sweet as a grape [ assessment, lichen ]

[claythorn]

A warm morning, Claypaw reflected, was perhaps the best kind of weather for her assessment. Dew still clung to growing cattail plants and blades of grass, grouping gently upon moss. It also had Darkbranch in a good mood, which Claypaw always marked down as a good thing. Things tended to go her way when he was in a better mood- when he was grumpy, as he was known to be occasionally, things got tougher for her. It wasn't as if Claypaw couldn't handle that, however. She was pretty much mastered at everything clan life besides the... social parts.

A deep inhale, and a soft breath left her as they padded towards the site of their assessment, which Claypaw recognized as the path to the Stepping Stones- ears twitched, vision shifting towards the court member that followed them. Lichentail was one of the only cats she had a deep respect for within this clan. (She'd never admit to it, but Moonpaw was steadily becoming one of those figures as well.) As far as Claypaw knew, an assessment required not only the mentor, but a 'checker' of sorts.

Her ears twitched as Darkbranch came to a slow, the sound of fresh newleaf water rushing touching her senses. She stepped towards the stepping stone, vision placed upon it, as Darkbranch began the instruction. "Claypaw. You've been with us for a pawful of moons- but in that time, you have excelled in your battle skills. Your test- you are to successfully fish up a meal for the clan while balancing on the stepping stones." Darkbranch was a semi-experienced mentor- in his age, he had to have mentored his own once or twice. Balancing, while throwing a paw in the water to catch a fish that's on a warpath to get by? Difficult enough.

Claypaw's vision turned, studying her mentor and the deputy, before her head dipped in a nod. Darkbranch's eyes swept towards Lichentail. "Anything to add before she begins?"

✧　°　.　♦　.　°　✧​

ooc Information

• ooc: — incase mobile, darkbranch is a npc mentor / @lichentail
  "yuh"
• 
  
  a large, lh chocolate torbie towering, nine moons old, she/her. well-build and muscled. a drypaw. former river colony cat.

​

 

[lichenstar]

✦　˚ 　✧ ˚　.˚　✦ 　✦

CLAIM THE BURIAL I SEEK IN DREAMS FLOWING RIVER CEMETARY ✧

• It felt more like reminiscing than it felt like a duty she were meant to adhere to. Dipperfrost... and then Brookstorm so shortly after. They'd each had their particular struggles (mostly where hunting was concerned, if the lynx point were to admit it aloud) but her primary concern had mostly been that they'd be slaughtered at the next border skirmish. With the threat of rogues flushed from the territory like the infection that they were, the stress of prioritizing fighting ability over the skills to fill one's belly has diminished and she is more than happy to bear witness to the budding talent of their newest wave of warriors.
  
  Darkbranch was a particularly ornery sort, one that she would identify easily as a stick-in-the-mud.. but a good mentor, nonetheless. Drifting after the pair like a vulture circling after prey, she is quiet in her paw-steps and doesn't interrupt the treasured ambiance of cicada song and the chorus of birds. Not until the creek bubbles its greeting and the warrior in charge of this assessment begins in low tones with his expectations.
  
  Offering Claypaw a reassuring smile, the deputy flicks her tail in a sign of dismissal, "You're cleared to begin... take your time. You only get... one chance." There are no do-overs in leaf-bare when prey is scarce... it means the half-masked girl has the generosity of the season on her side; there are no excuses for failure now.
  
  Otterpaw had learned the same valuable lesson when he'd failed his hunting assessment.
• about
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[claythorn]

A soft breath in, then our. Her head dipped towards the pair of older cats, turning and stepping onto the Stepping Stones. Her paws ghosted lightly, taking her time and maintaining grip. She didn't want to fall in, of course not. Darkbranch's head tilted, allowing Lichentail after her first, if she wished- otherwise, he'd remain on the bank with her.

Claypaw's breathing was steady as she settled onto her haunches, vision turning and dipping into the warming water. Newleaf was here- so she was to have advantage, correct? Her inhales followed- flickers of scale beneath the water drifted past, a glimmer in the sunlight that was warming her fur now. Eyes lifted to skim up and down the river, before lowering back down to the fish before her. Escape routes, if she were to fall in, were near enough.

