pafp GATES OF STEEL — altercation

[SNAKEHISS]

"I guess you have Howlingstar's favor now. Maybe she'd make you an honorary ThunderClanner!" Snakehiss snorts as the patrol returns from the borders, thin legs prowling forth. No blood was spilled, even with an opposing leader being alone and vulnerable; only gratitude and pleasantries had been exchanged today. How unfortunate! Snakehiss would have loved for Howlingstar to be "repaid" for the times she and her clan have refused to help WindClan. Their one act of help during the rogue invasion certainly did not dismiss the other instances of ThunderClan's unwillingness to provide aid.

Sedgepounce and Periwinklebreeze, of all cats, had been sought out by the leader herself though now it was clear why. They had helped a ThunderClan apprentice make it home safely. Hmph. Would ThunderClan do the same had it been a WindClanner instead, or would they hang them out to dry like they always did? "Not that it matters. She has never liked WindClan anyway. She's always turned her nose up at us. I'll bet the only reason she helped us during the rogue invasion was because ThunderClan has a savior complex. Two-faced, all of them." Snakehiss complained as he padded into the sandy hollow beside Sedgepounce. It had been bad enough that he, of all cats, had been chosen for the journey. Now a leader was praising him? He is not better than me in any way. Howlingstar's favor means nothing.

₊ ⋆ * ⊹ ₊ ☾ —— 𝙬𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙣 𝙩𝙤 𝙜𝙧𝙚𝙮

• pls wait for @SEDGEPOUNCE !
  takes place after this thread

• 

• 

  ✰ SNAKEHISS
  —— he/him; moor runner of windclan
  —— bisexual; single; not looking
  —— long-limbed black tom with green eyes, a small white chest patch, and a notable bite mark on his right foreleg
  —— "speech", thoughts, attack
  —— link to full tags; @ on discord for plots.
  —— penned by beatles

​

 

[SEDGEPOUNCE]

They're two steps into camp when Snakehiss finally bursts. Sedgepounce sighs, cursing his unfortunate spot next to the weasely tom when they all squeezed through the gorse tunnel—as though it was their proximity which made Sedgepounce the target of his ire.

It's the same song and dance as it always is. Growing up with Snakehiss has always meant weathering his temper, his superiority complex. Sedgepounce has mostly avoided it, whether through his family lineage or his tendency to avoid confrontation, but he's still had his fair share of needling all the same. It's not like Snakehiss has any original material: You're so obnoxious, Sedgepounce. You're lazy. Why don't you do something worthwhile? Whatever.

This is different. The treasonous implications of Snake's ranting makes his fur prickle, a wound still raw with the close proximity of Sootstar and Sunstride, yet to fully disperse back into the faceless backgrounds of camp. He didn't ask for Howlingstar to come thank him. In a perfect world, he'd probably wish that she hadn't. Though Sedgepounce can't deny that it's refreshing to feel seen. Like he's done something good, and finally someone notices.

It's a cacophony of conflicting feelings that he doesn't know how to deal with. He's loyal. Unfaltering. Yet Snakehiss' smarmy complaining feels more pointed than usual, and Sedgepounce can't help but to lash out.

"Oh!" he exclaims, clapping his front paws together and cartoonishly fluttering his eyelashes. "Then maybe she'll do me a favor and take you far away from here to go bother someone else!"

His paws drop back to the ground. Snakehiss is a live wire, coiled and sneering—not for the first time, Sedgepounce squints at his contorted, angry face and wonders: What does Cottonpaw see in this guy?

"Not everyone's as two-faced as you are, dude," Sedge continues, moving to walk past Snakehiss and further into camp. "Figured you'dve realized that by now."​

 

[juncoclaw]

As part of the crowd at the border, Juncopaw was thoroughly disappointed at how that time was spent with Howlingstar. She had hoped for drama, anything to see Sootstar demonstrate her strength and intimidation against an 'enemy' Clan. But alas, all the old she-cat wanted was to demonstrate a show of kindness and gratefulness towards a couple of big babies. What a bummer.

She followed closely behind Snakehiss and Sedgepounce as the patrol pushed through the gorse tunnel and into the hollow. With a contempt snort at Snakehiss' words, Juncopaw found herself in agreement with him. "Does Howlingstar's favor mean anything?" she mumbled, unknowingly echoing Snakehiss' thoughts. Of course, in her eyes, it would have meant something - if that favor was given to her. She couldn't imagine what a lousy warrior would do with the power of another leader's blessing.

