pafp THERE’S JUST ONE THING (delayed assessment)

[FORESTSHADE]

// please wait for @CHILLEDGAZE. to post first! This is during the blizzard event so snowed into camp and blegh sorry for types this is a mobile post

“But you said it’d be today!” The argument is pouting and desperate as the apprentice trots quickly after her mentor. “A quarter-moon ago, you said ‘Forestpaw, your warrior assessment will be held in one quarter-moon.’ Well, that’s today! And you’re gonna let a little snow stop us?” Her mimicking of her mentor’s voice is husky, slightly lower in pitch than her own higher pitched voice.

So what it’s been difficult to get patrols out? Forestpaw’s warrior ceremony is on the line! She’s a fantastic hunter (according to herself) so it would be no problem to go out in the slopes of snow and track down some prey, surely! Chilledgaze is just playing it safe, but the apprentice doesn’t want safe. She wants a warrior’s name!

“Please? Chilledgaze, pleeeaase?” The striped she-cat begs, ears flattening as she quickens her pace to slip in front of the deputy in an attempt to stop them in their tracks. It’s not fair! Forestpaw wasn’t always so keen on clan life, evident in that secret night no one will ever know about. Fleeing the territory and running into that loner had been enough to make her realize ShadowClan is where she needs to be, wants to be. But how can she live up to her full potential as a dumb apprentice?!​

 

[CHILLEDSTAR.]

a single paw colored of snow pressed against the felidae's face, as they groaned quietly, ears pinned against the smoothness of their head with frustration. forestpaw was one more complaint from being tossed into the freezing cold of the snow. unbelievable. they twitched their tail, gritting their teeth with an unamused expression upon their face. they stop on their paws, making a slight side step to ensure that forestpaw doesn't bump into them before they turned to face the apprentice, putting their paw against her head and attempting to push her to the ground.

"i do not sound like that."

they groaned, before just huffing out a sigh. they'd already told forestpaw over and over how mousebrained she sounded but, the molly was being hard headed. even if there wasn't snow, this alone would make them postpone the assessment. good warriors understood dangers– not pursued them.

"no. the answer was no a few breaths ago, and it is still no now. it's not just a little bit of snow. it's a snow storm. you want to go get lost and die? be my guest, darling. but i'm not fetching your body."

chilledgaze snorted with a roll of their eyes. they moved back slightly before laying down, beginning to groom through their fur with a lowered gaze upon their arm.

"stop bothering me, forestpaw. unless... you want me to change your assessment. now that sounds like a good idea. where i hunt you. we can just have you for dinner instead."

​

[ NOBODY ELSE MATTERS, GIRL ]​

 

[SHARPSHADOW]

† There's a trend, he thinks. A direct correlation between the worsening of weather and the amount of cannibalism-related statements. Cannibalism-related jokes? The more they were said, the less convinced she was that they weren't at least, a little bit genuine. He doesn't doubt that Chilledgaze would, either. They could drag the body away behind snow and bramble wall and silently indulge. Her mocking has already earned Forestpaw a few more moments of torture before her gruesome end, she's sure.

...That is, if something like that were to actually happen. So close to a warrior, Forestshade was uniquely, nearly valuable. Less an apprentice that didn't know their place, and more an adult that could contribute to the ever-present war on hunger. She's not yet proven herself incapable, no. Opposed to Betonyfrost, her reputation has only risen. If you asked Sharppaw, it's taken far too long for Forestpaw to decide she cared, but it's not like anyone ever did.

She couldn't stand to wait for even a natural disaster to pass, when, she should be lucky warriorhood was even in sight for her. Sharppaw stands idly by, fur prickling along his back. Partly to protect from the cold, and partly, something else entirely. But, it's none of his business. Sharppaw ducks his head. Y-your prey's gonna be... frostbitten," he comments; winces a moment after, remembering the bitten tips of Betonyfrost's ears. Would Forestpaw be condemned so similarly? Justly, for once.​

 

[FORESTSHADE]

Her mentor's words cause a scrunched expression to appear on her face, something in between a scowl and a pout. She can hunt just fine in snow! So what if it's just a little higher than normal? "It's not just some hunt, Chilledgaze! It's the test that will determine the most important day of my life! It can't be delayed!" Chilledgaze then jokes about hunting her and she scoffs, turning sharply away with a frown. This isn't fair. It's just no fair!

