alive and well [quick fire - open]

[Deleted]

Smokejaw

@jackvall @egotistic @rksilvally

- don’t invade my space I’ll put you in your place -

”If you keep on the path, it’ll take you right past the Fireclan border,” Smokejaw explained, casting a brief glance over her shoulder at the two apprentices tagging along behind her. Neither one of the two tom cats was her apprentice, but that had never stopped Smokejaw from volunteering her time in the past. Besides—it was nice to pretend that Applepaw was hers.

He was tough and spirited, she liked that.

”It’s way too optimistic to think that you’ll never come to blows around here, so be on yours toes,” the stocky she-cat advised the pair of young tom cats as they weaved their way through the trees and overhang of large shrubs. ”A lot of Fireclanners are looking for a fight—you gotta know when it’s worth it to escalate and when it’s better to wait for another time,” As they drew nearer to the border, Smokejaw slowed her pace to a wary prowl. The scents here were too strong—a Fireclan patrol was either here or had just passed along before they’d arrived.

”Stay quiet,” Smokejaw whispered, nose twitching as she scented the air and furrowed her brow, golden eyes drifting over to Fireclan’s territory, ”Don’t start anything you can’t finish,” Smokejaw advised in a hushed murmur, her demeanor shifting from the relaxed posturing she had carried before. One warrior and two young apprentices—they weren’t exactly favorable odds.

232 lawd they comin

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[Deleted]

beavergaze

42m | Fireclan | Heterosexual

- Father tell me we get what we deserve -

Of all things dutiful, Beavergaze loved patrolling the most. There was something honorable, he felt, in burying oneself in work that benefitted the clan. He cherished the worn path of the patrol route and knew the borders like the inside of his foreleg. Order in life was not only desired, but required. Was there any better way to establish and maintain order than to keep rigid borders and boundaries? As long as Beavergaze patrolled, those hard-won borders would not move in any direction without explicit orders.

Accompanying Beavergaze were two warriors that he knew well. These were warriors that he constantly honed and trained with until they functioned not as individuals, but a synchronous body of muscle and unavoidable claw. Together, they could catch any prey and repel any assault as long as they breathed as a unit. On this day, their patrol was a routine strengthening of scent markers. A light-breeze whistled through the trees and the crisp air was chilly enough to burn sensitive kitty noses, but the scent markers had only just begun to fade. It was time to get to work.

Not much time had passed since his team had renewed half of the markers when a familiar scent reached Beavergaze’s keen nostrils. Hushed voices caused his ears to flicker about, and he paused mid-step. “Raven Clan, Smokejaw,” he murmured tersely to his accompanying warriors. Spreading to several fox-lengths, the warriors hunched among brush to conceal themselves. Beavergaze did not expect resistance, but he wanted to be sure of the rival patrol’s members before he made a move one way or another.

Beavergaze’s blue eyes flashed as they caught a gleam of the morning sun and he watched, unblinking, as Raven Clan’s patrol approached the newly renewed scent markers. He knew Smokejaw to be among the patrol, likely leading it. Though sneaking around was not his style, Beavergaze recognized the element of surprise to be a valuable tool and was loathe to lose it even in a nonviolent encounter. He would watch until he could identify the entire rival patrol and formulate a plan.

348 Words

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[Deleted]

` A MEGALOMANIAC IS BORN:

APPLEPAW. 7 MOONS. RAVENCLAN.

374 words . @iderioux, @jackvall, @egotistic

♚ RavenClan mentor-apprentice assignments were far more of a recommendation than a concrete requirement. Ordinarily, Applepaw would criticize the lack of finite rules, but he was more than happy to spend some time under the teachings of Smokejaw instead of Basilbreeze. It wasn't that he disliked his actual mentor or thought him to be worse, but... he saw Smokejaw in a way that he just didn't see Basilbreeze. She was strong, stoic, and there was a certain element about her that almost demanded respect; he looked up to her, so to speak, and figured there was no harm in branching out a little training-wise.

He was a bit less stoked about Twigpaw joining them, too, but said nothing for the time being. He knew better than to outright bully right near a warrior, and though he wasn't sure she would even care in the first place, he didn't plan on taking any chances.

