private I thought chivalry was dead ✘ Eggpaw

[PRICKLES]

*+:｡.｡ Prickles laughed to himself as he raced through Riverclan's territory, a shrew swinging comfortably in his thieving jaws. Ever since he won the battle against the Riverclanners confidence thrummed through his body like an incessant rush of adrenaline. He felt so strong! So powerful! He felt like he could take on the whole WORLD!

But maybe not a river.

Prickles skidded immediately to a halt just as his fiery orange paws nearly snuffed themselves on the river's lapping tongue. Shit - he was way off the mark for the trail home! looking around, his ears snapped up when he heard the crunching of paws on the grass just before the wind switched locations, buffeting him for a moment with the scents of approaching riverclanners. He was too busy cursing under his breath to be grateful that his scent was officially downwind. All he had to do was follow the river down to twoleg place, but in his panic, he couldn't tell how far away he might be - and what if the wind switched directions again? Or the patrol catch up to him? Or he bumped into -
Shit!

That's when, suddenly, he caught sight of a marvelous thing - a path of stones jutting from the river, freedom! With a whoop, he lunged forward, scrabbling his claws for a moment on the slick rock. Another pounce, another precarious wobble, and again he leaped. On the final stone, his ears swung back as the cracking of branches sounded and he knew they would be upon him soon. With a mental howl, the young man lunged forth once more, barreling into the bushes in a roll.

End over end he went, and though the tumble was a brief one, it was enough to make the tom's head spin - but still, he clung stubbornly to "his" "catch". His roll wouldn't cease though until he suddenly slammed against something quite soft, actually, breaking his fall easily as he concluded his adventure by landing atop the pillowy surface of a...a...

A clan cat!

Shit!

*+:｡.｡ Updated 1/9/23

• 
  
  
• 
  
  
  
  GENERAL:
  ✘ Prickles
  ✘ DMAB— He/They — Bisexual
  ✘ 12 moons — Ages 1 moon every month real-time
  ✘ Member of the red water rogues
  
  COMBAT:
  ✘Physically medium | mentally medium
  ✘ Attack in bold #f35336
  injuries: None currently
  

​

 

[Eggbounce.]

I'M GONNA BE THE SNACK THAT SMILES BACK
I'M GONNA BE THE KIT TO YOUR KAT ​

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eggpaw & 10 moons & male & he/him & skyclan apprentice ​

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Really, Eggpaw can hardly wait until he can receive his warrior name - until he can really be free. Teaktail has always been an understanding mentor - kinder than most, easily gettign along with eggpaws absentminded and social ways. But still - the older warrior is always nagging about how far the boy strays from the patrols sometimes. it's well intentioned of course - stars, eggpaw knows they don't mean anything by it, truly, but that doesn't make it any less frustrating.

And it certainly doesn't stop his wandering paws. The eggshell boy has always been fond of wandering the riverside, listening to the steady burble of water a it flows by. Sometimes, he even sees a riverclanner or two - calling out cheerful greetings across the scent line. Some are more welcoming of his overtures than others, but he's never really minded it, it's not like their obligated to be his friends or anything. He just likes being friendly.

Humming absently beneath his breath, pawsteps carry him trotting down the familiar path, sparrow clutched tight in his jaws. Head tipped back to squint up at the winter sunshine, he doesn't notice the incoming cat until it's far to late - a tumbling tangle of tails and limbs and fur. He doesn't even make it to the riverbank - path interrupted by an unfamiliar frame. A heartbeat, then two - a mouthful of feathers spat out with a loud giggle at the predicament they find themselves in. Really, he should probably be more concerned - but he can't think, can't even breathe past to sudden burst of humor he feels at the situation.

" I- hahaha - Y-you, oof... hah! You okay there? " he manages to wheeze out, finally taking in the stranger who'd landed on top of him.

