Hati
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Kitten
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Post by Hati on Feb 25, 2020 16:08:14 GMT -5
Cricketpaw stirred uneasily, hovering halfway between wakefulness and sleep. He wasn’t sure what had disturbed him, but whatever it was had stirred him enough to make him aware of the sun’s strengthened heat: something he had largely been protected from when he had first curled up to snatch some much-needed sleep. Now it nagged at him, lying upon his coat so that he shifted in discomfort and bringing a trickle of growing awareness that buzzed in his mind, refusing to be cast aside. The trainee tried to ignore it, reluctant to be roused without need, but tucked within the sun’s very heat there was a need, for he was a Daywalker…and that meant that he should be out in the sands. That he hadn’t already been sent to work was something of a miracle. And it was a ‘miracle’ already spent, winding to its end even as the thought occurred. A paw prodded at his side—not hard, but certainly persistent—and dimly he recognised that it was that paw that had nudged the sleep from his body and mind. Someone was trying to wake him, even though he didn’t wish to be woken, and the realisation was enough to press him into cracking open his eyes. Cricketpaw gave no complaint, already knowing better than to whine—judging from the size of the paw that it must be a warrior’s and thus belonged to Nettle—and for once, in truth, he wasn’t quite so… off put as was the norm. No; for once he felt half-rested, and that was enough to let him push himself wordlessly from the bare sand and cast a half-resigned look towards his mother’s form. Except it wasn’t Nettle-. An entirely different she-cat stood beside him, something like amusement glittering in her gaze as she watched him blink and lean back and question her with a widening of eyes. The clan’s warriors didn’t often bother with him, Nettle- excepting, and though the oddity drove the last of the sleep from him he couldn’t think why one would have taken the trouble to wake him – nor how to ask without triggering inevitable scorn. He didn’t have to wonder long, however, for a heartbeat later the she-cat answered his unspoken question of her own accord. “Nettle- asked me to take you hunting—and I thought we could take one of the other trainees, too. Would you like that?” The little tom blinked and nodded automatically, hearing and agreeing with the question without taking in the words. He was distracted by the very idea of his mother sending anyone to deal with him in her own place, and he found that he wasn’t sure whether the concept brought him relief or concern or simply left him unnerved. Not that it truly mattered. A warrior was a warrior and an order was an order, so Cricketpaw trailed wordlessly after the Daywalker as she padded to another nearby form. Ooc: Hope this works for you, zesty!
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zesty
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Aliases: zest / zesty
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Post by zesty on Mar 8, 2020 13:54:23 GMT -5
Pipitpaw licked his lips as he tore into a little bird, feeling rather content for once. He had been able to sleep and felt well-rested for the first time in a while, and he was beginning to feel optimistic as he figured that the Sunlight Oasis was getting close. He planned to go seek out his family later, and talk to them for a bit in these moments where everybody was so tired, they didn't have the energy to tease the Daywalker that was born to a family of Nightwalkers. He didn't usually miss his family, but for some reason, that was different today. Just as he was getting to his paws to look for his family, a Daywalker approached him. Pipitpaw retreated slightly, tensing and waiting for some hostile words to be thrown his way, but instead the warrior met his eyes with a warm gaze. "Hope you've rested enough, Pipitpaw. You wouldn't mind going hunting with me and Cricketpaw, would you?"
