you know you're no good alone | raggedpaw

[orchidbloom]

Forestshade is in the nursery... Has been for a while, which meant that Orchid unfortunately had to tag along with other apprentices and their mentors. She doesn't like it. The last time she had gone with another mentor and apprentice they had looked at her with pity in their eyes and silent quips between the two about how she had flinched at every single sound in the marshes. She cannot help it when shes out with someone she doesn't know, out with a warrior that she will inevitably disappoint. She just wants to be... normal- no, thats not the word... Equal? She wants to be treated well. She doesn't want to be afraid anymore.

Unfortunately...

Today she had been picked for a sparring session with Raggedpaw and his mentor. She is absolutely sick to her stomach. Forestshade had never really went in depth about fighting and it had been a relief, Orchid is sure that she would have died if she had been apprenticed to anyone else. But now? Oh, the fear is back tenfold. Claws flash despite no one moving, glint in the sunlight, oh, maybe its her own but shes terrified nonetheless. Blood being drawn, shoulder slamming in to the ground, she stumbles behind them in a drunken stagger, her head swimming with too many thoughts. Tears threaten to prick the corner of her eyes, shes no stranger to crying but she hasn't ever cried in front of Ragged. Not her best friend.

I'm a big girl.

They get to the spot and immediately Orchid begins to brainstorm excuses for leaving. They feel dizzy, though this isn't a lie nor an excuse, and it threatens to bring them to the swampy earth below. They briefly think about speaking up but as soon as they catch Raggeds gaze the words die on their tongue. They feel absolutely pathetic as they advert their own eyes from his, they cannot look the one cat they can really trust in the eyes. Not right now. Not- Not now. "R-R- Rea- Ready." oh, Stars, they're stumbling over their words more violently than usual. They just want to burrow in to the ground and never come back. They feel like throwing up.

// @RAGGEDPAW. ​

"speech"​

 

[RAGGEDBITE.]

THE REST IS STILL UNWRITTEN​

---

atterbite had not said a single word of what he would be doing. he simply said that they would be training with orchidpaw, which made him very happy. they were, after all, best friends! orchidpaw had always been a little more– well actually a lot more– timid than others and even at a young age, raggedpaw told himself that he could always protect her. she needed it, and he told himself that he would always look out for her. so, following his mentor and meeting up with the others, he flashed the other apprentice a smile as he stood on the other side of the small clearing.

"alright. you will be sparring with orchidpaw. I want to see if you've learned anything I've taught you. claws out. go."

quickly raggedpaw is taken off guard. he spins to face his mentor with a look of confusion on his face before he just shook his head. no way. not a chance! he hated learned to fight anyways, just because his mentor was always so rough on him, but he was definitely not sparring with orchidpaw!

"what...? no way! no! raggedpaw isn't doing that!"

"oh I see. you need a little demonstration. come here, orchidpaw."

his mentor moves and so does he, and he finds himself standing protectively in front of her, protecting her from her own temporary mentor, along with adderbite. his half blind gaze squinted as his claws came out on instinct, fur rising as he bared his teeth. still, he couldn't help the way his body trembled. he never once showed fear around anyone, but adderbite brought it out of him with ease.

"move, raggedpaw. you're supposed to be sparring."

"no! raggedpaw will not hurt her and he's not letting you do it, either!"

atterbite sighed in frustration.

"fine. then i will move you myself. you both need to learn to spar properly."

he grabbed raggedpaw by his scruff, tossing the tom to the side before lifting his paw to attack orchidpaw, in a way to see how the shriveling apprentice would defend herself, only for raggedpaw to get up. he ran over before adderbite could land a blow, using his weight to throw adderbite off balance. he then spun and bit the other's paw, returning to his place protectively in front of orchidpaw.

"...you bit me. tch. clearly you wish to spar me, then. fine. let's spar, kit."

he doesn't hold back. not even for a second. and it seems to last forever, but by the time raggedpaw and adderbite are done, raggedpaw is bleeding, but so is adderbite. raggedpaw panted heavily, as he stood wobbly from the ground, moving to stand in front of orchidpaw once more, as adderbite snorted.

"you simply did okay today. clean yourselves up. next time, you will be sparring each other."

raggedpaw said nothing. once again, he thought he was going to die, but his body stiffens at the voice of his mentor once more.

"remember to keep your mouth shut, raggedpaw. you know the consequences of spilling words that aren't to be spilled."

and with that, he was gone, leaving a lightly injured, and extremely tired, raggedpaw to look over orchidpaw. he ignored his own aches, or the way his heart beat hammered in his chest. he needed to make sure she was okay.

