The pebbles where you lay your head / newleaf swim

[Snakeblink]

MAYBE I'D BE A SAINT IF I WEREN'T ————————————​

Bare branches showing hints of fresh green rustle with a warm wind, carried from faraway places on the wings of migratory birds. Rippling sunlight glitters over the newly-freed water of the river, flowing high and fast with snowmelt and rain. The air is warming up, if not yet warm; the world alive with birdsong and skittering prey coming out of deep sleep. If Leafbare is like the world holding its breath, then Newleaf comes like an exhale, a great relief of tension.

After moons of privation and loss, Snakeblink feels like he’s finally breathing again.

The riverbank is soft under his paw, and the air is only chilly enough to be invigorating rather than biting — with the sun warming his back, it feels downright comfortable. Dawn breaking earlier has him in an uncharacteristically cheery mood. Being roused for patrol before sunrise always leaves him feeling twice as old and tired as he is, but now pale light illuminates the early morning fog over the water as he pads out of the camp with a spring in his step.

It’s his favorite time of the year — the first dip into the river after so long being kept from it by ice and creeping cold. That’s why he brought @frogpaw along with an unconvincing excuse of fishing or swimming lessons; he wants to share this moment with his apprentice. Even if he learns nothing else from his time under Snakeblink’s tutelage, the older tom hopes Frogpaw will remember this: the joy of finding the water again, of belonging to this place and its rushing currents.

”I assure you, the water is quite fine even so early in the season,” he’s murmuring to his apprentice, perhaps pointlessly: Frogpaw isn’t fussy in the face of cold. He falls silent as they near the shore, only humming in a pleased manner when he dips his paw into the water that laps onto the bank. He throws one last glance at the apprentice, whiskers quirking up in a smile, before he dives into the sweet, cold embrace of the river.

The water closes over his head in a rush of quiet. It feels like peace, at last; like coming home. He closes his eyes, slowly breathing out a cloud of bubbles as he hangs underwater, before he kicks his paws and bursts back out, splashing the nearest cat with cold droplets of water.
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——————————————————————————————————— so god damn lonely ​

ooc. information.

• 
  
• — Snakeblink • he / him. 37 ☾, riverclan warrior
  — a sleek, skinny tabby with long ears and a scar over his right eye.
  — gay, not actually evil, penned by @Kangoo
  
  
  

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[BEESONG]

beesong isn't one for diving into the river like most of the clan. he prefers to have dry land underneath his paws, without what's left of his cinnamon fur weighed down by the water. but he would admit, at the very least, that he enjoys dipping his paws into the shallow end when the air is muggy.

newleaf has only just begun, so it isn't unbearable enough for that yet. beesong still keeps a decent distance from the water, scavenging for sprouting herbs nearby as snakeblink reassures frogpaw that the water is fine even so early into the warm season. then the lead warrior disappears under the water, bubbles rising to the surface. the medicine cat's mouth lifts into a wry smile, though they keep it hidden with their head ducked to examine some shoots they'd found. "not trying to drown yourself already, are you?" they comment once snakeblink reemerges with a flourish of water droplets. beesong's thankful that they're far enough to only be misted lightly by the sudden spray. "you've just been promoted; it would be a shame to let that go to waste so soon."​

 

[CLAYFUR]

Spring has always been Clay’s favorite season, despite all its weather hazards. Back in the barn, he’d heard from an older tom stories about tornadoes, with jagged of wind that could rip apart buildings and spit them back out miles away. He doesn’t think that RiverClan could withstand a tornado, no matter how well-built their dens are. But spring brings more than just weird weather—it brings new life! Kits and flowers and green grass and more prey! The season is gloom and bloom rolled into one, and he can appreciate that.

The land’s shift into spring will be slow, gradual; he understands this. But he can’t help but wonder just how soon the weather will turn hot and unbearable, with the water being the only good place to cool off. How will the other clans fare without rivers crisscrossing their territories, he wonders? SkyClan and ThunderClan are bordered by rivers, but what will WindClan and ShadowClan do without even the shady cover of the canopy? He’s glad that Icesparkle chose to come here, the territory of water.

Of course, the best part of the season’s turning is that the water isn’t bone-chillingly cold anymore. They’re once again free to slip into the river and not have to worry about dying or anything! So when he spots Snake taking a dip, Clayfur is quick to join in. Beesong doesn’t seem as eager to hop in—which is understandable, because the river can be volatile—but strikes up a conversation with the tabby-striped warrior all the same.

