private rulebreaker // foxtail

[SUNPAW.]

Of all the things that Sunpaw has done to accidentally earn herself an extra day of apprentice chores, this one will surely take the cake. Honestly, even she's not sure if she should do it. There are rules here, and while she may not agree with all of them this one is pretty common sense.

And maybe her motives are a little bit selfish. Which is why instead of comitting to what she wants to do - which is to leave camp and go swim, just for a little bit - she sits tentatively at the edge of camp. It's late, so most cats are already in their nests for the night, but Sunpaw is still up, paws tapping on the edge of the invisible boundary that makes up the camp and the rest of the RiverClan territory.

It'd be stupid, right? But her paws itch anyway, and she already knows she's not going to sleep. And she's already come this far, right? What's such a big deal about this invisible line in front of her? It's that thought alone that has her pushing up to her paws. Well, if she hasn't made up her mind all the way yet she can at least do this - one paw step over another until she's standing just outside the boundary of camp. Quite literally toeing the line,but still wrestling if it's going to be worth the chores she's going to be doing for the next season. She takes another step, still undecided.​

 

[FOXTAIL]

Foxtail twists and turns in his nest, his eyes squeezed shut. The lead warrior wants to let out a frustrated groan; but with his slumbering clanmates surrounding him, he holds himself back. He's been in his nest for a couple hours now— he should be in deep sleep right now; where he'd be dreaming about catching a flying fish or where a dog tries to join RiverClan. The night should go by in the blink of an eye, but it goes by slower than he thought was physically possible. How long have I been awake? Foxtail thinks as he finally opens his tired eyes, and he sits up in his nest.

Eventually, Foxtail finds himself leaving the warrior's den; and silverpelt still cloaks the sky. Well, if he can't sleep, he might as well go on a walk... or a nightly swim to pass the time. The camp is quiet; most cats have retreated to their nests for the night.... besides him. Foxtail trudges forward into the night, crickets softly chirping in the background. And as the lead warrior gets closer and closer to the edge of camp, a silhouette appears. His nose wrinkles at the familiar scent; he hadn't thought of checking if his apprentices were in their nests, but Sunpaw's scent radiates off the silhouette....

He approaches her from behind, raising an eyebrow as she seems.... to be literally toeing the line. She takes a step forward, but she seems uncertain.... undecided if she wants to venture out of camp.... in the dead of night. "Can't s-sleep, Sunpaw?" Foxtail's voice is hushed, but it's just loud enough to reach her ears. "...I can't e-either."

He... he should punish her for this.... But in all technicality, she is still in camp, she's literally toeing at the edge. He makes his way into her view, his tail swishing lowly. He doesn't want to reward this behavior.... apprentices shouldn't wander off on their own. Especially not at night. Oh StarClan, what should he do?​

𝐨𝐨𝐜 𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭

• 
  
• 
  
  

  ---

  credit to raphaelion (via da) for the artwork <3
  
• Foxtail

  ​
  

  lead warrior
  23 moons
  warmhearted
  timid
  experience: trained
  backstory: [HYPERLINK]
  biography: [HYPERLINK]
  credit to trops for the chibi <3
  

  cisgender male [he / him]
  eyes: green
  pelt: cinnamon/chocolate
  fur length: long
  parents: dawnflower and redfur (riverclan npcs)
  

  ---

  ​

​

 

[SUNPAW.]

Just when she's just about to convince herself to do it, she sighs and starts to sit back. No, she decides. It'd be stupid. It's dark, and it's late, and even if she's a strong swimmer, any unexpected current could drag her under and away before she could do anything about it. And given the time of the day, it would be a long time until anyone came to the riverside to realize that she was gone. Even she had standards and an understanding of the rules. Confident in herself though she was, she also had that blunt knowledge that she was an apprentice. Her paws were smaller, her body smaller, her energy more limtless than most adults but her staying power lesser. It was the trade off for growing up.

But then she hears him, and her head whips around the same second her ears flatten back. Just the sight of Foxtail, unexpected and while literally catching her doing something she knows she's not to be doing, makes her lip curl up in mild disgust. In an instant it pushes her, just that last little bit. She firmly steps all of her paws past the boundary line, then another two steps for good measure before she turns herself back around. Just to prove it. Though the instant she does it she's not exactly sure exactly just what she's there to prove but it doesn't matter. She's done it now, and she holds her chin high.