Approaching the FireClan border, the stench of the rival Clan filled his nostrils. He'd never visited the border while it was this strong. His tail flicked anxiously while his eyes widened with curiosity, his two conflicting emotions embodying 'heads or tails;' his childlike excitement longed for something of a skirmish to prove himself to the tortie warrior, but the more mature side of him knew better.

"You hear that?" he shouldered the oriental apprentice, Twigpaw, trotting beside him as Smokejaw spoke. He kept his voice a bit low, lest any lurking enemies hear them so close to the border. "What are you gonna do if a FireClanner swipes those stupid big ears of yours, huh?"

He chuckled quietly, bounding forward a bit to match the warrior's stride. "Have you ever fought a—" the apprentice's question was cut short by the far more intense waft of FireClan scent drifting towards them. It didn't take a seasoned warrior to realize a patrol was nearby, or at the very least had just come through. His eyes watered at the smell and he struggled not to sneeze in response to it. Taking Smokejaw's advice, Applepaw's jaw clamped shut and he ducked low to the ground so as to avoid being seen. His muscles instinctively tensed, however, and he was prepared to spring into action on command.

`ooc notes; i'm so sorry for not responding sooner! i forgot to get on here and post for a few days

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[Deleted]

BEING TAUGHT HOW TO

THINK HARDLY MATTERS IF YOU

ARE NOT TAUGHT HOW TO ACT

    This is it. My first look at FireClan territory.

    Twigpaw drew in a nervous breath, struggling to keep himself from trembling with excitement as he walked alongside Applepaw. Walking not but a tail-length ahead of them was Smokejaw. The she-cat had offered to take them both out to explore the territory, and as she pressed on, her paws hardly making a sound against the snow and brittle leaves, she glanced over her shoulder to say something. Twigpaw straightened the minute her eyes drifted over him, attempting to look as unnerved and brave as Applepaw so effortlessly did.

    But of course it was a weak display, and if Smokejaw noticed she made no comment. In fact, he didn’t doubt she would have preferred to only have Applepaw tag along with her; most warriors did. After all, Applepaw was the tough one. He was the one with the most spunk. And what was Twigpaw? Nothing but a nervous coward.

    He frowned a bit, hardly catching what Smokejaw said.

    “If you keep on the path, it’ll take you right past the FireClan border.”

    He flicked his ears and tried to memorize his surroundings. But everything looked the same, and he quickly grew tired of looking at the same blackened tree trunks and snow-laden bushes. So instead he busied himself with walking and listening.

    “It’s way too optimistic to think that you’ll never come to blows around here, so be on your toes. A lot of FireClanners are looking for a fight—you gotta know when it’s worth it to escalate and when it’s better to wait for another time,” Smokejaw was saying, weaving her way through the labyrinth of trees and shrubs.

    Twigpaw nodded, not saying anything despite his churning stomach. The last thing he wanted was to fight another cat, especially not a FireClan warrior. They were fast and crafty as foxes, usually too small and slippery to get a firm grip on, especially out in the open—or at least that’s what he remembered from what the elders had told him.

    In their stories, FireClan were no better than weasels; and just like weasels, catching them was the hardest part.

    He flexed his claws experimentally, trying to form a plan in his head in case a fight actually did break out. FireClan is leaner than us and light on their feet. It’s better to use the environment to slow them down, so the best place to fight them would be in thickly vegetated areas. That way they can’t—

    A shoulder bumped him roughly, causing him to squeak in alarm.

    It was Applepaw. As usual, the tom was having another go at him, as if he didn’t get enough of his teasing in camp.

    “You hear that?” Applepaw hissed softly, keeping his voice low, though Twigpaw couldn’t tell if it was because they were near enemy lines or because Smokejaw might overhear. “What are you gonna do if a FireClanner swipes those stupid big ears of yours, huh?”

    His fur bristled. “Better than anything you're capable of. In fact—”

    But before he could even begin to tell Applepaw about his amazing battle plan, the tom moved forwards to pad alongside Smokejaw. He was beginning to ask her a question but suddenly fell silent.

    What’s wrong with him? Twigpaw narrowed his eyes as he drew closer to stand on the opposite side of Smokejaw, sniffing the air.

    Then he smelled it: FireClan.

