pafp Jiggin' around and off to town | Sneaking out

[Hazewish]

WAKE UP TO THE SOUND OF YOUR FLEETING HEART ⋆⁺₊⋆
What Hazepaw really likes about Catfishpaw is that she's cool. Not like most would mean it, in the way that she's pretty and popular, though she's both. That's not something Hazepaw gets: obsessing over how she looks, how she acts, who she's friends with. It's weird. But they like that Catfishpaw is chill. At least with them. She doesn't ask where they've been all day (unlike their mothers) or orders them around (like Cicadastar). She's seen Hazepaw sneaking out of camp without warrior supervision a few times and never said a thing to anyone. She's not a snitch, and since it's happened the other way around as well and Hazepaw kept quiet about it, the two of them are cool. Even.

Besides, she's chatty and pretty funny, so she's good company when they two of them go and sneak out together.

”Left,” she whispers to the molly, gesturing with her tail towards a gap between two dens, out of sight of most of the camp, leading out.

”Lookout?”

If anyone were to catch them in the act, better Catfishpaw tried to talk them out of it than Hazepaw.

[⋆]​

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// @Catfishpaw @Mosspaw

 

[Catfishleap]

❝ where the angels sing ✧°.☀ ———————————— There were two things that changed between the start of Catfish's apprenticeship and now, the most daring change was that she stopped caring so much about if she got in trouble. She had started to convince herself that being on her own out in the Riverclan territory taught her to take care of herself, something she at times felt lacking in. Plus the adventure of it all distracted her from the fact that she was alone out there. On occasion however, there was a flip that switched in both Hazepaw's and her's brains, a switch that told them it was time to get out of the stuffy camp. It was something they had in common. It was one of the reasons they got along, a mutual understanding, backed up by tight lips.

Catfishpaw bit her lip as she saddled up next to the other apprentice. Looking to the indicated escape route, she nodded a brief affirmative to Hazepaw. Actually getting out of camp was probably the second best part of sneaking out, the first being that she was no longer in camp, but the plotting and sneakiness of it all was intoxicating to the young molly. She then followed Hazepaw's efficiently given direction and started to look across the camp. Slowly she started backing into the tunnel, making sure Hazepaw is able to sneak out first and trying to keep an eye open for any cats that may spoil the fun.

[penned by user - [tags☀]]

———————————— ☀.°✧ we're mixing up milk and honey ❞ ​

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[SMOKESTAR]

Maybe he was hard to see and that is why they felt so bold. Cloaked black outside the few rare flecks of white upon his pelt the tom stared intently at the duo moving to camp's exit; single blazing fire of an eye narrowed and smoldering in the dark. The moment either of them moved to advance forward he stepped to the side, ebony form filling the void of space between the camp entryway like a curtain falling. The scarred warrior said nothing, not yet, not immediately, only a cold and direct stare forward to Hazepaw and then to Catfishpaw just behind her and he recalled the time what felt like forever ago that HazeKIT had vanished during their move from their camp to the temporary one at the Beech Copse; the panic drawn by every cat as they rushed around in desperation to reclaim the missing youth and it had been him that found her then as well. To repeat the same mistake knowing what punishment may befall them was daring, he would admit. But often times being so forward was just a cover for stupidity.
"I will give you each...one chance to explain why you are sculking around in the darkness like this near the camp border and if it does not impress me then you may both join the dawn patrol." His gaze flitted past them to the treeline where the sun was not yet risen but sleep would not be so easy to reclaim at this hour; it would be a miserable patrol for any cat who had not bothered resting well.
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[Petalnose]

I FIND COMFORT IN THE SOUND AND THE SHAPE OF THE HEART ⋆⁺₊⋆

Petalnose herself snuck out a lot as a youth, she would get caught but it only made the she-cat better at avoiding trouble. There wasn’t much of a reason for her to sneak out anymore, she didn’t really have restrictions besides staying within the territory. From time to time, she did go out of bounds for the fun of it. The curiosity of of the matter. And.. Seeking that rush of adrenaline was something she craved from time to time, just like a cat would with catnip. No cat has found her as the moons of experience she recently remembered she had. She had wondered how she knew the knowledge, how she knew with her once memory less mind.

