camp running down to the riptide // strong current

[CRAGPAW]

As the sun dips low over the horizon, casting a golden hue across the RiverClan camp, Cragkit bounds towards the edge of the island. Hearing Cicadaflight’s story about catching his first minnow when he was way younger than he and his siblings were had lit a fire in the insecure tom. If he could do it, so can Cragkit. He will do it effortlessly and prove his skills to everyone in the clan. Then he’ll have to earn Iciclefang’s praise!

With a determined glint in his blue and gold eyes, the scruffy-furred kit crouches low, tail twitching with excitement as he scans the water for movement. Spotting a shimmer beneath the surface, he impulsively pounces into the water, claws outstretched. But instead of a fish in his claws or mud beneath his paws, he finds himself splashing into the warm river’s depths. He’d made a mistake - the water here isn’t shallow at all! Which is fine. He can swim. He’ll be fine! But as he begins to kick his way back to land, it becomes obvious the water doesn’t want him to go back. The current claws at him, dragging him away from the safety of the bank. Panic grips Cragkit as he struggles to stay afloat no matter how hard he tries to swim, the river's strength clearly surprising him. "Help!" he yowls, unsure if anyone will even hear him, but thankfully his voice carries across the water.

He can see cats running towards him, but his head ducks under the water once and his hope begins to waver. That is, until he bumps into something hard. A large rock juts out from the swirling waters and with a desperate burst of energy, he kicks out at the water to propel himself higher, his white claws scrabbling against the slippery surface. The tricolored kit clings to the rock, panting heavily as water cascades off his soaked fur. Shivering with cold and relief, Cragkit glances back towards the camp with wide eyes. "I-I'm okay," He calls out, though his voice trembles with lingering fear. How could he have been so careless? He huddles against the rock, waiting for help from one of the adults, but he can’t escape the shame and embarrassment that now burns his ears.
​

 

[EVENINGPAW]

A call for help coming in the form of kitten-shrill voice is never what you want to hear. It puts a wholly abrupt end to Eveningpaw's grooming session, tongue sticking out, the only movement in her suddenly stiff body is those pair of ears. They pinpoint the location and source quick — Cragkit, by the sound of it. The ice that found itself into her veins at the panic in his voice does not deter her from jumping straight into action.

"Hold on, I'm coming!" Eveningpaw yells, though the way the waves crash over the too-tiny head... she doubts he is able to hear it. She does not know what drowning feels like — thankfully —, but she can imagine the terrifying sensation of water filling your lungs as you struggle to breathe. Cragkit will not last nearly as long as a grown warrior even in the shallower streams.

In her hurry, she swears she all but flies over the soft grass of camp... but simultaneously, it feels like everything has slowed down to a crawl. Eveningpaw is cursed to witness a slow motion version of Cragkit's struggles; is she really tail-lengths away, and not as far as two differing Clans' homes? Gray-and-white pelt flashes above the surface again and gives Eveningpaw's frenzied heart hope. He is not nearly as foolish as some of the more hardened seniors might think upon hearing his playful tone under normal circumstances — and as a result, he manages to get himself onto a rock by the time Eveningpaw arrives to the bank.

There is just a moment of relief that Eveningpaw allows herself. Cragkit had been fun to play with, and they will have lots of other games to play still, when he joins her in the apprentice den. Losing him right at their doorstep is not an option. "Thank StarClan you're okay! Are you hurt anywhere? Come on, let's get you to dry land."

Paws remain ginger as they take her into the now-stilling tide, lest she disturbs the river too much and the wave carries him off his safe place. Eveningpaw tip-toes over to him; it will do them both some good if she carries Cragkit while walking instead of swimming. "Cling if you wanna! Get those paws to work." And with that, she grabs him by the scruff — making sure Cragkit faces her, so he has someplace to hold onto —, fully intending to haul him across the deeper part.

Feel free to be the one to help her/correct her on how to carry someone out! She simply assumes she will be able to brute force them both out of there due to being older. </3

​

 

[claythorn]

Claythorn would say her maternal 'instinct' had never reared it's head until now. She had lived her life knowing not the pain of a kit's scream activating something so terrifying within her- but the way that Cragkit's cry for help caused pin-pricks to stab into her side. She was on her paws in a near-instant, slower then normally, but she was still rushing to the water's edge. Her eyes shifted, then widened, fears of her owns suffocating her, fighting with the maternal instinct stabbing into her.

In her hesitance did Cragkit find a stone to cling onto, and Eveningpaw was already at his side. Claythorn carefully followed, cringing as she sank into any of the water. Ears shifted and turned as she looked towards the two younger, Eveningpaw's jaws already grasping Cragkit's scruff. "Wait." The pregnant cat heaved a breath, trying to still her brain, her stomach, any fear she might have. Stars, was she already out of breath? "Can't carry him like that. Run the risk of dragging both of you away- he's going to be heavier then you think."