━ actions & " speech, " & 'thoughts/quotes' ━

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( I ' M ━ G O N N A ━ B E ━ T HE ━ O N E ━ Y O U ━ U N W R A P )

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[PRICKLES]

*+:｡.｡ It was really, really, really bad that he just landed himself literally atop a clanner but...man...the dude beneath him was so soft.
Prickles, while frozen in fear, feels the strangest urge to knead his paws a little deeper into the cat's pillowy fur. I mean...he knew clanners had much better coats than any loner ever could since they ate well enough to maintain it but like...damn. He's never felt fur this soft before! A strange thing to fixate on but you have to understand - the only times Prickles physically touched another cat was when they pounced on him to drive him out, attack him or hold him down long enough to steal his prey - and none of their fur had been this plush!
Still, one can lose themselves to tactile bliss for long long before they remember what position they're it.
A dangerous one, thank you! - Just a little more terrified than he was a second before, Prickles quickly scrambles off the cat, but not before hearing him...laugh? Skittering a fox-length away, back arched - more from nerves than aggression - he looked the other up and down. He doesn't seem like he's about to immediately tackle Prickles, so Prickles remains locked in place, afraid that if he makes a run now the clanner won't hesitate again to go for the kill. Still, in that moment patchy red tabby would calm down just enough to mumble through his prey, "Me?"
He's asking if - Prickles is okay?
Now thoroughly baffled, the patchy tabby drops his prey, placing a protective paw over it before scratching furiously - nervously - at an irritating itch behind his neck, "You're asking ME if I'm ok? What kinda clanner are you?" he suddenly squints, looking the tom up and down once more, "are you...one?" Sniffing the air, he doesn't reek like a Riverclanner, but he doesn't look like any rogue he's ever seen.
Still, despite his heart hammering against his chest, he feels no immediate danger from the guy so, taking a risk, he pushes the shrew closer to the cat, "You uh - you can take it figuring that if bribery worked with Sasha than hopefully this will guarantee Prickles can avoid getting pounced on once he makes his escape.

*+:｡.｡ Updated 1/9/23

• 
  
  
• 
  
  
  
  GENERAL:
  ✘ Prickles
  ✘ DMAB— He/They — Bisexual
  ✘ 12 moons — Ages 1 moon every month real-time
  ✘ Member of the red water rogues
  
  COMBAT:
  ✘Physically medium | mentally medium
  ✘ Attack in bold #f35336
  injuries: None currently
  

​

 

[Eggbounce.]

I'M GONNA BE THE SNACK THAT SMILES BACK
I'M GONNA BE THE KIT TO YOUR KAT ​

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eggpaw & 11 moons & male & he/him & skyclan apprentice ​

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As the cat before him skitters away and gathers himself, eggpaw takes a moment to look the stranger over. They're also orange (eggs's favorite color by far) but it's a brighter shade, like foxes or fire or a really pretty sunset. With back arched and green eyes wide, they look a bit silly - but now that eggpaw can finally breath again he tries not to laugh.

" Hm? Well yeah, you took a really bad tumble, runnin' like you had bees on you're tail... you don't right? " he chirps out amiably - teaktail has always said that being friendly and kind is it's own strength, and he's not about to stop now. Of course, should this stranger actually be hostile, it's not like eggpaw can't defend himself- he's a big boy, a bulky tangle of fur and long limbs inherited from his family. But his words have never failed him yet - at least not with anything sensible with half a brain, like most cats are.

" Clanner-?Oh - i'm a skyclanner! Are you... um, where are you from? " he asks, nose twitching - he doesn't recognize the scent, so it's clearly not riverclan or thunderclan or windclan, but he's never been to a gathering and never met a shadowclan cat, so perhaps thats where the stranger hails from. Or maybe he's just yet another loner or kittypet wandering on through - skyclan certainly gets their fair share of wanderers and trespassers to be warned and directed away.

The offer of prey though, is really what catches him off guard. " Did you... catch that here? " he asks, eyes narrowing - because that, at least, he thinks is against the rules. Or code. he's not actually sure which. Tail flicks for a moment as he tenses, before he decides not to let his suspicion get the best of him, paw dragging it closer to him (even if it's strange he won't turn it down). " I mean - the kits and queens would love it though I bet, " he tries - yes, it's a kind offer isn't it, even if he's not sure that prey wasn't skyclans to begin with.

