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Post by niftyshark on Mar 24, 2019 18:27:35 GMT -6
While it was just warm enough to be comfortable, Haypaw was starting to have second thoughts about the latest idea he had. He stood with Webpaw at the edge of a wide stream, staring at the water that swirled past. The water was still likely to be cold from the recesses of leaf-bare, and he couldn't tell how deep it was in the middle. He'd been sitting in the camp, struck with an idea that seemed novel at the time of its conception. He was so excited he ran to the first denmate he saw and dragged him with him, but now that he was out here...
He glanced at the gray tom beside him. "I'm starting to think that trying to collect the coolest rocks at the bottom of the stream might be unwise." Besides the temperature, Haypaw didn't have much training in the water yet. Still, he was one for challenging himself and doing exactly what was unwise, so he wasn't deterred. "Are you still ready to do this? I won't fault you if you back out." He smirked. "I might need you to stick around to save my pelt, though."
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Post by matchesrulezu on Mar 27, 2019 17:38:15 GMT -6
Why was he here? He stared skeptically at the water and then back at Haypaw. Oh yeah, that's why he was here. Haypaw had the greatest idea ever and somehow managed to rope Webpaw into it. Haypaw had a perfectly timed advantage since Webpaw had just been wandering around camp looking for something to do. Other than that, it was all just a blur to him. "Ready to do this? I don't even remember what we're supposed to be doing," he admitted with a short laugh, "but I gather it involves the cold looking water."
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Post by niftyshark on Apr 6, 2019 15:31:03 GMT -6
Haypaw looked back towards the water. "Yes. My plan was jumping in to see what we can find at the bottom of the stream." With a crooked smile at Webpaw, he took a step forward, and the pebbles on the bank clattered under his paws. He continued moving forward until water lapped at his paws, and he fought a grimace at the cold temperature. "It feels great," he forced out as he edged out further still, enough until the water tugged at the fur on his belly. The black tom half-turned to look at his companion. "Perhaps we can make this more interesting and turn it into a challenge." His eyes glittered. "Whoever loses has to do the bidding of the winner for a day. How does that sound?"
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Post by matchesrulezu on Apr 12, 2019 15:44:28 GMT -6
Webpaw looked at Haypaw in the water as if the other tom had bees for brains. And he definitely wasn't convinced that the water was anything close to comfortable at this time of year, with the melted ice and snow cooling it down. The prospect of the challenge wasn't appealing to him at all, he didn't really care to win, but he moved closer to the water. "I really don't care about a contest," he admitted with a grimace, his teeth clenching together as he attempted to lower himself into the water. His clenched teeth quickly began chattering as he cast an annoyed glance at Haypaw. "All I want to know is why you couldn't save this great idea for green-leaf. Baypaw is going to have our hide for this, you know that, right?"
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Post by niftyshark on Apr 18, 2019 19:10:05 GMT -6
“Honestly? I have this urge t-that this has to be done right now. N-no tale worth telling was ever done in the comfort of a nest. I know we’ll be fine. And if for some reason we’re not, well...” He paused, as much to contain shivers as to give dramatic effect, then continued, “That’s the r-risk of living an adventurous life.” He continued to inch forward as he said, “Baypaw will have my hide. But I can handle him. Don’t worry.” By now he was starting to wade, kicking so he didn’t get carried downstream right away. The icy water tugged at him, and he continued until he was in line with a wide rock, enough to brace the both of them. Haypaw let himself drift back until he was resting against it. His swimming was slow and not at all efficient, his nimble form useless against the flowing water. He had a hunch that his swimming was poor, and he lamented the fact that it was as bad as he suspected.
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Post by matchesrulezu on Apr 19, 2019 8:17:22 GMT -6
He still didn't understand, but he kept quiet this time. It was obvious that nothing was going to talk Haypaw out of this idea and for what felt like the hundredth time, he wondered why he didn't just say on shore and watch. Moving after Haypaw, he pushed against the water until he reached the same rock. His chattering teeth got worse and he just wanted this to be done as quickly as possible. "We sh-sh-should g-go one at-t a t-t-time," he suggested. "J-just in c-c-case one of us g-gets int-to trouble."
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Post by niftyshark on Apr 25, 2019 7:31:52 GMT -6
Haypaw watched Webpaw for a long moment. He considered debating that, since it wouldn’t be as fun, but there was logic in it. Logic was clearly lacking in their current predicament, so he supposed it didn’t hurt to have some of it. “Yeah, we can do that,” he agreed after a moment. He looked into the water that swirled around them. “Well, here goes nothing.” He took a deep breath, then pushed off the rock and plunged under the surface. The cold on his face sent a shock through him, and he opened his eyes in surprise. It was uncomfortable, and he had to blink several times. He forced his way to the bottom, and while he could see the wavy outline of stones, the water pushed him against the rock and out of reach. His lungs were burning anyway, so he broke the surface and sucked in the cold air, unable to speak right away.
