YOU AND ME AND ╱╱ CLEARHEART

[HONEYJAW]

Something about being back here made his head spin. He'd gotten too used to living in the tunnel, hiding away from death itself. How were they meant to go back to the way things were? How was he meant to just– forgot?

It was like running away again. Holding his little Dragonfly in his mouth and leaping over a fallen log, mossy and slick beneath his paws. When he thinks about it for too long, Honeyjaw can still feel the foliage whipping at his hide. Back then it was different. Just the two of them to care about. Better, maybe, but...harder, too. He may have only needed to watch out for the two of them, but it meant he was doing it alone, too. Community was a double-edged sword. He's still not completely over the urge to pick her up and run again. She was far too big now. Nearly as tall as he was, actually, and heavy enough he'd be dragging her more than anything. With how prideful she is (one of the many awful things he's taught her, he thinks) she would hate that.

He would do it anyway, if it came down to it. Every time he sees her again he can't help but search for wounds. Clearheart is a good mentor to her. A good warrior; so deeply, wholly good that for all of Honey's earlier chipping, he couldn't find even a hint of cruelty. Were it not so relieving at the time, he would have been annoyed. End of the day: they don't need him. But after Poppypaw's vigil, maybe he needs them.

They come back to camp after their patrol and Honeyjaw is on them in a second, licking between Dragonflypaw's ears and muttering a warm, "Hey lil bug," against her fur. No scent of blood or bear. He glances up at Clearheart, searching for anything different about him. As usual, he finds nothing out of place. "Why don't you go grab something to eat, yeah? And you can tell me all about your day once your belly's full. I just need to catch up with your mentor for a bit, okay?" She's grown up too clever and looks between the two of them like something's going on, which yes, always, but after a moment of silence from both of the warriors she reluctantly obliges and heads off towards their meager fresh kill pile.

As soon as she settles down, he weaves around warm brown shoulders and outside of camp. If he knows anything at all, it's that Clearheart will follow.

﹥ˏˋ  OOC NOTES ╱ REFERENCE ╱ 07.02.2023  𝘙𝘌𝘔𝘐𝘕𝘋𝘐𝘕𝘎 𝘔𝘌 𝘏𝘖𝘞 𝘓𝘐𝘛𝘛𝘓𝘌 𝘐 𝘏𝘈𝘝𝘌 ˊˎ＜

• ooc: —

• 

• honeyjaw ╱╱ 36 moons old ╱╱ he - him - his ╱╱ warrior of shadowclan.
  ──── a former loner who joined the clan approximately six months ago (give or take).
  ──── named for the deep honey-brown of his pelt as well as his too natural charisma.
  ──── has an apprentice-aged kid he joined with, def scared of watching 'em grow up.
  ──── bisexual- kinda flirtatious yet never seems to really pursue a relationship. single.
  
  a short-furred dark chocolate point tom with the smallest splashes of white on his forehead, front paws, and tail tip. well-built, but overall average in size and unremarkable aside from his lightly curled ears and the magnetism of his smile. seems to show signs of aging earlier than expected, with a salt-and-pepper dusting around his jaw and muzzle.

• "speech"

​

 

[clearheart]

━━ι═══════﹥What he has learned of their plight before reaching ShadowClan is negligible, and of that meager knowledge, Dragonflypaw has contributed most. He has not coaxed this information from her, however; she has offered it freely on her own terms without Clearheart's influence, and he would never think of exploiting her youthful earnesty in the name of his curiosity. If he wishes to understand him —and he does— it will be best to ask Honeyjaw directly for the answers he seeks, however well Dragonflypaw knows their father.

He stands aside, watching with patience as Honeyjaw greets her with open affection. Perhaps another mentor would take offense and perceive his concern as doubt in their skill, but Clearheart understands love motivateshim. He is, however, bewildered by the blue-eyed feline's directive to his child— and the according explanation that he means to speak privately with Clearheart.

