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Post by Kaeldra on Oct 6, 2022 5:45:15 GMT
Clover || she/her || 18 moons Clover blinked, following Heronpaw’s cue to set down the leaf. They settled it slowly, careful not to send any rolling into the stream, and the brown tabby gave her fur a shake now that she was free to do so.
She looked over the water in the direction he gestured, trying to make out something among the reeds and tangle of bushes, but couldn’t see anything out of the ordinary. Just plants and water and more water and plants. Still, she supposed that logically there must be some dirt under all of that growth to form an island.
“You mean you normally swim?” Clover asked, her voice somewhere between incredulous and impressed. She supposed that was what all the stories said about RiverClan, but she’d never seen a cat voluntarily get in the water before.
Hesitant to agree to getting her paws wet, and also seeing Heronpaw’s point that it would be awful to lose all their hard work in one fell swoop, she tried to think of a solution. A playful grin spread across her face.
“Do you think we’d be able to toss them over? We’d have to pack the moss tightly so it’s heavy enough to go all the way across, but it might work!” The river was pretty wide, but maybe with enough momentum… “Or maybe if you swim across, I can throw them while you catch? Would that work?”
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Post by Kaeldra on Nov 10, 2022 2:37:49 GMT
Clover || she/her || 18 moons A shiver went through the brown tabby as she imagined paddling through the frigid waters in front of her. It would weigh down her fur and freeze her to the core, no doubt. She admired Heronpaw as he swam strongly across, seeming unbothered by the cold. That is, until he heaved himself out on the other side and began trembling with cold. Even so, he carried on with business as usual.
Maybe she wasn’t cut out for RiverClan after all. Would the same unflinching determination be expected of her right away? She knew it would take her some time to grow accustomed to the wet, if she ever did. Clover hoped that at least for now there was some other way for her to get across without soaking herself to the bone.
But that question could wait for later. Heronpaw was already in position to catch the moss balls, and she didn’t want to keep him waiting in the cold air longer than was necessary. She rolled one of the balls toward her, pressing it down with the weight of both front paws to compact it before hooking it with a claw.
“Okay! Here it comes!”
With a mighty heave, Clover lobbed the moss ball over the icy water toward Heronpaw.
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Riley
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348 Posts
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Post by Riley on Jan 8, 2023 9:08:43 GMT
Heronpaw readied himself as Clover got ready to throw the mossball. It took a mild hop for him to get to it, but he had it! And it hadn't' come undone! Heronpaw, if nothing else, considered it a win. "Alright, next one!" he called over after depositing the ball further from the bank. Wouldn't do to have the current take it away.
He and Clover continued in this fashion, only the occasional warning or comment going between them. Some of the mossballs didn't make it all the way across, plonking into the water like a stone. Sometimes the mossball unraveled in the air. But by the time they were done, there was still a sizeable pile. Heronpaw scooted them further away from the river until he was satisfied they wouldn't fall, then slipped back in and swam back to Clover.
He shook himself off again, before nodding his head for Clover to follow him. "Come on, this way." He led the way further upriver, to where a log was placed halfway across the river. "This is where the non-river born cats start learning to swim." He leaped onto it and gestured for Clover to join him. "It's a direct float from here to camp. I'll be with you every step of the way."
Heronpaw paused in thought before tilting his head and meowing, "Well. Figurative step of the way. Cuz water."
Kaeldra
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Post by Kaeldra on Jan 16, 2023 5:01:23 GMT
Clover || she/her || 18 moons While it took some time for them to get all the mossballs across the river, Clover found she quite enjoyed the process. Sure, sometimes they lost one to a bad throw. But for the most part, they all made it across. She was actually a bit sad when they were done, but quickly reminded herself that Heronpaw likely had other important Clan duties to fulfill, and couldn’t spend all day playing catch with her.
Clover watched again with awe as he easily swam through the current of the river, pulling himself up onto the shore with practiced fluidity and shaking himself off. She wasn’t looking forward to doing the same, having a feeling she wouldn’t look half as graceful as he did. Still, she was determined to see this through. She would meet a real Clan leader!
The tabby’s whiskers twitched nervously as Heronpaw hopped onto a log that extended halfway across the river. Following much more slowly, Clover dug her claws into the soggy bark as she inched over to Heronpaw’s side. She hoped he wouldn’t laugh at her too much when she failed miserably. Looking anxiously down at the current -- gentle, but not entirely still -- she sat frozen for a moment. The other bank was much closer than before, but still just out of reach. She turned back to the younger tom.
“Okay, I think I’m ready. Now what do I do?”
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Post by Kaeldra on Mar 9, 2023 6:20:54 GMT
Clover || she/her || 18 moons Clover watched with intent focus as Heronpaw demonstrated. She couldn’t help being impressed at the ease with which he slipped into the water, so casual it was almost as if he was walking. Her breath caught as he disappeared under the surface for a couple of heartbeats, but he popped back up before she could even begin to worry.
“Okay…” she said again, feeling less sure of herself. But she was determined to at least try!
With the claws of her left forepaw still deep in the slippery bark of the log, the she-cat hesitantly reached out toward the water with her right. She let the current flow up and around her paw, and swished the limb back and forth experimentally.
Stars, it was cold!
She stood there steeling herself for what felt like a moon, gradually leaning forward to immerse her whole foreleg in an effort to get used to the temperature. She couldn’t seem to bring herself to let go with her other paw, though, worried that once she tried to use both front paws she’d fall face-first under the surface and not come back up. She glanced worriedly at Heronpaw, eyes wide.
“What if I just— sink?”
Clover had never set paw in the water before. Perhaps her long fur would become waterlogged and pull her under…
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Post by Kaeldra on May 29, 2023 1:27:40 GMT
Clover || she/her || 18 moons Clover’s heart warmed at the young tom’s words. She was lucky to have such a kind, determined cat on her side for this. If he was any indication to go by, Clan life would be lovely.
She took a deep breath, steeling herself, then let go of the log with her left paw. The front half of her body tipped forward, and she panicked — she hadn’t been expecting the water to come so close to her nose just yet! Her front paws churned wildly in an attempt to keep her afloat, splashing water everywhere.
She succeeded in getting her fur thoroughly soaked before remembering that her hind legs were still securely on the log behind her. Her paws slowed to a more relaxed paddle, and she glanced at Heronpaw apologetically.
“Sorry,” she murmured. “I’m just so nervous.”
The tabby paused, focusing on her breathing for several heartbeats. She could do this. She could do this.
With a mighty heave, she pushed off from the log and into the water. Her paws were clumsy, but she found that what Heronpaw had said was true; she didn’t have to concentrate on floating nearly as much as she had expected to. She struck out determinedly for the shore and prayed that she would have enough strength left once she got there to pull herself out of the water.
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