the sting of disappointment [p]

[Fawn]

Palequiver -

Palequiver had meticulously prepared for this next session following the unfortunate unraveling of her previous attempt. Her perception of his distress fueled her own; she’d been unable to eat, couldn’t sleep without tossing or turning, desperate to mend the rift that’d been created. It’d been terrible, not because of him—never—but because it just had been the wrong move under the circumstances. This time, however, she had an ace up her sleeve. A surprise.

If her bright little boy Coldpaw would just give it (her) a chance, Palequiver knew he would like it.

Carefully-constructed cheer held her features in a fragile caress as she approached him from the other side of the clearing, her tail tip flicking with nervous energy. “Oh, Co-o-o-o-oldpaw!” she greeted, syrupy sweet and tentative, honed in on him to watch for even the smallest of reactions. “It’s a fine day, isn’t it?”

Palequiver’s pulse thrummed like a trapped moth beating its wings in a desperate escape gambit. “My dearie, it’s about to become even better, as Mentor has a surprise for you.” Over-the-top enthusiasm blurred the line with desperation. “Now just close your eyes, and let Mentor guide you to it.”

@BEAR.

[BEAR.]

Every time she called herself Mentor, he contemplated ripping that away from her. It was terribly petty, Coldpaw knew - but he liked the thought of tearing her down further and further, depriving her of what little hope she bled through the use of his nickname for her. It wasn't a term of endearment by any means, she was grasping for anything - and he relished in her desperation.

As she neared, Coldpaw watched her with a unveiled displeasure. A surprise, truly? He'd sooner close his eyes and walk off a cliff than listen to her kit-like 'close your eyes dearie!' "What is it now, Mentor? Here to bore me again like last time?" At this rate, he might turn gray before she did anything truly compelling.

[ @Fawn ]

[Fawn]

Palequiver -

Palequiver bit the inside of her cheek to keep her smile from slipping an inch, resolute in the determination that her surprise she’d curated just for him would chase his bout of the grumpies away in a flash. “Why, if I told you that would defeat the purpose,” she responded, too upbeat. “Let us go see it, shall we? Remember, eyes closed! Follow the sound of my voice.”

Despite what she’d said, her tail tip cautiously came to rest on his shoulder to be his guide while she brought him through the forest. Every now and then, Palequiver glanced at Coldpaw to survey his emotional state and how he was faring. Her cheer didn’t crack, even though she knew his eyes should be closed.

“Alright, open your eyes, my darling,” Palequiver purred, trepidation building as she peered to him in search of any semblance of approval while overhead a tree curled over their figures. A hive hung among the branches. “Surprise! It’s your very own beehive!” It had taken Palequiver hours upon hours to locate, her attempt at righting a previous wrong. Because this one, she had dutifully scouted beforehand to ensure there were live, active bee residents—as that had seemed to severely disappoint her fragile little Coldpaw last time. She wouldn’t let that happen again.

@BEAR.

[BEAR.]

Coldpaw merely squinted his eyes to get her moving, but the second her back was turned they were right open. He wasn't in the mood for these childish games she played, but this was an excuse to get out of camp again..

The trek through the territory was brisk. Coldpaw was more interested in their surroundings than Mentor, but when she started yapping again he glanced over. Then paused.

.

..

"'Surprise!'" You call this a surprise? Like it's a good thing?" His voice had lowered, bordering to a hiss - but not quite; for all his frustrations he needed to stay in control. "Are you mocking me, Mentor?" Trying to one-up him with a real live beehive, not that unworthy shell he attempted to bomb her with.

He didn't want to be paw-held with finding bees, it defeated the purpose and this was a colossal waste of his time. Coldpaw lashed his tail, lip pulled back. "Enough of this, Mentor. Show me something worth my while - train me, like you're supposed to." He'd salvage this, make a dungy situation better. Maybe Mentor could redeem herself today... he doubted it.

[ @Fawn ]

[Fawn]

Palequiver -

The corners of Palequiver’s grin drooped when the surprise bees didn’t land with the anticipated joy, but Coldpaw had always reacted in more… subtle ways to her affection. Breath shallowing, she scoured his expression, seeking out what she wanted to see in the unstated: he hadn’t left yet, no storming off, and that was something. That meant he couldn’t truly hate it, could he?

No, of course not. If he did, he would’ve made that much clearer.

“Oh look at you! Just beaming with excitement. I knew it. I knew my boy couldn’t stay cross forever.” The fragile determination feigned a chipper tone of celebration, and Palequiver claimed the empty victory.

Palequiver clung to his suggestion (demand) like a lifeline as she brightened again. “Training, yes, what a perfect idea! That’s my clever little tom,” she cooed as her tail tip affectionately smoothed the fur on the top of his head, rounding his slightly-smaller form in assessment. He was growing so tall these days… “We’ll begin a session at once. What would you like to learn today, dearie? Perhaps a lesson in scaling the most daunting of trees,” whether she knew how to do it proficiently was irrelevant, “or how to bend the shadows to your will?”

@BEAR.

[BEAR.]

Excitement.. as if Mentor would know what exciting was! He was certain she'd miss it if it smacked her in the face. No matter, he would fix this. Training would be a.. distraction from her misdeeds. Yes.

