pafp WHY SHOULD I WORRY ☆ sausages

[Skunktail]

His venture out into the carrionplace had proved fruitful at last, hunting had been a slog that day and he was done dragging his paws through the mud to kick up any sleeping amphibians that might be perched within the depths. The sporadic decision to go lurk about the rat infested trash heap was possibly a little foolish given recent events but he'd returned back to camp successful in finding something even if it was a little unorthodox. Skunktail strode forward on long black limbs, head high and a necklace of round sausage links slung about his neck and chest so it didn't drag the ground and get snagged anywhere. His immediate impulse was to take it to the pile so he could wrap it around it like a serpent to display for all to see but he thought better of it and wandered over to the nursery first with a grin on his face and the scent of the meat making his whiskers quiver in hunger; he would be claiming one of the fat tube-shaped treats for himself later but right now he was going to offer it to the nursery's current nursing inhabitant. "Oy, Frosty! Come look what I got, are your kits weaned yet I can't remember..."
Maybe they'd like to chew on it a bit too but he was pretty sure they were too little for actual food still if he was recalling the days properly. Grabbing the end of the chain about his throat he gave it a tug and let the coil of sausages fall into a neat little pile by the den mouth.
"Behold this beast, this great serpent. Killed it myself and then skinned it, you know, don't know why its all segmented like that - might've been sick." His teeth remained visible, brightly curling from ear to ear as he went on his obviously nonsensical tirade. "Nearly had me at one point, but I foguth it off!"
​

 

[Frostbite]

He had been sitting outside the nursery for some fresh air, watching his kits as well as the others. Mostly his, though. They were smaller and he also had a little favoritism going on. He had been so scared to have them, stressed himself out beyond comprehension about not being a good parent and failing them, and it was all for nothing. He wasn't worried one bit anymore.

He loves these kits more than he loves the snow.

He feels different, now. He feels lighter. His heart is no longer closed off and frigid, its as if the wall of ice is thawing and he finds himself smiling more. He feels more inclined to joke, to be at ease.

Frostbite hears his name called, and he looks to Skunktail to see.... What are those? It smells like food....But what is it???? Some kind of snake? Can kits eat snakes yet????? They were so different from mice or frogs.

He drew a paw to his chest. "You slew a great beast just for me and the kits? Impressive! I'm flattered~" He said with a smile. "Thank Starclan you returned from the battle in one piece!" He said, then chuckled.

He's never felt so free in his life. Is this what its like to be genuinely happy?

He looks to where his kits are. "Kits, come look what Skunktail brought!" He calls.​

 

[NETTLEPAW ♡]

Nettlekit was decidedly not among the kittens that Frostbite called for- but by virtue of his ceaseless curiosity and the fact he was near the nursery anyway, he inevitably wandered over to the scene. A snow-cloaked head poked out from behind Skunktail to get a look at this great serpent he had captured- and his pupils dilated at the sight of it in unbridled fascination. What a weird looking creature! He'd pictured something towering, coiled around itself... like the thing Briarkit had found in a puddle. But this... this looked as if it had been sliced up and promptly poorly welded back together. Where were its eyes? How had it moved?

"Where did you find that?" he piped up from behind his uncle, though he failed to lift his gaze to actually look at Skunktail. Rather, his attention was focused entirely on the beast, polite enough not to poke around at someone else's food but completely baffled by the sight of it. ​

penned by pin ♡​

 

[smogstar]

A sudden slew of puffed-up words spill into the air. Smogmaw's ears pin themselves to the stern of his skull, his tail growing restless as he scopes out the disturbance's source. There's no halting his clanmates from speaking out of nowhere, that much is a given—it never failed to startle him, though. He's high-strung, like the taut filaments of a spiderweb, a lone provocation away from snapping entirely.

The tom would rise shakily to all fours while he made sense of the fragments he'd caught. It is the voice of Skunktail which reigns dominant, and he recounts this fantastical tale about slaying a great beast. At first, owing to his abrupt words, the Briar-spawn had gained his ire. But now, the warrior has garnered his full attention. Supposing that this piece of fresh-kill proves as noteworthy as it has been described, the deputy should very much like to know where he can get his claws on another.

It's a rare occasion when Smogmaw's expression carries even a faint trace of interest. But as he verges on the group of warriors and kits alike, the beginnings of a smile pull on his lips. He almost looks approachable, yet far from pleasant. "I heard sum'n about a beast?" the deputy asks, his vision skimming over Skunktail's snow-touched shoulders in favour of Frostbite himself. Whatever'd been caught has been given as a gift, and so, the tom's inquisitive gaze would descend Frostbite's limbs to see what lay at his paws.

