RUN BOY RUN \ snail race

[MALLOWLARK]

Not every day of leaf-bare did it snow. No, sometimes the clouds swelled and wept, and their tears remained liquid rather than freezing on the way down. Some had rather stark opinions of rain versus snow, but Mallowlark was not one such cat- no, he really didn't care. The snow was fun to frolic in, but the rain brought after it a plethora of beasts. Little ones, generally slimy- it was slugs and snails he searched for in the aftermath, an activity he performed even now he was an adult. Today was no exception- it had rained the night before, and so out would creep the snails from their crevices, and if he couldn't find any empty shells then he might at least find a snail...

Oh, or two! There upon a rock two snails sat side by side, and in Mallowlark's head immediately sprung a fun idea. WindClan's favourite pastime was racing... but why leave it to just the cats?

In front of the snails he held a stick, holding them off from going forward for now. And then, then- "Three, two, one- GO!" he cheered, whipping the stick away and watching with enraptured grey eyes as the snails set upon their race to the other end of the rock. It was neck in neck, closer than any cat-race he'd seen- all until one of the snails started veering off, apparently finding more interest elsewhere. "No, Guts, you're supposed to go forward! You're just giving Slime the win!" He sounded anguished, almost, in amongst the humour of it. How short was this snail's attention span, huh? ​

[ PENNED BY PIN ]​

 

[icebreath]

TAGS — It's always fun when the snails come out; they're such interesting little animals. What's it like to be a snail, she wonders? Are their shells heavy? Icepaw can't imagine having to carry one on their back all the time. Well, if it were proportionate to their own size, they mean. Having a tiny little shell wouldn't be a problem at all, really.

Anyway, she's thinking about all this when a sudden outburst catches her off guard. Icepaw takes a moment to collect herself before glancing around and setting off in the direction it came from, putting the voice to a name just a bit before she spots him — Mallowlark! He's an interesting one, too, and the situation she stumbles upon solidifies this characterization in her mind. Tilting her head, she trots over and peers down at the snails he's... cheering for? Is he... making them race? It brings a smile to her face. She's kind of tempted to join in, and maybe pick one to root for, but the thought makes her self-conscious even though it's just the two of them here and Mallowlark is very into it. "Who're you rooting for?" she asks after a moment, still smiling.

​

 

[RAMWIND !]

MAY I STAND UNSHAKEN AMIDST THE CRASH OF THE WORLD ✧​

snails are not something ram thinks of often, he really had no need to. they were small and tiny and often hid themselves from his sights, so he really had no reason to seek them out. yet when he sees icepaw and mallowlark (that freak) watching some snails, he can't help but looking. approaching the two as he watches the little bugs move at...well...a snail's pace. very slow and meager movements, to the point ram doesn't even know if they are moving at times.

he juts a paw towards the direction of a snail that is just barely in front of the other, careful not to actually touch them. "that one will totally win. he even looks like a winner." well, actually, he's kinda ugly. no, very ugly. but maybe winning snails are just really ugly. he shouldn't be wasting his time with this...but there was nothing to do. nothing that was fun, at the very least. ​

 

[SNAILSTRIDE]

It did not take much to gain the tabby cat's interest, doubly so when the hot topic happened to be his namesake. Snailpaw liked snails, their swirly little rock-houses reminded him of the stripes that swiveled around his flank. Furthermore, they had strange eyes that seemed to retract whenever he tried to poke them - long story short, snails were fascinating. Barrelling forwards at a speed seldom seen from the fluffier apprentice, Snailpaw leaned as close to the 'race track' as Mallowlark would allow them. Their maw was marted in awe at the little beasties, Guts and Slime, and as the other apprentices began to discuss a winner, Snailpaw felt that they had to intervene. "Are you kidding? That one wouldn't know its shell from its mouth!". Snailpaw didn't know which one he was referring to, Guts or Slime, it didn't matter to them in the end. "The other one, uh, you you you you you." Snailpaw pointed to a snail with one of their white socks, careful not to interrupt the race at its peak.

