Private all ears and no eyes - echostep

[Nettlefrost]

Nettlefrost
He/Him
23 Moons
ShadowClan Warrior & Thief

PENNED BY Sheogorath

His paws are near silent against the cold ground, every step measured and graceful as the warrior weaves between low hanging trees that he's spent moons memorizing. His nose twitches, clouded eyes glowing in the shadow of dusk as he slinks toward the border with hardly a word. Nettlefrost had found nothing on the territory, and hunger drove him to more desperate measures. He leads his companion toward the outskirts of ShadowClan's land, then pauses at the scent line, drawing in a chilled breath. Beyond the border, he isn't sure what they'll fine. He'll be clumsy. Uneasy in terrain he does not know. But the ache in his belly is both sharp and unforgiving. Something that presses him forward despite the risks.

"Echostep." The tom's voice cuts coldly through the wind. "Take the lead." He doesn't explain why. Just expects them to know. Hopes she'll understand, though he's silent about such thoughts. He couldn't afford to show weakness to the rest of ShadowClan. Echostep would be his eyes, and Nettlefrost would not dwell on the idea. Finding food was more important.

​

OOC: @ECHOSTEP

 

[ECHOSTEP]

x

The hunting opportunities have grown scarce as the pocosin descends into wintertime, leaving little prey for ShadowClan to sustain themselves. Trappers and thieves alike are forced to work themselves to the bone hoping to find prey, then work some more to catch anything they manage to find. As the cold season drags onward, the clan's condition continues to grow more dire, and tensions both within ShadowClan and without continue to rise. Even Echostep has found themself taking more risks, being more unafraid of lashing out at others over even the smallest scraps of prey; every patrol counts during these times, which is how Echostep finds themself out on patrol with Nettlefrost. Things are going well enough that the blue-coated thief doesn't flinch when Nettlefrost speaks up.

It's mildly irritating for the tom to order them around like this, but Echostep merely grits their teeth at the idea of allowing Nettlefrost to give her commands so clinically. The blue point does not doubt that the tom is amongst the more capable of ShadowClan's warriors, but in unfamiliar territory he is at a clear disadvantage—something that perhaps should have made him consider a path besides thievery and trespassing. At the very least, he does not attempt to use brute force to barrel his way through the lack of vision, and risk stumbling through an obstacle and frightening off all prey within a day's walking distance. "Alright," they murmur, keeping their voice lowered to avoid scaring off any prey. "Mud ahead—stay to the right." Of course, he could disregard her own command, so long as Nettlefrost is alright with being stuck with mud-slicked fur for days to come. Either way, Echostep will only be bothered if the tom scares off potential prey. Still, she wonders aloud: "Were you on your own, how would you navigate this land?"

OOC —

⋆˖⁺‧₊☽♰☾₊‧⁺˖⋆

ECHOSTEP

THEY/SHE, SHADOWCLAN THIEF
✧ sleek-furred blue lynx point with a long tail & green eyes
✧ quiet and cunning, values authority over empathy
✧ npc x npc ; sibling to rainbowflare
✧ peaceful powerplay allowed ; hates being touched
✧ played by foxlore