keep me from the cold || spider, willow

[Harry Styles]

A S H P A W.

She cowers on the ground, a tiny orange ball trying to flatten herself into the grass—shivering, terrified, waiting for @SPIDERFALL. 's next blow. Brand-new bruises ache, and blood trickles from the fresh little cut on her shoulder where he'd struck her with claws extended rather than sheathed.

The little patch of red is the only clue as to what he's already done. He'll find a good excuse for it, she thinks miserably. He always does.

She wonders if he'll dunk her in the river again to get his scent off, she hates it when he dunks her in the river—a whimper slips out of her at another snarled threat, and she silently begs StarClan for it to just be over already. She wants to go home. She wants to go curl up and hide in Willowroot's nest again, maybe, wrap herself in the familiar scent so unlike this one.

And then—

And then it's like StarClan listened because @willowroot is there. Ashpaw's breath catches at the familiar scent. She doesn't dare look up, but tears of relief gather in glass-green eyes as she scents the approach of her mentor.

Willowroot loves her. Willowroot keeps her safe. Willowroot's gonna stop him.
​

—— " i found gold in the wreckage "

✦ ooc ✦ character information ✦ recent events

• ooc text goes here
• - 4 month old orange tabby with green eyes
  - apprenticed to lead warrior willowroot
  - happy-go-lucky, mischievous, hardworking
  - very friendly, but defensive of riverclan!
  - "speech"
• - started her apprentice training
  - attacked by a twoleg as part of riverclan's clanwide plot & escaped into the river
  - returned home by thunderclanners

​

 

[willowroot]

( ☾ ) it's somewhat alarming when they awaken from their nap and don't find an eager apprentice hopping beside their nest. ashpaw's healing process has been slow, but the girl has slowly begun to come back to life. the past few days have seen her pick up training again, hesitantly but stubborn nonetheless. it gladdens willowroot's heart to see her fiery apprentice awake and thriving again, even though night terrors haunt her midnights and send her crawling to another's nest. so it is because of this newfound enthusiasm that willow expects to see the girl waiting with her eyes bright beside the nest, inquisitive and ready for training. something falls in their stomach when they don't see her.

lifting themself from their nest, they'll swipe their tongue across their fur and move quickly from the den, pausing to ask an npc if they've seen any sign of ashpaw. the feline shrugs, gesturing to the exit to camp, and willow gives them a grateful nod. ash knows she's not supposed to leave without a warrior- in fact the lead warrior can not imagine a circumstance in which the traumatized apprentice would break this rule, but they head into the forest anyway, scenting the air with an anxious heart. "ashpaw!" they'll call, brow furrowing with the lack of response. she can't have gone far...

it's then that she scents it- the overwhelming, undeniable smell of blood, wafting through the air. picking up her pace, willowroot darts between brambles and low hanging branches, fear overtaking her when she is able to detect who's blood floats on the wind. "ashpaw!!" her call is louder now, and finally she'll arrive, eyes narrowing at the incriminating sight. spiderfall stands with his fur bristling, face contorted in a snarl, and ash's body is curled into the ground, trembling, bloody. anger ripples through the femme, and they stalk up, putting themself between their apprentice and the warrior. "what in starclan's name is happening here. spiderfall, you'd better explain quick why my apprentice is bleeding and terrified." sea foam eyes lock onto the tom, and her tail will curl protectively around ashpaw's little body, pulling her close. protectiveness alights, fiery throughout their chest as they hold the little one against their flank. ​

( THE LIGHT YOU GAVE ME )

 

[SPIDERFALL.]

AND A HEART THAT ISN'T HERE​

---

Spiderfall had just been about to strike down the apprentice once more but it had been the sound of rustling that made him quickly withdraw his claws, dropping his paws down to the ground while icy amber eyes stayed glued onto the apprentice. He was making sure to give her the tiny reminders of where she is set, and yet however perhaps he was going to far. Ashpaw has shown to be quite fearful of her and yet he still did not wish to risk her telling that it had been him to had lured her that faithful day. Oh if only she had not come back, things would have been much more simpler.

