I CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW — o, sunning rock hangout

[SLATESNARL]

It seemed as if today was the warmest it had been in moons. Slate certainly had not felt the sun beaming this brightly upon his charcoal form since before joining SkyClan. Now, he is in a different place, experiencing the transformation of a season through the perspective of a clan cat.

He had been simply meandering along the river bank when he stepped onto one of the flat rocks that bordered the waters. The heat felt nice on his pads, which had long been trekking through mud and slush from the melting snow. Figuring no one else was around, Slate slowly settled onto the stony surface and splayed across, stretching his limbs outward like melting ice. It was not often that the gruff warrior simply took the time to relax, but how could one ignore how nice this felt?

Now this he could get used to.​

— * ✰. ooc information recent events * ✰. —

• 
  
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  ✰ SLATE
  —— amab, uses he/him pronouns. twenty-nine moons old. warrior of skyclan; former rogue.
  —— unrefined, rough and tumble rogue who is not accustomed to clan life.
  —— link to tags. @ on discord for plots.
  
  quite the hulk of a cat, slate stands above the average clanmate with an arrogant gait. he has a dark gray ( bordering on black ) colored pelt with a pale-brown-tinged underbelly and whisps of tan at the tips of his chest hairs. amber-colored eyes contrast against his dark palette. notable features include a jagged scar across his right eye and two small scratches across the bridge of his nose.
• —— decided to officially remain in skyclan as a warrior
  —— participated in battle with windclan, currently recovering from belly scratches and a bite mark on hind leg
  

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[SILVERSMOKE]

His coat practically melted into the sleek stones that dotted SkyClan's water source. The twinges of blue and silver looked like pale shadows against them, his flank rising and falling so steadily that he would not blame another for not realising his existence. When Silversmoke finally opened his eyes, he did not expect to see Slate a few rocks down, claiming the space around him as if he had somehow earned it. Actions dictated that the former rogue did, he'd fought and hunted multiple times for SkyClan, on the surface, the charcoal tom looked like the quintessential warrior. Silver knew better. A tabby didn't change its stripes so readily, just like the kittypets the pair hated, Silver expected him to be gone by the time real hardship fell upon their soft home. That was perhaps the only thing that truly separated them, he felt a duty to himself to protect those whose weakness would destroy an ideal, Slate lacked any ideals beyond his next meal. A broad head settled on equally broad paws, SIlversmoke's tail fell off the side of his sunning stone and began to rock as he glared daggers at the other. Even in peace, memories weren't so easily forsaken.

"Be careful, so close to the water." He called out, a haughtiness to his voice he presumed the other would recognise instantly, brought about by a belief that he'd always be better than Slate due to having something to fight for other than himself. "Accidents can happen so readily. Wouldn't want the clan to think you'd drowned now, would you?" There was no winding down whilst Slate was around, no telling stories or getting to know other clanmates, not without the presence of another to pacify him. Despite the thinly veiled threat, the spotted tom did not move. As tense as his limbs had become, the sun was hitting his back just right, and if he could get the other to leave this sacred spot without hissing and spitting and drawing more attention, then he'd do so in a heartbeat.



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[Fireflyglow]

"No need to worry, She wouldn't let us drown unless we've done something to ire her." Fireflypaw hums softly as he arrives, having overheard Silversmoke talking about the river. Not that he minded, but the rocks.. Certainly looked comfy, to say the least. He's gone out on his own before, certainly so. But soon, he finds himself sprawling out on his own personal rock. His back pressed to it, legs spread and arms streeeeetching upwards to soak in the warmth of the sun.

"Thaaat's it.. Nice stretch.." He mumbles, settling into comfortable silence.​

 

[CHRYSALISWING]

The sunlight did not shirk from the viewing of its fullest and most whole form, the austere clouds of the sky now hiding in the thick of the blue, as though the winter had let up if only for a moment. Just weeks before, Chrysalispaw thought that the snow would never end. It seemed that leaf-bare's uncontrollable wrath would never die down. There was a saving grace in even the most stubborn of darknesses, a trail of light at the end of the tunnel. It swathed over flashes of flame beneath pitch, bathing them in fluid light, as if a downpour that did not sog the fur and dampen the spirits. The snow began to melt like it shrank away from a blaze-tipped paw. It warmed a soul so touched by ravenous and ruinous winter, giving life to that which had become the prey to the beast of frostbite, and reanimating that which had hidden away from the seemingly-omniscient predator that the weather was. New-leaf had come early, he noticed.

