Breaking The Binary [Solo]

Cypresspaw barely gave a glance behind him(?) as he slipped from the SkyClan camp, silently hoping his escape hadn't been noticed. He...He needed time to think, alone time that he just wasn't getting in the camp proper. Eyes flickering towards him as he tried to lay in thought, people asking what was on his mind, to tell them his problems and...

It just wasn't that simple. For as long as he could remember, he felt his fur prickling at...Something. It bothered him - whatever was making his pelt crawl and the simple fact that he didn't know. But recently, things had started to come into view. A simple acknowledgement that had shook him to his core - he didn't like being... Him.

He shook his head, coming to a stop as he glanced around. This wasn't something that would be good to think about on the move - he didn't want to be aimlessly running. He had already managed to make it somewhat deep into the territory - who knows how far he could have gotten unknowingly toward one of the borders if he hadn't stopped himself. He sighed, tail swishing as he jumped towards the nearest tree, climbing up the trunk and settling down on one of the thicker, higher branches.

The apprentice laid down, hanging one of his paws off the edge as he turned his gaze to the horizon. With only the gentle chirping of birds and the rustling of leaves in the wind...This was where he could do his thinking. Truly figure out where he stood. It had been so...So strange to realize that the thing that was making his pelt crawl was whenever he was referred to as...As a he. It didn't feel...Right. But at the same time, once he had started to realize this, he had also put together that the opposite didn't feel right as well - he - she? - well...Referring to himself as a she-cat didn't sit right either.

Cypresspaw wasn't sure what about it felt...Wrong. Why exactly it felt wrong, but it was true. It just wasn't...Them. Them...A soft laugh escaped him - them - as...They thought about Willowkit. Who knew that a kit would be the answer to their problem, the first to put the thought in their mind that there was a 'neither' option...A third option. A kit who had decided that they were not a tom nor she-cat - that they were neither... How many times had Cypresspaw passively referred to their Clanmates with those pronouns? It was natural on some level, but yet had never crossed their mind that perhaps it was what they were seeking... And yet, even with that knowledge, they felt...At peace, on some level.

Like a piece of them that had been missing was gone - and now perhaps they wouldn't mind being referred to as a 'he' at first glance because they knew who they were. It was...Right. Oh-so right. But still... There was some part of it that felt odd, questioning how many cats would understand. It was one thing when a kit - so careful and strange - decided that they weren't a tom or a she-cat... But...Ah, what did it matter? Cypresspaw knew who they were now, the others could simply deal. With how quickly this revelation had fallen into place, they almost felt a bit silly for having left the camp just to come to this conclusion. But...They supposed it was easier to be oneself in the shadows - away from eyes. Perhaps alone time was just what they needed to confirm this suspicious on who they were.

...It was for the better, they supposed as they pushed themselves to their paws, climbing down the trunk. They hopped down to the forest floor with a huff, giving their pelt a shake. It wasn't like they were suppose to be out of the camp by themselves, who knew what danger lurked... Perhaps it was better to head to the camp and figure out how to tell their Clanmates about their new pronouns... The apprentice sighed softly, dreading the task ahead as they picked up the pace - just to feel their paw step on something...Off. It was smooth, unlike anything that they had felt before and it moved under the pressure.

"Gah!" Cypresspaw yelped as they stumbled backwards, fur fluffing out as a small black head of a snake poked from the grass, fixing them a stare with the beady black eyes. Cypresspaw stared back for a long moment, before they slowly raised a paw and brought it down on the snake's head - unsure on what else to do.

Cypresspaw stepped on a snake! Cypresspaw used Claws & Teeth on the snake, dealing 6 (4+2) damage.

Cypresspaw: 30/30 HP
Snake: 19/25 HP (-6)

The member 'Honey Badger' has done the following action : Roll Dice

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'Battle Dice' : 2

The snake hissed, drawing back from their blow before it lashed out. Cypresspaw blinked, perhaps realizing that striking the snake...Might have been a bad idea. They jumped backwards, fangs barely scraping at their leg but it still sent a painful jolt down the apprentice's body as they stumbled, eyes going wide at the blood that ran down their front leg. "...You..." they hissed underneath their breath, before they bared their teeth and struck at the snake again - unwilling to let this go now that their blood had been drawn.

Snake used Talons or Fangs on Cypresspaw, dealing 8 damage.
Cypresspaw used Claws & Teeth on the snake, dealing 6 (4+2) damage.

Cypresspaw: 22/30 HP (-8)
Snake: 13/25 HP (-6)

The member 'Honey Badger' has done the following action : Roll Dice

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'Battle Dice' : 2

Cypresspaw's blow managed to send the snake to the ground, but it quickly pulled itself up and made another dart toward them. They stumbled backwards but they weren't fast enough this time - fangs digging into their leg. They yelped, rearing their free paw into the air. "L-Let go!" they snapped, trying to shake the snake off as they slashed at it - fur standing on edge as they seriously started to regret nearly everything about this little venture.

Snake used Talons or Fangs on Cypresspaw, dealing 8 damage.
Cypresspaw used Claws & Teeth on the snake, dealing 10 (4+6) damage.

Cypresspaw: 16/30 (-8)
Snake: 3/25 (-10)

The member 'Honey Badger' has done the following action : Roll Dice

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'Battle Dice' : 6

Blood sprayed in the air as the snake was ripped free from Cypresspaw's leg, hitting the ground with a soft thump. It laid there, still and bloodied as the apprentice struggled to catch their breath, chest heaving... But to their horror, the snake soon twitched, stirring once more...But this time, slithered into the undergrowth to leave them with their bad choices. Cypresspaw collapsed onto their haunches, gently raising a paw to their wounds with a hiss. "Oh no..." they murmured, tail twitching as they inspected the wound. "...Mistedsong is going to give me an ear full about this, isn't he? Ugh..." With a groan, they pushed themselves to their paws and started the limp back toward the camp.

But...As much as their injury ached, they had to admit that at least something good had come out of this... They just hoped that Mistedsong wouldn't be too angry about having a new injury to patch up.

Snake fled at a third health...Also topic over!