[Deleted]

Lichenfrost

58 Moons, TreeClan, (S) Warrior

I've got a heart full of pain
A head full of stress

Camp was slightly crowded on this sudden chilly morning. It was the day after the gathering and, as usual, Lichenfrost was grumpy. She had woken up in a freezing nest, her summer-thin pelt only blocking out the worst of the cold, and she had snapped at a Rainclan warrior the night before - arousing many of the other warriors' curiosity. What's more! Fogsight had started ignoring her. Why? Lichenfrost had no clue but it was bugging her more than it had business being... buggy.

Subtly, the silver she-cat lifted her head, turning away from grooming her damp pelt, to look at Fogsight's stirring form. Her ears flicked back involuntarily and her eyes narrowed as the other warrior rose from their nest and left the warrior's den, without so much as a glance back. How dare she. Snorting with anger, Lichenfrost rose from her nest and stomped after Fogsight, hissing at a warrior who had lifted his head to complain about her loudness.

"Hey Fogsight!" Lichenfrost yelled, staring at the back of the she-cat. Her thick fur fizzled up in anger as she was ignored, Fogsight left the camp and didn't even flick an ear to acknowledge her. The silver warrior hissed out of confusion. Why was she being ignored? What had she done? She couldn't think of anything but Fogsight was one of the few cats that she didn't not get along with. As stubborn as mule, Lichenfrost stalked after Fogsight - making a great show of following the she-cat by making her footsteps as heavy and dragging as possible.

They kept walking in silence until the smells of fellow clan cats faded under the thick, frosty smell of the forest. The fur around Lichenfrost's neck had fluffed up like a scarf against the cold, the warrior getting increasingly grumpy the longer the silence went on. "HEY! STOP IGNORING ME!" She finally snapped like an angry kit, her tail lashing as she stomped to a halt.

A handful of anger inside my chest

❆

dont ignore me senpai williams

[williams]

into that bright world to I go

It was not typical behavior for the young warrior to ignore another warrior, especially one her senior. Yet the gathering events still rang clear in her mind, the words spoken repeating as the gathering pack had traveled home and as Fogsight settled into her nest. The whole walk back and even getting ready to sleep, the small warrior had kept her distance from Lichenfrost, purposefully. Waking up to a new day had not quieted the feelings, new frustrations stirring when Fogsight stretched and got herself ready. Maybe hunting will help clear my mind, She thought, shaking off the last bits of moss. With Ashtail's methods of storing her memories starting to unfold, Fogsight headed out of camp, unaware of her name being called.

The forest air immediately struck Fogsight in the chest, causing her to inhale sharper than intended. Leaf-fall is on its way, She noticed, then focused again.

"Imagine each thought like a bird," her mentor's voice filled her head, the memory brought back as easily as taking a step forward. Suddenly Fogsight was an apprentice again, a small she-kit with fur too long for her size, and a mind hurting from an unseen ailment. "Imagine this bird, along with others are currently trapped in your head, like your head is the forest canopy above us." The small apprentice nodded, eyes scrunched up tight. "Look up at the trees, and notice the nests up in their branches. Each bird belongs in a nest, that's it's home. Follow each bird, and bring it back home Fogpaw."

"HEY! STOP IGNORING ME!" A voice drew Fogsight out of the memory, first by tilting her ears back to find the source, then with a full turn to face said source. A very grumpy looking Lichenfrost met her gaze and Fogsight almost laughed at the image. The warrior was all fluffed up, like she was ready to brawl with an unsuspecting badger, or bear even. She hadn't actually meant to ignore her clan mate as she left camp, which as she thought back, she most certainly had. "Hello Lichenfrost, what can I do for you?" Fogsight said in response, keeping her amusement out of her voice. Technically, she was still annoyed at the outburst Lichenfrost had caused at the gathering, over something that shouldn't have mattered so deeply do the warrior. But Fogsight wanted to hear her friend's thoughts first, maybe they would give insight on why she responded in such a way to the Rainclan tom's words.