Clay listens to the healer’s words, a huff of laughter escaping him when Bee asks whether the lead warrior is attempting to drown himself. "Why would anybody try to drown themself," he asks, more of a statement than a question. Snakeblink has no reason to drown himself, and he’s a strong enough swimmer that surely he won’t do it accidentally. "It’s finally nice again, the weather’s too good to drown!" Ever cheery, his dimmed mood seems to have lifted for now. The coming of spring means that at last they might get the chance to return to their home.
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[ WHAT'S MY AGE AGAIN? ]​

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[BUCKGAIT.]

MY NAME IS BRUTUS AND MY NAME MEANS HEAVY ✧​

the deputy had been trying to ignore the nipping feelings she had been feeling. the familiar aches and pains, light touches of fleeting sickness. and so, she flees to the water more and more. to keep her mind calm and clear, devoid of anything to worry her further. though, it always seems to come back with a swinging kick to her head.

though it does not matter much, as the molly slips into her river once again, joining snakeblink in the waves. the conversation between clayfur, which buck is entirely joyful to see him in the waters as well, and beesong fall silent on her ears. nothing but background noise as her eyes close and her breath relaxes. it is all good, and calm. until buck lifts a paw from the water, and attempts to shove a wild amount of water in the direction of snakeblink. smug, as she opens her maw to add a, "it would be a shame=". a blissful sigh of a tease, turning her head towards the heavens. it is only new leaf and the chills are not gone yet, but she can still envision the warm sun upon her. and for now, it is enough.
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[WASPRATTLE.]

Quietly, the tom trails beside Beesong. Gangly, looming thing beside such a small stature. The idea had been to accompany them, provide lightness in the form of a presence if nothing else. Words do not come easily to him, now, more than ever. He is content in his silence. Perhaps a gift, the sun is warmer today, more than just a cold face in the sky, today.

Eyes elsewhere, it is not until Beesong speaks that his attention is drawn, and, appalled, his head would snap to the river, sloped muzzle creased in a frown. Wasn't it too soon for it all, to speak of drowning with such lightness? To swim in the river, at all? The sun slowly creeps from its frosted prison, the ice is few and far between, now, but his heart still catches in his throat. The image of Snakeblink emerging, frostbitten, is all too well a possibility, in his mind. Wasprattle creeps forward, if only to peer cautiously from the bank. "...Do be careful." Honey eyes intense, he cranes his neck.

Too fixated on the body– now bodies slipping into the river, Clayfur's comment falls on deaf ears. (Perhaps for the better, for, surely, it would have earned yet another frown from him.) Though his paws remained dry, he holds his breath all the same, a pinched gaze traveling between the river-washed cats. His heart lurches, further still with Buckgait's carefree splashing. Perhaps too carefree, practically oblivious as waves and river foam crash towards the others.

He casts a glance to Beesong and supposes: If they were not worried, he should not be, either. It does not keep him from watching with a frown.

ooc translations

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[Cindershade]

Bitter frost now a linger within the back of mind, the sun caresses the earth sweetly with kisses of warmth but a cool breeze that billows through the air still. It's a blissful and welcoming feeling, the sun drenching her back that absorbed warmth like sunning rocks themselves. She had heard gleeful voices followed by vigorous splashing, an all too familiar feeling that she had regrettably forgotten about till it grazes upon her ears again. Cindershade weaves through budding leaves with @Sablekit and @Pinepaw by her side and emerge as a trio of shadows along the shoreline. "Sablepaw and Pinepaw, today will be a bit of training but pretty lax. I want you to enjoy yourselves." Her voice calls to the younger cats behind her. They'd been out exploring the territory, showing them the lay of the land. Beesong and Wasprattle merely stood there with light concern plaguing their features as Snakeblink, Clayfur, and Buckgait waded through the waters.
She takes no time, no hesitation as she struts along the spongy earth, her thick pads rolling over pebbles as she flicks her shaded tail towards the warrior and medicine cat in greeting before embarking her own journey into the crystalline waters. It's early morning chill nips at her toes, sending goosebumps down her spine as she visibly shivers. A brief flash of her head submerged not so long ago creeps in her mind, but she disposes of it quickly. That was under different circumstances and it wouldn't hold her hostage to what she yearned for.
Her steps glide over smooth rocks amd through straggling reeds, thick muscle stature keeps her upright against the current as she sinks farther until it submerges her belly. Cindershade inhales, half-listening to her clan mates around her as their voices buzzed in her ears like the bees of New-Leaf. She takes this moment and enjoys it, inhaling deeply whilst closing venomous green hues. The sunshine dotted along her face as it worked to burn off the fog that settled over the river. Happier times were ahead of them. The river brims with fish, the forest comes back to life. It was about time.
She's about to take her exhale when suddenly a wild splash of water sprays into her face, her breath sputtering into a series of coughs as it sucked down her throat. Buckgait had aimed for Snakeblink, but Cindershade hadn't even pay attention until she was right beside the tabby warrior. Chartreuse eyes tear open as she's partially soaked along her neck, hopefully the rest landing on Snakeblink beside her. She flares her nostrils in annoyance at Buckgait, but a sly smile twists along her rounded face. "You're gonna regret that." The lead warrior smirks while gathering her thick strength, moving both front paws whilst her hind legs and buoyancy keeps her aloat. She moves along with the current, creating a splashing wave in the deputy's direction.
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[ SILENCE IS DEAFENING ]​

