- Jul 24, 2023
- 214
- 57
- 28
✦ TW Mentions of death and drawn imagery of a dead bird.
The border's horrid chill pricked at Dogbite's whiskers as he stood atop the pale fence post, the distant sky painted with hues of blue and orange. Stars speckled the heavens, their light a quiet reminder of Starclan's ever-present gaze. They had made their peace with the ancestors of the clans having always felt excluded from their ranks. Each step closer to the edge of twoleg territory into Skyclan's pressed a heavier weight upon his chest.
Home. A word carrying too many meanings, all tinged with bittersweetness. What once was his sanctuary now felt distant, like a half-forgotten dream. Orangestar's hurt gaze and Slate's fiery one an everlasting reminder of his shortcomings. There had been no reason for him to run like a coward from a mistake. They could've earned their way back up the ranks and healed himself amongst friends - but truthfully he couldn't. He had long since been broken and clan life had a way of breaking him over and over. Soon enough he had grown too fragile and sought an escape from it all. Whiskey had been that escape and as days turned to nights it grew harder and harder to leave. Now he was back here again like a ghost in living form.
The wood creaked softly beneath his paws, a familiar sound that tugged at memories of patrols and camaraderie. Scents drifted on the cold breeze, some familiar, others foreign, all of them stirring a deep ache of regret. He had stayed away for moons, letting the life of his twoleg nest envelop him. His fur now silky from care and rounder frame bore the marks of easy living, and the snug, inky collar around his neck was a badge of a life chosen out of need. No amount of begging, explaining or offerings could suffice for his abrupt disappearance. Nor would they ever ask for the forgiveness of those they abandoned.
Dogbite's heart clenched as his gaze swept the terrain. Leafbare was in full swing, and his thoughts turned to those he had left behind friends, kin, clanmates, still braving the cold and hardships without him. Remorse gnawed at him, but so did resolve. Don't start with yourself Dogbite. You knew what it meant coming back here. He had made his choice, and though it pained him, they knew this journey wasn't about rekindling old ties. It was about closure. Dogbite lingered at the top of the fence for a moment longer, his gaze fixed on the scent lines. The stillness of the forest called to him like an old melody, one he could hum but no longer sing. The frost-kissed air carried whispers of his past laughter, battles, kinship. All of it as unreachable as the judging stars above.
A pitiable bird dangled in their jaws as he hopped from the fence, padding cautiously to the border. Each step felt heavier than the last as snow dragged at his pelt. Quietly they laid the prey down with deliberate care, its still form a small offering to the clan he had loved and left behind. They hoped it was a clear message that he still cared but he would not return. The faint rustle of distant pawsteps reached his ears. No doubt border patrols were beginning their rounds. His offering of a bird lay at the border, silent and unassuming, much like his own presence. He hoped it was enough, though he knew it never could be.
"Goodbye." They murmured, the word barely escaping frigid lips, fragile as the early frost. Stay warm and safe. I will always think of you with love in my heart. There were so many faces he wished to see but courage evaded him. He had laid too many dear friends to rest here and he couldn't handle the weight of knowing anymore had met a brutal end. Dogbite never learned to cope with the loss of others but at least he could live with their memories.
Climbing back onto the fence, Dogbite refused to look back, his frosty breaths shallow as emotion clawed at his throat. Skyclan would survive without him as they always had. And though the wounds of his departure might never fully heal, this was a salve for his soul, however insufficient. Go home. Go back to him. Whiskey's warmth awaited, a reminder that even in brokenness, love and redemption could be found. They could never regret meeting the tom. Dogbite pressed forward, each step steadier than the last. The past would always linger, but for the first time, he allowed himself to believe in a future.
All that remained of his presence were a few imprints of paws and a little bird partially buried in snow.
The border's horrid chill pricked at Dogbite's whiskers as he stood atop the pale fence post, the distant sky painted with hues of blue and orange. Stars speckled the heavens, their light a quiet reminder of Starclan's ever-present gaze. They had made their peace with the ancestors of the clans having always felt excluded from their ranks. Each step closer to the edge of twoleg territory into Skyclan's pressed a heavier weight upon his chest.
