Lionsbeach

[pidgeon]

Originally Posted by Dipper

Fawnsqueak pawed at the sand, kicking it from one side to the other to keep himself occupied, afraid he'd take up a different nervous habit that wasn't so innocuous. "I'm glad," he said, genuine and grateful, "I'd... hate to be forcing you to stick around me, so..." The thought of it crippled his heart, if Pigeonpaw was merely entertaining this friendship in an effort to spare his feelings. Even if she was, Fawnsqueak silently promised that he'd hopefully make it worth her while by bringing her to as many breath-taking landscapes as he could find.

When she mentioned the gulls, Fawnsqueak followed her line of sight and tipped his head at the strange birds. "Those?" he questioned, gawking, visibly baffled by the thought of eating that. He'd seen in on the fresh-kill pile--rarely--but had no idea this is where they were. Admiration sparked in him as she spoke of her own experience with the creatures, and he added his awed "congratulations" in response to her victory. "Wow, that'd honestly be kind of cool if you could." Not only was he curious about them, but he wanted to watch how a cat would nab it.

Peering on, awestruck, he hushed to avoid startling the gulls and ruining Pigeonpaw's chance since she was already creeping toward them. All he could do was wait in intrigued anticipation.

Pigeonpaw stalked forward, her tail twitching with excitement, but she was careful not to let it touch the ground. She had previously been unsuccessful in properly sneaking up on the last bird she caught, and it had seen her. She was determined to do it right this time. Although...remaining unseen by an entire flock of huge birds in a vastly open expanse was rather difficult. She tried to use rocks and debris as shelter as she crept along the beach, carefully, slowly...

Mouse-dung! yet again, she had been spotted by the nearest gull, just as she was getting ready to spring. It began charging towards her, just as the last one had. Well, this worked last time, so I'll try it again! Despite the charging of the angry bird, the apprentice leaped, but misfired and landed just short of it. She realized in an instant the mistake she made.

The seagull was nearly as big as she was, and it was squawking like mad. It ran her down, beating her with its wings and pecking at her as she batted feebly at it, eventually being forced to retreat. She booked it as fast as she could back to where Fawnsqueak was watching, and by that point, she was far enough away that the gull had lost interest, satisfied with having chased her off. She let out one last hiss in its direction.

"Well, that was embarrassing." She let out a half-hearted chuckle, turning her head to groom her ruffled fur, which was sticking up all over the place now. "That uh, wasn't exactly how that was supposed to go." She hoped that her pursuit was at least humorous to watch, instead of pitiful. She held onto that thought and tried to convince herself of that, instead of assuming she'd just made a huge fool of herself in front of her friend.

[Fawn]

Originally Posted by BILL.

"The Star Cats are jerks." Lionstar couldn't help but huff, reminded of his awful leadership ceremony. What bullies! "I don't like them, Pine Fawn-- they harassed me."

Leaving the cave, he headed back down the path he had taken to get there. "I don't know why everyone here likes them so much," he admitted to Fawnsqueak. "They weren't nice at all. They didn't help me-- the only one I liked was that forgiveness cat. She made me feel powerful."

@Dipper

"You never did really tell me much about your leader ceremony," he mused to the thick atmosphere and not Lionstar in particular. "Sorry that they were kind of jerks to you..." Half-disguised as clearing his throat, he added quickly, "I bet you deserved it." It was with a playfully sly glance because although he was joking, it could still easily be true.

Not only did they like the 'Star Cats', but they fought wars over them, and it was all so... depressing, tragic. Cringeworthy. "You're not going to drag RiverClan into a war over something dumb like them, are you?" he asked, nose wrinkled. "Like that... Dark Forest thing. That was... weird." He'd been a kit and hardly remembered anything, except a few clanmates going unhinged and attacking supporters of StarClan.

[Fawn]

Originally Posted by Casper

Pigeonpaw stalked forward, her tail twitching with excitement, but she was careful not to let it touch the ground. She had previously been unsuccessful in properly sneaking up on the last bird she caught, and it had seen her. She was determined to do it right this time. Although...remaining unseen by an entire flock of huge birds in a vastly open expanse was rather difficult. She tried to use rocks and debris as shelter as she crept along the beach, carefully, slowly...

Mouse-dung! yet again, she had been spotted by the nearest gull, just as she was getting ready to spring. It began charging towards her, just as the last one had. Well, this worked last time, so I'll try it again! Despite the charging of the angry bird, the apprentice leaped, but misfired and landed just short of it. She realized in an instant the mistake she made.

