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Post by Hellion on Mar 10, 2016 17:52:33 GMT -5
Loose ends, they tangle down And then take flight But never tie me down Gullswoop had woken just after the dawn patrol had left. His green eyes studied the emptiness of the warrior's den and sadly reminded him of their current condition. The Clan was painfully divided and left Gullswoop fearing for the safety of his Clan, would this division prove the end of RainClan? He knew deep down that if things got worse he'd seek refugee with his elder brother Hawkfall. Gullswoop prayed every night to StarClan to prevent that from happening. He also secretly prayed to StarClan that they would end Swanfeather's tyranny, surely a cat that used their ancestors to start a war wasn't worth crow food.
Blinking away those negative thoughts, Gullswoop rose up and left the warrior's den. He ook a moment to stretch and felt his bones pop. A light drizzle had started and didn't show signs of stopping. His thicker fur wasn't the best when wet but Gullswoop had come to enjoy the rain, it helped him feel clean considering the current mess his Clan was in. Eyeing the still meager fresh-kill pile, Gullswoop fought back the urge to eat and instead found his paws heading to the apprentice den.
"Coldpaw, I'm going train you to fish," His voice carried well within the apprentice den and few of the younger apprentices meowed in protest of Gullswoop's voice. The newleaf might be here but the stress and exhaustion of Leafbare still hung on their pelt. As the tabby waited for his apprentice, Gullswoop found himself a somewhat covered area that wasn't getting as much rain. words: 275 • tagged: Fawn • |
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Post by Fawn on Mar 14, 2016 19:20:39 GMT -5
Just when he had finally grown used to sleeping on an empty, withered stomach, his mentor's voice broke through the surface of sleep like a branch falling into the river. Doused with reality, he woke up alert, unsettling blue eyes fixed on the tall silvery-furred warrior in the apprentice den's entrance.
Gullswoop was not a strict mentor, and Coldpaw briefly considered pretending he hadn't heard the tom—but after the damage done when he'd refused to share the fish (grounded from the Gathering had been the punishment, though his peers were loath to let him forget his selfishness), Coldpaw knew it would be best if he started knitting his reputation back together.
Without responding, Coldpaw rose swift and silent as a ghost to step out into the cloudy light of morning, grooming his chest-fur down and wiping a damp paw over his ears. A gesture that was pointless, however, due to the drizzle. Coldpaw withheld a protest.
Fishing in the rain? That seemed pointless to him. Wouldn't the ripples on the river chase away the fish? And was the river thawed? Coldpaw listened, hearing the sound of the camp stream sluggishly make its way around the perimeter of their camp.
"Morning." Mewed Coldpaw, tone decidedly neutral. "Won't there be too much ice to fish?"
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Tags: Hellion
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Post by Hellion on Mar 22, 2016 1:21:18 GMT -5
Loose ends, they tangle down And then take flight But never tie me down Gullswoop nodded to his apprentice's words but let the silence carry on for a moment longer. He lead the young tom out of the camp and carefully picked the path to the river that avoided going near the traitorous group. It was only then did he decided to answer his apprenitce.
"Some senior warriors broke some of the ice. They aren't major openings but they are near the edge. The likely hood of actually getting prey is slim, but nonetheless we shall try." Gullswoop hadn't done much fishing in those cat created ice holes, but he knew of other warriors that had. Gullswoop's intentions were to train his apprentice but also to get out of camp, the negativity was making his fur crawl.
Despite feeling safe within RainClan territory, Gullswoop kept himself on high alert. The rebels might be quite a distances away but it was hard to tell if they wouldn't seek to harm the loyal cats.
"How are you feeling Coldpaw? I know the recent events are troubling." Gullswoop wanted to create a relationship like he and his mentor had. Timberstar was a trusted friend of both him and his late mother, surely Coldpaw could come to consider him as a friend.
Waiting for his apprentice to reply Gullswoop kept their pace brisk in order to reach the river promptly.
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Post by Fawn on Apr 20, 2016 18:45:30 GMT -5
"How are you feeling Coldpaw? I know the recent events are troubling."
