camp THREAD BY THREAD | den reinforcing

[BUCKGAIT.]

MY NAME IS BRUTUS AND MY NAME MEANS HEAVY ✧​

a mindless action while her mind drifts elsewhere. deft paws weave feather and leaf together, moss and the fallen foliage. a blend of beauty to welcome the changing seasons, to make those who sleep inside warm and comfortable. to fight the chill as best as the material can. but it is clear with her far-off look and the idle tap of a hindleg that buckgait is anywhere but in her current task.

deputy does not fit her. she fears the entire camp knows it. she's been born of nothing, has fought and lost everything, and is now supposed to help run the thing that had taken over her life. she is supposed to love it. she loves some within the walls, but can buck truly say she loves the walls themselves? when the woman glances towards the water-land territory, she does not view it as the home of riverclan. how could she? her blood, the blood of her kin, run so deeply within the roots that she can not see it as anything but her birth. she is so deeply entwined with this land that to leave will kill her.

she wonders if it has killed the rest of her blood. if somewhere, their bones rot.

a sigh breaks from her lips, a light ache in the gnarled flesh upon her wrist. a return to her normal life...or as normal as she can make of it now. how strange normalcy can change. it used to be her alone for everything...then to her sharing everything with lightningstone...now she is alone again. there is a heavier ache that burrows deep within her ribcage, kicking the bones to create more room.

she weaves faster. it will not help. she thinks of asking for help, but her mouth remains sealed. a pile of gathered supplies lay strewn about her. it's a silent invitation. she's never realized how lonely this life is. she thinks it's more of a silent plea.


// obligatory @CLAYFUR tag
​

 

[GLOOMPAW]

*:･ﾟ✧☁ ⋯ Gloompaw knows loneliness, but she had became acquainted for only a short amount of time -- small talk with isolation. She had been too young to realize it, but it follows her, that fear of it. Now she lacks it, moving into the apprentice's den. An almost opposite progression than Buckgait.

She heeds to the invisible call the scattered materials sends. The meeting Cicadastar had summoned is still fresh in her mind, and she wonders if their respective role changes were similar. It'd been impossibly quiet then, murmured congratulations for the new right-hand of the leader. She'd been told afterwards that 'deputy' meant more than just a leader's apprentice. That the weight of it sat heavier. Not all cats would be called that.

Orange eyes watch the older molly weave silently. Gloompaw thinks it's magic, how the leaves and feathers just stay. But the air is cold now, and warmth was crucial. Tiredly blinking, she points a paw at the feathers in the den walls, circling around a request to be taught, "How do you do that?" ​

 

[CLAYFUR]

The brown and white she-cat is soon joined by a brown and white tom, along with Gloompaw. The blue-furred child was apprenticed at the last meeting, he recalls, and Buckgait was named deputy. He’s super glad that she’s the deputy, because she knows, like, the whole territory. And RiverClan randomly showed up and took her home from her, so it’s only fair that she gets to help lead the clan. "Hey, Buck. I didn’t get the chance to tell you—congratulations on being deputy! You’re super cool and you deserve it!" He doesn’t understand why she wouldn’t be excited about it, but he knows that some cats show their enthusiasm in more subdued ways than others.

Gloompaw asks how Buck does that and honestly, Clay wants to know as well. "Can I lend a paw? You’ll probably have to, like… show me how to help, though," he tips his head to the side, trying to determine how she’s managing to weave the materials together. Perhaps he’s too clumsy for it. He’s never weaved anything of substance before—but there’s always time for firsts, right?
​

[ WHAT'S MY AGE AGAIN? ]​

​

 

[Snakeblink]

The small commotion around the dens can’t help but attract Snakeblink’s attention. He hovers near, watching Buckgait’s elegant, efficient weaving. He worries about bothering their new deputy, but keeping the clan warm is hardly a one-cat job. Besides, it’s not like he’d be the only one butting his head into her business if she really did mean to do this alone.

He pads up to the trio of cats, slipping between Clayfur and the apprentice. It warms Snakeblink to see them both so eager to help. Even in its first unsteady steps, their clan already inspires loyalty to the cats that make its numbers.

"Allow me to help as well, Deputy," he murmurs with what he hopes is a convincing smile. He lowers his head as he speaks and flicks his tail in the direction of the gathered supplies. "Four pairs of paws will make lighter work of this. "​

ooc. information.

• ooc: buckgait: (is lonely)
  The entire clan: not on my goddamn watch
  
  
• — Snakeblink • he / him. 34 ☾, riverclan warrior
  — a sleek, skinny tabby with long ears and a scar over his right eye.
  — gay, not actually evil, penned by @Kangoo
  
  
  

​

 

[koispots]

She knows she's been distant from Buck, but she couldn't stand to see the woman injured, couldn't stand to see her unhappy. What a twist, if it had been her mother she would have dropped everything to help (why is it different, why is it different, buck reminds her so much of her) but now? She distances. She seems happier today, catching Koi's attention as the young girl moves to exit the camp to get fresh air. She decides to abandon her former task, rather letting her paws lead her straight to the other woman.

She watches, does not interrupt as others do, studies Buck's face (far away, far off, she knows that look) before she falls in silently besides her. Gloompaw asks what shes doing, Clayfur offers to help but Koi doesn't need to know how. She grew up on a watery territory, had to help weave her den with her mother, Koi hums idly as she picks up a stick, working besides the taller woman. "We will all- all help." a silent proclamation that Buck won't have to be alone anymore.
​

"speech"​

 

[BUCKGAIT.]

MY NAME IS BRUTUS AND MY NAME MEANS HEAVY ✧​

it does not take long for the world to find her, surround her. there's a lack of hostility, only a genuine wonder and gentleness. it makes the woman pause from her work, finally turning her attention to the one who approaches first. some wild-hearted child just being let out from these walls. gloom and koi were the two most horrified by her bloodied entrance. she is glad that at the very least, gloom is no longer affected by the dramatics of it all.

she knows it is a skill that must be passed down to the youth of the clan, and perhaps those much older as well...seeing as hoy clayfur has now joined the two. her paws pull from the project at hand, now showcased to the two. "it's better done with agile paws, i'll have gloom help you out, clay." as much as she adores the bark-painted tom, he lacks the grace that is much needed in these lands. he's fitted for other things, but at the very least he tries. "it's a tight and gentle braid. flexible branches need to form a tight bond before you add in snything else." her paws go into the motions again, so ingrained in her that her attention can lay elsewhere. all they need to do is watch and try for themselves. she'll see to their braids later and correct any mistakes.

snakeblink, some tom that has not had the misfortune of running across buckgait frequently, joins the fray. she lacks the energy to conspire against him, keep any close eye on his intentions. for now, she just accepts his help. "good to see you pulling your weight," a half-jest, joined by a weak grin. "there's plenty to be done, better start weaving." it's hard to get used to, this hierarchy. he calls her deputy and buck feels anything but it. she tries to not acknowledge the title or clay's praise. not yet, at the very least.

the blotted girl is next to join, by her side where buck feels she belongs. koi will be the only one the earthen deputy won't have to babysit, it brings some relief to her. her movements are subtle, only noticeable to those truly trained upon buck. leaning slightly down, a whispered "thank you." leaves the woman's lips. she missed the girl.
​