private show me how // gravelsnap

[icebreath]

If being stuck on bed rest was uncomfortable in WindClan's camp, here in the middle of enemy territory it's almost painful. They wish desperately to be useful, to be able to patrol, hunt, or guard the sandy hollow in case ThunderClan decides to ambush them after all, but fleeing the moors had worsened her injury, setting her back in the recovery process, and the passive aching that had begun to subside has returned at full force. Wolfsong's warning that continued use of her paw could lead to permanent damage echoes in her memory; she has to keep reminding herself of the bigger picture. Resting now means she can actually be of use later. Still, as she sees all of her clanmates working tirelessly despite the wounds they'd sustained during the invasion, Icebreath can't help but feel like dead weight.

She restlessly shreds a fallen leaf between her claws, admittedly a bit entertained by the crunch of it. But it's not long before she reduces it to bits and loses her plaything, and then she's painfully bored all over again. With a furrowed brow they look up, surveying the makeshift camp... and eventually their gaze rests on an idle Gravelsnap. It's been a while since they've conversed; there's been little time to rest and chat lately, especially since their different lines of work were perfectly oriented to keep the pair apart before Icebreath's injury. Truthfully, it's been a while since they've spent time with any friends in a leisurely context, and now that she's on bed rest there's nothing to distract her from that loneliness.

"Hey Gravelsnap," they call to him, beckoning the other warrior over with a tense smile and a wave of her tail. After a murmured greeting, a beat passes as she glances warily out into the surrounding woods. "This is all so crazy, huh? I hate being stuck here." She means it in two ways. "How far into the forest did you and your patrol go yesterday? Must've felt weird." The sandy hollow is relatively close to the border, too much so for Icebreath to feel like she'd experienced even a fraction of the territory.

@GRAVELSNAP
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[GRAVELSNAP]

ThunderClan’s territory is awful. The trees’ branches stretch wide enough to blot out the very sky much of the time, and any prey that they manage to find is quick to scamper off into the undergrowth that Gravelsnap is too nervous to dart into. They had set foot in the tunnels one time as a young apprentice, and the feeling of walls closing in around their flanks still makes their legs seize with fright. They just want to go home—but WindClan’s territory has been invaded by rogues, and ThunderClan has been oh so gracious as to allow them to shelter until they can regain their strength and take back their lands. "Icebreath," they greet their friend with a hint of a smile when she calls out to them, nervous but glad to see the other in one piece.

He would be lying if he said he wasn’t concerned for his friend’s health. The tunneler has been injured for so long, Gravelsnap wonders whether they will ever fully recover. But at the very least, Icebreath won’t have to scurry around the forest territory like an outsider, unsure and questioning each step that they take. The black and white tom pauses for a moment, then settles onto his haunches beside the other warrior. "We tried not to go too far. Don’t trust ThunderClan not to chase us off because we set one whisker too far into the trees." They think of the kits and queens who were taken to ThunderClan’s camp, and are surprised by the worry they feel. Those forest cats could be doing anything, and WindClan would be none the wiser.

"The forest is weird. I must have pulled at least twenty burrs from my pelt today alone." Their eyes narrow as they spot another one clinging to the fur of their leg, and with careful teeth they work it free. "How are you doing, though? It most be boring, stuck in one place." He thinks for a moment that he might prefer to remain in the sandy hollow rather than venturing out into the woods, but the idea of failing to do his duty to his clanmates unsettles him. What is he, without his responsibilities? He is no warrior without a task to perform, is he? The thought had crossed his mind a few times after he’d fallen ill with yellowcough, but now it strains his mind more than ever. How is Icebreath faring, having been out of action for so long?​

[ you put the fun into dysfunction ]​

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