@medusa | words: 414 | notes: n/a

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[Deleted]

Lichenfrost

58 Moons, TreeClan, (S) Warrior

I've got a heart full of pain
A head full of stress

Wh- Bwuh- Whu- What can she do for me? Lichenfrost's ears flattened and she opened her mouth to retort before pausing, Fogsight's neutral response catching the she-cat off guard. She shook her head harshly and marched over to Fogsight, her temper and need to match the other cat's neutrality conflicting over how should she walk - ending up with Lichenfrost stumbling forward in a strange stiff-legged skip before she managed to walk normally, hissing with embarrassment. 

Why was she like this? With her siblings, Lichenfrost's guard could relax and she could laugh and love like any other cat. With the other warriors, her guard was like an icy wall, keeping her wit and tongue sharp. However, with cats in between, known as friends, Lichenfrost was like a clumsy mess - uncertain whether to put up the wall or put it down, resulting in humiliating displays like this one.

"Yes, there is something you can do for me." She growled, her tail stirring against the ground. The silver she-cat paused, planning out her words before saying them. "Why are you ignoring me for no reason?" Lichenfrost questioned with hidden hurt. She was used to cats that already disliked her ignoring her, but Fogsight had usually been willing to talk before - which made her sudden cold shoulder both frustrating and perplexing.

A handful of anger inside my chest

❆

dont ignore me senpai williams

[williams]

into that bright world to I go

It became even more clear to the warrior that her actions had deeply upset her friend-which itself was a concept unfamiliar. Fogsight hadn’t considered many of the warriors of her clan friends. She was loyal to them, but she wouldn’t seek them out for comfort. Something about the grumpy warrior drew Fogsight in, made her want to follow, seek her out in a crowd. Perhaps this is what happened when friends fight, she thought, watching Lichenfrost awkward stumble as she crossed closer. Maybe she feels like I do, unsure how to be a friend to someone so different. Fogsight knew her perspective would have to be shared, how to find those words without starting a fight however, would be a challenge. The hurt of her action was already there, her job now was not to feed the negative emotions.

“Ignoring you for no reason?” She said, first soft then with clarity as she continued. “Lichenfrost, you don’t listen to words, not even if they were prey that landed in your lap. I’m sure if you thought back you would find the reason.” Fogsight sighed internally at herself. She didn’t mean to show sharp, she truly did want Lichenfrost to understand. “I was ignoring you because sometimes self-reflection is better than another telling you what they saw. Only you know your own perspective.”

@medusa | words: 221 | notes: i know you want explosive, and you'll get it. probably. also I love these two??

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[Deleted]

Lichenfrost

58 Moons, TreeClan, (S) Warrior

I've got a heart full of pain
A head full of stress

Lichenfrost leaned forward, her ears pricked as Fogsight started speaking softly. She didn't usually listen properly to cats that weren't her relatives - why would she care what they had to say - but she was going to find out what was up, even if it killed her.

“Ignoring you for no reason? Lichenfrost, you don’t listen to words, not even if they were prey that landed in your lap. I’m sure if you thought back you would find the reason.”

"I do listen..." She muttered like a grouchy kit, not listening. What did she mean think back? A brief rummage through her memories brought up no times she had insulted Fogsight, the she-cat had never made Lichenfrost angry enough to insult. 

The silver she-cat was not remembering the way she had so cruelly insulted Rushwhisker in Fogsight's presence - raking fresh cuts into a painful memory without meaning to. To her, the Rainclan cat was of no importance in this discussion.

“I was ignoring you because sometimes self-reflection is better than another telling you what they saw. Only you know your own perspective.”

What does that even mean? Lichenfrost sat down heavily, letting out a strong huff without any true feeling behind it. Self-reflection about what? She had nothing to self-reflect about, she had done no wrong. Maybe Fogsight was reflecting?

