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Be wise, be brave, be tricky

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[for the first time in forever] open Dec 24, 2015 16:23:27 GMT

Post by feeling kinda blue on Dec 24, 2015 16:23:27 GMT

Deertail ran like his life depended on it. In a fashion it did because he'd made very poor decisions in his life. The skinny brown tom had accidentally run into Lynxheart after dropping off some freshkill. Naturally his father's second mate hadn't taken kindly to it and taken a swipe at him. Now Deertail fled camp like someone had set his tail on fire. Scraps with Lynxheart never ended well and Deertail had no desire to go crawling to the medicine cat's den at midnight because he'd been too cowardly to take a swipe back at her. Deertail had managed to flee camp before too many cats took notice of Lynxheart's bad temper. Now, sprinting between the trees Deertail still wasn't sure if he should stop. Logically Deertail knew she wouldn't follow him. She liked to take swipes at him when no one else was paying attention or when she could pretend to justify it (such as his bumping into her). Chasing after him was not in her sinister nature, at least not yet. If he talked to Rootpaw or Minkpaw again Deertail had no doubt she would hunt him down and string his innards from border to border.

Slowing his pace, Deertail's paws slid on the loose foliage underfoot but he didn't topple. Panting, the lanky tom glanced back toward camp, his imagination running wild. Every rustle in the brush sounded like Lynxheart chasing after him. 'No,' Deertail thought, amber eyes skipping through the loose foliage, 'She wouldn't chase me...draws too much attention.' Still, the young tom couldn't help but feel nervous. He hated run ins with Lynxheart...they left him on edge for days even though he made a habit of staying as far away from her as possible. It was easier when Barkstep was around but like all warriors Barkstep was busy and they couldn't always be around each other.

After a few moments of standing frozen in the brush, Deertail convinced himself Lynxheart was in fact not hunting him like her namesake implied. Still, it made him nervous to be down on the forest floor. He felt exposed, like he needed to be on guard or else someone would get him. So the long-legged brown tom headed to the trunk of the nearest oak. It was a towering thing, sturdy and well rooted. Above him, Deertail could see dense leaves waving on the tips of the branches. The promise of safety beckoned to Deertail. Lynxheart, despite being born in SkyClan, didn't care much for tree warfare so it was unlikely she'd find him if he took to the trees.

Bunching his muscles in preparation to jump, the sound of rustling brush made him freeze. Large ears swiveled atop Deertail's head, his body going still, amber eyes skipping around the brush. A breeze picked up, skimming over Deertail's short fur but it was blowing in the wrong direction, he couldn't find any scents out of place. Everything had the scent of SkyClan, musky dirt, tree bark and sap. The brush rattled again and as it did Deertail dropped his body low to the ground, belly brushing the knobbed tree roots around the old oak. His claws slid out, resting against the bark and dirt. Moving slowly, Deertail backed up, sliding over the tree roots until he settled himself in a shallow dip in the earth between two of the larger protruding roots. Pressing his side against the old oak, Deertail breathed out a soft sigh, ears drooping slightly. It was nothing...just the wind in the brush. Tucking his paws under his body, Deertail curled up between the roots, back against the trunk. When he folded up his long legs and curled up his long frame it was amazing how small Deertail could make himself, despite not being a small cat per say. Being curled up always made him feel safer, able to guard his belly and keep his ears up. He hadn't slept sprawled out since he'd been a kit...since before Lynxheart wormed her way into the picture.

Laying his head down, Deertail closed his eyes and tried to listen to the birds in the branches and find some semblance of peace. He felt silly now, for running from Lynxheart, for startling at the rustle of a bush. Shame tickled down his spine and made Deertail's stomach churn. Curling up tighter, Deertail covered his nose with his tail, laid his ears back and tried to make himself disappear.

TEAM SKYCLAN

aurum

Warrior

212 posts completed

[for the first time in forever] open Dec 30, 2015 19:41:04 GMT via mobile

Post by aurum on Dec 30, 2015 19:41:04 GMT

I AM NOT THROWING AWAY [ MY SHOT ]

❝

wide, clover-green eyes peered out into the forested lands of skyclan territory. salmon nose was lifted up into the air, and snowfall breathed in deep to take in the scents brought by the wind. there were the usual rich tones of the earh below his paws and the musk of the looming evergreens, but snowfall tasted the subtler hints of robins in the thick canopy of branches and mice scurrying across the forest floor. the warrior shook his head. the wind was going about it the wrong direction; the trail he had been dutifully following all the way from camp had been scattered and jumbled by the warm newleaf zephyrs.

snowfall’s tail quivered, his paw tapped the ground. which way to go now.. where to go, where to go,he thought. a low hum rumbled in his throat. his head swung left and right. snowfall let himself smile and shrugged his shoulders. “can’t go backwards, don’t know whether to take left or search right—forward it is!” the loss of his scent trail overthrown, the large cat lumbered straight into the forest with a fast, eager bounce in his long strides.

if not for his current mission, snowfall would have enjoyed strolling the expanse of the territory. it was a pleasant day—though the humidity could be a little more forgiving with this thick coat of mine—and taking walks was always a welcome pasttime. but he couldn’t let his mind wander. at the very least, not right now. snowfall quickened his pace. “couldn’t have gone that far. gotta get tired some time,” he muttered, then raising his voice, “deertail! if it wouldn’t be terribly inconvenient, can ya help me out a little and.. i don’t know, holler back?” his ears perked, anxious for a response, but snowfall could hear none yet.

he supposed it was worth a shot. concern etched deeply into his face. snowfall saw the leggy warrior flee the camp, and though he wasn’t quite sure what made deertail run that fast, his first instinct was to follow him and make sure he was okay despite not knowing the younger male that well. snowfall padded on. “you know, you’re good at this. you could ambush me right now, and i’d never see you coming.” his tone was humorous, light. he didn’t want deertail mistaking him for a predator or any threat, for that matter.

[ PS ] feeling kinda blue hope you don’t mind me popping in with snow!

Last Edit: Dec 31, 2015 2:39:37 GMT by aurum

feeling kinda blue

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Be wise, be brave, be tricky

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[for the first time in forever] open Dec 30, 2015 21:22:56 GMT

Post by feeling kinda blue on Dec 30, 2015 21:22:56 GMT

'Deertail! if it wouldn’t be terribly inconvenient, can ya help me out a little and.. i don’t know, holler back?'

Instantly Deertail stiffened at the sound of his name, ears perking up and amber eyes snapping open. That wasn't Lynxheart's prim sneering voice cooing out of the undergrowth...it was...Deertail wracked his brain to match the voice to someone, obviously a clanmate. Snowfall? Confusion chased off the young warrior's shame and fear for a moment, curiosity licking at its heels. What on earth was Snowfall doing out here? Better yet what was the leader's brother doing looking for Deertail? A shiver of fear ran down his spine that perhaps the brown tom had forgotten an assigned patrol in his hurry to get as far away from Lynxheart as possible but no, he wasn't assigned any patrols until tomorrow...Raising his head a bit the brown tom peeked over the tree root he'd curled up behind. Sure enough there was Snowfall, his majestically thick coat fluffed up against the humid newleaf air, looking here and there to try and spy Deertail.

'You know, you’re good at this. you could ambush me right now, and i’d never see you coming.'

A tickle of pride wormed its way down Deertail's spine because Snowfall wasn't wrong. Stealth was Deertail's speciality. He could walk higher in the trees than heavier warriors and had wonderful balance when high off the ground, it was what made him an asset to the clan. No one could run faster from branch to branch. According to Barkstep, Deertail was probably part squirrel. On the ground Deertail had less grace and was incredibly shy around his more brash clanmates. With his dark pelt he blended perfectly into the loamy ground, pressed up against the trees to blend in with the bark. For someone like Snowfall, a well respected warrior, to take note...well Deertail felt a bit like a blushing apprentice getting complimented by their mentor. Still, the feeling was tempered by the resounding question: What was Snowfall doing looking for him? Had he witnessed Deertail's shameful flight from camp? Ice cold dread crept through Deertail's belly, shame turning his mouth sour. Oh StarClan...Snowfall had come out here to tell him off for running like a yellow-bellied coward...lovely.

'Well...' Deertail thought, 'I might as well have some dignity...'

Carefully unfolding his curled legs, the skinny brown tom slid out from behind the tangle of tree roots, waving his tail to get Snowfall's attention. "I'm here," he called, voice soft compared to the jovial boom of Snowfall's. Slinking closer to the longhaired warrior, Deertail couldn't help but feel bumbling and small. Like Pinestar, Snowfall was simply a lot of cat. Muscle, fur, height, all of it combined to make Snowfall look like what Deertail imagined a lion did. Where Deertail was about as big around as a twig, Snowfall was firm and solid muscle with a plush coat that feathered handsomely around his face and gave him a distinguished plume of a tail. Whipcord thin with a tail like a long reed, Deertail looked like a skeleton, his dark brown coat sleek and short after the newleaf shed. Though the two were about the same height, Deertail felt pathetically small. One good blow and Snowfall would have him tumbling and seeing stars. Swallowing his nerves, Deertail forced himself to meet the older tom's gaze. Barkstep had always said it was best to take your licks with dignity, not shuffle and shrink back like a coward. Deertail wrestled with that advice daily. Still, he kept his back straight and planted his paws. If Snowfall wanted to tell him off then...then it would be done and hopefully not get back to Pinestar that one of his warriors was a mouse in cat's fur.

"...Was there something you needed?" Deertail asked, his voice naturally soft but blessedly steady. He wanted to sink through the forest floor and vanish so badly.

Notes: <3 deertail is such a big softy
Word count: 660
Tagged: aurum

TEAM SKYCLAN

aurum

Warrior

212 posts completed

[for the first time in forever] open Dec 30, 2015 22:17:34 GMT

Post by aurum on Dec 30, 2015 22:17:34 GMT

I AM NOT THROWING AWAY [ MY SHOT ]

❝

snowfall sniffed around more, relentless in his endeavour. a pleasant string of notes vibrated low, his baritone voice rich and deep and loud despite the relatively hushed tone he had acquired. his broad-shouldered stature lumbered to and fro around the general area, wanting to thoroughly search it first before moving on. all the while, snowfall kept alert if ever deertail did call back out to him. it was a queer sight, really. with his heavy build and less-than-subtle movements, restless tail waving high in the air, snowfall would hardly be surprised if he looked similar to a dog (albeit a much smaller version compared to the actual creature). the tabby and white cat’s whiskers twitched. still nothing. though slightly downtrodden and disappointed that he could seek neither a single whisker or tuft of hair of the elusive warrior, snowfall kept an upbeat attitude. he’d find deertail at some point; he was sure of it.

the atmosphere made snowfall’s lush pelt stick to his skin, but the male merely ignored it. a feeling tugged at his gut, like someone was here though his eyes could not detect them. there was most definitely a presence, and an excited grin was growing steadily on his face. “deertail? is that you, kiddo?” he meowed, breathy with hesitance and anticipation. sure enough, snowfall’s verdant gaze caught a brown form shifting against the background. expertly camouflaged, snowfall might have missed it entirely if not for the meek voice that came not soon after he had finished his sentence. ~~“i’m here.”~~ snowfall watched with bright eyes and a jolly smile as deertail emerged from the brush, stepping over the thick roots of a nearby oak. “there you are!” he exclaimed, “you gave me quite a worry, you know, dashing out of camp like a darkpool cat was coming at ya!” the tabby furrowed his expression for a millisecond before he was back to his cheery self again.

~~“was there something you needed?”~~ deertail was a peculiar young cat, indeed. first, running out like the very stuff of hell was snapping at his heels, and now, he looked as if he was a guilt-ridden kitten waiting for a reprimand. snowfall chuckled good-naturedly and shook his head. “nothing at all! i just wanted to check up on you, see if you were okay. you are okay, yes?” he moved closer to the tom, green eyes scrutinising deertail’s short brown fur for any sign of injury. closer now, snowfall well and truly towered above his younger colleague. he didn’t think much about it - in his mind, he wasn’t even that large. no, that title belonged to his brother, massive and daunting with that constant brooding and voice like the thunder of the skies. it never crossed snowfall’s mind once that to deertail, the same description could be made for him.

satisfied that he didn’t find anything off about deertail, snowfall took a few steps back and sat down. with his mind clear of the sharp focus it held only moments ago, snowfall was becoming increasingly aware of the pesky heat prickling uncomfortably at his fur. “it’s really hot today, huh? thank starclan the shade provides some coolness. otherwise, i’m sure i would be nothing more than a puddle on the ground! what brings you out here, anyway, if you don’t mind my asking, of course. perfectly fine if you don’t want to tell.”

[ PS ] feeling kinda blue

Last Edit: Dec 31, 2015 2:39:54 GMT by aurum

feeling kinda blue

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Be wise, be brave, be tricky

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[for the first time in forever] open Jan 1, 2016 0:14:30 GMT

Post by feeling kinda blue on Jan 1, 2016 0:14:30 GMT

The distinct lack of immediate yelling floored Deertail. The amber-eyed tomcat stared at Snowfall as the bigger warrior asked if he was alright but had taken notice when Deertail fled camp. Very few cats in SkyClan noticed when Deertail did anything, not that the leggy young warrior blamed them. Cliques had already formed quite solidly among the older warriors by the time Deertail became a warrior and he had failed to bond well with warriors his own age while an apprentice. He and Barkstep had kept to themselves, mourning Asterflower and keeping their heads down to stay away from Lynxheart and her spawn. Now though Barkstep had his own things to do and Deertail had gotten used to going unseen by his clanmates.

'I just wanted to check up on you, see if you were okay. You are okay, yes?'

Struck mute by Snowfall's gentle character and nearly overwhelmed by the warrior's naturally booming voice, Deertail simply nodded. He waited for the other paw to drop, for Snowfall to realize he'd wasted time running around through the forest for nothing and get frustrated but it didn't seem to come. No darkness crept into the tom's honest green eyes and his claws stayed sheathed. Instead of getting annoyed that Deertail had caused a fuss for nothing, Snowfall simply settled himself in for a nice friendly chat, something that Deertail didn't take part in often. It...was different, especially when Snowfall dwarfed Deertail so completely. It was like the few times he'd had to go give patrol reports to Pinestar, when he felt completely small, like a willow branch in the shadow of a mighty oak. Deertail wished he could be that sturdy, that steady, but instead everything from his personality to his physical frame were built to sway in the breeze high above the ground.

'It’s really hot today, huh? Thank starclan the shade provides some coolness. Otherwise, i’m sure i would be nothing more than a puddle on the ground! What brings you out here, anyway, if you don’t mind my asking, of course. perfectly fine if you don’t want to tell.'

At first the warrior's statement confused Deertail. Amber eyes flitted around to the lush green foliage around them, the soft brown earth under their paws. Hot? It was barely newleaf...and then Deertail looked back at Snowfall's dense tabby and white pelt. Snowfall's pelt alone probably matched Deertail's weight in total. Carrying around all the weight, Deertail knew for certain the big tom couldn't climb as high or stand high temperatures. Deertail, light as a feather in the trees, could bend and sway with the winds on the thinnest branches and his thin pelt kept him cool during the hot months. Of course high in the trees where the winds were clearer Deertail did feel the chill, especially this time of year when it wasn't quite greenleaf. Actively climbing, running and jumping through the trees kept him warm and his muscles loose but laying in the trees for sentry duty could still be quite a chilling experience. As for the second part of his statement Deertail felt momentary panic. He couldn't admit to running away from one of his own clanmates...he refused to admit to anyone he was that much of a coward but he had to think fast.

