pafp WHISPERS LOUD ENOUGH TO SHOUT || questioning

[Nettlepaw-]

NETTLEPAW ♂
RIVERCLAN
APPRENTICE
FOUR MOONS
BLIND IN BOTH EYES
BIOGRAPHY AND TAGS
APPRENTICED TO PIKESPLASH
PLAYED BY SHEOGORATH​

---

Failure after failure, Nettlepaw returns from each hunting patrol and training session feeling more irritable than the last. His eyes are narrowed as paws crunch through a thin crust of crystalline white. It chills his pads, only adding to the frustration that prompts a hasty lash of his thick tail. Tracking prey was easy enough, but actually pouncing on it? And with ice creeping along the edges of the river, there's been less crowfood to scavenge. The poor tom hasn't brought prey in for days. Now, though, his feet are numb, and his mood is equally as bitter as the ice that forms upon his misty breath. At least he's been given permission to eat something from the fresh-kill pile, having worked his tail off in the wintry weather all day. Before he can make his way there, however, an obstacle presents itself within his path, a blurry figure of shadow against the white of the snow. Blind as he is, Nettlepaw can't tell who the other RiverClanner is at first, until their scent washes over his flaring nostrils.

"Lichent- " The boy pauses, squints thoughtfully. There was something different about the smell, as if it were two scents intertwined. This wasn't Lichentail, he realizes. The apprentice had been mistaken. "Hazecloud?" Nettlepaw questions, as confused as he is curious. "Sorry, I thought you were Lichentail at first. Her scent is all over you." He remarks, and he's certainly not quiet about it. Already his thunderous voice has drawn the attention of others, though Nettlepaw doesn't yet notice.

@hazecloud
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[hazecloud]

The frosty greeting that morning had in a whirl, realizing she had lost track of time so easily. When she had departed from her loving Clan to travel by the stars directive leaf-fall had only just begun. The leaves had barely begun to fall from their trees and when she rose above the crescent of the mountains it had been a plunge straight into the heart of leaf-bare with no reprieve. When they returned it had been leaf-fall greeting them once again, and while the fish had begun to sink lower into the river the land trodden prey had grown fat with preparation to hibernate.

Crawling back into leaf-bare felt like a complete turn around to what she had left behind, but she had bared its harsh temperatures without the grace of a camp or even properly made nests. Practically barren as they all huddled tightly for warmth. She did not fear the season with the proper help of a Clan. However, seeing the apprentices trot in and out lamenting about how difficult it had become to find any success, did make her worry for their confidence in their skills. Not even the best hunters always return with a catch. Hunting had been her profession above all. She had been named as proof of that prowess, and her heart ached to go out and hunt with them.

Hazecloud looked down as Nettlepaw wandered toward her, not realizing she was in the way of his destination when suddenly he spoke out someone else's name instead. At first the molly tilted her head, confused, until Nettlepaw continued to speak. Her ears perked forward and her maw opened in a mix of sheepish humor.

"It's just me." She confirmed, voice laced with hard-to-hide laughter. "We missed each other quite a bit while I was gone, I wouldn't be surprised if you mistake her for me next."

@DIPPERPAW ​

 

[DIPPERFROST]

To say that she had missed the signs would make her awfully foolish. She was not so naive as to look upon her mentor and the molly that stands before her now, a queen, and think that there is nothing going on between the two of them. She wishes there wasn’t, though. With Hazecloud expecting kits, Lichentail was more distracted, her focus elsewhere because these two had made the foolish decision to have children when leaf-bare was only just a stones-throw away. Her own parents had been such fools, but Dipperpaw vowed to herself that she never would be. If she ever bore kits at all, that is.

She is laying nearby when she hears Nettlepaw call out the name of her mentor, but when she looks it is Hazecloud he is speaking to. Quickly, he rights himself and Hazecloud explains it’s because they are spending a lot of time together that she smells like the pointed deputy. "So…" she begins, her voice almost conspiratory if not for the neutral lithe it took on "You two spend a lot of time together huh?" she asks as if she doesn’t already know, sunset eyes glancing at her from the corners. Normally she is not one to gossip but did this really count? It was her mentor, after all. Surely, she has a right to know. "Would you two consider one another… mates?" and there it was, a question laid bare for Hazecloud to answer wether she wanted to or not. Yes or no, there was no way to dodge it. She has never been a fan of the complex dance some liked to play with their words.

