Warrior Cats Online - View Single Post

***Alchemist Kitsune*** · #**3585** February 18th, 2025, 01:04 PM

Sprucejumper's eyelids felt heavy as he raised them, his sleep disturbed as cats moved to and fro around the den, talking amongst themselves as they pooled outside. Lifting his head as he yawned, confusion befell him for a moment until he realized the tiny tyrant had probably called forth a clan meeting. He snorted, allowing the den to become quiet once more before settling back down to sleep. He appreciated not being amongst the many cats that gathered together for clan meetings, thank you very much. He was pretty certain he had let even Firebloom know as much when they had last spoken.

Fire... bloom?

The chocolate point's eyes opened once more, half lidded with a somewhat contemplative look to them if one searched enough beneath the blank mask he so often sported. He had missed her ceremony, hadn't he? Even though she had, in her own shy way, sort of hinted at being excited for it and seeing it as a reason for celebration. Sprucejumper did not share that view on naming ceremonies himself. He found the whole concept of changing names as one aged up to be ridiculous. He had been born Fudge, and had carried that moniker with pride until he had earned his warrior name... and only because The Boulder had seemed far too happy for him to not accept the ridiculously on the nose title he had earned for himself.

And yet he couldn't help but feel a small twinge of guilt at this memory. Despite his consistent attempts at being his usual, uninterested, positively dull self that no cat in their right mind would want to be seen next to, the bright orange she-cat had sought him out and told him the news of her ceremony, going as far as remembering his promise to her that he would go hunting with her when she finally earned her warrior name. It wasn't the same meeting anymore, and odds were that the act would matter to no one, but he felt compelled to join the meeting... if only to make up for the one that he had obviously been intended to attend. Not because he cared, mind. He just... preferred having a clean slate, was all.

Stretching his long limbs, the tall tom exited the warriors' den, brow quirking momentarily as he spotted the massive crowd gathered already. Oh. Good. Was the whole clan here? What joy...

Scanning the clearing for a solitary location to sit by, emerald hues soon caught sight of a familiar, giant mountain of brown fur and his gaze lit up, only to falter back to its deadpanned state a moment later, betrayed only by the flattened ears upon his head. The Boulder was seemingly feeling better already. Well enough that they were surrounding themselves with apprentices - it was only one, but it was one too many - and already waving towards yet another feline to join them. Allowing his eyes to wander in the right direction, he soon spotted Puppy looking every bit as surly as he felt. Excuse... hadn't The Boulder spent enough time already when they were sick with the infernal herb cat? They were even being sent out in patrols together while he was stuck with the backstabbing, blames-everyone-but-herself-and-actively-tries-to-get-him-into-trouble Sugarbird - Crapbird was more like it - and the admittedly better company Sunpaw. Actually, he did enjoy the apprentice's company, but that was neither here nor there... Why did his former mentor need to spend more time with the plant cats after they were doing better?! Hmph.

A wave of jealousy threatening to break his carefully constructed emotionless mask forced him to look away, and for a moment Sprucejumper considered walking back towards the warriors' den. The meeting had obviously already started, and he was already in a foul mood. No reason to stick around and listen to whatever ceremony of whatever cat he didn't know. Apprentices had been reassigned. He didn't have any to contend with which was excellent, as Sunpaw took all his social energy already. There was simply no reason to sta-

The tom's attention landed on a familiar, orange pelt. A trembling, very cold looking orange pelt, at that. It seemed Firebloom had attended the meeting - of course she had... she was like The Boulder, caring of her clanmates in what seemed to be a genuine manner - and unlike him, her pelt was short. Very short. Which meant that if he was cold, she had to be doubly so in this weather. And what for? To hear Angry talk about cats that cared about as much of her existence as they did a gnat? Because make no mistake, clan cats were as self absorbed as the rogues and loners of the city. They just hid it better with the whole star worshiping pretext thing they had going on.

Eyes narrowing for a moment, Sprucejumper sighed, relegating himself to his fate as he moved forward, among the throngs of cats to sit besides the lonesome she-cat. Look, she had been... oddly glued to his side since they had randomly met, but kind enough that he felt bad leaving her out in the cold like this. Besides, she always seemed more comfortable with someone else next to her. Erm... so he assumed. Why else insist upon his company? Besides, if she didn't want him next to her, she could always say so. He would happily leave at her first complaint.

"Salutations."

Dipping his head in greeting as he spoke, the tom sat besides Firebloom, gesturing with his tail as if he intended for her to get closer so he could wrap it around her. They could keep each other warm if she wanted, and if not, he would simply wrap his own tail around him and stick around until the end of the meeting. This was of course as much for him as it was for her. He was cold too. And yes, he was indeed certain that he still didn't care, thank you very much. It was all for the sake of survival, so there.

@Star [Firebloom]