he's got a particular set of skills- but these aren't them [open / failed pine shoes]

[Johnnyflame]

LIVE AS IF YOU WERE TO DIE TOMORROW​

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Okay, maybe he hadn't thought this through?

To be fair, it had seemed like a good idea at the time. And in theory, it still was. The only downside was that Johnny hadn't accounted for his own lack of patience.

After getting that thorn stuck in his paw a while back, the patchwork bobtail had started a morning routine of jogging around twoleg place before coming out to the woods, hoping the less painful but even harder concrete of the sidewalks would help build a callous that would save his soft paws from another brutal sliver. Of course, that would take time, and so he'd decided to use Thistles idea of a pinesap barrier on the pads of his feet for a little extra protection.

And it should have been a simple process; coat a paw, wait for it to dry, then do the next, wait for it to dry, and so on. Only, Johnny hadn't exactly calculated the correct amount of pine sap to use on the first paw, and as he stood there, minutes ticking by in boredom as he waited for it to dry, his impatience got the better of him.

Which was how he'd ended up on his back, all four paws in the air covered in pinesap that was taking way too long to dry. He hadn't been neat about it either, sticky clumps of fur on his legs that would knot if they weren't dealt with. He was sure he looked like a fool as he lay there, waving his paws about in hopes of making them dry faster, but he was still convinced this plan could work if he just waited for it to dry...

OOC- spoiler, it's not going to dry lol. He put waaaay too much on and now his paws are just going to be a sticky mess. Congrats Johnny, the 2 you rolled has turned you into the equivalent of a toddler. Enjoy. :D
​

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[Bramblebelly]

❖ The forest seemed to be quiet for the most part today aside from the scuttle of little creatures around the area. The forest was waking up after a long period of snow and hunger. Things where finally starting to look up in terms of prey even if threats lingered at every corner with that of the disappearances and twolegs messing about. He'd never understand that of why they where here. What did they want to accomplish? What was the point besides kidnapping loved ones? He'd never understand twolegs and he didn't want to try to start now.

The tick tabby cat had been padding through the forest quietly before a figure caught his attention; Johnny. He furrowed his thick brow in confusion before approaching the tom with a head tilt, "What're you doing? you look like you've made a mess," He questioned the patched cat with a flick of his bushy tail. ​

Bramblebelly didn't know a thing about Johnny other than he seemed to have affection for Thistleback, and that was about it for the tomcat. He didn't walk to tthe daylight warrior much and he should proabbly change that. Even if he wasn't the largest fan on the daylight warrior topic, but that was just his old ways of thinking plaguing him further.

Speech​

 

[ThistleBack]

Frustration is a burning bush, an ever bristling bloom of boiling rage and thoughts. Quillstrike’s training flashes behind his eyes, a thick-headed brat with a young face twisted in determination. Mismatched eyes always tuned with an unreadable set of unspoken words. The personality of a pawpad but loyal, brave, and passionate about his clan. Perhaps more, reserved for only Twitchbolt, Thistleback understood that. He preserved his softer and more open side for the ones he loved. He had never been vulnerable around his apprentices, for his lessons were fashioned without such a thing. That didn’t mean he didn’t love them. His heart pangs with every beat for Quillstrike. Sadness always morphs into anger for him, like the deflection of light off the surface of water.

Between the ache in his shoulders that seems to radiate down his back, and his loud thoughts. He was staring so hard into the trees you could wonder if he was burning a hole through the boughs. His jaws flex, the world spinning a bit as he retracts his glare and shifts it to the movement within the forest along the evergreen nettle covered floor. White masked muzzle like a skull protruding from soot covered brambles, his scowl is piercing as ever. Lip lifted over a single canine in a display of absolute annoyance. He can see Bramblebelly’s side as he speaks to a set of four hovering paws. What are you doing, the man asks.

Thistleback prowls around the bracken for a better look, the fur along muscled skyward legs is twisted and slicked as though they were licked by a slobbering dog. Confusion presses until he spots the orange and black patches strewn upon snowy white. Then a shockingly foreign laugh bellows from his jaws, it’s so unfamiliar to his vocals it comes out harsh and chopped. His sour mood evaporates, his scowl softens into something unreadable as he pads towards the pair.

The smell of pine is perfumed around them, but the piebald is blinking slowly. He didn’t have the internal vocabulary for the word cute, but if he did he’d classify it as so. Endearing, perhaps. Johnny was healing something inside him, a festering wound threatening to rot him into his old ways.

" I perhaps… should’ve told you how much to use " Thistleback’s smile widens, white daggers slotted in grime was his smile but a smile nonetheless. " here- roll over and give me your paws " Thistleback settles on his ribs near the comically situated bobtail, and turns over his forearms for the other to place theirs. " you’re a determined lad, aren’t you " he murmurs, deeply thankful for the relief of stress. " come on then, Saps " a smirk ticks on his muzzle, tacking on a teasing nickname he thinks he likes.

​

OOC INFO REF

• — johnny is adorable hhh
  
  
• 
  
  
  
  Thirty-seven moons EVENT TRACKER | IMPORTANT INFO
  — Lead warrior of Skyclan since 12.22.22
  — Devoted to Deersong 9.29.22 | polyamorous
  — Father of Coyotepaw, Pricklepaw, and Eveningpaw.
  — mentoring Snowpaw graduate(s) Quillstrike
  — very muscular piebald black and white tom with spiky fur and cold silver-grey eyes.
  — voice & accent
  — biography･ﾟ✧​
  OPEN for Dice battles | stine#3004
  
• 
  
  

​

 

[Johnnyflame]

LIVE AS IF YOU WERE TO DIE TOMORROW​

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The sound of approaching pawsteps alerted him to the fact that he was no longer alone, and it didn't take long for an upside-down Bramblebelly to come into view. A sheepish chuckle would fall from ivory lips as he considered how he must look to the other, but he didn't bother trying to deny the obvious.

"Aye, I deifnitely have, haven't I?"

Mess was putting it nicely.

"My feet are still soft from living in twoleg place, so I thought if I coated my paws with some sap to make a barrier, it would help keep me from gettin' cut up so much. Pretty sure I made a few minor miscalculations though."

The approach of the second cat went unnoticed to Johnny, that is, until they laughed. He jumped a little at the suddenness of it, but the realization of what he was hearing -who he was hearing- sent his heart skipping in fondness at the sound.

He'd never heard Thistleback truly laugh before.

He wriggled on his back to try and get a better look, and bright eyes were rewarded with a rare smile, teeth and all. He tried to ignore the sparks going off in his chest, bright, bursting flashes of satisfaction and victory that he'd been the one to do that.

And if he beemed back at the other just as brightly, it was only because Thistleback had a way of making him shine all the more.

"Ah, it's not your fault." he dimissed as the other moved to settle beside him, ignoring the sparks, sparks, sparks in his chest at once again being in their sights. "I'll consider it a lesson learned on 'moderation'." replied the patchwork tom as he flipped onto his side to give the other his paws as instructed. And then the spikey warrior was calling him determined and Saps, and Johnny couldn't help the brief rumble of a purr that rose to meet the words.

"Can't let some sore feet get in the way of my training. I'll get it right next time." he assured the other with easy confidence, as if this one blunder was all he needed to correct his mistake the next time around- and in many instances, that was eactly the case. Johnny had a knack not for being perfect at things the first time around, but for recognizing his mistakes and accounting for them the next time he gave something a go. It made him a quick and tenacious learner, one who was good at picking apart his flaws and strengthening them in future attempts.

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