pafp I BOUGHT YOU FLOWERS — public display of affection

[RACCOONSTRIPE]

It’s not out of the question for his Clanmates to see Raccoonstripe enamored with a she-cat, but it is strange to see him showering the same feline with affection after more than a pawful of fortnights. He had made his prerogatives clear, to any who would listen—love was fortuitous, love was temporary, meant to be passed in the night and under moonglow and forgotten once the sun rose. His first duty, always, would be to ThunderClan, and he had never entertained the notion that he would truly have anything that could split that devotion.

Neither Raccoonstripe nor Nightbird have announced their courtship. Their friendship is well-known, and perhaps those first tentative steps as mates haven’t been taken yet. He sees no reason to delay it any further. He makes a show of asking Rainbowpaw to make a larger nest for himself and his mate, though he does not initially name her. He plucks a magpie from the fresh-kill pile and trots to where a slender she-cat with silvery-black fur eats, and instead of immediately biting into the bit of prey, he leans toward her and begins to lavishly groom her ears. Sharing tongues isn’t uncommon amongst Clanmates, and especially friends, but Raccoonstripe makes a point to curl his tail around Nightbird’s, ensuring any onlookers will understand his intent.

“And how was your patrol this morning, love?” Raccoonstripe brandishes a disarming smile—one that’s more than a little devious. He knows very well how much his newfound mate adores public displays of affection, but he figures this is the best possible way to announce that it’s official.

[ please wait for @nightbird <3 ]

, ”​

​

 

[nightbird]

⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆ not much had truly changed since she had agreed to be raccoonstripe's mate. there, under the stars, it felt natural. the moon was usually their only witness anyways. they still patrolled, hunted, their clan still came first. idle at the moment, in between patrols and training, whatever else the day had in store. hunger gnawed at her, a mouse chosen to quell it.

it grew colder by the day, soon her choices would be fewer. either a three day old squirrel or half eaten mouse, how exciting. it brought nothing but worry, she ate slowly, as to savor it. perhaps nightbird could pretend that the longer it took her to finish this prey, the longer it could sustain her.

nightbird is deaf to the pawsteps that approach, it is not until raccoonstripe settles next to her blocking the sun that she even knows he is there. the roughness of a tongue rasps over her ears, a thick tail snakes around her own soon after. nightbird nearly chokes on her meal at his saccharine words, chewing and swallowing quickly as she fixes him with a look that is both concerned and appalled.

"love?" her echo was nearly incredulous. she would be questioning starclan what this sappy nonsense was about if the slyness was not so evident in his grin. "it was fine. you must have tripped and fallen on yours, hit your head on the way down?"

‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎┌── AND NO RIVERS AND NO LAKES ⋅⋆⋅ CAN PUT THE FIRE OUT ──┐‎

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• 

• 
  NIGHTBIRD ✩ she/her, lead warrior of thunderclan, twenty-seven moons.
  ⭃ a small black smoke molly with a single white paw and pale silver eyes.
  ⭃ peaceful and healing powerplay permitted / / underline and tag when attacking
  ↛ see battle info here
  ⭃ penned by vayle ↛ @vayl3 on discord, feel free to dm for plots.
  

​

 

[Flycatcher]

Not due on a patrol until later in the day, Flycatcher found himself in camp for a few hours, passing the time with a few small tasks around camp. He could have left them to the apprentices but the deputy liked to have a paw in things around here. He is not far from Nightbird when Raccoonstripe approaches. They had not been sharing tongues or speaking much, but merely eating close to one another, a few pleasantries exchanged as they tended to their hungry stomachs.

When Flycatcher saw Raccoonstripe approach, he thinks nothing out of the ordinary at first. Like many in the clan he knows the two are good friends, and perhaps has even suspected they could become something more in time, but he was not the sort to push beyond some gentle teasing when the time called for it. He catches Raccoonstripe's greeting, and he coughs in surprise, nearly inhaling the piece of prey he had bitten straight down. "That was a very warm greeting, Raccoonstripe," Flycatcher mused, looking over at the tom. Despite his neutral tone there is a knowing look in his green eyes. He's not blind, he can see there's something there. "Are you two...?"​

 

[BERRYHEART]

Stripes had always been a bold cat- the louder of his brood of littermates. They had been split evenly, that way- Jack-jack was quiet, like him, where Scamp had been boisterous in his short blaze of life, like Stripes. This was a different sort of showmanship than Berryheart was used to seeing in his kin, however...

