sensitive topics Who could I be instead? | tantrum

[Poppypaw ★]

TW: Implications of an eating disorder & abuse.

Into camp she wandered, paws plopping forward with loud wet splats and her red and white coat covered in splashes of mud and stagnant swamp water; in some places it was hard to even tell what color she was originally. A frog hung from its leg clamped tightly in her teeth and she dragged it along with her merry steps toward the freshkill pile that always looked a little too small and a little too sad. She slung her catch onto it haphazardly, a clump of mud dripping from over her head onto the ground at her paws from the sudden motion and she stared at the pile one more time before turning away with an almost robotic snap of her head to the side. There was a rigid tension in her shoulders as she rose on her paw tips and then back down to the pads in a lurching motion as if she was about to be sick only for her to pivot around away from the food and stomp her way over to the edge of camp to shake herself free of all the icky mess she had tumbled into during her hunting. She was hungry. Her stomach growled like a beast and she sat back on her haunches to put her paws over it with a growl of her own. Stupid idiot, talked too much. Didn't it know she was supposed to be the loudest one here?
The red and white apprentice didn't dare look into the middle of the camp again, she was smart enough to avoid obvious temptation and already she could hear her mother scolding her for it. Good girls didn't mess with the freshkill until all the more important cats ate. Mama told her she wasn't important enough yet, so she had to try harder; but sometimes she wondered if she was going about it the right way. She was the loudest, most energetic apprentice there was! Everyone in camp knew her! Cause she made herself known!
"When AM I GOING TO BE IMPORTANT ENOUGH!?" Poppypaw's voice rose up in a furious shriek, she turned to clamp her teeth around a branch disgarded by the edge of the tall grass and began to strip it of its bark in seconds with her gnashing jaws; chewing on it like a starving dog to a bone. Whatever! She didn't want any stupid frogs anyways, she'd eat this! Branches were so much cooler than frogs after all! Maybe she'd go find those berries she saw before again and eat those too instead of sharing like she planned!

​

 

[CLAYPAW]

Oh look, it was Poppypaw again!. Her loud shriek echoed through the whole camp. Claypaw had just returned back on his own with a frog in his mouth and had been on his way over to the freshkill pile when Poppypaw's shriek had reached his sensitive ears. It made him stop in his tracks to look over at the upset apprentice. What on earth was going on over there...wait, was she trying to eat a branch?!. That couldn't be good for the teeth!. Claypaw decided to be a good clanmate to try help his denmate out wanting to be there for anyone who might need him. So he walked over to her and dropt the frog down at his own paws. " Hey there Poppypaw...i don't think eating a tree is good for your stomach. How about you take my frog instead?." he offered with a smile, his typical energetic and chirpy act toned down into something more calmer, and matured. Claypaw liked to fool around for sure, wanting to always be this optimistic face to keep everyones hope and dreams up because someone had to!. But sometimes like in this situation he thought a more serious approach was more appropriate.


​

 

[GRANITEPELT]

╭── ⋅ ⋅ ── ✩ ── ⋅ ⋅ ──╮​

Granitepaw's expression twists as he watches the ginger and white she-cat gnaw on a branch as though she's going to get to the marrow inside. She'd brought in a perfectly good frog, had clearly swam through near-freezing bogwater to get to it, and instead of eating that decided to chew sticks and scream.

"When am I ever going to be important enough?" Granitepaw's response is automatic, blunt: "Never." But it's a bit too on the nose, even for him, and he exhales ragged frustration before approaching her with Claypaw.

"What are you screaming about? Cats are trying to sleep." No, that's still not a nice thing to say. His ears are flat and his voice lowers an octave, though the tone remains harsh. "I mean... important to who?" He's genuinely confused, but he doubts Poppypaw of all cats is going to clear anything up for him. The girl is dumber than Claypaw even.

- ,,​

​

 

[smogstar]

Smogmaw is never going to have children. If there's a possibility they'll come out behaving like this, he simply won't take the risk.

Poppypaw's screechy protest rings in his ears in the same way a falling tree would. Words cannot begin to describe how abrupt loud noises distressed him. Begrudgingly, the tom crawls out from the warrior's den to get a load of what the fuss is about. When his gaze falls upon the young girl gnawing away at a tree branch[ of all things, he feels a vessel starting to burst somewhere. That pest of an apprentice has become so aggravating as of late, Smogmaw feels thankful to have been assigned Shimmerpaw as an apprentice.

Huffing, puffing, the aggrieved warrior slogs across camp in the fresh-kill pile's direction. A rare show of emotion present in his face, explicitly anger, he comes to a skidding stop behind Claypaw and Granitepaw. It seems as though the other two kids seek to console Poppypaw, for whatever reason. Maybe they have yet to pick up that she's a lost cause. "Be quiet, for once, please," he requests firmly - not necessarily hollering over the apprentices in front of him, but loud enough for Poppypaw to hear. "You are not remotely important. There, problem solved. Shut up."

Smogmaw starts off towards the warrior's den, yearning for his missed shut-eye, though he stops in his tracks. Craning his head around, he glances back at the distraught girl, appearing less intense.

