Haunted By A Darker Side | Catfishpaw

[Mosspool]

This morning, Mosspaw stood right outside the apprentice den, waiting. The moment Catfishpaw stepped outside, she approached her.

"I need to talk to you Catfishpaw." She said simply, then turned to lead the way to a corner of camp where they could be undisturbed. Hopefully, the fact that she had said anything to her at all would be sign enough to the other apprentice of how serious she was. Mosspaw didn't like Catfishpaw. She was a miscreant, a troublemaker, and a bad influence. Whereas Mosspaw was willing to forgive all those traits in her own family, Catfishpaw got no such leniency.

At least, she didn't right now. When the other apprentice had been injured, it had been hard to feel anything but pity for her. Now that she was back in shape though, Mosspaw's distaste for her had returned as well.

"Hazepaw will not listen to me, but maybe she will listen to you." Mosspaw began, giving Catfishpaw a serious look. "Just the other day I caught her sneaking out. Again. They can not keep doing this. Surely, even you must see that. She is going to put herself in danger, even if she does not, we are supposed to be warriors soon. We can not be acting like kits anymore." Mosspaw's ear flicked. No amount of reprimand had managed to make Hazepaw change her ways. Even after she had confronted them herself, they had only doubled down. She was out of ideas. The only cat she could think of that might be able to get through to them, aside from perhaps their mothers, was their partner in crime.

Mosspaw sighed. "Just. Please. Talk to them? It is for their own good."​

 

[Catfishleap]

'cause my girl's made of peaches♡—————————————————
She was still trying to blink sleep out of her eyes when Mosspaw was already telling her that they would be talking, it wasn't a question, and Catfish was certainly not going to get out of it. If she knew anything she knew that Willowroot and Poppysplash raised resilient cats. She let out a tired sigh and then followed the brown tabby.

It was incredible how different two littermates could be. Mosspaw and Hazepaw only held affection for each other because they were related, because they certainly wouldn't have gotten along if they were of different litters. Catfishpaw knew this for certain because Mosspaw didn't like her, and she was very similar to Hazepaw in most aspects. They both craved the outside world and freedom, something she thought Mosspaw may be allergic to.

The stick in the mud carted her to a quiet spot so they could talk, why who knows? Maybe she just wanted to really make sure the day was going to be bad, start it out with a scolding from a self-righteous kit. It wasn't quite that though. Instead it was like a request to scold Hazepaw for Mosspaw. That's new. Catfish's eyebrows met as she tried to fully comprehend that the molly was asking for her help.

"Okay... so you caught her sneaking out, and when you told them not to they just said no?" right now Catfishpaw was upset with Hazepaw, but even so, that was kinda funny. A small smirk crept to her face as she kept on going "And so now, you, Mosspaw want ME to go and say stop it? Because they like me more?" she wasn't even going to pretend like she wasn't enjoying this. It wasn't everyday that the golden child had to ask a screwup for help.

"You know we have already, like, put ourselves in as much danger as we could? Right? Either way though. Haze and I haven't really been talking as much, so I am not sure I'd be your most reliable source of scolding." she looked the other cat up and down for a second "Anyway, why won't they listen to you? How can you be so unconvincing? Like what do you think I could do better? It's not like I am the reason they do it? They've been off doing it while I was stuck in the stupid medicine den and before that even I'm guessing." her words dripped with bitter reflection. Hazepaw didn't need her around really, so what could she say that Mosspaaw didn't already.
and soft grass in the moonlight♡—————————♡penned by WriteAboutRadish
​

 

[Mosspool]

Catfishpaw was not as bad as Mosspaw had thought.

She was worse.

The infuriating little smirk that Catfishpaw got once she realized what Mosspaw was saying made her ear flick. Her expression soured further at the suggestion that Hazepaw liked her more than they did their own family. "That is not-" She began to object, but thought better of it with a scowl. Antagonizing the cat she was coming to for help was not the best idea. Besides, she was not entirely certain that Catfishpaw was wrong.

Her irritation slowly grew as the other apprentice continued to rub it in her face that her own sister wouldn't listen to her. Catfishpaw just kept going, talking so much that she could barely find a moment to get a word in. It was beyond her why Hazepaw liked her at all. Even beyond her rulebreaking, this girl was just irritating.

Mosspaw did blink in surprise at the information that Hazepaw and Catfishpaw had not been talking recently. "Really? Well, that is good at least." She muttered, half to herself. While that meant this conversation was likely a waste of time, it did give her more hope for her sister. She was not so foolish as to think that Catfishpaw was the reason that Hazepaw was the way she was, but the two of them were bad influences on each other.

