pafp HAIL, SPIRIT ♥︎ TALLPINE

[DOEBLAZE]

It had been nearly a full turn of the seasons ago when she'd first shyly come to Twitchbolt for a lesson in climbing. So much has changed since then . . . him ( now a former deputy), her ( now a widow ), even the landscape around her—specifically, the landscape around this particular tree. Last she'd been here, green as the sparse underbrush, frost had greeted her underpaw rather than soft grass; the sprawling view she knows she can expect to see up top ( assuming she makes it at all ) had spoken to tongues of fire and flame - licked horizons, all russet and auburn as deep and strikingly copper as Orangestar's namesake pelt. Now . . . it's almost ironic, that the world has turned green when she no longer is—last time ( how is it only a few moons ago? ) she had been as verdant as the raw bark of a freshly - broken branch, new to the world. This world.

Now, there's old ghosts weighing down her pawsteps as she and Twitchbolt pad through the pine forest in a companionable silence, wreathing her shoulders in translucent mists. A very real mist is rising, too, greenleaf dew melting away under the ferocious eye of the sun and suffusing the world with clouds of droplets that shimmer in the light. " Think you'll beat Orangestar's record? I've heard it's formidable, " she murmurs in an amused rasp, breaking the silence. Torn tawny ears twitch and, as Tallpine looms ahead, the tabby adds, " I certainly won't. "

Dropping into a partial crouch once they've arrived, energy ripples through lean ( perhaps overly so, in recent moons ) muscles and the warrior is off the ground in an instant, claws digging into the craggy bark of the massive landmark. A careful green eye watches for clawholds, and she hauls herself up, swinging herself up a few branches at the last until she settles on one just under halfway up the tree. Whether Twitchbolt is above, around, or below her, she squints, blinking a tired green eye at him. A certain tiredness punched into her chest and the angry protestations of her aching muscles have forced her to stop, at least for the moment, and she calls, " How're you faring, Twitchbolt? "

OOC : Please wait for @TWITCHBOLT !!

♥︎

​

 

[TWITCHBOLT]

Time was a writhing thing. Uncontrollable, terrifying and mounting- it never stopped moving, and moments like this served as a stark reminder. His friendship with Bobbie was one he didn't, thank StarClan tend to completely overthink... no more did he scrabble at reasons to be hated, no more did he wince in the face of any companionship. Deeply, he wanted Bobbie to find that inner peace too... but StarClan, did he know how hard it was. Not in the same ways, but... when it was hardwired into you, ripping it out was a slow, torturous thing.

"I like to think I'm in with a chance," Twitchbolt replied, a hoarse humour in his brittle voice. Maybe, maybe not... his climbing was a plateaued good thing, and might not be up to snuff. Still... he was unafraid of heights, and watched the clouds from other tall-pines... just not the Tall Pine, solitary in its hulking size, its wind-whipped looming. I certainly won't. "You never know," he hummed, swatting away her self-doubt with a punctual flick of his tail; it was always easier to do with others.

He sprung, too- practiced and honed, it was an effortless, fluid motion. An instinctive wind barrelled toward clawholds- his pace was frantic at furst, a burst of buzzing energy. Like bruise-purple clouds, electricity brewed within him, kicked him upward- but a fast pace wasn't easily maintained. No, no- if he rushed, he'd... fall, break a neck. There was a prickle of uncertainty across his neck at the thought, irrationally staked through his mind- and he drew to a rest, craning his neck to find Bobbie, who was not far below him. "Yep! Just- just... can't overdo it, hah..." His stamina would return, he had that faith. "You- you alright, too? I'd- I'd like to get high enough to look over the territory, but it won't be as good without company." Fray-voiced, gentle encouragement- he did mean it. The kicked-up mist would be awestriking either way, but would become a more solid memory alongside another. ​

penned by pin ✧​

 

[SANGRIAPAW]

✧ Sangriapaw will never get tired of watching SkyClan’s warriors climb. Graceful, agile… they look almost like birds, flitting from branch to branch with ease. The cinnamon torbie’s eyes track Bobbie and Twitchbolt as they climb, getting smaller and smaller the further they get from the ground. "I bet I could climb all the way up there," she says, confident—and then her head tips back, and she realizes just how massive the tree really is. It’s the same reaction she’d given when she first saw the Tallpine, shock and awe and amazement all rolled into one wide-eyed, open-mouthed expression. In a stupefied mutter she adds, "Just maybe not today, though." Twitchbolt is so high up, his voice is quiet as it brushes past her ears. He could beat Orangestar’s record—but what’s Orangestar’s record? And just how high up does this tree go?

How long has it been here… she wonders to herself, lifting a paw to place it against the bark. She doesn’t start climbing—she isn’t careless enough to think she could actually make it any further than a few tail-lengths off the ground—but she does press against the trunk slightly, feeling its lack of give. It’s a sturdy tree, that’s for sure. And someday, even if it’s a long ways away, she’s gonna reach the very top of it! That, she’s certain of. The cats above start talking about looking out over the territory, and impatiently the girl calls out, "Tell me what you see!"

✧ gliding down the rainbow

• ooc: mentor tag @Johnnyflame
• 
  SANGRIAPAW ❯❯ she/her, daylight apprentice of skyclan
  ⭃ cinnamon torbie with white spotting and vibrant leaf-green eyes. bold, bright, and curious.
  ⭃ daughter of fantastream & figfeather ; sister to coffeepaw
  ⭃ mentored by johnnyflame
  ⭃ peaceful and healing powerplay permitted
  ⭃ penned by foxlore

​

​

 

[LITTLEMOON]

it's not my fault i have my father's eyes .
︶꒦꒷♡꒷꒦︶

The black-and-white speckled tom blinked tiredly up at the two warriors, deciding to stand beside the apprentice with a small mrrp in greetings. He wasn’t too confident in his climbing abilities nowadays, tiredness seeping heavily into icy veins drawing a light shiver through frail limbs. “You will one day.” He offered the apprentice, baby blue poole staring at Bobbie and Twitchbolt growing smaller the further they moved. “I wasn’t able to until later in my apprenticeship.” It seemed so long ago now that he became a warrior, innocent memories that tasted like the sweetest nectar seemed to sour over the moons.

Blinking back the memories, Littlemoon hummed, helm tipped back to watch the quivering needles with peculiar interest. “I’ll be late.” He murmured. For what? Littlemoon wasn’t sure, backing with a tail flourish, offering the apprentice a kindred smile. “I’ll see you later, Sangriapaw.” He hummed tiredly, turning and trotting off into the undergrowth. ​

​

thought speech​