Cats wove around each other in a delicate dance, verbal moss-ball that he had come to understand as flirting. It was a mere fact of life, the way the sun moved through the sky, the way the air moved, and the way that Stripes would flirt with anyone that looked in his direction. Ever had it earned a mere exhale of very mild exasperation from Berryheart- but this felt rather different. This was not a whip-tongued spar- this was very clear affection. The twining of tails, that was- he waded through his thoughts for it- a sign of lovers. Wasn't it?

Inky seemed displeased at his words- they had been about as sly as a boulder. Proclaiming her as love, not a nickname he'd heard frequented on Stripes' tongue, was rather telling- and so was the way that Inky scowled at him, but did not bat him away from her. He glanced toward Blue, then toward the... couple, again.

"He's anything but subtle." Berryheart spoke like an elder that had seen Stripes go through a thousand mates, resignation a-croak in his voice. The brilliant grin on his face, though... anyone could tell it went a little deeper. It was good for him, he supposed. Good to have confirmation... good for Stripes to have happiness. Though not-so-secretly, Berryheart was glad Inky was rather opposed to these sweetened declarations. ​

PENNED BY PIN ☾​

 

[Rabbitnose]

Rabbitnose blinks in brief surprise, but it fades quickly. He shouldn't be surprised at all, he was wondering when those two would become mates. He's happy for them, but it fails to show on his weary, dull expression. All he feels is a wound being dug into, and he refuses to acknowledge the pain. He shouldn't feel it at all. Raccoonstripe and Nightbird deserve to have their moment. Both are strong warriors that he respects, and he doesn't want to overshadow them with his grief.

"It's nice to see you two so close." He says. He manages a sly smirk. "I guess we can expect a litter after Leafbare~?" He continues mischievously.

Memories haunt him of teasing Sunfreckle, flirting with him and asking for litters. These memories held so much joy once, and now they only hurt knowing that part of them is gone. He tries to push them away so he can maintain his composure. He refuses to damper the mood. He decides he won't stay long, then. He can only stay strong for so long before the sight of the new couple breaks him, through no fault of their own.

He's surprised hes's even managed to keep himself together this long when he's been constantly on the verge of tears every day since Sunfreckle was taken.​

 

[freckleflame]

like her father, sunfreckle’s disappearance had muted her. fire given way to crackling, desperate embers, and she feels their rapid - flicking tongues in each fatigued muscle. she feels it in each step she takes towards the fresh kill pile that morning, tail dragging and head low, pelt tangled in moss bits and twine from her nest and last nights patrol. haggard, hungry, one of the last to peel herself drearily from the warriors den. it wasn’t as if she’d done more than usual, honestly, the opposite was true. since sunfreckle’s disappearance, she’d done only her bare minimum, sleeping when she could without being side - eyed. she was simply.. tired. a bone - deep exhaustion, burrowed into her very marrow. that’s why, at first, she doesn’t process what she’s looking at until she’s only a tail length away, en route to her own morning magpie when it processes.

raccoonstripe was like, mackin’ on nightbird’s ears.

at first she watches, dumbly. was he sick? the lead settles aside the dark molly, thick tail coming to snake around her own and — oh. ohhhh.

she feels her body cringing inward, as if suddenly drained of all life fluid — crumbling from the inside, frozen like a bad muscle contraction had slithered through her veins and pulled until she was unable to run from what could only be described as : the public affection danger zone. if she stayed there for ten more seconds, she might hear him call her schmoopy bear or honey bunny, or.. whatever. her eyes flick desperately towards rabbitnose, towards flycatcher. nightbird seems to swerve him easily enough, but freckleflame needed to turn tail yesterday. rabbitnose smirks and briefly, she is glad to see his maw in anything but a tepid frown.

i guess we can expect a litter after leafbare?