Nearby, a familiar voice pipes up, says her prey will end up like a certain warrior's ears. "Ugh! No it won't be! The prey will be just fine!" She argues, swinging her head around to throw narrowed eyes in Sharp-paw's direction. She doesn't know if she's actually looking at him, but it's the closest she's going to get. Black claws dig into the ground in frustration, fluffy tail lashing behind her. Why doesn't anyone understand the importance of this?​

 

[† rookwhisper]

[ cw disordered eating, first paragraph. the entire thing can be skipped without consequence ]

❝  A soft, rasping chuckle is warm in his mouth despite all of the chill. Rookwhisper's awkward, gangly form is stretched out nearby with a subtle curl as if to hide the slimness of his stomach. Hunger hasn't been kind to any of them, and it touches near all of their interactions. Not him. Not this. He is not hungry the way that others are, with a quiet voraciousness. He treats it as if he deserves it. Does he not? Don't they all? The entirety of ShadowClan hungers, and he can only call it a punishment. Perhaps the dead still think poorly of their time before the clans; perhaps it was Briarstar, Bonejaw, Pitchstar– he does not know what the dead speak of, only that they must. They had touched every bit of who they were now. This blizzard, Forestpaw's delay. Are they not all connected beneath the stars?

"Perhaps once this is over, Forestpaw, the marsh will sing praises of the one who waited." His tail tip flicks, head cocked slightly in dog-like way. "The warrior who put themselves aside for the clan." A hard one to sell, but one that Rookwhisper leans into with a gleaming warmth.

˗ˏˋ  †〚  OOC REFERENCE INFORMATION 〛

• ooc: —
• 

  
• rookwhisper. named for his dark pelt and quiet voice.
  ──── uses he - him, will accept they - them or it - its.
  ──── around four years old.  a warrior of shadowclan.
  ──── single; sexuality unknown. presumably pansexual.
  
  a tall black smoke tabby with high white mapping the entire right side of his body. though his fur is thick and dense, it covers a rather lean, nearly gaunt physique that suits him despite its typical discomfort. his right eye is blue, while his left is a warm orange.
• "speech"

​

 

[VULTURESHRIEK]

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"Chilled is right y'know. Y'gonna sit here in camp and earn your warrior name when conditions are less fatal, or are we gonna send you t'Starclan t'be a 'paw for the rest of your afterlife?" Vultureshriek doesn't try any lofty, high bearing words like Rookwhisper does, instead just telling it to the apprentice straight. If she died during her warrior trial, then it was technically never completed, which means she'd be 'Forestpaw' until silverpelt collapsed in on itself.

"Most important day of yer life, yeah, but lets not add a funeral to it." They get it, they'd seen their siblings ready and eager for adulthood too. They'd seen Nightingalepaw bouncing off the walls when she became an apprentice. But...they'd also seen all of that hope be snuffed out in an instant. Forestpaw was a fine apprentice, well and deserving of warriorhood, there was no doubt to anyone that she'd complete her trial with flying colors, but because of that they couldn't rush things and risk throwing away all her hard work and dedication.​

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♫⁠—⁠—⁠—⁠—⁠——⁠⁠♪ OOC ⁠♫⁠—⁠—⁠—⁠—⁠——♪⁠⁠——⁠—⁠—⁠—⁠—⁠♫ INFO ⁠♪⁠—⁠—⁠—⁠—⁠——⁠♫

• - owowowowow
• [Please ping @/Chérie if this character is needed, instead of this account]
  VULTURE - VULTURESHRIEK
  25 moons, intersex [uses any and all pronouns, does not mind gendered terms, falls under NB umbrella but doesn't think about it much]
  A tall, all limbs, black smoke and braided tabby chimera with long fur and a distinct ruff of white fur around their neck
  Vultureshriek is always willing to speak their mind, even if they're not sure if the words are right they have to get them out. Born and raised within the marsh colony, she has a distinct loyalty to Shadowclan and those within it despite consistently getting into trouble in her youth. Nowadays he does everything within reasonable and legal bounds, just to prevent accidents from happening as much as possible while still having fun.
  Considered bad luck by some of Shadowclan because they were present in some way for every family member's death
  Speaks in #9e0000
  
  pixel header by thispoisonedone on DA​