Private PRESSURE COOKER ʚɞ fuzzypaw

[SWALLOWPAW]

days stopped blurring together in a fog of doubt. the nauseating scent of blood and wounds wasn't tickling her nose anymore. leafbare begun to show it's age, green grass poking out of a snow capped territory. swallowpaw felt good, hopeful even, that things would work out. while most would feel sluggish during this season, the young girl felt energized for once.

although, that didn't come with it's concerns. new land meant new herbs, and the proper beginning to her training as a medicine cat. this was it; lock and key, swallowpaw couldn't turn back now. she helped ponywhistle recover from almost drowning, and poor, sweet downykit now in recovery. it's difficult, but she doesn't feel envious about her friends finishing up their warrior training. right… she reminds herself, campionpaw and sorrelpaw will graduate without her. fuzzypaw, too.

swallowpaw misses her friends. friend. singular, honestly. there's no one else she feels a better connection too than fuzzypaw. there's something strangely calming about the apprentice's cheerful attitude, the way their fur curls out like awkward burrs. it's annoying when she'd rather stew in her anxieties, but she'll always be grateful they stuck around even after she turned her back on the life of a soldier.

"fuzzypaw!" after a long day of checking the herb stock, the lynx point finally seeks out her friend. it's not hard to miss the dark colored puffball. the girl's greeting is impulsive, excitement in seeing a friend making her forget to even ask if it's okay to... what? walk over? her stomach prickles with negative thoughts, wondering if she should change her mind and try again tomorrow. but why? is the only conclusion she can come up with.

her tail-tip flicks behind her, a nervous tick she tries to ignore. swallowpaw smiles, "sorry. um– hi. how was… training today? your assessment is coming up soon…"

// @Fuzzypaw

ʚɞ

 

[Fuzzypaw]

Time had gone by so quickly for the little puffball that it felt hard for them to keep up with all the current events other than their arrival to their new forest home. Sharing the same thoughts as Swallowpaw, the days had melded together into a bundle of mesh and confusion it made Fuzzypaw's head spin. When had they even arrived to the new camp? When had they even departed from their old (and now possibly forgotten) camp, getting lost in the surrounding nature? The black and white feline sighed as they let a soft pout form on their lips, dwelling on a thought that had been plaguing them for some time. There were only two moons to go until their assessment, and they couldn't feel less prepared for the moment it arrived.

The older apprentice had never really tried to make friends with anyone other than Swallowpaw. They didn't really feel like they needed to, really. But when she moved to the medicine den, started her new ways of training (which seemed to take up all of her time now that they were at the new camp)... they couldn't have been more wrong. They had their siblings there, sure. The three of them had always been close, but the presence of the fawn molly wasn't exactly replaceable. They really needed to learn to open up to others like they could with her.

As though summoning the girl herself, Fuzzypaw's rounded ears perked as the medicine cat apprentice cheerfully said their name. A purr erupting from their throat, the cloudy-furred feline immediately shoved away the thoughts that were beginning to consume them; hoping Swallowpaw hadn't noticed the pout on their face when she approached them. "Hi, Swallowpaw! I'm so glad you're here!" They yipped, tail swaying back and forth against loose soil. Her apology however made them frown, sticking out their tongue playfully, biting on it slightly before responding. "Aww gee, Swallow! What'cha apologizing for? You got nothing to say sorry about!" The puffball scolded softly before the realization of her next words hits them like a monster. The assessment. Training.

Posture obviously now relaxing into a slouch, sunny-golden eyes peer off to the right as they sat down to rub the back of their next. "Startin' with the heavy questions first, huh?" They grinned, making eye contact with the she-cat before dropping their gaze to their paws. "Umm, it went... good as usual. I'm... not really enjoying the whole fighting stuff, though. I... really hope I don't get assigned something that's gotta do with combat for my assessment. I'd be stuck in thistles 'n' thorns if that happened," they sigh, looking at Swallowpaw with a hint of gloss in their eyes. But they couldn't stay upset for long, could they? Shaking out their fur, they interrupted the other before she could try and comfort them. "Um, enough about me! Heh, that was a bit much for not havin' talked in a little! How's your training going, Swallowpaw? Tell me allll about it!" Hopefully she didn't press further on the topic, but knowing his best friend, she'd probably find some way to bring it up again and get them to really feel out their emotions. Fuzzypaw didn't really want to do that right now, but it couldn't be helped, could it?

ooc:

 

[SWALLOWPAW]

swallowpaw's life is better as a doctor. her time with tigerfoot is still young, but it's taught her that this is where she's meant to be. treating the wounded, tending to the sick, speaking to the stars– it feels right. her time as a warrior apprentice never felt right. insecurity tugged at her skin, burrowing deep into her bones with every trip, scared off prey. now she wears the burden of healers before her, in aromas of bitter herbs. when fuzzypaw becomes a warrior and gets hurt in battle, she'll be there to make sure they're safe.

she listens to their chipper voice weave a thread of woes, admitting just how nervous they were. "'m sorry." she mumbles quietly, her ears lowering sympathetically. the girl takes the hint when he brushes it off just as quickly as he spoke it— but it hangs awkwardly between them. a reminder she couldn't be there. swallowpaw frowns knowingly, but doesn't dwell on it per fuzzypaw's silent request.

"it's— it's good! a lot of memorizing. tigerfoot's just as nervous as i am, if you can believe it." she grins awkwardly, picking at the wisps in her fur. "we have to check on downykit everyday, but she's improving lots. it's amazing what a bunch of herbs can do to such a small kitten." miracles exist in the patches of flowers underneath their trees.

"hey, maybe in um… a moon, we can look for herbs together! just us! that'd be fun." her eyes turn to her friend almost pleadingly. two former kits in the nursery, discussing how they'll go out and do whatever they want once they become warriors. swallowpaw will find the herbs to heal their clanmates, and fuzzypaw will feed her patients. this will work.

ʚɞ