Eh - whatever. It's his now, right? " Anywho~ are you lost? You're not really suppose'ta be here - we don't really like trespassers, we have a lot of mouths to feed and I think everyone's kinda been on edge, " how could they not be, with rogues attacking and maiming kits fresh from the nursery, barely even named 'paws. Not that eggpaw has ever seen a rogue - he assumes they're a lot like monsters, big and scary and clearly not a normal cat. How else could they do so much damage?

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( I ' M ━ G O N N A ━ B E ━ T HE ━ O N E ━ Y O U ━ U N W R A P )

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[PRICKLES]

*+:｡.｡ Slowly, slowly, Prickle's back begins to unbend. Despite the ragged tabby's fierce displays, the cream and white seem no less amused. It's difficult not to feel somewhat offended - Prickles may not be particularly massive but he was plenty strong! He'd taken down a better-fed clan cat, after all! Part of him almost felt the need to boast that fact, but one glance at the stolen prey between him and the other made Prickles bite his tongue. He...didn't need to make an enemy out of this cat.

The risk of which feels almost unlikely, however as the clan cat seems to radiate a kindness Prickles wasn't entirely sure how to respond to. So he answers the tom's questions without thought. "I - no - no bees, and not - I'm not - not around here, over there" he babbled, pointing with his tail the way he came. He chews on his cheek, wondering if he shouldn't be exposing the location of the abandoned fishing shack to a clan cat, even if he was just pointing at a general direction. Awkwardly, he turns his tail a little to the right and mews, "No uh - there, that way, actually" before smiling nervously at the tom. Nice. Saved it.

But the young man is back to gulping, the confirmation of this cat being a clanner - this time of the sky variety - has his patches of fur fluffing up again. But despite his confession over not being from here, that is to say - a member of the clan's protected land - the cream cat remains seated. Actually, this entire time he's kept his distance. Actually, actually, he's kept quite...amicable throughout the exchange. He's talking now about queens and kits, but all Prickles can bring himself to do is stare.

Stare at his larger, healthier form. Paws that could easily knock a tooth if not his entire jaw off, fur too thick for Prickle's fangs to pierce, and that smile, revealing teeth that...that...well, it's kinda hard to be intimidated by his teeth when his smile is so friendly. Flicking pernicious green eyes further up, he focuses closer the the stranger's eyes. A soft baby blue, like robin's eggs. And just as harmless.
"You're not like..." he gestures a paw between them and himself, before finally spitting out, " You're not gonna hurt me?" It's almost weird inquiring out loud like that - but, somehow, he feels like he already knows the answer. But the warning does come, although in a very kind and polite way, as the cat mentions mouths to feed and wariness towards strangers. His green eyes flicker back towards the prey item as his stomach rumbles loudly. They're not the only ones.
"Um yeah - yeah! Ok yeah, ill go, no worries uh - thanks for not - y'know" he skitters to his feet, smiling weakly but gratefully, before pausing. He looks over the Skyclanner's shoulder, then back over his own ruby-colored one, then back again. He lingers for a moment in silence, staring nervously at the very nice cat before finally mumbling. "Im... I'm lost..?" it comes out like a question, for it's certainly more of an excuse than a truthful confession. Because his home, as he'd pointed out earlier, is, in fact, that way (but more to the right)... the issue is that way is through Riverclan's territory.
A territory that is full of his fleeing scent and cats most likely trailing after it.

Looking over his shoulder again, then back over at the cream cat, he paws nervously at the ground before, against his better judgment, reluctantly asks, "Is there...I dunno like - a way over the river that doesn't...y'know" now that wild gesture with his paw is directed at the river.

*+:｡.｡ Updated 1/9/23

• 
  
  
• 
  
  
  
  GENERAL:
  ✘ Prickles
  ✘ DMAB— He/They — Bisexual
  ✘ 12 moons — Ages 1 moon every month real-time
  ✘ Member of the red water rogues
  
  COMBAT:
  ✘Physically medium | mentally medium
  ✘ Attack in bold #f35336
  injuries: None currently
  

​

 

[Eggbounce.]

