pafp i should probably not // break up

[cottonpaw]

Cottonburr, Cottonfang, Cottonscar...

She feels sick, just thinking about it. Cats have asked her, over and over again, if she'll be getting her full name soon. Other medicine cats have been abandoned by their mentors, and received their entire names despite not being ready yet. It only seems right - if only not for the loud admonishment of StarClan. Who's to gift her her final name, if the stars are to be ignored (or she's to be ignored by them)? But still, she trails through possibilities.

... Cottontwist, Cottonheart, Cottonsplash...

Cottonpaw - used to ache for the day that she'd be named like her siblings. Sootspot, Shrikethorn, Bluefrost, Moorblossom, Harrierstripe, Addervenom. She's the only 'paw left of her brood, and though for good reason she's felt infantile, awful. Yet the sun rise, sets, rises again with new twists in her gut, uncertainties, frustrations. They've dissipated for the most part - the 'problem cats,' as Snakehiss would not-so-delicately put them, are gone. She's left with nearly no one on her side and only felines that he approves of. Even the few that have stayed behind - Sedgepounce, Whitepaw - don't often get her attention. He does. As he should.

And soon, they'll find a way to gift her a name, either loved by the stars or graced by a hell she doesn't know, they'll find a way. And when it's hers to hold...

... Cottonbranch, Cottonswift, Cottontail...

She'll be his.

... Cottonbite, Cottonthorn, Cotton-
-hiss?

I'm going to be sick.

No - no, she can't do it. It feels wrong, it feels - everything feels upside down, and the mere idea of settling down with her mother's new deputy - No! She can't recall how she's even started liking him, if it was a puppy crush or to prove something. She can't remember the first time he reciprocated, either. All she remembers is all the times he's had a sharp tongue, he's verbally lashed her friends, her family. And now her mother's gone and given him power, continues to feed his ego. Is she scared? You're not meant to fear your mate, she tells herself. He's nothing to fear yet the idea of remaining committed to him is... too much. It's too much.

She can't do it anymore.

Cottonpaw feels her pawpads sweating despite standing in a thin layer of snow. She trods out of her den, ears folding back as she searches for a sleek - greasy - black pelt. She spies him, directing cats into patrols, eagerly sorting cats into groups of twos or threes and assigning himself to the best of the patrols. Smarmy - ever a word to describe him as. When did she ever see him as charming? At what point did she forget that he was - always has been a... a... a rat! Pent up anger simmers beneath her skin, and but she trots towards him with a little smile. He's still a Clanmate. Maybe a friend, if he can get over himself and she can... figure things out on her own. She doesn't want to make a scene.

She tries to talk - "Hey, Snakehiss -" but she's shut down. Something like, 'I'm busy.' And so, she tries again, "I just really need to talk to you about something," and again, he rebuffs her. Later, maybe. He's too preoccupied in patrolling the horseplace border thrice a day to deal with his partner's melodrama. She clenches her jaw, "Please, Snakehiss, I want -" and he again, interrupts her. She chews on her cheek for all of a few seconds before furrowing her brow and stating firmly, and perhaps too loudly:

"Snakehiss, I don't want to be your mate any longer." She tried to give him humility. She tried to lure him away so that they could have the moment in silence, in safety. But if he must brandish his new ranking and show off to the Clan - then she'll make their private business public, "You're not my type. You can bring other she-cats to see the sunset now, if you want," her tone leads into something of a hiss, frustrated that she had to talk to loudly, so blatantly, about their separation. After a beat, she adds, "If any want to be alone with you, that is," her nose wrinkles and she takes a step back. "That's all. You can continue with your patrols now," she gives him permission, and it feels good.

She takes a few careful steps backwards before departing, unwilling to hang about and watch Snakehiss implode.

[ pls wait for @SNAKEHISS ! ]​

 

[SNAKEHISS]

Cottonpaw had barely crossed his mind as of late. They had reunited, sharing a brief tender moment upon her return to camp following the battle, and that was just about the only breathing room he had with his betrothed before everything came piling onto him — rebuilding camp, moving on from life as he knew it, carrying out Sootstar's orders as her new second-in-command. Cottonpaw had her paws full as well, understandably, meaning they hadn't much of a chance to talk.

The blue smoke molly had been trying to get a word in with him today, but Snakehiss just wasn't in the right headspace for a chat at the moment. He had to organize patrols, go on his daily hunt, check the borders and make sure that—

"Snakehiss, I don't want to be your mate any longer."

