- Nov 1, 2023
- 67
- 9
- 8
*+:｡.｡ Slowly...slowly...Asphodelpaw was easing back into being a proper Riverclanner.
Slowly, he'd begun to dream of that drowning rogue less, stopped seeing him in his reflection whenever he dared peek into the rushing water of his clan's namesake and stopped thinking about the muffled screams hidden behind a curtain of writhing bubbles. Slowly, he'd crept his trembling paws closer to the bank, dipped them cautiously into the water, and thought less and less of waterlogged paws lunging out of the depths to wrap around his throat and pull him under, deep into that haze of popping, choking foam.
Slowly, slowly, but never quite enough for substantial movement.
Today, Asphodelpaw stood on some stones that breached a shallower part of the river, closest to the bank. Here the water was barely ankle-high, even for a shorter apprentice, so if nothing else...if nothing else he'd be fine. Not that he wasn't already fine. Because there was nothing, and never could've been anything, to make him NOT fine! And yet his paws continued to shake despite how desperately he gripped the slippery stones. He missed the touch of water, the weightlessness of being submerged. He missed being able to leap in with all the other apprentices, to fish unencumbered, and prove his loyalty again and again as any Riverclanner should! He missed it. He needed it. So the first step was to catch one of the small minnows that swam in this part of the river - the shallower part.
Deep breath in. He spotted the flicker of movement. Deep breath out. He loosened his grip with one of his paws, raising it to his chest and preparing to strike. Deep breath out. He was doing good. Doing better. His heart began to speed up, the hope that this slow, slow pace would finally -
And all at once, his paw slipped.
It was fine, he was fine.
He hit the water with a splash.
It was fine, he was fine.
And in his shock, breathed in a mouthful of water.
It was fine, he - he was -
Calmly, stiffly, the apprentice jerks to his feet. With robotic steps, he exits the river's shallow waters and makes his way promptly to the grassy embankment. He doesn't stop walking until he's a good fox-length or so from the water, where the rush of bubbles and the taste of breathlessness can't reach him. Here, he collapses onto his tail, head hanging as he struggles to catch his breath. "What is wrong with me?" he hisses to himself, frustration and shame freezing him from the inside out as he claws furiously at the ground.
@Starlightpaw
Slowly, he'd begun to dream of that drowning rogue less, stopped seeing him in his reflection whenever he dared peek into the rushing water of his clan's namesake and stopped thinking about the muffled screams hidden behind a curtain of writhing bubbles. Slowly, he'd crept his trembling paws closer to the bank, dipped them cautiously into the water, and thought less and less of waterlogged paws lunging out of the depths to wrap around his throat and pull him under, deep into that haze of popping, choking foam.
Slowly, slowly, but never quite enough for substantial movement.
Today, Asphodelpaw stood on some stones that breached a shallower part of the river, closest to the bank. Here the water was barely ankle-high, even for a shorter apprentice, so if nothing else...if nothing else he'd be fine. Not that he wasn't already fine. Because there was nothing, and never could've been anything, to make him NOT fine! And yet his paws continued to shake despite how desperately he gripped the slippery stones. He missed the touch of water, the weightlessness of being submerged. He missed being able to leap in with all the other apprentices, to fish unencumbered, and prove his loyalty again and again as any Riverclanner should! He missed it. He needed it. So the first step was to catch one of the small minnows that swam in this part of the river - the shallower part.
Deep breath in. He spotted the flicker of movement. Deep breath out. He loosened his grip with one of his paws, raising it to his chest and preparing to strike. Deep breath out. He was doing good. Doing better. His heart began to speed up, the hope that this slow, slow pace would finally -
And all at once, his paw slipped.
It was fine, he was fine.
He hit the water with a splash.
It was fine, he was fine.
And in his shock, breathed in a mouthful of water.
It was fine, he - he was -
Calmly, stiffly, the apprentice jerks to his feet. With robotic steps, he exits the river's shallow waters and makes his way promptly to the grassy embankment. He doesn't stop walking until he's a good fox-length or so from the water, where the rush of bubbles and the taste of breathlessness can't reach him. Here, he collapses onto his tail, head hanging as he struggles to catch his breath. "What is wrong with me?" he hisses to himself, frustration and shame freezing him from the inside out as he claws furiously at the ground.
@Starlightpaw
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GENERAL:
☆ Asphodelpaw
☆ DMAB— He/Him — Unsure
☆ 8 moons — Ages 1 moon every month real-time
☆ Mentored by Crashingtide
☆ Riverclan — Apprentice
COMBAT:
☆ Physically easy | mentally medium
☆ Attack in bold #9fc3fc
injuries: None currently
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