|
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 11, 2018 14:10:56 GMT -5
I said hey look Ma, I made it.
After more than three months of constant snowfall, the fluffy, lightweight clouds that dotted the skies over every cat's head were a welcome change. The air felt warmer, even if not by more than a few degrees, and cats were taking some time out of their long journey to bask in the faint sun rays. Even Owlpaw was sitting by himself for once, perched upon the trunk of a fallen tree as he gave his tan, tabby fur a much-needed cleaning. The tom paid special attention to the scars that cut horizontally across his left side, not wanting the wounds to become infected now that Marigoldpelt was dead. They were healing rather nicely, Owlpaw thought, but he still wasn't taking any chances.
The calm atmosphere the day brought allowed Owlpaw to let down his guard for the first time in a while, giving his mind a desperately needed break to relax and properly sort out his thoughts. With Bluepaw, his half-sister, being pregnant and malnourished mixed with this strange sense of needing to protect Maplepaw with his life, Owlpaw never had a chance to relax anymore. He was always going a hundred miles an hour and, quite frankly, the toms mental health would begin to deteriorate if he continued at this pace.
He just needed an hour, one whole hour to sit and not think about anything. To just enjoy the sunlight that warmed his fur. Was that too much to ask for? 243 words
|
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 11, 2018 14:55:31 GMT -5
WE'RE ALL A BIT CRAZY BONEMASK The change in weather brought about a short-furred tom into the light of day. He was always so reluctant to go out and hunt, as the snow made it difficult for him to stay hidden and he always froze his paws and fur before he even had a chance to find a soul in the barren landscape of winter. Many talked about how calm and how beautiful Leaf-Bare could be, but, in his opinion Winter meant death. Sickness, hypothermia, starvation- death. He was not a very lighthearted tom.
No, here Bonemask was someone who tend to look to the dark side of the moon more often then not. He liked the night and often hunted then- and he rightfully enjoyed hiding in the trees and watching the moon pass above him. He did so every night when he was homeless- but now he was here- he had duties to fulfill to earn his place. The seemingly unending trek they were all doing was tiring and the new warmth was what they needed. Yesterday, he was out trying to catch a mouse for a kit. But today- he was free. Free to roam around and talk and get out of his shell.
The tom was nothing but skin and bones and matted fur when he was discovered, but now he was lean and toned, fattened up a bit and stronger. The warrior life was exactly what he needed. Gratitude couldn't even begin to explain how thankful he was to the group for taking him in. Now he just had to gain acceptance and prove himself amongst the masses.
Lost in thought and strolling, he nearly ran into the apprentice, and his attention returned to earth just in time for him to veer his path, nearly tripping on his paws and some snow kicked up. "Oh! Pardon me," he said, a deep, gruff voice emitted from his gullet as he dipped his head, giving a nervous, though rather toothy smile. His appearance was something that could spook if he caught someone just right. |
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 12, 2018 0:10:55 GMT -5
I said hey look Ma, I made it.
On any other day, Owlpaw would have heard the crunching of snow underfoot approaching him. On any other day, Owlpaw would have smelled the familiar scent of Bonemask drift downwind and towards his nose. On any other day, Owlpaw wouldn't have let out a startled screech as he lept to the tips of his toes, his muscles stiffening as he arched his back and rose his tail towards the sky as he scattered backward along the frozen log. On any other day.
Mint green eyes immediately rounded on Bonemask, his eyes narrowing to slits as the tom apologized, although he looked far from sorry. "Excuse me, Bonehead," Owlpaw immediately snapped at the older tom, all while forcibly straightening his spine and stalking forward. "I don't know what you gain from sneaking around like a little shit just days after a blasted fox attack," Retracting his claws, Owlpaw lifted one toe to jab at Bonemasks chest with one little, needle-sharp claw. "but I would kindly ask you to please, for the love of all things good, fucking stop."
Grumpily placing his rump back onto the ground, Owlpaw gave another huff of annoyance as he ran a paw down his face. So much for peace and quiet, the apprentice thought to himself. Shifting his gaze to look at Bonemask again, the apprentice looked him up and down with an unamused stare.
"You're one of the newest recruits, right? Joined just before we left that damn city if I'm remembering correctly. Glad you didn't turn out to be one of those other assholes," Owlpaw grumbled, remembering how Direstrait, a random city cat, introduced himself by biting Maplepaw directly on the leg. His Maplepaw. Owlpaw fucking hated Direstrait and couldn't wait for him to stop leeching off the Clans during the journey. Why the leaders allowed them to tag along in the first place was still beyond him. "But you still have a lot to learn, it seems."
