Territory I'll send a storm to capture your heart and bring you home ᵎ!ᵎ .˚⛈˚. ᵎ!ᵎ Poseidon and Thunder

[Drizzlepaw]

POSEIDON
Carried on the breeze, you'll never find me gone

.

Poseidon did not mean to stray so far away from the campground - he was just following the river's current, watching the birds and chasing the breeze. One moment he was on familiar ground and the next he looked up, lost.

"Oh..." purr told purrself. "That's not... ideal."

Poseidon looked around himself, noting the river he'd followed - when did it turn into two streams? And which one was the one back home? Had he crossed that bridge further back or no? Poseidon wasn't sure, he had been too distracted by the nature's wonders to pay attention to where he had been walking, and now he did not know how to get back.

Purr angled purrs ears in the direction from where purr came, but could hear no humans nearby, no sounds of the campfire nor tent zippers, nothing familiar like home. All purr could hear was the breeze brushing against the reeds, the murmur of the stream, paws on the grass and birds flying by and singing. Wait...paws? Poseidon lowered purrs body, trying to hide, but there wasn't much to hide in.

Poseidon shook in fear, helplessly looking around himself. What if that was a wolf approaching? Or a bear? Poseidon wasn't ready to die! As he shook there in the grass, the pawsteps reached closer and closer until they were almost upon him....and then.... then.... they stopped? Huh?

Poseidon looked up, surprised to not have been attacked by a viscious predator, only to be met with the blue eyes of...a cat? Embarrased, Poseidon sat up, ruffling his pelt. "Oh, it's you." he simply stated. "I know you. What was your name again?" Poseidon recognised this cat - she was a wildcat, one of the few he'd met so far, and on multiple occasions too. Surely she wasn't going to...hurt him. She seemed friendly enough before.

OOC: @Thunderpaw ​

 

[Thunderpaw Thunderpaw]

———————————————— Everything she's ever known is gone, gone, gone. ✦

The apprentice had been padding amongst her patrol, distracted but still longing to be some semblance of use. Her attention was all sorts of frayed, but as her gaze settled on a blur of brown fur, she found her paws wandering to follow the thing. As her paws picked up, she found herself a breath away from catching the mink until-

"Oh, it's you." The critter skittered away with the sudden interupption, Thunderpaw's expression souring as she turned to whoever in Starclan's name scared off her prey!- "Oh. It's you!"

She repeated the very words back to the other, but of all cats, she hadn't expected to stumble into the little kittypet from the campsite. Wait. "You're kinda far from the campsite, are you lost?" The cinnamon molly tilted her head, peering about. But she had to hesitate as her expression fell a little. "Ohh, I might be too..." Her ears flattened slightly as she realised she had wandered too far from her patrol.

She turned back to the kittypet, blinking as purr asked her name, had she never mentioned it? "Oh, Thunderpaw, my name's Thunderpaw. Or, well, it should be different this moon, I'm hoping to graduate as a warrior soon." She smiled triumphantly, everything sucked a little--a lot, actually. But it was something she could look forward to at the very least.

"You're Poseidon, right? There's a lotta you kittypet's hanging around so I've been trying to remember e'vryones names." The kittypets seemed nice enough, strange maybe, but they didn't try to attack anyone, so they were a lot better than some other clan cats.

—————— Everyone she's ever loved

is gone, gone, gone. ——————

• 
  Thunderpaw
  ✦—Riverclan apprentice | 12 moons
  ✦—She/Her
  ✦—"SPEECH", 'THOUGHTS', ATTACK
  ✦—A stocky cinnamon sealpoint molly with long curled ears and cold blue eyes.
  #C08969

 

[Drizzlepaw]

POSEIDON

.

Poseidon calmed down rather quickly - there were a lot of things out in the wilderness to be afraid of, but the wildcats weren't one of them. For the most part...

Poseidon refused to think about the captivating tall wildcat, rather, purr focused on the one in front of him. "Yeah..I think I am lost." Poseidon tried looking around, but nothing seemed familiar, nothing purr could recognise.

He couldn't help but be even more intrigued, even more fascinated by the wildcat's name. "Thunderpaw..." what a strangely powerful name. "You wildcats change your names? When you... when you what?" Their clan life seemed to exciting and thrilling, yet so confusing. "Yeah, I'm Poseidon! Named after the great...." he started out confidently, then raelised he forgot. "...well I don't actually know. After someone, I think."

