These moments, for us | JOHNNY

[ThistleBack]

It was dizzying, the amount of things that had shifted in Thistleback’s life. Nothing positive, besides Quillstrike passing his assessment and earning his warrior name. Other than finally having his son home and same, despite the looming threat of Windclan. Luckily things like that didn’t wear on him. Then there is Johnny.

Poor bloke had been tossed into the mix of things, like dust in a hurricane. Thistleback wasn’t the sort to feel guilt as traditionally as to feel it in his gut, but he could feel something when he spots the man. Doing patrols on his own, making friends and aquaintances with ease. There’s something so willing and charismatic, along with a roughness.

Browning pine nettle clung to the tom’s fur, as he makes his way toward the daylight warrior. Having spent a few days out camping with Snowpaw in the territory, to see the patchpelt tom was soft on the workhorse’s eyes. " Johnny. " he greets the other, with a careful look over the man. " I heard you got yourself a thorn on one of your hunts " he stops close to the other, turning a callused muscled limb for Johnny to place his for an inspection.

" you know if you let pine sap settle on your paws for a day. It’ll give a little protection. If you can handle the discomfort. " he dips a little into his lighter humor despite his rather instructive comment. " I’ve also noticed something else. " he’d stop here briefly, lifting bullet greys to catch molten amber. A volcano meeting cold steel.

​

OOC INFO REF

• — @Johnny
  
  
• 
  
  
  
  Thirty-three moons EVENT TRACKER | IMPORTANT INFO
  — Lead warrior of Skyclan since 12.22.22
  — Devoted to Deersong 9.29.22 | polyamorous
  — Father of Coyotepaw, Pricklepaw, and Eveningpaw.
  — mentoring Snowpaw graduate(s) Quillstrike
  — very muscular piebald black and white tom with spiky fur and cold silver-grey eyes.
  — voice & accent
  — biography･ﾟ✧​
  OPEN for Dice battles | stine#3004
  
• 
  
  

​

 

[Johnnyflame]

LIVE AS IF YOU WERE TO DIE TOMORROW​

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There's been ups and downs since his joining- maybe more downs than he'd have expected if he as honest- but nothing that had yet to shake his resolve about joining. He was learning quickly to navigate the choppy waters that Thistle had led him to, making friends and learning the territory, picking up on what skills he had to work harder to sharpen and which ones were already far enough along that he could garner an impressed look from the cats around him from time to time.

Of course, Johnny still couldn't say he was overly close to anyone yet. Those who were tolerant of Daylight Warriors found him likeable enough, and there were those who he could see himself growing closer with if given the chance; Auburnflame and Orangeblossom, to name a few. But, he was still 'the new guy' that everyone was still getting to know, a title he wore with patience and pride despite it marking him as the odd one out, but it also meant that every now and then he'd find himself left to his own devices. Usually he'd just go out and do some training or find a familiar, friendly face whose group he could insert himself into for a bit, but today it seemed like that wasn't necessary.

"Johnny."

Ears pricked to attention, curving toward an all-too-familiar voice with the enthusiasm of a dog who'd just heard the squeak of their favorite toy. Lopsided grin was quick to find its place as he turned to find the familiar visage of ink on canvas, surprised but pleased to see the Lead Warrior as back from the few days they'd spent out in the territory with their apprentice. He knew the last little bit had been... rough on Thistleback, for lack of a better word, and his heart couldn't help but jump a little in happiness at seeing him- well, not back to normal, but after witnessing everything that had happened over the last few weeks it was just nice to see them looking like they weren't on the verge of being torn apart.

He wasn't stupid though. He knew the pain was still there, it had just had time to sink and settle beneath the murky surface where it wasn't as easy to see.

"Aye. Started doin' morning jogs around twoleg place before I come in- the ground there's hard but usually pretty clear of debri. I'm hopin' it build a callous." he replied, obediently placing his paw in theirs for inspection. It was already mostly healed, no longer bleeding when he walked. It just ached a bit was all- nothing he couldn't handle- and yet he found himself happy to bask in the attention he was being afforded right then, but only because it was Thistleback, whose time and attention he knew was worth something.

" you know if you let pine sap settle on your paws for a day. It’ll give a little protection. If you can handle the discomfort. "

A brow would cock in interest at that, because damn, that was a good idea.

"Can't imagine it's more uncomfortable than a thorn." he mused, making a mental note to give it a try. He'd still keep up with the morning runs to work on a natural callous, but for now the sap might just be the extra layer of protection he needed to help him out for now. Hell, even climbing the trees hurt after a while, if not on his claws then the raw pads of his feet balancing and pushing off of roug tree-bark.