"Did you do something bad?" She asked, the true target of Fogsight's words going right over her head. "I didn't notice if you insulted me or something, so it's fine." Lichenfrost added with a shrug, her ignorance most likely making the situation worse.

A handful of anger inside my chest

❆

lichen no, lichen you'll make her angry williams

[williams]

into that bright world to I go

A laugh couldn't help but bubble up at the question presented, a quiet snort of disbelief. Of course. Lichenfrost thought one of her own clanmates had done something to result in Fogsight's behavior. As if the gathering hadn't factored into her thoughts. It spoke wonders about the she-cat's thoughts on other clans, a discovery that shouldn't be new yet here she was, surprise appearing. Fogsight thought back to the gathering quickly, remembering the shock of hurt that had appeared on Lichenfrost's face before she had stormed back to camp. The correct reaction she supposed, would be to apologize rather than ignore. She had sided, in her friend's opinion, with the other clan cat. But what was done, was done.

"No, it wasn't me." She replied, her answer coming quickly after a little head shake. "I'm sure if it was, we wouldn't be having this talk. You have an unfortunate habit of scaring cats away." With a gentle gesture of her tail, Fogsight encouraged Lichenfrost back to her feet, finding her thoughts better motivated by walking. They would probably startle some prey away by walking through it, but the forest was lively and would recover from one little chat.

Fogsight focused on her paws for a second, finding her footing both physically and mentally. It was not easy to be vulnerable. "I am upset because you snapped at that Rainclan tom. I understand your hatred for them, but he agreed with you. Rainclan's actions were intolerable." She looked over at Lichenfrost, unsure if actually sharing this would help, or if her own anger would boil back up again. The smaller warrior was always more keen on talking through things, yet she was sure with their combination of sharp and blunt tongues, a fight could develop. "Yet he chose loyalty over his heart. Isn't that something we want in a clan cat, to be loyal?" The question was left open for Lichenfrost to engage in, hopeful that she would take the bait. Fogsight hadn't stopped thinking on that since the gathering. What was more important? Love, loyalty? Something she didn't even comprehend yet?

@medusa | words: 351 | notes: fog's unbothered apparently. I tried for ages to get her riled up and she said nah. Also real excited to dive into the mate thing they both feel b/c I think fog's confused about her feelings towards lichen

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[Deleted]

Lichenfrost

58 Moons, TreeClan, (S) Warrior

I've got a heart full of pain
A head full of stress

Lichenfrost's ears twitched at Fogsight's answer, almost eagerly getting to her paws to follow the she-cat's gesture. This was the first time some cat hadn't told her to get lost after they've been upset with her, and Fogsight's calm response had her feeling giddy for some reason - like a kit that has caught its first butterfly. But, if it wasn't Fogsight that did something bad, who could it possibly be?

The silver warrior's thoughts flickered about Fogsight's last words. A habit of scaring cats away. She hadn't recognized this habit in her actions before, but now that her focus was on it, it was clear as day. Lichenfrost remembered a time when she didn't get snappy with every cat that looked at her funny. The she-cat frowned; when did she get defensive? ...Her apprentice moons? Bitterness swelled in her chest as she remembered her useless mentor and the first time she realized that Lionstar was outright ignoring she and her siblings.

The bitterness evaporated almost instantly as Fogsight spoke again, Lichenfrost's full attention turning on the she-cat.

"I am upset because you snapped at that Rainclan tom. I understand your hatred for them, but he agreed with you. Rainclan's actions were intolerable."

Lichenfrost's tail bristled in discomfort. She hadn't meant to snap at Rushwhisker, he had just surprised her and she went on full defense, and he had agreed with her - like Fogsight said. The silver she-cat stared at the ground, not wanting to admit that there was a very very very slim chance that she had been in the wrong at the gathering.

"Yet he chose loyalty over his heart. Isn't that something we want in a clan cat, to be loyal?"

