pafp JOHNNY GUITAR & APOLOGY

[sparkspirit]

It hadn't felt like an atrocity until Snakepaw had made it out to be one. He tries not to think about what that might mean for him. When he thinks about the anger in his voice, he thinks of the battle. How he had sought out the other apprentice's partnership– really, he doesn't know why he'd done it. But he did. He made the choice, he reached out, he said together, and...he'd also been the one to break away from the fight first, without warning or explanation. What had felt necessary at the time now seems like a mistake. Helping Weaselclaw wasn't it, no, no, but he could have told Snakepaw, or taken him with him. But would that have simply brought the warrior to his already weakened mentor?

He's overthinking, he knows, and maybe that's a good enough reason to stop thinking about the battle. About Snakepaw. Why, then, does he have a fat little mouse in his mouth? Why is he looking around camp, shifting to stand on his hind legs for a better vantage point? It's obvious that he's looking for something, and just when he's about to give up– Snakepaw. His paws thump back to the ground. "Snakepaw! Snakepaw, wait." He's muffled by the mouse, but he can only hope that his voice is enough to slow down the (already half-cornered in the hollow of their camp) apprentice enough for him to catch up with a few bursts of his hindlegs.

First it's himself he puts in front of Snake, and then– the mouse. "Here. I still haven't caught a rabbit, but. I caught this. I wanted you to have it." He pauses, and if the apprentice moves, the flame-tinged tom is moving in tandem. "Just...because I'm sorry. I didn't mean to leave you. I thought, I mean– I thought you could handle it, and Weaselclaw was hurt. I thought he was going to kill him, I didn't mean to...leave you hanging. Sorry. Take the mouse."

˗ˏˋ  †〚  OOC REFERENCE INFORMATION 〛

• ooc: please wait for @SNAKEPAW !!
• 
• sparkpaw, sparky. dmab male, he - him - his.
  ──── apprentice of windclan. loyal to windclan and his family.
  ──── 04 moons old. born on 12.15.22, and ages in real time.
  ──── echolight x elmbreeze, adopted by yewberry. brightfam.
• "speech"

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[SNAKEHISS]

❪ TAGS ❫ — Ears prick up and emerald eyes flash with surprise as Snakepaw's name is suddenly called out, followed by a scampering of paws in his direction. His ears flatten the instant he recognizes Sparkpaw, who practically oozes with remorse. Before he could manage a snippy reply, the multi-toned apprentice starts babbling like a brook about how apologetic he was, how he "thought" and "didn't mean" and whatnot. Words meant nothing unless actions supported them, and as far as Snakepaw was concerned, a mouse wouldn't earn his trust.

Snakepaw scoffs, "Well, I did handle it, but no thanks to you." Lies. More like run and hide like a whimpering kit. Snakepaw's ego fractured a little more each time he thought of the raid. Instead of being able to proudly proclaim that he and Sparkpaw had fought off an enemy warrior, the sleek dark apprentice had been left for dead and forced to flee with his tail in between his legs. Badgermoon probably would have scolded him for doing such a thing, but really what was Snakepaw to do? Having barely been an apprentice for three moons, there was no way that he was getting so much as a scratch on that seasoned RiverClan warrior.

At this point, though, Snakepaw couldn't even truly claim that he was still sore with Sparkpaw for abandoning him in the thick of combat. He had helped save Weaselclaw's life, an effort that surely deserved much more praise and recognition than whatever Snakepaw had done. It was more so anger and discontent with his own self, an ugly feeling that only amplified when Sparkpaw tried making it up to him. He would much rather just move on as it had never happened.

Narrowing his eyes, Snakepaw manages curtly, "I don't need your mouse. Just leave me alone, yeah?" The midnight-colored apprentice turns to leave Sparkpaw and his dumb mouse behind, just as the other apprentice had done to him.

// out unless he's stopped ​

 

[icebreath]

TAGS — Icebreath doesn't envy anyone who'd participated in the raid (though she wishes she did, that she had the strength to want to fight zealously for WindClan's glory and justice), least of all the apprentices. They're so young, practically kits still; if she'd been their age during her first battle, well, they don't think they would've lived to tell the tale. That, or they'd've died from embarrassment and shame over inevitably freezing up, turning tail, and fleeing. Quite honestly, they still can't believe that hadn't happened during the herb raid. Her startling moment of courage is still empowering to look back on, as is the subsequent praise and reputation she'd earned for it, but not encouraging enough to seek out combat again. It's frustrating. Why can't she just be a normal WindClanner?

Though there's distance between themself and Snakepaw as they nibble on their own small meal, they're close enough to take notice of the unfolding interaction as Sparkpaw bounds over with an offering. She likes to tell herself she isn't one for gossip, usually preferring to keep her head down and mind her own business, but large ears trained to pick up the faintest sounds in the tunnels swivel in the pair's direction nonetheless, easily picking up the exchange in the quiet camp. It's hard to help herself... especially when the mention of Weaselclaw tells her this is about the RiverClan battle and curiosity gives way to pity.