"a...are you okay?"
​

 

[orchidbloom]

He flashes them a smile. Orchid's lips twist but they don't quite form to become something similar, fluttering her eyes shut as she decides to take deep breaths. Claws out, Adderbite speaks, Raggedpaw looks shocked. Orchid slightly stumbles with the heavy weight that hits her head, the fear, everything. So many things are choking them and their headache is getting worse, cinnamon ears swiveling back to pin against the back of their skull. Raggedpaw speaks, it sounds like hes distant, but he protests Adderbite's rules.

Come here, Orchidpaw. Ice water runs through their veins, pupils pinpricked as their head jerks upward from its previously bowed position. I want Forestshade! She doesn't like Adderbite, he's scary and Forestshade is not. Adderbite comes forwards and Orchid cowers back until she realizes just where Raggedpaw had jumped to. In front of her, hes bristling and he has claws and yet its not scary to her. Raggedpaw wouldn't hurt me-

It happens too fast. Raggedpaw is thrown to the side by his mentor and Adderbite raises a paw to attack them. Orchidpaw screeches, heather-blue eyes blown wide as she cowers back once more, backtracking so fast that she slips on a particularly wet patch of mud. She thuds against the ground with tears streaming down her face. Raggedpaw is quick to act on his paws though, lightning amidst a dark-clouded sky as he grapples with Adderbite before his claws could score her. He bites and he bites hard.

Adderbite isn't happy about that. Orchid doesn't hear what they're saying with the pounding of her heart, but lips are moving and then they erupt in to battle. Orchid's head spins once more, causing her to slump forth. It feels like it drags on for hours but shes sure its only been a minute or two. Raggedpaws panting again and hes standing in front of them, dull eyes look up to greet a gray-furred pelt.

Adderbite speaks and then disappears. Ragged asks her if shes okay. Orchid's mouth opens and closes, flabbergasted that he's asking it. "Uhm- Ye- Yes." tears well in their eyes again as they shakily rise to their paws, softly bumping her head on his chest and resting it on his shoulder. She shakes, she knows she shouldn't because she wasn't the one fighting. "A- Are you?" the words catch in their throat as they take a shuddering breath in, resisting the urge to wail. "I- I'm so s-sorry." but Stars, it would be a lie to say that they did not appreciate what he had done for them. Would they be able to do this one day, for him too...? Tears slip down her cheeks again. He's bloodied and bruised, her coat is clean from the scratches that would have been. She feels selfish, though she does not voice this.​

"speech"​

 

[RAGGEDBITE.]

THE REST IS STILL UNWRITTEN​

---

"please don't cry... this one promises that adderbite won't hurt you."

he said, brushing his face against hers. she is shaking and it makes him upset but he forces himself to be okay, for her sake. gently he grooms the fur between their ears before just sighing. was he okay? no. he was terrified. he knew the consequences of going against his mentor and yet, he says nothing about it. he didn't want his friend worrying about him.

"yes, he's okay. don't be sorry. he, uh, he got to practice his fighting like he was supposed to! raggedpaw is going to be such a good warrior, don't you think?"

he laughed quietly, trying to make her feel better. please don't worry about raggedpaw.

​

 

[orchidbloom]

This one promises that adderbite won't hurt you, his words have the opposite effect, causing her to choke on her tears, on things she should say but isn't brave enough to utter. She feels a flash of warmth that runs through her like lightning as he rasps the fur between her ears down. Her heart beat quickens, her ears swiveling backwards. "I- I-" their stutter is more prominent now, a small whimper cutting apart their words as it falls from quivering lips.

She pulls back, eyes watery, wide with fear, amazement. "O-Of course, of co- course. You'll be..." greater than me, that's for sure. "Amazing." it's true, nothing but the truth. With the way he had so selflessly leaped in to defend them, the way he had accrued bruises, battered and scratched... "You'll be- be the best there is." their head droops and their shoulders drag downwards with it. Shame burns in their chest.

"I'm s-sorry." they whisper again, quietly this time before they quickly move. Paws jerk forwards without being told to. They're pressing their cheek against his, eternally grateful. "You didn't... have to save me." but you did, it hangs heavy in the air. Why? Never once had Orchidpaw thought themselves worth saving. "... Thank you, Raggedpaw. But- But Adderbite- He'll, he's going to be mad..." maybe Raggedpaw could hang out with them in the nursery instead of having to train with Adderbite... Forestshade, tough, yet sweet in her own way, was infinitely better than Adderbite in all ways possible.​

"speech"​