Scenes of the violent altercation taking place between himself and Pikepaw flashed before the ice-white tom's eyes. Troubling felt like an inadequate word to describe those recent events. His tail-tip twitched, the only giveaway that he was withholding more acerbic commentary. "I feel fine." His voice was steady, his gaze even. His pace at his mentor's heels did not falter.
The incident itself did not bother him; he did not regret his actions—the only thing that gave him pause was Glowpaw's unfortunate injury, but he was quick to remind himself that it wasn't his fault. She had jumped into their fight, and she had paid the consequences for it.
His injuries had not been severe enough to earn him a place in the medicine cat's den (and given the heavy division in the Clan, this was a good thing), but he had woken up stiff-jointed a couple of days ago. A razor-thin scratch on his flank was still visible, and it would be the last major injury to heal. It secretly pleased Coldpaw that the brawl with the other tom would leave no serious lasting scars.
It wasn't for lack of trying.
Speaking of trying, Coldpaw directed his attentions back to the tall silver tom leading the way, and he offered a small, neutral commentary on Gullswoop's words earlier.
"I don't think it will last long." Obviously meaning the division. "The Clan will collapse, and maybe we'll make a new one. Will Timberstar exile Swanfeather and her supporters?"
Probably. They would probably make a new one. Regardless of blood purity, safety in numbers was still a sure-fire way to avoid death.
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Tags: Hellion
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Post by Hellion on Apr 28, 2016 19:47:36 GMT -5
And now my family is one again Stapled together with the strangers and a friend
His apprentice's reply might have been prompt and held some truth. But what Coldpaw hadn't realized is that his mentor had hidden behind a mask for most of his life and was able to tell that Coldpaw wasn't being totally honest. Gullswoop related more to Coldpaw in many ways, the missing parent, heritage that wasn't entirely 'pure'. The recent altercations between Swanfeather's initial claims had Gullswoop concerned if his clanmates shared the she-cat's belief but were too afraid to declare. them. Yet the emerald-eyed tom was also careful to not dwell on it too much. One of his mother's friend was the leader of RainClan, surely Timberstar would protect him from rumors out of loyalty.
Gullswoop hadn't been there with Pikepaw and Coldpaw fought, but he learned about it. There wasn't much discipline he could have dished out. The entire camp was on edge, punishing two starving apprentices would have made it worse. Instead Gullswoop gave his apprentice a stern talking and let the fight slide past them. He hadn't thought of it any issue anymore since newleaf had finally started to arrive.
As they neared the part of the river that the senior warriors had worked on, Gullswoop flicked his tail to stop Coldpaw. "We can only hope that RainClan will reunite peacefully," He told the younger cat, ensuring his words were heard. The last thing RainClan needed was clanmate killing clanmate, those wounds would never heal. But as for the matter of Swanfeather, Gullswoop had conflicting feelings toward the blue-eyed traitor. "Ottersplash is still in training, so we can only hope that he becomes a full medicine cat and then Timberstar can exile her and any supportors. Only then can those who were born of mix-blood can feel safe again," He told him, as he took up a space near one of the holes.
"Position yourself where you can see into the water and wait. Sometimes if you are lucky if you tap the water carefully the fish will think it's a bug, then you can catch it," He instructed Coldpaw, pointing with his tail toward a hole closer to the bank. It was pure safety precaution, if the ice gave way the apprentice would be close enough to the embankment to save himself.
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Post by Fawn on May 1, 2016 14:21:29 GMT -5
"Ottersplash is still in training, so we can only hope that he becomes a full medicine cat and then Timberstar can exile her and any supporters."
Well you're in luck, father. Soon enough, Whiteshade would have new quarry to hunt down on the moorlands. That was enough to warm his icy heart—Timberstar would exile them as a mercy, but they would find no peace in the cold, unforgiving wilds. There were beasts in this forest. Demons. And those demons enjoyed a good hunt.
With the promise of fear and suffering for those who called themselves purists, Coldpaw listened to Gullswoop with a keen expression, his mood considerably improved (subtle though it was). Tricking one's prey was a fishing technique that suited him; Coldpaw was a strong advocate for intelligence over might, though a proper hunter had both working in tandem as the situation called for it.