This seems like a tricky situation. She doesn't know the full story, maybe not even the half of it, but she doesn't need to in order to come to that conclusion. Maybe Snakepaw has a right to be angry, at least a little; she wouldn't want to be in his position, suddenly left alone mid-battle. But still, it's hard to watch when Sparkpaw's so clearly torn up over what happened, when she understands why he did what he did (and perhaps envies him to a degree for his bravery and ability to just act, especially despite his youth). Their brow furrows and their heart pounds, sympathy washing over them as Snakepaw storms off. A few moments pass where she remains frozen, rooted to her own spot, before she hesitantly rises to her paws and approaches the lone torbie. What does she even want to say? What should she say? "I'm sure you did what you had to do," she goes with, sounding a little hesitant as a product of her own self-doubt. "And it sounds like you were really brave- and stuff. Maybe you even saved his life!" By the looks of Weaselclaw when the patrol returned, it really seems like he could've used all the help he could get; the poor tom was beaten near to death.

Her pale gaze drifts back to the direction Snakepaw had left in. "He's... a mean cat. But battles are also really stressful. Maybe he just needs some time." Stars, this is more than she's talked in one go to someone other than her close friends in a while. She's driven by an almost desperate need to help, though, but as soon as she finishes she starts fretting over whether she's just making things worse somehow, or encroaching and making Sparkpaw uncomfortable.
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[WEASELCLAW]

His recovery will be slow, but it will come -- and it's thanks to his Clanmates (and, he reluctantly thinks to himself, their medicine cat) that he has not gone to StarClan. Sparkpaw had been one of the cats who'd helped to save him from Cicadastar's clutches, and the tabby could not be more proud of him. He hears only snippets of the argument, but he remembers the black apprentice's outburst after they'd returned from the battle.

Weaselclaw watches Snakepaw reject Sparkpaw's apology and his peace offering, choosing to simmer elsewhere. The tabby does not attempt to scold Snakepaw. An unfortunate fact of Clan life is that not everyone will be your friend. He and Vulturemask, for instance, certainly had never seen eye-to-eye, and yet they served one leader, one cause.

He listens, flicking an ear, as Icebreath attempts to comfort Sparkpaw. Weaselclaw exhales. "You were brave in the battle. A warrior must choose quickly in combat." Selfishly, he believes Sparkpaw chose right, but he can't be too upset at Snakepaw, either. "Snakepaw will understand someday. For now, just focus on yourself. A thousand mice couldn't please that cat." He snorts with laughter, but the motion causes him to wince in pain.​

[ PENNED BY MARQUETTE ]​

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[sparkspirit]

He doesn't think he had expected much different, but part of him had hoped, foolishly, to be proved wrong. The harsh scoff nearly causes him to flinch, but he steadies himself with great effort until there is only a flicker of his gaze, away from the dark pelt and far into the ground. Burrowing deeper, as if he might become a tunneler, or even one of the rabbits that they hunt. Hidden, small prey that flees a predator's footsteps. Snakepaw certainly knows how to lash out like one. Much like his namesake, he strikes out quickly and then coils to protect himself again, stalking off like some great storm cloud and leaving the offering to rot between them. "Snakepaw," he begins, voice pitched with a plea, but it trails off with a sigh. He doesn't stop him, and neither does Icebreath. Maybe he's grateful for that.

As the young tunneler tries to console him, Sparkpaw stares at the mouse. Brave. His heart had been pounding. He'd thought it would break through the walls of his chest. Had he saved Weaselclaw? And would that have been worth it if it meant sacrificing a clanmate? What if Snakepaw had died instead? With a faint scowl, he hooks his paw around the mouse, curved claws holding the limp prey captive. "He's not mean, just..." A sudden flex of his foreleg, and Sparkpaw bats his catch back towards the freshkill pile. "Stupid."

It doesn't make it all the way there, of course it doesn't, he's too far away from it, but it makes him feel better until he notices Weaselclaw is nearing him. He'd every intention of picking it up and carrying it the rest of the way, but the injured tabby is talking to him now and there's no way he's interrupting. Though bright blue eyes flicker between his mentor and the walloped mouse, they eventually choose his mentor, and then the ground. "It feels like I didn't do enough," he confesses. His gaze flickers back to Icebreath. "Just– I should have been able to help you and him. I didn't do it right."

˗ˏˋ  †〚  OOC REFERENCE INFORMATION 〛

• ooc: —
• 
• sparkpaw, sparky. dmab male, he - him - his.
  ──── apprentice of windclan. loyal to windclan and his family.
  ──── 04 moons old. born on 12.15.22, and ages in real time.
  ──── echolight x elmbreeze, adopted by yewberry. brightfam.
• "speech"

​

 

[VULTUREMASK]

That was wrong Weaselclaw, he served nobody else but starclan. The queen of the moors could burn for all he cared. Weaselclaw could die and he wouldn't even shed one tear for them. Vermin was not worthy his tears. He was nothing but a loyal subject to the stars, and he would do anything to please them. If they wanted him to save the vermins he would, if they wanted him to kill the vermins he would. It was simply as that!. As long he get to be with Rosepaw again at the end of his life that was all that mattered. Beside that he found the idea of the clans to be nothing but a joke. How they where built up by false loyalty and trust.

" Your decision saved Weaselclaw. If you hadn't act like you did he would most likely be dead by now never getting to watch his kits grow up. Snakepaw would have survived anyway. Starclan for sure is gonna reward your bravely one day." Vulturemask would join in, praising and cheering this young apprentice for his heroic act....well he personally wouldn't have called it that. All he had done was saving another vermin in this world to let them posion this world for a little bit longer. Oh well. This world was not much for saving anyway. It was the afterlife that truly mattered. His final goal. If he had to play along with this vermins for a little while longer to get there then he would.




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