"I hope you both fall in the water." An unamused drawl came as the apprentice emerged from the shadows, for his rime-rusted tongue had not thawed. Despite the fire that ravaged between his crude words, it seemed that the frost of the cruelest season had not let up for him. Like Fireflypaw, Chrysalis stretched out his legs as the beams flushed against him with a gentle warmth, more akin to a careening lullaby than the hoarse whistle that grated against his ears for so long. It made him feel as though everything would be okay, somehow. It was a knell that rang of the saccharine spring to come, a herald of sweeter founts of wildflowers and wishes, and a blessing from Starclan themselves. Even cats like Slate and Silversmoke could appreciate that, surely.
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[CARDINALSHINE]

"Now now,... that's not very nice, Chrysalispaw." His always naturally easy going voice lifts lightly like a trill in the air. His maw parts on a yawn stretching wide befoee he blinked those pale blue eyes of his. Lately he has been taking to trying to grab minnows out of the water's edge. Sometimes he is successful and sometimes he just ends up with cold sodden paws. With a small and light smile he looks upon the small group that he has taken a good notice up and he doesn't mind those thag ate here. In fact he is actually happy to have the company. Maybe he can sleep a bit more then before getting back to work. With soft and graceful steps the red cameo chimera eases his way up onto the rock that Slate is on. Easily shifting around the other tom before he realizes his manners. "Oh..sorry, Slate. Um, do you mind sharing? I promise I won't take up much space." His muzzle twitches with a bit of hesitance before he slowly eases himself down a bit close to the other.

If he doesn't want him there he'll understand and move off. Maybe Silver will share? Ah. His gaze drifts to the other tom then before he casually crosses his paws over one another. Shifting he lays on his side, tail flicking back and forth with ease. "Mmm, this is nice. Very warm..." His eyes close then as he listens to the lapping of the water.​

 

[Daisyflight]

"SUREFIRE, YEAH, THE SETTING SUN WANTS COMPANY"​

Warmth swam in the air, a rarity. Chatter swilled along with it, the breeze mercifully shedding its savagery if only for a little while. Daisyflight followed the noise, not far behind Fireflypaw. The sight she was met with conducted a twitch to her tail. Pelts spread across weathered stones in languor, her clanmates' whiskers spinning the sun's rays in a manner she hadn't seen in months.

Silversmoke and Chrysalispaw both remarked on the water, unpleasantries both veiled and overt drawing her ears low. "The pair of you! You'll just have to keep an eye then won't you, for fear our relaxation will tumble us into the river." The jibe was mild, she couldn't begrudge their caution. In the height of greenleaf she might have even warned against wasting the daylight but ah, it had been moons since the clan had a place to warm their backs so nicely. After loping between the smooth boulders, eyes slit in consideration, she rose to her pick of the shore- a scalloped plinth with a suitable indent. There she lay, taking the time to groom.

"Nearing on luxurious." Daisyflight intoned in agreement with Cardinalshine. Heat clung to the greys of her cheek, drumming up that balmy lightheadedness she had been missing. And then, in acknowledgement of the orchestrator of their relaxation, she looked to Slate, "Good find." ​

✿ ✿ ✿​

 

[MUSHROOMPAW]

//mobile posting my beloathed

Mushroompaw hadnt felt much outward warmth in her life, being born one short moon prior to leaffall, so the warmth to be had from sunningrocks was a welcome one. Though, distantly she's reminded of a few moons ago, and the resulting trip to Dawnglare's den it had caused. She shook her head, spotting Fireflypaw stretching out on one of the rocks with a mischievous grin.

Target acquired.

Taking a small running start, Mushie aimed to launch herself at the other apprentice's exposed stomach to flop across it. A bit of a foul move on such a relaxing day, but childish antics were always to be had when the two of them shared a space.