"After all, you've been with us for a few months now and you still don't know how to pay attention to where you're going. Seriously, how did you become a warrior before me?" Owlpaw criticized, still feeling defensive after being startled. 365 words
|
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 12, 2018 11:23:30 GMT -5
WE'RE ALL A BIT CRAZY BONEMASK He only nodded like a submissive servant, ears swiveling back and flinching like he expected to get lashed out at. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry- I just got lost in thought is all- I didn't mean to scare you," he spoke quickly. Wow, Bone, you sure are making friends, aren't you? he mind scolded him, flinching slightly at his thoughts. "I should be more aware."
He swallowed hard, paws shuffling in the snow as he lowered his head. He cowered practically in front of the other tom, looking more scared than anything. He had seen alot in his life and he was barely twenty months old. His family slaughtered before him, he was chased and any place he sought shelter they made sure he payed for their 'kindness'. So here, he naturally expected the same. "It won't happen again, sir," he muttered, amber gaze peering up at the tom like a hurt puppy. It truly was a wonder how he became a warrior. He seemed tough and scary on the outside- his looks and gruff voice seemed to aid in that. But in the end he was nothing but a softy- a really friendly tom who was easily intimidated- even by Owlpaw.
"Yes- your group had found me on the brink of death- and I still am highly grateful to you all for taking me in," he said, keeping his head and eyes low. "I hope you can forgive me- I never meant to startle you in any way," he said with another dip of his head. |
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 12, 2018 12:18:58 GMT -5
I said hey look Ma, I made it. As Bonemask flinched away from him, Owlpaw felt the familiar twitch of his lip as it curled upward into a smirk. It wasn't very often that Owlpaw, in his whole seven inches of height and scrawny, malnourished state, was able to intimidate a cat despite the fact that he was almost always trying to. To deny it was an ego boost for the young tom would be a blatant lie, but it helped cement the fact that if he could scare a tom like Bonemask, what would stop him from scaring away a rogue with bad intentions, or Windclan cat that dared to fuck with Shadowclan?
The more Bonemask talked, the more Owlpaws brows began to knit together, his ego falling away as a bout of discomfort settled in his belly. This big tom, a cat Owlpaw was pretty sure had scared a few others just by walking up behind them when they weren't expecting it, was cowering at his paws and refusing to make eye contact with him. He called Owlpaw sir for god sake.
"Alright, alright," Owlpaw meowed after Bonemasks apology, his left paw flicking dismissively in front of him. "You don't have to beg for forgiveness Bonemask, you're a warrior and I'm an apprentice. You could have told me to just fuck off and deal with it." Owlpaw raised a brow as he fixated on Bonemasks face. "Something tells me you aren't that type of cat, though. What a shame, with that sort of intimidating appearance you'd be great at trash talking." There were plenty of polite cats in Shadowclan, but something was different with this tom. Perhaps it was due to him being so new to the midsts of it all, he still felt like he had to prove his worth.
"Maybe I was a bit too harsh, I'm not exactly known for being warm and bubbly to... outsiders." There really wasn't another word for it, if Bonemask still felt he had something he needed to prove, he wasn't really a Shadowclan cat yet in Owlpaws eyes. This came from his own experience as a loner who felt he had a whole lot to prove to his new Clan. "You're trying really hard to fit in around here, but you don't have too, take it from me. The hardest part is over already, you left whatever awful home you had and took the pledge to serve Shadowclan, right? I had to do it all once and look at me now! If any cat dared to tell me I wasn't a Shadowclanner these days I'd probably rip out their throat so they couldn't repeat that bullshit anymore." Owlpaw tilted his head to gaze at Bonemask before giving a small shrug of his shoulders, his fluffy tail coming to curl around his body to attempt and regulate his body heat. "I guess what I'm trying to tell you to do is relax. If the Clan can accept a bigmouthed apprentice like me, you'll fit in just fine." 499 words
|
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 12, 2018 13:06:40 GMT -5
WE'RE ALL A BIT CRAZY BONEMASK Rank was something Bonemask was oblivious to. He knew there was a leader, that was it. Passed that he was left in the dark and saw everyone higher than him. Even kits. He knew that a queen could put him in his place if he didn't bow down to their young. Maybe he had life a little twisted but it was how he lived in the moons after his family killed and before ShadowClan had discovered him. "Right, right- s-sorry-" he apologized again before he cut off with a sort of choke. "Er- not sorry- well, I mean, I'm sorry but I didn't... mean to... apologize again..." he rambled quickly for a moment before his voice faded and he lowered his head again.