"So um..." purr started, awkwardly. "tell me about this....warrior graduation thing?" Purr did not understand, but it seemed exciting. Like stories of great heroes, lions and tigers all the same. Except this was no story, these were real wildcats, here, in front of him, talking to him.

 

[Thunderpaw Thunderpaw]

——————————— Everything she's ever known is gone, gone, gone. ✦

She had to chuckle a little bit, his sudden fright settling quickly as he realised who it was. It was a shock to see the kittypet, but then again it was nice to see a familiar face who didn't look at her with pity. Thunderpaw had to hum to herself, looking behind her as her ears swivelled. "Well, at least we're lost together, at least?" She shrugged, less likely for them to get attacked, and at least she wouldn't get reamed out for getting lost. She stumbled into Posideon, and he needed help, too.

As purr spoke her name, she glowed with pride, nodding emphatically. "Well, my Mama called me Thunder, but when we made Riverclan I was called Thunderkit--cause I was a kitten--and now I'm Thunderpaw, since I'm an apprentice." She grinned, tail flickering behind her. She held pride in every aspect of her name, what she was gifted from her Mama and what she was given from Pikestar, a symbol of her place in the clan. As Posideon explained purr's name, she listened with curiosity, smiling a little at purr's stumbling. "Well... That's okay, it's your name anyway, it can mean whatever you want."

Thunderpaw was a little distracted, trying to figure out what to do, only for Posioden to inquire about something else, about the warrior's graduation. The young molly couldn't help but grin, she was nothing but full of pride at the idea of her graduation, and it was rare she got to talk about it and anyone to actually want to hear. "'Course I can tell you! I'll explain while we walk. I think we should find my patrol before I get in trouble, and then we can take you back to the campsite." She purred with a nod; she didn't want either of them to get in trouble, so it seemed the wisest plan.

She motioned the other to follow, turning to pad into the territory to retrace her steps and find her patrol, with her kittypet friend in tow.

"Well! Y'know how I said I was Thunderkit first? When I turned 6 moons, Pikestar gave me my mentor, Russetfall, to teach me all about being a warrior." While she and Russetfall didn't always see eye to eye, she wouldn't trade her mentor for the world. She had always been the most patient with her fear of water, and for that, she was more than grateful. "And for the last six moons, she has been training me to hunt, fight and maintain the clan's borders. There's been issues with other clans sneaking onto our territory, so we gotta make sure no one's trespassing and stealing from us again." It was a bitter thought to consider the heist, how close to danger Rainpaw had been, how the loss of herbs had genuinely killed cats... She swallowed hard; it was not pleasant to consider, so she continued her explanation.

"Now 'cause I'm 12 moons and trained all this time, hopefully at the next meeting I'll get my warrior name, Pikestar will drop the -paw from my name and give me something new! I- Uhm..." She tightened her jaw a little, suddenly sheepish. "He usually chooses, but I kinda want something specific for my warrior name, but I'm not sure if that's allowed." Thunderpaw shrugged, her paws seeming far more interesting all of a sudden as they walked. "But, once you're a warrior, you have so much freedom. You still gotta hunt and protect the clan, but you can do anything you want, talk to anyone you want! You don't have to be told what to do all the time, and it means you've proved yourself to the clan." There was something forlorn in her eyes, the burning pride in her heart for her clan, but fear of living up to expectations.

"Clan life isn't easy, but I don't think I'd want it any other way; it gives me a purpose." The molly blinked before biting her tongue, looking to Poseidon with a sheepish smile. "Sorry, you caught me rambling! It's just... Nice to talk with someone like this."

—————— Everyone she's ever loved

is gone, gone, gone. ——————

• 
  Thunderpaw
  ✦—Riverclan apprentice | 12 moons
  ✦—She/Her
  ✦—"SPEECH", 'THOUGHTS', ATTACK
  ✦—A stocky cinnamon sealpoint molly with long curled ears and cold blue eyes.
  #C08969

 

[Drizzlepaw]

POSEIDON

.