I'M GONNA BE THE SNACK THAT SMILES BACK
I'M GONNA BE THE KIT TO YOUR KAT ​

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eggpaw & 12 moons & male & he/him & skyclan apprentice ​

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The tranger till seems scared, but Eggpaw simply weathers the caution with an unfalteringly sunny smile. Its not exactly that eh's understimating the tom, simply that he is naive - for all that he's lived the life of a clan cat, he's come out remarkably unscathed. Has only seen battle once, and even then he'd been surrounded by his clanmates and ushered right out of the territory and into shadowclans. Never really shed blood - his, nor anothers. So he's more than content to simply chatter away, paying no mind to the dangers.

" Hurt you? Oh - eh? Not really, I mean unless you id something to me first. We're not windclanners - we don't just, kill cats for no reason, " He remembers the horror stories from his youth - the way the moor dwellers would invade the camp on sootstars order, senseless violence and bloodshed sure to follow. But she's dead now, so surely things will be fine. " Across the river? Hm... maybe you could try twolegplace? There's... probably a way across there - better than stepping on riverclans toes at least! I could take you there, it's not far. " riverclan wasn't all bad, he thinks, but they weren't all to nice either when they'd shared a camp, grumpy faced all of them. (He still thinks beepaw was pretty cool though.)

He stands with a stretch, limbs crackling as he stretches, figuring he could at least show the stranger the way since he'd been nice enough to give him his catch - only to pause, frown flickering across his face. It's a it rude of him to be calling them 'the stranger' in his head, wasn't it? And it's such a mouthful too - " I'm Eggpaw by the way - what's your name? " surely, if they introduced themselves now, they wouldn't really be strangers anymore, right?

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( I ' M ━ G O N N A ━ B E ━ T HE ━ O N E ━ Y O U ━ U N W R A P )

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[PRICKLES]

*+:｡.｡ It's...admittedly hard to keep on his toes when faced with a walking, talking, smiling cloud. It's it's odd. The way this other tom smiles at him - no mockery behind it either. No hint of arrogance- not even a glimmer of pity just...smiling. Prickles hates to admit it, but he can't quite stop staring. For a cat actively baring his teeth at him, it's weird that Prickles finds himself believing him when he says he means no harm. Searching the tom's round, fluffy face, eggshell blue eyes glimmering with unperturbed sunshine, he can't quite decide if he's just so confident in his skills that Prickles is barely on his radar, or if he's just foolish. Or maybe, he's so well-fed that he doesn't need to worry about thieves?
Tarnished emerald eyes flicker up and down the tom's physique as he talks away. No claws, no tensed muscles, no preparation to spring forth and slice Prickle's throat...Wow - this guy isn't going to defend his land against Prickles, is he? Licking his lips nervously, he lifts his gaze back up and finally, finally lets his shoulders slump. Granted, the man is still cautious, still occasionally stiffening at every movement from his conversation buddy. But...he's not expecting a fight.
This is shaping up to be quite a weird day.
Mostly because...he's kinda glad the stranger offered to guide him to safety.
"You're - you're really nice!" The observation tumbles from his mouth before he can think to stop it. It's almost kit-like with how wonder-struck the red tabby is. But inhibition quickly strikes, and he shakes his head furiously, "Ah - I mean - thank you - thanks - it's not every day a cat like me, and a cat-like - erm - you - and considering the circumstances y'know it's...this..." he lowers his ears, explanation trailing away to simply stare at the tom again. "This is all still new to me" he explains with a huff. Being part of a community, talking to other cats outside of his reflection or hissing at enemies.
It's weird.
But it's also quite nice.

It would take Eggpaw making the first step before Prickles blinks out of his enrapture and quickly pinwheel his own paws into motion. "Eggpaw" he repeats, the name funny on his tongue. What, did his dam like to step on eggshells or something? Though looking over Eggpaw (he couldn't quite seem to stop looking at him) Prickles would note, "I guess that makes sense. Your cream spots look like yolk," before lifting his gaze back to Eggpaw's eyes. "And you have robin egg eyes" Perhaps entranced by his newfound ability to talk to someone, Prickles finds he can't stop babbling after that.

