hotter than hell | warm weather

[Howlfire]

It was almost unbearably hot today.

Howlfire's shorter fur meant she usually didn't feel the heat as bad as some of her longer-furred kin and clanmates. Today, though...she was certainly feeling it. She had been fortunate to go on a hunting patrol earlier in the day, therefore beating the early hints of the heat to come. However, by the time they had returned the sun was high in the sky, and the heat was now bearing down intensely. Even in the shaded areas of camp, Howlfire felt as though she couldn't escape the oppressive heat.

After a little while of lounging around camp, Howlfire quietly slipped away, informing a passing clanmate she was going to the Rockpile. Although the journey there was a little uncomfortable due to the heat, it was all worth it in the end. The tall trees surrounding the stones had shaded them from the sun, and though some sunlight filtered down, it wouldn't have warmed the stones too much which was what she wanted. Hopping up onto one of the stones, Howlfire was relieved to feel the coolness of the stone under her paws. In time the sun would shift and warm these stones, but for now at least, they were cool and offered a welcome reprieve from the heat for Howlfire. The torbie would lie down and stretch out across the smooth stones, making the most of how cool they were.​

 

[TWITCHBOLT]

Twitchbolt was restless, to say the least. He could not shake the sensation of thornlike heat under hi fur- oh, it made him want to tear it all off, scatter it into bits on the ground like moss! Generally, the higher elevation you got to, the breezier it would be- but in his endeavour to go climbing to reveal himself of this mugginess that'd surely choke him to death, he'd forgotten how taxing the journey would be. By the time he'd gotten to the Rockpile he was walking with such weary posture that he did not, at first, see Howlfire sat upon the stones.

When he did see her he, of course, startled.

Recovering from the jump rather quickly, his quill-sharp hackled laid flat- and his frame followed soon after. He flopped face down onto the grass, a long, exhausted sigh pulling from it. "Howlfire, I'm gonna die out here!" It was intended as a joke about the heat, but Twitchbolt was often one to claim that innocuous things would kill him.​

penned by pin ✧​

 

[Howlfire]

Whilst Twitchbolt had not noticed her, Howlfire had been aware of another cat approaching, though did not realise who it was at first until she heard his startled movements, and opened her eyes to see who it was. When he makes a remark about feeling as though he might die, she chuckled. "I feel your pain, Twitchbolt," She responded, nodding her head in understanding. "Though I suspect you must feel this heat more than me." Howlfire gave him a sympathetic glance, making note of his scruffier pelt and imagining it must feel a bit warmer for him.

She watches as he flops in the grass, exhausted from the heat. "You should lie on one of the stones," She suggested, flicking a tail in invitation. "The sun hasn't touched them much so they're quite cool...for now."​

 

[CHALK]

⭒✧ With a small mouse buried beside a sapling pine and his skin uncomfortably warm from the hunt Chalk was quick to join Howlfire atop the rockpile. He’d forgone his usual tutelage altogether that day, opting instead to hunt with the clan. The halls would be lanced with twolegs, pelts strew over their shoulders and chatter piqued with annoyance. Heat made the Learningplace thick with frustration and the daylight warrior got the impression not many wanted to be there. He didn’t either.

The stillness of the shadows was a respite from the thrumming air, and Chalk languished in it dutifully. He could not pass up the opportunity to rest, not when the trees dribbled shade like rainwater to the thirsty. The wash of cold as the sandy tom slid between the boulders rolled down his spine oppressively. Positioned above the muddle of earthen dones with access to the meagre breeze, Chalk lent an ear to his clanmates.

A small smile chipped his usually stoic snout, amused by the lead warrior’s tendency to spiral into the macabre. "Yes. Your skin will slip off if it gets any hotter." The words were delivered with strict sincerity, gaze placidly drifting to Twitchbolt without concern. A gentle crease, crimping the inner corner of his eyes, was the only sign of the joke the daylight warrior was attempting.

At Howlfire’s more sympathetic meow, the planes of Chalk’s face tipped to assess the boulders they lay on. "Their knack for holding onto the hot and cold is very useful," he agreed. His pale tail lapped the stone’s flank, almost appreciately.
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⭒ ———————————— ✧⭒​

 

[Foxfire]

She didn't mind the hot weather. She didn't LIKE it, but it didn't affect her the way it did other cats. Maybe she just hasn't reached her limit yet. Seeing her clanmates resting on the cool stones reminds her of how she used to do the same on the cold hard floor of her twoleg den. In her twoleg's way, of course. On purpose.

She supposes it makes more sense for wildborn cats to suffer from the heat. They live out here in whatever weather nature deems fit to throw out them. Part of her wonders why. The other part understands that not every cat wants to be a kittypet. While most wildborn cats think they're superior, she believes the opposite. The wildborn toil away in their territories and colonies, never knowing when they'll eat next and fighting to survive. Meanwhile, she is loved and cared for and likely will live several times longer than they. She once considered the cats outside her home to be vermin. She still does, but that title is reserved for street cats now. She has learned that the clan cats are much better than them and much prefers their company over the flea bitten rabble in the twolegplace.

"Rocks sure are incredible." She says. Aren't they? If you threw a rock at someone, you could hurt them. If you threw her at someone, would the same damage be done? "Did you know some rocks have more rocks inside them?" She continues. Its true. She watched her twoleg crack open a round rock and it had green rocks inside. Like. Rock boogers. Rocks are fuckin crazy.​

 

[GREENEYES]

With thick tufts of fur across his own form, Greeneyes can feel the heat radiating off of him, bouncing off of the sun’s rays that shine over the pine forest. Hot weather is nothing new, especially in the midst of greenleaf, but today might possibly be the hottest day he’s ever experienced. Oh, what he would give to have shorter fur right now!

