- Jun 28, 2022
- 80
- 13
- 8
THIS WEIGHT ON MY NECK MAKES IT HARD TO CONNECT
Sloepaw snuck through the undergrowth that wreathed the threshold of camp ahead of the hunting patrol, no prey decorating his return. Stiffness in his trim frame advertised his disappointment. The malt tom wanted nothing more than to slip into the quiet role of an onlooker, an overlooked fixture of the atmosphere. Familiarity. But there was more pressure to succeed now with 'star' tucked into his mentor's name, and he felt it.
He hadn’t settled since the dogs. Having something in their territory, invading his home, nestled barbs of unease deep into his psyche. It reminded him of his old keeper's companion, the way she’d rip their nest asunder every visit with hooked paws and wails. It dried his throat and made the fringes of his eyes well with an ache he didn’t want to remember. It made him look, everywhere, all the time.
Limited confidence snuffed out, the tom had plod through the days in the hopes it’d return on its own. Should probably do something about that. As he lilted into camp, ink-blot paws brushing the earth wearily, Sloepaw couldn’t summon the patience. Pouring over his rapid, rambling inner monologue would only let it spill out further, and he was too busy for that. He had to keep up with his duties.
Idly, in the apprentice’s open-eyed appraisal of camp, he acknowledged Falconpaw. The memory of the snow-splash tabby prodding the back of a viscous slug in his kithood scrambled a small smile onto Sloepaw’s maw. Spine still rigid with stress, he managed a nod of greeting as he passed.
/ @FALCONPAW ! please wait until sloepaw has responded again and i say its open to respond <3
He hadn’t settled since the dogs. Having something in their territory, invading his home, nestled barbs of unease deep into his psyche. It reminded him of his old keeper's companion, the way she’d rip their nest asunder every visit with hooked paws and wails. It dried his throat and made the fringes of his eyes well with an ache he didn’t want to remember. It made him look, everywhere, all the time.
Limited confidence snuffed out, the tom had plod through the days in the hopes it’d return on its own. Should probably do something about that. As he lilted into camp, ink-blot paws brushing the earth wearily, Sloepaw couldn’t summon the patience. Pouring over his rapid, rambling inner monologue would only let it spill out further, and he was too busy for that. He had to keep up with his duties.
Idly, in the apprentice’s open-eyed appraisal of camp, he acknowledged Falconpaw. The memory of the snow-splash tabby prodding the back of a viscous slug in his kithood scrambled a small smile onto Sloepaw’s maw. Spine still rigid with stress, he managed a nod of greeting as he passed.
/ @FALCONPAW ! please wait until sloepaw has responded again and i say its open to respond <3
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