TELL IT TO THE VOLCANO \ ungrateful

[TWITCHBOLT]

He'd done it. In his jaws, a squirrel caught all by himself- and he knew exactly what he wanted to do. Where Twitchpaw normally stumbled through camp, pupils darting everywhere in gestures borne entirely or paranoia, now he trekked through their clearing with an obvious beeline- the warriors den. Tidespin and Ravencall had long since moved out of the nursery in the time he had been on his patrol and they had laughed when he had wandered into the wrong spot, his mother joyfully giggling about how it had slipped her mind to tell him. They had asked, then, for a favour. He was here to deliver.

They turned to look upon him only when the squirrel he dropped at their paws made a thud- Tidespin's ears pricked up at the noise, her verdant eyes finding his sicklier pair. A smile snagged her lips, his father's too- though he noticed the subtle falter as she truly realised what it was that they had been given.

"A... squirrel?" Ravencall's voice was low, confused. The smile that had settled proudly upon Twitchpaw's mahogany maw quavered, the disappointment in the air equally matched by his expression.

"Is that- you told me to get you some lunch." This was food, right? He swore, he swore he'd seen squirrel on the fresh kill pile before. He made mistakes sometimes, sure, but were they ever bad enough to forget what animals were prey and what were not?

"Well, yes. But... a squirrel is more... wild in flavour. Earthier... it brings me home, after a long day..."

Rambles. Twitchpaw bristled, clamping his teeth around his paw and tearing out a clump of leg-fur. His mother made more sense of it- but her answer sent his heart plummeting ten feet under, unreachable. "We would have preferred something else, darling. Like a bird. Can you get us a bird?"

"Just from the fresh kill pile will do."

Overcome with a shattering strike of melancholy, a solemn nod moved Twitchpaw's cranium, frazzled eyes wide with disbelief. How could he not have remembered that they would have liked a bird more? He should have- he should have known. Clasping his catch in his maw, he felt stupid stupid stupid. Paws dragged, shuffled, leaves in the clearing kicked up around him. Head bowed low, he could not react when his mother bid him a wispy-toned farewell. "Good boy, Twitchkit."

He hardly noted that was no longer his name. He hardly noted those who stared. And most importantly, he hardly noted that there were people in close proximity- close enough to be smacked right in the face by the squirrel that he had just thrown in a fit of anger and frustration.


\ TL;DR twitchpaw accidentally throws a squirrel at someone's head​

penned by pin ✧​

 

[BLAZESTAR]

He's returning from his own hunting excursion, which, admittedly, has only been mildly more successful than Twichpaw's. A robin, which he's proud of catching with his bum leg, and a little mouse - he thinks the more he gets out and stretches his muscles, though, he might be able to push through the injury. It's not broken, after all, but climbing trees is still out of the question - had the robin not been preening at the stream, he'd never had managed it.

One second, Blazestar is practically humming to himself, content with life. The next, he's wearing squirrel goggles, and with a yelp of surprise, the Ragdoll drops his own catches so that all three pieces of prey flop uselessly to the ground at his paws.

His jaw drops. Where had it come from? Squirrels certainly don't fly at him from anywhere - he'd be a much better hunter if they did! With eyes round with shock, Blazestar lifts his head and meets the spastic gaze of ... Twitchpaw.

"Did you... mean to do that?" He asks, confusion coloring his tone. He's not upset - but he is genuinely puzzled.
​

PENNED BY MARQUETTE​

 

[Daisyflight]

"SUREFIRE, YEAH, THE SETTING SUN WANTS COMPANY"​

She followed after Twitchpaw, her pride reflected in the straight line of her spine, feathered whiskers and tall tail. His catch had been a surprise, a result of his own growing prowess. Her first apprentice, bringing home his first prey. As they reached camp's holly entrance, Daisyflight lost track of him- his zigzagging tail spiralling off into the crowd. A puff of irritation hissed past her curled tongue, it's cadence jolted as she picked up the pace to keep up. She had a sense of who he sought.

Her hunch was confirmed as she spotted Twitchpaw with his parents, though the jagged sweep of his pelt suggested the encounter wasn't as congratulatory as anticipated. 'Can you get us a bird?' The words stung even her, despite their honey coating. From the fresh kill pile? Daisyflight's ears hit her skull, cutting the open expression on her face to a disgusted grimace. How could they be so cold, to their own son? Who were they to- Tidespin, Ravencall. Acid hit her throat. That damned bird, a precursor to all sour sentiments. May they all fall from the sky, burnt! Featherless and char, nameless!

She hung on every sentence the pair spoke, the familiar sweetness harbouring a quiver of blades. When the misnomer of her apprentice dropped from his mother's mouth she went to speak, furious- until the lifeless corpse of the squirrel hit Blazestar's face.

A bark of laughter burst from her stiff form, unravelling the sudden hatred she felt. It allowed her to step back from the brimming violent urges and recognise that, well, wounding a pair of cats in the middle of camp would be unacceptable. Breathless, Daisyflight could only watch the sunny tom come to terms with the unexpected assault.

"That- was ridiculous" Chimed laughter punctuated the speech, ringing between each sip of air she took. "i think, ha, that squirrel might suit you Blaze."