Claythorn said this not unkindly, but rather as a matter of exaction. Losing two young cats to the tide would be worse then... no, no she couldn't think about the other options. She couldn't, lest her skin start crawling again. Claythorn stepped forward, standing alongside Eveningpaw. "Cragkit, let me get under you. Eveningpaw, drag him." She said, lowering her shoulder enough that the kit could lean over her, tucking up underneath of him in the same motion.

If all went well there, she'd carefully wobble her way back to shore in tandem with Eveningpaw, and upon arrival crouching down to allow the kit to slide to the ground. She was instantly scanning him over for any injuries. Vision then turned towards Eveningpaw. "Please go grab Iciclefang." She said, then looked back towards Cragkit. "How... are you feeling?" She asked hesitantly. Claythorn was no good at this. Shit. Is raising kits really like this? This is hard.

‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ┌── WHO ENCRYPTED YOUR DARK ⋅❁⋅ GOSPEL IN BODY LANGUAGE? ──┐‎

• "speech"
  

• 

• CLAYTHORN she/her, warrior of riverclan, fifteen moons.
  ⭃ LH chocolate torbie with mismatched golden eyes, scars across her right cheek and over her left ear. cold exterior and threatening glares, built for stamina/battle and not swimming (tall/muscled)
  ⭃ mentored by darkbranch (npc) / / mentoring no one
  ⭃ mated to otterbite / / only child
  ⭃ peaceful and healing powerplay permitted / / underline and tag when attacking
  ⭃ penned by dallas ↛ dallasofnines on discord, feel free to dm for plots.
  

​

 

[snowkit]

-`♡´- Snowkit hears the commotion at the same time Claythorn does, probably, but his lack of instinct (maternal, paternal, fraternal, etc) lets him meander toward his nearly-drowned cousin without much concern. She knows that the river can be dangerous, and that kittens shouldn't be swimming without an adult there to watch them, but she also knows that Cragkit tends to make a bit of a fuss like, all the time. She remembers his myriad of wailings when they were younger, crying over incorrectly played nursery games mostly.

By the time he arrives, too, Claythorn has already gotten it handled, and whatever river-emergency Cragkit was having was put to rest. Snowkit made the simple and immediate decision that whatever happened probably wasn't that bad, and that her cousin was just being a baby. "You should practice your swimming, Craggy. It was probably just scary 'cause you're still bad at it," Snowkit casually shrugs his dry and fluffed shoulders. Swimming was easy, and Cragkit looked totally fine now, so why was everyone freaking out about this?

IM NO TEENAGE ICON -`♡´- IM NO FRANKIE AVALON

• OOC:
• 
• 
  — snowkit, kitten of riverclan!
  — he/him & she/her. OK w gendered terms! 5 moons old!
  — lilybloom x lakemoon. graykit's littermate !
  — a fluffy blue tortie w white & warm brown eyes
  — an assertive, precocious kitten with a big imagination
  — "speech", thoughts, attack
  — fullbody by jay, funnyguy by pin
  — penned by eezy

​

 

[FERNGILL]

The moment he heard Cragkit's yelp skyward, Ferngill was running with angled ears and a widened eye. His nephew, thrown beneath the waves- something sickened pushed up his throat, memories tainted in shadows, in darkness. His muscles tensed, but- but thankfully he saw from a distance as the tom's slate-splashed form struggled to the slippery surface of a stone, and Eveningpaw glided toward him- too, did Claythorn rush to help. Ferngill slowed his pace, perching beside Snowkit on the shore- though, protectively, Ferngill swung his tail in front of the calico.

"Cragkit," Ferngill chided gently, a sigh in his voice. He found it supremely hard to supress the wobble of relief that found its way into his tone, the quavering of a verdant eye. Thank the Stars ... Mudpelt was looking out for him there, surely. That instictual swimming prowess might not bloom immediately within his nephew, but he had generations of Riverclanners breezing him along the surface. "Buddy, if you want to go swimming just ask me to come with, okay? I'll make time." Anything but letting this happen again. ​

✦ penned by pin ✦​

 

[EVENINGPAW]

"Oh." Eveningpaw lets realization dawn on her carefully. She lets go of Cragkit before she breathes it out, and for once, she does not fight against Claythorn's reasonings — even she has her limits, and she would rather not cross over it while her poor friend struggles in the hungry currents. Not even Claythorn's assumption about Eveningpaw herself getting carried away after crumbling under sudden weight gets her gears turning. Time and place and all that.

No matter any possible struggle, Eveningpaw diligently helps Cragkit onto the much-more stable back of Claythorn. It only occurs to Eveningpaw then; the drypaw has once more battled her fear of water, enough to help a kitten in need. Can she even be called a drypaw anymore?

The rest of their Clanmates quickly flock to the scene. Eveningpaw cannot help the frown that comes with Snowkit's comment, and cannot help its deepening when Ferngill ties his attempt at scolding with a bow of vague suggestion. "I think it was a good attempt," Eveningpaw says, earnest as ever... despite the contrary. It would do Cragkit no good to harp too much when he's had enough of a scare already.

"Thanks, Claythorn." She nods to their helper before stumbling to find a familiar tortoiseshell pelt.

Fetching @iciclefang !

