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Post by Howlchaser on Apr 6, 2013 20:22:07 GMT -5
(This is the main RiverClan RolePlay thread) |
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Post by Howlchaser on Apr 6, 2013 23:37:17 GMT -5
It was Sunhigh when Strayheart crept out of the warrior's den. Already in a grumpy mood, as always.
Because he'd been dreaming the previous night, and most certainly of nothing he would proudly admit to.
Cats were smart to steer clear of him as he made his way to the fresh-kill pile, snatching a fish from it and all but tearing it apart once he found a place to settle and eat.
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Post by Sightless on Apr 10, 2013 18:17:37 GMT -5
"Look who's finally awake!" A soft voice had broken the quiet peace of the tom's meal, the she cat looked down at him with a good humored grin lighting her face, "Couple of us are heading out to hunt, don't suppose you want to join us, Strayheart."
Silverleaf flicked her ears towards a small hunting patrol, who looked rather impatient to get going, "It'll be fun...I bet I can catch more fish then you!"
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Post by Howlchaser on Apr 10, 2013 18:23:00 GMT -5
At first, when the voice broke his tranquility, Strayheart flinched as if some cat had yowled right next to his ear.
It was with frustrated eyes did he leer up at Silverleaf, and then to her hunting patrol. He'd already finished his meal, or, well, most of it at least, and didn't have anything better to do now. He figured it'd probably be smart to do something productive.
"Fine," he sighed, not even minding her challenge about fishing as he stood up and started for the camp exit. "May as well."
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Post by Sightless on Apr 11, 2013 6:32:33 GMT -5
"Don't sound so excited about it..." She fought back the urge to cuff him on his ears like a mother to a stubborn kitten.
With a happy skip she returned to the now five cat hunting patrol not wanting to look patronizing and wait for Strayheart, her paws itching to cool off in a nice river or the lake she responded to a question as they waited for the older tom.
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Post by Howlchaser on Apr 11, 2013 18:08:49 GMT -5
Strayheart said nothing. He joined the hunting party without complaint, following towards the back of the group as they left camp and headed for a quiet spot down the river.
As everyone took their perch along the riverbank, Strayheart opted to claim a place farthest from his Clanmates; with tail flagging behind him, he stared down in to the babbling water below, although for the first several minutes, he really made no effort to catch anything.
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Post by Sightless on Apr 12, 2013 6:22:55 GMT -5
She'd notice his seclusion but refrained from asking him to join the group as she felt she'd annoyed him enough already.
The silver she-cat stared down at the rippling water careful not to let her shadow be seen, left paw raised with her claws unsheathed ready to hook the next unlucky fish that crossed her vision.
One..two..NOW like lighting she grabbed a small trout purring like a kit until the fish wriggled free and slapped her nose with it's tail, "Ooooh fishguts!" she could feel her ears grow warmer with embarrassment.
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Post by Howlchaser on Apr 12, 2013 19:43:38 GMT -5
"Hah," one of their Clanmates cackled. "Nice try, Silverleaf!"
"Hey, Strayheart!" another called, looking across to where the gray tom was perched by the river. "Catch anything yet?"
Grumpy as ever, Strayheart shot a glare towards the other cats. "Does it look like I have? Why don't you stop yelling and scaring all the fish off, huh?"
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Post by Sightless on Apr 13, 2013 4:22:02 GMT -5
"Or should we say Silverpaw!" One laughed.
"Trust you to loose the first catch!" Another snorted discontentedly.
Silverleaf giggled with them, "Hey at least I'm having fun!" her high mood dropped at Strayheart's comment, in fact as she looked at all the others they're moods seemed to have darkened a bit.
"Aww come now Strayheart, it's just a bit of fun," she took a few small steps towards the grumpy tom before crouching in a playful pose, ears twitching in a silly manner just to get a glimmer of a smile out of him, "You know the stuff that keeps your fur from falling out?!"
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Post by Howlchaser on Apr 13, 2013 19:36:07 GMT -5
While their Clanmates grinned and even laughed along, Strayheart...
...Well... he looked grumpy enough to scare away a bunch of dogs just by looking at them.
"Are you a kit or something?" he growled, leering sharply at Silverleaf. "We're supposed to be hunting. Not having fun."
"Sheesh, you're a grump," another cat sighed with a roll of his eyes. "What crawled in your ear this morning to make you this angry?"
"Remember? Strayheart's always this angry," another groaned. "It's like he just hates everyone for everything."
That--that managed to get a rise out of Strayheart, even as small as it was. Probably only Silverleaf would notice, since she was so close; that is, when his eyes darted up in surprise, and then his ears twitched backwards as he mumbled, "I don't hate anything..."
But the two weren't paying attention, and kept talking as if their Clanmate wasn't sitting just a few tail-lengths away. And every single thing they said just made his ears wilt further and further.
"Yeah, I mean, ever since he was an apprentice, right?"
"I think so. That sounds pretty accurate. I don't pay much attention to young cats, but I'm pretty sure that I noticed him and his awful attitude right away."
"His parents were RiverClan, weren't they?"
"Maybe he's got ShadowClan ancestry! They're all pretty grumpy, aren't they?"