She didn't know this warrior much, for all their limited interactions as Clanmates: his temperament was unknown to her. Yet, as if she expected so little of him, his retorts to Snakehiss surprised her. The tabby cocked a brow towards the older moor runner, before rolling her eyes in a visible show of distaste. "Taking offense on behalf of your new friends, are we? Snakehiss is right, you know." she leered, picking the pace to keep up at Sedgepounce's haunches. It may not be uncommon knowledge that Juncopaw would jump on any opportunity to put someone else down, especially in the case that it could have been someone important (herself) meeting with Howlingstar, over something impactful (she's big, scary and intimidates ThunderClan, or something). Not that love fest of looking into each others eyes and holding paws. Jealousy, for certain: but she'd sooner fall into the gorge than admit it. "You must think you're real special, huh? You and Periwinklebreeze." Another snort from Juncopaw. "Well, don't let it get to your head. You're no more 'special' than the rest of us. 'Howlingstar's Gratitude' my tail! She doesn't give two rats about you."


​

"Speech"​

---

praise be the heavens. praise me, i'm the lord.​

 

[SNAKEHISS]

The moor runner's initial response, his tone mocking as per usual for the joker, though it possessed a certain underlying ire that Snakehiss had never before witnessed from Sedgepounce. His nerves grated like monster paws against the Thunderpath, though it was nothing that he couldn't—

Did Sedgepounce just call Snakehiss two-faced?

The long-limbed tom stands there for a moment, utterly astonished by the gall of the brown and white warrior. Snakehiss opens his mouth to bite back a venom-laced insult, but this time, he decides that Sedge is worthy of something more. Clenching his jaw, Snakehiss charged forward and aimed to roughly shove into Sedgepounce's side and either knock him to the ground or at least send him stumbling back. "Say that again, you dirtplace mite." The warrior hisses through his teeth, his thin tail bristling and twitching like a rattler's. If there was one thing that Snakehiss would fight to protect, it would be his dignity. Sedgepounce would not take it from him, mark his words.

Juncopaw is nothing more than a mere fly buzzing in his ear, even at the best of times, but her apparent support only inflated his ego. "Have I struck a nerve? Did I insult your new ThunderClan friends?" Suddenly, for the first time in a long time, he is Snakepaw again — the sharp-tongued, loathsome, arrogant bully. It seems that old habits die hard.

He shifts on his paws, the pink scar tissue exposed on his foreleg glistening in the light. At one point, Snakehiss felt ashamed of himself for letting Sedgepounce save him from a fox. He had ignored the other tom for moons, even. However, an ugly jealousy and desire for glory drove the moor runner to abandon any sentiments of indebtedness. "You'd better watch what you say, Sedgekit. One might think you've forgotten where your loyalties lie..." Snakehiss knows he is reaching, merely grasping at twigs, but doing anything to stir the pot and paint himself in a better light was of benefit to him. Sedgepounce would be unwise to fight back with the whole clan watching... A hint of smug satisfaction quirks at the corners of his lips, slitted green eyes boring into hues of amber.

₊ ⋆ * ⊹ ₊ ☾ —— 𝙞 𝙙𝙤𝙣'𝙩 𝙗𝙚𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚

• 

• 

  ✰ SNAKEHISS
  —— he/him; moor runner of windclan
  —— bisexual; single; not looking
  —— long-limbed black tom with green eyes, a small white chest patch, and a notable bite mark on his right foreleg
  —— "speech", thoughts, attack
  —— link to full tags; @ on discord for plots.
  —— penned by beatles

​

 

[FOXGLARE]

⁀➷ Foxglare had been keeping his ear out for Sedgepounce to return after being called away from the training hollow by request of the leader of Thunderclan, of all cats. He whipped his head around at the sudden cacophony coming through the entrance of camp, a fire lighting up in his head the moment he saw who it could be attributed to.

He stalked over quickly, bristling at the audacity of Snakehiss and Juncopaw to harass Sedge so openly, hissing when Snakehiss shoved at the tom. He charged forward to give a shove of his own at the black-furred viper, "You damn coward!"

He stood tall, staring daggers at Snakehiss, daring him to try to get in another swipe, "Let's not forget who saved your sorry ass from gettin' torn open by a fox." He growled, knowing this was just another sad display of envy from the yellow-bellied little slitherer. This time, though, his words had more weight than just petty bullying, he was howling to cast Windclan's scrutiny onto Sedgepounce. He glanced icily to the apprentice that joined in on the heckling, too. "Sedgepounce ran to the mountains and back to save everyone here, he's proven his loyalty more than the likes of y'all ever have." Steel eyes narrowed to meet green, he remembered this poisonous tom's cowardice in the face of rogues, and silently challenged him to give him an excuse to bring it up.