And then, remembering the thrower, she rounded the gathered cats to make eye contact with Twitchpaw. "Good shot! Don't worry, it can still be eaten. I happen to think squirrels are very tasty." A barbed stare met his parents. "You've done exceptionally well today." Her strained smile was marked with a sympathetic gaze. Ravens were a blight on them both, it seemed.​

✿ ✿ ✿​

 

[SHALLOW]

Another one who had observed the whole incident between Twitchpaw and his parents was Shallow. He had been seated a bit away but not all to far to not catch up on the conversation. They where clearly bemused with what the apprentice had brought to them, a disappointment he could recognize in his own parents eyes whenever they had looked at him. All they had ever seen was what he was lacking. An embarassment to even be his parents. His gaze remained indifferent over the whole situation as he followed Twitchpaw with his eyes as the older tom stormed away with frustration before throwing the squirrel straight at none other then the leader himself. Blazeheart didn't seemed to take much offence to the unexpected attack, looking more confused then anything. The calico looked more amused and entertained with this whole thing. Shallow lost interest to watch the three as he instead returned back to look over at the parents who still laid in the same spot. Blinking Shallow would then glance away to now settle them on the freshkill pile. He hoped there was no birds in the freshkill pile that day.


​

 

[QUILLSTRIKE]

I FEEL LIKE AN ASTRONAUT IN THE OCEAN​

---

Quill had a tendency to let his eyes wander. It was a habit he'd developed as a kid, partially because keeping an eye on your surroundings could keep you alive in twoleg place, and partially because he liked to have one eye on his father at all times. Granted, neither of those things were something he had to worry about while living with Skyclan, but old habits died hard. There was a comfort in knowing who and what was near him, and at this point it was something he hardly realized he was did. Whenever he didn't have something to purposefully focus his attention on, he simply observed whatever was round him. Today was no different. Seated alone since he'd yet to make any real friends, the monochrome tomcat looked relaxed and unbothered as he simple enjoyed the warmth of the sun on his pelt. Mismatched hues lazily roamed the camp, pausing occasionally in their lazy scanning to observe a single cat or group who snagged his interest.

When an unruly coat of chocolate and cream appeared in the corner of his vision, the familiarity of it was what initially pulled his gaze to them. Twitchpaw. They were a strange cat, but easier to stomach than some. Boredly he watched as they crossed the camp, wondering what had them moving with such determination. For once the other hadn't staggered into camp wide-eyed in paranoia. Instead they seemed to have a goal in mind as they immediately crossed the clearing toward the warriors den where their parents were standing. And...

Quill couldn't help but frown at the exchange. Cruelty had many faces, and he'd grown pretty damn good at recognizing them. Sometimes it looked like an angry old tomcat whose only outlet for his own self hatred came in the form of mistreating his entire family. Sometimes it looked like a friend you thought you could trust, only to learn they were always in it for themselves. Sometimes it even wore the face of mother nature, starving you out or cooking you in the heat of the sun until your body just couldn't take it. Life could be a real bitch sometimes. Vaguely he wondered if he should suggest his own remedy for the situation; just take off. Leaving home had-so far- been the best decision of his young life.

His thoughts were cut off thought, when the other suddenly flung their catch right into Blazestars head. It was so sudden that Quill couldn't help the snort of amusement that escaped him or the crooked grin that settled on his maw. Twitchpaw was definitely about to lose his goddamn mind, but in Quills opinion it was definitely worth the sight he'd just witnessed.
​

---

skyclan - male - 6 months - bisexual - homoromantic - single - very tall tabby tomcat with broad shoulders

 

[TWITCHBOLT]

Oh of course, of course. The world hated him, wanted to swallow him up and eat him whole and spit him out in a mortified mess, so who else would his blind rage touch but the leader. You know- that guy that could kick him out into the streets, where the monsters ran without looking and he'd be roadkill within the hour. "Shit, man!" Horrified, he barely thought about the word he used- evidently. "I'm sorry I'm sorry oh my god I'm sorry! I didn't mean to hit- you OR anyone, really I just wasn't- I wasn't thinking, and-" Breath quickened, his eyes frantically flitted about, from where Shallow watched and Quillpaw snickered- and then, then- as if it could get worse, because he really hadn't thought so- his mentor approached. What a display- she'd be rid of him, fire him, disown him, whatever it was called-

She laughed. She joked- assured him. Where hyperventilation had heaved his breaths then grew more regulated, though still quick in-out. Weary and ragged a smile made subtle settlement upon his chocolate maw; he saw not the glare she shot, stinging-nettle, only catching the buttercup soothe of her reassurance. How did you... respond to that? Compliments- praise. All Twitchpaw could do was nod, bag-drooped eyes failing to make contact. "You, uh- can have it, then. If you want. Any of you. Uh," he paused, tongue clicking against the root of his mouth, tick-tock contemplation. "Are there any birds on the pile...?" He needed to do something right today. By who he did not care, but he knew at least one reliable way to get back in the good books.​

penned by pin ✧​

 

[BASILPATCH]

The gray and black tom was oblivious to his fellow apprentice's panic, oblivious to the way that his breaths had come in ragged and his eyes shifted from one cat to another. He had seen Twitchpaw hit someone with a squirrel, and he had thought it was hilarious! Perhaps they could make some sort of a game out of it? He has an idea, then, about the other apprentices and himself playing together, seeing who could throw their prey the farthest. "What do you call this game Twitchpaw? We should play it together next time!" he asks seriously, eyes landing on the brown apprentice, a goofy smile on his face.

Then the tom asks if there are any birds on the pile and Basilpaw nods excitedly, now that was an idea! "Good idea! I bet a bird would fly a lot better than a squirrel!" he lets out a delighted squeal at the idea of he and Twitchpaw, as well as anyone else who wanted to join, throwing prey about the clearing. Maybe the winner would even get to eat said prey!​