The future's in your paws. Shape it well.Roleplay in a cat Clan of warriors. Based off the Warriors series by Erin Hunter. Takes place in an AU before the cats in the books existed.
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Subject: wild blue yonder [C] Thu 16 May 2024 - 12:41
PIGEONPOUNCE
Life gives you lemons...
Pigeonpounce found she rather enjoyed the late evenings. The world got quieter then, and for all the energy she portrayed, she was grateful to have the time to slow down. It helped that everything was beautiful at dusk, all trimmed in lilac and golden. The water sparkled and every stalk of plant life glowed like firebrands. These final patrols of the day were ones Pigeonpounce would rarely bring herself to complain about--especially not when they came with good company.
She peeled her gaze away from their surroundings to blink toward Scarletflare. He was rarely far from her, but she still appreciated being able to patrol with him. Especially a simple border patrol, where it was more like a friendly walk than real walk. It was different--better--than just having his shadow linger nearby. Especially since Murkyriver had pointed out that the dedicated way he followed her was no different than the way Murkyriver stalked Dovetail… save for the fact that Pigeonpounce could grasp the implication of the latter. She could not apply the same line of thinking to Scarletflare. ...could she? Why did it make her ears burn whenever she tried to?
Pigeonpounce tossed her head to shake the thoughts out. She didn’t want to entertain them for too long. To aid in preventing their return, she opened her mouth and began to chatter. ”Geez,” she puffed out with a snort. ”It’s nice t’ actually have some peace ‘n’ quiet for once, ain’t it? Feels like ‘t’s been… I dunno. Way too long since there was any.”
Subject: Re: wild blue yonder [C] Fri 24 May 2024 - 6:56
you don't know love
Scarletflare found it refreshing to walk in step with Pigeonpounce, not a few steps behind or a few steps ahead. A patrol was a perfect excuse to do just that. The night was cool and quiet, the newleaf breeze seeming to carry a promise--he couldn't put a name to it, though; only knew that it was there. The promise of warmer weather and soft rain, maybe.
That was the safe answer, wasn't it?
At the same time, moments like this--where he wasn't forcing himself to stand at a distance or running forward on an emotional impulse--often felt few and far between. He wanted to treasure each of them as they deserved.
(The thought that those memories weren't the only thing he wanted to keep close to his heart danced at the edge of his mind, shoved as firmly aside as ever.)
He wanted to live in this moment for the rest of his life, and he thought he might just try to when she started to talk and broke the spell. Not that he had any real complaints about it, and certainly none he would ever speak aloud; why wouldn't he want to listen to his best friend?
"Yeah," he agreed quietly. "There has been a lot of chaos and noise lately, hasn't there? At least it finally seems to be over."
Though that chaos and noise often seemed to fade into the distance, if he found the right angle and focused on that. That it was usually wherever she was settled--that was only a coincidence, he'd swear it. Not on his life, maybe, but he'd swear it nonetheless.
"It's good to just walk like this sometimes, too. Especially with you."
Peaceful moments under a starlit sky, illuminated by the soft light of the moon. A moment shared with someone special, regardless of the specific emotion behind it. He could admit that much of his thoughts, at least, as transparent as the veil of night really was. He was dancing around the specifics, lying to himself, and he couldn't even believe it--but what mattered wasn't what he thought of his words. It rarely did.
What mattered most in the moment was whether she caught on to the game he was playing with himself, whether she knew that she was the reason for it. But moments like this edged too close to honesty, sometimes; and he worried about the position he'd carved for himself, doing what he could to guard her heart from himself.
And even still, he couldn't keep himself from talking. Something about her seemed to make him run his mouth, whether or not he should.
Subject: Re: wild blue yonder [C] Sat 25 May 2024 - 23:23
PIGEONPOUNCE
Life gives you lemons...
Pigeonpounce started to nod, mouth opening to verbalize her agreement, when Scarletflare’s words gave her pause. A little sputtering noise left her, which she had enough good sense to feel embarrassed about, and she quickly snapped her head around to look at Scarletflare. Heat burned through her entire pelt, from nose to tail. What did that mean--especially with you? It was probably nothing. They were friends, right? Of course Scarletflare would like spending time with his friend. The reasoning did not help to soothe the way Pigeonpounce’s heart had started to run a little harder. It only served to make her feel sad on top of it. Surely he just meant because they were friends--but what if? He spoke candidly, in a way she didn’t often hear from him, and that alone made her heart race even faster. What if, what if, what if?
