Who are you so afraid to be | Thornmask

[Snakeblink]

MAYBE I'D BE A SAINT IF I WEREN'T ————————————​

As Snakeblink has been tasked with making sure the former colony cats adapt to clan life, he allows himself to be more open about the way he keeps an eye on all of them. It’s only to make sure they are not meeting any hostility from established Riverclanners, or sparking such hostilities themselves — which does raise the slight problem of Thornmask.

He doesn’t think the tabby is actively hostile to clanlife, per say… but they were certainly aptly named.

It’s nothing outside the bounds of a difficult adjustment, yet: though he heard the other cat complaining of his new clan name during the meeting, Snakeblink also noticed the enthusiasm with which he called the new names of his fellow colony members. This is not a cat entirely lacking in loyalty — only, it seems, one whose loyalty must be won. That will come with time… and hopefully facilitated by Snakeblink’s own meddling.

Finding Thornmask alone, he sidles up to them with a neutral, hopefully trustworthy expression settled on his thin features. He carries a fish between his teeth; a peace offering that he places on the ground in open invitation. A return to the river has made hunger a thing of the past.

”Hello, Thornmask,” he greets politely, offering the other a polite nod. ”How are you settling in?” The rogues had left the camp in an ugly state, but the necessary repairs offered a good opportunity to make new space and nests for the former colony, if nothing else.​

——————————————————————————————————— so god damn lonely ​

ooc. information.

• @THORNMASK
  
• — Snakeblink • he / him. 46 ☾, riverclan warrior
  — a sleek, skinny tabby with long ears and a scar over his right eye.
  — gay, not actually evil, penned by @Kangoo
  
  
  

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[DEACON]

Deacon, Thornmask, Cardinal, Deacon, Thornmask, Cardinal. The three were not the same, yet they had all been the brown feline at some point in their life. Identity was a thing that flowed like the current of a raging river, and siding with RiverClan in spite of all of the red flags made him feel like he had lost a part of his own. The name they used for him was one they pretended not to care about, it didn't fit the 'image', but it felt like a massive disrespect to be assigned something that they had not chosen. It was with malicious compliance he had accepted to embrace the name, his coarse fur was sharp and bristled to any who approached without good reason, his teeth bit and drew first blood, and it was only when they were alone with the colony that had taken them in did they let themselves be Deacon. Snakeblink was not a part of that colony. From his sedentary position, they looked up towards the Lead Warrior, a singular brow cocked expectantly.

A fish was dumped on the ground enticingly. Thornmask looked between prey and predator, the noticeable change of tone causing a scoff from the older feline. "Made sure your young and old have eaten? What about the otter that swims on by from time to time, he had his fill too?" Their protests were ultimately meaningless as they rolled onto their stomach and began nibbling at the fish, accepting the invitation not quite with gratitude, but close enough for the individualist. It was an acceptable apology for being dragged through the mud, all they'd ever really wanted was good food and the opportunity to be themself wherever they walked their broad toes. They jutted their head upwards in a swift greeting toward the other, grumbling something of a 'hello' between bites of trout. Then, a question was posed that almost made him spit the whole thing out. A look was offered to the Lead Warrior, one that was snide in asking, 'do you really need to ask?', but realising the other did, Thornmask quickly swallowed his bite.

"Well my name's not my own, there are enough bloody rules to confuse an owl, and to be totally honest mate, I'm still waiting for the 'thank you for saving our leader's life'." They'd seen the other's glares - it took three things for fire to burn and in protest, he had provided them on a silver platter to those who hated outsiders. "Ain't our fault the scrawny thing popped his clogs a moon later, it doesn't take away the danger we all put ourselves in before that. The others are too polite to ask for gratitude, but I ain't the others." And he hadn't lived in a group long enough to care about nuance.

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[Snakeblink]

MAYBE I'D BE A SAINT IF I WEREN'T ————————————​

Thornmask’s prickliness is a little funny; for all their apparent distaste for their new name, it was well-chosen. ”Our young and old have been fed, yes,” he says with some amusement, ”And stars, do not speak of otters: we’ve had enough of them in our camp without feeding them, too.”

He’s rewarded for his effort by Thornmask actually answering him in their own sharp way. Clearly their poor mood isn’t enough to turn their nose at free food and the opportunity to complain.

”Ah, yes— things have been quite hectic lately, I suppose it slipped our collective minds,” he hums in reply to the tabby’s grouching about gratefulness. ”Thank you, truly; your help, against the beavers and the rogues, was and still is deeply appreciated. Your presence makes this clan stronger.” The praise is perhaps dulled by the way his eyes narrow into a sharp, warning look. ”Do not speak of Cicadastar this way,” he says, not ungently. ”Unless you would like Smokethroat to skin you — it would be a waste after all the efforts it took to get here.”

A moment passes in silence as he mulls over the rest of Thornmask’s complaints. He gets the feeling this is a cat who likes to complain for the sake of it — certainly he must get some joy out of the behavior — but there is a kernel of truth in it, anyway. More than a kernel even.

”Clan life is… something to get used to,” he allows. ”But it has its perks. Not starving during Leafbare is a big one, and made easier by the rationing of food — your elders are ours too now, and will benefit from it. Though the rules may seem stifling now, I promise they are well worth the constraints.”
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——————————————————————————————————— so god damn lonely ​

ooc. information.

• 
  
• — Snakeblink • he / him. 46 ☾, riverclan warrior
  — a sleek, skinny tabby with long ears and a scar over his right eye.
  — gay, not actually evil, penned by @Kangoo
  
  
  

​

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