pressure cracks ⚘ sunbathing

[Dandelionwish]

Honestly, he felt as though he was still walking a fine line between falling off the edge and maintaining his balance. SkyClan continued to feel like a lucid dream, small irritations aside, but that was clan life for you. The guilt that still clung to his chest as he basked in the filtering sun with no burden's weighting heavy on his shoulders and his old home left abandoned behind him without a care was almost too much at times. He wished, sometimes, so desperately it hurt, that he could have been the change StarClan wanted, that StarClan had felt him capable of but he was only one cat. One cat against the world, the poisonous rule latticing the moorland in treacherous vines. How blind, how foolish he had been to think himself capable of changing anything. When he'd heard of the lightning bolt at the gathering he had only one thought cross his mind; shame. Shame it missed. Even StarClan had realized their folly now and he wished he could feel gratification but he only felt sorrow. Wept for his only clanmates inside, but knew nothing could be done. So why worry. Why let it sink in, sharp claws stretching open his ribs, exposing his bleedingheart.
Why bother caring?

Because he'd always been a cat who cared. It was hard not to, empathy longed for company, he felt himself wishing it possible to help any cat in need and knowing logically it wasn't. It was a strain on him, heart and mind, and WindClan had only made it more difficult for him; his feelings weaponized against him. His weaknesses picked apart. Here...he felt he could breath. SkyClan had its own rules, similar, but not so restricting. He could patrol borders, he could hunt, he could help clean, he could go on outings, he was able to move as his own cat. Sure, some animosity lingered, he expected as much and was content in knowing SkyClan animosity was tolerable; WindClan's was lethal. The cream and chocolate tom wriggled on his back on the smooth stone, belly exposed to the sun and eyes closed in contenment. Hunting patrol soon, he would enjoy the warmth while he could and then get back out there and practice his climbing; eventually he would be chasing squirrels up the trees like a pro, he was confident in that.
​

 

[Sweetybee]

Sunbathing was an excellent pass time. It was soothing, warm, and naps were always better under the sun. Sweetybee had no real opinion of the other clans yet, she could gather that Windclan was nearly hated by all and that Dandelionwish came from there, but...... He didn't seem so bad. He was quite friendly, really. She got the feeling that wasn't the case for the rest of Windclan, though.

It didn't really matter in the end, Skyclan was her home and she would protect it with everything she had.

She quietly padded over to Dandelionwish and settled down beside him still respecting his space.

"Nothing is better than a nap under the sun, hm?" She said quietly.
​

 

[MALLOWLARK]

There were eyes on Mallowlark's back as he lay, lounged... though he barely felt their glimpses. Over tie he was being afforded a little less hostility- and even biting words were worth retiring to a shared nest with Dawnglare, knowing their closeness would never be severed again. Some probably thought it selfish, the love-seeking abandonment he had committed... but there was so little left for him back on the moors. Over time his family had been pecked at- exiled, left, disappeared... though it felt wrong to leave his generational home, the land his grandfather had died upon and the place where the other half of his tail was buried, it had felt even more wrong to force himself back to a miserable shell of a home every time he had split from his lover's company.

And what a surprise it had been to find Dandelionwish and Daisypaw here! Two cats he'd written off as long dead, chased off the territory and surely ripped to ribbons. He'd resigned their identities as yet more buried bones, yet here they were! Breathing- and in the former's case, sun-warmed with glee set upon his face. A friend, a friend... chittering giggles left Mallowlark's fang-filled grin, borne from the contentment he felt and, as always, uncontrollable.

Mallowlark did not speak, knowing that if he attempted to talk he might break into even louder laughter, but his chuckles rattled in his throat, shuddering his reclined form. Never had he been much good at hiding even the tiniest smudge of glee. ​

☺PENNED BY PIN​

 

[~Deersong~]

( ♬ ) Though she would never speak it aloud, Deersong had found herself feeling more closely related to the new ex-windclanners then her own clanmates ever since she left the nursery. While she could not completely relate to their situation, she felt the glares of disappointment and scowls of dismissal as freshly as a Skyclan-founder cat could.

It was way, despite now being outside, she hardly to spoke to most of her clanmates. Too afraid of rejection that she believed she deserved to attempt any form of conversation, at least not yet.

Deersong was returning from one of her first patrols of the day when she spotted Dandelionwish, Sweetybee, and Mallowlark sunbathing and after a moment of hesitation would rise to her paws and make her way over. Offering them cool smiles she would coo lightly, "Hey there, pretty kitties, mind if I join ya?" Although her expression was its usual whimsical one, on the inside her stomach, tightened and twisted as she waited to be turned away. ​

( LET YOU BREAK; MY HEART AGAIN )

 

[Honeysplash]

.°☀ I'll believe it all

---

Little white paws bounded across the dirt-covered clearing as they pushed past the tunnel of camp, happily carrying a mouse in their jaws and green hues where bright with excitement. Her first solo hunt! Bananasplash had been out hunting since she got to camp and honestly she might've not caught much but she was more so enjoying the freedom. It went better than she expected and she set the mouse upon the prey pile happily before looking over across the clearing at a gathered group of cats. Her curiousity prickled slightly and she tilted her head to the side before her paws moved for her.

They approached Dandelionwish, Mallowlark, Sweetybee and Deersong as they sun bathed in a patch of sunlight and she envied them. That sounded so nice right about now, just the warm sun and quiet companionship of their fellow clanmates. Deersong seemed apprehensive about approaching the group when Bananasplash approached and they gave a curious look before settling down beside Sweetybee.

