, a determination to prove himself as more than just proficient, but truly formidable.

"Have you ever fought any ShadowClan warriors?" He asks suddenly, the question coming unbidden, but his curiosity is piqued. He's heard stories about the other clans, and with his knowledge about Splashdance's lineage, his interest in their neighbors has only grown.
​