​

 

[CRAGPAW]

Cragkit shivers against the rock, his soaked fur clinging uncomfortably to his gangly frame. Eveningpaw's arrival is like a lifeline, her urgent reassurance cutting through the panic that still gripped him. As she grabs him gently by the scruff, he tries to awkwardly cling to her with trembling white paws, but as they’re roughly the same size this doesn’t seem to work. Claythorn's approach through the river gains his attention and he looks at the pregnant she-cat with wide eyes. He nods hesitantly as she positions herself under him. “Th-thank you,” He stammers to the both of them, his voice barely above a whisper. This is so embarrassing. With Eveningpaw and Claythorn's combined effort, Cragkit is carefully maneuvered back to dry land. His legs feel weak and shaky as he places his paws on the shore, the sturdy ground beneath him a welcome safety net after the terrifying ordeal. "I-I'm okay," The tricolored tom manages to repeat, though his voice quivers against his effort to sound strong. Claythorn's question makes him realize just how shaken he truly is. "I...I'm scared," Cragkit admits softly, his mismatched gaze dropping to his paws. "But I'll be fine."

He glances up at Snowkit, his cousin's nonchalant attitude cutting through the residual fear. He knows the other kit well enough now to expect such comments, but that doesn’t keep him from flattening his ears in frustration and embarrassment. "It wasn't...I mean, I was just..." Cragkit stumbles over his words, unsure of how to explain the intensity of the situation to someone who hadn't experienced it. "I’m not bad at swimming," The tom finally manages more assertively, a pouty lip stuck out. "The river...it was just stronger than I thought. I didn't mean to fall in." He looks up as Ferngill addresses him, his heart sinking a little at the worry he sees in the older tom's eyes. He knows his uncle cares deeply for him, but the more he sees everyone worry, the more ashamed he feels. "I'm sorry, Ferngill," Cragkit murmurs guiltily, his chin ducking towards his chest. "I didn't mean to scare everyone. I was just trying to catch a minnow like Cicadaflight did when he was a kit.” Eveningpaw’s encouragement is appreciated and fills his chest with warmth, but only earns a flick of an ear. He’s too down to do much else.

The apprentice’s quick departure to fetch Iciclefang leaves Cragkit alone momentarily with the three cats. He can see the worry etched on Claythorn’s face as she continues to assess him, and despite his own dismay, he feels a pang of sympathy for the she-cat. He isn’t used to seeing adults look so uncertain. "I'm sorry," He whispers again, his ears flattening against his head. "I didn't mean to cause trouble." He’s sure when his mother arrives, he’ll be scolded, reprimanded, and everything else under the sun by the stern queen, but he doesn’t really care. He just wants to be warm in his nest with her again.
​

 

[claythorn]

She felt so much further solid with the shore beneath her paws, outside of water that threatened to sweep them all away. She felt better outside of the water, despite the effort she was making to push into it. Eveningpaw's lingering vision didn't go unnoticed, just unmentioned. When Cragkit was finally back on solid land did she allow herself to breath, and he gives her a quiet answer, one that causes her ears to twitch.

The fear in his eyes has caused something to start inside of her. More then the maternal urge that had her stepping into water without a seconds thought- a protective one, perhaps, one that wanted to silence any doubt in his mind. Claythorn inhaled, standing up and turning her gaze away from the kit. Ferngill and Snowkit are speaking to Cragkit, and her ear briefly twitched towards Eveningpaw in a brief and unspoken 'you're welcome'.

When she speaks again, she has all but smoothed any worried expression off of her face, the pinching of eyebrows gone. "The important part is you knew what to do." Claythorn mentioned, gesturing towards the stone that they had rescued Cragkit from. "Called for help, clung onto something until we arrived." She murmured- drawing her head back gently, she sat, waiting patiently for Iciclefang to arrive. Claythorn wasn't yet a queen, as much as she couldn't deny she was nearly there, but it would be best for his mother to be here.

"I forgive you." Claythorn says, on a quiet tone that most didn't hear from her- not often, anyways. It seemed to occur a lot lately. Otterbite's and her's conversation nearly a moon ago. Now, to Cragkit, a soft one that hid any kind of cold-shouldering she was known for. "Your... apology shows you have learned something. Ferngill would be a wise cat to ask for help learning the waters, if your mother isn't around." She informed quietly, softly.

‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ┌── WHO ENCRYPTED YOUR DARK ⋅❁⋅ GOSPEL IN BODY LANGUAGE? ──┐‎

• "speech"
  

• 

• CLAYTHORN she/her, warrior of riverclan, fifteen moons.
  ⭃ LH chocolate torbie with mismatched golden eyes, scars across her right cheek and over her left ear. cold exterior and threatening glares, built for stamina/battle and not swimming (tall/muscled)
  ⭃ mentored by darkbranch (npc) / / mentoring no one
  ⭃ mated to otterbite / / only child
  ⭃ peaceful and healing powerplay permitted / / underline and tag when attacking
  ⭃ penned by dallas ↛ dallasofnines on discord, feel free to dm for plots.
  

​