private NOTHING MAN ( GRANITEPELT ) ༊

[APPLEJAW]

Applepaw has tried to avoid Granitepelt for as long as she could possibly manage. Finding her parents before she ever finds him. Her siblings too– even the one with dirt in their ears. For as long as she can sounds way longer than it actually is. It would be a kittish thing to do if she hid instead of going on any patrols, or having any lessons. She couldn't go for that long. She should demand that Smogmaw mentors her himself.

But she doesn't. She finds Granitepelt instead, mentally dragging her feet even if she couldn't actually. She catches him before he can retire to his den. She makes sure she looks presentable, like a good apprentice. Like she wasn't what he thinks she is, because he is certainly the one that isn't right. Her lips form the start of a pout. She looks at him like she's not afraid of him, because she isnt. " I want to be a good apprentice, " she tells him, trying not to make as ugly of a face that she wants to. " And a good warrior. The best. " She feels dumb, and small, and she tries not to. The apprentice straightens herself up.

She knows that she's no good. But no good cats could do... some things. At the end of the day, Chilledstar had been what her parents said they would be, right? Confusing.

So she should listen to them about Granitepelt too. Something's wrong with him. But... maybe that didn't mean he's useless. She really hopes that's not what it meant. She couldn't fall behind. " Can you make me a good warrior? " She doesn't know what she'd do if he says no.

ooc ༊ 𝒶𝓂𝑒𝓇𝒾𝒸𝒶𝓃 𝓆𝓊𝑒𝑒𝓃 𝒾𝓈 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒶𝓂𝑒𝓇𝒾𝒸𝒶𝓃 𝒹𝓇𝑒𝒶𝓂

• ooc: @GRANITEPELT
  

• 

• ( I'M OBSESSED WITH THE MESS THAT'S AMERICA. ) APPLEPAW. kit of shadowclan. eldest sister to swankit, valeriankit, and garlickit.
  —— she / her; confused by the use of others
  —— currently 4 moons old. ages every 17th.
  
  longhaired blue torbie with a white chest, paws, and underbelly. A young cat you would describe as " bossy, " Applepaw is quick to take charge of any situation she sees herself as the probable head of. A rule - follower to a T, and thinks herself better than the majority of her clan for this. Not ignorant enough to think herself above a warrior, but seeks to gain that status as quickly as possible. Intensely self - motivated to be the best in a mixture of blind, childish desire, and never wanting to be afraid of anything ever again.

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[GRANITEPELT]

They hadn’t gotten off on the right paw, Granitepelt and Applepaw, but it’s to be expected. He has no idea what nonsense Halfshade has funneled into her daughter’s head, and he remembers clear as day the expression on her face when she’d pronounced him bad to his own brood. The gray warrior has not forgiven this transgression… but he does not want to fail as her mentor, no matter her sullen attitude. He is surprised when she seeks him out again, just as he is prepared to slink into Starlingheart’s den and retire for the night.

She does not say his name. She does not apologize for her childish behavior. But her troubled expression gives way to, “I want to be a good apprentice.” Granitepelt cocks his head, looking at her with interest. “And a good warrior. The best.” He nods, encouraging her to continue, and her final question is more of a request. “Can you make me a good warrior?”

His ears lift. He scans the bodies retiring for the night. None are close enough to hear them. Granitepelt says, “That depends. It depends on you, for a start. Are you going to drag your paws every time I ask you to do something? Are you going to treat me with disrespect? Will you be where I ask you to be on time?” He studies her.

“…and it depends on what being a good warrior means to you.” Crickets chirrup, filling the night. Somehow, a crow sounds off, having just discovered a meal, no doubt. He meets Applepaw’s mismatched gaze, so like Halfshade’s—but instead of filling him with rage, he realizes he is only curious. “What does it mean?”

✧ INFO.

•  
• 
  — granitekit . granitepaw . granitepelt
  — he/him ; warrior of shadowclan
  — heterosexual ; taken by Starlingheart
  — short-haired gray tom with white and green eyes
  — “speech”, thoughts, attack
  — penned by Marquette
  — chibi by Meg

​

 

[APPLEJAW]

His response is unexpected. Unexpected, mostly, because he was not spitting something utterly horrible at her in reply. He was not completely weird and irrational. Something is off about him, she has been told, but she did not explicitly know what. The apprentice lifts her chin, quelling her harrumph of indignance. They would need to make this work – the both of them.

Well – the answer to most of those questions depended on him. Are you going to drag your paws every time I ask you to do something? Are you going to treat me with disrespect? She squares her shoulders; tries to think of something her mother would say. " Only if you give me a reason to. " She had a reason, but not from him directly. She would need to be pickier, if she didn't want to waste her apprenticeship away... Will you be where I ask you to be on time? A curt nod. " I'll listen to you, if I should. " And she says it a bit skeptically – so he knows he's on thin ice, but, for now...

And it depends on what being a good warrior means to you. She meets his gaze with a hint of unsureness. The sounds of the night fill the space where she is silent. She does not flinch, at the crows call. " To... To pull my own weight " She furrows her brow, thinking about Swanpaw and Garlicpaw, who would probably stay silly kits for the rest of their lives. " To be scary, so not even a monster or WindClan would want to mess with me, " the origin of this want is probably obvious, but she pretends that it isn't. " To be... worth respecting, " Perhaps only the second or third to be so, amongst ShadowClan.