He wants to see her cry.



// ic opinions unmistakably ​

 

[Poppypaw ★]

Claypaw seems nice, it's a shame she'll have to kill him when she takes over the clan and removes all the stinky toms from it. Maybe she'll give him a pass or something, but only if he stayed this nice. If he got sassy with her she'd have to destroy him.
"M'not allowed tuh!" She mumbles at the offer, teeth still clamped firmly around the branch she is steadily working bits and pieces of bark off with her frantic chewing, entire body laying down to curl up around it like she was throttling prey between her forepaws and giving a little kick with her back ones. It's only when Granitepaw approaches that she stops, an exasperated huff of a sigh escaping her and she rises to stand to shake her coat out before scowling at them both each in turn, "Don't ya'll know nothing? Important cats eat first and if there's no food left then toooooooo bad! I don't know if either are you are important cats, but my mama is! She's real smart, she says-" Poppypaw pauses mid-explaination, there is a grouchy cloud stomping over to them and she watches as it grows closer and closer with the echoing boom of a thunderstorm on each pawstep. When Smogmaw finally speaks her smile widens almost maniacally and she gives a wheezy laugh as she drops her head back down to grip the branch between her teeth. There is a moment of shuffling about where it seems she's trying to leave with the large stick in tow but she is only stepping aside so this next part didn't hit Claypaw or Granitepaw.

"And NEITHER-" She's swinging the branch full force, entire body spinning to hurl it forward at the warrior, "-ARE YOU!"
​

 

[✧ Siltcloud.]

MY IGNORANCE HAS STRUCK AGAIN​

siltpaw | 06 months | female | she/her | physically easy | mentally easy | attack in bold #ddadaf​

---

To be quite frank, Siltpaw has absolutely no idea what is going on. The world has seemingly lost its mind. Poppypaw seems distressed over... something, screaming and attacking a branch. Granitepaw is being... nice, for some reason (and isn't that a terrifying thought) and Smogmaw is being a jerk. She winces at the warriors words, knowing that someone is going to end up hurt - emotionally or physcially. As the branch goes soaring through the air, she feels that same sick satisfaction she felt when granite had launched that rock when they were kits. She hopes it hits smogmaw, and she hopes it hurts.

It takes her a moment to gather her wits, to find her courage - or what little remains of it - and then she's quietly mumbling to poppypaw, hoping her friend will hear despite her anger. "Your important to me," it feels to little, to lame, but she's never been good with words. Gaining just a tad bit more confidence, she adds "M-maybe we could all.... share something? That way it won't be so bad-?" not that she really understands poppy's issue. She just knows that while they've been told to share prey because there is so little, she's never been told outright to not eat at all, important or not.

 

[smogstar]

To see a tree branch barrel through the air towards his very own face, Smogmaw found himself equipped with only one option; to arch his back, yowl, and try to fling himself out of the way. Melodramatic as it sounds, it's a very normal reaction for a cat like him. In defiance of his effort, however, the stick hits him square in the kisser, right on the schnozz. The impact leaves him dazed, confused, and merciless.

Raw hatred infects his eyes, which become affixed to the helpless whelp. His striped pelt stands on edge in his animosity, and his ears swivel back to display his intent — reciprocal violence. A snarl rumbles from his throat as he weaves between Claypaw and Granitepaw, brushing past Siltpaw. And when he ultimately comes within reaching distance of the little girl, who was contemptible beyond describing, the tom raises an unclawed paw and forcibly clobbers it across her stupid mug.

To an even greater extent now, Smogmaw wants to see her cry. Poppypaw slung a stick at him, and he merely slapped her in return. To truly equalise the situation, the least she can do is shed a couple tears for his satisfaction's sake. If she wants to eat, he has no qualms in feeding her some more knuckle sandwiches.

// powerplay permitted :3​

 

[BONERIPPLE]

All the commotion is driving her insane. She is tired enough from trying to forage all day and finding it almost useless. The woman pulls herself up from where she is laying and she tilts her head to watch. Poppypaw seems to be having a bad day which she can understand but the snapping words from Smog doesn't seem to be helping at all. In fact it seems to escalate the situation. Why her clanmates can't get along she doesn't know why. Some family they are supposed to be and she prays to her sister who watches them that they can get their act together. Pulling to her paws she is about to say something when the branch is thrown, though not big it could still cause damage and yet her molten eye widen when Smog moves to use his claws against a child. To tear her skin and make her bleed. "You, —you dare!"Her thoughts of her son pull forth. The idea that Fogpaw without his voice to call for her could be harmed in the same manner.

Her jaws clench and she is jogging then, long strides moving as she shortens the gap between her and Smog. Her claws flash and she aimed to slam them against the tom's muzzle in the same way that he did to the apprentice. "How dare you lay your claws on a clanmate and during the time we are going through. She threw a stick at you and you decided to cut her open. You fucking asshole." With that she whips around and glares at Poppypaw. "Next time you have an isssue how about talking to one of the higher ups, or fuck it even talking to me. Be sensible, now come with me so that I can look at you."​

 

[GRANITEPELT]

╭── ⋅ ⋅ ── ✩ ── ⋅ ⋅ ──╮​

Granitepaw lifts a metaphorical brow to the dour-faced warrior who greets them all with a blazing bogwater glare. "Be quiet for once, please. You are not remotely important. There, problem solved. Shut up." Does he disagree? No, not really. He's now more invested in seeing how Poppypaw reacts to this blunt delivery.

