A Splashing Debut

***Alchemist Kitsune*** · #1 August 25th, 2024, 05:48 PM

Today had been one of those days. Where Lightningstorm had been wanting to take off. Go for a bit of a walk in the territory. Have the sky above her for a change. It was true that the aforementioned sky was overcast, not much sunlight filtering through the cover of clouds... but her nose couldn't smell any rain, and even if it could, it needed the break from the harsh herbal scent in her den. So, with the excuse of wanting to go gather a new wad of moss for her patient treatments, she padded off. There was of course moss in the den, but it wasn't quite what she liked using for cleaning injuries, so it wasn't a lie in any case.

The molly sniffed upon arrival to the falls, her paws having taken her there almost by instinct. It seemed sometimes that her body seemed to remember their way around the territory more than she did, as the familiarity she had seemingly traversed the plateau with had not been quite as evenly matched in her mind. Expertly, the pale herbalist leaped on some rocks by the edge of the pool, searching among the shaded, moist areas they offered for what she sought, yet finding nothing more than the common moss she used for bandaging wounds and replacing nests. It was useful, yes, but not what she had come for. A fact that made her wrinkle her nose in thought before instinctually turning towards the water's edge, finding the fluffier, more verdant moss she used underwater just barely out of reach.

Genuinely stumped, Lightningstorm sat, wondering just how exactly old her had managed to get around this situation. It was clear this had been the moss she had picked before. But... this area was hardly a woodland. And she was severely lacking in sticks back home, so bringing one back and potentially losing it on this was out of the question. Narrowing her eyes, she got up, stretching lightly before turning her head left and right. Making sure she was alone before closing the gap with the water's edge once more.

While far from tall - the medicine cat was in all earnest quite the petite feline - she had long legs, making her reach somewhat longer than most other cats her size. Compelling her wonder if maybe... just maybe... she could. Get. The stupid. Moss. Into her-

The oriental mix did not notice the slip. It wasn't until she had become submerged that she reacted, eyes wide open as the moss she had been trying to obtain slowly became further the more she sank. Panic clawing at her insides she twitched, uncertainty taking over when again it happened. Her body moved with knowledge it alone understood, paws paddling upwards towards the light. Breaking through the surface of the water with a manic whoop of unabashed joy at having discovered something knew about herself. She could swim. By the stars, she could swim! Of course she could swim! It seemed so obvious now! Ta old Lightningstorm! She must have been the overachieving, must learn everything type.

@Rani [Crowtooth]

***Rani*** · #2 August 27th, 2024, 03:00 AM

Crowtooth
Windclan Deputy | He/him | 51 Moons

Power Card: Cold Gust

Sometimes it was nice to just.... Wander without doing things. Well, he had come out here to do things actually. Spotting the weird popping flashes in the sky (fireworks, not that Crowtooth knew that or how odd it was that they were going off during the day) the tom had trotted his way out of camp, following the disturbance just to make sure the clan was ok, only to find him at a dead end at the falls when the (still) distant popping stopped. From there he'd planned to maybe continue to learn to swim, an ongoing task of his, only to find a dead end there again as he'd nearly choked to death on the first attempt.

Well maybe not 'to death' more of to soggy uncomfort as he'd sputtered and failed to remain buoyant despite his wild thrashing masterful swimming attempts. An attempt that'd landed him sitting in the shallows, just enjoying the cool water and cleaning properties of the pool when Lightningstorm had arrived.

She either seemed uncaring for his presence (fair, he wanted a break from cats sometimes to) or didnt notice him so either way the tom just relaxed, letting the little waves lap at him as half asleep he kept a single eye on his friend.

That calm died a quick death as Lightningstorm plunged into the deep, let me tell you that much. Crowtooth let out a distressed devastated yowl as Lightningstorm's head dipped below, unthinkingly darting forward past where he could stand in a desperate bid to reach her. He wouldnt lose another friend, he couldnt and damn it all he didnt care if he drowned NOT HER TOO!!

Water filling the toms mouth, Crowtooth exhaling what little air he had to keep his lungs clear of the fluid as he tried to push off the bottom towards the middle where he could blurrily see her form, paws reaching out a distance he couldnt cross before she drowned....

Only to watch, shocked as the molly he'd dove in to save rocket up and away from the depths like an eel, twisting through the water with a grace her so called savoir did not have. She didnt need saving at all really, and for a long moment the tom hung in the water, paws skimming the bottom as he watched her dance.

The tug of lost air drew him soon away however.

