private Nobody's promised tomorrow ♔ Polynesia

[Tawnyclaw]

*+:｡.｡ When it came to avoiding his responsibilities, Tawnyclaw was truly king. Today would be no different. The second the hunting patrol disbanded to find their queries, Tawnyclaw was off, slipping into the brush without concern as he left his harder-working clanmates behind. Having done this enough times to consider it an art, Tawnyclaw knew a mouse den around here that would provide plenty of meals once he finished his nap. Or he'd happily return empty-pawed, shrugging that 'today was simply not his day' as he normally does. It would all depend on how he felt after his much-needed third slumber of the day.

Spending his afternoon high in Skyclan's canopy, the young man would paw at the leaves slowly painting themselves orange and gold as the season wore on. On and on time marched forth, and though he could feel his thick winter coat slowly growing in, he couldn't say he saw much else changing in his life. It was difficult, admittedly, watching the world move slowly on without you. Plucking a leaf from his impromptu nest, he sighs and watches it flutter to the ground.

After a moment of deliberation, the lazy warrior finally lets out a deep yawn before bunching his shoulders and leaping expertly out of the bough. He supposes, with his sister's kits being born soon, he ought to make better decisions, so this one time he'll play proper warrior and bring something home. It isn't until his paws touch the ground does he realizes something doesn't quite smell right. Glancing around and sniffing the air yeilds only enough research to note that he is, indeed, close to the twoleg border.

Ears snapping up, he hears the distant sound of crunching soil, the heaviness of the movement denoting a clumsy twoleg moving through the brush, although it sounds too far away to be of any bother to Tawnyclaw. Still, he strains his ears to catch its bellows as it shouts, not out of fear or anger but like it's...searching for-

Teeth snap shut on Tawnyclaw's neck just as he swivels around to face his opponent. A fluffy dog, no bigger than himself, with slavering teeth and wild, excited eyes. A flash of unnatural pink denotes it's a pet, but the sight of its collar gives him some hope as Tawnyclaw kicks hard at its neck, hooking his claws around its two-leg accessory to keep its teeth from properly digging in. But the animal is already on top of him, its own claws clawing at his thick fur as the two wrestle upon the leaf litter.

If I die a death as stupid as this and Owlheart names a kit after me, I'm haunting her is his last feverish thought as the yapping canine's jaws sink deeper and deeper-

*+:｡.｡ Updated 10/8/24

• // hot diggidy damn I'm so sorry this is such a shit intro
  
  
• 
  
  
  
  GENERAL:
  ♔ Tawnyclaw
  ♔ DFAB— He/Him — Unsure
  ♔ 18 moons — Ages 1 moon every month 28th
  ♔ Skyclan — Warrior
  ♔ Son of Orangestar and Ashenclaw
  ♔ Brother to Cherryblossom, Eggbounce, Glimmersun and Owlheart
  ♔ Mentoring Dogwoodpaw
  
  
  
  COMBAT:
  ♔Physically hard | mentally medium
  ♔ Attack in bold #bf8924
  injuries: None currently

​

 

[Polynesia]

Soft eyes and a hard, gaunt face appear from under the seat of a small bench. Even though it is only leaf-fall, the wind whips straight through her silky fur and directly against the skin pulled taut from hunger hiding beneath. Even though it's only chilly, her body shivers with each movement as she blinks wearily from her small nap. A wilted stomach grumbles at her and she forces herself onto shaking paws. Even now, she refused herself the right to cry or emit any sounds of distress. Many a meal were missed early on during her orphaning from her crying or letting out sounds of excitement.

With a small step she begins to pace down the hard stone path that runs its course through the edge of the forest in what she knows as a trail. Few twolegs were around but some prey tended to run well here, where it was so close to the forest. None of the passing twolegs acknowledge her as she keeps to the edge of the trail and she instinctually steps off of the hard stone and onto the soft dirt. Polynesia isn't paying attention to where her steps are leading her, far too hungry to care.

Her nose burns with the acrid stench of twoleg place, from which she's long been exposed, dulling her sense of smell. Very faintly she's sure that she can smell squirrel and she follows the row of tall trees that separate the forest from the sprawing twoleg place she'd called home for most of her short life. For just a few moments she's sure she hears a dog but it sounds like it's heading away from her as best as she can tell and she ignores it.