He had alot to learn. Yes- he's spooked a few people in the passed, only to become scared himself when they lashed out, mistaking him as an enemy. "You'll have to forgive me- this group is the first not to lash out at me at every misstep," he explained. "Fitting in is something I have... never expected to receive after so long of never receiving acceptance," he admitted. "I'm used to always bowing down and submitting that it's become habit. It'll be a while before I get used to not having to brace for attack every wrong turn." He turned his gaze away, heaving his chest a moment "This clan- it's hospitality is something I've never seen nor experienced since my mother and siblings were still alive. There surely is good driving this group."
He was unendingly thankful to Fallenstar and his acceptance to let him join the clan. It was going to take some getting used to, but eventually he'll learn to open up a bit in the clan. |
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 13, 2018 13:41:41 GMT -5
I said hey look Ma, I made it.
Owlpaw raised one kitty brow as Bonemask began to apologize again before quickly correcting himself. The tabby apprentice simply chuckled in response, giving his head a small shake before fixing Bonemask with a curious look. This tom had a lot to learn, but Owlpaw felt confident that he could make Shadowclan his home. Unlike Ash, a rogue tom cat Owlpaw had met about a week ago, Bonemask had an air of determination to fit in that followed him everywhere he went. Realistically, he could either use that trait to make a name for himself, or he could totally let himself be crushed him by it if he got so inside his own head that he felt like he could never accomplish being a regular Shadowclan warrior. At some point, you had to stop worrying and realize that no-cat was looking at you differently.
For Owlpaw, the thing that truly cemented his role into the Clan was getting his apprentice name. But Bonemask was already a warrior, so... perhaps he needed to find friends or even a mate. Owlpaw wasn't a damn love counselor though, Bonemask would have to seek that out on his own. Owlpaw couldn't even figure out his own feelings for a certain she-cat.
As Bonemask began to talk about his previous settlements, Owlpaw twisted his ears forward as his curiosity only grew. Trying to act nonchalant, Owlpaw opened his mouth to ask, "What kind of groups have you previously been a part of? Personally, my Momma taught me never to trust any street cats, even if they promised to take me under their wing. I felt the same amount of surprise as you probably did when you stumbled on Shadowclan." Nodding his head, Owlpaw continued. "I think a good leader can really make or break a Clans attitude, and Fallenstar just happens to be a respectable tom who won't let others push him around. I'm sure if we had a nasty brute like Mushroomstar, things would be a little different around here." 335 words
|
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 18, 2018 21:44:08 GMT -5
WE'RE ALL A BIT CRAZY BONEMASK Bonemask didn't rightly see himself as a warrior, but he knew if he was ever going to be one, he had to believe he was one. He listened as Owlpaw spoke, nodding his head as he listened. "I stayed with anyone who gave me food," he said. "My Ma always showed me and my family the bright side of everything. She taught me and my brothers and sister even the darkest of cats have even the tiniest of good in them," he sighed. "So, I believed that my entire life, especially after she died," he admitted.
He listened further to his comments about Mushroomstar. He had heard quite a bit about the leader of WindClan, and it often confused him the harsh words that bounced between the clan. Not because he believed otherwise but rather because he didn't get a chance to properly see if he was as tyrannical as everyone made him out to be. He let his orange tipped tail flick absentmindedly. "What has he done, exactly?" he asked, tipping his head slightly. "I've heard so much about Mushroomstar- but it's all bad," he added, frowning with a genuine confusion. |
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Sept 21, 2018 12:30:13 GMT -5
I said hey look Ma, I made it. Owlpaw couldn't help but snicker to himself as Bonemask talked about the 'good' that was inside some otherwise bad cats. "I don't know if I buy that bullshit, but to each their own I guess." Owlpaw shrugged. "I've seen too many nasty bastards to believe they have any shred of decency in their bones."
"Personally, I don't hang around many Windclan cats so I haven't really heard any rumors, but I've been keeping an eye on him while we travel together." Narrowing his eyes as he sorted through his memories, Owlpaws long tail began to twitch in annoyance. "He's a lazy good for nothing who doesn't lift a single claw to help his own Clan. Lavenderpaw got herself killed helping Vipernose, our deputy, and Mushroomstar just allowed it to happen."
"I hate how a Windclanner had to save our skin, but I can't shame anyone who died for us." Owlpaws tail lashed, his fur prickling slightly as he glared down at the puffy pink wounds that trailed down his rib cage. The wounds were still in the process of scarring over, but they were still inflamed and irritated due to the Clans lack of medicine. "Mushroomstar only fights if he knows he has an easy target, such as when that damn rogue Direstrait strut into our group and attacked Maplepaw. He wants to steal any glory he can, but only if it doesn't put him in danger of losing a life, even though he claims he has nine of them." Spitting into the snow next to him, the tabby curled his lip. "He's a disgusting tom and I wouldn't fight for him or put my families life in his paws."
279 words |
|
