Riley
Head of Advertising
349 Posts
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Post by Riley on Mar 5, 2023 4:05:44 GMT
Flare felt like he was flying. He chased after Sugar, heart pumping and paws barely touching the earth as he ran. The wind cutting through his fur with invisible thorn-sharp claws made him feel more alive than he had in what felt like moons. He wasn't running to get the toy back anymore. He was running just to run, keeping his eyes on Sugar's bright pelt with no intention of actually catching up.
That intention dried up faster than morning mist when she stumbled after hitting her paw. Flare had overshot her by accident, having been following close behind, and he had to scramble to a stop to turn and face her. Luckily she was laughing, so Flare wasn't TOO worried, but it also might have been the adrenaline making her laugh and not feel the pain. "Not even a little." he teased to her remark of not looking epic. "Up until that end though? More majestic than a hawk."
He huffed a laugh at her mock offense at losing before pausing at her offer of a wish. "What do I desire...." he said lowly to himself. There were a great number of things he desired, but fairly little of it was within Sugar's power to deliver. He wanted Shellspots to get that thorn out of her butt. He wanted Heronpaw to heckin' SMILE once in a while. He wanted Clover to be more confident but still be herself. He wanted his siblings to be happy.
And before this day, he'd have said HE wanted to be happy. But playing with Sugar all day, seeing her again... It was the happiest he could remember ever being. Sugar suddenly brought up the time, and Flare snapped his head up to check the sun's positions. Wow. They really HAD been playing all day, hadn't they? She was right though. Flare needed to get back... But he really didn't want to leave. Not yet at least. "I'll walk you back to your den first, before I go. Don't want you walking by yourself with your paw like that, after all." he decided.
Sugar was rambling, trying to invite him to see her or asking if she could see him and finally ending with a stuttered request to see him again. Flare purred and brushed his muzzle against hers, murmuring lowly, "You couldn't keep me away." He cleared his throat before grabbing Sugar's feather toy and dropping it at her paws. "Here. You take that and lean against me. We'll have you back to your den before you can say mouse! As for my wish..."
Here Flare grew serious, looking Sugar in the eye. "Stay away from RiverClan." he gave her a moment to digest that before continuing. "Every friend I invited to join, or every friend I made in the Clan... They aren't happy. Shellspots picks at insecurities and flaws until the cats are miserable. I've had to lie to her face just for Noctus to visit his mate in Twolegplace, and she keeps dismissing the former kittypets or putting them down in a way that she seems to think is natural, like forest-born cats are born BETTER than kittypet born kits. I don't..."
Here he struggled, and Flare finally sighed heavily and looked away from Sugar. "I don't want her to do that to you. This childishness, this playfulness... Shellspots would try to train it out of you. Until you're a perfect little soldier. But I like the way you are now, and I don't want you to change. But I DO want to see you again. So say in... two days time, I can come back. Noctus owes me for covering for him. He can cover for me, just this once. And we can come up with a way for you to let me know when you want to meet then. Does that sound okay?"
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Galaria
New Warrior
96 Posts
About Me
Hello! Call me Gala or Sass! I'm one of the originals of the Ren! I'm very happy to be back. I am a 25-year-old, intermediate-level of writing with many ideas and much time on her hands! Please, come stop by and say hi! I love making new friends and plotting!
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Post by Galaria on Mar 12, 2023 22:12:24 GMT
 "Me Jealous of you? Oh, Bless your Delusional heart." |
OOC: Any OOC notes can go here | TAGS: Riley |
She was not too naive to think that one day could last forever. No matter what kind of fun the pair had Sugar knew Flare had to leave eventually; eventually coming in the form of the setting sun but for a split second she wanted to ask him to stay. To watch the sunset with her. Maybe stick around long after it set to watch the stars in the open plains and shelter of her tree. But she knew that was foolish thinking. Flare had places to be - a family to return to as much as a duty to uphold his position regardless of how much he hated his role. She wanted to pull him away from all that - to give him a chance to feel normal again and be happy like he had been with her earlier; just the memory of seeing him look so carefree and happy again made the jab of cold hate towards Shellspots that much stronger.
He didn't tell her what he wanted as his prize and Sugar truly wanted to know what his heart wanted for real. What could Flare truly want besides his freedom? Something Sugar no doubt had no ability to give and it made her upset to think that. She saw it on his face though even if she couldn't decipher what exactly he truly wanted - something that felt like wishful hope before he blinked it away; he never did end up telling her what he wanted in return for winning their silly game and instead he came back to business to let her know he'd help her home with her injured leg; she plastered a smile on her face but her shoulders slumped just a tad bit as her hope deflated ever so slightly. She wanted to tell him so much and try to convince him to leave but she knew she didn't have the heart to do that while his siblings were still in the clan so she had to be content with what she had at least.
The soft press of his muzzle against hers made the thickness of her fur ten times warmer in that instant as she shyly smiled and ducked her head trying to hide how that gesture made her heart flutter in her chest like a caged bird. "Good her words came out a little more breathless than she intended them to be so she cleared her throat and raised her head to smile. "I'm not done with you yet mister. I call a rematch later and this time I'll win." she teased.
She thought she did a pretty good job of clearing the air a bit with her joke so she was content to grab the bundle of feathers from him and allow her weight; slight as it was compared to his, lean against his larger frame for support. Would she fake her limp worse than it was just to give an excuse for needing that extra support? Yes, yes she would but Flare didn't need to know that. But just when she was trying to find an excuse to have Flare hang around a little longer once they got to her nesting area he turned her to look so serious her ears flattened slightly and her eyes filled with concern as much as confusion.
His wish was for her to stay away from Riverclan? From Shellspots? Her whiskers twitched and she lowered her head to let the toy bundle to fall on the ground before her head raised to meet Flare's serious expression. "Flare if she ever finds out that you're seeing me...you know I was a former kitty pet right?" she blinked at him before her face scrunched up as she lowered her gaze down to his chest instead of his eyes.
"Flare..." she sighed "If you're so unhappy there...if it's really as bad as you say why don't you just leave?" she met his gaze with a slight hope "Come with me..Don't go back. You can go back to the life you had before you joined that clan. Where you were happier. What's really keeping you there anyway? If it's as toxic as you say then...leave. Shellspots is one cat who has a dream...who apparently doesn't care who hurts or becomes unhappy to be able to fulfill her perfect little world but she isn't the creator of you. You have the right and free will to leave if you are so unhappy there. You're siblings too..." she said earnestly
Would it be so bad if he just walked away? What was life meant to live if you were so miserable all the time? But Flare was loyal to his family; that much she knew and she could admire that but it didn't make it an easier to try and convince the tom to just up and leave. He wouldn't. Not without his siblings and definitely not just for her. Sighing she shook her head and turned away again to pick up her toy.
"I'm just saying you have the strength to do what needs to be done to give yourself a happier life; that's all I'm saying. no one can make the decision for you." she swallowed flattening her ears to her head. "I just hope you know what you're doing Flare."
"I suppose I'll take what I can." she tried to smile and shrugged before nodding towards the path. "Come on...let's head back before it gets too late. I'm sure miss Shellspots will be rather cross with you as late as it is already enough." she added not wanting to say more on the topic. template by Magpie of Adoxography |
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