the lesser of two evils — finding a trap

[DUSKPOOL]

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

The obsidian-furred tom padded through the familiar pine-scented undergrowth, expression deadpan save for the heavy slump of his helm. It was rare to see the tom so close to the front of a patrol; often seen in the back, nothing more than a gruff shadow amongst his peers, but not today. No. Duskpool couldn’t bear the thought of seeing anyone else fall victim to upwalker traps, but it was something to focus on than the numbness that washed over his frame.

The tiredness weighed heavily on broken bones, nearly threatening to rip from marred skin, but Duskpool ignored it in favor of running himself into the ground. He could barely sleep, not if he wanted to see his brothers' bodies behind his eyelids like sticky fruit juice. He bit back a sigh. Damnit. He could feel his muscles quiver from exhaustion, but if he slept, Duskpool would be damned if it was in the comforts of the warrior den.

A flash of silver caught the corner of his eye, causing a jerk of muscle to spring forward without thinking; grabbing whoever was leading and tugging them backward harshly with a rumbled warning. “Get back! All of you!” He snarled, muzzle crinkling as the trap made itself visible, showing an odd-shaped ring held up by twigs tied to the trunk of a tree.

Flashes of Smokefang’s crumbled body filled his vision, nearly sending whoever further back with a lash of his tail, torn ear flat against his helm. He breathed deeply, flank rising and falling with the motion to stare at the patrol, molten copper filtering towards Drowsypaw, heartstrings tightening.

/ basically, just duskpool nearly plowing someone backward after seeing a ground snare in their way and some not-so-pleasant memories surfacing

@DROWSYPAW ​

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thought speech​

 

[DROWSYNOSE]

I'VE LEARNED TO LOVE YOU, HONEY!​

---

the apprentice was glad to be out of camp, even if it was just for a patrol. it seemed so stuffy in there, so... many cats watching him. he hadn't really had the chance to truly come out to anyone, way too busy trying to train and talking with lupinepaw and crowpaw. but, it's fine for now. he will suck it up, and say something eventually. right now, he had a patrol to worry about. he yawned quietly, falling in step one pace behind his mentor. it isn't until he is freaking out, yanking a warrior backwards and hyperventilating, that drowsypaw tenses up, looking over at him.

"d...duskpool? are you alright?"

he makes his way closer to him, gently nudging his mentor with eyes of worry. he didn't look okay, at all.

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[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."​

---

Johnnys mind was elsewhere.

It was a dangerous thing for a cat of the forest to let their mind wander when there were so many very real potential dangers lurking in the pine forest, but there was a lot on his mind. He'd been working harder than usual to try and help whip the newcomers into shape, and then on top of all the fresh prejudice in the clan was the sickness and the toll it was taking. Everyone was stretched thin, and then there was the issue of the traps..

Maybe that last one should have been enough of a warning not to let his guard down, but with a patrol at his back the bobtail let the false comfort of safety get the better of him- and almost paid the price for it.

Teeth in his scruff wrenching him backwards had him letting out a yelp of surprise, claws slipping from their sheathes as his brain automatically assumed he was under attack, and he nearly lashed out with them before he registered the dark charcoal fur of Duskpool and stilled.

Obediently he staggered backwards when given his feet again, still confused but trusting the older warrior.

And then he saw it.

Guilt. Anger. Relief. He felt it all crash down on him at once. He'd almost walked right into that fucking snare like some newcomer to the woods, saved only by the vigilance of a cat still suffering from that very same thing.

Johnny had figured out how to loosen the thing by digging out the wooden peg, but not before the damage had been done. Smokefang had died, Blazestar carrying his body back to cam. And now, he'd almost gone an added to it.

"I- fuck!" he hissed, trying to rein in his feelings enough to form the words- the right words. "I'm sorry Duskpool. My head was up my own ass and I didn't-"

I'm sorry you almost had to go through that again." he wanted to say, but there was a patrol with them and he didn't want to bring that up.

The others tail lashing and nearly knocking him back farther was hint enough that the larger cat was triggered, and when their gaze shifted back to the patrol, Johnny couldn't help but feel guilty again.

He hadn't meant to make them panic, to think of Smokefang.

"You guys should go on with the patrol. I'll stay back and dig this thing up- make sure nobody else almost walks into it." the bobtail instructed, not wanting the entire patrol to be sidetracked but knowing they couldn't just leave this here. "Take to the trees if you can- these things seem set up on the trails where we walk, so if the trees aren't an option you need to be vigilant and stick within eye sight of another cat."