Crowtooth was thoroughly winded and half suffocated by the time he hauled himself onto the bank, hacking and wheezing air deprived but thankfully dry lunged as he gasped. For a long moment he could only do that, gasping and heaving in breaths as he recovered from his short (ultimately harmless) watery stint, letting Lightningstorm do as she wished. When he was recovered however, he had words for her.
"WHAT IN THE DARK FOREST LIGHTNIN'!?!?!? YA SCARRED THE PISS OUTTA ME!!!!"

@Alchemist Kitsune

***Alchemist Kitsune*** · #3 Yesterday, 09:32 PM

Splashing about and cooling off, the medicine cat found that the longer she kept to the water, the more her muscle memory seemed to return. The more natural this all seemed to be. As easy as remembering what herb did what and when. It always fascinated her. How it seemed everything about her past trickled in small quantities when she needed it, or when she encountered a use for such knowledge. Everything except faces. Names. The cats that surrounded her. It was such a strange case of amnesia, yet even now as she thought on it she could feel a headache forming, coaxing her to cease her ruminations on the matter.

There was little reason to bother with the whole thing for now, in any case. True, she couldn't remember who cats were in the past. A part of her did wonder if those memories were truly gone forever, before stubbornly decided that no, they weren't. Probably. But it did not matter. She knew who cats were now. In the present. So what if she had no family? No friendships to claim as her own? She was social. She would form bonds in time, she was sure. Case in point...

The thunderous caterwaul that escaped the deputy should be against the warrior code, honestly. Scared the spirit right out of Lightningstorm as she suddenly lost focus, flailing incoherently in the water for a moment before turning around to glare daggers at the... very... soaking wet furball that sat hacking his lungs away at the shore. Perhaps it wasn't the correct reaction. To allow a snort to escape her. Followed by a barely covered up giggle. Which soon turned into a splashing fit of laughter as the medicine cat split her sides at the sight. She had no idea how she had missed him, but then... she did tend to hyper fixate on things when she was alone...

"Awww, look at you," the oriental mix almost cackled as she regained a modicum of composure. "Never knew you cared so much you were willin' to resemble a half starved opossum just to join me. Looks good on ya, love. Should go for a swim more often."

Nope. Not even going to try and attempt any level of concern. Not even as she made her way towards the tom, moss well and truly forgotten. Despite her teasing, however, she wasn't entirely heartless. Lightningstorm was a medicine cat first and foremost, and she knew the deputy had his breathing problems. The last thing she needed was his lungs filling in with water because of a scare... not that she thought of that as a likely case after that yelling tantrum he'd just thrown, mind...

@Rani [Crowtooth]
| Lightningstorm is heading his way, but feel free to play it as she is at any distance for Crowtooth's response. She didn't really start moving until after she teased him.

|

***Rani*** · #4 Today, 05:46 AM

Crowtooth
Windclan Deputy | He/him | 51 Moons

Power Card: Cold Gust

Truely, the medicine cat was the single most HEARTLESS cat he'd ever met in his LIFE. HE'D JUST NEARLY DROWNED FOR HER UNGREATFUL ASS AND SHE WAS LAUGHING AT HER!!!

There was pure insult in Crowtooth gaped at the giggling molly, pointing a limp paw in mute accusation at her as she just.... mocked him!

"H-Half starved opossum?!?!?!" Why was he an opossum when his pelt was clearly that of a skunk??? That jab was right there! Also "Excuse you ya overgrown rat wit' all yer stupid skinny face. Ungrateful ya are, I dunno why I even care, should really just push ya under there so ya cant keep yappin' at me anymore."

He wouldnt of course, Crowtooth actually liked these snark fests and they served at the cornerstone for the new friendship the two shared. It wasnt like their old one, certainly, Crowtooth had been a bit softer to her then, scared of harming Lightningstorm in her fragile state. But this was a deeper oddly, despite it being more snappish so he held no grudge on this and move on from his almost drowning easily.

"Ugh. I aint gonna ask where in the stars ya learned that from 'cuz I know ya dont know. But no I aint gonna join ya 'cuz I dont know how, hate ta shock ya but windclanners generally dont know how ta swim ya weirdo.

I swear ya need ta stop pokin' me when Im half convinced yer a large white rat pretendin' ta me a small little cat by wearin' some bad dyes. Ya gonna squeak fer some grain like those weird water rats Lightnin'-rodent~"

His snarking could not cover the slight longing in his eyes at the admission he couldnt swim. For all his trying to learn the skill it hadnt been going well and at this point he was worried he'd never learn. A right shame that.

@Alchemist Kitsune