He only huffed a little bit when she called him clever. Of course he was. Coldpaw was the smartest cat in ShadowClan - no, the whole forest. One day they'd all see that. "What, are we squirrels now, Mentor? Is that why you brought me here?" Bee hives, Bumblestar, tree climbing... it all made sense! Disgusting.

"We're ShadowClan, Mentor, or did you forget? Teach me how to control them before I perish from boredom."


[ @Fawn ]

[Fawn]

Palequiver -

“Mind the pricklies, dearie. You never know when a most unseemly creature might give chase, and one must always flee with dignity.” Palequiver could’ve shuddered at the thought of her precious boy a tail-length ahead of any mangy canine hoping to get its jaws on him. Teaching him self-sufficiency was a dreaded process she warred with herself over, but the fear kept her on track for training a future warrior rather than focusing only on training a future son.

Palequiver took his demand as approval. (Of her.) She surveyed their surroundings—near nightfall, perfect for a stealth lesson, low light trickling through the undergrowth. “You are not some bumbling ThunderClan fool. You are ShadowClan’s finest silk whisper. And the first truth you must hold is this: stealth is not merely survival, it is an art form. One must master the craft of dissolving into shadow. Just as one must master the craft of shining when the moment demands.”

Her demonstration — meant to be a vision of ghostly elegance — carried with it all the tragic delicacy of a cracked heirloom teacup balancing on the edge of a shelf. Nevertheless, she righted herself, smoothing the ruffle of her tail as though the misstep had been intentional, a piece of a grander choreography only she could envision.

She turned to him with too-bright, too-glistening eyes, "Now, darling boy — show Mentor what you have learned."

@BEAR.

[BEAR.]

"Anything foolish enough to target me will be sorely mistaken!" He was one of ShadowClan's greatest, did Mentor forget? Coldpaw wasn't some mewing kitten in need of protection, he was fierce and powerful. Regal.
Despite his open complaints, he took to her words like a fly in honey - finally, something worthy of his attention! If she spent half the time being this intriguing, maybe he'd value her words more. Yes, he was ShadowClan's finest silk whisper, a piece of art to be admired and praised.

Then Mentor demonstrated, and the calculation gif briefly played in Coldpaw's head. Was that a ...a FAILURE? Of course, she'd lure him in with a false sense of competence and then disappoint him! At least he might be able to upstage her. If she couldn't do it, surely he could. "You must have failed your art form lesson." Then he'd go on to try to replicate it - BUT BETTER! - mimicking the soul of being the ghostly cat he was born to be.

When he was done trying to conceal his snow white fur in darkness - and he was confident that he'd done it superbly, he straightened his pelt with a snort. "Unlike me, Mentor. I never miss my mark."

[ @Fawn ]

[Fawn]

Palequiver -

Palequiver’s eyes gleamed with feverish pride as Coldpaw delivered his proclamation and set to demonstrating his stealth prowess, her heart fluttering at what she perceived as a mirror of her teachings — the sheer, blinding majesty of him. Oh, he was magnificent, wasn’t he?

In response to his accusation that she had failed her art lesson, Palequiver’s ear gave the tiniest, most ladylike twitch, but showed no other outward signs of irritation. "But do remember," she murmured, stepping around him, her tail forming an elegant curl above her spine as she evaluated his stance, "even the most splendid depiction is nothing without the artist who envisioned it first."

Once she was finished examining, Palequiver dipped her head in a gesture of exquisite approval. "A performance worthy of the stars." She sighed in refined delight, carefully ignoring the way his coat practically glowed against the dark undergrowth like a beacon belting out "I am HERE!" to every passing fox.

"We shall polish you into a veritable legend yet," she purred, ever so sweetly. "Imagine — the envy of all the Clans, gliding unseen, untouchable." Palequiver’s tail grazed his spine, a subtle correction, then stood before him. “Once more, my dearie. Practice it in the underbrush, as if approaching an enemy camp.” One never knew when that would come in handy, after all.

@BEAR.

[BEAR.]

She talked, but he was past the point of listening, more invested in the praise to be had at his marvelous display of stealth. "It couldn't be any less." He was power and control, and darkness bent to his will.

"I am already legendary," It was almost a hiss, stolen beneath pearl teeth as he twisted to reclaim his spot among the shadows. Like a snake through tall grass, he prowled - prepared for an unsuspecting victim. It wasn't too different from hunting, just more... dignified.

He could get used to this. The thought of approaching an enemy's camp - the last time they'd done that was when RiverClan was driven out and might as well be ancient history.

No, he wanted blood! To show their enemies he was not to be trifled with, that ShadowClan was their superior (and he was The Most.) A god among cats, their lifeblood reflected in his eyes -

"EEP!" Too close to the hive, a particularly grumpy bee decided it had enough of his attitude. His delicate pink nose found itself the victim of its stinger and he recoiled back sharply, swatting at his muzzle as liquid threatened to spill from his eyes - it hurt! It hurt! And his beautiful snoot --- would it survive such disfigurement??? His claws caught hold of the bee and he angrily squashed it, a growl unbeefitting him escaping his throat.

[ @Fawn ]