"This is a winner, look at its energy! It's motivation! You will never find a better snail than this one - apart from me of course! Hehe~".



​

 

[strawmoon]

Ohhhh Strawpaw hated rainy days, or in this case rainy nights. This morning Straw had been just minding their business and a WORM bit them!! Straw didn't even think that was possible (which in this case it was all in their head)! How dare they, such insolent creatures deserving of the worst punishment imaginable; Strawstar of Wormclan shall punish them for their traitorous behavior... Once they figure out how. They were still seething, so caught up in their rage that they would have missed Mallows snail race if they hadn't looked twice.

As if everything was suddenly forgotten, their face fell from their scrunched up, pure anger snarl in to their usual blank stare. They teeter over, looking through each cat and flicking their ear when they spot Schmopaw and.. Bilepaw, ehehe, they should call him that... They turn to look at the snails. Ugly, each of them, like the worms. "Eww..." Snailpaw talks of not being able to find a better snail then them.. How unfortunate, being named after something so ugly... Straw would change their name if they were named after a Worm or Snail.

Everyone is talking about their snail winning but Straw raises a paw, ready to crush them before they set it back down and turn to Mallowlark. Surely he'd understand, right? "Why didn't you step on them... Like pschkhlllk... Its better." they imitate the squelching noise that they think the snails would make when they die. Snail racing was boring.

// IC OPINIONS SORRY!!​

"speech"​

 

[Firefang]

Something about Mallowlark gave her the eebie-jeebies like he was some sort of monster wearing the flesh of a cat, just something felt so off about him and she'd skirt around him for the most part. She supposes like a lot of cats the reality of his existence was that he was just a complete and utter freakshow, just an everyday weirdo in a clan that had too many of them. Not her though. She watches from afar as he crouches over what looks like snails, a furrow of a cringe written across her muzzle lip drawn up in disbelief this was what one of her clanmates was choosing to spend this relatively "nice" day doing. Should she be surprised though when it came to him? mister creepyface himself? What she is surprised at is all the cats who come to join in rooting for the small little disgusting bugs. A whine passes through her muzzle, if it was just warriors over there she could just ignore it and watch form a distance judgingly while grooming her pelt free of the mud that clung to it after another (failed) hunt. However it's some of the other apprentices who come to indulge Mallowlark; Rampaw, Strawpaw, Snailpaw (of course he'd be interested, he was finally around creatures just like him; gross, slow and lazy) and Icepaw why was she so interested anyway? She never came to see what she was doing, she just didn't get it. Did the other apprentices like snails, would she have to go and collect a buncha them and show them off to get their attention? Eww she couldn't but if it came down to it she would give it a try, surely if Mallowlark could find them she could too she was good at tracking -catching not so much but it wasn't like snails were as fast as rabbits in fact they were the opposite! Her ears press down on her head and she deliberates for just a few moments before deciding.

With a groan she'd get to her paws and come stalking over head hanging low and a dour expression on her face, a standard Firepaw look. ❝Not that I CARE but umm...❞ her tail flicks uncomfortably as she comes to stand besides Icepaw gaze flicking to the smaller molly momentarily before she looks to the snails Strawpaw's paw hovering above them - even she knew better then to kill em right now even if she's curious too what they'd sound like as well. Well for many reasons one because it'd upset the others, she didn't want to know if Mallowlark could get angry and alos she didn't want their ick on her paws. She swallows the dryness in her throat. ❝Who d'ya think will win huh? ❞ she heard she'd already asked Rampaw but she was more interested in what Icepaw found more strong or interesting or whatever you think about snails, they looked like the same how could they root for one when they could abrely be distinguished apart? it didn't matter she tells herself getting to caught up thinking it over. SHe pipes up again more confidentially gaze ripping itself away from Icepaw to Strawpaw then to Mallowlark who granted she couldn't keep eye contact with too long ❝I ain't rootin for neither of them, I think though we should smash the loser! Only the strong should survive!❞

​

( PLACE ME IN MY CASKET TONIGHT ; BECAUSE IM ALREADY DYING INSIDE )

 

[MALLOWLARK]

Well, well, he wasn't expecting this! Here arrived an audience of apprentices, eyes every kind of enraptured. That meaning, some more than others. Oh, but he was sure- now they were caught in the tendrils of this show, they'd not escape as easily as they had arrived! Too-large grin occupied the majority of his face as his silver gaze moved like clockwork, snapping to each apprentice sequentially. All while nary a blink obscured his vision- eye-contact, that was important! Especially now he was a host...

