life itself | duskpool

[pearlpaw]

Pearlkit is bored, and bad things happen with Pearl is bored. She does not play with her denmates, no, instead sitting loaf-position in front of the nursery, scanning, watching. Lotsa cats have been getting sick and if it were of her decision, she wanted to see a cat TOPPLE! She thinks it'd look funny, but also, uh, lotsa cats have been perishing or whatever that means. The camp entrance rustles and out pops Duskpool, her favorite cat in Skyclan EVER! Or, uh, maybe he comes second to Doompaw? Or is he first? She thinks for a minute.

Pearlkit shakes her head and giggles as she rushes to greet him, weaving between his legs before she eventually settles between his two front paws. "HELLO!" her voice is loud. She catches herself. "Hi, Duskpool." she tries again, greeting him with a warm blink from two wide eyes. "Can you play with me? Pretty, pretty please? PLEASE?" she begs, putting on her best puppy-dog eyes. "I wuh-wanna play family. You can be the dad and I-" theres a slight wave of something that washes over her. She stops in her tracks. Thoughts of a baritone voice, of a muzzle that nestles against a little cheek. She stares at him blankly. There it is again: a masculine face lining the edges of her memory, fuzzy, blurry. She thinks hard. It is there, there is a body, there is a soft paw that lands on her head as she thinks.

She sees it clearly, but it is not the father she had known before coming to Skyclan. It is Duskpool, and the memory is kind. It is the thought of Duskpool putting up with her poking and prodding, her incessant questions. The cat ruffling her head bursts in to color and it is Duskpool, she remembers it vividly- I want my warrior name to be Duskpool, too! She remembers telling him. He had laughed, and it had filled her with happiness. Her actual parents hadn't loved her enough to keep her, thats why they left her at Skyclan borders. She thinks of Doompaws haunted face, her inward pleading that it couldn't be that.

But they had left her in the care of good cats. Even if it wasn't what they meant to do.

She swallows, after being uncharacteristically quiet. "You can be the dad cat, and i'll be your daughter." she says earnestly, her tone softer now, softer than it ever has been. She does not want it to be just pretend, she wanted someone. It was like how Doompaw had Orangeblossom, and Bobbie's kits had her; she had Duskpool, she wanted Duskpool to be her dad. Even if just for a game.

*ੈ✩‧₊˚ info

• Spoiler: prompt 1

  1. Pearlkit has a close relationship with Duskpool, who found her in the forest and helped bring her back to camp. Write about her feelings toward him. Does she regard him as a father figure, or something else?
  
  @DUSKPOOL | tldr bc i know it got messy ... pearl tries to remember her father, of thoughts long gone only to remember recent things with duskpool >:)
• 
  -> pearlkit
  -> cis female ,, she/her ,, 3 months
  -> kitten at skyclan ,, found abandoned
  -> tiny chocolate tortie/fawn chimera with low white & blue eyes
  -> “speech, a7c7e7”
  -> bisexual ,, too young [ single ]
  -> smells like milk & soft flowers
  -> image by oliver
  

​

 

[DUSKPOOL]

anger makes you stupid . stupid gets you killed .
︶꒦꒷♡꒷꒦︶

The obsidian-furred male padded through the familiar brambles parting ways to reveal Pearlkit, weaving between his legs drawing a tired, but affectionate rumble from the older warrior. “Hey there, kiddo.” He crouched, settling on his haunches with a grunt, shifting to peer at the small fry with a raised brow.

Playing family, huh? He couldn’t help the flash of melancholy that bubbled up just beneath his scarred flesh, darkened lips tilted. He briefly wondered if he would have done something similar to his own. Although they’d be warriors by now, wouldn’t they? His heart churned at the thought of his little ones, expression darkening for the briefest of seconds before settling.

Duskpool blinked, molten copper widening only a fraction at the title, only then remembering Drizzlepelt’s words causing a rugged optic to soften. Times like these … the warrior was glad he hadn’t perished alongside his brothers. Still, it left a bittersweet taste in his mouth, heart clenching at the briefest of turmoils because Pearlkit was so tiny against his larger frame, reminding him of his daughters, so new to the world, but taken away just as brutally.

No. He shook his head, staring down at Pearlkit, helm cocked at the silence. What’s got you thinkin’ that hard? He thought, shifting to press a cold nose against her helm, grinning weakly. “Sure, kid.” He rumbled, pulling away with a rough lick against her helm to settle further into aching paw pads. “I’ll be your pops.” His heart felt whole, brimming with unfathomable happiness because even if this was a game, he couldn’t help but see her as a daughter, no less.