    “Are… are you sure we should stay here? That smells really close by. I don’t think we—”

    “Stay quiet,” Smokejaw’s voice hushed him, though it did nothing for his nerves. Her gaze drifted over the empty field, but try as he might, Twigpaw couldn’t see a thing. “Don’t start anything you can’t finish.”

    Didn’t plan on it, he thought, but one glance at Applepaw and he felt like he knew who those words were for. Please StarClan, don't let him do anything too stupid. Flashing his ‘friend’ a nervous glance, Twigpaw practically flattened himself against the snow, becoming as still and lifeless as a statue.

Tags: @iderioux , @jackvall , @rksilvally  | Word Count: 670
Notes: Long ass wait. Sorry 'bout that!

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[Deleted]

beavergaze

@iderioux , Aria , owl

- oh father tell me, do we get what we deserve? -

Beavergaze’s eyes narrowed, and his powerful frame tensed. Just before he had a mind to attempt springing an ambush, Smokejaw’s eyes roamed over his concealed position and lingered. The colorpoint cursed himself silently, but still had cards to play. Rising from his hiding spot, the large warrior approached the border with his eyes locked onto the RavenClan patrol.

“Smokejaw, I feel like we’ve been here before.” The tomcat was larger than Smokejaw- but only barely. He knew that he couldn’t rely on his brawn alone if he had to scramble for conflict. Assessing the next member of the patrol, Beavergaze hesitated. Two apprentices? “I didn’t know you had an apprentice,” the colorpoint mentioned stiffly.

The experienced Fireclan warrior prowled towards the boundary and eyed the apprentices, Twigpaw first with a measuring, thoughtful scowl, and Applepaw with an appraising glare. “I hope you’re not hoping for a sparring match, I’m not alone right now,” he turned his stare to Smokejaw and pulled his whiskers forward, “..friend. I would actually hate to embarrass you with an audience.”

Beavergaze was built more solidly than some of his peers, and his brawn combined with his long fur made him seem unusually large. Though rumors held FireClan warriors to be sleek and fast, this tom appeared hardy and powerful and more than willing to enter a clawed embrace. However, if he was accompanied, the rest of the Fireclan patrol remained quiet and out of sight.

The chocolate faced tom’s gaze melted into something far more accusatory, and his ears fell a whisker’s width. With a voice stinging with paranoia, Beavergaze addressed his long time friend and rival. “Smokejaw, you’re not here to cross the boundary are you? Certainly not to move it?” He fully anticipated her laughter, but the increased pressure from Willowclan and the troubling rumors of the dreams of the Medicine Cats pulled his stomach into uneasy knots. When times proved uncertain, Beavergaze would always distrust the outsiders and serve FireClan with a fearful shortsightedness.

His stare returned to the apprentices. An involuntary growl moaned in his throat, and he averted his gaze back to the powerful tortie across the invisible border. “It’s a crisp day for the young ones. They should be enjoying it with a hunt instead of a patrol,” Beavergaze’s lingering, veiled warning chilled the cool Newleaf morning.

388 Words
Tag: @iderioux , @rksilvally , @egotistic

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[Deleted]

Smokejaw

@jackvall @egotistic @rksilvally

- don’t invade my space I’ll put you in your place -

“Smokejaw, I feel like we’ve been here before.”

Mouse shit, she thought, darkened muzzle wrinkling as she broadened and turned her stance to shield her young companions for the most part. Beavergaze wasn’t exactly the cat she had been hoping to see along the border—and there was something different about his demeanor as he stepped forward. Pinning her ears back and letting out a low mrrrwl, Smokejaw’s crooked tail-tip twitched a signal to the two apprentices—but it was too late, the big Fireclan tom cat had already spotted them.

“I didn’t know you had an apprentice,”

Smoldering eyes drifted past him as she gave a bold tipping of her chin, one of her forepaws raised to its very toe-tips. ”Yeah, yeah I do—“ she started, leaving out the fact that neither one of the young tom cats accompanying her claimed the title, ”—You know, I haven’t seen yours in a while. She didn’t come down with green cough, did she?” Smokejaw’s eyes narrowed suspiciously with a wary sort of concern. A bit of movement in the brush beyond him caught her eye—but if it was another Fireclanner, she still couldn’t see them and the strong smells of the border did well enough at hiding exactly where their scent was coming from.

“I hope you’re not hoping for a sparring match, I’m not alone right now…friend.”

”Oh, I know,” she retorted, nodding her head to a suspicious spot in the grasses and shadows behind him. The title brought a lashing of her tail as Smokejaw looked back to the two young toms behind her, trying to gauge their thoughts. She couldn’t let this turn into a skirmish—the odds were not in their favor… Though the dark-furred, brawny she-cat had faith that she could effective handle Beavergaze, it was the unknown warriors along with him that worried her. As feisty as Applepaw was—Smokejaw doubted that he would have been able to stand against a seasoned Fireclan warrior for more than a couple of minutes. Their best options would be to flee—something she had no doubt that Twigpaw would excel at, but getting Applepaw to leave would prove difficult…

“Smokejaw, you’re not here to cross the boundary are you? Certainly not to move it?”

The suspicious tones set her hackles to bristling and the fur along her spine soon joined the ragged tufts as tattered ears flattened once more. ”I’d’ve brought more warriors,” Smokejaw spat back hotly, fixing the long-furred tom cat with a scowl, ”It’s not against code to show the young ones around,” but that wasn’t good enough—he persisted… something’s wrong, she thought, tail-tip twitching rapidly as the base of her tail began to floof, this isn’t like him! What had happened in Fireclan?

“It’s a crisp day for the young ones. They should be enjoying it with a hunt instead of a patrol,”

”Nah—we’re blessed with bounty!” Smokejaw boasted, exaggerating the state of Ravenclan’s prey availability, ”Fireclan warriors teach their youth the borders even earlier than this—“ Smokejaw lashed her tail towards the two tom cats behind her, ”No matter the weather… Now—I don’t think my group looks all that suspicious by comparison,” again she nodded to the hidden figures behind him. She knew they were there—she just couldn’t tell where or how many.

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[Deleted]

` A MEGALOMANIAC IS BORN:

APPLEPAW. 7 MOONS. RAVENCLAN.

350 words . @iderioux , @jackvall , @egotistic

♚ The red-ticked tom watched apprehensively as a mountain of a warrior slid into view on the FireClan side of the border. His eyes widened with a strange mix of nerve and awe. The muscled FireClanner outsized any RavenClan cat he'd seen before, and in that moment he was left wanting nothing more than to be standing over there next to him, equally powerful. Were all FireClanners like that, or was he just huge?

He pushed it out of mind. Something was seriously off.

He felt the enemy warrior's eyes on him, judging him. Applepaw's fur began to rise in an attempt to look bigger, although he was still minuscule in comparison to the FireClanner. He felt the hair on his neck and back sticking out and his tail fluffed up as it began to whip back and forth with the tension.

Would there be fighting? He glanced at the warrior by his side. She was doing the talking, and it seemed like she was trying to de-escalate things. In a moment of immaturity, he decided he wanted to escalate them.

“It’s a crisp day for the young ones. They should be enjoying it with a hunt instead of a patrol,”

Applepaw's tail lashed impatiently. "Wouldn't you like that?" he called, his jaws parting to bare fangs at the bigger cat between his words. His shoulders tensed and he hunched over, looking as though he'd charge at a moment's notice. Not that Applepaw would ever charge a cat so huge, but it was his will to look as imposing as he could manage. "We're not here to cross, but leaf-bare's shown you can't keep it."

He felt cocky after that, but his eyes darted to the warrior next to him to gauge some sort of a reaction. He knew they probably couldn't win a fight and so perhaps she'd be annoyed by his remarks, but it was against his pride to let the FireClanner tread on his own clanmates.

"Do you know him?" he hissed to Smokejaw, his voice only a whisper so the tom wouldn't be able to hear them.

`ooc notes; e

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[Deleted]

BEING TAUGHT HOW TO

THINK HARDLY MATTERS IF YOU

ARE NOT TAUGHT HOW TO ACT

    Twigpaw’s muscles were beginning to ache from crouching for so long, but he denied himself the luxury of standing up. Instead, he remained stubbornly pressed against the earth, every inch of him locked and rigid though his ears swiveled visibly, listening to the exchange as a brown-furred tom addressed Smokejaw.

    “Smokejaw, I feel like we’ve been here before,” the tom meowed. Then he paused, and for a horribly long second, his eyes settled on Twigpaw. Fluffing his pelt in alarm, Twigpaw flattened himself even more (if that were even possible at that point) and scrunched his eyes shut. Please, please, please— "I didn’t know you had an apprentice,” the tom said after a pause, his attention returning to Smokejaw.

    Thank StarClan!

    Twigpaw let out a relieved breath, then cursed himself. Coward. One day you’ll have to fight for your Clanmates. You can’t flinch away every time someone so much as looks at you. Still, he couldn’t bring himself to stand up. He couldn’t even force himself to fluff his pelt like Applepaw was doing—only cower like a lowly worm.

    His ears flattened against his skull, and for a moment he was deaf to the words that were exchanged between Smokejaw and the FireClan warrior. All he heard was his own self-loathing until the tom mentioned the scent markers.

    Why is he questioning us? We haven’t even crossed the border. He glanced at the warrior nervously, then became eerily aware of the presence of others. Amongst the golden stalks, pelts shifted in time with the waving grass, completely hidden, though the occasional rustle of the grass signaled at their being there.

    Twigpaw’s heart fluttered. No wonder. He has back up. He knows we can’t fight him. He glanced at Smokejaw, then at Applepaw, wondering if they’d realized this.

    “It’s a crisp day for the young ones. They should be enjoying it with a hunt instead of a patrol,” the tom’s voice interrupted his thoughts and Twigpaw anxiously looked towards him.

    But Smokejaw was quick to intervene. “Nah—we’re blessed with bounty. FireClan warriors teach their youth the borders even earlier than this—no matter the weather,” she mewed, her tail lashing. “Now—I don’t think my group looks all that suspicious by comparison.”

    So she had noticed.

    Twigpaw blinked, his tail tip quivering as Smokejaw nodded towards the grass behind the FireClan tom. There, no doubt, several hidden figures were lying in wait, waiting intently for the chance to spring forwards and attack. But Smokejaw would never let that happen to us—would she? He flashed her a look, then jumped at Applepaw’s voice. Apparently, the tom was nowhere near impressed by the tom’s front.

    Twigpaw only wished he had his courage, even if it was, admittedly, dumb courage.

    “Wouldn't you like that? We’re not here to cross, but leaf-bares shown you can’t keep it,” Applepaw said, looking especially impatient and unimpressed by the tom’s act.

    Is he out of his mind? Twigpaw glanced between the warrior and Applepaw, then shot up suddenly as if he’d been stung. His eyes had grown large and owlish, and his hackles were raised as if he’d seen a ghost. He was hardly as intimidating as Smokejaw or as brave as Applepaw—something that became especially clear when he spoke up.

    “Hold on a second!” he squeaked. “Applepaw doesn’t mean that… I mean—we’re not here to cross the border or anything like that, we just came here to see it. So… so please—can’t you just let us go? We don’t want any trouble. Please!”

    And then he did something especially pathetic: he dipped his head in submission—to a warrior he didn’t even know. I really am pathetic.

Tags: @iderioux, @jackvall, @rksilvally | Word Count: 607

MADE BY VEL OF GS + ADOX 2.0

[Deleted]

Beavergaze

- oh father tell me, do we get what we deserve? -

“You know, I haven’t seen yours in a while. She didn’t come down with green cough, did she?”

Beavergaze’s blood chilled in his veins. He had forgotten that the other clans may not know what had occurred. With a bristling back and tail, Beavergaze met Smokejaw’s eyes and explained in a low and measured yowl, “She’s with StarClan now.”

Changing the subject before he lost composure, the large colorpoint warrior nodded to the fact that Smokejaw had a woefully outnumbered and outmuscled patrol. “Fine, you’re not here to move borders or start a war. You’re just showing some apprentices around the border. Wise that they should know boundar-“

"We're not here to cross, but leaf-bare's shown you can't keep it!"

Suddenly, Beavergaze didn’t care what the Raven clan cats were doing at the border. Beavergaze turned to face Applepaw and prowled towards him. “If you don’t bite your tongue right now, I’m going to tear you in half,” Beavergaze rumbled sincerely. Before he could reach the apprentice across the border, Smokejaw had positioned herself between them. The colorpoint tom licked his lips and ushered a long groan of warning to the furious molly. “If you don’t teach that runt some tact, he won’t be an apprentice for very long,” Beavergaze began.

Suddenly, the scrawnier of the apprentices that had nearly escaped Beavergaze’s notice entirely rose out of the tall grass. Now this was a runt. Beavergaze eyed the timid tom and noticed immediately how fragile and soft Twigpaw looked. “Hold on a second!” Almost as dainty and wavering as his voice. The wide-eyed apprentice had the warrior’s attention now. With a lash of his tail, Beavergaze turned his face away from Smokejaw to stare fully at Twigpaw.

“Applepaw doesn’t mean that… I mean—we’re not here to cross the border or anything like that, we just came here to see it. So… so please—can’t you just let us go? We don’t want any trouble. Please!” Beavergaze had been prepared with a silencing response to Twigpaw until the small cat dipped their head in submission and shame. The seasoned warrior blinked, and some of the aggression in his stance melted away.

“What’s your name, Apprentice?” he demanded of Twigpaw. “You show prudence and discretion. Maybe you can be an example for your more reckless peers.” Beavergaze levelled a meaningful scowl at Applepaw and settled two mouselengths away from the border. The warriors accompanying Beavergaze had hardly moved their muscles except to stay as blended in as possible. Even if they’d been noticed, Beavergaze reasoned, their hidden identities could be a powerful deterrent.

Beavergaze’s permanent scowl came to rest on Smokejaw again, and his whispers pulled back against his jowls. “You know that territory that your clan took is going to cost, don’t you? We’ll be seeing a lot of each other in the coming moons, I promise.”

474 Words
Tag: @iderioux ,@rksilvally ,@egotistic ,

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[Deleted]

Smokejaw

@jackvall @egotistic @rksilvally

- don’t invade my space I’ll put you in your place -

Shit shit shit, this was not going well!

When Applepaw spat out his challenge to Beavergaze, Smokejaw preemptively moved to block the bigger tom cat’s path from the outspoken apprentice. Golden eyes flicked behind Beavergaze and to the threatening figures and shadows in the tall brush behind him. She could handle him—she could even handle maybe a second warrior along with him... but not three or four.

”Do you know him?” Applepaw had hissed.

”Practically since the tit.” she returned, bracing herself as the long furred tom cat approached them from across the border.

”If you don’t bite your tongue right now, I’m going to tear you in half.”

”Only if you’d like to join your apprentice,” Smokejaw threatened darkly, lips curling back as the fur along her spine and the base of her tail prickled with hostility and unease. When the big tom’s attention returned to her, Smokejaw let out a low toned mowwwwwl from somewhere in the back of her throat at his words. It was almost as if he was looking to fight with her... she just didn’t know why. Her scowl only deepened in its intensity as Twigpaw came forward—pleading with Beavergaze and the rest of his patrol to simply let them continue on their way. One of her ears gave a twitch.

Was that a snort from the bushes she’d heard?

A laugh? Probably, she thought grimly, casting a smoldering glare towards the tall grasses as her crooked tail gave a few irritable lashes.

”Don’t speak to them—don't influence them, that’s not your place,” Smokejaw interjected as Beavergaze spoke to Twigpaw. It wasn’t that she disapproved of what he was saying—but it would be a starlit night in the dark forest before she let a Fireclanner try to shape or mold any of the apprentices of Ravenclan.

”You know that territory that your clan took is going to cost, don’t you?”

Her eyes narrowed at his promise, a soft ’tch’ leaving her as she nodded her head back in the direction of Beavergaze’s clan’s territory. ”I’ve never shied from one of our fights,” She returned, nose wrinkled with an irritable sense of anxiety. ”Let us be on our way—you've antagonized them enough,” she stated gruffly, tail lashing in the direction of the two young tom cats that accompanied her.

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[Deleted]

` A MEGALOMANIAC IS BORN:

APPLEPAW. 7 MOONS. RAVENCLAN.

290 words . @iderioux , @jackvall , @egotistic

♚ Applepaw's claws slid out instinctively seeing the mountain's eyes lock on him and approach.

“If you don’t bite your tongue right now, I’m going to tear you in half.” 