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Post by matchesrulezu on Apr 25, 2019 16:59:06 GMT -6
The grey tom watched Haypaw disappear under the water, shivering and teeth chattering as he kept an eye out just in case there was trouble. He began to wonder why they didn't figure this out beforehand, so he could have stayed dry on land until his turn, but Webpaw figured that what was done was done. While he was waiting, he figured that he could just dunk his head under the water and holding his breath to brace himself, he pushed his head under and then popped back up to the surface with a gasp. "B-b-ad id-dea..." he muttered to himself, but hoped it might pay off later. Still blinking the water out of his eyes, Haypaw reappeared. "Are you g-good, Haypaw?"
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Post by niftyshark on May 16, 2019 18:50:04 GMT -6
Haypaw didn’t immediately notice Webpaw speak to him, consumed by his shaking. The words registered a few heartbeats later, and he turned towards his friend. The fur on his head was wet, which meant he must have stuck his head under. “Y-yes,” he wheezed, smile wide despite their circumstances. He braced himself against their rock, trying to ignore the way he couldn’t feel it properly with his paws. “Y-you want to go?” he asked, giving Webpaw another out if the tom was having second thoughts. They were already in the water though, so Haypaw didn’t see a point to refusing, but he didn’t say so out loud.
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Post by matchesrulezu on May 23, 2019 15:46:37 GMT -6
"W-well," he sighed shakily, "I'm-m as r-read-dy as I'll ev-ver b-be." Taking a moment to control his breathing, he took one deep breath before pushing himself under the surface. Since he had already dunked himself, it wasn't as much of a shock, but still very uncomfortable. Pushing himself to the floor of the stream, he managed to brace himself against another larger rock so he wouldn't get swept away. Keeping his eyes closed, he felt around until he found one that felt suitable enough, and then pushed up to the surface. Unfortunately, once his head broke the surface he began coughing and the rock fell from his mouth and right back into the water. "Mouse-dung!"
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Post by niftyshark on Jun 4, 2019 11:03:14 GMT -6
He remained against the rock, trying to blink away the water that kept streaming from his fur into his eyes. It was a long, freezing moment after Webpaw disappeared under the surface before he reappeared. There was a stone in his mouth, and Haypaw only had a few heartbeats to eye it before the rock slipped back towards the streambed. He snickered, but it was brief and raspy. It was his turn again. He didn't even waste his time speaking before he took a deep, ragged breath and forced himself under the water again. It was harder to swim to the bottom and harder to hold his breath, but sheer determination brought him to the bottom. He had just enough time to bite into a round, red stone before quickly rising. He braced his front paws against the large rock for a moment, breathing past the rock. He gave Webpaw a significant look before he turned and started making his way back to shore.
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Post by matchesrulezu on Jun 19, 2019 15:42:42 GMT -6
Catching Haypaw's look, he rolled his eyes slightly before taking another deep breath and diving beneath the water. This had to be one of the most harebrained schemes he had ever heard. Who cared about stones at the bottom of a stream with near-freezing water? Haypaw did, apparently. Webpaw pushed himself to the bottom of the stream, bracing himself against a rock he searched the floor for a stone he could get a good grip on. Finding one, he pushed himself back up to the surface, making sure to grip it tightly this time and swam back to shore. Pulling himself up to land, he dropped the stone and shook himself out, relieved to feel the sun's rays. "I never thought I'd be this happy to be back on dry land again," he groaned, finally looking down at the stone he grabbed. Webpaw was surprised to find that he actually liked it. It was black with white spots, unlike anything he'd seen before.
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Post by niftyshark on Jun 25, 2019 10:25:16 GMT -6
Haypaw was already trying to quickly dry off. His shivers were numerous and he hoped they would stop soon. It wasn’t long before Webpaw joined him on the shore, and he smiled when he saw the tom managed to get his own rock. “Me too,” he said slowly before he looked closer at Webpaw’s rock. It looked like the night sky, and it was smooth and completely round. Haypaw looked to his own rock and saw it speckled with different shades of red, also smooth and completely round. He rested his paw on it, and the texture felt satisfying. “I think the water smoothed out these stones. Water is so gentle, but it’s also powerful.” It was a good reminder that they could never get too confident in the water.
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Post by matchesrulezu on Jul 5, 2019 6:19:02 GMT -6
Webpaw hummed in agreement, more focused on trying to dry off so he could feel some semblance of warmth again. He stopped briefly to observe the rocks, too, appreciating the red color in Haypaw's stone. "It makes you wonder what else might be under the surface," he mused, glancing over to the stream.
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Post by niftyshark on Jul 17, 2019 17:39:52 GMT -6
The statement could go for more than just rocks in a stream, and Haypaw took a moment to consider it. Then he shook his head. “D-don’t think I need to hear wisdom right now,” he said jokingly. “I don’t k-know about you, but I’m gonna leave the rock somewhere. Maybe I’ll find it someday and it’ll give me luck.” His smile was shaky as he picked up his rock to move it.
(fin)
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