ALL IN ALL ⁀➷☾⁺₊ IS ALL WE ARE

• OOC: mobile!!!
• 
• 
  — sun . fox . foxpaw . foxglare
  — he/him. 12mo moor-runner of windclan
  — a large, scarred, longhaired light ginger tabby with high white and grey eyes
  — smells like wet oak wood and dewy sedge
  — sounds like leon kennedy, with a vague texan drawl.
  — the straight-faced and taciturn adopted son of houndthistle, lived as a twolegplace loner until 7 moons old, now a moor-runner of windclan. stalwart and resilient, he is not easily shaken and lives by a very strict personal code of honor.
  — “speech”, thoughts, attack
  — hs by mercurial, fullbody by antiigone
  — penned by eezy

​

 

[Morningsong~]

Morningsong was minding his own business when the ruckus erupted. Snakehiss' voice grates on his ears, living up to his namesake and spitting venom every chance he got. Sedgepounce was the victim today it seemed, all because Howlingstar thanked him for helping their injured apprentice home. Oh! How dare Sedgepounce and Periwinklebreeze do a good deed and make sure a horrifically injured cat made it home safely! Oh, how could they!!

He figures doing such kind acts is an insult to Windclanners anyways, when you have cats like Snakehiss just slithering about unchecked. He watches as Juncopaw joins in and rolls his eyes so hard it almost hurt. Annoying. Both of them. He dearly wishes someone would beat them down and humble them.

And to his delight, Foxglare joins the fray to combat the slimy snake spitting venom with reckless abandon! Finally, a hero for Sedgepounce! And Morningsong agrees with him, too.

"Seems you've attracted a few fleas, Sedgepounce!" He says from where he sits. "Better squish them before they get away!" He adds, lifting his forepaws and peering through them, closing them until it looked as though he were holding Snakehiss from his point of view, and then pressing them together making an audible squish noise as he grinned widely.​

 

[sparkspirit]

Morningsong's paws don't press down upon him from where he's sitting, but as Sparkspirit lifts his head he swears he can feel it anyway. Pressure and a pop! like something leaking from his ears. He stands up. Whether it's to walk away or walk closer, he doesn't seem to decide until his paws are well on their way. Not towards the gathered group of young cats intent on bruising their shoulders to oblivion; instead, they lead him towards his brother. One paw lifts. It thumps down roughly behind Morningsong's ear in a swift cuffing motion. And then both are lifting to shove him, hopefully over, though not with the angry intensity of the others. It would almost be playful if they had any relationship other than what they had (nauseous memory filling up his chest, swimming behind his eyes).

"You're acting like a kit," he scolds. They all were, really, but it wasn't his job to try and keep them out of trouble. Especially when the last time he stepped in for Snake– well, he wouldn't let his mind wander there. "Besides, he's not even wrong. ThunderClan is being two-faced; she didn't thank any of the warriors who brought back lungwort, did she?" A pathetic concern, truly, yet enough to solidify a certain sense of injustice within the tomcat. "If anyone's a flee here, it's ThunderClan."

𝘛𝘈𝘕𝘎𝘓𝘌𝘋 𝘐𝘕 𝘛𝘏𝘌 𝘞𝘖𝘙𝘋𝘚 𝘛𝘏𝘈𝘛 𝘐  ･｡ﾟ  🗲  ╱╱ 11.07.2023 𝘊𝘈𝘕𝘕𝘖𝘛 𝘚𝘈𝘠 ˊˎ＜

• OOC. —
• 🗲　　. 　 ˚　.  SPARKSPIRIT. HE - HIM - HIS. 14 MOON OLD MOOR RUNNER OF WINDCLAN. VERY LOYAL TO HIS CLAN. PENNED BY REVELATIONS.  ————
  
  
  ——  a trim mock tortoiseshell tom with mostly black fur splashed with the occasional patch orange. he has a singular white mark on the back of his neck shaped similarly to a lightning strike, and a small scar across the bridge of his nose. his eyes are a shocking electric blue.
  

  ✦ ECHOLIGHT x ELMBREEZE. ADOPTED BY YEWBERRY. BRIGHTFAM, BUT SOMEWHAT ESTRANGED DUE TO HIS LOYALTY TO WINDCLAN. ————————

• "speech"

​

 

[cottonsprig]

Cottonpaw's ignorance is not bliss. She spends some of the chilly afternoon chewing a rabbit to mush, lost in her thoughts, when the patrolling cats return. She had not heard of the foreign leader's request (if the odd news made it to camp, she simply is not privy to the details,) and, genuinely, finds herself confused with the behavior of the two toms. Well, one of them; Snakehiss is and always has been a but sharper tongued. Sedgepounce, however, is usually far more laid back.