 

[BLAZESTAR]

Blazestar has not truly relaxed in so long, his body fights him as he lowers his belly to the sun-warmed stone nearest Daisyflight. The way the light filters into his fur, lighting him with fiery gold, seems to fill his bones with its heat. Blazestar allows himself to blink drowsily, listening to Silversmoke and Chrysalispaw bicker but without much of a reaction.

"I can't wait for newleaf," he murmurs to the cats gathered. "Never realized how much I'd miss the sun." He settles his chin on massive paws, watching with amusement as Fireflypaw, sprawled on his back, has his belly assaulted by Mushroompaw. His smile is slow and lazy. "That's one way to wake someone up," he teases.​

[ PENNED BY MARQUETTE ]​

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[SLATESNARL]

❪ TAGS ❫ — Just like Silversmoke had expected, Slate hadn't recognized that the other tom was also sunning himself nearby. He should have smelled his stench from a mile away, but perhaps the running waters aided in masking the unique scent of the other. The tabby tom always managed to find him, didn't he? Even in a place that Slate deemed serene and relaxing. He makes some sort of comment about him happening to fall into the river and drown, to which Slate responded flatly, "You'd like that, wouldn't you." He twitched his tail, any sense of calm now erased.

More cats arrive, mostly making comments in response to the idea of falling into the river below. Chrysalispaw offers snark in his usual fashion while Cardinalshine frowns upon it entirely. When the warrior asks if Slate is willing to share, he says nothing in response but speaks through his actions, awkwardly shuffling until he's at the edge of the sunning rock. Mushroompaw has launched herself onto Fireflypaw as well; too much action is happening here for his liking.

Daisyflight had commented on Slate's discovery of the warm slab. The exposed warmth and quiet really was nice while it lasted, but now it was clear that it was Slate's time to depart. This level of proximity, aside from having to share a den, made the former rogue uncomfortable. "I, uh, gotta go do somethin'." The tom makes up a vague excuse and rises to his paws, but not before glancing down at a shimmering reflection in the waters. This is the first time Slate has witnessed his newly torn ear, a result of the battle with the fox. Not that he had ever been overly obsessed with his physical appearance or anything, but... Slate looked pretty damn rugged. Would he just keep getting into scraps until he was just an ugly, torn and tattered lump of fur?

A slight wince twinges on his features, something likely to go unnoticed, before he turns and pads off.

// out!​

 

[ThistleBack]

Thistleback pours from the ferns drawn by the chatter of many from his trek within the veiny trails of the pines, in time as Slate whisks away from a scene of sun-kissed rocks hoisting most of the clan. The man wore an expression suggesting perhaps he was put-off by something but the lead merely lifts his chin in greeting in passing. The sight of Silversmoke translated the rest for him, it was well-known the two didn’t get along well. Seems not even well enough to share a place to relax.

" what’d you do to piss em’ off this time? " Thistleback asks Silversmoke casually.

Thistleback pads forward and places a paw on the warm slab but immidiately recoils, he preferred the cold dirt. Warmth and heat made him itchy, like fleas in the pelt. So- he’d lay himself on the dirt next to his roosting clanmates. Enjoying the rays of light cascading off the rock against his sights, lulling him into a daze.

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OOC INFO REF

• —
  
  
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  Thirty-three 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 quillpaw & Snowpaw
  — 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
  
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[Auburnflame]