​

 

[FERNGILL]

He supposed having to rely solely on your nose gave you more acute senses. Ferngill couldn't deny that he'd tried to rely on his nose a little more since the loss of some of his sight, but it was not as honed as it could be. He could pick clan-scents apart, but the differences between one cat and another were a little too subtle for him to pick up on, often. But he'd take Nettlepaw's word for it- especially with Hazecloud's tactful confirmation. They'd missed each other a lot. Ferngill’s eye glimmered with a realisation.

It would not sit silently in his gaze for long, though- Dipperpaw spoke very directly, the question streaking forward like a fishing strike. Her bluntness brought a laugh bubbling from within him, within earshot. "Nothing gets past her!" He flicked Dipperpaw with his tail in good humour, though his exclamation was completely genuine- there wasn't really any slithering out of it now, was there? ​

✦ penned by pin ✦​

 

[Nettlepaw-]

NETTLEPAW ♂
RIVERCLAN
APPRENTICE
FOUR MOONS
BLIND IN BOTH EYES
BIOGRAPHY AND TAGS
APPRENTICED TO PIKESPLASH
PLAYED BY SHEOGORATH​

---

He tilts his head at Hazecloud, perhaps too young to grasp what she was implying at first. At least not until Dipperpaw interjects with inquiries of her own. Mates, Nettlepaw thinks to himself in silent confirmation. That made sense. The two were clearly close, after all. Ferngill's laughter fills the apprentice's ears for a few moments, though the young tabby isn't so sure this is a laughing matter. Mates usually meant families. Kits. This would be Nettlepaw's first leaf-bare, but he's heard of just how harsh and cruel the season could be.

"Congratulations." The boy offers politely, not even waiting for the confirmation that Lichentail and Hazecloud were, in fact, mates. "But if you two plan to have kits, maybe wait until new-leaf." A suggestion, spoken nicely enough, though Nettlepaw doesn't quite realize the awkwardness of it yet.
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[hazecloud]

Like a snake Dipperpaw took her moment to strike without remorse. She should have come to expect it at this point after she had already backhandedly commented on the season her kitting. Brave she had said, but Hazecloud knew there was no truth behind her words. What confused Hazecloud more was that she could not understand the source of her animosity outside of the obvious. Dipperpaw had taken the news as though it were a decision made personally against her. She wasn't sure where she stood with Lichentail, as she never paid much attention to her apprentices outside of occasionally asking about their wellbeing for smalltalk. Her mate had hardly spared her any more time than dropping off prey and making sure she was comfortable, Dipperpaw and Brookpaw had her attention outside of those moments.

Ferngill found her question with far more humor than herself, but she decided it would be treated no different than Nettlepaw's revelation. It wasn't something the pair were hiding, anyhow. Their relationship was not something they thought had to be announced.

"Lichentail and I are mates, Dipperpaw. You didn't notice the red feather I gave her before the Gathering?" Her ear twitched and she so badly wanted to roll her eyes and disappear from this conversation. "A wonderful plan for our next litter, Nettlepaw. Afraid I've already been a queen for a few days so it's a bit too late now. But my kits will be strong, it's not for you to worry about."​

 

[BEEFANG]

FIGHT SO DIRTY BUT YOU LOVE SO SWEET — The black and white molly returns to camp holding her own prize clamped around her jaws a decently sized fish that she had managed to catch despite how much colder the water was beginning to grow it was the only thing she had managed to catch but she's happy to return with a mouthful of fish rather than nothing at all. The sound of her clanmates is enough to make her glance over in their direction seeing Hazecloud, a few apprentices, and Ferngill which is plenty to make her paws move forward. It's when she hears Dipperpaw's question that makes her wince inwardly in the slightest, Ferngill finding humor in it, and Beepaw can't help but cringe just a bit... Had she been in the same position, well, she wouldn't have imagined it to be a laughing matter but the expression is gone within seconds as she blinks at what Nettlepaw says next about Hazecloud and Lichentail waiting until new-leaf. Unfortunately, the queen was set on having her kittens and Beepaw doubts that there's a herb that could magically make the unborn babies disappear into thin air.