The sound gets louder though and she looks ahead, catching sight of a dog snapping at a cat. There is no moment of indecision for her and she begins to pick up speed as best as her hungry body can carry her. As she closes the distance she veers left and aligns herself with the dogs hind-quarters before leaping onto it's back. Her movements are sloppy but she lands with three of her four limbs dug into the creature's back. Wordlessly she digs her claws in as hard as she can while the animal whips her around. It's no surprise then that her attack lasts only a few precious seconds before the dog easily bucks her near weightless body from it's back and whirls on her. Teeth snap towards her face but she remains on her back, swinging a forepaw in front of her muzzle which it catches easily in it's teeth.

It doesn't look like a victory but her face is still intact and that's what she was aiming for. Any further plans are immediately interrupted as the much larger mammal jerks her foreleg sharply to the right and pain burns through her leg and shoulder as blood flecks the grass. A small cry finally forces itself out of her muzzle as the pain is too much to no longer ignore.

 

[Tawnyclaw]

*+:｡.｡ When it comes to dying, Tawnyclaw feels as though he's due a meeting anytime. Witnessing his father's death and how quickly and suddenly it can take it to the near-death he'd experienced as a young apprentice during the rogue invasion, he's simply stopped fearing it. Death comes for them all, and for him, he's always believed he'd escaped it one too many times. The only thing he has to hope for is that, when his day comes, he'll at least go before his family.
But just as the morbid feeling takes hold, a flash of crimson catches his eye. The color of leaves shining in the sun, the russet before gold, burning the grove sunset. Or maybe it's a fox coming to eat both Tawnyclaw and the dog? Now that would be a hilarious way to go!

Fortunately, the caterwauls of a feline quickly ease his vulpine-related guess as his attacker whirls around to face its new autumn-themed opponent. Tawnyclaw has enough time to assess the lack of fatally deep puncture wounds, although his well-groomed neck is still matted with blood. Call it ungrateful, but the nice numbing of adrenaline does nothing to ease the prickle of irritation at the bitch of a mess he'll have to groom out of his thick coat now. At least in death, he'd have an excuse to not look presentable.

Speaking of death-

Tawnyclaw snaps out of his dazed internal commentary at the high-pitched wail. Terror digs it's claws deep and in an instant he's on his feet. Lunging at the dog, Tawnyclaw digs his claws into its hind leg before snapping his teeth around its ankle. He tears the flesh viciously as the dog attempts to yank its limb away. Before it can snap its teeth on him again, Tawnyclaw leaps back and snarls at the beast, fluffing out his fur to look twice his size.

Suddenly, the stomping from before sounds off again, the bumbling two-leg he'd heard earlier sounding much closer than before. Its cries must have some sort of control over the dog, for the canine suddenly looks away, in the direction of the two-leg. Tawnyclaw wastes not a precious second -

Lunging once more, he aims to grab the red and white - although mostly red now - feline, grabbing at her scruff and quickly dragging her into the brush. It's painful how easy she is to carry - nothing but skin and bones, one of which he doesn't doubt is broken. Luckily, despite the added weight slowing him down, the dog doesn't pursue. Instead, from the bushes, he watches as the two-leg breaks through the foliage and grabs the dog's collar. It seems to fret over its wounds before plucking the animal like a mother would its a kitten and stomping back towards a two-leg place.

Panting, he doesn't blink until he's sure their adversaries are gone, before dropping his attention down on the loner.

Small and frail, it's a wonder how she managed to hop the dog's back without dying from the effort alone. Why'd she risk it? Was he not a total stranger to her?

"If all it takes to meet a lovely lady is a near-death experience, I would've jumped into a dog's mouth sooner" he laughs, hoping to break the fear-born tension. Shooting one final look through the brush to ensure they're truly safe, he finally lowers himself into a crouch, investigating her gnarly paw injury. "I know someone who can help with that," he says in a softer tone, "Name's Tawnyclaw, by the way. Can you walk?"