Home. A word carrying too many meanings, all tinged with bittersweetness. What once was his sanctuary now felt distant, like a half-forgotten dream. Orangestar's hurt gaze and Slate's fiery one an everlasting reminder of his shortcomings. There had been no reason for him to run like a coward from a mistake. They could've earned their way back up the ranks and healed himself amongst friends - but truthfully he couldn't. He had long since been broken and clan life had a way of breaking him over and over. Soon enough he had grown too fragile and sought an escape from it all. Whiskey had been that escape and as days turned to nights it grew harder and harder to leave. Now he was back here again like a ghost in living form.
The wood creaked softly beneath his paws, a familiar sound that tugged at memories of patrols and camaraderie. Scents drifted on the cold breeze, some familiar, others foreign, all of them stirring a deep ache of regret. He had stayed away for moons, letting the life of his twoleg nest envelop him. His fur now silky from care and rounder frame bore the marks of easy living, and the snug, inky collar around his neck was a badge of a life chosen out of need. No amount of begging, explaining or offerings could suffice for his abrupt disappearance. Nor would they ever ask for the forgiveness of those they abandoned.
Dogbite's heart clenched as his gaze swept the terrain. Leafbare was in full swing, and his thoughts turned to those he had left behind friends, kin, clanmates, still braving the cold and hardships without him. Remorse gnawed at him, but so did resolve. Don't start with yourself Dogbite. You knew what it meant coming back here. He had made his choice, and though it pained him, they knew this journey wasn't about rekindling old ties. It was about closure. Dogbite lingered at the top of the fence for a moment longer, his gaze fixed on the scent lines. The stillness of the forest called to him like an old melody, one he could hum but no longer sing. The frost-kissed air carried whispers of his past laughter, battles, kinship. All of it as unreachable as the judging stars above.
A pitiable bird dangled in their jaws as he hopped from the fence, padding cautiously to the border. Each step felt heavier than the last as snow dragged at his pelt. Quietly they laid the prey down with deliberate care, its still form a small offering to the clan he had loved and left behind. They hoped it was a clear message that he still cared but he would not return. The faint rustle of distant pawsteps reached his ears. No doubt border patrols were beginning their rounds. His offering of a bird lay at the border, silent and unassuming, much like his own presence. He hoped it was enough, though he knew it never could be.
"Goodbye." They murmured, the word barely escaping frigid lips, fragile as the early frost. Stay warm and safe. I will always think of you with love in my heart. There were so many faces he wished to see but courage evaded him. He had laid too many dear friends to rest here and he couldn't handle the weight of knowing anymore had met a brutal end. Dogbite never learned to cope with the loss of others but at least he could live with their memories.
Climbing back onto the fence, Dogbite refused to look back, his frosty breaths shallow as emotion clawed at his throat. Skyclan would survive without him as they always had. And though the wounds of his departure might never fully heal, this was a salve for his soul, however insufficient. Go home. Go back to him. Whiskey's warmth awaited, a reminder that even in brokenness, love and redemption could be found. They could never regret meeting the tom. Dogbite pressed forward, each step steadier than the last. The past would always linger, but for the first time, he allowed himself to believe in a future.
All that remained of his presence were a few imprints of paws and a little bird partially buried in snow.
- A VERY VERY belated but official farewell from Dogbite and myself. To fill in the gaps Dogbite ran away shortly after Orangestar and Slatesnarl confronted him for lying. Leaving the clan to believe he disappeared with little to no trace. He left during the meeting of his demotion and has no knowledge of what's happened in the clans since. He now lives with twolegs as a kittypet with Whiskey (his mate) and is being loved to bits by his owners.
-
-
✧ LH cinnamon tabby high white blue eye
✧ npc x npc ; sibling to crescent and bear
✧ ex- skyclanner ; former mentor to hollypaw
✧ 41 moons old ; birthday 07/01
✧ AFAB ; nonbinary ; he/they
✧ pansexual ; polyromantic ; mates with whiskey
✧ "speech", thought, attack, powerplay
✧ peaceful powerplay allowed
✧ penned by tasmagoric
Last edited:
