Decretum; [skyy/gophertooth]

It seemed like every fur on his coat was plastered down against his heavy frame, stripes and colour blurred together like a muddy puddle they refused to separate. It was only his eyes, amber and clear as glass staring out that stood out distinct. Yet, he couldn’t find it in himself to even be disgusted, it was just another fact of life, and hunting would always come first and foremost. Though the rain seemed to be just another tick to the reasons why things sucked box. He looked to the sky, and frowned deeply, enough that his crooked teeth prodded into his jaw. His expression loosened again as he opened his mouth in order to move his bottom jaw, before carefully closing it again the best he could.

Carefully, he covered us his latest mouse, the third for the day, and paused to shake out his pelt, small droplets spraying off in all directions with a satisfying array of splashes at it hit the bark. With a sniff and a few slow licks to the chest, done with the upmost care of his teeth, the tom moved again, attention back on the ground. At least he was out alone, fee of judgemental eyes or those who felt that just because Chipmunktooth laughed at the comments he would too. Not that it was his brother’s fault, of course. He was able to handle the jokes and teasing, and jump on board. That just wasn’t something Gophertooth could do, or would ever do. It was too much a sensitive part of him to ever make a joke out of.

A scent brushed through his slightly parted jaws, an odd one to taste out of camp, especially since she’d moved to the nursery. Junipernose. The tom lifted his head slightly, wrinkling his nose. He needed to turn around, find somewhere another cat wasn’t. But… at the same time. He looked through the trees, where he could vaguely make out the blue-grey form of the she-cat, standing and looking up. Was she out alone? She could be in trouble if left alone to the territory without being able to hear anything. Gophertooth was lucky in that his deformity only made talking hard, but, Junipernose, he’d seen her before she’d lost her hearing, when they were kits. She’d always been so nice, only to be punished by StarClan like his siblings had been.

It was those vague memories, from times long ago, that got the warrior hesitantly moving forward, shuffling himself over so he was well and truly in the she-cat’s line of vision. As soon as he was close enough, ducking his head slightly, he gave a wave of his tail in greeting, not sure if speaking would even be of much use in this case. His mouth didn’t move like other cats, distorted by his crooked jaw and out of place teeth. So, instead, he tilted his head, though words came out anyway, mumbled and barely moving his jaw. “Why are you out in the wet?” Gophertooth looked around briefly, just to check no one else was around, before gesturing between them with his tail, and after a moment, pulling his jaws apart more prominently, and speaking louder than usual, as if that would help. “Do you need company?” No doubt the words were still twisted on his jaws, made out around his crooked teeth, but, hopefully it helped. He wasn’t sure how to talk to any cat, let alone a deaf one.

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tagged: ame
ooc: it's just fine! i hope he works as well!