Her ears perked with interest, locking eyes with Fogsight as her thoughts churned in her mind; planning out her words for once before saying them. "I believe... that cats should be loyal to the cats they love. I swear my loyalty to the cats I adore, not the clan I was sworn in at birth." Lichenfrost paused, wondering if there were any words she wanted to say.

"Love doesn't discriminate and it doesn't care for borders, it's more powerful than Starclan and the warrior code, in my opinion." She meowed with a nod. The silver warrior would follow her heart over the code, if the pull was strong enough. The cats she loves, Sprucefur and Appleshade and..., had always supported her and cared for her as much as she did them. The code... what had the code done for her? Not much, in comparison.

An awkward unknown feeling twinged in Lichenfrost's chest and forced her paws to shuffle strangely as a question arose in her mind. "H-Have you ever been in love, Fogsight?"

A handful of anger inside my chest

❆

two confused kitties sittin in a tree williams

[williams]

into that bright world to I go

With Lichenfrost walking at her pace, an undefined knot left the warrior's chest. There was no fear, currently, of a fight forming. They would be able to talk came the relieved thought. Fogsight pricked her ears in interest as the pair locked eyes. She could see Lichenfrost's thoughts churn and find the correct words to reply with.

"I believe... that cats should be loyal to the cats they love. I swear my loyalty to the cats I adore, not the clan I was sworn in at birth. Love doesn't discriminate and it doesn't care for borders, it's more powerful than Starclan and the warrior code, in my opinion."

A full shiver traveled across Fogsight's spine, the depth of Lichenfrost's words hitting her full in the chest without warning. She hadn't thought of it that way before. Even as an apprentice, Fogsight dedicated herself to her clan, to make it strong and to make herself a strong warrior that her clan could be proud of. She blinked, mouth open to respond but found herself speechless. Love was powerful. Thoughts swirled back to the gathering, sitting alone, not exactly listening to the leader's proud voices proclaim their clans the best, without offending the others gathered there. It was all for show, while the two cats who loved fiercely, had left. Oh.

"H-have you ever been in love, Fogsight." "Oh, ah-" Now it was her turn to feel embarrassment, a flush of warmth spreading across her face. Her eyes looked downward, tracing the small paths made by the forest creatures instead of forming the solid bond she had just been making between their eyes. "No, I suppose not. I," Fogsight paused, a sadness welling up in her chest. "I have always dedicated myself to the clan. Quite like a medicine cat I guess, loving them all." She laughed at herself, unable to share the truth of why she hadn't settled down. No one caught her interest truthfully. She always wanted kits, to raise them proudly, to curl up with her mate each night, knowing there was one specific cat to fight for. But that commitment, it frightened her. She had known of mothers losing their kits, or a loved one not returning from a fight. That fear kept her from seeking another's company. Yet she sought out Lichenfrost, behaved as a younger warrioress would by chilling her attention towards the other she-cat. She has seen that behavior before. Suddenly struck by her own actions, Fogsight looked back up. Was that love? Did Lichenfrost love her? After all, she did seek her out, as the toms would.

"I'm sorry for ignoring you Lichenfrost." She deflected, her chest tight with the prospect her thoughts provided.

@medusa | words: 449 | notes: ooooooooh~

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[Deleted]

Lichenfrost

58 Moons, TreeClan, (S) Warrior

I've got a heart full of pain
A head full of stress

Lichenfrost's tail twitched with concern as Fogsight stared at her, mouth agape. The she-cat struggled to believe that her words had that much of an impact - she was known for being callous and deep with her words, the only shock gained from venomous quips. Her ears flattened in embarrassment and she stared hard at the ground; they were just talking about love, Appleshade rarely shuts up about the love she feels for her mate when Lichenfrost's around. So why did talking about it with Fogsight make her heart thud almost painfully?

Probably just allergies. She thought, pale green eyes locking on the dusty forest floor with suspicion.