"You have done well today," he makes certain to inform her as she leaves, smiling despite his insistent confusion. Once she has departed, Clearheart turns to find Honeyjaw's back as he threads around him. After a moment's pause, Clearheart follows, lengthening his stride until his shoulders align with the other warrior's. "I do not see how you intend to catch up with me when I trail behind," he comments, a small furrow in his brow. ​

══════⊹⊱≼ ɪɴꜰᴏʀᴍᴀᴛɪᴏɴ / ᴛʜᴇ ᴀɪʀ ʜᴀɴɢꜱ ʜᴇᴀᴠʏ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ ɪɴᴄᴇɴꜱᴇ / ᴏᴜᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀ ≽⊰⊹══════

• — CLEARHEART / / 40 moons old / / amab and uses masculine pronouns but will also accept the use of neutral terms.
  — a warrior of shadowclan / / currently mentoring dragonflypaw / / excels greatly in combat above most all other skills.
  — former loner who wandered great distances & rarely remained in one place for long / / arrived after the great battle.
  — devoted to starclan above all else (aside from his idea of the common good) / / not prone to enter battle mindlessly.
  
  — of a height slightly above average / / trim and athletic with a sense of immovability about his posture/stance & size.
  — chocolate sepia w/ low white / / fur is quite short for the most part / / tail is naturally bobbed // full-body reference.
  — fairly warm demeanor much of the time; there is a "softness" about his features so that neutrality doesn't seem surly.
  
  — lawful good, in the sense that he likes to maintain order and work toward bettering lives around him without cruelty.
  — often misunderstands figures of speech and may interpret them literally. as such, can seem to lack a sense of humor.
  — deeply genuine; dislikes lying immensely, and so (most of the time) he is wholly earnest, especially with compliments.
  
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[HONEYJAW]

It wasn't a story he was all that opposed to sharing, funnily enough. It's not one he hides from. Sometimes it'll get him what it is he needs; other times, he just...prefers a burden shared. But talking to Clearheart about it feels like digging for scraps. Like he's tainting something precious. Not innocence, far from it, but there's trust there and to tell him– to tell him is to risk it. To tell him is to bare himself fully for someone who really, actually looks at him, and risk him seeing something he doesn't like. For some reason that terrifies him. He's a liar and a cheat and he probably doesn't deserve anything good that ShadowClan's given him. And that's fine.

But for some reason, that thought doesn't actually sting until it's Clearheart saying it in his head. Some of the others too, sure, but he's here and so wrapped up in every aspect of his life that he can't separate himself all the way. The idea that he could have actually made a friend is...terrifying. Risking it, even more so.

That's a thought he buries deep. It's really not all that hard when he's as taut as he is. Like a string pulled to its limit, he nearly startles when the warrior is suddenly at his side. "What?" he blurts. "No, it's a saying. Catch up as in–" Somehow his gait is still fluid despite losing the use of one paw for a quick circling gesture between the two of them. "Talking. Catching up with recent events, I guess. I was trying to keep her from worrying." A short distance from camp, Honeyjaw finally stops walking. There shouldn't be too many that walk this way. It's a little off the beaten path, and not close enough for eavesdropping– unintentional or not.

"You can't promise me you'll keep her safe." That was the wrong place to start. He's gotten it backwards, and Clearheart isn't the most capable of keeping up with his own twists and turns. Not for lack of trying, of course. Honeyjaw begins to fidget. His heart feels horribly heavy. "She's training to be a warrior, and I know that– that neither of us can protect her forever. But I can't stop thinking that it could have been her. They could have died and I can't stop imagining that." None of this amounts to a question; there's nothing here that Clearheart can fix. But he's asking it all anyway, reaching out for reassurance like he'd been the one wounded. He can only hope that this part he understands.