The tabby patched warrior was up as usual, however, this time she had gotten rest. Something that was rare for her but came in waves as she hadn’t slept properly for days. She was impatiently waiting for the early dawn patrol to wake, patting the tip of her tail on the ground boredly; ready for work. Eager to work. Her gaze then watched the grey lead warrior trek to the exit, her ears quivering with curiosity and confusion. Was it just the two of them going? Was he wordlessly leading her? She then slowed her silent pace as he stopped and started talking to someone, her eyes lazily landing on the two apprentices. She squinted and then took note of the two. Petal couldn’t help but scoff. She was reminded of the dream she had, how she was caught so many times. Just like this. Her eyes turned stern and she slowly made her way beside Smokethroat. She couldn’t help but not be angry but the fact they got caught upset her. Stealth was an art, an art of intense thinking and imagination. If they got caught this easily, it wouldn’t do them well in battle. “Better get better at it or your enemies will catch you as fast or maybe even faster than Smokethroat did.” She criticized bluntly, furrowing her brows but clearly, she was half-teasing. Though, she wasn’t wrong either. She wanted to point it out for them to learn. Even if it was a bad influence at the moment.

[⋆]​

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[CRAPPIEPATCH]

A commotion draws Crappiepaw from their slumber, voices outside of the den that they have taken up residence in. Groggily they stand, stumbling from the den, and after a moment of gazing around camp they spot the cause of the noise.

Smokethroat, the clan’s most intimidating warrior, has two apprentices cornered in the dark. Observant, he is, despite the lack of half his vision. Petalnose is just as critical as the other—Crappiepaw scowls. "Huh," they murmur, stumpy tail flicking as they come to a stop beside the two warriors. They say nothing, but wide green eyes are focused solely on the black-shrouded tom who is already scolding the two.

They are suddenly grateful for Ashpaw and her assurance that they would not be caught. He cannot imagine how angry Smokethroat would have been if he had found them sneaking out. He is only glad that, this time, it is not a fluffy orange and white apprentice who stands beneath that one-eyed glare. "Sneaking out is against the rules," that say at last, looking to Petalnose—their gaze filled with something other than disdain, for once.
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[ dancing in the panic room ]​

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[Hazewish]

WAKE UP TO THE SOUND OF YOUR FLEETING HEART ⋆⁺₊⋆

Smokethroat’s voice sends a jolt through Hazepaw’s body, a near-tangible uhoh! echoing between their flattened ears. Their long fur puffs out like dandelion fluff as they startle. This is the worst case scenario — honestly, even Cicadastar catching them in the act would have been better. At least he likes young cats. Smokethroat doesn’t like anyone.

For about a second, they consider bolting. Small as they are, they might be able to scramble through the weeds before Smokethroat could scruff them. The idea is quickly discarded: he’s quicker than them by far. Besides, it would require abandoning Catfishpaw to her fate, and the first rule of the sneaking-out club is that no one gets left behind.

Slowly turning to face their fate, Hazepaw glares at Crappiepaw’s useless little comment but doesn’t find anything to retort with. Excuses are really not her area of expertise: she remembers her last grand escape as well as Smokethroat does, and she knows her apologies back then had satisfied no one. Eyes jumping from the dark warrior’s glower to the more critical Petalnose, Hazepaw bumps into Catfishpaw and sends her a quick, wide-eyed look: say something!

[⋆]​

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[willowroot]

( ☾ ) it is the mumble of voices outside the den that awakens willowroot. silently, she lays in her nest, curled into poppysplash's mottled fur, dreading her inevitable emergence from the den. poppy is warm and soft, and the nest is just the right shape. willowroot's logical mind fights with her eyelids as they drift shut again. dawn patrol's not for another few hours, she supposes, justifying herself as her muzzle burrows into her mate's soft fur once again. it is only petalnose's vocals that make verdant eyes snap open again. stars damn it, if the patched molly is awake, it must be time for dawn patrol after all! cursing her luck, the lead warrior extracts herself from the warm nest with a sigh. bending to swipe a lick across her mate's cheek, she then slips out of the den, fluffing smoke fur against the chill of the dawn.

glancing around for petalnose, they'll whisper, "is it dawn already?" before their eyes adjust to the pale, before sunrise light. the scene they find is not one they expect, and emerald eyes narrow in confusion as they take it in. catfishpaw and hazepaw stand pressed together, fluffed up with indignation. smokethroat and petalnose face the two apprentices, with crappiepaw looking on sleepily. slender paws carry the lead warrior towards their clanmates, tail twitching in curiosity and slight annoyance. their daughter looks like she's stuck on a thunderpath, facing the eyes of an oncoming monster. willowroot knows smokethroat is scary when he's mad, but surely the young gray smoke has not done anything to raise his ire.

