Poisoned Berries and Sharpened Claws [P]

[SpiritedWarrior]

Crowpaw

Purrks: Heightened Perception and Agatha Kitty
@Tiabirb - apologies for the short post!

Regardless of what Poisonberry wants, I won't forget who I am here and now. Sweetsong will have someone in her life to protect her from the horrors of life. I'll battle StarClan myself just so she could have a life that's as peaceful as possible in these bloody times. Crowpaw squinted his eyes as he awoke in the Dark Forest, waiting anxiously for Poisonberry's arrival.

After huffing with slight annoyance that he couldn't quite figure out the whole reason behind Poisonberry's doing here, he looked at her den and walked in with his claws out. This time I won't be unprepared for bloodshed. "Alright... Dark Forest warrior. I have an answer for you, so it's either you show up or I'm out of here."

[Tiabirb]

Poisonberry
---------------


"Now what do the queens tell the little ones about walking into a den that isn't yours?" The voice came from the darkness, soft and taunting. Peeling from the shadows of her thorny lair, Poisonberry's eyes gleamed in satisfied amusement. "So you decided to take my offer after all. I knew you would, Crowpaw." She chuckled, sitting in the center of her den and smiling.

"We will start with RiverClan tactics. Swimming isn't just a RiverClan quirk; It is a skill that will save your life if you ever find yourself in water deeper than your brain." She snorted, "Which in your case isn't very deep, is it?" A slight insult, but she gave no time for response, rising to her paws and pushing her way out of the den.

The silver and black tabby paused then. "We have precious time to work with. So if you don't feel like being dragged to where we need to go, I suggest you stay as close as a tick while we walk." Poisonberry cooed, "Cats here would love to kill you just for the thrill...you don't want to be found by such unsavory folk like that, do you?" Another soft chuckle, and she continued moving, her broad shoulders parting the briars and brambles to clear a path.

@SpiritedWarrior

[SpiritedWarrior]

Crowpaw
Purrks: Heightened Perception and Agatha Kitty
@Tiabirb

He wasn't sure if he'd ever get used to Poisonberry's knack for appearing out of the depths of the shadows within her thorny den, though he was already well aware of her sharp tongue. "Don't know. My mother failed to mention that rule." She failed to mention a lot of things, actually... Crowpaw already knew that but he had never realized he was never taught anything about boundaries. Except for Clan borders, of course. "After I became an apprentice I stopped listening to the queens anyway."

He ignored the second comment. It was just Poisonberry being her usual self... the chuckle said it all. He remained quiet as the dead she-cat went on to talk about his first lesson: swimming. A butterfly fluttered its wings inside his stomach. He was finally going to get a taste of what being a RiverClanner was like! How his grandpaw lived! How his true family lived! And then... there it was. Poisonberry's sharp tongue struck again. Why'd I expect any different?

"Deeper than yours." he peeled his lips back into an unsatisfied snarl and shook his head as she passed him, mocking her in a way. The snarl was quiet and could easily be mistaken for a growl if one wasn't listening well enough. He fell quiet and listened to her next bit of words. I'll stick to you like a thorn in the fur, Poisonberry... he released a low growl, this time non-threatening. In fact, it was in agreement. To continue finding out information about the relationship his Dark Forest mentor had with his friend, he had to play the game every Dark Forest warrior played at least once either in life or death. Deception. Keep the plans hidden, and yourself in the round.

He raised a brow and smirked, letting out a huff. "I feel like I already have. Aren't I just one lucky fellow?" he cooed in return and walked up to stand beside the Dark warrior. "Ladies first."

[Tiabirb]

Poisonberry
--------------

"The young need the wisdom of the old, and the old need the strength of the young. That is the core function built into the Clans, a function built around the understanding of mutual survival." Poisonberry cooed as she walked, "We have mentors and apprentices for a reason; Each generation before passes the skills to survive to the generation after. Without them, well...you may as well be a meal on legs." Poisonberry glanced over her shoulder at Crowpaw. "Never stop listening, Crowpaw, for the ignorant and arrogant don't survive very long."


The forest seemed to grow..lighter. Sickly glowing mushrooms lined the edges of the forest trail they followed. "Refusing to take advice is a foolish endeavor. Everyone can improve, young or old; Perfection is a flawed ideal. It can lead down many broken paths." She chuckled softly, "What would you say is your biggest flaw, your weakest way of thinking? And it cannot source from others' contempt. Your perfect flaw is yours and yours alone. I know my sister's. I know my own...I'll even share it." Poisonberry smirked, "My flaw is, for it remains to this day, inferiority." Dark green eyes narrowed, "Even though I was bigger, stronger, and smarter, I was overlooked. My sister's darling disposition left much for me to envy. And well, when you know who the favorite is, you know you never stand a true chance to shine yourself. So you take to the shadows. Embrace your invisibility. Your insignificance. Your loneliness." The smirk widened into a smile, "That is my perfect flaw. I have come to terms with it. Made my peace... Does that answer why I am here? No. But such is the mysteries of life and death, no?"

Poisonberry came upon a fallen tree, and in a single bound she cleared it, with only a whisker-length between her paws and the rotted bark. She landed on the otherside with ease, turning and calling over it. "Leap the log, Crowpaw. A strong swimmer needs strong legs. Show me your strength!"

@SpiritedWarrior

[SpiritedWarrior]

Crowpaw
Purrks: Heightened Perception and Agatha Kitty
@Tiabirb

As much as he didn't appreciate how violent Posionberry was, and how... obvious her statements seemed to be, she did have a very good point. Mentors and apprentices existed for the very survival of the Clan, no one could argue that. The young mud-brown tabby looked at the dead warrior in the eyes as she spoke about ignorance and arrogance and how warriors with those traits never survived for long. The fur along his spine rose with a chill as he began to think about what Poisonberry might have meant by that statement.

But he never got the chance to think about it as thoroughly as he would have liked. The Dark Forest was becoming, well... not so dark. Glowing mushrooms were lining the dark floor. Well, that's uh... interesting. "M-my... biggest flaw? Uh... I... I suppose my inability to protect my sisters from the dangers of the world would be it?" Sweetsong somehow grew up to have an amazing perspective of the world they walk on. She was someone he aspired to be. Of course she still had her issues, but she worked through them slowly. My issues seem to be dissolving at a snails pace. Regardless of how slow his issues were being worked through, they were being worked through.

A strong swimmer needs strong legs. I suppose that's fair. Crowpaw looked at the giant log, eyeing it up and down to see exactly how high he would need to jump. He backed up a fair few tail lengths and ran, hopefully giving himself some power behind his leap. Though, unsurprisingly, his depth perception has failed him once again. Instead of leaping to the top of the log, he face planted into the side of the bark. Ow. He nearly tripped on his own tail after he landed back on the ground and twitched his nose, almost looking like a rabbit smelling for danger. He gave it another try, this time knowing exactly how far away the tree was, and this time cleared the log with ease.

"My depth perception was just... off." He grumbled to Poisonberry, struggling to hide his embarrassment as he shook off his pelt. Crowpaw's nose still hurt, but it more so throbbed than stung.