She clears her throat slightly to awkwardly announce her presence and pushes her catch in the new queen's direction offering a small smile in her direction "Here's the first of the few fish I promised," She chooses not to add any more inquiries not imagining that Hazecloud liked the attention all that much and Beepaw couldn't help but feel her insides twist every time the queen would repeat how her kittens were strong. A part of her hopes that it's true but only time would tell.

TALK SO PRETTY ₊· ͟͟͞͞➳˚❥ BUT YOUR HEART GOT TEETH

• 

• 
  ₊· ͟͟͞͞➳ shorthaired black smoke molly w/low white and mismatched eyes
  ₊· ͟͟͞͞➳ 5 moons old; ages the 10th every month
  ₊· ͟͟͞͞➳ sexuality unknown/too young
  ₊· ͟͟͞͞➳ currently being mentored by smokestar
  ₊· ͟͟͞͞➳ daughter of cicadastar and smokestar
  ₊· ͟͟͞͞➳ sister of cicadapaw & starlightpaw
  ₊· ͟͟͞͞➳ "speech", thoughts, attacking
  ₊· ͟͟͞͞➳ peaceful powerplay allowed

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[lichenstar]

⋆ ✧　 　 · 　 ✧ ⋆ ✧　 　 · 　 ✧ ⋆ ✧　 　 · 　 ✧ ⋆ ​

It was maybe a little obvious that the lynx point was a tad high-strung. It was noticeable in quickly shared conversations with Snakeblink, in the fleeting availability of her presence within the confines of camp.. but most especially in the way that she avoided Hazecloud like a plague rat. It wasn't her intention... and it was something that made her a hypocrite for all the lectures she'd given her mate the last time they'd tried this relationship out.

In a small effort to sate the cuddly queen (who had been more than willing to chew her out in private), they were in agreement to at the very least share a meal together. Napping in the warmth of downy-decorated nests in the nursery seemed a daydream and as friendly as the permanent resident of that den was, she loathed the sensation of being watched...

Beepaw had made good on her promise to bring Hazecloud her first catches for the day, which was both a delight in that she was still doing so well in her training as a fine RiverClan hunter but also dismaying in that she'd managed to beat her deputy to it. Brushing past the dark furred girl, Lichentail glances over her fish with a friendly smile, "At least the cloudy weather means shadows are harder to cast over the water." In that tiny way it made fishing easier... if only the damned fish would be kind enough to surface more often. She touches her tail only briefly at the girl's shoulder in a silent 'thank you.'

"I heard my name," she asks, attention flicking between the two interrogators and Ferngill's still laugh-shaken form before landing on Hazecloud. "Only good things, I should hope." Where Dipperpaw was concerned.. that was a gamble still. It is an awkward, stiff motion that she offers the smoky queen a couple cursory licks to her forehead. Nettlepaw's face seems screwed up in some sort of distaste... What could he possibly be bothered about now?

---

WELL IF YOU WANT MY BLOOD I'LL MAKE SO MUCH BLOOD

THAT YOU'RE GONNA FUCKING DROWN​

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[Nettlepaw-]

NETTLEPAW ♂
RIVERCLAN
APPRENTICE
FOUR MOONS
BLIND IN BOTH EYES
BIOGRAPHY AND TAGS
APPRENTICED TO PIKESPLASH
PLAYED BY SHEOGORATH​

---

He can't help the frown that splits his maw. Hazecloud was already a queen? She was already due with kits... he must have been out training when the news was first unveiled, but nontheless, it leaves a sour taste on his tongue. He has only ever heard stories of just how cruel the cold season could be. Cats would starve, or freeze. The camp would flood. WindClan would use blizzards as an opportunity to attack, as if the wintry winds reflected the frigid ice of their hearts.