Applepaw gulped. He shrunk a little behind Smokejaw, but he didn't entirely back down. His claws slid into the earth and though a mrrrrwl of hostility began to rise from his throat, he didn't say anything else. He kept his eyes unwavering on the massive tom, however— that is, until Twigpaw spoke up.

Applepaw shot a hostile glare at the smaller tom. He's the runt, not me! he complained in his head. "Hey crow-food, remember your side," he hissed to the tom, lashing his tail angrily. Twigpaw tested his patience at every turn. "Unless you want me to throw you over the border and he can rip you in half."

He stepped forward toward the smaller apprentice, just to spook him a little.

He glanced back at Smokejaw. The molly was still trying to convince the FireClan patrol to let them go. Would they really attack them? Applepaw admittedly doubted he could get away with any more mockery safely, but he doubted the warriors would waste so much time spitting back at one another if the finale was just to claw each other's ears off; he had a 'get to the point' mentality and figured that if blood was to be shed, skip the dialogue and claw some fur already.

"A small fight won't bring back your border," he spat, but quickly added: "You're wasting your own time, too."

He wondered what 'practically since the tit' had meant. Clearly they had a history together, but now wasn't the time to ask— not with the FireClanner ready to slit his throat, anyway.

`ooc notes; type notes here.

table (c)ulv of adoxography

[Deleted]

BEING TAUGHT HOW TO

THINK HARDLY MATTERS IF YOU

ARE NOT TAUGHT HOW TO ACT

    Please StarClan, don’t let them fight! Twigpaw felt his entire body grow tense with fear as the FireClan warrior turned to face Applepaw. A low growl was rumbling in the tom’s throat, and his tail twitched dangerously as if he would pounce at any second.

    “If you don’t bite your tongue right now, I’m going to tear you in half,” the tom snarled, glaring dagger at Applepaw who didn’t so much as cower.

    But before his ‘friend’ could counter the tom’s statement, Smokejaw moved forwards to stand in front of him, her lips drawn back and her hackles raised. He didn’t think he’d ever seen the she-cat so angry before, and a small part of him was glad he wasn’t on the receiving end of her scathing tongue.

    Then he opened his mouth and the tom’s attention—the last cat he would ever want to acknowledge him—was focused on him.

    He shuddered. Up until now, the FireClan warrior had only briefly look his way, but now that he was the focal point of his gaze, he felt his fur beginning to prickle as if he’d said something wrong.

    This is it. This is the part where he calls you a coward, Twigpaw thought miserably, shutting his eyes. But rather than growl at him as he had Applepaw, the tom regarded him thoughtfully. “What’s your name, apprentice? You show prudence and discretion. Maybe you can be an example for your reckless peers.”

    What? Twigpaw blinked, bewildered, then fumbled for something say. “My, uh, name is Twig—”

    “Don’t speak to them—don’t influence them, that’s not your place,” Smokejaw interjected coolly, causing his jaw to clamp shut and the rest of him to recoil.

    Stupid. What were you thinking, giving your name to some random FireClan cat? You hardly even know him. Twigpaw scolded himself and turned his gaze away from the FireClan tom. The last thing he wanted was for Smokejaw—or Applepaw for that matter—to think any lesser of him than they already did, and he certainly didn’t want to seem like he was siding with the enemy, either. So he kept his mouth shut—that is until Applepaw stalked towards him.

    Twigpaw glanced at him nervously. Uh oh.

    “Hey, crow-food, remember your side,” Applepaw hissed. "Unless you want me to throw you over the border and he can rip you in half.” Then he took a threatening step forwards that sent Twigpaw skittering behind Smokejaw where he crouched, his expression equal parts petulant and frightened.

    The least he could do is thank me! I saved his life! Twigpaw felt himself quivering with anger, and his mouth started working long before he even thought to say anything at all. “You insufferable, brain-dead—”

    “You know that territory that your Clan took is going to cost, don’t you?” Twigpaw bit down on his tongue as the FireClan tom spoke. “We’ll be seeing a lot of each other in the coming moons, I promise.”

    Does he mean the land we took during leafbare? Twigpaw had only just become an apprentice when Sootpaw had announced they’d be taking FireClan’s land. He’d nearly forgotten they still had it, but at the tom’s threat, he remembered quite vividly that they still, in fact, did—and with no sign of giving it back, either.

