development Watch me fall above, like a vicious dove // Climbing Trouble

[Glimmersun]

They have to do it, this time. This time, they’ll make it. Glimmerpaw is by themself, attempting to scale a pine tree. They didn’t want to bother Johnnyflame with their turmoil, since it’s a very personal struggle. If they were going to get over their trouble with climbing, they’d have to do it by themself.

They’ve been getting better ever so slowly. It’s nowhere near the level of where they should be as a SkyClanner, but it’s something. At least, that’s what they tell themself. But in the back of their mind, there’s a voice that tells them that nothing they do matters. It’s hard to ignore, sometimes.

As they inch closer to a branch that’s somewhat high up, their thoughts get to them, and they start to slip. It’s a scramble to get a grip once more, and they sadly slip back down onto the ground. “No…” they whisper, reality sinking in. “No! I can’t fail! I can’t…”

Glimmerpaw continues to mutter that phrase, their body tense and tears starting to fall. Why can’t they do this one thing? What good are they if they can’t even climb, the one thing SkyClan is known for? “I’m such a loser!” They scream, not caring if someone overhears their cries. They can’t do anything!​

 

[TERMITEHUM]

⁺₊ ⋆✩ Termitehum watches Glimmerpaw skid down the bark of a tree and feels a pang of familiarity in its chest. Their wails have its ears lying flat. A failure, a loser... just like her. "Oh..." breathes the patchy-furred molly, paws drifting closer across the pine needles.

She raises her voice a bit as she approaches. "No, mmmno, you..." It peters out quickly. Termitehum's jaw works, searching fro reassurance. Their plights are different; fear versus an apparent lack of skill, but the end result is the same. She can hardly say she's conquered her own failings. She can climb, yes, but shakily and poorly, still gripped by the throes of terror. How to reassure an apprentice of something she herself still struggles with?

"You're doing we-e-ell, you... hm, jus' need to keep tuh-trying." No other solution for it. That's what Termitehum does: try and try and try. "S'okay," she adds, "'M not good a-at climbing either." Not that that would be much consolation, being lumped in with a far bigger loser. Still, maybe it'll be some help to not be the only one. "Wh-wanna try again to-tuh-together?"

‎‎┌── TALK TO ME BABY, GET TO KNOW ME 𓆦 YOU CAN TAKE IT RIGHT BACK! ──┐‎

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  "SPEECH"
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  TERMITEHUM 𓆣 she / they / it, warrior of skyclan, 21 moons.
  ➳ a willowy black molly with white patches and intense.
  ➳ superstitious and cowardly, yet quietly kind despite their fear.
  ➳ dragonflywing xx earwigtuft, littermate to chrysaliswing.
  ➳ peaceful and healing powerplay permitted / / underline and tag when attacking
  ➳ penned by SATURNID ↛ saturnids on discord, feel free to dm for plots.
  

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[Fireflyglow]

Fireflypaw hears the wailing of an apprentice from his den, sticking his head out to listen to the cries of agony. It seemed this one was trying to learn how to climb a tree. He blinks idly for a moment, blind blue eyes staring off into the distance before he leaves his den to check on the young one. Termitehum offers to climb with them, and Fireflypaw huffs. "Listen, Glimmerpaw. When you're climbing, you need to use your back paws and claws to push yourself up and balance yourself. Let Termitehum show you how it's done." He remembered when he used to climb trees with Morningpaw and the others as apprentices, watching the apprentices joke around and scare each other. Back when he could still see somewhat, when he could really look over at the horizon and admire the sun as it sets

"If you fall, then get up and try again. You haven't failed yet." He stares owlishly wide towards the apprentice, taking a step forward to a tree next to Glimmerpaw's so he could rake his claws against the side of it. "Nobody's judging you for taking a little bit longer to learn. Plenty of SkyClan warriors are known not to climb trees. It's just how things can be sometimes. But if you want to learn.. And I mean really want to learn to climb, you must let yourself become one with the tree. Balance yourself, hook your claws in, and climb."​

SKYCLAN MEDICINE CAT APPRENTICE ✦ 19 MOONS ✦ CHUNKY, BIG-FOOTED SEAL POINT ✦ TAGS​

 

[Glimmersun]

Glimmerpaw’s gaze snaps behind them immediately as Termitehum approaches. With how upset they are, the first thing that comes to mind to do is to snap at the warrior. What does she know? But she does understand exactly what they’re going through. The reasons might be different, but they suffer all the same. They’re a little uncomfortable with the black molly’s attempt to comfort them, but they try their best to accept her kind words despite. At least she wasn’t laughing, as that’s all they could ask for. “…You’re right. Practice is the only way I’m gonna get better.” It’s only been working so well, but maybe they just needed more of a push.

When Fireflypaw joins in on the conversation, they listen intently as they truly do value his words. He might be a medicine cat, but they were named after him for a reason. He offers doing advice too, and they sniffle before giving a resolute nod. “Yeah. Yeah, okay. Thanks for the advice.” They still feel incompetent, and don’t comment further on them trying to make them realize they’re not that much of a failure, but that’s just how they are. They can sort through feelings when they actually make a dent. “If you’re really okay with helping me, Termitehum… don’t feel the need to make yourself stressed if you don’t need to.” Glimmerpaw would never force her into anything. This is their own problem, at the end of the day.​

 

[Orangestar]

"Try a tree with rougher bark." Orangestar suggests, gaze flicking between her kit and the tree they've failed to climb. It's only halfway a suggestion, the motherly tone in her voice outweighed by the neutrality of a leader telling an apprentice how they could better their skills. At least Glimmerpaw has been found by kinder company than the likes of Silversmoke or Chrysaliswing. Brown eyes lift, searching the tree Glimmerpaw has just skidded down. Hmm.

"This tree has small holds for claws. You won't learn if you jump straight into climbing something like this." Orangestar's attention drops back to her kit. Especially if you're struggling. It's a troubling thought: Glimmerpaw's warrior assessment would be in the next moon, and here they were crashing back to the forest floor. Her ears twitch. Is it an issue of strength? A level of dexterity that the pale-flecked apprentice has missed out on? Does she need to speak with Johnnyflame? Orangestar resigns herself to the conversation with her council member if Glimmerpaw fails their assessment. That would be embarrassing for all three of them.

In the meantime, however, a small measure of concern wouldn't go amiss. "No torn claws or pawpads, Glimmerpaw?"

// mobile ​

 

[QUILLSTRIKE]

DARK BLUE, DARK BLUE, HAVE YOU EVER BEEN ALONE IN A CROWDED ROOM?​

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Quills mismatched gaze didn't bother to hide the skepticism he was feeling as he watched the scene unfold, making his way over to join his clanmates in observing the wailing apprentice. "Doesn't your mentor take you training?" he assed with a huffed.

Before Thistleback, Quills mentor had been a tom that was always too busy to properly train with him. It was probably one of the reasons he was such a little brat when he was kid, and it would be annoying to learn that Johnnyflame was doing the same thing to Glimmerpaw. Usually the lead was pretty active in the clan so it would be disappointing to learn they weren't pulling their weight as a mentor, and for the kids sake Quill hoped it was just a torn claw or lack of natural skill in that area.

Still though, for his clanmates to be repeating the basics of climbing to a cat that far along in their apprenticeship- surely Johnnyflame had taught them that much by now? If not, perhaps Orangestar should re-think giving them an apprentice in the future.

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skyclan - male - 24 months (Feb 17th) - bisexual - homoromantic - a very tall, dark chimera tomcat with mismatched eyes and several scars. has bluejay feathers woven like spikes along his spine and neck.