what the (heck) is lost in aisle 3? // iciclepaw

[Pinepaw]

"nothing but pain on the edge of a knife"​

Pine had gotten more comfortable since joining the clan, but the river flooding had brought heaps of nervousness. He found himself skittering around and nearly running into other cats, stumbling over apologies as he moved himself out of the way only to get in someone else’s. Today, he wouldn’t be so lucky to avoid a collision.

He hadn’t seen her coming until it was too late. Pine tripped over the tortoiseshell’s paws and landed right in front of her with a splat. He quickly backpedaled, keeping himself low to the ground; he still half expected a slap for his clumsiness, despite the kindness he’d gotten from his clanmates. ”S-Sorry,” he mewed, feeling himself shrink before the apprentice. Pine dared a glance up at the tri-colored cat, eyes catching on her white marks before dropping back to the ground.

@iciclepaw
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[iciclefang]

Iciclepaw's annoyance is immediate. She's on her way to the fresh-kill pile -- or at least, what is, in theory, their fresh-kill pile -- when she's colliding into some cat she doesn't immediately recognize. Her expression is cold, eyes twinkling like sunlit scraps of eye as she appraises the auburn tomcat. "S-sorry," is his immediate offering, one she declines with grace.

"Why is it I'm starting to not recognize half my Clanmates?" Her mew is irritable. She straightens herself and begins to lick at mottled, mussed fur, all the while keeping one chilly eye on the offender. The memory returns to her as she grooms herself."You're the one Buckgait and Boneripple brought in from trespassing."

She sniffs. "What's your name again? You haven't had a ceremony yet, of course. No apprentice with even days of training is as clumsy as you seem to be." Now she pauses, waiting for his response.​

[ PENNED BY MARQUETTE ]​

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[Pinepaw]

"nothing but pain on the edge of a knife"​

Pine was taken aback by Iciclepaw’s words, shock causing him to look her straight in the eyes. The young cat felt a fire burn in his belly, and for once he couldn't tamp it down before it overflowed. ”You must be from Windclan with the way you talk,” he yowled, eyes burning into the she-cat’s. I hope I used that right. ”No one from here would be so snake-hearted.”

Immediately the reality of what he had said blanketed Pine with anxiety. How are you going to get yourself out of this one, mouse-brain? She’ll turn you to fish food! The tom waited, limbs starting to shake as he tried to anticipate her next move.​

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[iciclefang]

Iciclepaw's hackles are stiff immediately. "And what do you know of WindClan? Have you ever faced their claws in battle?" Anger lights in her pale eyes. "Do you know what it's like to watch another cat die at their paws?"

And she realizes she's wasting her words. No, of course they don't. The auburn-pelted cat has no idea what it's like to face another cat in battle. In war. She smirks, her anger still prickling at the tips of her mottled fur. "Snake-hearted, huh? I'll take that. I earned my snake-heart. When will you?" She waits, patiently, for his response. Is the fire in him genuine, she wonders, or is he simply afraid of being challenged by a real feral cat?​

[ PENNED BY MARQUETTE ]​

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[Pinepaw]

"nothing but pain on the edge of a knife"​

Pinepaw looked Iciclepaw right in the eyes. He was cowering before her when all she had done was speak a few nasty words. For the first time in his life, Pine realized he didn’t have to take this belly-up. He could fight back. He deserved to fight back.

”I may not have fought the same way you have, but I’ve done my fair share of surviving. I’ll earn my place here, and one day I’ll beat you as easily as swallowing a minnow!” Pine felt a fire burn in his chest, and he didn’t stamp it out. The tom let the feeling spread all the way to his paws and, on instinct, sent a swipe towards Iciclepaw’s face, claws sheathed. He’d learned enough from his time here to know that he shouldn’t aim to truly hurt the cat, no matter how much she was asking for it.
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