just let me finish a sentence // intro.

[Chicorybite.]

KEEPING MY FEELINGS HIDDEN, THERE IS NO EASE
chicorybite | 33 months | closeted trans-fem. | he/him | physically hard | mentally hard | trigger warning (all opinions ic)​

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A ragged form sits by the riverside, gaze focused on the rippling waves of water that stir and churn and crash against the rock he is perched upon. Scars and stains and decaying plantlife litter his frame - a unsightly mess that sticks out like a sore thumb along his more glossy-coated clanmates. Time ticks on by with hardly a movement - only the steady breath and slow blink of focused eyes to show he is even alive. And then he's moving - blue furred frame diving into the water only to vanish beneath the foam. A heartbeat, and then another - before a sopping wet chicorybite reemerges form the rivers grip, a fish clasped tight in his jaws. Blood strickles down the side of his jaws where sharp fangs have sunk in deep, and he paddles back with the swiftness expected of a riverclan warrior. The prey is discarded upon the shore with disdain, impassive gaze flitting over it as he frowns. 'Pitiful - I should've done better,' he thinks, but there is nothing to be done about it now. He'll just have to try again. Paws carry him back to his perch to hover over the waters once more, but it seems useless - the fish have fled, the river gone still. Disgust and anxiety coil within his gut, though it never shows on his face - kept carefully hidden deep down inside where it belongs. "Shit," he'll never hear the end of it from Dappleleaf now.

​

 

[Petalnose]

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

"I'd move somewhere else if I were you." Petalnose huffed as she was sitting nearby, on her own fishing journey. Her ears flicked in annoyance, heaving herself up and stretching her long limbs for being so still. Now she would have as hard of a time as her fellow clanmate. That was an issue, therefore, she decided upon moving if the chatter wouldn't last too long. "Scared the fish for many fox-lengths I believe… Atleast you caught something, looks good." She grumbled out, blinking tired eyes in defeat at the water with a frown curling her lips. Don't be too upset, I even get desperate and dive sometimes. She reminded herself, looking back upon Chicorybite curiously. He seemed upset, which she felt she couldn't sympathize with but she understood it. Everyone had their off hunting days. She guessed they both were having one now. "Down the river will be more." She suggested, offering a flick of her tail to follow her. As frustrated as the she-cat was with his situation, she still attempted to be friendly. That was a hard difficult thing to her to do.

She nodded to Troutpaw in hello, watching Chicorybite for his response. Maybe he’d quit and take it back himself or maybe he would do the same as her and go down further along the river. Land hunting was an option as well. She was curious to see how fast he’d give up.
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[WOLFGLADE]

જ➶ "Perhaps next time don't leap into the water like that. A swift paw will do the same thing." Their voice is a grumble from behind Petalnose then, annoyed that his own hunting has been ruined for the time being. All the noise has definitely most likely spread the fish out and they have no reason to stick to this part of the river. Harshly their eyes roam over the other, looking at the dead foliage that clings to their body. Maw parting words are on the tip of their tongue before they snap their jaws closed. It's not their business. If they want to have it in their fur then let them. Other than that the moggy merely turns his eyes away and to the fish they pulled from the waves. Approval rumbles in the back of their throat as he dips his head before he then allows his olivine eyes to focus back on Chicory. "Good catch, the kits will love it." They love anything brought to them and with a shift of paws they start to leave.

They need to get back to their own hunt.​

 

[lichenstar]

Lichentail is grateful that Wolfglade is the first to offer critique- apparently it's considered rude to provide that kind of commentary without being asked and it often gets them into trouble when they do it. Perhaps coming from someone else it won't seem so brazen. Or maybe more harsh then? Frowning at the conflict that poses in their mind, they almost forget they had something to say too.

Petalnose... that she-cat sure knew exactly what to say to make everything more sour. They didn't think it a bad thing but the fact this molly always seemed grouchy never failed to amuse them. They often wondered if it was possible that Petalnose had been born angry. "No use crying about it," they piped up.

Caught food was caught food, even if it had been done in a less than perfect manner.

"It'll feed someone. That's all that matters." Brushing past the warrior was already moving to relocate elsewhere on the river, they scrunched up their nose at her in a teasing fashion. All bite all the time. If only the fish could die of second hand embarrassment! "Better get a move on before Petalnose lectures all the fish to death."​

 

[hazecloud]

There is hardly a time where Hazecloud would look at her brother and not fight the urge to pick apart the debris in his pelt. If only he would stay still long enough when they shared tongues, as he always grew uncomfortable after a few moments of any sort of affection. It frustrated her, if only because she knew he felt he didn't deserve the attention. Even more so because she knew it was a product of their parents rearing.

"It looks great, Chiccy." The smile could be heard in her voice as she tried to pep him up. Even if the chance of her words actually meaning anything to him were slim. She turned her chin up to speak with the others. "Lichentail's right, he took a risk but got the prize. There's enough of the river to move down and keep going." Her eyes then rested on Troutpaw. "That would be a wonderful help, Troutpaw. Thank you for offering. Did you need someone to wait for you to lead you to the rest of us?" Hazecloud wasn't sure about leaving an apprentice unattended out of camp, maybe it would be easier if she simply went with her.​