Blowing out a sigh, Nettlepaw turns his sightless eyes away just as Beepaw approaches with her fish. It's a reminder that anything Nettlepaw does catch will have to go to Hazecloud and her brood. A worrying prospect, considering that the boy had yet to catch anything at all. What if the new kits starved? He doesn't appreciate the added pressure on his shoulders, but he keeps it to himself for now. It's then that Lichentail arrives, all too curious about the focus of the group's conversation. An ear flicks toward the deputy before the apprentice merely shrugs.

"We were talking about you having kits with Hazecloud in the middle of leafbare." He admits, seeing no reason to lie for the moment. At least Nettlepaw sounds polite. He could have sharpened his voice as he had when he was a kit, but Nettlepaw has learned some respect with his age, it seems. Blind eyes dance back toward Hazecloud as the apprentice adds, "If I find any birds on the fresh-kill pile, or if I catch any, I'll bring the feathers to you for your nest." He offers. At the very least, he could help keep the queen and her kits warm, even if he was unable to hunt thus far.
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[hazecloud]

Beepaw broke into this awkward interrogation with a promised delivery, one Hazecloud hadn't originally believed to have been kept. If only because she felt it contributed to the amount of attention she got. While the queen absolutely adored being the center of attention, she preferred it from the eyes of her circle of friends. Now it felt like the Clan was watching her at all times, especially with the shift of her leaving Rookfang and turning to Lichentail. She wouldn't be the slightest bit surprised if it was her own mother contributing to the rumors of confusion on who sired her kits.

"Thank you, Beepaw. You're quite a fisher, I've had to share some meals with the other kits to help me finish." Eyes lift from the gift to see Lichentail and it's almost bittersweet. Waiting so patiently through the hours of daylight just to see her mate, but this situation she nearly preferred the molly was still out on patrol.

"Nettlepaw was just trying to be helpful." She dismissed quickly, wanting to relieve the weight of the topic. She wouldn't fault the apprentice for what he said, it wasn't malicious. At least she could rely on him to speak honestly. "And I suppose Dipperpaw wasn't aware of our mateship, but nothing bad! Beepaw's brought this wonderful fish, you should share it with me while Apricotflower's still away."

If I could run I would already be back in the nursery. ​

 

[lichenstar]

⋆ ✧　 　 · 　 ✧ ⋆ ✧　 　 · 　 ✧ ⋆ ✧　 　 · 　 ✧ ⋆ ​

If it were possible to see the skin underneath her fur, it would be painfully obvious the way all the blood rushes from Lichentail's face upon Nettlepaw's short response. Who the hell had opened their big mouth to snitch on her being the sire of this litter? It would be one thing if he was just assuming by the announcement of their reunion as mates but... He didn't seem to even hesitate. Was there really no doubt in anyone's mind they were hers? That they couldn't be Rookfang's instead?

She scrounged for any excuse... but what was the point? Smokestar already knew and that had been her biggest concern anyways... but the pointed chiding about their timing makes her skin crawl, makes her stomach twist with anger. She didn't need lecturing from this tiny brat- she already knew, already had to live with it and as she opened her mouth to make a petty jab at him, Hazecloud cut in. She knew the blue molly perhaps too well... to know she'd grow frustrated by such a public call out.

Helpful, is what she chose to call it... A low growl of reply is offered in turn, narrowing her gaze at Hazecloud in a silent warning, I won't be bullied about this by a child.

"Dipperpaw," she meows flatly, turning to look at her apprentice with an unimpressed frown, "How... unusual for you..." Generally, she was not direct enough to pry, and preferred to eavesdrop. A very nosy inclination this time... though she supposed it had to do with her relationship as the girl's mentor. At the very least, Beepaw has the sense to keep whatever opinions she has to herself and instead, follows through with dedication to duty above all else. The suggestion to share is... desirable but she would feel much too guilty to take from the mouths of apprentices.

"I'm not hungry," she says, finding her appetite ruined by the conversation. "But I have enough time to sit with you until Apricotflower comes back..."

---

WELL IF YOU WANT MY BLOOD I'LL MAKE SO MUCH BLOOD

THAT YOU'RE GONNA FUCKING DROWN​

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