"Oh, ah-"

Lichenfrost's gaze snapped back up the she-cat as she begun to answer her question. Curiosity burned at the back of her mind, as hungry as a fox in leafbare.

"No, I suppose not. I-" Lichenfrost's tail flopped against the ground as disappointment surged like a muddy wave through her ribcage. Wait, disappointment? The silver she-cat pondered over this feeling. Why would she feel disappointed by her response? Did she hope that Fogsight was in love?

Lichenfrost shook at her fur as she came to the most obvious conclusion. With Fogsight's intensity and Lichenfrost's... meaner intensity, the two were different from the others. She must've wanted to know if it were possible to fall in love, despite their differences with their fellow warriors. Alas, Fogsight's answer was no, so she was disappointed. Although the answer didn't feel right in her head, Lichenfrost was 100% sure it was right!

...50% sure.

Nodding agreement to herself, Lichenfrost's ears perked as she saw Fogsight look back at her. There was an odd expression in the warrior's eyes, one that Lichenfrost could not place. Was she sick? The silver warrior hoped not, leaf-fall and leafbare were difficult seasons for sickness. 

"I'm sorry for ignoring you Lichenfrost."

Lichenfrost's eyes flared in surprise. That was the last thing she'd expect to hear. "I-It's fine." She stuttered out, she wasn't used to being apologized to. "I probably did something, I always do. I'm sorry for asking an awkward question." She mewed, feeling that same disappointment flare up again.

A handful of anger inside my chest

❆

its allergies williams

[williams]

into that bright world to I go

Another quiet laughed bubbled up, louder this time, more like a true sound. "You did," Fogsight replied, her voice kinder than her previous assertion of this same fact had been. Now her mind was leaping into action, returning to a previous conversation, to that funny loner who refused to simply leave, and complimented her more in that single moment than any tom cat of Treeclan had.

Is that what this is?

"But it's also who you are, getting to the truth, one question at a time."With a gentle nudge of her shoulder, Fogsight pushed against Lichenfrost with affection. 

How do I feel about her? Do I love her too?

"What about you? Surely someone caught your eye with such a reaction towards Rushwhisker's choice." A joking purr caught in her throat. She was interested, almost too much so now.

Did loving a she-cat equal loving a cat from another clan? What did Starclan think?

Well.

Screw what Starclan thinks. I deserve love as much as any cat.

Fogsight shook her shoulders to shake away the thoughts, hiding the action with a murmur as if something had landed on her and required her removal. It was an awkward gesture, but it had to be done. The fear was starting to creep back in. She couldn't lose Lichenfrost over love, especially after already apologizing for ignoring her. The warrior would be insufferable if Fogsight let her fear grab hold.

@medusa | words: 255 | notes: whoo is in love, uhoh~!

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[Deleted]

Lichenfrost

58 Moons, TreeClan, (S) Warrior

I've got a heart full of pain
A head full of stress

Lichenfrost glanced down at Fogsight, feeling slightly surprised as the she-cat bumped her affectionately. Her spine shuddered as her heart began to pound again, almost like how it did before battle except somehow more intense. She had no clue what it meant and it frustrated her. Maybe Appleshade could help, she was far better with emotions than the silver warrior.

"What about you? Surely someone caught your eye with such a reaction towards Rushwhisker's choice."

Embarrassment flared up her pelt like a forest fire and Lichenfrost turned her green eyes to stare a hole into the ground. Questions about love, they always made her skin prickle. Did she love anyone? She loved her siblings, but she knew that that wasn't what Fogsight meant. The silver cat felt something twinge in her chest but she couldn't quite grasp what it was, her mind so close but so far from what was lurking inside her heart.

It didn't matter anyway, not with the anger she was known for. No sane tom would ever want a mate with such a short temper or venomous tongue. Besides, what would it matter, what with what Frost's appearance could mean ... She snorted quietly, feeling her walls slowly start to creep up again.

