softcore — johnnyflame

[DUSKPOOL]

anger makes you stupid . stupid gets you killed .
︶꒦꒷♡꒷꒦︶

The warrior emerged from the camp’s entrance, wooly tail whisking behind him in contemplation, burning molten gazing across camp, brows pinched in further thought before deciding, body gravitating toward the lead warrior. His paws slowed to a stop, mangled ear twitching against his helm, letting out a low-sounding rumble in greetings. “Come on, let’s go for a walk.”

A sudden request, but Duskpool figured the warrior might need someone, arguably, the smokey warrior might’ve not been the best fit, but he made a promise, as fleeting as it’d been when he made it, but he planned to stick around for as many moons as StarClan allowed it. He wouldn’t be so easily swayed, not when he had cats to look out for when he could barely look out for himself. Hypocritical, but his entire existence was hypocritical.

With that, Duskpool jerked his helm toward the camp’s opening, pivoting on enormous paws to slip back out, glancing over his shoulder at Johnnyflame briefly before picking a direction. Wooly tail skimming the ground, drawing out a reminder that he’d need to groom his tail before anything else found itself in his mess of a tail. He figured a walk would help, although people grieved in various ways, and Duskpool sure as hell was known for working himself into an early grave over the loss, burdened by things he refused to admit during the day, left to face in the dead of night.

“Ya eatin’ fine?” He inquired, not quite asking how the other was doin’ but he figured the warrior had enough cats askin’ him that. Duskpool had more than enough, but he hadn’t ever quipped at that, letting the words roll off his back as a means of goodwill. He breathed a drawn-out exhale, burning molten filtering across the branches and pine needles to the foliage on the ground. “I’m here if ya wanna talk, ain’t one to judge others, sure as hell can’t with what I’ve done, but whatever ya need.” He’d rumble after a heartbeat, mangled ears swerving toward the other while his helm remained, simply letting a lonely hue skim their surroundings with the occasional twist of his tail when something tugged at the wooly strands. “Don’t have to talk, ain’t gotta force yerself, I figured the two of us can hunt and bring somethin’ to the clan, or whatever ya have in that head of yers.” He rumbled, helm tilting before straightening.

@Johnnyflame ​

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thought speech​

 

[Johnnyflame]

HE SAID, "WELL MY NAME'S JOHNNY, AND IT MIGHT BE A SIN
BUT I'LL TAKE YOUR BET, AND YOU'RE GONNA REGRET, CUZ IM THE BEST THERE'S EVER BEEN."​

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Johnnys world had been less than steady lately. The arrival of the rogues had been enough to set things off-kilter for him, but adding Blazestars death to the mix... he couldn't even begin to explain how it felt.

He and the Skyclan Leader had not been overly close, and JOhnny wasn't a fool enough to think otherwise, but Blazestar had always been there. He was the cat that gave Johnnyflame his name, the cat who had taken the chance on him in promoting him to lead warrior, the cat who had been synonymous with Skyclan itself. And now he was gone. He was devastated, but in a different way from the loss of his apprentice. Brightflame had been his fault, but Blzestar- he was a warrior among warriors who'd died nine times over for his clan. Johnnyflame couldn't think of a more noble way for a cat to go. And so his grief came with reverence, his mourning scattered through with understanding. Every cat would go to Starclan some day, and as much as it hurt to lose him, the patched tabby knew there were others who felt that loss a thousand times deeper than he ever could.

Bobbie... Howlfire... Orangeblossom...

A familiar low grumble of greeting pulled him from his thoughts, and he turned to find Duskpool gazing down at him. He was quick to greet them with a soft chirrup and a smile of his own, perking up a bit at their words. "Aye, I could go for that." he answered as the larger tom turned to lead the way out, Johnny quickly padding along behind them.

Duskpool had always been a steadying presence. They were loyal in a way Johnny himself aspired to be, and their patient reasurance made it easier for Johnny to step out of the role of 'lead warrior' and into the mindset of... well, just Johnny; a cat with doubts and feelings who occasionally needed to step back and take a breather, to be checked in on. And Duskpool was good at that- checking in.

"Ya eatin' fine?

"I am." he chuckled.

The words that came next from Dusk were a reminder of their last serious conversation and the promise they'd made to Johnny, and the bobtail couldn't help the fondness he felt. Duskpool deserved nothing short of the damn world for all the patience and care he showed his clanmates, even taking time to pull the lead aside like this. Somehow, Johnny would one day repay them for it.