Oh, Poseidon felt glad purr stumbled upon Thunderpaw. She seemed kind and patient, not upset with purr for getting lost in their territory - though Poseidon still struggled to understand the concept of territory and RiverClan. Purr liked the sound of it at least, thrilling and new. Thunderkit, Thunderpaw - what interesting ways for the naming to work. Poseidon thought purr was born as Poseidon and would live out the same way. Changing names has never even occured to purr, the concept unknown until now.

"Yeah, okay, let's find your patrol." Poseidon nodded obediently, though the idea of more cats left him feeling a little sad. He enjoyed Thunderpaw's company, who knew what the other cats would say? As the molly spoke about her lessons, Poseidon couldn't help but feel like he truly did stumble upon a dream - hunting, fighting, protecting one's home? With each word, RiverClan, and Thunderpaw herself, seemed more and more impressive.

Poseidon hadn't realised just how young Thunderpaw actually was - only a little older than him, though she looked older, bolder. Perhaps it was the wilderness that made her so. "Well..." Poseidon smiled at her, "I don't know about your clan's rules, but if you don't mind sharing, I would like to hear what you'd want to be called."

The molly seemed suddenly embarrased at having spoken for a long time, but if Poseidon was being honest, purr hadn't even noticed, too enamored by her explanations. "Oh please." he purred slightly. "I don't mind - this is all so interesting, so fascinating." Was it too much to inquire so much? Purr hoped not. "I am enjoying this thoroughly."

I could listen to this for the whole day and then the next, Poseidon thought to purrself, though it felt too much to admit.

"I think it's noble - what you're doing. Having a place to belong, a purpose in life." Purrs ears drooped a bit then, though only slightly. "I don't know what I'm doing with mine, if I'm being honest." He didn't mean to pour his entire heart out to this lovely wildcat, but he couldn't stop - he felt so comfortable, so at ease next to her. "I don't feel like I belong where I am now. Coming here and meeting you all, it has made me realise that. I love my caretaker but I fear..." Poseidon shook his head a bit, trying not to sound pathetic. "I fear she does not love me back."

Poseidon stopped, then, not wanting to sound pessimistic, to bring the mood down. Purr chuckled awkwardly, grinning at Thunderpaw. "But hey, perhaps that's just humans to you!"

 

[Thunderpaw Thunderpaw]

——————————— Everything she's ever known is gone, gone, gone. ✦

She didn't realise it in the moment, but walking and talking with Poseidon had made Thunderpaw feel better than she had in the last moon or so. Even as she caught her tongue, feeling like she was talking too much, the other encouraged her to continue. The molly's face warmed with a smile for the first time in a while, a genuine smile.

There were plenty of cats her own age she could talk with. Lavenderpaw was a friend from when they were both young. Torrentpaw was fun to hang out with, but her brother was ever protective of him to the point she got about chased off by him. She often found solace with Wavesong's kits; they'd taken to calling her their sister, and it was something she'd begun to welcome. But no one ever seemed to want to listen to her--really listen. Thunderpaw couldn't admit it, but she had grown lonely. So, even if it was for a little while Poseidon was in the territory, she was glad to have a friend.

The cinnamon molly found herself tripping over her own words as the other asked about what she wanted her warrior name to be. For a moment, she wanted to turn down the conversation. She was used to thoughts being dismissed easily, but the way the other looked at her with a shine in purr's gaze, the apprentice relented. "Well... It's sorta predictable, actually." Thunderpaw chuckled, sheepishly. "Thunderstorm." The name hung in the air; it was the first time she had spoken it out loud. So many times had she imagined her warrior ceremony, called for patrols or the sound of cats she cared about calling for her. But those were dreams; she never uttered it aloud. She looked to Poseidon with a small smile. "It's an obvious choice, but it means a lot to me."

She hesitated for a breath. She had just barely managed to let slip everything she kept wound in her chest to Pikestar and Jinglemoon, and that had taken moons. But as she looked to Poseidon, she allowed herself to continue. "My Papa was called Storm. I never got to meet him, but I want to carry a part of his memory with me." There was some quiet irony to it, something she wasn't quite ready to talk about, but the name carried more weight than her Father, even if he had been the original reason for her decision, one made all the way back when she was a kitten. She never told anyone, not her mother nor her sister, and she had grown to regret that. And yet it flowed from her maw so easily, Thunderstorm.