Pipitpaw looked over the fawn tom at the warrior's side; they were about the same size. Pipitpaw's eyes gravitated to what seemed like pale marks on the tom's face. His eyes narrowed a little, peering at the tom; were those white marks? He realized that the warrior was still waiting for his answer, and Pipitpaw cleared his throat. "I don't mind," he confirmed quietly. He got up and followed the warrior and the apprentice, quietly sulking about how his plans were ruined for the day. By the time he got back, who knew if his family would be awake or free to be with him. Pipitpaw looked out of the corner of his eye to the apprentice beside him, wondering if he was just as annoyed by this hunting expedition as Pipitpaw was. They were the same size, but he was definitely a lot slimmer than Pipitpaw was. Pipitpaw at least looked lean and like he could hold his own. This apprentice - Cricketpaw, as the warrior had called him - would no doubt be blown over if a sandstorm came. Pipitpaw hesitated, wondering if the apprentice would be open to conversation. Feeling weirdly brave, Pipitpaw glanced over to the tom. "Your name's Cricketpaw, right?" A shabby attempt to start a conversation, but at least he attempted. Pipitpaw waited for the tom's reply, wondering if he'd even bother to do so. Tags: Hati, Notes: oh boy lets see how this goes |
i take it all at a loss breathe out sorrow
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Hati
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Kitten
Posts: 16
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Post by Hati on Mar 8, 2020 16:04:14 GMT -5
It wasn’t until the warrior paused again, addressing another cat, that Cricketpaw properly absorbed the question she had turned upon him in the moments before – and he immediately regretted his thoughtless automatic response. The she-cat was recruiting another apprentice to this hunt, and he knew well the trouble that was likely to cause. It had been a long time since he’d had much time or patience for others of his own age, and though he felt better rested than normal he wasn’t at all sure if he could hold his tongue whilst beneath the accompanying warrior’s gaze. But he also had no choice, so though the prospect didn’t at all thrill him he made no effort to complain. Besides, he reasoned, it wouldn’t be long before the warrior left them to the desert…and then he could go his own way. He just had to remember himself until she was gone. How hard could that be? …Harder than he might like, perhaps. Already he could feel the other apprentice’s eyes upon him, dragging his own up to meet the tom’s gaze. For a moment he held it, watching the shift of that yellow-green stare – and then his own eyes narrowed and shifted sharply aside. He knew where Pipitpaw was looking. It was the same place everyone looked when the coverings began to wear away from his marks, reminding them of what he truly was. Tarnished. Unworthy. A sinner. Cricketpaw’s tail twitched at the very thought, and silently he vowed to rub his face in something good and dark as soon as he could. But for now he kept his gaze firmly aside, biting back the sharp words that threatened to spill forth as Pipitpaw stared his fill. There was a warrior here, after all. Cricketpaw would get an earful if he was fool enough to say anything, and venting his feelings wasn’t at all worth what it would cause. Besides, there was every chance the other tom would decline— No such luck. Pipitpaw’s answer arrived almost as Cricketpaw thought to hope that he would refuse, and with a few simple words Cricketpaw knew himself to be temporarily doomed. The other tom was already getting to his paws, further confirming that he was coming along, and frustration surged within the fawn tom as realised that, as always, there was nothing to be done. Still, he was used to that by now, so wordlessly he turned to trudge along after the warrior’s apparently oblivious form. Cricketpaw made no attempt to strike up a conversation or even to look at the other apprentice, unwilling to get into an argument or to see the white-aimed scorn. If he was careful and sensible then there was no reason why he would have to interact with Pipitpaw at all—but he was fast learning that today was not going to go in the way he sought. Indeed even then the other tom was breeching the silence that he tried to hold between them, and Cricketpaw, fool that he was, huffed out an answer almost without thought. “Unless you see another apprentice here.”There was just a touch of growl to his response, and he was glaring at the sands a moment later: silently cursing himself for answering at all. The damage was done now, however, and as he flashed a glance at the warrior he realised that she had turned an ear back towards them: that this conversation would have no escape. He had to make an effort. If he didn’t then it might just get reported back to Nettle-, and he wasn’t at all sure how she would respond. “…Pipitpaw, right? Excuse me if I seem a bit. Short.”Tags: zestyOoc: Fingers crossed that it doesn't crash and burn!
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zesty
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Aliases: zest / zesty
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Post by zesty on Mar 30, 2020 18:07:50 GMT -5
Pipitpaw wasn't sure what he was expecting, but for some reason, hearing Cricketpaw's rather hostile response disappointed him. Maybe he had hoped that another cat with what seemed white marks would be nice to him. It was always a 50/50 chance that other cats with white marks would be nice to him. Some were just as hostile as cats with no white, if not more so. Others were gentle and kind to him. Cricketpaw, it seemed, fell into the former category. Pipitpaw turned his gaze down to his paws, ready to shut up for the rest of the expedition, but then Cricketpaw spoke again. The cream tom glanced towards him, and he relaxed. "Yeah, I'm Pipitpaw." For a wild, reckless second, Pipitpaw had the urge to ask Cricketpaw if those actually were white marks around his nose. He'd feel a lot more comfortable with Cricketpaw if they were. He wouldn't have to worry about the dirt on his chest washing away to reveal his own white mark. But he had a feeling Cricketpaw wouldn't take to the question kindly, so instead, Pipitpaw said, "Don't worry about it."He looked towards the warrior in front of them, but she was still blissfully unaware of their conversation. He lowered his voice, and muttered, "Tell me you're just as annoyed by this little trip as I am."Tags: Hati Notes: cricket is so adorable haha |