With the intention of cooling off, Greeneyes too arrives at the Rockpile. A smile greets Howlfire and Twitchbolt before paws leap to shade-covered stones. He lets out a relieved sigh the moment cold stone is beneath his paws, grateful for the shift in temperatures.

“Stars, this heat better go away soon!” he chirps to Howlfire and Twitchbolt, a crooked tail curling around himself as he settles against the boulder he’d leapt upon, “I don’t think I can deal with another day of this! One more day, and I'll be diving headfirst into the river!”

It always looked so cool and crisp - RiverClan must be spending every waking moment in it. At Chalk’s words, he hums in agreement. Useful, sure, but right now, Greeneyes wishes they would stay cold while the sun’s still out.

Greeneyes blinks at Foxfire’s words, a head tilting in contemplative disbelief as he looks over at the scarred warrior. “Really? Like… pebbles? How can that be?” he asks, idly pawing at the boulder below him. Did this one also have more rocks in it? It seems bizarre - like a kit’s tale, the idea.
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[Fireflyglow]

"Grrreeeenniiieeee.. My pelt is going to melt oooofff.."

Sluggish was the chunky apprentice as he lumbers after his friend, tail dragging against the ground as he makes his way over to join the lounging group. His shoulders slouched, head hung low as he walked with an odd gait. His pawpads felt like they'd slip on the stones the moment he laid upon them! With how heavy his coat was, he might as well turn into a puddle of water now! A soft mrrow of greeting towards his sister and Twitchbolt, head dipping in greeting to Foxfire as well.

Did you know rocks have more rocks inside of them? Foxfire states a new fact aloud, and Fireflypaw hums in confusion. "Seriously? Like, little tiny baby rocks?" He blinks in surprise, a paw reaching up to smooth over a flat-headed stone. His paw slips momentarily, tufted toes lacking friction. His claws unsheathe then, clamoring at the rock as if trying to claw into it so he could see if Foxfire's words rang true. Nothing came, however, and he instead vouches instead to lay himself out on the cooled rock to soothe his warming pelt.

"I wonder.. How long have these rocks been here? How did they get here?" Mother's creations are so odd..​

SKYCLAN MEDICINE CAT APPRENTICE ✦ 13 MOONS ✦ CHUNKY, BIG-FOOTED SEAL POINT ✦ TAGS​

 

[TWITCHBOLT]

The voices around him as he lay, head cradled by patchy grass and pine needles, sounded vaguely like mosquito wingbeat. High-pitched backdrop, far away and yet right next to him at the same time. His eyes creaked open at her invitation, vision flickering with his blinks. "Mmmmhhh..." was his simple- remarkably] simple- reply as he gazed at the rocks, unsure if he could even move his limbs to leap atop one. Twitchbolt was too spacey to fully decipher the joke that Chalk attempted as he wandered over- your skin will slip off. "You think so...?" he asked, genuine nervousness destabilising his tone. Oh, he hoped not, desperately. And cats didn't shed skin, he knew that much. But maybe Chalk meant it in a metaphorical sense, like... his soul would slough right out of his body and ascend to the stars, his lungs compressed by the humidity. Chalk seemed clever enough to make a metaphor like that...

He was rather relived by Foxfire's comment, one that seemed rather nonsensical and yet was interesting enough to focus upon. Smaller rocks inside other rocks. He simply stared, hardly enamoured by the concept but no more repulsed, either. Lying on the ground and conversing was doing very little to help him cool down. When Greeneyes mentioned the river, Twitchbolt felt as if he'd taken a giant gulp of it.

"On days like this I'm- I'm sure RiverClan are very happy with their, their, their choices," the brown and white tom commented, closing his eyes again. He'd never wish his life any different, but... well, maybe he'd wish for a lake.​

penned by pin ✧​

 

[Howlfire]

Soon more and more cats begin to approach, clearly also seeking out shelter from the oppressive heat lingering in their woods. "Very useful indeed," Howlfire hummed in agreement to Chalk's observation. Certainly if not for the rockpile Howlfire and her clanmates would all just be suffering in camp, unable to do much but lie down and sweat. She flicks an ear at Foxfire's comment, raising a brow curiously. Rocks within rocks? What a strange notion...Howlfire certainly had never heard or seen anything like that.

Howlfire chuckled at all the comments about the river and RiverClan made by Greeneyes and Twitchbolt. "Do you think if we ask really nicely Cicadastar might let us dip our paws in the river to cool down?" She asked with a chuckle.​

 

[GREENEYES]

His gaze lifts at the sound of Fireflypaw’s voice, a call for his attention. Of course, Fireflypaw is feeling the heat - the tom has more fur than Greeneyes does, and the warrior finds himself glad he doesn’t carry that much. He can’t imagine how warm the healer is under all of that! Ginger ears twitch, and a smile pulls at his face as he moves over to make space on the rock he lounges on, making space for his friend.

“Here!” he chirps with a toothy grin, his tail thumping against the cool stone, “Sit next to me, Fi - I picked a good spot!”

His friend shares the same confusion he does at Foxfire’s words, investigating the rocks as he’d done, only to ask another question of the rocks. “Hmm…” How long? Greeneyes can’t imagine this place not having rocks - perhaps they’ve been here forever, long before the Pine Group had settled here.

“You should ask one of the Pine Group cats,” he says with a nod as his gaze settles on Fireflypaw, “I bet they would know.”

And oh, the river! Right, he’d nearly forgotten he’d brought it up.

“Maybe if we try hard enough we can convince him,” Greeneyes tells Howlfire with a laugh, pressing himself further into the shaded-stone’s surface, “Do you think RiverClan could give us swimming lessons? I think I’d learn to swim, if it meant being able to cool off quicker.”
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