Willowroot easily made her appearance and irritation stroke deep into the tom's coat. What a terrible time this was but he quickly smoothed down his fur, pulling on a stoic yet unreadable face as he lifted his chin slightly. "I had caught her sneaking out, she got trapped in some brambles and I rescued her from it. Scolded her as well for leaving camp without a warrior alongside her Willowroot" there was a slight tinge of distaste in his voice, venom. Willowroot, a former loner just as he and Frost and yet here she was, bending down and kissing the paws of Cicadastar. A traitor to her own kind.

"Isn't this correct, Ashpaw" he made his voice sound like honey, venom oozing secretly through the cold yet warm tone the warrior pulled off, making it clear to the apprentice that he would not tolerate her telling what was truly going on, reminding her to keep her maw shut and not say a thing. He kept his eyes locked onto Willowroot, his amber gaze cold and filled with hatred. He was clearly not the same kid that once helped raise his own sister, he was barely recognizable, darkness cascading itself over him, swallowing him whole and leaving nothing but pure hatred in it's wake.​

"speak""Thoughts"​

 

[Harry Styles]

A S H P A W.

Safe. She's safe now.

Willowroot wraps around her, protective, and Ashpaw melts into them, ginger fur brushing soft against black smoke. She shudders into the hug and tries not to cry, cringing away from the massive tom.

Spiderfall's barely made his case before Ashpaw is nodding, apologizing, desperately backing up the man's story. If he gets caught—if he gets caught he'll kill her friends, he'll kill Darkpaw or Gillpaw or Fernpaw or Pumpkinpaw—

"I, I snuck out again, I'm sorry Willowroot, I just—"

She swallows, her throat tight—it has to be a good lie, can she tell a good one?

"I'm almost all better but I still gotta stay in camp so much, and it's not fair and, and I just wanted to go out a l-little tiny bit, I'm s-sorry—"

If Willowroot gets her in trouble then Spiderfall will be happy, right? Then he won't have to "remind" her again, to be good? Ashpaw doesn't know anymore. (She doesn't want Willowroot to get her in trouble.)

"Spi-Spiderfall was just mad cause of how I'll get hurt if I go out alone. He, he saved me from brambles," she says.

Even as she speaks she's pressing into her mentor, clinging to the moment of safety.
​

—— " i found gold in the wreckage "

✦ ooc ✦ character information ✦ recent events

• ooc text goes here
• - 4 month old orange tabby with green eyes
  - apprenticed to lead warrior willowroot
  - happy-go-lucky, mischievous, hardworking
  - very friendly, but defensive of riverclan!
  - "speech"
• - started her apprentice training
  - attacked by a twoleg as part of riverclan's clanwide plot & escaped into the river
  - returned home by thunderclanners

​

 

[willowroot]

( ☾ ) ashpaw presses closer - she's trembling - and it makes it very difficult for willowroot to believe anything spiderfall is saying. still, she listens, eyes gradually loosing their anger, even if suspicion still lingers. as her apprentice speaks up, tiny voice miserable and apologetic, she softens. "you should've brought her back to camp and told me," the lead warrior repremands spider, voice no longer venomous but tired. "but i appreciate you finding her. in the future, it's not your job to scold her, especially with the anger i saw walking in here." giving the man a nod, as if dismissing him, she'll focus on the girl beside her. "ash, love, it's alright, dear." obviously it's not 'all right,' but the girl doesn't need to be more distraught. the look of fear in her gaze and the pressure of her shaking body is engrained in the lead warrior's mind. "i know you know better. you must be itching to get training again, and we will soon. this won't happen again."

rasping her tongue over the crimson injuries, she winces. "let's go get you patched up," beginning to lead the girl away, she'll send a severe look back at the midnight warrior. "keep your position in mind next time, spiderfall. you are not her mentor." ​

( THE LIGHT YOU GAVE ME )