The seagull was nearly as big as she was, and it was squawking like mad. It ran her down, beating her with its wings and pecking at her as she batted feebly at it, eventually being forced to retreat. She booked it as fast as she could back to where Fawnsqueak was watching, and by that point, she was far enough away that the gull had lost interest, satisfied with having chased her off. She let out one last hiss in its direction.

"Well, that was embarrassing." She let out a half-hearted chuckle, turning her head to groom her ruffled fur, which was sticking up all over the place now. "That uh, wasn't exactly how that was supposed to go." She hoped that her pursuit was at least humorous to watch, instead of pitiful. She held onto that thought and tried to convince herself of that, instead of assuming she'd just made a huge fool of herself in front of her friend.

Leaned forward with piqued interest, Fawnsqueak's fur fluffed when he saw the bird's reaction, unlike any he'd witnessed before. He'd been expecting a terrified flight but got an intense fight--what kind of monsters were these? And even more incredible, Pigeonpaw hadn't fled from it the second they were aware this was no normal bird encounter. Heart pounding, his paws were fixed into the sand despite the urge to flee, hackles raised in a warning to the rest of them. "Pigeonpaw!" he called, voice cracking in urgency after noticing the abuse of the seagull had descended upon her. He finally had enough wits to take a battle stance and let out a rough hiss at the thing, only relaxing when its withdrawal became apparent.

Fawnsqueak was still wide-eyed and wild-furred by the time he peered to Pigeonpaw, concerned. "Are you okay?" he asked immediately over her comment, which he brushed off with a shake of his head. "You just... literally got chased down by a bird and you're calling it embarrassing? I-- I'm pretty sure traumatizing is the more appropriate word here." Looking beyond Pigeonpaw, his eyes narrowed at the flock of downright evil.

[pidgeon]

Originally Posted by Dipper

Leaned forward with piqued interest, Fawnsqueak's fur fluffed when he saw the bird's reaction, unlike any he'd witnessed before. He'd been expecting a terrified flight but got an intense fight--what kind of monsters were these? And even more incredible, Pigeonpaw hadn't fled from it the second they were aware this was no normal bird encounter. Heart pounding, his paws were fixed into the sand despite the urge to flee, hackles raised in a warning to the rest of them. "Pigeonpaw!" he called, voice cracking in urgency after noticing the abuse of the seagull had descended upon her. He finally had enough wits to take a battle stance and let out a rough hiss at the thing, only relaxing when its withdrawal became apparent.

Fawnsqueak was still wide-eyed and wild-furred by the time he peered to Pigeonpaw, concerned. "Are you okay?" he asked immediately over her comment, which he brushed off with a shake of his head. "You just... literally got chased down by a bird and you're calling it embarrassing? I-- I'm pretty sure traumatizing is the more appropriate word here." Looking beyond Pigeonpaw, his eyes narrowed at the flock of downright evil.

"Yeah, I'm okay," Pigeonpaw huffed, pelt still bristling involuntarily as she fought to groom it back into place. She wanted to look brave, but she had subconsciously pressed close to Fawnsqueak in fear. "I really did catch one before. This one was just...angrier, I guess." She glared down the beach at the flock of giant birds, silently furious that they'd made a fool of her. She licked one deformed paw and drew it over her ear to hide her disgruntled expression.

[Fawn]

Originally Posted by Casper

"Yeah, I'm okay," Pigeonpaw huffed, pelt still bristling involuntarily as she fought to groom it back into place. She wanted to look brave, but she had subconsciously pressed close to Fawnsqueak in fear. "I really did catch one before. This one was just...angrier, I guess." She glared down the beach at the flock of giant birds, silently furious that they'd made a fool of her. She licked one deformed paw and drew it over her ear to hide her disgruntled expression.

The press into him was met with initial surprise, then he melted at it, flattered and smiling like a stupid mouse-brain despite their perilous interaction with those demon birds. "Yeah, I.. I'm sure," he said, somewhat breathless, "but personally, I think I'll stick with hunting things that aren't going to fight back. You're way more daring than I am, geez." After a second of examining them, he wondered if they'd have better luck attempting to take one down together or if they'd anger the entire flock. Probably a bad idea.

His attention was drawn back to Pigeonpaw when she moved, and he blinked, startled. "Whoa." It'd immediately spilled from him, awed. And he nearly leaped to his paws to spin around and face her, basically shoving his nose to her paws as he got a better look. How could he not have noticed that before? It was amazing! "You-- your paws, they're--! I had no clue you had another toe on your paws! That's so cool, how does it feel?" Realizing he was gushing a bit, he withdrew with an embarrassed cough. "Sorry, I mean.. it's just.. it's nice. Your paws look nice."