 

[Catfishleap]

❝ where the angels sing ✧°.☀ ———————————— Catfishpaw honestly hadn't been in the water all that much. And of the times she had been in the water she had been much smaller and it seemed that the natural instinct was being shy. As she approached the riverside her first instinct was to also splash into the other cats paddling around. But, a small tug in her body stopped her from jumping in. Instead, rather out of character, she took steady and thoughtful steps into the shallows. There she could feel the water and a connection that had been lost in her mind came back. Her claws flexed and she elegantly glided her head down into the depths.

Her green eyes opened in the water, taking in the light shining down and the pebbles under her feet. This felt right, and like it was silly to think she might forget how to do this. The torbie head broke through the water's surface and a small gasp of air was taken in. "I forgot how like fun this is!" the little exclamation was followed by a couple more quick dives and subsequent head popping out of the water, looking almost more drenched and happy each time.

[penned by user - [tags☀]]

———————————— ☀.°✧ we're mixing up milk and honey ❞ ​

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[frogpaw]

Frogpaw had not quite lived a year, and this was to be the first taste of this thaw, just as the leafbare had been his first sighting of snow. Maybe those older than him cannot quite see the significance of it. They are used to it, prepared for it. But as Frogpaw first dips his toes into sun-warmed water, it is with a slow exhale of hidden expectations and worry. It's not so warm as to keep his breath from catching, but he doesn't hesitate to wade a little deeper. Even with his mentor's instruction, Frogpaw is not so apt a swimmer that he can be careless now. The water laps up to his chest before he kicks off with his hind legs and allows his head to sink beneath the water's surface. Each gentle slap of the current across his side promises to wash his troubles away. As he begins to acclimate to the temperature, he even allows them to.

A grin splits across the slender apprentice's face, curled ears dripping water back onto the nape of his neck when he pokes himself back up. The warriors are already bickering, and he is not so confident in his place that he would intrude on their games. Instead, he turns his attention towards the apprentices that had followed Cindershade, foggy eyes crinkling with gentle warmth. "Don't mind them," he mock-whispers, allowing it to be a joke between the three of them, "warriors are always like that. Come swim with me. I promise I won't splash unless you start it." He shifts away from the bank again, arcing his tail through the water to send a few droplets across the surface in a gentle patter.

˗ˏˋ〚  OOC NOTES REFERENCE INFORMATION 〛´ˎ˗

• ooc: —
• 
• FROGPAW. APPRENTICE OF RIVERCLAN. EIGHT MONTHS OLD
  —— npc x npc, has several npc siblings. mentored by snakeblink.
  —— loyal to riverclan, but somewhat uncertain of his place there.
  —— unknown sexuality. single, not actively looking or interested.
  
  a lanky, slender black smoke with low white and soft blue eyes. his ears are gently curled, and each paw has at least one extra toe, making them seem broader and larger than a typical cat's.
• "speech"

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[iciclefang]

The ice is gone. Iciclepaw has not been in the river for moons, and her Clanmates are milling about, enjoying themselves, splashing water. From the oft-taciturn Buckgait to the new lead warriors to the apprentices, everyone is reveling in the waters that make up the heart of their home.

Iciclepaw, without fanfare, takes a running leap off the bank of the river. She leaps into the air, trout-sleek, nose pointed at the rippling surface of their river.

She breaks through, into dark, shockingly-cold depths. She'd anticipated it being warmer, somehow, as though the earliest dawns of newleaf had managed to warm the river all the way to its bottom. Pale eyes open into slits under the water, and she pushes with strong, well-toned limbs until she is swimming like a fish.

Her lungs are out of practice for diving, but she holds herself still, suspended. Iciclepaw can hear the warmth and chatter of RiverClanners above her, though their mirth is muffled and unrecognizable beneath the water. She blinks, holding ivory paws before her face. They are stained with the murky darkness of the unfrosted river.

Cicadastar died under here, she thinks. She had been born on the banks of this river, had lived her entire life in and out of its churching waters. It has sustained her life, the lives of her Clanmates, and yet in all its beauty and bounty there is brutality. There is danger.

