camp Sugar Song and Bitter Step || Mossball

[Shinebug]

Leaden paws pulled Shinepaw into camp, announcing his presence with a sigh that was two tablespoons exhausted and one cup disappointed. The boy’s utter dismay came from the lack of anything to muffle his voice. What felt like an eternity stalking around in the sun, and nothing to show for it. It felt like the runt was running in place. Flycatcher was in the medicine den, so he couldn’t help, but the boy had been an apprentice for some time now and still felt like he was lacking in his skillset. If only his teacher wasn’t indisposed…

No, that’s an excuse.

For his failure, Shinepaw believed he had no one to blame but himself. For a moment an empty head remembered Flycatcher’s advice to ask for help from another warrior, but as Sky-blue eyes looked out over his clanmates, the cat decided against it. He just couldn’t bring himself to be a burden. As Shinepaw set towards the center of camp, though, he opted to push the problem out of his mind for now. The runt had run himself ragged on a personal snipe hunt, so there was no way he could train until he’d had a little rest.

Even as he prepared to relax, though, Shinepaw’s dissatisfaction nagged at him. What had he done today to better Thunderclan? He hadn’t caught anything or patrolled and protected their borders, so what good was he? A racing mind ping-ponged back and forth before pausing on a novel idea. Shinepaw was good at something: making cats happy. It’s what brought him the most satisfaction, seeing others smiles. It wasn’t as useful as a set of claws, but it was something.

Still, even in this Shinepaw’s aim was off. As the apprentice prepared his tools, he wasn’t having fun. He didn’t want to do this (the shaft of sunlight would rather be resting screaming muscles inside the shade of the apprentices’ den), but he felt he had to do this. He had to brighten someone’s day. He had to make someone happy. He had do do something useful.

“Hey, everyone!” Shinepaw announced, shouting a bit too loud and with a smile that was a bit too wide, gesturing with an unnecessary sweeping motion to the ball of moss beneath him and the small square he’d carved into the dirt. “Anyone wanna play with me? The rules are simple: the mossball goes in the square, and both of us try to knock it out on the other’s side!” He looked around to his clanmates, practically forcing his eyes to flash with excitement. “Whose up for it?” ​

 

[DUSKBIRD]

Duskpaw is familiar with the disappointment of stagnancy. It felt as if he hovered in place, waiting– though what exactly he was waiting for, the apprentice had no clue. He misses the days when Lightpaw was busy and he had Nightbird mostly to himself; sometimes, he misses being a kitten. It was easier then. It would do him no good to avoid failure so furiously that he would risk never succeeding, but what good was trying if it never got him that far? (It wasn't even that he was a poor apprentice. He succeeded in quite a bit, though through sheer force of will or natural talent, Duskpaw could never truly tell.)

It felt wrong to play. It was no way to hone his skills, no way to test himself. When he hears Shinepaw call for a game, it feels more right to roll his eyes than hop up to offer. But then he looks at him. Really looks at the uncanny smile and uncomfortable eyes. The apprentice had always been at least decently empathetic, and as someone who understands what Shinepaw is feeling now, he knows — knows — that just as he is trying to brighten another's day, his too needs brightened. Pushing for a smile never meant well. Begrudgingly yet warmly, the dark apprentice finds his paws. "Bet I can beat you! Do we play with teams, or just you against me?"

˗ˏˋ〚  OOC NOTES 05.20.2023 〛´ˎ˗

• ooc: —
• ──── duskpaw. apprentice of thunderclan. he / they.
  ──── blazestar x little wolf, older littermate of skykit.
  ──── does not know of his father / skyclan heritage.
  
  ──── an undefined kitten with long, dark brown fur that fades just slightly near the chest, throat, and ears, while the tip of their tail burns with the bright orange tabby flame. eyes are a deep, rich amber-brown, seeming red.
• "speech"

​

 

[Shinebug]

Shinepaw had to stifle a gasp of gratitude as Duskpaw approached. A fellow apprentice, “and a lot more useful” He mused for a moment, temporarily swallowed by the mist of melancholy before the shaft of sunlight’s smile shifted from uncanny to something slightly more genuine. It was nice to feel needed, if only for a distraction.

Shinepaw stepped into the square, sky-blue eyes trained on the dirt for a few moments too long as the sociable tomcat prepared to put on his best (and therefore worst) expressions. When a flaming head had finally made its way up, every dial was set to eleven. The apprentice was determined to make them smile, to make them laugh, even if it sucked out any satisfaction he himself would gain. “The two of us can go against each other!” he said gleefully, casting a short glance around camp. “The others can watch, I guess.”

With that, sun-kissed paw pads took up a (slightly sloppy) stance as Shinepaw let out a purr of excitement. “Since I’m the best at this game,” (not untrue, though only because it had been invented approximately a minute prior). “I’ll let you have the first move. Ready?”​

 

[LITTLE WOLF]

The green-leaf sun is merciless today, especially for a cat like Little Wolf. Her dark colored pelt made it feel so much hotter out, made it harder for her to spend too long patrolling or hunting. Briefly, she wonders how her thick-pelted kits are doing, especially Burnstorm. She would have to check in on them later, remind them to drink plenty of water lest they want to catch a heat sickness. Upon Shinepaw's call she looks up from her spot in the shade, but she makes no move to join. It would hardly be fair, afterall. She was older, held more experience, though she was not above the game. She had played plenty of times with her kits or others in the nursery. If no one else jumped in then she would consider.

Luckily, Shinepaw did not have to wait long. Her own son makes a move to join in and she feels a smile pull up the corners of her mouth. "You both are going to do great!" she calls encouragingly. She wants to cheer for her son but she doesn't want the other apprentice to feel bad so instead if she could meet his gaze she would give him an encouraging smile, content to watch from her place in the shade.
​

 

[GENTLESTORM]

( ❄ ) The weather was a bit unbearable for those with a longer coat and Hailstorm fell into that category but he somehow did his best in keeping cool within this time, he drank plenty of water and whenever he came back from hunting did he always find cover within the shade. Today was not one of those days upon hearing the call of Shinepaw and his ears would perk up with interest as he walked over realizing that Duskpaw had gotten there before he had but did not mind it in the least. Instead, Hailstorm took notice of Little Wolf being there as well and chose to go sit next to her offering a warm smile as he did "Its pretty warm out today, huh?" A sheepish grin present on his maw as he said that to her, his warm gaze turning to the two apprentices about to play their game.

His whiskers twitched in amusement and much like Little Wolf, he wasn't above games like these but Shinepaw would likely want an opponent that would have him matched than a warrior with experience and skills. Although, Hailstorm was more interested in watching and seeing how this game would play out. ​

( O SOL PEDIU A ; LUA EM CASAMENTO )