The grey she-cat is slow to stand, intending to join the group and allow her curiosity to fester - but then Snakehiss shoves Sedgepounce, and she feels... fear? Is that what this is? The ants in her fur, the blood rushing in her ears, it's not foreign anymore. She felt it when he asked her, nights ago, to be his. Discomfort in its purest of forms, and she stands, hardly numb but entirely too unsure of who to approach. After a few heartbeats, Foxglare is there, defending the brown-and-white tom with just as much physical force. Morningsong, too, though Sparkspirit dims the mottled tom's enthusiasm.

And she just... stares.

Her throat is closing up as she finally strides forward. She wants to diffuse the situation, but she also wants to do so while erring on the side of her friends. But a good mate (future mate?) wouldn't separate from their partner. Snakehiss wouldn't be happy if she didn't stand by him even with his outbursts.

It's seamless; she swallows thickly as she slips in beside Snakehiss and presses her shoulder to his. It's a subtle attempt to keep him back from making this mess any worse, though she's unsure of if she'd be capable of stopping him at all, should he lash out anymore. "Calm down...!" she whispers to him, pleads with him - begs, even, though she finds that the spiral only allows space for realizations, ones that she's not ready to comprehend. She clears her throat, nodding her head towards Sparkspirit in a quiet agreement, "What did ThunderClan have to say, anyways, if it wasn't for the Lungwort? Surely it wasn't for the rogue issue, either. Sedgepounce wasn't here for that." She lets her curiosity free, however it is noticeable how she's placed herself. By his side, by him, for him - for Snakehiss. and it hurts her chest more than she'd admit in the moment.

​

 

[SNAKEHISS]

The only retaliation he'd been expecting was from Sedgepounce, if he even had the guts to stand up for himself. Thus, Foxglare's attack had surprised the dark-pelted tom, sending him stumbling forward with a startled yelp. Snakehiss whipped around, triangular ears flattened against his skull, as he snarled, "Don't touch me, filth!" He truly was some brutish rogue like Houndthistle. Rogues could never be trusted; they'd turn on you eventually.

He scowls in the other moor runner's direction, the voices of spectators like Sparkspirit and Morningsong blurring into the background as Foxglare dug up a sore spot for Snakehiss — the fox attack. He shifted his scarred leg back in response, quickly hoping to move on as not to dwell on the subject. I could have gone! I could have been the one receiving praises! Not them! Snakehiss wanted to spit back, stemming from a jealousy long simmered down yet still lingering at the back of his mind whenever his brain decided to whisper cruel things in his ears on long nights. Instead, he settled with a scathing conclusion, "The only reason Sootstar chose him to go is because he's disposable. He was lucky to return with his life because nobody would have cared otherwise if he didn't." That must have been the only logical reason. Send a few throwaway souls on the dangerous expedition and keep the strong, capable warriors to defend camp. As much as he tried to reassure himself, however, it still never seemed to be enough to satisfy him.

A hushed yet urgent voice fills his ear while the sudden aroma of mint and lavender wafts around him, always too harsh on his nose for his personal liking but familiar nonetheless. Haredung; he had not expected Cottonpaw to show up, at least not so quickly. Snakehiss was always careful not to tip the scales too far in the medicine cat apprentice's presence, to not push her so-called "friends" too hard. The last thing he needed was her opinion of him growing sour. So, the black tom tried to abide by her words, letting his hackles lay flat. However, a bitter tone rolled off his tongue as he snorted, "Howlingstar thanked him and Periwinklebreeze for staying behind, to help a ThunderClan apprentice, instead of helping the others carry the lungwort back to their own clan." The lungwort had arrived safely either way, Snakehiss knows, but he was simply grasping at any opportunity to diminish the ThunderClan leader's praises. Some cats might call their actions selfless and heroic while on the other paw it could be easily seen as unnecessary and foolish. Why delay their return when WindClan was already suffering, low on warriors, and needed all the help they could get?

₊ ⋆ * ⊹ ₊ ☾ —— 𝙞 𝙙𝙤𝙣'𝙩 𝙗𝙚𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚

• 

• 

  ✰ SNAKEHISS
  —— he/him; moor runner of windclan
  —— bisexual; single; not looking
  —— long-limbed black tom with green eyes, a small white chest patch, and a notable bite mark on his right foreleg
  —— "speech", thoughts, attack
  —— link to full tags; @ on discord for plots.
  —— penned by beatles

​