” oh thats — that’s greAHt! “ her voice cracks, her voice cracks obnoxiously, goose - honk of a thing that has her tucking her nose into her fur and giving the unruly mane of fluff there a few long, sticking licks. she then moves with a feigned nonchalance aside, breakfast forgotten in her efforts to slink away from her superior’s blatant affection. where she had teased roeflame for the same thing, she bites her tongue, looks towards wherever wolfwind might be lurking — she could tease him about this ( and to tell the truth, she’d like to see it ), but her? ” i’m soooo.. so happy for you guys. “

𝚈𝙾𝚄 𝙼𝙰𝙺𝙴 𝙼𝙴 𝚂𝙼𝙸𝙻𝙴 -`☀︎´- 𝘗𝘓𝘌𝘈𝘚𝘌 𝘚𝘛𝘈𝘠 𝘍𝘖𝘙 𝘈 𝘞𝘏𝘐𝘓𝘌 𝘕𝘖𝘞

• i.
  
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• 𖦹 . LESBIAN. SINGLE, CRUSHES EASILY. SMELLS LIKE SUN - WARMED OAK. SIXTEEN MOONS. NAMED A WARRIOR 8 / 3 / 2023. MENTORED UNDER WOLFWIND, PENNED BY ANTLERS !!!
  f. she / her, daughter of sunfreckle and rabbitnose. large cream - ribboned tortoiseshell with seaglass eyes. larger than life! shades of vibrant russet, dousing swathes of shadow and interwoven with ribbons pale cream come to drape like licks of flame over a thick, broad - shouldered figure.
  
  unspecified maine coon heritage born of sunfreckle's kittypet background shows itself in large, round paws and tufted, long - furred toes set upon thick, tabby - splotched limbs. a characteristic lack of personal space leads her to a slouching, touchy posture, often inclined to lean or bump against her peers, all while bearing a wide, bright - eyed grin.
  
  ——— ˙⋆ — prone to bouts of explosive emotion. all opinions are solely in - character and during these times, often untrue or said only in anger.
  
  

​

 

[BURNSTORM]

When he had been an apprentice, he remembers raking moss out of the warriors den, remembers how Rabbitnose and Sunfreckle had curled themselves around each other and he remembers the feeling of unease that had surged in his chest at seeing such a display, though now he feels like he is a bit of a hypocrite because didn't he and Roeflame engage in similar displays of affection now? It is different, he thinks. (even though it is not - not really, at least).

Like many others, he is caught off guard by the suddenness of his uncles shift. He had never imagined Raccoonstripe to be a particularly loving cat, had never seen him display much more affection than a shoulder bump here or there and even then it was usually only reserved for family closer than Burnstorm was to him. Suddenly seeing him fawn over someone in such a manner was jarring, to say the least.

He stares for a long moment, listening in quiet shock as other cats comment. Flycatcher asks the obvious question, Berryheart comments on the warriors subtleness and it is Hailstorm that asks the truly upsetting question. i guess we can expect a litter after leafbare? "Yuck! Do you guys really need to do this while cats are trying to eat?" he says gesturing to the half-eaten prey in front of him that now he would not have the stomach to finish. Freckleflame is similarly disgusted and he gives her a pleading look as if to say 'please make it stop'. She congratulates them, to her credit, but he can hear the infliction in her words that indicate that she too is less than thrilled about the display before them.

​

 

[Flamestar]

Heavy paws carried the tabby into the clearing. She had just left the Medicine Den from checking on Stormfeather again. Her patrol wasn't for a little while, so when her eyes fell on Flycatcher, she decided to go talk to him. Quite the crowd was starting to form over there, and as she drew nearer, she saw Nightbird and Raccoonstripe. Their tails were curled, and Raccoonstripe was grooming Nightbird's ear. His eyes had that sparkle that she knew all too well...love.