    “I’ve never shied from one of our fights,” came Smokejaw’s response. She didn’t seem the least bit phased by the thought of fighting; it was the sort of courage Twigpaw wished he had. “Let us be on our way—you antagonized them enough.”

    Finally! Twigpaw had to fight the urge not to spring excitedly in the air. Instead, he let out a relieved sigh as he made to leave.

    Then Applepaw spoke up, and Twigpaw groaned. Not again!

    “A small fight won’t bring back your border,” the ginger tom spat. “You’re wasting your own time, too.”

    “But it won’t come to that,” Twigpaw added in hastily, his tongue swiping over his lips. “Right, Smokejaw?” He turned to face her. “We can’t fight FireClan—Sootpaw and the leaders are practically allies as it is. They would never fight each other…. Would they?”

    He knew long before he asked what the real answer to his question was, and it was as unpleasant and frightening as any nightmare he could ever conjure up. They would, he thought grimly, though he kept his expression naïve and hopeful. And if that cat is any judge, it’ll happen sooner rather than later.

Tags: @iderioux , @jackvall , @rksilvally | Word Counter: 736

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beavergaze

@iderioux , @rksilvally ,@egotistic

- oh father tell me, do we get what we deserve? -

”Only if you’d like to join your apprentice,” Smokejaw’s threat drew Beavergaze’s full attention, and he approached her so closely that their noses nearly touched over the border. Perhaps he thought he deserved the contents of the molly’s threat, or maybe he simply disregarded danger and a lifetime of punishing experience, because the tom growled invitingly and unsheathed his claws into the dirt.

Eager to deliver some blow to Smokejaw before claws were traded, he addressed Twigpaw. After speaking to the kit, his gaze continued to linger on the apprentice. He didn’t have the fiery spirit that he’d seen with so many warriors. He seemed to prefer gauging the situation, and was adept at determining where the odds were stacked. When he became a warrior, he would either make an easy target or a brilliant tactician. Before he could speak to the apprentice any further, Smokejaw cut in to interject.

”Don’t speak to them—don't influence them, that’s not your place,” the molly interrupted. ”Let us be on our way—you've antagonized them enough,” Was she turning away from the border? Beavergaze was surprised, but willing to accept a victory for whatever contest he was perceiving. Just as he opened his mouth to accept Smokejaw’s offered exit for everyone, Applepaw fired up once more.

"A small fight won't bring back your border," the small tom spat, and quickly added: "You're wasting your own time, too."

What?

Beavergaze let out a long, low yowl that crackled with rage and indicated a desire for violence. He moved to lunge past Smokejaw, eager to sink his claws into the apprentice’s hide at any cost. Again though, like the first kiss of Newleaf, Twigpaw offered a disarming observation.

“It won’t come to that,” Twigpaw added in hastily, and his tiny pink tongue darted nervously over his lips. “Right, Smokejaw?” The smaller apprentice turned to face Beavergaze’s long time rival, as if seeking affirmation. “We can’t fight FireClan—Sootpaw and the leaders are practically allies as it is. They would never fight each other…. Would they?”

Taking an opportunity to lever his weight onto Twigpaw’s psyche again, Beavergaze locked onto him with a chilling stare. “Peace is more fragile than you think, Twigpaw. Keep your head about you, your wits will keep you alive.” To Smokejaw, he turned a familiar scowl. “This isn’t over,” he mowled, his voice dripping with promise.

The bushes behind Beavergaze, the bushes rustled impatiently. The chocolate faced tom stood at the border a while longer, watching the Raven Clan patrol. Finally satisfied by what he saw, Beavergaze turned to pad away from the trio. If parting Applepaw’s infuriated Beavergaze, the veteran cat dared not show it.

“Warriors, we’re through here. If the border is breached, we’ll fix it properly.” Beavergaze passed the bushes where his fellow Fireclan cats were hidden, and he was gradually rejoined by several warriors until a full patrol formed. The patrol continued past the border, and its warriors cast no small amount of filthy looks and taunting jeers over their shoulders.

530 Words
Tag: @iderioux , @rksilvally , @egotistic

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