Strayheart didn't sit to hear any more. With a heavy sigh, and without even glancing at Silverleaf, he pulled himself up to his paws and padded away from the river, keeping his head and tail low as he left.
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Post by Sightless on Apr 14, 2013 6:42:55 GMT -5
"Ho-hold up!" Her mew wavered with confusion and anxiety as she watched Strayheart's reaction, her head whipped round to the other cats who carried on their hurtful commentary.
The quiet and soft spoken she-cat dipped her head down in shame feeling responsible for this mess, with a deep breath she faced her clanmates neck fur rising up just like her voice, "That was just rude! There's no need to act like a bunch of flea bitten elders!"
Without waiting to see their reactions she sprinted to catch up with Strayheart slowing down so she was just behind him, "You know I'm not used to seeing you with your tail so low." Silverleaf purred warmly to sooth Strayheart, "It's going to get all dirty like that!"
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Post by Howlchaser on Apr 14, 2013 15:58:50 GMT -5
While one probably would have expected Strayheart to keep walking, maybe ignore Silverleaf all together, the warrior actually stopped in mid-step. His ears perked up, but not once did he turn to look at Silverleaf directly. Even his voice carried to it a dejected tone as he sighed.
"What do you want, Silverleaf?"
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Post by Sightless on Apr 15, 2013 3:08:35 GMT -5
"What do I want...oh um..I didn't think this far ahead...umm," she dipped her head with embarrassment as she'd expected Strayheart to ignore her, "I um...well..you see..."
Well I'm certainly not a medicine cat, that's for sure
Form the deep corners of her mind she remembered something her mentor had once told her, looking back up at him she smiled and purred, "You shouldn't let them get to you. You are who you are and that makes you a wonderful cat...even if you hate almost everything."
She dipped her head in respect before doubling back, not wanting to bother the tom cat any longer.
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Post by Howlchaser on Apr 15, 2013 8:56:03 GMT -5
Yet as she turned to go, there was nothing from Strayheart; nothing until he craned his neck around to look at her retreating form.
And then, quietly, before she could get too far: "W...wait."
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Post by Sightless on Apr 15, 2013 9:40:57 GMT -5
Her left ear twitched back only just catching the faint 'Wait' she stopped mid paw step and turned her head back to look at Strayheart, eyes hopeful and bright, "Yeah?"
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Post by Howlchaser on Apr 15, 2013 11:36:29 GMT -5
There came a moment of hesitation; as if Strayheart's brain caught up with itself and he realized what he was doing.
Still, despite that brief moment of nothing, he found himself turning to face Silverleaf completely--even approaching a step or two.
"I... c-could I... confide something in you?"
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Post by Sightless on Apr 15, 2013 12:34:17 GMT -5
Her heart dropped, he sounded so nervous and scared she closed her eyes and sent a quick prayer to Starclan that he wasn't dying or falling into a worser fate.
Swallowing a lump in her throat Silverleaf padded forwards closing their distance so he'd feel safer in whatever he was about to share.
"You can trust me."
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Post by Howlchaser on Apr 15, 2013 13:01:32 GMT -5
Strayheart dipped his head in a nod, although he found himself glancing in the direction they had come from; their Clanmates were still sitting there, now looking in their general direction in curiosity and obvious interest.
Hesitance again. Slowly, Strayheart returned his eyes to Silverleaf. "Um... let's walk," he suggested quietly, nodding in another direction and taking it upon himself to lead the way.
Naturally, he was silent until he felt they were at a sufficient enough distance from their Clanmates--he really just didn't want any prying ears. Once he felt they were far enough, he sat in his spot and, with a very deep breath to soothe himself, turned again to Silverleaf.
"I... I don't hate anyone. I just, I have this... this secret that I don't want anyone to find out about. I'm... I guess, I don't know--I'm not scared of how anyone will react. I just don't want anyone to... you know, make a big deal about it."
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Post by Sightless on Apr 15, 2013 14:42:00 GMT -5
She rested her tail on his shoulder to sooth and comfort him, her eyes pools of worry she tried to hide as her mind raced at just what the tom was going to tell her.
Please let him be okay
"Take your time," She murmured encouragingly, "I for one will never judge you."
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Post by Howlchaser on Apr 16, 2013 9:22:57 GMT -5
For the longest time, there came nothing.
And then, everything.
In a murmured tone Strayheart confided in Silverleaf all the worries and insecurities he had about being labeled as 'different,' because he didn't like she-cats romantically, he thought they were okay, smart, and they could be very pretty, but he preferred toms instead, and that was why he seemed so angry all the time--because he figured that he must be the only cat in the whole forest to think this way, and that there must have been something wrong with him because how could StarClan allow it to happen in the first place? He'd figured that being a grump would push away all his Clanmates enough to just not want to talk to him ever, and that way they wouldn't find out about his secret, but they were pushing him away and bullying him too and that wasn't what he'd originally planned--
Eventually, when he finished his story, it ended with him lying flat on his belly on the ground, ears drooping and tail all but lifeless.
"I, I just don't know what to do anymore. I had to tell someone."
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