She bit down her fear- swallowed the water's torture away from her mind and buried it in her stomach, claws unsheathing as she gripped the stepping stone. A soft inhale, a sharp exhale- and like lightning, her paw dove into the water. Striking precisely, and hooking the catch, lifting it high out of the water. Teeth arced down, snapping onto the fish, holding tight. It wriggled in her grasp, threatening to get away.

She wobbled to her paws, but between the fish wiggling in her mouth, and her paw slipping on fresh moss-algae growth, she plunged into the water. It wasn't as cold as it was that day moons ago, where water was made to fill her lungs with the intent of killing her. But it wasn't comforting, either- head surfaced near instantly, a panicked splash resounding. Claypaw couldn't breath, she couldn't breathe-

An agonizing half-minute later, she was dragging herself onto the shore where Darkbranch and Lichentail may have remained, throwing down the medium-sized fish with a cough, turning her head away from the catch to spit water out. Her mentor remained silent, allowing his apprentice to catch her breath, but the grimace on his features was noticeable enough.

✧　°　.　♦　.　°　✧​

ooc Information

• ooc: —
  "yuh"
• 
  
  a large, lh chocolate torbie towering, nine moons old, she/her. well-build and muscled. a drypaw. former river colony cat.

​

 

[lichenstar]

✦　˚ 　✧ ˚　.˚　✦ 　✦

CLAIM THE BURIAL I SEEK IN DREAMS FLOWING RIVER CEMETARY ✧

• The tension that seats itself on the facial planes of a she-cat she has only known for mere months speaks to her reigned-in anxieties. It is not as small a task as is suggested... even Lichentail loathes the stepping stones for what they represent- a piece of land left floating in the river that ThunderClan might press at and insist was theirs. She'd been challenged on those very slime-covered rocks... been told the fish between her jaws was stolen even though those across the river never could've dreamed to catch it themselves. The fur on her hackles raises at the memory, already growing agitated as storm-cloud eyes search the furthest bank.
  
  With practiced caution, fog-crested paws trail the rocks after Claypaw- she isn't sure she's ever seen the girl swim and fears for her behind a mask of indifferent observation, waiting. Her tail curls neatly around her paws from her perch, watching where rushing water's splashing beads at the edges of her fur like they are sheltering from the tumultuous rapids themselves. Refugees of the river, resting on her oily coat.
  
  The sound of a well-aimed strike draws her attention from the droplets, watching with scrutinizing eyes as the fish arcs above the water where hungering teeth find it easily. But her paws the claws that unsheathe for a grip are sore to find one- a flash of flames disappears under the swallowing blues and where bubbles threaten her inability to return, Lichentail prepares with a disappointed sigh to retrieve her.
  
  She waits... one second... two... Embers burst from beneath and with an amused twitch of her whiskers, she makes out the sight of a stubborn vice-grip on that same fish. Trailing after Claypaw from the dry haven of the stones, her eyes travel towards a mentor who has caught the same hesitation. It wasn't long that her head was under water... but long enough for a RiverClanner to see a struggle.
  
  "You managed not to lose the fish," she hums, bounding onto the pebbled shore as she turns with a wide sweep to face the sopping apprentice. Hopefully Darkbranch would be willing to overlook the lack of grace involved with the quiet, narrowed glance she gives him. It's good enough.
  
  "And didn't drown." Placing a paw on the prey, its floundering had not been swift enough to escape back into the shallows under her watch. "A messy success.... but a success..." Shoving the fish towards her mentor, Lichentail bows her head, "You trained her... very well, Darkbranch."
  
