lost your mind ;; successful catch.

[hyacinthbreath]

Hyacinthbreath feels her muscles pull taught as she swims, webbed paws lapping at the surface of the water as she pushes against the current. Below her is a group of fish, swimming without a single worry in the world; Hyacinth swallows around her own saliva at the thought of being able to eat fresh fish. Her paddles are quick yet quiet, treading water as she circles the fish like a vulture. Then, she dives under after holding her breath- disappearing beneath the surface momentarily. One second, two, three.. And just when one might not think she'd come above the surface again, Hyacinth bursts from the top with a heavy wheeze. In her jaws is clasped a decently sized fish, flopping around angrily in her mouth. A loud crunch crushes the back of the fish's head, killing it in one bite. Then, she crawls to land, tail lashing behind her. Her eyes are wide with adrenaline pumping through her body, but as she drops the fish on the grass, Hyacinth smiles at her catch. A flawless catch for the first time in her time in RiverClan, proof to herself that she could do this.

She startles as she hears the sound of pawsteps behind her, picking up her fish suddenly. "Oh, hello." She greets whoever it is, smiling around the fish in her jaws.​

❝ there are wounds inside me, gaping holes of disconnect.
can you drown inside your own body? can you suffocate within this mind? ❞

 

[Burningfern]

Burningfern blinks in surprise as she steps through the reeds only to be greeted by the soaked foam of Hyacinthbreath. Her green gaze moves down to the freshly caught fish at the former windclanners paws and she blinked once more before looking back up to meet the silver she-cats gaze, "I see you've finally settled into the fishing life here."

To be honest, Burningfern still wasn't sure what to make of the former moor cat. She didn't distrust her, no the cat before her had been here long enough and had worked hard enough to prove themselves worthy to swim the river's waters, and yet there was still something within her stomach that felt uneasy about them. Trying her best to push the unease aside, the calico would simply smile politely as she looked over the older molly's soaked form, "Though most cats just fish from the bank, since swimming normally scares off the fish."

Burningfern then moves to do just that, crouching at the shore of the river and searching the water for her own catch, "Plan to do any more fishing, or are you heading back now?" ​

RIVERCLAN WARRIOR ✦ MOLLY ✦ 24 MOONS ✦ TAGS​

 

[CLAYFUR]

The lilac-striped warrior is one who Clay tends to avoid, not out of disrespect but out of guilt. He loathes her. His chest aches when he looks at her—once a WindClanner, always a WindClanner. He wants to be unimaginably cruel to her, wants to make her hurt just as much as he has. But… maybe she has hurt just as badly as Clay. Maybe that’s why her fight with that WindClan warrior ended in murder.

She can’t be blamed for Clear’s death. She was protecting the clan from a WindClanner, from a threat who crossed the border. She did what was right, and proved her loyalty to RiverClan. But in doing so, she triggered a raid from WindClan in retaliation. Does that make what she did wrong—who is Clay to decide whether it does? And besides, doesn’t the blame for her actions fall on his own clanmates, in the end? On Cicada and Smoke and everyone else who approved of, who argued in favor of her joining?

When he happens upon the two she-cats, Clay’s pawsteps stutter and he comes to a complete stop. Burningfern is already speaking to the former WindClan warrior, thankfully; he doesn’t have to attempt to start a conversation with her. He’s trying to be kind to her, even if he’s been clearly avoiding her like the worst kind of sickness. "Diving, huh?" He questions, trying to keep his tone light. Why is it so difficult? "I’ll join you too, if you’re planning on fishing some more." He could use a distraction, if nothing else.
​

[ YOU ARE THE STARS TO ME ]​

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[hyacinthbreath]

Eyes of aquamarine stare as the tortoiseshell greets her, asking her if she's settled in to the fishing life- Hyacinth hums her answer out, satisfied with her catch. She didn't realize that her diving would scare fish away, though. Perhaps she'd keep an eye out next time and just fish from the land. "I'm still getting used to it, this was my first successful dive catch." She meows, dropping the fish on the ground gently. A paw places itself on top of it to make sure it didn't come flopping back to life. "I feel like swimming is much easier now, though. Before, it was hard to stay afloat- Buckgait and Iciclefang taught me enough about swimming for me to pick up on it, though." Once satisfied that the fish was dead, she picked it back up and began her slow trudge back to the fresh-kill pile, only to stop in place when she sees the larger form of Clayfur in front of her. Hearing his voice, she's almost surprised he's talking to her. She doesn't blame him for hating her guts, not after he had lost his mate because of her. However, it was rude to leave someone without an answer.

"Diving indeed, it's a bit complicated holding my breath underwater." Chirrups the molly, though his offer to continue fishing makes her stop and turn back to the river. Perhaps another bout of fishing wouldn't hurt- maybe he and Burningfern could teach her a thing or two. "Sure. Should we.. Move to a different spot, or is this place still good to fish at?"​

RIVERCLAN WARRIOR ✦ WARTORN SOLDIER ✦ 53 MOONS ✦ TAGS​

 

[Burningfern]

Burningfern would blink slowly as Clayfur joined them, her expression calm yet clearly guarded as she waited to see what would happen between the two. Many cats within Riverclan blamed Hyacinthbreath for the death of Clayfurs' mate. Burningfern herself was unsure who the true blame fell upon, but perhaps that was why she was still wary around the lilac molly.

Her eyes would drift back to the river as the two spoke, but as Hyacinth accepted their offer to continue fishing, Burningfern would hum softly in contemplation before rising back to her paws and shaking her head, "Nothing here. Perhaps we should move upstream?" Anything downstream after all had probably also sensed whatever movement had come from Hyacinths' swimming and diving.

She turned to face the two as she motioned with her tail toward a riverbank further up the way, "Shall we then?" ​

RIVERCLAN WARRIOR ✦ MOLLY ✦ 24 MOONS ✦ TAGS​

 

[CLAYFUR]

As Hyacinthbreath explains how she’s gotten better at swimming, Clay fights to keep a grimace off his face. Were she any other cat, he’d be happier for her; as it is, he is happy that she’s finding her own way in the river territory. But the idea of talking so casually about her improvements in the water, like she’s any everyday RiverClanner, is surreal. The differences between she and Boneripple are stark, and it’s difficult to ignore them even now, when they’re both seemingly finally settling in as true RiverClanners.

The calico warrior suggests that they should move upstream, and Clayfur is quick to nod along. "Yeah, upstream might be better for more fishing," he agrees, nodding his head in the same direction Burningfern gestures. "Let’s go." He stumbles, nearly trips over his paws in his eagerness to turn and head upstream—eagerness to put the lilac tabby behind him, even for just a moment. But he doesn’t fall entirely, so he’s at least able to keep his composure.

"So… What’s the biggest fish you’ve caught?" He asks conversationally, tipping his head to the side; his question is meant more for Burningfern, but he supposes Hyacinth could have caught something larger than what she has now. He can’t even remember the biggest fish he’s ever caught, or what he did with it. He probably gave it to Clearsight or something. The thought stings, but he tries to keep his mind off of it. Fishing. Where’s the best spot around here to fish?
​

[ YOU ARE THE STARS TO ME ]​

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