SADNESS DOWN TO THE RIVER 𓅪 INTRO

[loonpaw]

Go help Troutpaw out with that, Loonpaw.

It's a simple enough command, delivered without malice or venom—it falls from the warrior's lips with all the offhandedness of the easy swimmer. And yet the reaction it elicits from Loonpaw is immediate—her deep golden eyes rove frantically over the grey - tabby apprentice splashing after a fish in its death throes, fixing on the dark, dark, so very dark water. The longer she stares at the gentle waves of the river, the more worried she gets. the tighter the constricting tension in her chest gets—her mind bubbles up and spills over with images of herself imprisoned forever beneath the waves, gasping with burning lungs.

" Mm - mm. " Loonpaw presses out a whispery refusal through tightly knit lips, curved white fangs digging into her wobbling lower lip with such force it's a wonder they don't draw blood. Salty tears begin to bead, then bubble, then course rapidly down her split - hued face, silent sobs accompanied by miserable sniffles as the warrior presses her again. The she - cat shakes her head, her fluffy limbs beginning to tremble in an odd juxtaposition with her tall, sturdy body. It's an overall pitiful display.

OOC : —

𓅪

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[Rockpaw]

☾ ⋆*･ﾟ Loonpaw's eyes travel towards the water, and Rockpaw's own follows. With all the slashing, the river's surface wobbles with fluttering waves, and a shutter runs through his body. He wasn't a friend to the river. Would never dare enter its depths, even if asked to, even if he was begged to.

There were plenty of cats that would jump in without a care. Rockpaws ears flattening waiting for Loonpaw to reject what was asked of her, to explain that she wasn't born for swimming just like he was. But it never came, only tears ran down her face.

He hesitated for a moment more before creeping over to her side. "Hey, umm, it's okay. Nobody can force you to go in there. Try and umm, take some deep breaths, okay?" Rockpaw turns to the warrior tail low and tucked. "We umm don't do water." He explains lamely, eyes flicker around, looking for someone to take her place.

ooc Information

• ooc: —
• 
  
  

  Rockpaw— He/Him ･ 9 moons ･ Riverclan apprentice･ PENNED BY @Ghostunes!

  ☀︎ A charcoal ticked Tom with a yellow chest and underbelly.
  
  ☀︎ Tags​

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[FOXTAIL]

Foxtail found himself crouched at the riverbed, his olive green eyes scanning for any unsuspecting fish. He has his two apprentices with him; and the lead warrior felt intrigued to see where Brookpelt left Sunpaw off in her training. He pulls his gaze away from the river to glance at his apprentices, to observe their forms... and to observe their fishing techniques. But an ear flicks at a whimper, and the lead warrior finds himself looking the other way. His olive green eyes fall on the crouched form of Loonpaw, and his ears flatten to his skull as he notices the tears swelling in her eyes. "Go on, go help Troutpaw." A fellow warrior seems to press her despite her distress, and Foxtail can't help but frown.

"Stay focused on f-fishing," He tells his apprentices, briefly looking at Sunpaw for a moment longer, "...I'll be right over there.... for a m-minute." With a swish of his tail, the lead warrior leaves his position— and pads shortly down the riverbank, still within eyes reach of Pebblepaw and Sunpaw. As he pads closer, his ears prick up at the voice belonging to Rockpaw, whom was quick to comfort the distressed Loonpaw. He gives Rockpaw a silent nod of acknowledgement, before focusing his gaze onto the warrior.

"Give her some s-space," He mews to his fellow warrior, his ears flattening to his skull. "Can't y-you see she doesn't feel comfortable jumping into the w-water?" Foxtail comments with a slight frown. He would never force his apprentices to swim if they were scared of the water. He knows what it's like; wanting nothing to do with the water. And he knew what the wrong thing to was: forcing them to swim anyway. Exactly what his mentor did when Foxtail was a dry-paw. The lead warrior looks over at Rockpaw as he gives his explanation, but it wasn't a lame excuse to him. Maybe one day they'll give swimming a try, but it should be at their own pace. He pulls his gaze away from him, and the young lead warrior looks at his two apprentices.

"Pebblepaw, c-can you help Troutpaw out instead?" He mews, knowing that Pebblepaw would be a little more understanding than Sunpaw....​

𝐨𝐨𝐜 𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭

• apprentice tag @PEBBLEPAW @SUNPAW.
  
• 
  
  

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

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  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)
  

  ---

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[SUNPAW.]

Drypaws.

In a way, she can kind of understand them. They're a different kind of outcast. Not like a kittypet or a loner - both of which she could claim title to for herself - but something right smack dab in the middle. Clan cat, but not the way RiverClan would want them to be. But even though she can understand, Loonpaw's full refusal just... doesn't make sense to her.