"Doesn't matter if I do, I doubt there's a cat alive that could love someone like me..." Lichenfrost muttered, scratching her claws against the dirt. Who could? She wouldn't love someone like her, sometimes she doubted even her siblings could keep up with her harsh words. 

A handful of anger inside my chest

❆

smad :( williams

[williams]

into that bright world to I go

"Doesn't matter if I do, I double there's a cat alive that could love someone like me." The words fell like stones in Fogsight's stomach, heavy and unyielding. Surely the pair of them could find someone. Treeclan had many warriors, some who just wanted quick flings, or to pass on their lineage without the bonds of a family. Fogsight and Lichenfrost were no different than other Treeclan warriors really. They had opinions, and chose to be proud in their duties. Was that not desirable? Were toms really that stupid? Fogsight looked back up at Lichenfrost, a frown growing on her face.

"If any Treeclan tom was smart enough, they'd look past your words and see a very strong warrior underneath. You can deeply about your siblings, and stand up for yourself." She said, her tail flicking with the slight desperation her feelings had. Using her smaller height to her advantage, Fogsight ducked underneath Lichen's bowed head to make eye contact. Her next words came out softer, anger evaporated to shed a little light on what the warrior was feeling herself. "You really are a good friend to have, Lichenfrost. If a cat can't see that, then they are missing out."

@medusa | words: 216 | notes: n/a

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[Deleted]

Lichenfrost

58 Moons, TreeClan, (S) Warrior

I've got a heart full of pain
A head full of stress

"If any Treeclan tom was smart enough, they'd look past your words and see a very strong warrior underneath. You can deeply about your siblings, and stand up for yourself."

Lichenfrost hunched her shoulders more, uncertain how to respond to that. Surely not all the toms were stupid, yet none have done as she said. Still, her words made her fur prickle uncomfortably. Maybe some cats didn't like their partners to be stronger than they are, like it made them less than them. She snorted. How stupid.

The silver she-cat jumped as Fogsight's head appeared under hers, a slight frown on the other she-cat's face. Their noses were almost touching - making Lichenfrost's heart threaten to break through her ribcage for the third time. Seriously, what was wrong with herself? Fogsight's doing this on purpose somehow.

"You really are a good friend to have, Lichenfrost. If a cat can't see that, then they are missing out."

Lichenfrost blinked rapidly, eyes wide with surprise. She hadn't heard such kind words in a very long time. Her mind felt stuck and her mouth opened and closed like a fish as she tried to form a response. Curling her tail around her paws, Lichenfrost shuffled backwards a little bit.

"T-Thanks Fogsight... I consider you a good friend too." She said, the word 'friend' feeling wrong in her mouth. Best friend, perhaps? No, still felt wrong, besides, Fogsight being her only friend did not mean she was her best friend. Only friend... The thought made Lichenfrost's chest ache again but she shoved the feeling down, adding to the pressure  building inside of her brain without realizing it.

A handful of anger inside my chest

❆

do you wanna end it next post or keep going? williams

[williams]

into that bright world to I go

Fogsight sat back up at Lichenfrost's shuffle, her own heart pounding in her ears. Why had she gotten so close? She didn't want to chase the she-cat away, that's why her words had been so kind, to help Lichenfrost see what Fogsight felt.

"T-Thanks Fogsight... I consider you a good friend too." She let out a purr in response. Butterflies filled her belly, the thought of actually finding someone making her paws light and her breath fast. . Friend was good. Friends meant they would spend more time together, and care for each other. That was a good step forward right?

"Well," She licked her chest fur in embarrassment, trying to smooth the extra fluff that appeared with her flustered feelings. "With that sorted, would you join me on a hunting patrol? The elders would appreciate something without feathers and I know you enjoy hunting in the undergrowth the most." Fogsight stood up, flicking her tail for Lichenfrost to join her deeper into the forest.

@medusa | words: 181 | notes: and done <3

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