*+:｡.｡ Updated 10/8/24

• 
  
  
• 
  
  
  
  GENERAL:
  ♔ Tawnyclaw
  ♔ DFAB— He/Him — Unsure
  ♔ 18 moons — Ages 1 moon every month 28th
  ♔ Skyclan — Warrior
  ♔ Son of Orangestar and Ashenclaw
  ♔ Brother to Cherryblossom, Eggbounce, Glimmersun and Owlheart
  ♔ Mentoring Dogwoodpaw
  
  
  
  COMBAT:
  ♔Physically hard | mentally medium
  ♔ Attack in bold #bf8924
  injuries: None currently

​

 

[Polynesia]

The next few moments are a hardly tangible blur to her unfocused gaze as she usesd her remaining strength to keep the creatures foul teeth from reaching her face and neck. Just as she's about to lose her will to keep fighting, a yelp escapes the beast and the teeth let go of her limb. Blood drips steadily from the wound as she struggles to stand. Whoever this stranger is, he's either really brave or he's feeling the exact same thing she felt when it was him under those jaws.

She's about to try and hobble away when teeth grip her scruff and she's dragged into the bush, or carried more accurately. She's certainly light enough for this large and fluffy cloud of a cat to manipulate her easy. Her head is spinning with exhaustion as the last of the adrenaline begins to leave her body, leaving the shiver from earlier to intensify.


The following movements are slow and dragged out, almost comical as she slowly moves her head to gaze at her wounded leg. Tears well in those pools of honey and she, unable to stop herself lets out a pitiful whine that only breaks when the tom speaks up again. Was he flirting with her, right now, really? The pure shock completely overrides her pain and she just stares at him, dumbfounded. Never in the last ten moons of her life had she been called lovely, she'd not even look into windows to see her own reflection.

The other surprise is the timing, who says something like that in this situation? She almost laughs but the pain comes back and she lets out a miserable sounding groan of pain.

"Yes, help." The words are almost spit out from the pain and her whole entire body is shaking aggressively.

"I-I don't think so." Polynesia would gasp out.

 

[Tawnyclaw]

*+:｡.｡ The pitiful whine that manages to escape her hurts worse than the bite to his neck. Once more, he wonders why? Why did she fight the dog when she was in such a poor state? Had she done so just to save him? It's not a foreign concept to him, plenty of kitty-pet and loner born cats in Skyclan had earned their place by being devoted to one another, even when they shared no blood beforehand. Tawnyclaw decides in this moment that he'll do anything he can to ensure the young woman stays within Skyclan's protective walls - if not long enough for her paw to heal, then longer still until she's no longer a wisp of a feline.

"Honestly? Not an uncommon reaction" he responds to her wheeze, unable to help continuing the joke even as his chest squeezes at the sight of her. Or perhaps it's not just the empathy as his own throat has begun to throb painfully beneath his fur. Although most of his thick coat caught the brunt of the dog's sharp teeth and tight squeeze, his lacerations were still deep enough to bleed and the pain from them was growing more difficult to ignore as his adrenaline wore out. Gonna be a lot harder to look cool if he's just as agonized as the chick, better hurry this up.

"At this point I'm just impressed you're still awake" he says with another wincing laugh, before scooting closer. "I'll carry you, hold still" Pushing his head under her arm, he wiggles until he's successfully pulled her over his back. It's not the most graceful move, and the needling protest from his neck is more than a little uncomfortable, but he'll manage fine. Starclan above she's light though. What was it healers always say in situations like this? Don't sleep? "Although it's a great honor to know everything about me, ill leave the floor to you, my dear savior, tell me about yourself" he rolls his shoulders to ensure she's balanced before he begins his walk. It's a slow pace since he fears jostling her, not to mention the weakness in his own legs is nothing to sneeze at, but he's certain he'll make it home in due time. Hopefully, he'll come across a patrol in the meantime, but he doubts it.

"Do your best" he says gently, knowing it must hurt to speak but still needing the reassurance that she isn't passing out on him.

*+:｡.｡ Updated 10/8/24

• 
  
  
• 
  
  
  
  GENERAL:
  ♔ Tawnyclaw
  ♔ DFAB— He/Him — Unsure
  ♔ 18 moons — Ages 1 moon every month 28th
  ♔ Skyclan — Warrior
  ♔ Son of Orangestar and Ashenclaw
  ♔ Brother to Cherryblossom, Eggbounce, Glimmersun and Owlheart
  ♔ Mentoring Dogwoodpaw
  
  
  
  COMBAT:
  ♔Physically hard | mentally medium
  ♔ Attack in bold #bf8924
  injuries: None currently

​

 

[Polynesia]

Another shrill wheeze escapes her muzzle as he lifts her effortlessly onto his back. The corners of her vision are growing dark and she knows that she will probably faint soon. It's happened before when she was hungrier and her mouth hangs open as she's moved ever so slightly on his broad shoulders. Polynesia doesn't know what death feels like but she does know that the sensation she's currently being subjected to scares her because she doesn't know when it'll happen and she won't wake up. Luckily enough his voice catches her attention and she's momentarily distracted enough to reel herself in a bit, fighting against closing her eyes.