Something tightened in her chest, which was a sign enough for her to move the conversation on; Posidon didn't need to deal with all the heaviness of her heart, it wasn't purr's burden to bear. But, it seemed she wasn't the only one with a heaviness to carry. The kittypet she had only heard chipper suddenly quieted. Her paws came to a halt as he spoke, her eyes searching his expression as he talked. He had mentioned a twoleg once, the one who brought him here, let him wander off into dangerous territory alone. Only to hear he felt unloved by the very twoleg meant to treasure him.

Her own forlorn feeling silenced in a heartbeat as her fur prickled in indignation. "How could she! It's a twolegs duty to care and love their kittypet, it's the whole reason why anyone would take the path of a kittypet rather than a wildcat." Thunderpaw's brow furrowed in disbelief. "She is some terrible twoleg not to love you, anyone would be a fool not to. You've been nothing but kind and welcoming to strangers in your dens, only a mouse-brain wouldn't be able to see that!" She huffed, tail puffed up in second-hand upset.

Only for what she said to register as she felt her ears burn, quickly clearing her throat as she pretended to try and locate the patrol's scent. She cleared her throat as she talked again, this time not ranting. "Well! If you don't think your kittypet life is making you happy, why don't you run away! You could join Riverclan, even, Pikestar would never turn someone away this close to Leafbare." It was more of a quick suggestion, trying to divert from her far too passionate ramblings, but it wasn't a disingenuous suggestion. She genuinely thought that if Poseidon was unfilled as a kittypet, then clan life might be better for purr. And... Well... Thunderpaw didn't like to linger on the idea of Poseidon having to leave. They had only known each other for less than a moon, and she had found herself fond of the torbie.

—————— Everyone she's ever loved

is gone, gone, gone. ——————

• 
  Thunderpaw
  ✦—Riverclan apprentice | 12 moons
  ✦—She/Her
  ✦—"SPEECH", 'THOUGHTS', ATTACK
  ✦—A stocky cinnamon sealpoint molly with long curled ears and cold blue eyes.
  #C08969

 

[Drizzlepaw]

POSEIDON

.

Predictable or not, the name still took Poseidon's breath away. It was formiddable, striking and passionate - just like the molly next to him. "Thunderstorm..." Poseidon breathed out softly. "A powerful name for a powerful cat like you."

Purrhaps Poseidon would feel a bit flushed, but purr was only speaking the truth. All the wildcats seemed so... free and unpredictable, in the best way possible, and Thunderpaw was no exception. What must life be like, not bound by the will of someone else, but by community and the mercy and wrath of nothing but nature? "A thunderstorm cares not for what others think of it, it takes up space and fills the silence, because it knows it deserves to be heard and seen. One should know not to anger it, for an angered thunderstorm is an opponent that cannot be conquered."

Silence filled the space for a breath, both cats lost in thought. It was not an uncomfortable silence, Poseidon felt at ease, walking side by side with Thunderpaw.

And then it shattered under Poseidon's confession, having spoken too much, too gloom. He felt a little embarrassed at having revealed his heart so openly, so vulnerably, when it had not been asked for. And yet, the cat next to him didn't scold him nor make him feel shame, instead she turned her wrath against the one who should have loved him in the first place. One should know not to anger a thunderstorm.

"She is some terrible twoleg not to love you, anyone would be a fool not to."

Poseidon's paws stopped for a moment, staring at Thunderpaw. Did she really say that, or did purr imagine it? Yet the apprentice continued as if nothing had happened and Poseidon padded after her to catch up again, the only difference the heat in purrs face and ears, the fluttering feeling in purrs stomach. Poseidon's thoughts all jumbled together as purr gazed from Thunderpaw to purrs own paws and then back at her again.

And now she was inviting him to join RiverClan... Poseidon struggled to find a voice, too flustered to form actual words. "Oh I...uhhh..." He shook his head then, not wanting to embarrass himself further. "I don't know how to live in the wild..." the tom admitted, revealing he was truly just as soft as the wildcats believed kittypets to be. "I don't know how to hunt or hide or, seas forbid, fight! But..." he spoke softer then, looking into Thunderpaw's eyes. "It's not that I wouldn't want to - the life you describe sounds wonderful, it sounds free and exciting. I just... I don't know if I would fit in. Look at me."

Poseidon's fluffy pelt rustled in the breeze, his round frame making him slower than Thunderpaw - he was already out of breath, while she looked unbothered. "How could I even begin to think I could ever shine as bright as you? A mere drizzle is insignificant next to the storm."