What did she want from him, anyway? Pigeonpounce could scarcely imagine Scarletflare professing his love in some public, profound manner--which was a thought that almost shocked Pigeonpounce off her paws. Her tail started to bristle before she very quickly willed her fur flat. Was that what she wanted? She had to rattle her head again to be sure the thought stuck rather than fluttering away with the rest of her endless stream of thoughts. And stick, it did. Her fur burned all over again, concentrated under her cheeks and in her ears. Pigeonpounce swallowed and, for the first time, allowed herself to admit that she did want that. Or maybe not that exactly--not the profundity or the publicity--but… she wanted to know. She didn’t want to play games.
Can’t you say something yourself? Can’t ya ask? Stars, no, of course she couldn’t. What would she do if she was just a friend to Scarletflare? The thought made her preemptively wilt. Knowing that would be worse than never knowing at all. But… a considerable part of her expected it. What could she possibly imagine he saw in her, anyway? Pigeonpounce hardly saw anything in herself.
She shook her head again. Scarletflare was speaking. Again, his words made her head whirl, but before her thoughts could spiral again she hurried out, ”I mean, it- it can!” Pigeonpounce turned to look at Scarletflare beside her. It felt like her entire head would erupt into sudden flame. After a breath to keep from shouting or speaking too fast, she went on, ”Seriously. Whenever ya want.” She nudged his shoulder and felt warmth burst from the spot of contact. ”I’m always free for you. ‘Specially for… this. I love takin’ walks with ya.” The words tumbled out, as hers often did, spoken softly. Pigeonpounce quickly looked away again. Did the honesty tread a line? She wasn’t sure. She hated playing these games. She wasn’t any good at them. ”Wouldn’t trade ‘em for the world. ...furball.”
Subject: Re: wild blue yonder [C] Sat 22 Jun 2024 - 7:43
you don't know love
As Pigeonpounce stumbled over her words, Scarletflare cursed himself. Why didn't he know when to shut his mouth? Or, well. He knew perfectly well, but he couldn't make himself actually do it. Just like he knew what he should do was step away, and let her live her life at a distance. But he insisted on keeping this place by her side.
"I'll keep that in mind," he said, with an ease he couldn't bring himself to feel. "Don't worry about me. I'll keep up with you 'til you're sick of me, y'know."
It was so easy to be close to her, and so hard to take a single step back. The easiest thing in the world was this, being in step with her. The hardest was the line between saying it and not. A dozen reasons why he should finally say something, and a thousand reasons why he shouldn't.
Though at those last words, he snorted; glad to have things circle back to their relative normal. "Hey, you've probably got more fluff than I do. So if I'm the furball, what's that make you, then?"
The ease with which Scarletflare spoke made her shoulders relax slightly, but it didn’t do anything to stop Pigeonpounce’s heart from thudding fast and heavy against her ribs. How he managed to be so cool all the time, she would never know. His words of commitment made Pigeonpounce wish she would trip over her own paws, just so they would have something else to discuss. She felt overwhelmed by it. But the feeling was… good. ”I’m not gonna get sick of ya,” she said, sincerely. She couldn’t imagine not having Scarletflare by her side, and stars--there went her pelt, setting ablaze again.
At least Scarletflare fixated on the nickname (the affectionate nickname--gah!) rather than much else. Pigeonpounce held herself a little taller, though that did little to combat her inherently short stature, and stuck her tongue out at him. ”That’s not the point!” She laughed. Pigeonpounce fell out of step for a second so she could raise a paw to swipe at his shoulder, though she quickly jogged back into place. ”Y’just gotta furball kinda look ‘bout you, ya’know? I dunno, yer just--” For perhaps the first time in her life, Pigeonpounce had the good sense to clamp her teeth down around the words that wanted to come out. The urge to finish the sentence, to declare him my furball, was strong. But even she knew that had to be a misstep.
”Er--” Think, Pidge! Think of somethin’ to say! Pigeonpounce shook her head hard then flashed another grin at Scarletflare, like she hadn’t faltered at all. ”Maybe y’just got fur b’tween yer ears, y’know?”
