baby, that isn't how they look tonight // hydra

[ivytwist]

The rasping of a kind, gentle love licked away the edges of salt that lined grey and white patched fur. The pair laid in the shade of an azalea with Ivytwist less than interested in reciprocating the affection. His eyes closed with a lack of any rumbling purr or kneading paws against the soil. It was hard to tell if the tabby enjoyed the affection at all.

Each strand of fur that lost its touch of river mist was replaced with an uncomfortable twitching itch underneath. The weaver kept his muscles tense until he couldn't take another moment. Ivytwist pulled himself away from the other tom, his pelt ruffled while he rose to a sit. "You know how I feel about being smothered, Hydra." The tabby mumbled while he curled his tail around himself. He tried to keep his tone leveled and not too harsh- even through his irritableness Hydra didn't deserve the brunt of it.

He rose a paw to swipe over his ear, thinking of a quick way to excuse himself. "This heat is unbearable today. Why don't I take you to one of the streams closer to here?" Ivytwist turned his head to look away from the blue tom and instead focus on the sunwarmed grasses ahead of them. The water could cool them off better than the shade, and maybe a good meal would put him in better spirits.

ooc general information

• ooc: @Hydrangeabloom
• ≋ riverclan warrior
  ≋ mate to hydrangeabloom
  ≋ mentor to boapaw

 

[Hydrangeabloom Hydrangeabloom]

———————————— I can remember the feeling of being small. ✦

The two of them had taken refuge in an azalea tree in the midst of the territory, while it was a warm day, Hydrangeabloom sought comfort intertwined with his dear Ivytwist. Tensions within the clan had been high; the blue and white tom had tried where he could, but when it grew unbearable for him to even think about it, he found himself curled close to Ivy, and for a while, everything felt a little less loud.

Ivy had never been the most affectionate of cats, not even growing up, but curling close to him and so delicately cleaning his fur, it was comforting to Hydra. But clearly as the other drew away, his voice quiet and level, Hydrangeabloom's expression fell a little. "Oh, I'm sorry, Ivy. I hadn't meant to..." The tom tucked his paws close, watching as Ivytwist idly fussed with his own fur.

He fiddled idly with his bracelet, a single claw tracing the seaglass affixed by the delicate woven reeds. A lovely green-blue he had found soon after Riverclan settled in this territory, kept close even to this day for the colour. Hydra's eyes dragged up to meet Ivy's eyes, the same colour as his most treasured seaglass.

A smile tugged on the blue tom's lips as his mate suggested heading to the stream. Hydra shook off the unsettled feeling that flitted in his stomach for that moment, he was overthinking again, as always. Pushing to stand on his paws. "That'd be nice, Ivy, thank you." He purred, moving for a moment but stopping in the motion. 'Right, feeling smothered, words were enough.' He reminded himself mentally.

Instead, stepping out of the shade and basking in the sun for a moment, turning back to the other with a small smile. "You're right, I hadn't realised how hot it is... And I could go for something fresh to eat." Hydrangea chuckled warmly, even with both of them getting busier with clan life, it was nice to spend time with him. Ivy had always been such a constant presence in his life, even in the midst of changes and fear, he was just glad there was someone so dear he could always rely on.

————— Where does it go?

So fast and so slow? —————

• 
  Hydrangea
  ✦—Riverclan Weaver | 20 Moons
  ✦—He/Him
  ✦—"SPEECH", 'THOUGHTS', ATTACK
  ✦—A white and blue-grey tabby with light blue eyes.
  #5f858e

 

[ivytwist]

The start of Hydra's whinge burns a hole straight through Ivy's chest. His teeth clench tightly together like a wire trap to keep himself from saying something unsavory. He did not like how quickly the urge to become unkind to his mate would come at the slightest annoyance. The guilt tugged at him, likely to pull him beneath the surface, but the feeling failed to form into words anyway. There wasn't a way he could explain to even himself why it was so difficult to remain still and allow the tom to give the most simple of affections. Or why his company often left him more exhausted than fulfilled. It wasn't like the days in the shipyard where there was so much more on the line, where the dangers outweighed their ability to survive each day.

Ivy loved Hydrangea because he was kind to others. Even when he shouldn't, the tabby-patched tom had been endearing that way. How his eyes sparkled when he smiled, how he never begged or wanted for anything but to remain humble and content. It was a simple life- this one wasn't, really, not anymore. There was more than just themselves to keep after, now.

Hydra stood to step a few paces ahead, and Ivy lingered on how his pelt glowed in the sunrays. He smiled. "Let's do it. You can have the first catch, let's hope I get something better than a minnow." Ivytwist jumped forward into the soft meadow grass, out of the shade and cantered across the open field with newfound energy from their rest. He turned his head to see if Hydra was keeping up, hurrying his pace with a competitive grin. "Think you can beat me there?"

ooc general information

• ooc:
• ≋ riverclan warrior
  ≋ mate to hydrangeabloom
  ≋ mentor to boapaw

 

[Hydrangeabloom Hydrangeabloom]

———————————— I can remember the feeling of being small. ✦

He was surprised to see the sudden burst of energy from Ivytwist as he bound ahead to meet him stood in the sun. The small smile widened as Hydrangeabloom's expression betrayed the fondness he held for the other, any semblance of nausea melting away left behind in the shade of that azalea tree.

Hydra chuckled lightly, pawing at the grass underpaw. "I'm far from the best hunter, but I'm sure between the two of us we can manage something." Though he watched as Ivy carried on ahead of him, turning back with that mischievous glint in his eye, he recognised well. His eyes glittered as they crinkled with a widening grin. "Is that a challenge?" He jeered lightly, going from his quick trot to running to try and match the other's pace. Trust Ivy to turn everything into a friendly competition.

---

As the river finally came into view, Hydra let out a small groan of disappointment. Try as he might, he couldn't quite keep up with Ivy's pace. "Ah, you won fair and square." The tom laughed lightly between panting to regain his breath. He was far from as athletic as some of his clanmates, and it was something he found himself sensitive about, but thankfully, no one had been the mean-spirited type to mention it.

Shaking his head with a final heave of a breath to steady himself, he looked to Ivytwist with a playful expression. "You won the race, but let's see about the fish." A faux confidence on his face as he approached the water, admittedly, he was still nowhere near as used to fishing in the river as he had been in the ocean. But that wouldn't stop the tom training his gaze on a fish beneath the surface, it wasn't huge, but it wa s good start and a nice warm up before something huge caught him off guard.

Planting his paws to the edge of the river, claws dug into the earth, he swiped a paw at the thing and, with a triumphant grin, managed to drag the thing on land and kill it with one quick bite. It was definitely smaller than it had looked under the running water, and he smiled sheepishly towards Ivytwist. "It's a uhm.. Warm up! At least there's more than minnows out today." Hydra chuckled lightly, trying to convince himself more so than his mate.

He really did want to get better hunting, while he was a skilled weaver that wouldn't help feed the clan, and he often found himself nervous about being more of a burden on the clan than a help. 'Small steps...' He reassured himself, instead watching Ivy with a curious gaze.

————— Where does it go?

So fast and so slow? —————

• 
  Hydrangea
  ✦—Riverclan Weaver | 20 Moons
  ✦—He/Him
  ✦—"SPEECH", 'THOUGHTS', ATTACK
  ✦—A white and blue-grey tabby with light blue eyes.
  #5f858e