we are all innocent | open

[birchpaw]

white paws struck the earth in an uneven gait, sending his hind quarters into a spasm every time one of his hind legs touched down in an awkward way. there was nothing graceful about the way the bicoloured tom walked, nothing fluid in his movements, regardless of how hard he tried to get his paws to work properly. frustration threatened to blossom up in his gut, but he took a deep breath and swallowed it back down. he didn't want to feel frustrated. he didn't want to feel trapped. he didn't want to be stuck in this body for the rest of his life. starclan had a sick, twisted sense of humour, but the only problem was birchpaw wasn't laughing. he knew that he was a burden on the clan, felt it in his bones, even if no one said it out loud. sure, he was going to be medicine cat some day, but shouldn't he have had a choice in the matter? he should've been able to choose whether or not he wanted this life. if he wasn't crippled, he would've been able to be a warrior. would've been able to life a long, and full life without complications, find a mate, have kits of his own. but now? none of that was even a remote possibility. 

it made him mad. no, not mad - furious. it killed him to see his denmates trialing after their mentors ready to learn everything about being a warrior. they would get to learn all the tricks for battle, how to hunt properly, and they could develop close friendships with their peers. who did birchpaw have? tigerstep. birchpaw admired tigerstep of course, but sometimes, he just wanted to be a kit still. he wanted to play with the other apprentices, and not have them constantly worry about whether or not they would hurt him. everything about his life made him angry. even in this moment, while on his way to the fresh-kill pile, he was battling frustration. walking from the den to the pile was already wearing him out, but he refused to let it show. so, the apprentice walked with his head held high, giving awkward nods to any cats he passed, until he was at the right side of the pile. the prey wasn't super fresh, but he knew that he needed something in his stomach. letting his splayed haunches sink to the ground, he winced as a spark of pain ignited at the base of his tail. i hate my life. he thought bitterly as he snatched a small vole from the pile and dragged it a short distance away. 

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tags:
open
words: 
450
comments:
birchpaw wallowing in self-pity, ya'll

[aureux]

LONGPAW

The thin tom coiled his frame, lying in waiting behind the pile, ears pricked and picking up uneven steps coming forward. Keeping his back flat and tensing his limbs, he let his scent be suffused and covered by the stale prey-scent. Green eyes narrowed and each breath was kept steady as he readied himself for the right movement. All the while his thoughts weren't quite as cruel as his actions were about to suggest. True, he was planning on jumping out on the poor Birchpaw. But the intentions weren't for the sake of being mean and teasing. It was something completely different. After all, his mean side was reserved for his enemies alone. And Birchpaw didn't quite fit into that category.

The uneven steps beginning to draw away. That was when Longpaw struck. With a solid jump, he vaulted the freshkill pile and stiffened his legs to slide across the worn grass. It took only a few heartbeats before he was coasting along right beside Birchpaw, to which he took the moment to deliver a swift like to the other apprentice's shoulder. That is, of course, until the only side of his lanky build got the better of him. His tail, which was tucked firmly around his back leg, chose that moment to twitch and drag the leg with it a bit. Suddenly he was no longer quite on his paws. Rather his face and chest swam forward to meet the ground.

"Ooops," The gray tom giggled lightly when he finally slide to a stop. Emerald eyes glimmered with good humor and the edges of pain. But Longpaw didn't care. Rather he is more worried about Birchpaw's reaction. After all, he did it for him. Or more like to try and make the other tom laugh. That would be the only tell as to whether or not his plan was successful.

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tags: For Birchpaw
words: 311
notes: Longpaw's trying to cheer Birchpaw up.

[Ivysoot]

A small, dilute calico apprentice purred out her laughter as she glided up to the two toms. She was extremely small for an apprentice, only about the size of a newly made apprentice even though she was 12 moons. "Hello Birchpaw, Longpaw. How does the dirt taste today?" She asked, her voice quiet. There was something about this she-cat that just radiated happiness, but it wasn't the annoying kind, more like it was able to make the grumpiest elder smile.

She sat down next to the two toms, curling her tri colored tail about her front paws. Even though she was two moons older than both toms, she was a whole lot smaller than either of them. She kept purring, her eyes closed for a moment, a smile on her maw. After a few seconds of sitting like that, she opened her eyes and stood up, snatching the vole Birchpaw had chosen and brought it back to him, seeing as how the two toms got far away from where Birchpaw had been. "Here you go." She turned to Longpaw after speaking to the medicine cat apprentice. "Would you like something Longpaw? Or have you already eaten?" The small calico she-cat sat back down, tail curling over her paws once more, as she waited for the toms to reply to her.

Words || 223
Tagged || birchpaw || aureux as Longpaw