[pidgeon]

Originally Posted by Dipper

The press into him was met with initial surprise, then he melted at it, flattered and smiling like a stupid mouse-brain despite their perilous interaction with those demon birds. "Yeah, I.. I'm sure," he said, somewhat breathless, "but personally, I think I'll stick with hunting things that aren't going to fight back. You're way more daring than I am, geez." After a second of examining them, he wondered if they'd have better luck attempting to take one down together or if they'd anger the entire flock. Probably a bad idea.

His attention was drawn back to Pigeonpaw when she moved, and he blinked, startled. "Whoa." It'd immediately spilled from him, awed. And he nearly leaped to his paws to spin around and face her, basically shoving his nose to her paws as he got a better look. How could he not have noticed that before? It was amazing! "You-- your paws, they're--! I had no clue you had another toe on your paws! That's so cool, how does it feel?" Realizing he was gushing a bit, he withdrew with an embarrassed cough. "Sorry, I mean.. it's just.. it's nice. Your paws look nice."

Pigeonpaw was caught off-guard by the sudden barrage of compliments. Her pale green eyes widened in surprise as she looked from Fawnsqueak to her paws and back again, a bit embarrassed. She was a little self-conscious about them, but cats rarely commented on her condition.
"O-Oh, yeah, I have extra toes," She nodded awkwardly. "Two on each paw, actually! It's kinda weird for most things; I trip over my own paws all the time. And it makes it a little harder to be sneaky. But for like, making killing blows on prey and stuff, they can be useful. Then again, I've always been like this, so it's not like I have anything to compare it to in my own experience," she grinned sheepishly as she explained.

"Thank you," she blinked sweetly at him, not entirely understanding why he was so fascinated, but enthralled nonetheless. "You're the first cat to ever think they're cool, actually. I'm pretty sure my mentor thinks they prevent me from training properly."

[Fawn]

Originally Posted by Casper

Pigeonpaw was caught off-guard by the sudden barrage of compliments. Her pale green eyes widened in surprise as she looked from Fawnsqueak to her paws and back again, a bit embarrassed. She was a little self-conscious about them, but cats rarely commented on her condition.
"O-Oh, yeah, I have extra toes," She nodded awkwardly. "Two on each paw, actually! It's kinda weird for most things; I trip over my own paws all the time. And it makes it a little harder to be sneaky. But for like, making killing blows on prey and stuff, they can be useful. Then again, I've always been like this, so it's not like I have anything to compare it to in my own experience," she grinned sheepishly as she explained.

"Thank you," she blinked sweetly at him, not entirely understanding why he was so fascinated, but enthralled nonetheless. "You're the first cat to ever think they're cool, actually. I'm pretty sure my mentor thinks they prevent me from training properly."

Fawnsqueak's eyes were as big as saucers. "Wait, two extra?" he echoed, then stole a peek at her paws only to raise his head and stare at her again, astonished. "Wow, there they are-- it's so... I don't know, amazing, I guess? Maybe.. that's not the right word." In his preoccupied state, he couldn't think of a better one and was too wrapped up in examining her paws. Suddenly, he had an idea and enacted it by placing his paw by hers to see the difference. "I can't believe I never saw them before," he admitted, somewhat embarrassed by that but still awed, "and they're so neat, too. Look at that!" Fawnsqueak spread his toes out and just barely reached the size of hers with the lack of digits working against him. It was with enamored clarity that he said, "It's like a special power."

Gawking, he couldn't imagine anybody not thinking that it was cool. "What, really? But it's... it's two extra toes-- you have extra toes," he stressed as if these others had completely missed what made it incredible, his gaze glittering as he spoke. The revelation had rendered him starstruck. "Look, I'm not even convinced your mentor is real at this point." It was a joke but half-true since no 'Birchsnow' came to mind. Brushing it off, he went on, "I don't think any amount of extra toes would've helped you get the seagull, honestly."

[pidgeon]

Originally Posted by Dipper

Fawnsqueak's eyes were as big as saucers. "Wait, two extra?" he echoed, then stole a peek at her paws only to raise his head and stare at her again, astonished. "Wow, there they are-- it's so... I don't know, amazing, I guess? Maybe.. that's not the right word." In his preoccupied state, he couldn't think of a better one and was too wrapped up in examining her paws. Suddenly, he had an idea and enacted it by placing his paw by hers to see the difference. "I can't believe I never saw them before," he admitted, somewhat embarrassed by that but still awed, "and they're so neat, too. Look at that!" Fawnsqueak spread his toes out and just barely reached the size of hers with the lack of digits working against him. It was with enamored clarity that he said, "It's like a special power."

