longitude & attitude ☆ frostbite

[Skunktail]

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With every passing day he feels the cold lessen and it should be a warming realization. He'd caught a lizard, coldblooded and frost opposed and a clear indication of better days but he feels a pit in his stomach that refuses to ease no matter what he does. He isn't hungry, he isn't ill, he just feels hollow. It is far from a pleasant sensation but he grits his teeth and swallows it down because there was nothing to be said for it. It reminded him of whe Porcupine left so long ago, her chocolate pelt vanishing through the trees as he stared and wondered what the future might bring with this new clan formation; his heart longing to follow but his paws remain fixated in place for his family. How fractured they were now, how torn asunder, he is proud of Lilacfur but he is afraid for her. He is proud of Starlingheart but he frets over her. His own grown kits in the clan bring him no solace, he wonders if they might be better off somewhere else and he hates that he feels this way. He doesn't want to.

"Hey Frosty, glad you're doing better." He drops the lizard near white paws, a smile curling his black lips back to show his teeth. Skunktail wasn't exactly known for being the shy sort, he was bold and loud and made himself heard but for whatever reason he had always felt strangely sheepish around the white tom. Well, maybe it wasn't exactly a mystery. To say he liked Frostbite was an understatement but none of his previous efforts to get the others attention had ever really gone anywhere. Part of him wondered if he wasn't trying hard enough, another part told him he was coming across too strongly and that was the issue. It was a balancing act and he was not ambitious enough to be able to keep up with it so he had, in a sense, quietly given up. It was an ache to acknowledge but that was life, he would cope with it and just enjoy being friends if that was how the stones rolled.
Settling down to sit next to the larger cat he tucked his paws under himself and nudged the lizard closer between the two of them, "Share this with me? It's the only thing I caught this morning, but its a good sign. The lizards and snakes coming out mean the snow can't be too off from melting fully. Just need to hold tight a little longer. Stars, I miss the greenery."

☆ ———— promise me she's not your world ☆ ———————— 'Cause Andy, you're a star

•  
• 
  
  
  Skunktail
  —⊰⋅ Warrior of ShadowClan
  —⊰⋅ He/Him
  "SPEECH", 'THOUGHTS', ATTACK
  —⊰⋅ SH Black & white tom w/spearmint green eyes
  

​

 

[Frostbite]

A strong sense of guilt infected him ever since he had fainted from skipping meals. How irresponsible of him. Everyone there that day was right, how could he do literally anything if he was basically a skeleton? How will he hunt down the enemies that plague them and make sure none of them never see another sunrise? His kits, he can't leave them alone. He's since come to his senses and has been eating like he's supposed to. You can't commit violence on an empty stomach!

He's found himself a nice sunny spot in camp. It's probably the first time he's been genuinely warm since leafbare started. For once his paws are warm, he can feel his ears and nose, and any aches and pains from the cold have faded. It's easier to think for now, which unfortunately means stressing over how to keep this clan safe from predators and itself. The amount of headaches he's given himself over what the best way to do things is... Is numerous.

Fortunately, a distraction present himself. He lifts his head to look at Skunktail. His feelings are complicated, one part of him lights up when Skunktail talks to him, and the other feels knots in his stomach.

"I'm feeling a lot better." He says, looking at the lizard he is given. "Of course I'll share with you." He adds, shoving the anxiety born from past experience aside. He cant let the silver molly who hurt him scar him forever. "Any catch is a good catch." He tells Skunktail. "And you're right, with weather getting warmer, all the prey will start to wake up again and we'll finally be able fill our stomachs again." Frostbite agrees with a small smile. And when they regain their strength, they can make their enemies suffer. " I'll miss the snow, though. It's the only time I blend in." A brief chuckle escapes him as he thinks about all the mud and muck that's about to appear all over the marsh. He's not looking forward to it.

"You know..." Frostbite speaks up again after a short pause. "I appreciate all you do for me." He says. "The gifts, and the company, and all." He's not sure he ever actually let Skunktail know this. If he did, he doesn't remember, and its not like a second time would hurt. He takes a bite of the lizard. It's a coldblooded creature and does little to warm him inside, but he's learned to stop being picky.​

 

[Skunktail]

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Ah. His ears burned at that, pinning back to his skull and he laughed in the sort of forced way that made it sound more like he was coughing. Being appreciated was all well and good but it was especially warming from someone well respected like Frostbite, "Yeah uh, n-no worries, I'm glad you're feeling better. Genuinely." He was the foundation of the clan at this point, he could name several cats who had issue with the other ranks but not a soul would dare voice opposition to Frostbite, he didn't think the tom capable of having enemies outside non-ShadowClanners of course.
The praise bolstered him though, lessened his apprehension on his still sore feelings and he tilted his head to the side as he regarded the blue-eyed warrior.

"...you know I've been hitting on you for several moons now." He said suddenly, blurting it out without much thought because what was the point of being coy and subdued about it anymore when Frostbite had made clear his lack of interest. They could at least laugh about it now, it would go a long way to helping him get over it. He wasn't the type to hold resentment over mixed feelings, he only really held grudges against cats who never learned their lessons and acted foolish but simply not reciprocating his feelings was hardly a reason to not remain friends. He liked Frostbite, he would just need to adjust to this like being platonic only.
"...sorry if it was annoying to deal with." He chuckles, stripping the tail off the lizard and swiping it around his mouth to slurp it down like a bird to a worm, "You know, telling me no directly would've....been quicker." He rolled his shoulders, amused - trying not to let his hurt near the surface, "I'm not good picking up hints."

☆ ———— promise me she's not your world ☆ ———————— 'Cause Andy, you're a star

•  
• 
  
  
  Skunktail
  —⊰⋅ Warrior of ShadowClan
  —⊰⋅ He/Him
  "SPEECH", 'THOUGHTS', ATTACK
  —⊰⋅ SH Black & white tom w/spearmint green eyes
  

​

 

[Frostbite]

Woah wait a minute.

Frostbite wasn't ready for that revelation. Skunktail has been HITTING ON HIM this whole time!? And he never noticed! Oh, Frostbite feels like an idiot. How did he never pick up on it? Was he really that dense? Apparently so, because he looks at Skunktail with wide surprised eyes and struggles to find a response. He looks back on their interactions. How did he miss the signs??

"I-....I never realized...." He starts. "I never realized you felt that way." He admits, embarrassed.


Now he feels stuck. What does he do? The thought of being mates with Skunktail doesn't sound.... Bad. It doesn't make him crinkle his nose. But still, knots from in his gut and anxiety grips him.

"It's not....It isn't that I don't like you. You're a good friend and I enjoy your company. It's just that the last time I opened my heart to someone... They abandoned me." He says, throat feeling tight and ears laying flat. " So I've kind of forgotten.... How to do this...." He continues, looking over to Skunktail. " But... If you have the patience, I wouldn't mind being your mate." He finishes.

Part of him worries about how Skunktail will respond, but he finds that the feeling isn't very strong. He trusts Skunktail enough that it doesn't bother him so much, he finds.​