Phrases in Warriors

So while writing recently, I became more aware of how many canned phrases specific to Warriors I use. For me, they’re almost like epithets from oral storytelling at this point— I write them automatically, to give me time to think of what happens next, and because they just seem to fit the style and flow of Warriors-based writing. I thought I’d make a list of these phrases that appear all the time in Warriors, and ask if anyone else notices them while reading the books or has more examples. What do you think about them, in canon stories, roleplays, and/or fanfics? Do you try to avoid using/overusing them?

To clarify, these mostly aren’t common sayings or words the cats themselves use (mouse-brain, fox-heart, if wishes were prey, etc.). They’re phrases that come up a lot in the description, and that the narrator/authors utilize in lots of books.

Metaphors:
-Fixed him with an icy gaze/stare
-Trickle of ice down her spine
-Eyes like twin moons
-Like a startled rabbit/squirrel
-[Insert Emotion] flooded over him/crashed over him like a wave (often coupled with) Nearly took him off his paws
-Pain like fire
-[Insert Emotion] clawed/gnawed at her chest
-Fast as an adder
-Swift as a hare

Reactions:
(These are more a natural extension of cat characters. Sort of the cat equivalents of “grinning, blushing, studying your fingers, putting your hands in your pockets, clucking your tongue, whistling, fiddling with your hat or ponytail or collar,” and any other details commonly used in place of dialogue tags.)

-Tail twitched impatiently
-Whiskers twitched in amusement
-Tail curled happily
-Ears flattened in anger
-Lashed tail angrily
-Sunk claws into ground
-Shuffled paws
-Glanced at paws
-Fur on neck/along spine bristled, prickled, spiked, rose, rippled
-Pricked ears in surprise
-Licked chest in embarrassment
-Pretended to wash face/ears
-Ears felt hot with embarrassment
-Blinked gratefully
-Eyes widened/narrowed
-Eyes flashed/burned with intensity
-Tail/whiskers drooped
-Tail trailed in the dust