The lead warrior let out a slow breath as he pondered the others words. Did he have anything he wanted to talk about? Or did he just want to kill time out here with Duskpool, hunting? The latter didn't sound horrible. The tom was good company and he wouldn't be against bringing prey back for the other Skyclanners, but it wasn't often Johnnyflame got the chance to talk about the things that troubled him. His life was a good one and he didn't really feel he had a right to complain or to burden others with the things going on in his life when the full-time warriors had so much to deal with already. But sometimes.... Sometimes Johnny just wanted to get it all out.

"Just feels weird- Blazestar being gone." he replied, shooting the other a halfsmile that thinly veiled the sorrow he felt. "We weren't super close or anything but like- he's always been here, you know? It's like if we woke up tomorrow and all the pine trees were just... gone."

That was honestly the only way he could describe what he'd been feeling. It was like a fundamental part of something was now gone, and while Skyclan would no doubt adapt to the change and survive it -Johnnyflame included- it didn't change how jarring it all was.

"I'm worried about Bobbie." he admitted softly, lips pulling into a frown as golden eyes drifted toward the ground. "I don't know what it's like to have a mate, but I always imagined it was like having a best friend. Losing that... Stars, Duskpool, I don't know what I'd do in her place. Probably something stupid." he admitted with a huff, trying to mask it as a joke by chuckling afterward, but it was a weak attempt. In her place Johnny knew he'd want a vengeance that would never give him back what he'd lost, and he worried about what that kind of loss could do to someone as kind and caring as Bobbie. "Just... makes me think, is all." About the pros and cons of even pursing a bond like that, of the merits of having a family in a place that could take them from you so easily.

---

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[DUSKPOOL]

don't raise your voice . improve your argument .
︶꒦꒷♡꒷꒦︶

Without moving his helm, Duskpool listened with the occasional twitch of his ear, burning molten glanced at shifting pine needles to the subtle shift of snow, kicking up flurries in its wake, pawsteps heavy, pressing into the frigid land, chilled his weeping bones—a familiar grasping pain, grounding despite the dull throb it brought, quaking soreness that tumbled and grew. He breathed in the earthy musk of pine and undergrowth, humming languidly in agreement, wooly tail twitching from where it rested, dragging lazily behind him creating a sweeping divot in the loose dirt and snow.

“Makes ya realize things ain’t made to last.” He commented, pessimistic, but coming from someone who kept on losing made him appreciate the smaller things, even if they aren’t made to last. He breathed softly, gaze sliding toward the other till he pulled his attention forward, nestled against the outstretched limbs hanging overhead. “He’s been here since the beginnin’ don’t feel right not seein’ him but we’re strong, even if it’s lookin’ real bleak.” He rumbled, swallowing the bitter chuckle that wanted to escape, burning molten crinkling, creating crow's feet.

He tensed, expression faltering, lips curling into a half-hearted grin despite the blank expression he wore so well. “It sticks with ya.” He began. “My late wife died before I joined, torn to pieces, blamed myself for lettin’ it happen, nearly wanted to give up if it weren’t for Shiori and Ume. My entire existence revolved around takin’ care of my kids, my brightest stars, it sure changes ya somethin’ horrid.” He huffed, morbid humor dancing within molten depths. “Sure checked off ‘doin’ somethin’ stupid’ nearly got myself killed on the journey.” He snorted, shaking out smokey fur in muffled embarrassment. “It leaves ya with a gaping wound, not physically, but sure as hell took me cycles to accept it, but havin’ a mate like that, it’s … one of the best things, I’d reckon, even more than seein’ yer kids open their eyes for the first time. Sure, it ain’t made to last, but I wouldn’t have changed a thing.” He mused, glancing at the other idly, offering a gentle bump with his shoulder. In the past, Duskpool wouldn’t have dared speak of his mate, long gone from this world, never to return but an empty shell that rested heavily on his shoulders, a ghost haunting him for eternity.

A low-sounding chuff escaped his maw, thoughtful. “I ain’t sure what’ll go through that kid’s head, losing someone like that, it does something to ya and it ain’t pretty, it changes ya in more ways than I’ll admit, but she’ll find her way eventually, somethin’ to latch onto, but knowin’ she ain’t alone without makin’ it obvious is a start.” He grunted, having already planned on keeping an eye on her. He might not have gone through something exactly, but he sure as hell knew what it felt like to lose someone so brutally and Duskpool didn’t want anyone to deal with it alone like he had. ​

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thought speech​