her faith in her daughter is snatched as crappiepaw notes 'sneaking out is against the rules.' ears flatten as she pulls up to the side of her fellow lead warrior. "haze, catfishpaw, what exactly is going on?" she questions, her tone making note that no nonsense will be tolerated. eyes flick to behind the troublesome duo, where a gap between dens reveals a small escape route. puzzle pieces are being pulled into place as she awaits a response from her daughter, and when it clicks, willowroot feels two odd emotions at once. the first is pride- an odd soaring sensation from the fact that her child has begun doing what all children do around this age. mischief is a necessary part of the lifecycle. still, there is also disappointment and fear, memories of haze as a kitten, sneaking off during the transition between camps. willow had never felt that fear before, and she cannot say she welcomes it again.​

( THE LIGHT YOU GAVE ME )

 

[Catfishleap]

✧ ✧ ✧ ✧ you are the dancing queen ✧ ✧ ✧ ✧

---

She hadn't even gotten out of camp before the disciplining voice of Smokethroat ensnared her. First she blew out the air she had been holding and gave Hazepaw a small look of concern, but not fear. Quickly the silver torbie flipped around, meeting Smokethroat's eyes and then following them to the forest, to freedom, a now far away dream. She wanted to start trying to make her and Hazepaw's defense but before she can a panel of judges forms. Petalnose comes up and without noticing it perhaps undermines Smokethroat's authority, with Petalnose's comment Catfish has to fight the grin that is tugging her mouth, but she keeps it in check. Crappiepaw also unhelpfully joins the group. Jogging her memory about the rules was a fun and petty way to remind that she was really going to have to work to get out of this one.

Even though it seemed impossible perhaps Catfish was not one to be dissuaded, clearing her throat she began her defense "Well, you see, Hazepaw and I were having trouble staying asleep. It must be something in the air, since it seems like you were also a little restless. And, like, you can only whisper for so long before you need to do something else, so we were-" she was then cut of by the coming of one more cat. That's when Catfishpaw's face lost it's composure, another deep sigh escaped her as she bit her lip. She had been subconsciously moving in front of the other apprentice, she had understood that she was the one that was supposed to deal with this small hiccup. But, then Willowroot emerged.

There is a shift in demeanor as Catfish moves back beside Hazepaw. Her eyes took on a guilty look as she glanced to the ground, she knew that Willowroot was not actually asking her what was going on, she was asking Haze. She also then realized that her own parents could possibly come out and scold her as well, and with that thought there was two combating feelings, one wishing it could occur and one fearing it. Fearing it the same way she feared any correction, wishing for it so she could have at least some evidence that they care enough about her to correct bad behavior. But, her parents weren't there to scold her, so instead she would lean a little weight against Hazepaw as she hopped her eyes from each cat staring at the two. ​

---

✧ ✧ ✧ young and sweet ✧ ✧ ✧
✧ "speech" ✧

 

[Hazewish]

WAKE UP TO THE SOUND OF YOUR FLEETING HEART ⋆⁺₊⋆

This grand escape of theirs is a well-practiced trick, and this isn’t the first time they’ve had to explain themselves in front of other cats questioning their conspicuous movements towards the edge of camp. It doesn't take any more prodding for Catfishpaw to take the stand and spin the beginning of a reasonable explanation. Hazepaw is already nodding along, brows furrowed to show how serious and earnest they are being, when she falters. They blink, glancing her way, before realizing it’s their mother’s apparition that threw her off her rhythm.

Catfishpaw may be a chatterbox compared to Hazepaw, but she’s never really gone over what the deal is with her parents. Still, Hazepaw can guess at some of it: siblings who are so much older than she is, parents that they almost never see around their daughter. It’s especially blatant when compared to their own parents: Poppysplash and Willowroot are loving, caring, and present — even when she’d rather they weren’t. Willowroot presence here and now is not making things easier. Although — is that pride in her eyes?

Having one of their parents in attendance only adds to the pressure, and Catfishpaw’s guilty silence tells Hazepaw that it’s her turn to pick up the thread of excuses. It’s her least favorite part of the game — she can take the risk or the punishment, but that in-between part is just exhausting. But Catfishpaw did her part: time for them to do theirs.

Inhaling deeply and pressing back against Catfishpaw’s flank, Hazepaw states, ”Outside. Privacy.” A spark of inspiration has them appealing to Petalnose and their mother with their eyes, adding, ”Girl talk. Secret.” They gesture to the dark, secluded gap they were trying to sneak through with their tail. Really, what's to say they were trying to get out at all? Maybe they just wanted to be out of sight, huh! ”Privacy.”

[⋆]​

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