[murk]

THEY SAY WE CAN LOVE WHO WE TRUST, BUT WHAT IS LOVE WITHOUT LUST?

❝

The afternoon sunlight streamed thin and faint through the trees, washed-out in patches like watercolor paint. Otterbite of GorgeClan sneezed in the cold air, his short, light pelt fluffed up for warmth. Red dust lingered on on his gray-furred legs from the climb out of the ravine, a climb which he had grown used to these last six months living with the merged Clan.

A touch of unease stirred his heart, which he pushed away.

Focus, he told himself. If I start getting distracted all the time, I'll hardly be any better than Minktoes. The looming threat of apathy, abandonment issues, and general insecurity was something he could battle another time. Besides, he was so close to his goal for the day.

The goal was not hunting, checking scent-markers, or collecting moss to prepare for leaf-bare. Actually, it was technically that last one, but Otterbite had more important plans. The real goal was getting closer to a pretty little she-cat he'd been hoping to get to know better for some time now. It seemed like they were never on the same patrol together-- if he could steal a few moments away from the others and turn on the charm just right, she might agree to take a nighttime walk with him alone later. Otterbite trotted a little faster at the thought, blue eyes bright.

His ears swiveled back as a yowl of pain came from behind him. "What's going on back there?" he meowed, turning and loping back towards the other two members of the patrol. It looked like one of the apprentices had stepped on a thorn, which had driven itself deep into the tender pad.

"Ouch. You might want to look where you're stepping next time," Otterbite commented, flicking an ear. His own pawpads pricked uncomfortably-- it looked painful. "I hope you're not expecting me to pull it out," he added quickly, "That's a medicine cat's job." The thought of blood in his whiskers while trying to woo a she-cat made him shudder.

It was clear the injured party couldn't continue, so there was little choice but for someone to escort them back to camp. Otterbite's heart lifted. "I'm happy to stay and keep gathering moss," he offered, sitting down neatly and curling his tail around his paws. He turned to look at Robinflight with a long, lingering look. Blue eyes like leaf-bare sky blinked entreatingly, as if to say, won't you join me?

...As if she could refuse!

@fab ● sorry he's so presumptuous! ● 408 words

MADE BY MIZO

[♛ 𝔽𝕒𝕓𝕣𝕚𝕔𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟]

[googlefont=Cairo]

[attr="class","robin-content"]<sub>It was hard to get used to living so high up. Robinflight had spent her entire life with her paws firmly rooted on the even, flat ground of TreeClan’s cosy camp. She had never even really been that comfortable climbing trees, despite it being her birthright. But now, her new home perched at the top of a rocky outcrop seperated from the ground by several treelengths of empty space. Just as the earthquake had taken their home, it had forged a new one for them out of the ravine that now split through the valley. It was almost poetic.

There was work to be done, however. Serious work. With new kittens in the nursery, the first litter to be born to the young Clan, it was vital that the warriors who had chosen GorgeClan worked together to ensure their new camp was sturdy, safe, and prepared for the harsh season to come. Busy paws kept her mind from getting too busy, so Robinflight was all too happy to join the patrols setting out into the surviving forests to gather materials. Except for one problem… Otterbite. What was it with her and mousebrained toms? It seemed she couldn’t go a moon without having to put up with one silly tomcat or another. Did he think she didn’t notice the way he'd ogled her when her name had been called for the patrol?

She was even more unimpressed that the opportunity to be alone with the blue-point tom had presented itself. “Squeamish, Otterbite?” She asked with a raised non-existent brow, amused that he was afraid of pulling thorns out of pads. Before she could offer to escort the injured apprentice home, another altruistic warrior volunteered. Fantastic. “Right, moss.” She looked at Otterbite sceptically. “Let’s get going before it starts growing on you.”</sub>

Wordcount: 300
Tags: murk
Notes: Notes.

[newclass=".robin-content b"]color:#cf8500;[/newclass]

[murk]

THEY SAY WE CAN LOVE WHO WE TRUST, BUT WHAT IS LOVE WITHOUT LUST?

❝

Ogling Robinflight had its advantages. For one thing, he got quite a pretty view. For another, he was familiar with her type. The cute, quiet, secretly-interested-but-won't-make-the-first-move type. Good thing I don't have that problem.

"Alone at last," he purred as the patrol headed back down the gorge, the limping apprentice supported on one of the other warriors' shoulders. "Oh, sorry, did I say that out loud?" He shot a grin towards the tricolored she-cat, whiskers arching. "Guess I must have moss in my brain."

Leave them wanting more. Otterbite trotted past her into the treeline, skating around bushes and carrying his gray tail high.

"I'm not squeamish, by the way." His voice filtered back towards her as he wound his way through the Elder's Wood, brushing against trees, leaving his scent. "I just know what I'm good at. It's not medicine den duties. I have... other talents."

The blue-point siamese appeared behind one of the trees, rolling a ball of moss beneath one paw. He batted it to Robinflight with a mrrow of laughter. "Think fast!" 

It had been... awhile since he'd spent time alone with a she-cat. Otterbite liked to think it wasn't from lack of choice. After the Clans had merged, he'd just thought it was better to stand back and let the dust settle. Let the interested ladies come to him, so to speak. And if they hadn't, so what? 

The earthquake had uprooted everything. He hadn't been in a state to... play around.

But now was different. He was back on his game. He was feeling fine. The camp was being built, the worst was behind him, and he was ready to celebrate with someone. Maybe Robinflight, if things went well here. And they would, sooner or later. 

"You can try and guess, if you want," he said, tilting his head to one side. Blue eyes lingered on her. "What I'm good at. I'll give you... let's see... three guesses." He raised his tail, whiskers arching. It was a fine chance to both flirt and figure out what Robinflight thought of him—with his reputation, he was sure she could guess, but it might be fun to watch her dance around the truth.

And really, he had many special skills. There was just one in particular he wanted to use.

@fab ● many moons later murk replies ● 383 words

MADE BY MIZO

[♛ 𝔽𝕒𝕓𝕣𝕚𝕔𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟]

[googlefont=Cairo]

[attr="class","robin-content"]<sub>“Subtle as a fox on fire.” She commented wryly, burying her initial flustered blush beneath the most cutting sarcasm she could muster. “Then again, subtly is probably difficult when your brain is full of moss.” She sighed. How was it that she always ended up around these disastrous toms that knew just what to say to get her feeling embarrassed? Even more bewildering, they had all seemingly decided to settle in GorgeClan, with many of the more palatable characters wandering off to GaleClan and MistClan. StarClan knew why. She followed Otterbite through the trees, enjoying the warmth of sunlight brushing along her back as the slender tom rambled on.

She just barely managed to stop the rolling moss with her paw, white toes sinking into the soft green sprigs. “We’re supposed to collect it, not play with it, Otterkit.” She joked. “In case you hadn’t realised, this is meant to be for bedding, and now it’s all muddy.” She began stripping moss from the trunk of a tree, her pale white claws making quick work of the soft green material. “Snoozing on the job.” Was her first guess, gathering the moss in a pile by her side and mentally evaluating how many nests would need replacement bedding. “Irritating she-cats and preventing them from doing their jobs.” She turned to him, her whiskers twitching. “Avoiding medicine den duties?”</sub>

Wordcount: 227
Tags: murk
Notes: Notes.

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