PROUD MARY // name chatter, prompt


"LITTLE HELLIONS, KIDS FEELIN' REBELLIOUS"

//Prompt: Life without a tail is going to make balancing difficult and let's not even talk about his looks: how has this affected him? Is he bothered by his new struggles? Upset over how different he appears with a stub of a tail? He swore he heard another apprentice make the joke Wildstubbytail…


The return to duties had been a much needed relief following his stay in the medicine den, but getting his life back on track hadn't been as simple as he had first hoped. Although he tried hard to hide it he knew that he was struggling in ways he had not predicted following the loss of the majority of his tail. Performing turns when running was harder causing him to become sluggish in his hunting skills when chasing prey, and he was finding performing pounces increasingly more taxing on his body as he was forced to accommodate for that lack of additional stabilisation. Though despite it all he continued to press on bravely in a bid to avoid falling behind.

Then there were the additional issues he encountered back in camp regarding the remarks about his appearance. That day a few of the apprentices were gathered about chattering about what potential warriors names they would get when the time came. At first Wildpaw didn't pay it much heed, not until he ended up becoming the focus of the conversation. "I wonder what name he'd get? Bet it would be somethin' like Wildstump, or Wildstubbytail! Ha! Or Wildtuftbutt!" Needless to say but it rubbed him in all the wrong ways. "OI! HOW ABOUT YOU FUCKING SHUT UP BEFORE I SMASH YOUR JAW!" He bellowed with a flash of his teeth, hardly amused by the attention.
 
Minding her own business for once was Stormpaw, her eyes half closed as she bathed in the sunlight. Lately she had been far too exhausted with her training with Owlear to be up to her usual mischief. A lazy ear flicked toward the conversation of names. Ever since she had been born Stormkit, Stormpaw had wondered what her name would be. She hoped it would be something strong and bold. Stormheart? Stormbreak? The possibilities were endless. She wanted to earn it after a battle. Her chest swelled with pride until Wildpaw's shout startled her out of her senses, leaping from her loafed position to stare in the apprentice's direction.

"That's hardly the way to go about it." Stormpaw remarked, licking down a frazzled piece of fur.

 

Much like Stormpaw, Frostglare was being tempted into a nap by the spoils of the warm sunlight. He had just returned from a long dawn patrol, and the sun shining on his pelt felt amazing on his older joints. During the winter, he had often thought about back when he and his brother had lived with their twolegs. Their nest had always been toasty...and there had been certain spots that were warmer than others. His favorite pastime during leaf bare was sleeping on one of the heat producing vents along the floor. However...there were only natural heat producers out here in the forest...and he planned on taking advantage of it.

He could feel himself slipping away into a dream...the busy camp sounds were beginning to be drowned out...OI! HOW ABOUT YOU FUCKING SHUT UP BEFORE I SMASH YOUR JAW!

The seal point jerked his head up, frosty orbs scanning the camp. At first he was too tired to pinpoint where the screaming had come from...until he spotted Wildpaw. His gaze would narrow irritatedly, before hauling himself to his paws. If there would be any jaw smashing, it would be from him for interrupting his nap.

"What is all this screaming about?" the senior warrior would grumble, glaring at the group of apprentices.
[ PENNED BY ICEY ]
 
"WAAGH!" The lilac tom jumped as high as the clouds as a loud voice pierced through the hustle and bustle of camp, slipping behind the safety of Frostglare's seated figure until the danger could be ascertained. Copper eyes scanned the camp frantically and, when Frostglare and Stormpaw pointed out Wildpaw amidst the crowd, that same gaze quickly settled on the familiar apprentice with gnashing teeth and a missing tail. He emerged from his retreating hiding spot and slinked towards Stormpaw's side, the pale strands of his fur ragged and uprooted by Wildpaw's outburst. Offence shone in his vision and his ears fell back. He'd felt sorry for his other apprentice for some time, though Pebblepaw's tail had been bent by the hound, a life-changing event as he tried to adjust, Wildpaw's had been completely destroyed. He couldn't imagine how painful that must've been and how difficult it was to learn to be a cat again, but his sympathy could only extend so far. A timid paw was raised close to his thin front as if prepared to bat away any verbal threats that came his way with all the intensity of a playing kit. Hurt as he spoke, the apprentice mewed, "Please... don't do that again."

 

"LITTLE HELLIONS, KIDS FEELIN' REBELLIOUS"

"They started it! They're the ones saying that my warrior name will relate to my injury!" Wildpaw growled as he whipped himself round in order to glower back at Stormpaw, Pebblepaw, and Frostglare. He was in no mood for allowing anyone to mock his lack of a tail, not when it remained a sensitive subject in his life. Though what wasn't helping him at that moment was how his tail was trying to lash about behind him, but all he had was a fluffy stump wriggling about and causing him nothing but pain.

Why did it have to hurt so much?! He had to shake his head in a bid to simmer himself back down and to help still the twitching stump behind him, just anything to make the discomfort go away. "Howlingstar wouldn't make my name relate to my tail, would she?" By StarClan he hoped not! She wouldn't be so cruel, would she?