private HIGH HOPES ＜ RACCOONSTRIPE ＞

[THISTLEPAW]

His paws skid across the soft sand in a desperate bid to halt his momentum as he slides across the sun-dappled hollow — long shadows touch his face as he goes too far, and whirling around blinds him. A cascade of red dirt splashes up like blood behind him and slides back down with the sound of rain. A noise of frustration rips right through him and his claws unsheathe to tear into the ground. It's the third time Raccoonstripe had stepped aside like it was nothing, and his irritation only builds. The moons of hard work have given the apprentice a riptide strength. There had been no kitten fat to struggle off (though this meant there was nothing extra to burn, as well; he'd been so tired some nights, especially early on). Instead, Thistlepaw had started out angular and only grown boxier with all the time that passed. His shoulders and hindquarters are powerful, and the broad, square build speaks of blossoming power.

It was hard to manage it all, surprisingly. Even if it was the only thing he had ever known aside from weakness and nothingness. He's earning the shape for it, but the skill. . .

Well, that's another thing entirely.

Charging wasn't going to work. Raccoonstripe was still larger, heavier, and far more practiced than he. So Thistlepaw changes tactics. It looks quite the same. Digging himself into the sand and shoving forward with all of his might. But this time the skidding comes sooner, and he slows himself to rear up and smack at his mentor's face, an arc of sand following the motion. "Why don't they get it?" he bites out suddenly. One anger bleeds into another, and suddenly failing Raccoonstripe was quite a lot like failing his entire clan; failing Howlingstar. Neither feeling is particularly good.

𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓'𝐒 𝐀 𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐓𝐋𝐄 𝗕𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐃 🙴 𝗕𝐎𝐍𝐄  ╱ 𝑾𝑨𝑺 𝑰𝑻 𝑾𝑶𝑹𝑻𝑯 𝑰𝑻? ＜06.02＞ ⸙

• OOC. —
• 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐋𝐄𝐏𝐀𝐖. HE - HIM. YOUNG APPRENTICE OF THUNDERCLAN. ————— the son of an ex-kittypet has spent most of his life confined to the medicine den. bad circumstances and worse healing left him in a limbo between life and death which he only just escaped. he feels he must prove himself a great warrior so his clanmates will see him as anything more than a weak kittypet.  ╱ PENNED BY REVELATIONS
  
  
  
  a prickly-furred chocolate and slate cat with amber eyes. finally growing into his frame with moons of hard work and steady enough food, thistlepaw has taken a blocky, bulky shape with broad shoulders and densely muscled hindlimbs. his fur remains a tough-edged cloak, but now carries a well-groomed sheen despite how unruly it is.

• "speech"

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[RACCOONSTRIPE]

The sun beats upon both of their dark tabby pelts. Raccoonstripe stands still, but loose, upon the shifting sand floor of the ravine. Thistlepaw stands opposite him, mounting frustration glowing in the amber of his eyes. He's trying, the warrior thinks, giving his fur a shake. But he's trying for the wrong reasons. Anger makes Thistlepaw's movements clumsy, heavy—but powerful. Raccoonstripe makes as if to move away again as Thistlepaw gears up for a fourth attack, but at the last moment, the young tom changes tactics. He skids sooner, and aims a blow through an arc of sand that flashes toward Raccoonstripe's face. He feels the impact against his cheek—blunt, clawless, but it smarts.

"Well done, at last," he says dryly. He blinks sand from his eyes and gives his pelt a rigorous shake; bits of grit go flying. "You're not using your anger, but I can teach you how to. You'll be dangerous on the battlefield once you can learn to channel it."

The warrior's face creases with seriousness as Thistlepaw asks, "Why don't they get it?" Frustration makes it come out a snarl. Raccoonstripe lowers himself and lashes his tail behind him. Instead of answering, the tabby swipes at Thistlepaw's forelegs and attempts to bowl him over. "They value other things than I do. Than you do. I value our Clan's security and success. They value the warrior code."

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

• ooc: —
• 
• Raccoon . Raccoonstripe, he/him w/ masculine terms.
  — "speech”, thoughts, attack
  — 37 moons old, ages realistically on the 5th.
  — mentored by n/a ; mentoring Thistlepaw ; previously mentored Wildheart, Moonwhisper
  — thunderclan lead warrior. gray wolf x howlingstar, gen 2.
  — currently mated to Nightbird.
  — penned by Marquette.
  
  
  lh black tabby with white and dark brown eyes. charismatic, charming, calculating, ambitious, shallow, manipulative.
  
  

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