[ti]Private[/ti]picture me counting cards

[bits]

[ this is post-fire but ,,, i don't wanna toss a bunch of threads onto the mistclan board adhgjfuhsdgl ]

Sootfrost could count on one paw the number of people she'd ever spared a kind thought for. Honeypaw, primarily - a brief moment or two for Eveningstar as well. She was not a kind creature, and creature she was. Ask most who knew her and they'd agree: she was harsh and sharp-edged, without a softness to balance the cruelty she often employed. The worst part (arguably) wasn't that she was mean - it was that she wasn't acting with the intent to cause others suffering. No, Sootfrost wasn't a bully - she just lacked the emotional energy to care for others. The young warrior was a creature of survival, of independence to the point of isolation. She had to be, after all - she was forged out of a motherless childhood, a friendless apprenticeship, and a thusfar isolated warriorhood. 

She was, above all else, for herself. 

But to be and to be aware are two drastically different things, and Sootfrost was not a paragon of self-awareness.

So the warrior was skulking back from her patrol, careful to keep her weight balanced so as to not disturb the burn on her front leg. She wasn't about to hunker down and try to blend in with their new 'buddies', but she didn't find herself particularly drawn to huddle among the injured remnants of Mothclan. Weakness was not a part of Mothclan - and she had no wish to watch her clan helpless. Among enemies.

The warrior shuffled along the edges of where they'd been staying, yellow eyes surveying the territory around her.

[smith]

even before mothclan had been forved out of their home due to the flames, spidergaze had found herself becoming increasingly asocial and lonesome, but it had definitely hit its peak now. she simply wasn't interested at all in spending time with her clanmates, especially seeing as she didn't enjoy their company one bit. afterall, they were just a constant reminder of how pathetic she was, and honestly, it was getting tiresome having to hide it.

it had gotten to the point where the young warrior had considered even leaving the clan for the more relaxed and quoet life of a rogue, but she had decided against that. leaving would only cause her more problems and there was no excuse; even faking her death would result in tragedy in the end- her parents would be so angry and disappointed in her if they found she had been defeated...

which lead to the main reason she had decided to isolate herself further since the fire... the raging flames and thick smoke had stained her silvery pelt which black and red as painful burns littered her flanks and hind legs, her lungs aching with the act of breathing as she tried to heal them with clean air. yes, spidergaze had received an offer of help while she was struggling to escape what used to be her home, but out of false-pride she had denied it, although she still faced shame despite the fact.

which is why the sound of unbalanced pawsteps sent a chill down her spine. someone was nearby, yet she struggled to coordinate her senses in mistclan's environment- so many new smells and sights flooded her senses that she struggled to recognise what was farmiliar and what was just her imagination longing to be back home again. startled, she darted towards the tallest grass she could find, pleading that it would be enough to disguise her while the other feline passed.

[bits]

Sootfrost and prie were a difficult combination - she likely wouldn't describe her actions as stemming from pride, but she also didn't worry herself with the opinions of others. Her mentor had seen to it that she was integrated (somewhat) into the clan, so her desire to peel off and strike out on her own was quelled when compared to the impulses of her childhood. She wasn't here out of a sense of care and affection - she stayed with Mothclan because there was an inherent strength and ease to living here.

She caught movement from the corner of her eye, grass shifting as though something had moved within it. Sootfrost could taste no prey-scent on the air, could sense no edible things nearby - but smoke had affected her senses somewhat, and she couldn't pick up a scent of loner or Mistclan or whatever-the-other-one-was-called-Clan either. The tortie warrior stared at the spot that the movement had taken place, and after a moment of deliberation, the warrior grumbled in her low, abrasive tone.

"Come out. Now."

If this was some game, or an ill-advised ambush, Sootfrost would rather it end sooner than later.

[smith]

dread flooded her senses as spidergaze silently cursed herself for having not hidden herself well enough, although deep within her, she knew that would be the case. but of course, she would never admit to that, afterall, she was meant to be one of mothclan's strongest warriors- her bloodline pretty much guaranteed that. or it should have done, anyway...

shaking her head to clear her mind and spiking the short fur upon her spine, spidergaze masked her disappointment with a stern face and raised herself to stand straight and tall. upon hearing the somewhat familiar voice of a clanmate, she decided to show herself, walking with long, slow strides and trying her best not to limp as soft blades of grass stroked her burned legs.

"oh. sootfrost," she stated simply after having recognised her clanmate. the two had never really spoken, but she recognised the tortoiseshell from seeing her around camp. "what brings you out here?" spidergaze asked, brows raised, as she attempted to somewhat clear the tense air.

notes;; n/a.
tags;;

[bits]

'Expressionless' was perhaps not the ideal term to describe the look which settled itself on Sootfrost's face. They didn't veer to any emotional extreme, but very few things were entirely void of hints. For example, their ear twitching to the side, however faintly, showed their attentiveness. Perhaps not to the situation before them, but to their potentially hazardous surroundings. Even when surrounded by clanmates, they tended to stay on guard - how else does one remain wary? Alive? If life had taught them anything, it was to rely on yourself above all else. Now that the territory was different and they found themselves living in the dens of those who just days ago had been enemies, their vigilance seemed fitting.

But even when their sharp gaze landed on their clanmate, the tortie's guard remained up. Before they considered answering, Sootfrost glanced over their shoulder, taking a long moment to take in their surroundings. Only when they deemed it more-or-less isolated did they turn to address their clanmate. 

What brings you out here?

"I don't like being around people."

Blunt as ever, the warrior didn't bother trying to come up with an excuse. The reasons were fairly simple: they were never particularly social in the first place, and other clans were even worse than their own. Besides, it was a good opportunity to become familiar with the territory of another clan. But the simplest answer was their reluctance to spend long periods of time around most others - save for one or two Mothclanners, they were fairly impartial to the wellbeing of others.

"You're very bad at hiding. Is it because you're hurt, or is it because... you're bad at hiding?"


smith