camp one sheep two sheep // cleaning

[✧ Sleekserpent.]

I DON'T KNOW EUPHORIA
sleekpaw | 04 months | genderfluid | he/she/they | physically easy | mentally hard | attack in bold mistyrose

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Sleekpaw has always liked things that are perfect.. His pelt, his nest, his meals, his life. Everything has to be just right. Fussing about in the apprentice den, an all to familiar pelt can be found hunched over as soft paws awkwardly shuffle and fluff materials about. Her eyes are narrowed in focus, a frown tugging upon her features and her pink tongue sticking out just so. Soft, squishy moss goes down first, followed by discarded tufts of fur as soft as down, and lastly pristine white and dove-grey feathers are interwoven with deftness borne through repetition. A weekly routine, a ritual they cannot go without. Only once it is done does he sit back on his haunches, giving it one last look over, before nodding stiffly to himself. Now then, all that's left is to clean up. Baby blues flick over the mess left from their efforts - a sigh leaving her lips in irritation. "I'd better use the rest of this for the elders," they murmur, voice light and airy despite their grumblings.

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[SHININGSUN]

☼ "I bet the elders would appreciate having their nests freshened up, especially if it looks anything like that by the end." Shiningsun remarked with a warm smile as he poked his head into the den to see who was about. He had hoped to snag an apprentice to help run a few errands, and it seemed as though Sleekpaw was present and possibly available. Although the elder's nests hadn't been at the top of his list of jobs he decided that an exception could be made given the materials at hand. "Are you wanting some help?"
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[BERRYHEART]

Berryheart had spent an obscene amount of time as a child learning the best way to weave a nest together. Fond of weaving flowers into them himself, he had perfected his craft; thus, the nests that stocked the medicine den were only ever the best for his patients, plush and green and bloom-dotted. Hearing the soft murmuring of a nearby apprentice, the tortoiseshell tom's attention swivelled, eyes flickering to what lay at their feet.

It was well-constructed... it looked wonderfully comfortable. He could only imagine the down-soft feeling was like lying on a cloud. Though his ever-present neutrality overwhelmingly occupied his facial expression, there was a flicker of interest in his askant gaze as it lingered upon the apprentice's craft. "Impressive..." he murmured quietly, approval levelly given. He was not one to lie. ​

PENNED BY PIN ☾​

 

[MOUSENOSE]

Mousepaw has been more irritable than usual, her good spirits crushed by the knowledge Sunfreckle and Rabbitnose are expecting more kits. She sits grumpily in her nest, pushed away from the other apprentices, and pointedly ignores anyone who tries to talk to her. She wishes someone would, but she won't beg! She doesn't need anyone. She can be a great warrior without Sunfreckle! Without Rabbitnose! Without those stupid kits she's supposed to consider her siblings...

I already have four siblings, she thinks despondently. Dovekit, dead so tiny. So soon. Mossypaw, taken by Twolegs, lost to her forever.

She curls tightly against herself, her normally bright eyes dull. There's a disturbance as Shiningsun and Berryheart come to examine one of Sleekpaw's many nests, offering him praise for something every apprentice knows how to do. Mousepaw curls her lip, bad-tempered. "Big deal," she mutters. "Anyone can make a nest. I could make ten that are just as good." She sniffs and turns her back again.​

[ PENNED BY MARQUETTE ]​

 

[BASILWHISKER]

Of all the skills Basilpaw had been run through so far, nest making had not made itself a priority. His focus was much more comfortably set on the more physical aspects of apprenticeship and shadowing Dewfang in whatever he was doing. Learning to intertwine moss and be careful with the fragile resource just never quite caught on for Basilpaw, if only because he never felt it was necessary. He had spent several moons resting against concrete, cardboard or creaky takeout boxes. Sleeping on a flat piece of moss was all his nest was made of.

Basilpaw had been curled up on his little patch of moss while Sleekpaw was working on her little projects. The soft murmurs of her effort had been pleasant background noise while he thought of other things. He only rose his head at the approach of others that didn't belong in the apprentice's den. He looked at Mousepaw as she bitterly dismissed Sleekpaw's work.