  "Feel free to... report to Smokestar. I'll help her... dry off." With a moment of privacy, she could make sure Claypaw understood that her abysmal recovery was not being overlooked completely.
• about
  speech hex code ✧ #6368A5
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  tagging ✶
  penned by tieirlys
• ˚　　★⋆. ࿐࿔　　✦　　　.　　. 　 ˚　.　　　　　 . ✦　　　 　˚　　　　 .
  　　　.   　　˚　　 　　*　　 　　✦　　　.　　.　　　✦　˚ 　　　　 ˚　.˚　　　　✦　　　.　　. 　 ˚　.　　　✦　　　.　　. 　 ˚　 　　　　 ੈ✧˳·˖✶ ✦　　˚　　　　✦　　　.　　. 　 ˚ ★⋆. ࿐࿔
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[claythorn]

Her shoulders shuddered- an instant glower lifted past Lichentail to Darkbranch. Darkbranch's scrutinizing gaze shifted from Claypaw, to Lichentail. The pointed gaze caused a smidge of a soften to his brow. "A success indeed." He repeated quietly. Claypaw's shoulders gently drooped, relief flooding her. But she could tell with the fact they weren't all returning together that Lichentail had something to say.

Her eyes dropped back to the fish on the pebble banks as Darkbranch's head dipped, turning and moving back towards camp to inform the leader of the success. Claypaw's ears twitched, and she finally moved, paws lifting to brush at her ears, dragging water off of them. She couldn't shake her fur out, not with Lichentail standing here- though perhaps the deputy didn't care much, it was still rude, as far as she knew.

Her head finally lifted, still gently dripping as words left her mouth- cool, contained. Don't show off your embarrassment. That mental rule flew out the window when she spoke with a shuddering breath. "I didn't-" Voice cracked and grimace spread, head turning away. Eyes settled somewhere far off as she slowly recovered under the watchful gaze of the King's Right Paw.

"... Did I actually pass?" Were some of the first words out of her mouth that weren't trembling, plagued by the sight of rogue's eyes watching her as she drowned. "I don't... the other apprentices are right. Can't really be a Riverclanner without swimming, right?" Her voice was hoarse, likely from the water she had swallowed in attempt to keep her catch between her jaws.

✧　°　.　♦　.　°　✧​

ooc Information

• ooc: —
  "yuh"
• 
  
  a large, lh chocolate torbie towering, nine moons old, she/her. well-build and muscled. a drypaw. former river colony cat.

​

 

[lichenstar]

✦　˚ 　✧ ˚　.˚　✦ 　✦

CLAIM THE BURIAL I SEEK IN DREAMS FLOWING RIVER CEMETARY ✧

• It's mutually and silently understood... and Darkbranch departs without further argument, though she is certain he will have questions for her choice in graciousness later. The reeds part, signaling the retreat of a mentor soon to be free of the burden of an apprentice and she can't help but let out a small, relieved sigh.
  
  "I didn't-" and the crack of a humiliated voice pulls at a motherly empathy that hadn't existed months before. "Drown," she finishes, opting to focus on the positive. The deputy had been allowed to keep her coat dry, which she greatly appreciated, and had not had to offer Smokestar the bad news that another of the colony immigrants had proven unable to swim properly. They struggled enough with the sour glances of their clanmates, it would be harder still if they couldn't prove themselves competent.
  
  Her muzzle twitches, whisking her whiskers in a small gesture of confirmation- she wasn't a liar. "As far as I'm concerned... you can swim," she answers flatly, taking note of how ragged both of their voices sound and how the reasons differ so vastly. "But... you'll need more... practice." Being able to keep oneself afloat isn't good enough, not when she might become a mentor herself after the change of season and may need to rescue a fool-hardy apprentice from the rapids.
  
  "It's alright... to be afraid." Asphodelpaw had been afraid too... though the source of his fears were grounded moreso in paranoia than lived experiences. "We can work on it... privately."
• about
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• ˚　　★⋆. ࿐࿔　　✦　　　.　　. 　 ˚　.　　　　　 . ✦　　　 　˚　　　　 .
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[claythorn]

I didn't drown. Not this time, anyways. Claypaw's breath shuddered as it was exhaled, held for minutes too long. She turned her head, making quick work of licking water from her as Lichentail signaled her agreement, but confirmed it anyways- Claypaw could hold her own in the water. Mismatched golden eyes lifted when she finally felt normal enough to carry conversation, the overwhelming tide of dread slowly ebbing away.