"Once, I tried to climb a tree to get to a nest and like - the mamma bird was furious with me for it! Pecked me so hard I thought I'd lose an eye! Birds are awful, lemmie tell yah. They've got some nasty confidence and those beaks of theirs are thorn sharp! But ah - erm - anyways the eggs! I didn't actually - cus of the mom, y'see - eat any of 'em but - cus the mom didn't actually pluck my eye out, I mean - like, I did see 'em and they were blue, but like, a really light blue - not like the sky but like your eyes, really pale but still blue and, boy, I've seen eggs before but never like those ones. Kinda glad I didn't eat 'em, they were really nice lookin' eggs"
Looking around suddenly, the tom mused, "Wonder if the baby birds have hatched by now. I mean, it was ages ago - think I was - well I mean I was much smaller - 'cus the robin wouldn't - couldn't - mess with me now but - man - once you face off with one of those y'kinda don't wanna do it again even if you're bigger now"
Stumbling over himself, he looks sheepishly at his companion, "But - sorry - I'm babbling, ah, sorry. What um - do you - ah - you like your eyes?" nice save.

*+:｡.｡ Updated 1/9/23

• 
  
  
• 
  
  
  
  GENERAL:
  ✘ Prickles
  ✘ DMAB— He/They — Bisexual
  ✘ 12 moons — Ages 1 moon every month real-time
  ✘ Member of the red water rogues
  
  COMBAT:
  ✘Physically medium | mentally medium
  ✘ Attack in bold #f35336
  injuries: None currently
  

​

 

[Eggbounce.]

I'M GONNA BE THE SNACK THAT SMILES BACK
I'M GONNA BE THE KIT TO YOUR KAT ​

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

eggpaw & 12 moons & male & he/him & skyclan apprentice ​

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You're really nice' he says, and eggpaw takes it as the compliment it's meant to be. He hears that a lot really - sometimes with a too tossed in there, as though making friends is a bad thing But honestly, why fight over silly things like someone getting lost or preferring the affection of twolegs to living out in the forest full time - certainly, he can put himself in someone elses paws long enough to be nice until they do something worthy of hi scorn. Like lie to him, like stupid chrysaliswing (eggpaw doesn't think he'll ever forgive the tom for telling him he'd die, even if looking back on it he had been a bit silly to believe his fur color to be a disease).

The stranger says it suits him - words spilling out his mouth a mile a minute and yet he finds himself listening with rapt attention, nodding along enthusiastically as baby blue eyes widen. " Birds are mean, aren't they? how can something so tasty be so vicious i'll never know - you'd think they're the hunter, not the prey with how fierce they can be, " he thinks he recalls something about birds that really were hunter's - swooping down and grabbing fish and mice and even cats - but he's never seen one, so he waves the thought away easily.

It escapes his notice tat the tom hasn't answered his question, his own thoughts now suitable distracted after finding someone who seems able to chatter away as much as him. " Must've probably - I don't think they're much different than cats, don't stay babies forever. Or... egg, i suppose? Wait - are eggs babies, or just.... hiding the babies in them? " eggs tasted far different than birds after all, but he's seen them turn into hatchlings like magic, shells splattered all over the nets, so surely there's a connection there somewhere, if he thinks about it long enough.

Head dips to the side at the last question, hardly noticing the save for what it is - really, things like embarrassment are rather foreign to the tom, who's always worn his naivety for all to see, never really bothered by the judging stares or harsh words tossed his way here and there. " They're alright I think, for eyes - yours are nicer though. Very bright - like grass or leaves in greenleaf, " sometimes, he wishes his eyes were brighter, instead of pale blue that had hardly changed from their kitten shade - his momma' had eyes like fire, as orange as her pelt. And cherrypaw has very pretty eyes, yellow like sunshine and dandelions and butterflies. His are... dull. Plain.

━ actions & " speech, " & 'thoughts/quotes' ━

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( I ' M ━ G O N N A ━ B E ━ T HE ━ O N E ━ Y O U ━ U N W R A P )

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