---

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[TWITCHBOLT]

The chatter of Twitchbolt's teeth was the backdrop to any patrol, involuntary as ever, a skittering clack. Whenever out of camp he teetered on edge, never letting his mind wander- though he lingered toward the back of the patrol, keeping his eye on the apprentice at his side, prone to... whirling into stuff as he was. Doompaw would kill him one day, he was sure. Of stress or of... running him across the Thunderpath... either was entirely possible. Hearing a shout, he was almost sure the calico tom had bolted off somewhere when he'd blinked- but only caught wind of the commotion before him, a silver trap glinting in the leaf-dapple light.

"Stay close to me," he instructed his apprentice, voice stern and low as he closed in on the rest of the patrol. This- this'd been what had killed Smokefang, wasn't it? Shadowfire not long after. A shuddering sigh left Twitchbolt, and as Johnnyflame gave his instructions, he nodded to back up his fellow lead warrior's words. He was right... the trees would be safer than the ground, if these were going to be dotted across the ground like vipers waiting to strike. Still- something didn't sit right. "I don't think you should ssss-s-stay by yourself, Johnnyflame," Twitchbolt said, voice aquiver with concern. "If- if Stars-forbid anything else happens..."

He couldn't finish the sentence. Didn't want to speak it into existence.

\ @DOOMPAW apprentice tag B)​

penned by pin ✧​

 

[SLATE]

Slate was about as puffed-up as a skunk looking to spray, with eyes glistening like hot coals and hairs along his spine bristling like mad. However, his haunches began to flatten upon realizing that no living threat was present, nor had anybody danced with death today. A fiery stare and thin, black pupils fixed onto the metallic device, jaw clenching as the patrol reeled from the situation that they nearly walked right into.

His gut is a bubbling cauldron of frustration; anxiously now, he flexes dagger-like claws into the earth beneath. The twolegs waltzed onto their land, set up deadly traps... had even killed Shadowfire with one just recently. They wouldn't stop taking and taking until everything was under their control. It would never end; a reality that the lead warrior begrudgingly accepted long ago but still found exasperating nonetheless.

Twitchbolt is right; Johnnyflame shouldn't stay by himself. As much as it was difficult to admit, he was resourceful and quick-witted... for a kittypet, at least. It wouldn't be a good thing if he was scooped up by the beastly arms of the humans, too. "Twitchbolt, stay with Johnny, make sure he can remove it safely. We'll move on with the patrol." The Maine Coon took it upon himself to delegate duties, though he found little reason for there to be protest to this plan. SkyClan couldn't just stop checking the borders. Plus, they needed to cautiously assess the rest of the territory to see if there were more traps awaiting oblivious clanmates.

// apprentice tag @Cherrypaw ​

 

[DUSKPOOL]

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

The obsidian-furred male shifted, muscle rippling beneath marred flesh to let out a shaky grunt, letting the fur along his spine fall flat, or as flat as it could get. Duskpool stared at his apprentice (but not quite), molten copper unblinking until Johnnyflame’s voice broke through the haze, snapping him back to reality, pulling away from ichor-stained memories.

His sides heaved, pulling himself out of his stupor to rest a wooly tail on Drowsypaw’s shoulder in a quiet ‘I’m fine’. He was. His muscles spasmed, coiled like a spring as a molten copper stared at the upwalker contraption, instead, seeing Smokefang hanging limp from steel bars. He shivered, muscles ripping beneath fur. Damnit. He doubted he’d ever get rid of their ghosts, not that he had any intentions of letting them go.

That wasn’t anyone’s problem but his own.

He needed to get his shit together, panicking over something like this was stupid, no less dangerous. A flash of hot shame ran down his neck, rigid claws digging into the dirt.

He sucked in a shaky breath, smoothing his expression to stare at Johnnyflame. “Don’t apologize.” He rumbled, resting his tail on the other’s flank, Duskpool didn’t have a right to react like that, but he damn hoped the other could see the apology he didn’t dare verbalize.

A flurry of voices rang out, commanding the few within their patrol, molten copper snapping to Slate. “I’ll stay.” He jerked his helm, expression deadpan. Give the old fool some peace of mind, skin already prickling thinkin’ about the daylight warrior steppin’ foot anywhere near the damn thing, but he’d be damned if he didn’t at least help. Duskpool shifted his weight, resting a molten gaze on his apprentice. “Stick with them ya hear?” He rumbled, offering a tight-lipped smile, barely noticeable save for the subtle twitch of his lips. ​

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thought speech​