The ensuing discussion of who to root for that sparked between Snailpaw, Firepaw, Icepaw and Rampaw- oh, it brought free a bubbling cackle, sharp laughter there before he could halt it! And- well, Snailpaw's joke just made him laugh even more. How he loved puns! "Well, root for the underdog, right? So I'm rooting for- KHH-HAH, for Guts!" An inky paw motioned to the slightly-distracted snail, the one clearly lagging behind. "HAH- he needs to get h-his head in the game, though- hahaha!"

Talk of crushing them- such a violent scenario, a picture of snail-ichor splashing everywhere and ruining the white blanket atop the moors- he could not deny it was a funny image, but it felt a little bit wrong to cut their lives short just for a laugh. It was indeed a laugh, though- giggling permeated his breaths, even as he offered his refusal. Not even the slightest twitch faltered his fang-filled smile. Tick-tock, rigid- his gaze flickered between Firepaw and Strawpaw. "Nahh... once they're dead, then you can crush em. Let them live out their- their retirement, 'n then chuck their c-hah-corpses about!" He would admit he did not know how long snails lived, but it couldn't be that long... and he'd sure accidentally crushed one once or twice. ​

[ PENNED BY PIN ]​

 

[SNAILSTRIDE]

Snailpaw's ears flattened as talk of crushing them emerged within the growing crowd. He was no saint, plenty of bugs had fallen victim to the tabby's mighty paws but... doing the same to a snail felt wrong. There was a kinship there that went beyond shared names, they'd seen them struggle to move as fast as the others and hide at the simplest provocation and they felt like brothers. They lowered their head between their shoulders, unnaturally quiet in the face of adversity, and remained that way until Mallowlark erupted with turbulent energy, enough to make anyone take notice. Sapphire eyes peaked at the two-toned tom, feeling the weight of a thousand cats lift off of their chest when he confirmed that no crushing would confirm until post-mortem. Like a timid turtle, Snailpaw's head began to raise out of its proverbial shell, the smile that seemed froze to their maw returning. "Snails are no fun to kill anyways!" He tried to dissuade Firepaw and Strawpaw further, uncertain that they would be so quick to adhere to a warrior's authority. Snailpaw wouldn't if they wanted to do something badly enough, they didn't know their fellow apprentices that well, but if they shared even the slightest similarity to him, then he trusted his judgment.

"I've heard they taste like... uh.... carrion! And and, their squish -eugh- juices stays on your paws for moons!". Nausea crept into Snailpaw's belly at their own description, the urge to gag appearing and disappearing like the moon. They spoke with conviction, fully believing their own hyperbole, and once satisfied, they hopped to the other side of the race track to better assess the racers.'Guts is the slow one... Slime is the one in the lead....' They committed the positions to memory, placing their lower jaw upon the ground with intrigue. Melancholy filled his expression for a moment. 'Both of you... live long enough to be free... I don't want to see you thrown about...'. Then, they gave a little lash of his tail, similar to one they tabby would offer before he chased prey, and let their teeth flash in a more upbeat manner. "Guts! Guts! He's our snail, compared to him, all others pale!".


​

 

[curlewnose]

"leave those snails alone, they've got problems of their own"​

A grin crept across Curlew’s muzzle as he joined the group watching two snails, evidently in a race for their lives. Snailpaw’s defense of the little creatures warmed his heart, and he would gently brush his tail over their head in approval if they allowed him to. He didn’t care who won, really, but he would absolutely cause a distraction so the apprentice could save them if the time came. He always had a love for the underdog, though, so he picked up Snailpaw’s chant. ”Go Guts! You can do it!
​

✦ ★ ✦​