She cast Flycatcher a glance before she sat beside him. It had felt like forever since she and Flycatcher had become mates. She could recall the teasing her clanmates had given them, and she fully planned on dishing it back out. Her eyes glittered mischievously with more life than they had shown since she had returned. "Poor Nightbird." she purred teasingly. She was happy for them. Their friendship hadn't gone unnoticed, and she had been wondering if they would become mates someday, but Raccoonstripe hadn't struck her as one to settle down. Howlingstar will be delighted. "Don't let him name all the kits after himself." she flashed them a smile. "In all seriousness, I'm happy for you two." ​

★ don&#039;t need to save me

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• View attachment 1193
  FLAMEWHISKER of THUNDERCLAN
  LH red tabby with low white (masks black tabby, carries dilute, solid)
  — Lead Warrior of Thunderclan ; currently mentoring Acornpaw
  — she/her ; mated with Flycatcher
  — mother to Stormpaw & Falconpaw
  — 27 moons ; ages on the 20th
  — Smells like dirt, old leaves, tree sap, faint hint of flowers
  — will start a fight, will finish fights, will kill (case depending)
  — "speech" ; thoughts ; attacks
  — penned by Icey ! ; link to tags
  — link to toyhouse​

 

[GENTLESTORM]

I SEE A SONG OF PAST ROMANCE — Hailstorm trails behind Flamewhisker having departed from the medicine den a few moments after her only to notice the voices of his clanmates noticing that some of their tones were teasing and his eyebrow raised in question to who they were teasing only to focus his dark gaze onto Raccoonstripe and Nightbird, it takes a moment for him to register what's happening. It seems they had recently became a couple with the black tabby not hesitating to make it known they were together and much like Rabbitnose, the longhaired tom could feel his own heart squeezing within his chest as a sad smile crept onto his muzzle for a mere heartbeat before it shifts into a more teasing, toothy grin. A part of him wonders if he and Little Wolf would've been openly affectionate in public, he remembers how their coats always brushed together, and it makes a warm chuckle erupts from his maw as his eyes focus onto Nightbird. "Congratulations and I hope he doesn't give you too many grey hairs," He purrs in amusement only to glance over to what Rabbitnose says about expecting a litter after leafbare, the large medicine cat apprentice holds his breath not even wanting to imagine what kind of parents the two lead warriors would become or let alone what type of queen Nightbird could potentially be. The fact he would assist with any future litters seemed daunting right now especially since he had no experience, his large paws shuffling as he stands beside Berryheart and offering the mottled tom a glance.

His eyes turn to Raccoonstripe as he gives a thoughtful hum and grins as he speaks "I think one Raccoonstripe is enough for the whole forest to deal with. But more than one? We'll all get grey hairs." His tone playful and joking as he says this, a little Racoonkit would be too much for Thunderclan especially if they take after their father and the thought itself is amusing. Howlingstar would be delighted but he's sure that Nightbird would much rather eat a mouthful of worms than consider kittens with her newfound mate now.

I SEE THE SACRIFICE OF MAN ✦ I SEE PORTRAYALS OF BETRAYALS

• 

  MEDICINE CAT IN TRAINING;
  — ✦✦✦✦✦ FLESH WOUNDS
  — ✦✦✦✧✧ INFECTIONS
  — ✦✦✧✧✧ ACHES & PAINS
  — ✦✦✧✧✧ ILLNESS
  — ✦✦✦✧✧ BREATHING ISSUES
  — ✦✧✧✧✧ TRAVELING HERBS
  — ✧✧✧✧✧ BROKEN BONES
  — ✧✧✧✧✧ KITTING
  — ✧✧✧✧✧ POISONS
• 
  ✦ longhaired blue sepia tom w/low white and brown eyes
  ✦ 50 moons old; ages the 27th every month
  ✦ bisexual demiromantic; mates with little wolf
  ✦ currently being mentored by berryheart
  ✦ easy to befriend/interact with ; hard to anger/upset
  ✦ "speech", thoughts, attacking
  ✦ semi-difficult in combat; relies on strength, his large size, and wits
  ✦ peaceful powerplay allowed

​

 

[RACCOONSTRIPE]

To her credit, his new mate allows the rough surface of his tongue to crumple the velvet back of one dark ear. There was a time, he knows, she would have recoiled even from his touch. It’s his words, spoken slyly and with a biting grin, that draws her ire. “Love?” she echoes, and he laughs at the verbal swat. He ducks his head, tail beginning to swish behind him with boyish cheer. “As a matter of fact, I did… and instead of stars, I just saw the beauty of your face—oh, okay, I’ll stop,” he says, leaning to briefly touch his muzzle to hers.