A hot breath left her nose as Lichentail tried to wring comfort forth out of them- but they were two souls who preferred a cooler side to things, strict words with clear meanings. Despite it was... We can work on it... privately. Her ears twitched, thoughts sliding to a stop. Of course she'd be made to improve her swimming but that meant... That meant someone taking time out of their day, out of the kindness of their hearts, to help her. Isn't that a new one?

You could say Darkbranch wasn't taking time out of his day to help her. Because he wasn't- that was his job, to train his apprentice. Lichentail didn't have to do that. Stumbling over her words, which is slightly out of character for her, she spoke- "That would be... much appreciated." She responded, eyes locking onto the opposites of the deputy before her. "It-" Claypaw cleared her throat, dropping her eyes a moment later.

This was one thing she couldn't hold eye contact on. "Rogues were not kind to me, as a kit. I'm unsure if you heard of who I killed at the border, defending Moonpaw and the others- but it was my mother." Why did she say that? Flame dipped ears turned ever more red as she fidgeted, her paws pressing against the stone shore. "After being abandoned by her, I was nearly drowned by characters who liked to play with their meals." Her voice was awkward, short- she hadn't ever explained it to anyone.

No one had ever been close enough.

"Cold water is the worst. It won't be as bad as in summer but- if you're sure I passed, I'll take it." Claypaw stood, pushing off the sentiment of their conversation like it never happened. But it did- Claypaw could look over at Lichentail in moons future and realize that yes, she defended me, yes, she knows about me. The dark and ugly, Claypaw called them. Facts of her kithood and young life that she wore deep inside, next to her heavy heart.

✧　°　.　♦　.　°　✧​

ooc Information

• ooc: —
  "yuh"
• 
  
  a large, lh chocolate torbie towering, nine moons old, she/her. well-build and muscled. a drypaw. former river colony cat.

​

 

[lichenstar]

✦　˚ 　✧ ˚　.˚　✦ 　✦

CLAIM THE BURIAL I SEEK IN DREAMS FLOWING RIVER CEMETARY ✧

• A frown sits so comfortably on her face you'd think she'd been born with one. Claypaw's telling of her history, her past... they are cards kept tightly to her chest and seldom revealed and yet. She ended up with these secrets. Lichentail is simultaneously elated to be trusted with such information and yet, equally horrified.... she struggles to evade the truth when confronted directly and the more she knew, the more likely she'd find herself in a position to spill it. Claypaw didn't want this story shared... and she didn't plan to share it.
  
  Hopefully... it wasn't ever mentioned outside of quiet moments alone then.
  
  Her trauma is a dark, ugly thing... it wraps its tendrils around her ankles and pulls her under the water like it intends to keep her there. The blue molly has no love for the rapids either, doesn't enjoy the way her fur clings a little too tightly to her body when she steps outside of it... the chill along her skin that feels like freezing nights with an empty belly just before the clan's founding.
  
  She shouldn't be the one keeping heavy hearts floating... one with a tongue so unpracticed, a tendency towards barbs. Her eyes shift nervously towards the sun, as if seeing its bright light might bring some sort of clarity to how she should respond. But she only has her experiences... and if it were her, what would she want?
  
  She's a pretty standoffish girl... doesn't seem the type to yearn for affection and adulation (flattery might feel insincere right now anyways) but she's still young. Haunted by what should've been and what never was. Carefully, with a hesitation in a lifted paw, she drapes it gingerly across the tabby girl's back- pressing her close like she were maybe still a tiny kit in need of a hug from a mother that loved her. Like she were that little molly needing someone to save her from drowning.
  
  "It's alright," she says, and knows she's said it a hundred times to her own children whenever they'd stubbed their clumsy toes or smacked their heads on the ground while rough-housing too hard. And Claypaw is quick to stand and the striped deputy gets up with her, not planning to trap her in the awkward embrace for longer than she wanted to be.
  
  "You're going to be great..."
  
  Hopefully she didn't think Lichentail was lying.
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  ooc notes ✦
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• ˚　　★⋆. ࿐࿔　　✦　　　.　　. 　 ˚　.　　　　　 . ✦　　　 　˚　　　　 .
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