"But you aren't." He commented after Mousepaw turned away. What was the point of saying anything if she wouldn't prove it? The tom rose to his paws and stretched before inching closer to Sleekpaw. "Why would elders need better nests? They just sleep in it all day anyway. More to replace after." The chocolate point felt that if nests were such a big deal to these cats, they might be better off distributing them to those who actually needed rest from fatigue.

 

[Falconpaw]

Falconpaw could understand the desire to be perfect; he strives for it in his own way tries to be a model apprentice to an almost extreme extent but often felt he fell just short - he'd get there though he was too stubborn to give up. Though he can't say he puts as much work into making things like his nest perfect, he can't help but curiously watch Sleekpaw as they make their nest as comfortable as it could possibly be. It makes his nest look messy in comparison but really he can't be bothered to put the same amount of effort into something he'd ruin when he actually used it. A low amused huff hardly audible leaves his nose, he lays in his own exhausted from training and for once allowing himself respite well until Sleekpaw says something about taking the leftovers to the elders and Shiningsun pokes his head in to offer help. Clumsily the young tom gets to his paws almost falling over to his side but straightening up before he can crash. ❝I'll help too!❞ he says as eagerly as he can muster but his throat chokes up and ears perk at the words of the other apprentices laying within the den.


He casts a look towards Mousepaw; he'd always been sort of put off by the she-cat he didn't really want to earn her ire yet he still can't help but dislike her tone; why did it matter anyway - who cared about who could make the best nest. He knew he could make a great one too if he put his mind to it! But it didn't matter. He doesn't pick a fight with her but Basilpaw does but he says something more something towards Sleekpaw that makes the fur on his neck prickle. He knows many apprentices weren't to fond of taking care of the elders, but it was important and they deserved their retirement they'd earned their keep. ❝How would you like sleeping in a nasty stale old nest everyday?❞ his words snap out - it's uncharacteristic of the normally polite tom but not exactly rare. ❝You should be more respectful❞ ​

( ✦ )

 

[✧ Sleekserpent.]

I DON'T KNOW EUPHORIA
sleekpaw | 04 months | genderfluid | he/she/they | physically easy | mentally hard | attack in bold mistyrose

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The first few to approach him bring with them compliments - sending the boy preening and puffing up with pride, baby blue eyes glittering with delight. But sour faces and harsh words quickly follow - jealousy, she bets. It doesn't stop them from feeling hurt however, which only leaves them irritated and angry. He should be above such things as hurt - he's perfect after all. But... reality isn't that straightforward, and she can't really stop her motions, as much as she loathes it. "I'd appreciate that," they'd never ask for help of course - but if it's already been offered? Well, it'd be stupid not to take advantage. A scathing glance is sleekpaws only response mousepaw for a moment before the boy gives a wicked smirk. "Mmmm.... I don't see ten nests though, do you-?" she practically purrs, and it takes all her self control to keep from following it up with a baleful laugh. They have nothing to add to the rest of the conversation, and so dainty paws finish bundling up their materials, shoving one pile each in the direction of shiningsun and falconpaw, before leaving the den with a swagger in their step.

// out

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[MOUSENOSE]

Mousepaw's reaction only days before would have been to jump to her paws and rush to beat Sleekpaw, pumping out ten half-assed nests and boasting about their worth. But she gives Basilpaw and Sleekpaw a look of dull, thinly veiled dislike before giving her shoulder several licks. She still doesn't see what the big deal is. "Well, when I feel like showing you up, I'll make sure I put them where you can see them," she snaps, ignoring Falconpaw's flare up at Basilpaw.

Her peace has been ruined, and she takes no responsibility for any of it. She pushes herself angrily to her paws and stalks out of the apprentice's den, pausing only to flick scraps of moss and bedding from her shaggy coat. She doesn't know where she's going, but anywhere is better than here right now!

// out, sorry she's a gremlin​

[ PENNED BY MARQUETTE ]​