He's making another joke at her and she's starting to think that he might be making fun of her in some way. A small grimace appears on her muzzle and she stifles another pained grunt as they plod along together. She wishes she was like him and could think of something equally as sarcastic in response but she's been so tired for so long that it seems she can't. "My name..." The thoughts are blurring together a bit and it takes her a second before she's able to continue to formulate coherent sentences in her sorry state. "Mother called me *cough* Polynesia." She offers at last, smiling a bit when he tells her to do her best.

Doing her best has been the only existence she has known since her mother was taken many moons ago. Every day she'd try so hard to keep going another day even though it was getting to the point where she no longer wanted too. It didn't seem like a single thing had gone right since her mother had been stolen from her shortly after her third month.

"I miss my mom a lot." The she-cat manages to drawl, the thought of her dead mother both drawing her closer and further from consciousness, polarizingly. It was getting easier to stay awake as her racing heart rate began to slow and she let out another cough. "Who said I saved you?" The she-cat points out a bit rudely, acknowledging that they'd saved each other from that smelly dog. "Saved each other." The molly would drawl out.

 

[Tawnyclaw]

*+:｡.｡ If he hadn't been expecting her cry of pain, he might've dropped her. Luckily he was no stranger to inciting pain as a means to a hopefully better end, though he did have to clench his teeth to keep from wincing himself in sympathy. Through his fur, he can feel every jagged bone. How long had this girl been pushing pushing herself? He wonders as they plod through familiar territory, keeping his ears in a swivel as danger doesn't cease lurking even past the border if she would've continued pushing herself past the bring had they not met. What an unconventional way to save a cat's life, not that he'd have much hand in keeping her alive from henceforth. A painful tug pulls at his chest at the idea of this new friend of his dying before they could properly consider each other such.

She speaks, and he doesn't realize he'd been holding his breath until it releases in a soft gasp. Polynesia. "Sounds like a flower's name" he observes, "Your mother picked well" She grows silent again, and his chest aches. Focusing on each careful step, he walks around a thick root to avoid bumping her with his shoulder. When at last Polynesia speaks again, it's to score her claws deep in his soul. He thinks of his mother, Orangestar, bathed in blood, the only thing keeping her alive being the stars gifted by her name. He thinks, then, of his father, now amongst the celestials. He looks over his shoulder, but from this angle, he can't quite see her face. A part of him is glad not to. Tawnyclaw was never great with feelings. He opens his mouth to bumble out a pathetic 'I'm sorry' when she interrupts him.

He snickers instead. "Last I checked, I wasn't the one who got a slobbering mutt off my jugular, that was all you, Sunset" he purrs before falling silent at her last comment. If he didn't make it back home in time, he wasn't so sure about the validity of that statement.
"Where'd you learn how to fight like that? Takes a lot of guts to pounce on a beast, and you hung on like a pro!" he continues, refusing to let the moment grow somber.

*+:｡.｡ Updated 10/8/24

• 
  
  
• 
  
  
  
  GENERAL:
  ♔ Tawnyclaw
  ♔ DFAB— He/Him — Unsure
  ♔ 18 moons — Ages 1 moon every month 28th
  ♔ Skyclan — Warrior
  ♔ Son of Orangestar and Ashenclaw
  ♔ Brother to Cherryblossom, Eggbounce, Glimmersun and Owlheart
  ♔ Mentoring Dogwoodpaw
  
  
  
  COMBAT:
  ♔Physically hard | mentally medium
  ♔ Attack in bold #bf8924
  injuries: None currently

​

 

[Polynesia]

A humorless chuff escapes her muzzle at his comment about her name sounding like a flower. It dies quickly though as he next comment takes her slightly aback. She missed her mother so dearly, she'd do anything to see her one more time. Nuzzle up to her in the same way she had the morning before Kismine had been so cruelly stolen from her by twoleg adolescents. It had been a short but cruel moment of violence in what had since that day never ceased to be a violent one. It was a hard lesson and one she'd hold close to her heart for the rest of her life, however short that might be.