His serpentine stare widens, the world around him slowing to a halt. Now this he could not ignore; his neck cranes away from the cats he was addressing and in the direction of the medicine cat apprentice. "What?" Snakehiss scoffed in utter disbelief, jaw drawing agape as she claimed that they were incompatible. Why tell him now, after all these moons? Why now, after all of the times he showered her with compliments and attention? "What- What do you mean not your type? You- We-!" He's furious. He's shocked. He's in denial. He doesn't know whether he's more offended about Cottonpaw's "reason" for breaking things off or embarrassed that this was happening in front of their clanmates.

Snakehiss' breathing quickens now, air drawing into his lungs desperately as he visibly fumed and tensed. A green fire was set ablaze in his glare, stunned by her apparent attitude as well. "I- never once left your side! I did everything for you! And now you're just doin' this for what?!" What had prompted this? He was her mother's deputy now! She was a fool to let him go, especially now that they were so close to making their status official!

She turns her back on him, leaving, and Snakehiss feels a pang in his heart growing like a weed. This was not necessarily heartbreak — he had never loved Cottonpaw. However, that did not mean that he didn't enjoy her companionship, especially when there was no one else to confide in. They had been playing pretend all along, but now that the game was over, Snakehiss felt a void of emptiness burning in his chest. She had left him. His father had left him. Sparkspirit had left him. She... she couldn't do this to him! "Cottonpaw, get back here at once!" The black tom snapped, a desperate sharpness accompanying his resentful tone. "You owe me- You- I-I deserve a proper explanation!" Snakehiss had done nothing wrong!

Alas, the molly does not turn back. The deputy is left standing dumbfounded, visibly shaken up from the upheaval in perhaps the only positive relationship he had left with a clanmate. Cottonpaw was no longer his. She might as well be gone, just like the others.

Turning a shaky gaze toward the cats staring at him, he let forth a snarl charged with heightened emotion, "What're you lookin' at?! Don't you have a patrol to be on?!" He doesn't even bother to finish distributing the last patrol. They could figure it out for themselves.

The lanky tom turns on his heel, heading in the opposite direction of Cottonpaw to sulk in silence.

₊ ⋆ * ⊹ ₊ ☾ —— 𝙞𝙩 𝙣𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙚𝙣𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝

• in and out >:3

• 

• 

  ✰ SNAKEHISS
  —— he/him; deputy of windclan
  —— bisexual; single; not looking
  —— long-limbed black tom with green eyes, a small white chest patch, and a notable bite mark on his right foreleg
  —— "speech", thoughts, attack
  —— link to full tags; @ on discord for plots.
  —— penned by beatles

​

 

[juncoclaw]

-ˋˏ ༻☽༺ ˎˊ- Juncopaw was waiting to be assigned to a patrol when she spotted Cottonpaw's approach. She didn't expect much - she was prepared to turn away from a sappy display of affection between the soon-to-be-mates. But, what would actually happened garnered her attention once again. With a cocked eyebrow, she watched the dramatic spectacle, mildly entertained by the tantrum that Snakehiss would inevitably have. Really, she could barely even contain her own snickers - did Cottonpaw just suggest that no she-cat would enjoy the presence of this furball? About time he got humbled. And from none other than Cottonpaw - she didn't expect that from the soft molly.

"You're better than him anyways," she hummed towards Cottonpaw, barely caring to keep her volume to herself as by now, Snakehiss had stormed away from the half-assed patrols. With a flick of her tail, she turned back towards the patrols, wondering which one she'd join - she hadn't been assigned before the whole soap opera. But, she was quite pleased to get her fix of entertainment for the day.

‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎┌── I AM THE ANGEL ⋅❁⋅ SENT DOWN FROM ABOVE ──┐‎

• 
  
  
  

• 

• 
  JUNCOPAW ✩ she/her, moor-runner apprentice of windclan, seven moons.
  ⭃ an antagonistic silver tabby she-cat with green eyes.
  ⭃ mate to no one. daughter to former gin rogues. apprentice of mocking-grin.
  ⭃ peaceful and healing powerplay permitted / / underline and tag when attacking
  ⭃ penned by ixora ↛ @.ixora on discord, feel free to dm for plots.
  

​

 

[Ebonylight.]

*+:｡.｡ If cats could whistle, Ebonylight would've let out a long tune to display their amusement. What a show! What an ending! How badly they wanted to slap their paws together and demand an encore! They may struggle (although that implies they tried) to understand basic empathy but they grasped it enough to hold back on the idea of padding after Snakehiss to tell him, "You'll get 'em next time, Tiger!" Although the thought of what reaction they'd get from such an 'encouraging' statement made them giggle.