" I’ve also noticed something else. "

"Noticin' a lot, it' seems." Johnny replied, a playful lilt to his words. Still, he was curious. "What's got your attention, then?" he asked, because at the end of the day the bobtail did was to know.
​

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[ThistleBack]

There was honesty in the patchwork pelted man’s smile, a certain excitement and pride in this new life. Amber eyes like twin molten rocks, so knowing and willing to understand. Thistleback watches too intently, his efforts to escape his mind make him watchful.

He’d been taking morning jogs before his duties for the daylight of Skyclan, it’s impressive and earns a thoughtful smirk of approval. Thistleback knew he chose right when he invited Johnny to their ranks, knew he selected a damn good warrior. Then- it was something else, as Johnny’s paw rests in his own. A strange desire onset by the twoleg kidnappings, to protect the other. He aims to touch his nose to the injury lightly an act he did for his children when they got bruises or cuts. It didn’t feel strange, it was so normal to he- and he looks up to peer carefully at the garden guardian’s countenance as it were a relic so dear. can’t imagine it’s more uncomfortable than a thorn, a thoughtful hm peels off his lips " there is a positivity about you. A resilience. " he murmurs through a studious scowl but through dusty lashes he combs once more for any secrets in the patches of orange black and white on his muzzle.

noticin’ alot it seems, " aye, only things I care to " he offers through an amused twitch of whiskers. " You don’t eat with us " he doesn’t realize he was still holding the other’s paw, but he doesn’t drop it neither.
​

OOC INFO REF

• —
  
  
• 
  
  
  
  Thirty-three moons EVENT TRACKER | IMPORTANT INFO
  — Lead warrior of Skyclan since 12.22.22
  — Devoted to Deersong 9.29.22 | polyamorous
  — Father of Coyotepaw, Pricklepaw, and Eveningpaw.
  — mentoring Snowpaw graduate(s) Quillstrike
  — very muscular piebald black and white tom with spiky fur and cold silver-grey eyes.
  — voice & accent
  — biography･ﾟ✧​
  OPEN for Dice battles | stine#3004
  
• 
  
  

​

 

[Johnnyflame]

LIVE AS IF YOU WERE TO DIE TOMORROW​

---

Honest was a good word to associate with Johnny. Not just because it wasn't in his nature to lie, but because he had a tendency to say things without having to actually speak them at all. His admiration for Thistle was a perfect example of that. Never in his life had Johnny met a cat so... stars, did he even have a word for it? So fiercely protective, so unwaveringly loyal, the kind of cat who worked themselves to the bone for what they loved and who wouldn't think twice about trading his life for a cat he cared for. As strong as steel and as sharp as a knife.

Thistle was fucking amazing, and Johnny never bothered to hide that from them. It sat there, shining within liquid gold every time the patchwork tom looked at them, a shameless admiration and willingness to trust.

He didn't think much when his paw met theirs, still settled in the feeling of contentment that came with just being in the others sights, happy to be seen and spoken to, to be fussed over. And so when his heart skipped a little beat at the unexpectedly soft gesture from the other, it probably read just as easily as anything else about Johnny, words written in blush across the pages of his cheeks and ears.

" there is a positivity about you. A resilience. "

He says them with a scowl and a scrutinous gaze, but Johnny isn't able to see the words as anything truly negative. Instead, he wonders what it is Thistle is looking for and holds steady beneath their gaze, relaxed and hoping they find what they're looking for. There's a part of him thats alarmingly okay with being picked apart by the reaper of a feline. He isn't sure where it comes from, but he knows he'd be very much okay with the lead warrior slicing him open and rifling around within him, trusts him to stitch the lacerations back tight when he's done.

" You don't eat with us "

"I don't hunt with you either, in case you haven't noticed." he replied with a huff of amusement. "Not for lack of trying, of course. M'just not much good at it yet."

For a moment he was confident the answer would be enough- Thistle was a reasonable cat and that was a reasonable answer. Book open and shut, right? But it only took a second for him to realize that all the lead warriors were probably aware of how little he contributed on that front, and that the piebald brute had still chosen to bring this up with him.

"Besides, I've got a whole bowl of food waitin' for me at the end of the day when I head home. Seems a little redundant to eat the clans prey too, doesn't it?"

If he noticed that Thistle hadn't pulled away, he did nothing to remedy the situation himself.
​

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