 

[Thunderpaw Thunderpaw]

———————————————— Everything she's ever known is gone, gone, gone. ✦

She felt sheepish about her name, but Poseidon spoke in kind at the idea. And, well, Thunderpaw found herself flustered. Something she tried to stifile, but she couldn't help but smile as her tail dusted the ground under paw as the kittypet spoke.

"Well." She started, her voice a little too high as she cleared her throat a little, trying to continue. "Well! When you put it like that. It makes me feel a lot better about the sound of it." Thunderpaw purred, looking to the torbie with her face alight in a smile. She was a little too used to ideas being sidelined, but Poseideon really listened, really heard her.

Her expression faltered a little as Poseidon lagged behind a little; a pang of worry caught in her throat. Had she said something wrong? She slowed down to walk at his side, tilting her head a little. "You okay?" She fretted at the thought of having upset the other... But as purr continued to speak, she realised his hesitation. "I know it's a little unconventional, but everyone has to start somewhere; there's no shame in having to learn."

Silence hung in the air, Thunderpaw still searching for her patrol in the air. "There are plenty of experienced warriors who could show you, and maybe I could help a little too? I'm pretty good at hunting and fighting. But, uhm, don't ask me about swimming." She chuckled nervously. Thunderpaw could barely swim now. Only thanks to almost six moons of gentle training with Russetfall, but even then, she had to hype herself up first and after she looked like a leaf grew paws with how much she shook. But she could sorta swim now.

Poseidon continued, speaking a little defeatedly about purrself. Thunderpaw spoke to object, but through an out-of-breath puff, he spoke something that silenced her yet again.

"How could I even begin to think I could ever shine as bright as you? A mere drizzle is insignificant next to the storm."

Thunderpaw felt her ears burn. Starclan knows she was useless at accepting genuine compliments, as much as she tried to parade with a proud facade. She spent so much time acting like she was perfect and untouchable that when someone saw her for who she was, vulnerable, and still saw her as a shining light? She had to turn to Poseidon and look at him with an expression mottled with utter joy and understanding.

"And yet a storm without the drizzle is nothing but noise. Thunderstorms need to saturate the land with water; otherwise, nothing can thrive. You just..." Thunderpaw grinned, truly smiled for the first time in a very long time, it felt. "You can't have one without the other."

—————— Everyone she's ever loved

is gone, gone, gone. ——————

• 
  Thunderpaw
  ✦—Riverclan apprentice | 12 moons
  ✦—She/Her
  ✦—"SPEECH", 'THOUGHTS', ATTACK
  ✦—A stocky cinnamon sealpoint molly with long curled ears and cold blue eyes.
  #C08969

 

[Drizzlepaw]

Poseidon

.

Poseidon smiled, looking at Thunderpaw. "Good." She deserved to feel proud of the name she had chosen. "The name you have chosen for yourself fits you perfectly - not just because of the way it sounds, but because it's yours. You have chosen it and therefore it is you."

The apprentice didn't even flinch at her next words, completely oblivious to the effect it had on Poseidon's posture - and purrs heart. The molly offered him the world and skies beyond, and did not even realise. The heat did not even have a chance to leave his cheeks and ears, before Poseidon found himself flushed once more.

"And yet a storm without the drizzle is nothing but noise. Thunderstorms need to saturate the land with water; otherwise, nothing can thrive. You can't have one without the other."

What could Poseidon possibly say to that? Anything and everything that came into his mind seemed too little, the emotion that stirred in his chest too big to describe. He followed after Thunderpaw in silence for a while, unable to find the words to respond. But the silence stretched on too long for Poseidon's comfort, and so, not wanting Thunderpaw to think purr was ignoring her words, purr let a few of purrs own escape purrs lips. "Well... I guess that means we're meant to exist together to balance it out." ... If Poseidon had hands instead of paws, he would have facepalmed right there. Perhaps he should have kept his mouth shut instead... "Sorry, I didn't mean-" purr quickly blurted out.

Poseidon had decided that the heat was never going to leave his cheeks again, not at this rate anyway, and dared not look into Thunderpaw's eyes. Purr feared if purr were to do that, purr would get lost in them and stumble, falling to the ground. Better to not embarrass himself further, not in front of one as strong and composed as Thunderpaw.