She gives, and she takes. Her lungs begin to burn, but Iciclepaw closes her eyes and takes a moment longer to linger beneath the surface of their river. She's acclimated to the cold now.

She feels alive.

Iciclepaw sinks to the bottom of the water and kicks at the silt and sand to propel herself back to the real world, back to where her kin and her Clanmates splash and play.

She takes a gasp of air, relishing the strange burn in her lungs. It's a gift, a gift she has to remind herself not to take for granted.​

[ PENNED BY MARQUETTE ]​

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[Sablemist]

In every situation you give me peace

Cindershade encourages her pupils to relax and enjoy themselves, although the longer Sablepaw stares at the calm ripping water the more unsure she becomes. Being born in winter came with the disadvantage of not receiving those fundamental early steps of learning how to swim. She'd heard the elder spin tales of kittens splashing and wading in shallow pools under the careful eyes of various warriors. Her brows pull together as she remembers Cicadastar slipping underneath the waters surface, a life claimed by its frigid, frozen depths. Yet the majority here was found in good spirits, laughing and splashing the day away. Frogpaw wades confidently into the depths from what she can gather, dipping below crystalline waters before circling back to face her and Pinepaw.

His gentle nudge of encouragement inspires her to take a chance, illustrated by the gentle smile playing upon dual colored lips. "I appreciate that, thank you." Sablepaw chuckles softly, trying desperately to dismiss her worries. Hesitantly she places a paw into the water, pads tingling at the feeling of cool stone underneath. A shiver runs over her form as she takes a few more steps in, taking a leap of faith as she kicks off with hind legs. Her limbs flail about with halfhearted confidence as she attempts to find her natural stride, head bobbing as she sucks in nervous breaths just above the surface. "A-am I doing it right?" Sablepaw asks whilst more or less treading water. ​

Don't gotta be afraid because you're in the lead​

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[GILLSIGHT]

If this warm day were to occur prior to leaf-bare - to broken ice and floods - Gillpaw would have joined his clanmates in the river.

Instead, he sits along the edge of the water's trench, sunny gaze watching on.

Though the danger of leaf-bare is rapidly diminishing into safer waters, Gillpaw still can't shake the feeling of inky black surrounding him. Twice, the river has dragged him under. Twice, has it filled his lungs, and cradled him in its cold depths. Cicadastar had been less lucky, had lost life to the clan's namesake. How can he be expected to enjoy what the river gives when it takes just as much?

But, Gillpaw supposes, he's lucky to be here - to be able to watch as warriors play like kits, as new apprentices learn to swim. He's lucky. They all are for surviving the harsh season. Someday, he hopes, he'll be able to step foot in the river again, to enjoy his home as much as he used to. Someday, he'll be able to collect the river rocks he'd once yearned for the skills to swim to.

For now, he's fine with sitting along the sidelines, watching his clanmates as they splash along.
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[Cindershade]

Splashing is heard from behind her, followed by a nervous young voice that is Sablepaw. Cindershade turns her attention away from the commotion of Snakeblink and Buckgait, chartreuse finding her similarly shadowed apprentice trying to desperately keep her head afloat. The lead warrior snakes away from the others, paddling over towards the smaller molly with the smallest of smiles. For a kit to be born under harsh conditions, to never have able to feel the invigorating feeling of splashing around in the shallows like some of the other warriors—she is rather proud of her. She took a big step, despite the clear disadvantage she had. "Not bad." She muses, easily treading circles around the stationary child. "Try to relax a bit more. Don't fight it. Keep your rhythm smooth and keep your paws under. Don't break the surface of the water. Your body will float along the surface for you are not heavy to drag down to the bottom. Use your tail to help keep you balanced." The woman speaks, instructing Sablepaw as she herself floats along the water.
"Spread your toes out, as if you're catching prey. The skin in between your toes will help you swim faster and push against the water." She raises a fore paw above the surface for Sablepaw to see, flexing her toes and revealing partially webbed toes. Cindershade settles alongside the young molly, matching her stride as they swim along the gentle current. "With time and practice, you'll be able to swim longer distances and faster. You will also be able to swim against the current. Be prepared to be having your fur wet most of this New and Green-Leaf. Now, keep going. I want you to swim over to Buckgait and back to me." Her head swivels towards the earthen molly, pointing out where she stood. She wasn't too far away, perhaps a few fox-lengths away. "If you do get tired, it's important that you stop and rest. No need to feel like you need to prove yourself here. Cats have drowned from exhausting themselves in these waters." The warrior then adds with a warning edging her tone, eyes flitting back to Sablepaw for her to start whenever she was ready.

// @Sablepaw swimming timeeee
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[ SILENCE IS DEAFENING ]​