﹥ˏˋ  OOC NOTES ╱ REFERENCE ╱ 07.02.2023  𝘙𝘌𝘔𝘐𝘕𝘋𝘐𝘕𝘎 𝘔𝘌 𝘏𝘖𝘞 𝘓𝘐𝘛𝘛𝘓𝘌 𝘐 𝘏𝘈𝘝𝘌 ˊˎ＜

• ooc: —

• 

• honeyjaw ╱╱ 36 moons old ╱╱ he - him - his ╱╱ warrior of shadowclan.
  ──── a former loner who joined the clan approximately six months ago (give or take).
  ──── named for the deep honey-brown of his pelt as well as his too natural charisma.
  ──── has an apprentice-aged kid he joined with, def scared of watching 'em grow up.
  ──── bisexual- kinda flirtatious yet never seems to really pursue a relationship. single.
  
  a short-furred dark chocolate point tom with the smallest splashes of white on his forehead, front paws, and tail tip. well-built, but overall average in size and unremarkable aside from his lightly curled ears and the magnetism of his smile. seems to show signs of aging earlier than expected, with a salt-and-pepper dusting around his jaw and muzzle.

• "speech"

​

 

[clearheart]

━━ι═══════﹥ There is nothing Honeyjaw has done or will do that could taint Clearheart by association. He has known cats who enjoy the squirming of helpless prey beneath their claws, leagues from utilitarian in their approach to a hunt in such a way that speaks of enjoying violence and even suffering. Whatever shadows Honeyjaw leaves in his wake, whatever ills he has caused— he does not tarnish Clearheart. He cannot absolve him of any wrongdoing for it is not his place to claim StarClan's judgment for his own, but he is certain they will not find his heart fickle, nor malevolent.

He blinks as the slightly taller tom clarifies the phrase. He should have realized it was a turn of phrase spoken by Honeyjaw, and yet he is ever unprepared for such expressions when they arise. "I see. Do you believe you were successful?" He is not convinced that she lacks the intuition to understand Honeyjaw wanted privacy for topics unsuitable for her hearing.

His paws come to a halt when Honeyjaw's do, and he turns to face him, his mouth a solid line. It does not frown when he begins to speak, though a wrinkle stresses the bridge of his nose. It is only when the warrior continues his thoughts that Clearheart realizes the root of his concern, and he steps closer to lay callused pads on the junction of neck and shoulder. "You love her, and love alone is not given to wrath or fear, but its depth often invites them as the sun shadow." He does not blink, focusing on sincerity and its total conveyance. "I cannot tell you that she will always be safe, nor that harm will pass over them always. But the life she has at your side is what matters most." A close-mouthed smile. "Whatever distress finds her, she will meet it with a stronger heart than she had without you. We do not know peace without violence, nor joy without woe, and it is the existence of such trials that should encourage us to treasure our finer moments." His paw drifts to touch his cheek firmly. "She loves you, Honeyjaw. She is happy and hale today."
​

══════⊹⊱≼ ɪɴꜰᴏʀᴍᴀᴛɪᴏɴ / ᴛʜᴇ ᴀɪʀ ʜᴀɴɢꜱ ʜᴇᴀᴠʏ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ ɪɴᴄᴇɴꜱᴇ / ᴏᴜᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀ ≽⊰⊹══════

• — CLEARHEART / / 40 moons old / / amab and uses masculine pronouns but will also accept the use of neutral terms.
  — a warrior of shadowclan / / currently mentoring dragonflypaw / / excels greatly in combat above most all other skills.
  — former loner who wandered great distances & rarely remained in one place for long / / arrived after the great battle.
  — devoted to starclan above all else (aside from his idea of the common good) / / not prone to enter battle mindlessly.
  
  — of a height slightly above average / / trim and athletic with a sense of immovability about his posture/stance & size.
  — chocolate sepia w/ low white / / fur is quite short for the most part / / tail is naturally bobbed // full-body reference.
  — fairly warm demeanor much of the time; there is a "softness" about his features so that neutrality doesn't seem surly.
  
  — lawful good, in the sense that he likes to maintain order and work toward bettering lives around him without cruelty.
  — often misunderstands figures of speech and may interpret them literally. as such, can seem to lack a sense of humor.
  — deeply genuine; dislikes lying immensely, and so (most of the time) he is wholly earnest, especially with compliments.
  
•  
•  

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