The dark tabby draws away before he earns a physical swat this time, dark eyes half-lidded with satisfaction at the attention they’ve drawn to themselves. Flycatcher is the first to remark on the greeting Raccoonstripe had given Nightbird. He smiles in the deputy’s direction and answers with cheek. “We are,” he confirms. He searches the small, thin crowd, eyeing Berryheart with his smile subdued at the corners. Did his brother approve? He finds he wants that, wants his kin to know he’s set his dalliances aside for a she-cat of Nightbird’s caliber. “Now, now, when have any of you ever known me to be subtle? Especially around a pretty she-cat.”

The younger cats, Freckleflame and Burnstorm, look on with barely concealed revulsion. Raccoonstripe’s lips curl saucily. He has to resist the urge to burrow into Nightbird’s tufted pelt and give them a show (and no doubt earn himself a set of claws against his cheek for his efforts), but he is distracted by Rabbitnose, Flamewhisker, and Hailstorm. Kits, they say, and the tabby’s smile dissipates entirely. “What—who—who said anything about kits?”

To his credit, the flesh beneath his fur begins to simmer, though he tries to recover, tries to draw that smarmy expression back over his startled features. Now he has to resist the urge to look at Nightbird, wondering if she feels the same way he does, or if she’s clamoring for tiny furballs to climb over them this very minute.

, ”​

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[nightbird]

⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆ above all, nightbird is grateful raccoonstripe relents. the little show he was dying to put on had garnered quite the audience, prying eyes hungry for the confirmation of their status. as if they had nothing better to do. despite flycatcher's not so sly insinuation, nightbird stays quiet, decidedly taking the back seat for this situation she had no paw in creating.

like scavengers to a corpse they were, soon enough her ears were flicking around to catch everything so fast she feared they might fly off. berryheart's words earn an amused huff, she wasn't even sure raccoonstripe knew what that word meant. subtle grins of thanks are sent to flamewhisker and hailstorm's congratulations. but they are short lived, one moment her mate is rambling off about subtlety, and the next rabbitnose is speaking of kits. oh stars.

they had barely been a thought on her mind, anyone who had ever seen nightbird around a kitten would probably experience tremors at the mere mention. but, the strained reactions of not only raccoonstripe, but burnstorm and freckleflame as well have her grinning something wry.

"i only wish we didn't have to wait so long," her purr is drawn out in anguish, sarcasm driven home as she leans into raccoonstripe's flank, as if the weight of her manufactured sadness is too much to bare alone. "i hope when we are blessed in such a way, it is a large litter. i've heard of queens kitting seven, i can only pray to starclan that we're so fortunate. can you imagine?" nightbird grins innocently up at the tabby, but the victory that begins to swim in her gaze is anything but.

‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎┌── OH, I&#039;LL CUT YOU DOWN ⋅⋆⋅ FOR I KNOW YOU ARE WEAK ──┐‎

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  NIGHTBIRD ✩ she/her, lead warrior of thunderclan, twenty-eight moons.
  ⭃ a small black smoke molly with a single white paw and pale silver eyes.
  ⭃ mate to raccoonstripe / / mentor to tba
  ⭃ peaceful and healing powerplay permitted / / underline and tag when attacking
  ↛ see battle info here
  ⭃ penned by vayle ↛ @vayl3 on discord, feel free to dm for plots.
  

​

 

[RACCOONSTRIPE]

To his chagrin, Nightbird does not immediately recoil with horror at the mention of kittens. His mate’s mouth curves into a wry, teasing smile, and she leans all of her subtle bulk into his flank with what he hopes fervently is mock despair. “I only wish we didn’t have to wait so long,” she bemoans, all but flailing with dramatics. Raccoonstripe scowls. “I’ve heard of queens kitting seven, I can only pray to StarClan that we’re so fortunate. Can you imagine?” And now she flicks her star-colored eyes toward him, and her smile is so damnably innocent—but he knows better.

“SEVEN?! You’re out of your mind,” he says, giving her a mocking, playful shove to the shoulder. He attempts to scoot away, as if to create some distance between himself and Nightbird. He looks to the gathered cats with a roll of his eyes. “StarClan is listening, mousebrain. I just hope they have a sense of humor.” And don’t take you literally!

, ”​

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