Coldpaw had very little imagination, but it was not hard for him to conjure a mental image of Pikepaw slapping the water in frustration—of putting his idiocy on display for the fish below the surface. A smile ghosted across the young pale tom, before it was lost under his intent to succeed. Doing as instructed, cautious white paws stepped onto the icy edge of the embankment, positioning himself near the opening. The water here was not sluggish, though the river was hardly back to its full roar. Coldpaw felt the ice through his paws, but he held his form, narrowing his eyes at the fishing hole, watching for any movements beneath the dark churning waters.
With a motion that could be described as almost dainty, Coldpaw snaked one paw forward, tensing the muscles in his forearm as he set the tip of his paw at the surface. Perhaps the pinkness of his paw-pads would appeal to them. Perhaps not.
Coldpaw flicked an ear for any additional commentary Gullswoop might've had, anticipating a correction here and a bit of advice there.
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Tags: Hellion
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Post by Hellion on May 2, 2016 19:23:41 GMT -5
And now my family is one again Stapled together with the strangers and a friend Finding comfortable silence wasn't the easiest thing to do, but the two toms were able to make it work. A the mentor, Gullswoop took a higher point compared to his apprentice. Doing his best to watch his form, offer any advice if he needed it.
Coldpaw however, was a diligent cat and that showed in the care he took in hunting. A small smile form on his mentor as he nodded in approval.
"Good work, make sure to relax when you feel it's right. If you are tense for too long your ability to react to a fish will be slowed," With his advice given, Gullswoop maneuvered himself to his own ice-fishing hole. He aligned himself carefully his paw ready to strike. Ice-fishing wasn't his greatest skill. He found the restrictions of the ice made it a challenge. He kept his attention split between his apprentice and the sluggish water below him. words: amount • tagged: whoever • |
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Post by Fawn on May 31, 2016 21:26:25 GMT -5
Had it not been for the abominably cold river ice, Coldpaw would have chosen a more relaxed posture—to lie upon his belly and let his paw dangle nonchalantly in the sluggish water. However, that was detestable for a myriad of reasons, not the least which being that the fur along his belly was not as thick as Lilackit's had been. His mentor was fortunate in that aspect; Coldpaw could see the fluff sticking up from his mentor's tufted paws. No wonder he suggested ice fishing; it was irritating for Coldpaw, but Gullswoop was well adapted to it.
As much as the thin-furred apprentice could manage, Coldpaw slowly relaxed his posture, and the slender limb attached to the alabaster paw began to slacken. Time passed. Coldpaw, already a master of observation and personal solitude, kept watch over the hole in the ice with an almost eerie concentration. He was intense in his focus, forgetting that normal cats often tried to make conversation during 'boring' moments.
It wasn't as if the fish could hear him. At last, the small part of Coldpaw's brain that pandered to proper social customs kicked him in the rump, and he made his mouth move again to form a question.
"Am I your first apprentice?" It wasn't confrontational or interrogative, but a calmly posed question as if asking what time of day this was.
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Tags: Hellion
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Post by Hellion on Jun 2, 2016 5:15:38 GMT -5
And now my family is one again Stapled together with the strangers and a friend Gullswoop was easily captured by his task. His green eyes studied the water, paws moved only when he deemed it fit to strike. His claws only able to sink into one small fish. It wasn't much, but considering the leafbare they had suffered it would prove filling to any belly.
He would after some time force himself to look toward Coldpaw to ensure the apprentice was doing alright. He felt guilty making him wait out in such cold water figured their training should come to an end. Coldpaw should head back in order to get warm and rest up. Endurance was an important part of training and Gullswoop didn't want to tire him out too quickly.
Just as he was about to say something he was stopped by Coldpaw's question. His silver and black years rotated back feeling put on the spot. Was it obvious he wasn't the best of mentors?
"Um yes, you are my first apprentice," He replied rising to his paws and moving the fish to the embankment.
"I think we've done enough finish, let's head back to camp and get warm," He offered, picking up the fish in his jaw and taking the lead, pausing to wait for the other tom. words: amount • tagged: whoever • |
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