"I..." Deertail hesitated, mind scrambling for an excuse, "I was going to...go climbing. I finished my hunting for the day," Deertail shuffled his paws in the dust like an uncertain apprentice. "Thought it would be quieter in the trees instead of...in camp." Amber eyes glanced away from Snowfall and down to small brown paws. Self-consciously, Deertail's tail curled to lay over his neat little paws. He could escape now, everyone knew he stayed out of camp when possible...Snowfall would be satisfied...what came next surprised the young tom. He looked back to Snowfall and said "There's an old oak near here...if you'd like you could come...with me? It's cooler up in the branches...in the breeze." Deertail's tail twitched self-consciously. "The branches are sturdy...I mean I'm sure you've got other things to do. I'm sorry I wasted your time Snowfall...and thank you for your concern."

Getting up, Deertail bobbed his head respectfully to the big tom and started to back away. His skin burned with embarrassment at his invitation. Sure SkyClan cats spent a lot of time in trees but surely Snowfall had better things to do than humor the clan scaredy-cat.

Notes: <333
Word count: 755
Tagged: aurum

TEAM SKYCLAN

aurum

Warrior

212 posts completed

[for the first time in forever] open Jan 24, 2016 23:33:03 GMT

Post by aurum on Jan 24, 2016 23:33:03 GMT

I AM NOT THROWING AWAY [ MY SHOT ]

❝

those big amber eyes were staring at him, the black of the younger cat's pupils nearly engulfing the warm color. snowfall blinked in perplexion. was something wrong? "is there something on my face?" he prompted, eyebrows furrowing. snowfall tried to get a look down at his nose, getting cross-eyed for a moment and bursting into a chuckle before shaking his head. "i probably looked really weird doing that!" he shrugged it off, and glimpsed the minute nod deertail gave him. "oh, good! was gonna get real worried about ya if you weren't. but you'll tell me if something's wrong, right? wouldn't be a very good clanmate if i wasn't around to help, ya know?"

snowfall licked at the tangled fur on his shoulder. it probably got knotted whilst he was going through the undergrowth in search of deertail. actually, the big tom was surprised his entire pelt wasn't a mangled mess. usually, he'd have to spend near the whole day just to get his fur to cooperate and not look like a badger. he recalled a faint memory of orchidfeather's kits covering him up with moss, pretending he was a big, scary monster and chasing them around camp. his green eyes twinkled. ~~"I was going to...go climbing. I finished my hunting for the day,"~~ deertail answered, voice meek. snowfall always did ponder over why the tom acted so reserved. ah, well, perhaps it was because he was exceedingly younger than most other warriors, snowfall included. he bobbed his head in time with the brown cat's words, and he was about to say something along the lines of letting deertail have his leisure time by himself when - ~~"There's an old oak near here...if you'd like you could come...with me? It's cooler up in the branches...in the breeze."~~ snowfall's expression brightened. deertail hesitated, it looked like, but snowfall wasn't paying any attention. he was already up on his large paws and eagerly speaking, "oh, i'd love to! you know, i haven't been up a tree in a while. never had the greatest balance, heh. i mean, that's pretty obvious being so jittery all the time, but ya learn to manage. besides, it's gonna be fun, don't you think?"

he grinned at deertail. "so, lead the way!" he hung back for a moment, waiting for the lanky warrior to get a headstart on him so he could follow behind. oh, maybe he'd finally get to know more about deertail! snowfall always did like having close bonds with his clanmates.

[ PS ] feeling kinda blue

Last Edit: Jan 24, 2016 23:54:31 GMT by aurum