"...No, I can't," she finally answers. "I want to go swim," she declares instead. He can take it or leave it then. Not that... she really wants to just go off on her own and go swim this late, but if Foxtail is going to make a big deal of it then she'll match him blow for blow. ​

 

[FOXTAIL]

When Sunpaw notices his presence, he tries not to wince as her lip curls in disgust. He knows that Sunpaw is a little more.... rough on the edges. He can understand how Hawkcloud feels towards Magpiepaw now, he realizes... An apprentice similar to Sunpaw— one where they looked upon his littermate with blazing anger upon their reassignment... and just like his sister, he wonders why Sunpaw looks at him with such disapproval. Is it because she thinks her previous mentor abandoned her? He briefly wonders with fatigued eyes, and he wishes he could make her understand somehow... but his thoughts trail off as Sunpaw steps over the invisible line, ultimately making her decision.

She steps further past the boundary, deliberately staring at him as she does so... and he wants to wince at the glare she shoots her way. Was that really necessary? He wants to ask out loud, but unlike his fiery apprentice.... he holds his tongue, but he can feel his heart ache. A mere moment ago, she seemed unsure what to do. That changed all so quickly, just at the sight of him. I know you dislike me, you don't need to rub it in.

She finally speaks up, and the tired lead warrior pins his ears to his cranium. "I want to swim." She practically demands him, and the lead warrior swishes his tail lowly. Now this is a little... complicated. If he refuses and tells her to go back to sleep, who knows if she'll stay in her nest. She, much like him, cannot sleep tonight... and it only brings on boredom. What if she sneaks off and drowns? The chilling thought runs down his spine, I'd never forgive myself... But if he is with her.... he can ensure she will be safe in the water.

"...F-Fine," The tired lead warrior mews with a worn out voice, stepping over the invisible boundary. "I'll take y-you out to go s-swim." He pads over to the apprentice, his olive green eyes locking onto her amber eyes. He wonders if she'll think she got her way, but his olive green eyes narrow slightly. There's a catch to this, Sunpaw. "But you will spend tomorrow grooming the elders....," He doesn't care that she was barely over the boundary as he mews, "for v-venturing out of camp on your o-own." He doesn't wait for her reaction and pads forward, briefly glancing back to her.

"Follow m-me."​

𝐨𝐨𝐜 𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭

• 
  
• 
  
  

  ---

  credit to raphaelion (via da) for the artwork <3
  
• Foxtail

  ​
  

  lead warrior
  24 moons
  warmhearted
  timid
  experience: trained
  backstory: [HYPERLINK]
  biography: [HYPERLINK]
  credit to trops for the chibi <3
  

  cisgender male [he / him]
  eyes: green
  pelt: cinnamon/chocolate
  fur length: long
  parents: dawnflower and redfur (riverclan npcs)
  

  ---

  ​

​

 

[SUNPAW.]

Logically, she knows Foxtail isn't bad. There's no way someone like him would have made it to lead warrior in RiverClan if he actually like... sucked at his job or something. But there's still something about him that she can't shake. Sure she's salty about her whole... mentor situation. And yeah she wasn't thrilled about it. But there's a lot more than that too.

Foxtail stutters. He doesn't ever really seem confident. Sometimes she's not even sure what she can trust about him other than she has to blindly assume he's capable.

Even now, as he stands here sizing her up, she tips her head to one side and waits. What's he going to do, say no and let her go off on her own? Would he physically stop her if she tried? That's the bet she wagers on now - because even if she did, she (maybe haughtily) believes she could out pace him on foot, at least for long enough. Of course it's a large wager, because she's not exactly looking to get in that much trouble, but she doesn't have to. Because he folds, just like she hoped.

He agrees, and she disregards how tired he sounds as he says it. But of course there's a catch, and for a second she meets his eyes. "Fine," she declares easily. Jokes on him. She's actually starting to enjoy the elders, despite their crochety ways at times. It's seriously becoming less of a punishment and more of down time; most of them are just generally appreciative, so long as she remembers to mind her manners. Hardly punishment if she still gets what she wants.

But she's also smart enough to keep her satisfied smile to herself, flicking her tail as she pretends to look properly admonished by this. Not that Foxtail is even looking, so even better. She just pads after him with a quick step.

"You don't think I'd actually go jump in the river by myself, right? I'm not stupid."

​