Because she can't understand it. She loves the water, loves the freedom it gives her under her paws, how quickly she can dash between and around the rapids. As a loner. As a kittypet too. So even as she is now, crouched carefully at the water's edge and ready to prove herself to her mentor, she can't help her ears flicking in irritation at the noise around her. She might have accepted Foxtail a little begrudgingly as her new mentor, but if she was going to be rejected once she was going to make sure that it wasn't going to be twice, and that started right here proving exactly what she was capable of.

Until she doesn't get to. It's with a momentary eye of disdain that she glances at Loonpaw and Rockpaw. "Then don't do it," Sunpaw grumbles, albeit much more subdued given what she's supposed to be doing. Her gaze quickly returns to the water, eyes waiting for her prey. "If you don't know how yet, don't make it harder on us by scaring off the fish." And, well, probably hurt themselves too. But that's an obvious fact in her eyes, a thing anyone would probably think of. But that's a surprising thing too. She might not be sure how she feels about Foxtail yet, but she at least knows he probably wouldn't ask her to do anything so careless like that if he knew she didn't even know how to swim. "Just because it's your mentor doesn't mean that everything they say is a good idea, you know. You don't have to listen to them."
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[eveningpaw]

While the curious case of drypaws is not something Eveningpaw can personally empathize with — none of her siblings avoid the water, after all —, the lack of it never makes her forget about them. They're an integral part to RiverClan, worthy members just like those who jump into the currents without a second thought. Would that change with time? The constant warrior duties' cogs turning, incessant, turning something foreign into mere background noise?

Still, she can't imagine it. Loonpaw's mentor instructs her next move... and even though Eveningpaw does not immediately notice the cascade of tears and the shakes of terror, her brain catches up; the poor she-cat has just been asked the impossible.

Silver-embroidery of tabby stripes shift as she emerges from the depths of the river, liquid smoothly gliding off that pelt. A moment's hesitation... is her presence favorable to Loonpaw, or would it only act as a cruel reminder? Rockpaw's support and Foxtail's disapproval urge her into acting.

"What if you and me hunt here, on the ground?" she offers, enthusiasm rolling off her in gentle waves. Her movements are careful as she emerges onto the bank and arrives to Loonpaw's free side; it would not be ideal to send stray droplets towards her. "No need to get all drenched... I'm sure we could make a good team!" The choice is entirely within Loonpaw's grasp... rejection would be understandable in such a state, but all the same, Eveningpaw doubts she would feel comfortable by staying entirely idle.

Sunpaw speaks next, and although she doesn't say anything particularly wrong, Eveningpaw wishes she had worded it better, gentler. Ivory fangs chew on the inside of her mouth, until she finally settles on saying; "It's not that simple..."

@hazecloud

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[eaglepaw.]

Eaglepaw's voice isn't as warm as it normally is within the confines of camp- from where he has emerged from the water with his own catch, he speaks around a fish swiftly killed on the shore- "Leave it to the warriors." Too many paws in this pit. He had hardly been listening to where the commotion was on shore, where Loonpaw disagreed with a task. That was it, then? One simple ask, and she was shedding tears where she stood?

He wasn't one to judge- no, he kept all under a watchful gaze without deciding who they were or why they were to be protected. Less judgement found him now, and more... bitter distaste. It wasn't often that feeling found him, but it was an odd one when it found the pit of his stomach. Eveningpaw is quicker to give support then he is, standing awkwardly with fish caught between tight jaws. His vision shifted towards @Tigersplash, then towards the situation at hand.

The fish is lain at his paws, and as he turned towards shore and stops next to Sunpaw, he speaks with a side-glance to the apprentice. "Too many tongues in that conversation. Best leave it." He says- not in a rude way, but one that speaks to it's between Foxtail and the other warrior now.

He is hardly there for a moment before he is moving back into the water towards where Troutpaw is still struggling with the fish, snapping forward in the deep eddies and ripping the fish free from the water. Eaglepaw takes his time finding the way back to shore, giving Pebblepaw a half-apologetic look for taking the kill he was asked to help with.

‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ┌── PUTTING DOWN THE ROSES ⋅❁⋅ PICKING UP THE SWORD ──┐‎

• "speech"
  // mentor tag
  

• 

• EAGLEPAW he/him, apprentice of riverclan, six moons.
  ⭃ LH black tabby with intense, greenleaf-green eyes. a bit taller then average, with a powerful frame and graceful movements, carries himself with pride. normally seen with a slight smile or a serious face. someone you can rely on.
  ⭃ mentored by npc / / mentoring no one
  ⭃ padding after no one / / littermate to graypaw, and streamkit
  ⭃ peaceful and healing powerplay permitted / / underline and tag when attacking
  ⭃ penned by dallas ↛ dallasofnines on discord, feel free to dm for plots.
  

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