"Poly." She'd correct tiredly when he tries to give her a nickname. "It wasn't far from mine when you got it's leg." She mews, a strand of drool falling from her muzzle as she lays limply on his back. For a moment she starts to fall away again and she has to fight this time to stay awake as the corners of her vision begin to blur and darken again.

How hard it was to stay here in this moment, this felt like a once in a lifetime offering. Like if this was the time she slept forever it wouldn't be unwarranted and it wouldn't be without saving another's life. What could be more precious than that? The sunset molly would think wearily, fighting hard to stay awake although his next comment almost makes her left. Her sides rock as if she was laughing, pressing her bony ribs closer to his skin through his fur.

"I barely held on, just trying to get it off of you." She'd offer meakly, too tired to mention the countless fights for scraps of twoleg refuse she'd struggled through even in the last week. "You were pretty good."

 

[Tawnyclaw]

*+:｡.｡ "Poly, cute" Tawnyclaw meows easily, smiling at the permission to shorten her name. It's not some big win, but coupled with the relief that she's still talking, it makes him oddly giddy nonetheless. "Yes but I wouldn't have -" he begins, only to suddenly pause. Craning his neck (ouch!) in an attempt to look at her again, he grins mirthfully, "Are we seriously going to argue about it?" he snickers, before turning his attention back ahead (also ouch!), "Fine, I concede, we saved each other - but I reserve the right to still call you my hero" Although she can't see him, he makes a big show of batting his eyelashing and meowing a sing-song, "Thank you for saving me, my hero~"

The silence drags as he continues their walk, passing by some familiar landmarks, he's certain it's not long now. A sigh of relief escapes him, although he has to pause to adjust her body on his to keep her balanced. He doesn't like how utterly limp she is. Or, while paused, he looks over his shoulder to notice the blood spotting behind them. Yikes, he might need to ask his mother to send a patrol to cover that up.
He blinks when he feels her laugh. It feels like twigs digging into his spine, but it cracks a smile on his maw nonetheless. "Ah, so she can smile" he purrs, though he's not too happy about the rasp behind the jovial sound. "You did amazing, just keep doing it now, pretend I'm the dog" he purrs, especially when he feels her slip a little. Rolling his shoulder to catch her, he winces when he moves his neck again, "No complimenting me now, or I'll blush". He notices, however, how she doesn't exactly respond to his question.

Suddenly, he wonders more deeply about the cat he's piggy-backing. The scent of Twoleg Place is strong on her, so he doubts she is an exile from another clan. He opens his mouth to ask nonetheless, but finds, oddly enough, that the words don't come. Something about her...he doesn't feel he needs to know about her past, at least not right now. He knows enough that she's a good person, he feels it.

"Did you just drool on me?" he suddenly gasps, shocked by the cold on his neck.

Maybe not that much of a good person.

*+:｡.｡ Updated 10/8/24

• 
  
  
• 
  
  
  
  GENERAL:
  ♔ Tawnyclaw
  ♔ DFAB— He/Him — Unsure
  ♔ 18 moons — Ages 1 moon every month 28th
  ♔ Skyclan — Warrior
  ♔ Son of Orangestar and Ashenclaw
  ♔ Brother to Cherryblossom, Eggbounce, Glimmersun and Owlheart
  ♔ Mentoring Dogwoodpaw
  
  
  
  COMBAT:
  ♔Physically hard | mentally medium
  ♔ Attack in bold #bf8924
  injuries: None currently

​

 

[Polynesia]

"Who said I was smiling?" The injured molly would tease back, her ribs once more moving across his back as she laughs before wheezing again. Before the fit can fully consume her, she sucks in a harsh breath and breaths out in what sounds like a long sigh before her breathing returns to normal. For a few moments she closes her eyes and tries to focus on keeping her breathing steady but her shivering makes it hard to concentrate. Just as she feels grounded enough to open them again, he speaks.

"Pretend yo-u're the dog." She snickers, weakly digging her paws into his coat which is surprisingly soft to the touch. Nothing like the matted dirty pelt that she calls her fur. "Soft." The words leave her muzzle weakly and another strand of saliva leaks from her jowls. This is certainly the strangest cat she's met yet. His pelt smells of oak and clean earth, nothing at all like the odor she's long since failed to realize surrounds her.

"Maybe that'd be good, I'm cold up here." The words are dry but there is certainly teasing behind them, if nearly imperceptible. With a small movement she cranes her neck to look at the side of his head when he speaks again.

"Sorry."