"Done gloating? Good." Mosspaw said sharply. "I know all about all the danger you and Hazepaw have put yourselves in already, and I would think that the experience would have made you - of all people - reconsider ever sneaking out again." She gave Catfishpaw a pointed look. After the badger, she had hoped that Hazepaw would have changed her ways. It was baffling to her that they hadn't It was even more so that Catfishpaw hadn't either. "And I was not unconvincing, she just does not want to hear it from me." Her gaze fell to her paws for a moment.

"To them, anything I say is just me being a "stick in the mud."" She admitted bitterly.

Mosspaw affixed the other apprentice with a serious look. "I think they will listen to you because they do not think you are a "stick in the mud." That, and you are the one cat aside from them that should know firsthand why they should not sneak out."​

 

[Catfishleap]

'cause my girl's made of peaches♡—————————————————
Inside Catfishpaw there were many things building up, and a lot of it was general contempt. Maybe on another day this conversation could have gone better. Maybe the two mollies wouldn't be hiding disdain behind barely civil words, maybe they could just talk about what was worrying Mosspaw. But, right now all the anger she felt towards Hazepaw, her parents, and herself was coming out against the tabby. So civility wouldn't be a thought in her mind.

First she made a comment about it being good that the two weren't talking anymore. It hadn't stopped her from talking, but it didn't fall on deaf ears. In fact her ears grew hot with anger, how dare Mosspaw be glad about her crumbling friendship. Foxhearted minnow. But, she wouldn't say that. She wouldn't give Mosspaw the satisfaction of getting into her head, at least not visibly.

Then Mosspaw chose to make assumptions, stupid assumptions. "I'm happy you think I am that sneaky," she spat "But, I haven't been leaving camp unless it's with Pikesplash to try and train, believe it or not I'm not as strong as I used to be and it takes like a lot to even do that. When you don't see me around camp, that's because I am back in the den sleeping, okay? I'm not as stupid as you think I am." her words were betraying her own frustration with her perceived shortcomings. Whatever this wasn't about her anyway, Mosspaw didn't care about her, she cared about Hazepaw. But it did feel nice to just sorta let loose with her words.

"Did you think anyone would want to listen to you tell them how dumb they are? Are you really that hopeless? That would be unconvincing if you were a warrior, but as an apprentice, please," she breathed out for a second, her tone returning softer, "Mosspaw, you can't just shame us for wanting more and then pretend like that doesn't make you sound like the most boring cat in the world. We would sneak out because we wanted something to do, do something with Haze instead of just telling them to sit still." Why was she actually trying to help? Was it just that she looked so dejected after admitting that she may have "stick in the mud" tendencies, yeah it was probably that. "I'll still like talk to them or whatever, but they would listen to you if you knew how to talk to her." the words weren't nice per say, but they didn't hold any bitterness, just a tired attempt at advice.
and soft grass in the moonlight♡—————————♡penned by WriteAboutRadish
​

 

[Mosspool]

Mosspaw blinked at the revelation that Catfishpaw had stopped sneaking out. "Well. Good, I am glad to hear it." It was good to hear that at least one of the two had learned their lesson. Honestly, she had just assumed that if her sister was sneaking out, then Catfishpaw must be too. The pair of them had been neigh inseparable once. They really were growing apart. "All the more reason for you to help me convince Hazepaw to do the same."

Her eyes narrowed as the other apprentice continued. "I never told her she was dumb. Hazepaw is not dumb." Shame I can not say the same for you. Mosspaw did not add. This was one of the most irritating conversations she had ever had. The tone Catfishpaw was taking with her made her blood boil. She was not going to resort to base insults though, she was above that. Even if it was so hard to be above it. "They just-" She hesitated, considering her words. "They are making some mistakes, that is all." It was not the most eloquent way to put what she meant, but hopefully it got the point across.

She made a sour expression at the suggestion that Hazepaw and Catfishpaw needed to sneak out to find something to do. "There are plenty of interesting things to do in camp." Mosspaw muttered to herself. Simply wanting people to follow the rules did not make her boring. It made her a good apprentice, if anything. Why anyone would think that you needed to break rules to enjoy yourself was beyond her. She gave Catfishpaw an incredulous glance at the suggestion that she attempt to entertain her sister. "I love Hazepaw, but the things they wants to do and the things I want to do could not be more different. The pair of us could not even play mossball as kits without bothering each other." Her ear flicked. Even though she knew she should leave it at that, she couldn't help but drag up the old argument. "Which is ridiculous because I followed all the rules as they were laid out to me. I was outstanding at mossball."

At the very least, it seemed Catfishpaw would at least listen to her. Good. Even if she and Hazepaw were not as close as they once were, Mosspaw could hope that what they once had would be enough to convince Hazepaw to stop her antics for good.

"Good. Thank you." The suggestion that she just did not know how to talk to her own sister bothered her, but she elected to ignore it. She did not know what else she was supposed to say to Hazepaw.

Her work done, Mosspaw turned to leave. This conversation had been more than enough of Catfishpaw for the day. "Goodbye."​