She's probably asking for too much though, knowing that Granitepelt was not that cat.

ooc ༊ 𝒶𝓂𝑒𝓇𝒾𝒸𝒶𝓃 𝓆𝓊𝑒𝑒𝓃 𝒾𝓈 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒶𝓂𝑒𝓇𝒾𝒸𝒶𝓃 𝒹𝓇𝑒𝒶𝓂

• ooc: sorry this is so late !!
  

• 

• ( I'M OBSESSED WITH THE MESS THAT'S AMERICA. ) APPLEPAW. kit of shadowclan. eldest sister to swankit, valeriankit, and garlickit.
  —— she / her; confused by the use of others
  —— currently 5 moons old as of 9.3.23. ages every 17th.
  
  longhaired blue torbie with a white chest, paws, and underbelly. A young cat you would describe as " bossy, " Applekit is quick to take charge of any situation she sees herself as the probable head of. A rule - follower to a T, and thinks herself better than the majority of her clan for this. Not ignorant enough to think herself above a warrior, but seeks to gain that status as quickly as possible. Intensely self - motivated to be the best in a mixture of blind, childish desire, and never wanting to be afraid of anything ever again.

​

 

[GRANITEPELT]

Her responses do not please him initially. Granitepelt mock sighs and shakes his head, as though he is despairing at Applepaw’s future. “Do you think a warrior obeys their superiors whenever they feel like it’s right?” His tail twitches. “If your father or Chilledstar gives me an order, I’m expected to follow it, regardless of whether I feel like I should.” His eyes narrow. “I expect the same from you. Someday, stars willing, you’ll be a warrior with a leader and a deputy you must obey, whether you think you have a reason to or not. The reason is because you must. It is your duty.” He rises to his paws, looking at her as if she’s a lost cause already. “But if you don’t understand that…” He shrugs.

What he doesn’t say, though it’s implicated, is, I will be the one to decide what you do and don’t think is reasonable. I will be the one to mold you in that way. Granitepelt’s ear flicks at her qualifications for a good warrior. To pull her own weight—sure, there are plenty of ShadowClanners who fail at this already. To be scary… yes. That he smiles at. To be worth respecting…

“I can make you all of those things… if you obey me.” He studies her. “If you don’t… I’m afraid you’ll fall behind your peers. Your littermates. I’m certain Garlicpaw is learning obedience from Dogfur, don’t you? Swanpaw from Sabletuft?” He shrugs again, this time helplessly.

✧ INFO.

•  
• 
  — granitekit . granitepaw . granitepelt
  — he/him ; warrior of shadowclan
  — heterosexual ; taken by Starlingheart
  — short-haired gray tom with white and green eyes
  — “speech”, thoughts, attack
  — penned by Marquette
  — chibi by Meg

​

 

[APPLEJAW]

Her gaze sharpens at the show of disappointment Granitepelt puts on. Do you think a warrior obeys their superiors whenever they feel like it’s right? She supposes not, because unfortunately, Smogmaw has given her and her siblings the same schpeel regarding Chilledstar. Follow their orders, unless Smogmaw says otherwise, and so far, Applepaw has not had to make that choice between superiors. She glowers at him openly, maintaining a defying gaze even as she looks up at him – especially as he implies that he may not want to listen to the deputy. What reason would you ever have not to?

She isn’t stupid. She understands things that most of ShadowClan’s full grown warriors don’t. Applepaw gives a single lash of her tail. I can make you all of those things… if you obey me.

And the line of thought gives her pause. Garlicpaw learning obedience from Dogfur? Surely not. Sabletuft… Well, perhaps he, of all cats could turn Swanpaw into something more than a sleepy kit. It’s impossible, isn’t it? Probably impossible. Her frown stretches from something angry into something unsure. Why couldn’t she have had someone else?

Applepaw lowers her head, and her cheeks puff in indignance – a kittish habit that she needed to lose sooner rather than later. She didn’t trust him. Of course, she didn’t trust him, but…

Mumbled low, with a hmph, she acquiesces, " ...I'll listen to you, I guess. " She almost tells him he has to promise, if she does, but of course, he didn't have to do anything for her. When she's older... everyone will have to listen.

ooc ༊ 𝒶𝓂𝑒𝓇𝒾𝒸𝒶𝓃 𝓆𝓊𝑒𝑒𝓃 𝒾𝓈 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒶𝓂𝑒𝓇𝒾𝒸𝒶𝓃 𝒹𝓇𝑒𝒶𝓂

•  

• 

• ( I'M OBSESSED WITH THE MESS THAT'S AMERICA. ) APPLEPAW. kit of shadowclan. eldest sister to swankit, valeriankit, and garlickit.
  —— she / her; confused by the use of others
  —— currently 5 moons old as of 9.3.23. ages every 17th.
  
  longhaired blue torbie with a white chest, paws, and underbelly. A young cat you would describe as " bossy, " Applekit is quick to take charge of any situation she sees herself as the probable head of. A rule - follower to a T, and thinks herself better than the majority of her clan for this. Not ignorant enough to think herself above a warrior, but seeks to gain that status as quickly as possible. Intensely self - motivated to be the best in a mixture of blind, childish desire, and never wanting to be afraid of anything ever again.

​