He's not disappointed. Poppypaw, in her fury, slings the branch she'd been gnawing on straight at Smogmaw. He tries to evade it, but it catches him squarely on the nose, and his anger is immediate.

Granitepaw edges closer to Siltpaw, excitement glowing like emerald coals in his eyes. "Time for sharing is gone," he mutters to her.

Smogmaw does not yell at Poppypaw. He doesn't order her to do chores. His stride is purposeful, claws unsheathed, and Granitepaw watches in amazement as he smacks the insolence from her mouth. His eyes stretch wide across his face. He hadn't anticipated this to go this way, not at all.

Then it's Bonejaw, striding across the camp with purpose. Angry. Hypocritical. Yelling at Smogmaw for attacking a Clanmate, when she'd killed her Clanmates twice over at this point. Granitepaw pulls his lip back, revealing small, sharp white teeth. "Like you have any room. Spark-kit, Twilightfall..." He fixes Bonejaw with a smoldering glare before he decides the show is over. Ruined, of course. He heaves himself to his paws and nudges Siltpaw. "Let's go before our medicine cat decides she wants to claw us, too." His voice is silvery, high-pitched with his taunt.

/out, headed to apprentice's den or something

- ,,​

​

 

[CHILLEDSTAR.]

stars be fucking damned. was there ever just a simple moment where these blockheads could just get along? chilledgaze knew why everyone had such an attitude. leafbare was here faster than they expected it, and with them already struggling to find decent pieces of prey after the fire, it didn't make it any easier. they were pulling for fuckinf scraps of food, and it was making everyone on edge. but fuck– they all needed to realize that they were all they got. starclan certainly didn't have their back. their so called allies probably barely knew they were fucking starving, and pitchstar was making an enemy out of everyone else. they were all they had, and now they were arguing.

their tongue drew across their single white paw, their sunken eyes only focused on what they were doing before they perked up their ears. what was going on? they watched the scene for a moment before getting really agitated. childish. all of them. every last one of them acting as if they still had kit attached to their names. hissing, chilledgaze stood up, their cold gaze latching on to poppypaw, then shifting to smogmaw, then bonejaw. granitepaw said something but it didn't matter to them. they were focused on this right now. with a lash of their tail, they snarled loudly to get their attention, muzzle scrunched up as their oddly clean teeth gleamed.

"shut it, all of you! acting as if you still depend on milk from your mothers! tch!"

they press their paw to the muzzle with frustration dripping from a deep sigh.

"i understand we are all frustrated, but attacking your clanmates, whether they deserved it or not, isnt going to do anything but lessen our herbs and frustrate us more. poppypaw, next time you hit anyone, with or without a stick, maybe think of the fact that i will make you trek through the dirtiest parts of the swamp and pick up every single stick you see... seeing as you like them so much."

poppypaw has only proven to throw temper tantrums everytime something doesn't go her way. that wouldn't get her anywhere but badger-back ride to starclan.

"smogmaw. i know why you did what you did but save your strength. i need all my best warriors in tip top shape. not attacking kits."

and bonejaw. oh, what could they say to her that she doesnt already know? she clearly was trying to defend poppypaw but this was ridiculous.

"maybe keep those paws to yourself unless youre healing. pitchstar has caused enough fuss to keep you safe. i dont wish to do the same."

they shook out their pelt before turning off and away.

"anything else from you three and you will have to answer to pitchstar. got it?"

they didn't wait for an answer. they simply walked away, to finish cleaning the dirt from their pelt.

​

[ NOBODY ELSE MATTERS, GIRL ]​

 

[BONERIPPLE]

Annoyance shows plainly on her face. Her tail jerking from left to right. Even when Granitepaw spoke her pelt bristles. Sparkkit...though she tried and still blames herself there had been nothing she could do. The woman had just become a medicine cat then and knew nothing. Though Twilightfall is a different story entirely. She had decided to not help her and rather her help would have done something or not she should have done something. Her teeth grit then and she finds herself suddenly disgusted at what has happened. Eyes brimming with heat as she is chastised and she shakes her head. "So he gets off free for slashing a child open to bleed and even maybe endure an infection. But Poppy gets a warning for a punishment?" Her eyes are on Chilled for a moment, looking at them and she then looks away, scoffing.

"There had been nothing to keep me safe from. Pitch did everything on his own accord and none of which I wanted. So I'm telling everyone now, if you fight, if you make unnecessary wounds do not expect me to use what little herb stock we have on you." She turn then and glanced over her shoulder. "I don't need anyone's protection. My paws can do that just fine." With that the woman takes her leave from the scene, hoping Poppypaw follows her.​