Gawking, he couldn't imagine anybody not thinking that it was cool. "What, really? But it's... it's two extra toes-- you have extra toes," he stressed as if these others had completely missed what made it incredible, his gaze glittering as he spoke. The revelation had rendered him starstruck. "Look, I'm not even convinced your mentor is real at this point." It was a joke but half-true since no 'Birchsnow' came to mind. Brushing it off, he went on, "I don't think any amount of extra toes would've helped you get the seagull, honestly."

Pigeonpaw couldn't stifle a small giggle at Fawnsqueak's continued excitement.
"A super power? I dunno about all that," She lifted one paw to look at it. Well, maybe it was kinda cool after all. She'd never particularly seen it that way. But also, the gray tabby was terrible at taking compliments. Her pelt felt warm, and embarrassed wasn't exactly the right word, but she certainly felt awkward. Appreciative, nonetheless.

"But, thank you, really. It's...really nice of you to say all that." She glanced back across at the gulls, remembering her encounter with them before--the one that had been actually successful. "You'd be surprised by the extra amount of force a couple of toes can give you. My paws are like...two paws in one. Except on all four. So that's like...eight paws."

[Fawn]

Originally Posted by Casper

Pigeonpaw couldn't stifle a small giggle at Fawnsqueak's continued excitement.
"A super power? I dunno about all that," She lifted one paw to look at it. Well, maybe it was kinda cool after all. She'd never particularly seen it that way. But also, the gray tabby was terrible at taking compliments. Her pelt felt warm, and embarrassed wasn't exactly the right word, but she certainly felt awkward. Appreciative, nonetheless.

"But, thank you, really. It's...really nice of you to say all that." She glanced back across at the gulls, remembering her encounter with them before--the one that had been actually successful. "You'd be surprised by the extra amount of force a couple of toes can give you. My paws are like...two paws in one. Except on all four. So that's like...eight paws."

Through the haze of this genuinely thrilling discovery, he somehow managed to realize that maybe she wasn't as fond of the conversation as he was, and he let out an awkward cough as he backed off. "Sorry," he repeated, "I just-- it's... weird and cool, y'know? I bet you'll be unbeatable in hunting and fighting once you're a warrior. Not that, uh, it'd be solely because you have nice paws or anything..." Trailing off, he was reluctant to continue in fear he'd trip over his words and butcher the meaning beyond recognition.

Fawnsqueak coughed, averting his gaze to the beach and scuffing a paw at the sand. In the time they'd been out here, it seemed the sunset had dipped too low for optimal viewing, and he asked, "It's probably... going to get kind of cold soon, do you think we should head back? Maybe-- if we're lucky, I mean, we might be able to find something else to bring to the Clan." He wasn't about to risk his life for a seagull.

[pidgeon]

Originally Posted by Dipper

Through the haze of this genuinely thrilling discovery, he somehow managed to realize that maybe she wasn't as fond of the conversation as he was, and he let out an awkward cough as he backed off. "Sorry," he repeated, "I just-- it's... weird and cool, y'know? I bet you'll be unbeatable in hunting and fighting once you're a warrior. Not that, uh, it'd be solely because you have nice paws or anything..." Trailing off, he was reluctant to continue in fear he'd trip over his words and butcher the meaning beyond recognition.

Fawnsqueak coughed, averting his gaze to the beach and scuffing a paw at the sand. In the time they'd been out here, it seemed the sunset had dipped too low for optimal viewing, and he asked, "It's probably... going to get kind of cold soon, do you think we should head back? Maybe-- if we're lucky, I mean, we might be able to find something else to bring to the Clan." He wasn't about to risk his life for a seagull.

Pigeonpaw glanced out at the ocean, the bright red from the sunset now disappearing in place of a pale blue night sky. She could see the beginnings of Silverpelt beginning to light up above them. She took it all in for a moment, still enjoying this scenery, even if the most breathtaking hour was gone by.

"Yeah, I guess we should be heading back," She nodded, turning her soft green gaze back to Fawnsqueak. "I bet if we work together, we can snag a squirrel or something on the way! I can show you that I really can hunt," She laughed lightly, making a little fake-swipe gesture with one paw.