And then he recoils. He'd have gagged had he not hitched his breath in time. Yellowed teeth become revealed as a full-on cringe takes control of his features, but he rapidly yanks his head away to conceal his visceral reaction. Why, in the name of the skies, and the heavens, and all that was held to a sanctified level in their lives, would Skunktail bring back some creature's innards? Were they fresh, or had he found them along the thunderpath as the remnants of a monster's feast?

And he thought his sense of humour was bad. Putting guts and gore on full display for a young audience, now that's something worth cuffing his ear over. ​

 

[SCREECHSTORM]

Though he’s another kit not part of the litter Frostbite is likely speaking to, the sun-splotched tom is under the snow-furred cat’s watch today, so the call reaches his ears as well.

Skunktail brings something, and when Screechkit arrives to see just what that something is, it looks familiar; long and winding, like the snake that Briarkit had been pulled away from just the other day. But this doesn’t look quite like the snake. It does not move, does not seem to have a head, and is bumpy-looking. Like a... a toad, sort of.

“Did it try to bite you?” he asks, craning his head as he moves to get a closer look at the strange prey. If the last snake was going to bite Briarkit, then this one must have tried to bite Skunktail before its demise.
​

 

[GRACEPAW.]

Making her way over at her father's call, Gracekit blinked softly at the strange piece of prey. "What is it?" she asked, cautiously sniffing at it. "It's different. Not like the fresh kill pile."

She hadn't yet tasted anything in the fresh kill pile, not quite yet, but she thought the things there looked more yummy than whatever was in front of her. But it was a gift, and she'd feel bad if she didn't try it.

Hesitantly, Gracekit took a bite of it, her first solid food, and slowly chewed it. She didn't quite like the taste of it, but she forced herself to swallow and smile. "Good..." she forced out, stumbling back at she grimaced.

Now she was a little bit afraid to try things form the fresh kill pile...

"Speech"​

---

I CRIED IN THE SHAPE OF MY DREAMS​

​

 

[SHARPSHADOW]

† Sharppaw nearly jumps right out of his skin, initially assuming that poor Skunktail was dumb enough ( she thinks Briarstar’s blood runs thick enough, it’s fifty - fifty with her line ) to get all the way back to camp without noticing he is being strangled to death by the largest snake she’s ever seen. Upon closer look, it’s not a snake, but the reality is not much better.

He can’t help but pause and look on in something like horror as the… stuff, is offered to others, kits, no less. Kits who, are disturbingly unperturbed by this, making Smogmaw look silly in comparison, while at the same time validating Sharppaw’s own disgust… Not like she needed it. That. She guesses kits are still too stupid to properly know what is gross and what isn’t. Killed it and skinned it. " Why… would you do that? " she asks. A rabbit without the fur seemed wrong. A toad without the skin is bordering on repulsive.

She tries not to look as disgusted as she is as one of Frostbite’s kits takes a bite. Not her kits. Not her kits. The reaction is about as expected, and she’d shoot a pitying look at the kit despite herself.

OOC † IN THE MIRROR 07.07.2023

•  
•  

• SHARPPAW: brother to Rookpaw. Mentored by Smogmaw
  —— he / she , no pref , icked by they prns ; fine with gendered terms ( tom, molly, etc... )
  —— currently 13 moons old. warrior ceremony delayed due to lackluster progress.
  
  anxious, antisocial, paranoid. Sharppaw is a creature living in constant fear. Most thoughts are irrational, but consistent in that they are borne from pessimism and generalized anxieties.
  — In an era of assessing what has set him back and figuring out what he wants.

​

 

[moonspire]

"Food is food. We will be lucky if Skunktail can bring back another come leafbare." comes Moons voice as she makes her way over, curiosity piqued as she had heard chatter about a beast and then some revolted words. Fascination blooms across her features, though she slightly frowns when a kit moves forwards to take a bite out of it (she cannot remember their name for the life of her). The disgust is palpable on the little ones face, good, she tries to murmur. If she were sure a queen would not cuff her ear, perhaps she would have snickered at her misfortune.

Her attention turns back to Skunktail, not quite willing to break his immersion in to the little game he played. Not when the kittens, tiny as they are, are hooked in it. It does not look like any skinned animal she has ever seen, nor does it look quite like intestines, so gutting it was off the table. And why was it sectioned? Not enough blood to be a prey animal... "Like Nettlekit said... where... did you find such a beast?" she'd ask, voice flat as she looks up to study those around her.

⋆˖⁺‧₊☽◯☾₊‧⁺˖⋆ info

• 
  -> oleander, moonspire
  -> cis female ,, she/her ,, 32 months
  -> warrior of shadowclan ,, former marsh grouper
  -> tall, regal black & lilac chimera with piercing blue eyes
  -> “speech, A2D8F4”
  -> bisexual ,, single
  -> smells like pine needles & pressed flowers
  -> image by @ darlings (toyhouse)
  

​