Love was such a complicated thing, wasn't it? Ebonylight liked the idea of it, and experiencing it with Nightingalecall was certainly a treat! They still weren't entirely sure what made the beautiful woman accept Ebbs advances, yet here they are now! They pat their belly cheerily, wondering what they would do if Night had decided to break up with Ebbs, too, after their first petty disagreement about supporting Sootstar. Luckily she sees enough reason to stick around, although if she did ever break up with them they doubt they'd be a sobbing mess like Snakehiss. Very unbecoming of a deputy. But they suppose they understand his distress nonetheless.
They may not cry about losing Nightingalecall but... well, they can't imagine what they'd do without her lovely light in their life.

Suddenly, they find themselves feeling antsy. Maybe they should bring Night some flowers later...

*+:｡.｡ Updated 12/6/23

• 
  
• 
  
  
  
  GENERAL:
  ☆ Ebonylight
  ☆ DFAB— He/They/She — Pansexual
  ☆ 16 moons — Ages 1 moon every month real-time
  ☆ Mentored by X
  ☆ Windclan — Moor-runner (Loyalist)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  COMBAT:
  ☆ Physically hard | mentally hard
  ☆ Attack in bold black
  
  injuries: None currently
  ☆ Currently 1 moon pregnant!

​

 

[BERRYSNAP]

A public setting was not her ideal setting for a breakup. While it could be considered a "safer" option, Berrysnap found it a cowardly move. Watching the scene unfold, she wonders what caused the sudden downfall to happen between the pair. Then again, she didn't feel they were a good match for one another anyway. In his new position of power, Snakehiss would need someone who was more in line with his ideals, someone who could work alongside him, not against him. Shaking her head as the pair blew up on one another, she'd involuntarily give Cottonpaw a sour look before returning to grooming her pelt, carelessly listening to the murmurs of her clanmates around her, as well as Snakehiss's sharp retort before he retreated from the camp.



​

 

[DUSTWHISKER]

Dustwhisker doesn't care much for love, for the aspect of growing close to another. Whether this be because of his tragic upbringing, or sheerly because he's yet to find a cat he'd want to grow close to in such ways, the tunneler isn't certain. Though it's not something he thinks about often, is it? Surely not... right?

He knows there's others across the moors that do care for such an aspect, even in the atmosphere they currently live under. Nightingalecry and Ebonylight, for one. Cottonpaw and Snakehiss, for another. He'd be blind to not see how close the deputy and the healer have gotten, would be deaf to not hear the gossip. It's all some ever talked about, annoyingly.

All, up until WindClan crumbled, until it forged into something stronger amidst its rubble, he supposes. All... up until he finds himself part of an audience, as the gray molly moves to speak to the patrol-giving deputy.

And oh, it's such poor execution, a breakup in front of everyone! Dustwhisker's head lifts to watch the show, a rumor-tangled couple no more, just before his amusement-ridden eyes. Before everyone's eyes. All too loud for what either of them would prefer, he thinks, and finds himself wondering why such a sudden choice had been made. Had the pairing faltered in the battlefield too? Deemed too weak to continue? He doesn't know, doesn't care enough to pick a side in the split, but it's entertaining enough — Snakehiss' sulking demeanor, the snap in his voice as he stalks away.

As he moves to return to his duties — to go on whatever patrol Snakehiss had thrown him on — Dustwhisker can't help the snort he lets out as the tom disappears out of sight, the stifled laughter that he emits. " Nice. " How becoming of the new deputy, to storm off like that. ​

✦ ABOUT

• 

  DUSTKIT ‣ DUSTPAW ‣ DUSTWHISKER
  ── Loyalist Tunneler of WindClan
  
  ── Breezecurl x Stormtalon
  ── AMAB; He/Him
  ── A black tabby/black chimera with dull yellow eyes.
  ── Mentored by Breezecurl
  ── "Speech"; Attack​

​

 

[whitedawn]

Whitepaw hadn't been close to the forming patrol, trying to maintain her desired distance from her kin, Windclan's new deputy. She had been lingering off, watching over the kits that remained when rose-hues spotted Cottonpaw approaching Snakehiss, causing her to begin focusing on the conversation. It was an awkward process, one that filled with her a tickle of anxiety on Cottonpaw's behalf. She always felt complicated about the fact of Cottonpaw being future mates with Snakehiss. She did want her friend happy, but in her own bias, didn't exactly have any fondness for her kin. She stopped listening partly in her thoughts before focusing back when Cottonpaw finally got impatient and snapped out her words.
Oh.
Well then.
Blinking with her whiskers twitching, the ivory apprentice let out a small strangled-sounding cough as she focused back on the kits. Maybe she didn't need to feel complicated about Cottonpaw and Snakehiss afterall. ​

[I'M BREATHING]​