i take it all at a loss breathe out sorrow
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Hati
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Kitten
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Post by Hati on Apr 1, 2020 15:28:11 GMT -5
The half-formed ‘apology’—if it could be called such—was like thorns in his throat, and Cricketpaw knew even as he offered it that it wouldn’t do him a lick of good. Although his interactions with his fellow trainees were few and far between, they all shared a similar bitter theme: always they were short. Always they were angry. And always they were unwanted. Already this latest warrior-forced encounter had ticked off one of the three, and he didn’t doubt for a moment that the other two would quickly be seen. But he also knew that it didn’t matter, for he had more important things to worry about than his fellow trainees. His primary concern was Nettle-…and getting through this without looking a fool or treading on the warrior’s paws. Even so, the effort was required. Even so, the effort was made – and as he expected it didn’t take long for the other tom to respond in turn. What did surprise him, however, was the manner of that response, for by rights his sharp-short words should have sparked snap or ire, spiralling them into one more form of the verbal fight he had fought so many times before. That it didn’t was enough to drag his gaze to Pipitpaw, and for a moment he beheld the tom in puzzled silence, wondering at this deviation from the norm. Then he reminded himself that it wasn’t important—that there was no point searching for answers he wouldn’t find—and he jerked his eyes back to the warrior’s form. The movement was accompanied by a grunt: the only other acknowledgment he intended to give to Pipitpaw’s dismissal of his temper and words. The effort had been made; the warrior had lost interest; he didn’t need to do anything more. But Pipitpaw, it seemed, failed to notice the underlying reluctance to talk. Even as Cricketpaw decided that he need say no more, the other tom lowered his voice and directed yet another comment to his form. Again it startled him—mutters were normally used to curse him; it was strange to meet them in this friendlier form—and before he quite knew what was happening words were again tumbling from his maw. “How should I know?” he grumbled, tail tip twitching; betraying something of his own thoughts. “I’m annoyed, sure, but I have no idea how annoyed you are.”Tags: zestyOoc: He's a grump is what he is. Glad you're liking him so far though!
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zesty
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Posts: 72
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Aliases: zest / zesty
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Post by zesty on Apr 27, 2020 20:58:24 GMT -5
Pipitpaw giggled quietly at Cricketpaw's response, mistaking the irritation for innocent sarcasm. "I'm more than just annoyed. I was going to visit my family!" His eyes flitted to the warrior in front, realizing his tone of voice had raised and quickly quieted down. "Do you know why she picked you to go out? I have a feeling she picked me randomly."They were trekking farther away from camp, and Pipitpaw still hadn't seen any prey. Just how long were they going to walk? He had wanted to take a quick nap, but he had a feeling that he would only return to camp much more tired than before. "So... tell me about yourself, Cricketpaw. You're Nettle-'s kit, aren't you?" His tone softened suddenly, and his gaze turned gentle as he looked at the tom beside him. He had heard bad things about Nettle- from his mother. He couldn't help the compassion he felt just thinking about having a mother like Nettle-. No matter Pipitpaw's appearance, he had always been accepted by his family. Tags: Hati Notes: he's aboutta get hissed at by cricket oh boy lmao |
i take it all at a loss breathe out sorrow
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Hati
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Kitten
Posts: 16
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Post by Hati on May 11, 2020 15:29:15 GMT -5
It really shouldn’t have needed saying—no cat could read minds, after all—and truth be told Cricketpaw was a little annoyed for the fact that he’d needed to make the comment at all. But he was also aware that his words were again too sharp, so for the second time he braced himself for some sharp retort – ready to snarl back a few choice words of his own. It didn’t come to that, however. Instead Pipitpaw giggled, and Cricketpaw came to a dead stop as that sound struck his ears, fastening his eyes on the other tom’s form and wiping away even the shades of a prepared retort. That…wasn’t even remotely what he was expecting. Neither was it something that he at all knew how to handle, so for some moments more it held him frozen in the sands, body and mind alike held fast by the turn. It was only when he realised that he was in danger of falling far behind—and before he had been let loose by the warrior at that—that he finally stirred himself once more, and even then he remained mute; at a loss for words. His eyes remained locked upon the other trainee, too, held there in part by bewilderment and part in an effort to draw out some explanation: dragging aside only when Pipitpaw looked to him and spoke once more. “…Yes.” he stated stiffly, half answering the first question even as he faced the second; as the mention of Nettle- lifted the fur along his shoulders and spine. It was an unconscious subtle bristling, but he was aware of his reluctance to talk of her; aware, too, that he hadn’t the first idea how to handle this tom or his request. So in the end he simply settled for the only thing he could: a huffed “and there’s nothing to tell. You’re probably more ‘interesting’.” that he hoped might shut the conversation down. Tags: zestyOoc: I honestly expected him to get all hissy too but apparently he’s just confused as heck right now XD Also have I told you that Pipit is adorable? Because he totally is.
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