"SPEECH"

---

There's nothing I won't understand .°☀

⟪ OOC ⟫ ⟪ INFO ⟫ ⟪ REF ⟫

• //​
• BANANASPLASH named by her mother Alice and for her spirit and confidence
  — she/they, 12 moons, single
  — skyclan daylight warrior, mentored by Sharpeye.
  — self-doubtful, overlaying smile, very closed in
  
  primary character, high activity. penned by wolf_.​
• 

​

 

[ThistleBack]

The past would never be swallowed by time, at least not for this vengeful crow. Who peers from his perch in the flaky bark of a pine arm, swaying to the beat of the tugging wind or the swishes of his lengthy white tipped tail who could know. He took no notice of anything but the sunbathing Windclanners, where his clanmates should lay. In a cruel twist of irony, they had more of the moor refugees than they did actual Sky-borns, didn’t they. Perhaps not, it was hard to do math and angry at the same time.

Sweetybee sits with them first, Bananasplash next.

Somehow, he breathed out carefully. We watched the coat of his mate walk to lay among them, greeting with her usual airy charm and asking permission with a politeness she didn’t necessarily have to offer. His knuckles curl, making keratin crescents bend and curl around the wood. Mallowlark’s giggles had a way of snapping narrow greys on snowy tufts along a pelt that he knows smells of Dawnglare. Thistleback licks at the backs of his front teeth, as he lets it simmer on his nerves.

He willed his wrinkled scowl into something flat, there would never be enough to erase the pensive helmet that was his skull white maw but as he climbs down the trunk it shifts. He belonged at his mate’s side, he knew in the end should this camp be swarmed by enemy he would die fighting in the name of each of them. No matter should he love them so deeply as Deersong, or hate them so purely as Mallowlark. His claws and teeth would tear and kill for each of them.

Wordlessly he settles among them if not near them. " my love " he invites Deersong to settle next to him. " good on your catch, Bananasplash. " normally he’d pay the respects of mentorship in a compliment, but- well, hers had turned coat on Skyclan. " Too small and quick for most " he finishes, closing one of his eyes and tilting his chin towards the sun’s glare. He hated the warmth of sun, he much preferred the veil of night. The warmth however, did wonders to the tense set of his shoulders. He visibly quivers at the hackles with the relief it brings. Jaw slacking a bit as he relished in this moment of ache relief.

​

OOC INFO REF

• —
  
  
• 
  
  
  
  Thirty-seven moons EVENT TRACKER | IMPORTANT INFO
  — Lead warrior of Skyclan since 12.22.22
  — Devoted to Deersong 9.29.22 | polyamorous
  — Father of Coyotepaw, Pricklepaw, and Eveningpaw.
  — mentoring Snowpaw graduate(s) Quillstrike
  — very muscular piebald black and white tom with spiky fur and cold silver-grey eyes.
  — voice & accent
  — biography･ﾟ✧​
  OPEN for Dice battles | stine#3004
  
• 
  
  

​

 

[sparrowsong!]

..╭―――――――――――――――|➹|―――――――――――――――╮

.

Where there was sun, there was bound to be a collection of cats warming themselves in it, and Sparrowpaw was no exception. No sooner had the sepia warrior hopped up on the stone did the chocolate tabby join him, curled into a ball and eyes closed.

One by one others joined, a fact they noted only once they peered over their own paw before rolling onto their other side. Nothing better than a nap in the sun, Sweetybee commented, and they hummed softly in agreement. ​

.

..╰―――――――――――――――|➹|―――――――――――――――╯

 

[SILVERSMOKE]

Silversmoke didn't think he could've ever found a more repulsive group of sunbathers. Daylight Warriors, WindClanners, and rogue-hearts all as smug and content as snakes basking in the sun. It felt wrong for cats like these to have their freedom whilst others were trapped in cages, the unease in his stomach was maddening. He'd done his duty to the clan by being amicable on patrol and protecting them when necessary but anymore would stretch his hair-thin patience past a point of no return. WindClan did not sound like a good place, its warriors weak and able to attack children without provocation, but if the new cats were able to betray their home on moral whims, then what was stopping them from doing the same to SkyClan, just like Sharpeye? He was grateful he hadn't been the one to make a decision on whether they got to stay or leave. The tabby lingered, the sun catching his silver fur and leaving it various bright shades. He was not a believer in much magic, but at that moment, he wished he could summon up better company, his thoughts stammering from the awkwardness of it all. He had nothing to say, yet leaving to do something more productive felt like an act of cowardice. He slowly reclined on his haunches, back turned on the gathered group and staring off toward the clear sky.

​

 

[~Deersong~]

( ♬ ) Tension that she hadn't realized had settled between her shoulder blades melted away slightly at the voice and beckon of her mate to join him in the sun. The slow blink she aimed his way was filled to the brim with devotion as she walked on delicate paws to lay beside him, scooting close enough that their pelt colors blended together and her half-tail rested against his haunches.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, the sunlight seeming to ease her unease as more and more of her clanmates gathered together, though she noted that Silversmoke remained turned away, nose to the sky. Not wanting to point out his reluctance to join, and also beginning to feel the heaviness of the quiet that was beginning to surround the group, Deersong would readjust, placing one of her paws over her mates as if the contact alone gave her courage and she spoke.

"It's always nice to get warm days like this once in a while, makes more prey come out of hiding." And she hoped that the good weather continued because good weather meant more chances for patrols to go out and look for those who had been taken. She wouldn't speak the words out loud for fear of her emotions bubbling to the surface. Because deep down she was scared. Scared for Quillstrike and Snowpaw, scared her clanmates may be gone forever, scared that anyone else in her family may be taken next, and the thought alone almost sent her sprinting back into the darkness of the nursery.

But they would be found, she had to believe that, and in the meantime, she would try and stay strong; to build herself back up so that when they all returned she would be at least a little bit whole again. ​

( LET YOU BREAK; MY HEART AGAIN )