Despite it, Duskpool couldn’t help the prickle of fear running through his veins like ice. His mind flickered to the broken, battered bodies of his brothers until he grunted, urging his paws to move. He had no intentions of dwelling deeper because damnit, he shouldn’t be doing this.

With a grunt, Duskpool came to a stand, peering down at the small fry with a raised brow. “Suppose a father-daughter day is in order, ya?” He rumbled, reaching to rest a paw against her helm before pulling away to peer across the camp. He remembered his old man, but those had been far different circumstances, something he found bittersweet, but as he stood, his optic flashed humourlessly.

He turned to bump a paw against Pearlkit’s side. Beats getting smothered in damn berry juice. He thought grumpily. “Think ya can catch me?” He rumbled, already pulling away, not as fast as he could be, fluffy tail flickering playfully. ​

​

thought speech​

 

[pearlpaw]

Theres a rough lick on her head, but it brings joy, hope nonetheless. Sure, kid. I'll be your pops. Her breath is sucked in as elation rushes through her body. Eyes practically sparkle as she stares at him, acutely aware of her heart thump, thump, thumping a little too hard in her chest. She stares unto the universe and her world stares back at her, through tired orange eyes. "R-Ruh... Really?" she asks, a little too eager, hopeful before she clears her throat, remembering the game she had asked to play. Its just a game.

She feels tears gather in her eyes. She's strong, though. She doesn't cry.

But she does make a choked noise when he places his paw on her head this time. Oh... She did not know how much she had longed for a family until now, thrown away by her own- she had been fine in the nursery sleeping by herself, chasing after other kits, turning her nose up whenever she sees a mother and a son, a father and a daughter. Her once-masked façade slowly breaks and crumbles and she finds herself just slightly reaching for his paw as he draws it back, her action hidden as he scans camp. A dad. What is a dad to her? How does she play with game, again? Blurry, fuzzy memories come back. But he comes back almost instantly, dispersing those thoughts she had and she giggles as he bumps her side.

"I- I could catch up with you at ANY time! They- They call me Speedstar! For my, uh, speed!" are you proud of me, dad, her voice wobbles and almost cracks. She recovers easily, shaking her coat and chasing after him, aiming to leap upon his tail as soon as she catches up. It truly takes effort to push after him, her legs a stick compared to his. She'll giggle, regardless if she lands. "And uh, now this means... This means you have to have a prey party with me and the bugs too!"

*ੈ✩‧₊˚ info

• 
  -> pearlkit
  -> cis female ,, she/her ,, 3 months
  -> kitten at skyclan ,, found abandoned
  -> tiny chocolate tortie/fawn chimera with low white & blue eyes
  -> “speech, a7c7e7”
  -> bisexual ,, too young [ single ]
  -> smells like milk & soft flowers
  -> image by oliver
  

​

 

[DUSKPOOL]

anger makes you stupid . stupid gets you killed .
︶꒦꒷♡꒷꒦︶

Duskpool huffed, humor dancing within a molten hue, helm pivoting to watch the other pounce on his tail. It was then he let the appendage fall flat with her movement, halting his steps to watch her, torn ear flickering. He missed days like this. Carefree times were far fewer for the older warrior. But watching Pearlkit giggle, tackling his tail brought something the other didn’t think he had in him.

Dark lips curled in a subtle smile, molten copper crinkling as he reached to ruffle her helm. Hell if he knew what a prey party was, not nearly as knowledgeable in kit games other than getting dragged into sticky situations by Yukio. He nearly scowled at the thought, feeling his skin prickle at the ghostly sensations of feeling his fur clump and stick to just about anything he came across, looking more like a bush than a damn cat. He’d be damned if he ever did that again.

“Alright, kid. As long as I’m not gettin’ berry juice stuck in my fur.” He rumbled, wiggling his tail in mild amusement. Damn. He blinked, realization flickering across his features, not nearly as noticeable to jerk his helm towards his trapped tail. “Ya wanna let go, speedster?” He rumbled, raising a brow. “Think the fresh-kill pile is callin’ our names.”

He crouched, half-turning to stare at the small fry. “Wanna ride on my shoulders, kid?” ​

​

thought speech​