Set a few meters away from the crowding cats along the sun warmed stones, Auburnflame is perched along the banks of the river with a content expression as he let's his forelimbs dip into the churning water. The frigid temperature sent an immediate chill down his spine, but it was a welcome one. The sun at his back was warm, but his thick coat easily had him sweltering after a while. He sighs with satisfaction, a balance of chilling water and the warm sun had him feeling more refreshed. Mint shaded hues lazily watched the crystalline surface, how it flowed over smooth stone and the power of it's current. What makes a river constantly run? Was it the falls farther upstream? The aftermath of rushing water, slowed now but it never fully stopped churning.
His mind wanders to across where RiverClan resided, their side of territory looked so different than the pine forest. Weeping willows drooped from afar, towering over reeds and cat tails. Too bad I can't see for myself. There were no towering trees over there, and the from the looks of sagging branches on the willow trees there would certainly not be anywhere for him to perch. His whiskers twitched in thought, but soon was pulled from his whirling mind by the sound of voices and squeals of delight.
Auburnflame soon pulls his legs from the river, anchoring himself steady with powerful haunches while he drags himself onto the soggy ground. Droplets cascaded down his limbs and began to soak his chest, the creeping chill taking over. The warrior shakes his pelt out to rid of the excess water, leaving his legs spiked and more disheveled than usual. Steady paws strummed the earth as he approaches just in time as Thistleback asks his question to Silversmoke. It was obvious who he was talking about. Slate. Those two were always butting heads and most of the time it was quite enjoyable to watch. Auburnflame would laugh at the both of them, not understanding why they were so tense all the time. His expression pinches in a smile at the bicolor tom, elongated ears pulled forth with a sweep of his tail. "Awwwwh, 'ya know those two. Always having a pissin' contest, it seems!" The tom chides in with a mischievous glint within his pallid irises. "I'm sure they'll be seein' who's is bigger before long—if they haven't already done it." A cackle rips from his vocal chords at his own jokes, it's force sending spittle in the air from him.
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[ SETTING FIRE TO THE SKY ]​

 

[Snowpath]

Snowpaw is following along behind Thistleback, warily examining the cats present and seeing the faintest flicker of movement through tall grass as Slate's dark tail vanishes from sight. He lingers just behind the lead warrior before clambering up to join him on the smooth stones and pausing momentarily to give the other cats present a cursory glance; the second he spotted his mother he was stepping over strewn limbs and loose tails to reach her and offer an affectionate bump to the head since she was now a low enough level he could do so. Pulling back he quickly found an empty spot near her to circle before settling down, paws tucked under himself and tail sweeping into a loop on his side; it was actually a nice warm rock, it was true. He made a mental note of where this was for later, it could be a good place to nap once the chill in the air had finally completely faded away.

"....who's what is bigger?" He asks suddenly, staring at Auburnflame intently. What a strange statement, was this one of those phrases that had been brought in from the daylight warriors? Like that mean word he kept hearing Sheepcurl use? Amigo?

-kitty head bonking @Daisyflight
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[SILVERSMOKE]

His attention lingered on each clanmate for less than a heartbeat of time, the flash of a wiry pupil in their directions the only indication that Silversmoke had acknowledged their existences. He heard Fireflypaw promise that no one would drown (though he was too tired to ask who 'She' was), he heard Chrys express a need for both to die and a gentle reprimand from Daisyflight and then... peace. Conversations turned to idle gossip until Slate scurried away with his tail between his legs, and the silver tom's head tilted slightly. He hadn't been that intimidating, had he? As much of the idea of defeating the black feline's spirit excited him, it was obvious that Silversmoke had very little to do with this retreat from the sunning rocks. In his confusion, for a moment, his frown faltered, turning into a sallow, disappointed look as he sunk back onto the rock he'd claimed as his own. It did not take long for the gazes of the others to fall onto him, assigning accountability to the spotted tabby when it hadn't been earned. His ghostly fur bristled at the attention, his pointed stare finally falling onto Thistleback.

"Told him not to die." 'A shame he didn't listen to me.' Rolling his shoulders, the tabby grimaced slightly as cutting laughter interrupted the silence, his black claws clacking against the heated stones below. Comparing his feud with the former rogue to something so uncouth was a disservice, yet not one he was ready to counter. To admit that Slate had the power to take something from him was to admit defeat, he'd prefer his teeth in the tom's throat before he admitted he'd been bested in the past. The calico's next vocabulary gave him pause, the inflections foreign to him even as someone who claimed to know most kittypet words. Snowpaw seemed equally confused. A snort escaped Silversmoke, his tail curling elegantly by his side. "There's nothing to compare, my claws have always been bigger than his." He spoke with utmost sincerity to Auburnflame, his eyes narrowing in frustration. "But I'm more than happy to show him mine again-" A side-eyed glance was offered to Blazestar. "If he decides to betray SkyClan."

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