|
Post by me on Sept 9, 2009 15:36:36 GMT -5
She was a fluffy kit-almost-apprentice, dark reddish-brown in color, with mustard-colored eyes. The camp she stood in, which belonged to ThornClan, was compromised of a small clearing in the thick, tangled, and prickly bushes, weeds, and grasses that covered their territory several times too high for a cat to see over. Along the right edge of the camp, as would be seen by a cat standing in the narrow tunnel that led into this jungle, were several nests. A small, leafy bush was the one that sheltered the apprentices' nests; a slightly larger one shaded the warriors' nests. Straight ahead would be the sprawling bramble bush that sheltered the leader's den, and to the left, shaded from the blazing midday sun by one of the small trees that could occasionally be found across the territory, would be another bramble-den (this one for any queens or kits), and an average-sized bush with particularly thick foliage, which effectively protected the elders from most of the rain. The medicine cat's den was somewhere near the base of the shade-tree.
Not that there were any elders at the time, or any queens, for that matter. There were barely ten cats left in the clan.
And Darkkit was bored. Her only sibling had ventured out into the territory the other night, breaking the warrior code, and was still confined to the nursery as punishment. The apprentices were all out somewhere, probably hunting or training with their mentors. And the warriors didn't want to play with a kit. So she just sat, staring hopefully down the mysterious tunnel that led deeper into the territory. Maybe one of the apprentices would come back soon. But nothing had happened for a long while. Same camp, same hot, still air, same annoying mosquito buzzing around somewhere. Oh well. At least she would be an apprentice soon. Then she wouldn't have to stay stuck in camp -- she would be able to roam all over the territory, and learn to fight and hunt and all that stuff.
|
|
|
Post by ( x Dint x ) on Sept 9, 2009 16:07:29 GMT -5
Branchwhisker jumped into camp from the tumbleweeds, a rabbit in his jaws. His ears flicked in every direction and his dark green eyes scanned the area, but saw nothing more than a kit. A warrior as he was, he lived to the warrior code and sat the rabbit on the food pile to feed others before himself. The small warrior was going to grab something smaller to eat, but decided against his hunger. Instead he turned towards the small kit, that matched his dark red coloring. He saw the longful gaze as the small furball stared into the tunnel he had just come through. Of course he recognised the look. It wasn't long ago, or so it seemed, that he was doing the same as a kit. Of course he was one to actually sneak out. It wasn't like anyone missed him anyway. Sitting down to lick a paw, Branchwhisker swatted at a pesky mosquito with his tail. It was muggy and hot, a day the warrior rather liked.
Looking back at the kit, "You know, you could just run through. Nobody is here to notice you've gone." He muttered to her, eyes changing to an unreadible expression. He could hear his clanmates' voices in his head, 'Yeah, way to go Branchwhisker. Lead the little kit out of camp into the dangerous beyond.' He crinkled his small nose at the thought - that's exactly what it seemed like he was doing too to an onlooker's eyes. However, he was just merely stating a point...
|
|
|
Post by me on Sept 9, 2009 16:32:47 GMT -5
She looked up as a cat slipped into the camp, not from the tunnel she had been so eagerly peering down, but one of the more easily accessible areas in the camp wall. Oh. It was that warrior that the others didn't like much for some reason. But why was he coming over to her? The fur across the back of her shoulders prickled. And talking to her? ...oh. That was why the other cats didn't like him. Implying that she should leave the camp. But... he did have a good point, although it was one that she had already thought of. She looked away from the tunnel, staring instead at him, and felt a little more confident. She was smart. She could handle this.
"Yes, they probably wouldn't see me if I left the camp, but if someone came in through this tunnel after I left, they might smell me, or they might have caught me when I came back, or noticed that I was gone, later, or something," she said quietly to Branchwhisker, twisting her body around so that she could sit facing him. "And if I got caught, they'd make me stay in the nursery and maybe delay my apprentice ceremony. I'd rather wait until I'm an apprentice and can explore without breaking the warrior code."
|
|
|
Post by ( x Dint x ) on Sept 9, 2009 17:32:08 GMT -5
"Oh yes, the fatalities of being a kit. Wait for apprenticeship to learn after six moons of waiting that you can only leave with supervision or something. OR, you could roll in something to hide your scent and have me cover for you when you return," he said absentmindedly in the kit's direction. "Whichever you choose, really. I did it plenty a time and never got caught. Besides, do this now, and it will help when you're an apprentice - learning to move and escape without being noticed...."
Branchwhisker shrugged, setting the paw he was licking back on the ground. "You're Darkkit, I presume?" He had a memory for faces and names, and had seen the kits playing outside the nursery. Just because he was sitting out didn't mean he didn't notice.
((Is it just me or did that last paragraph sound like he was a stalker or something? 'He had seen the kits playing outside the nursery. Just because he was sitting out didn't mean he didn't notice.' XD))
|
|
|
Post by me on Sept 9, 2009 18:02:46 GMT -5
((xD yeah it does a bit))
Darkkit felt her fur prickle again. Whoever this cat was, he was bad news. "I don't know you would cover for me, and anyway, I just said it's against the warrior code," she said. Who was this cat anyway? She knew she had seen him around before. "When I am an apprentice in a few days, then I'll practice my stalking. I don't need you to tell me that. You creep," she added, backing slowly away towards the nursery, pointedly ignoring the question about her name.
I hope that he's not my mentor. That would be awful. She made a mental note to ask Specklefeather specifically that question. She didn't know if she could stand being around this cat all day for the next six moons. Heck, she couldn't even bear to be around him for five minutes. But they were so short on warriors, that he might have to be her mentor... no. One of the other cats could take two apprentices or something.
|
|
|
Post by ( x Dint x ) on Sept 9, 2009 18:12:29 GMT -5
'Ignorant little snip. Loyal though,' He thought while he simply smirked and nodded, not missing the fact that she didn't answer to the question regarding her name. He flicked his tail a couple times before wrapping around his paws. His eyes narrowed at the kit as he watched her back away, as in fear. He could burst out laughing, saying she had past her first apprentinceship test, but this particular little blighter was probably too smart for that.
The small cat could do what it wanted and say what it wanted, he didn't care much. He had learned to block everything negative out since the time he was Branchkit. He twitched his nose, as if ignoring the urge to wrinkle it in disgust, as he stood and turned. Looking back, "The name is Branchwhisker, by the way. Perhaps you should remember it." With a sharp smirk, he pranced towards the fresh kill pile and grabbed his dinner before settling down at the hottest point in camp.
|
|
|
Post by me on Sept 9, 2009 20:09:55 GMT -5
She stared after the older cat. He definitely freaked her out. Maybe she should go talk to Specklefeather right now? Coming to a decision, she headed off in the direction of the leader's den, and went right in. She was sure that Specklefeather wouldn't be mad at her -- this was important. That weird cat should have been thrown out of the clan, as far as she was concerned.
But the leader didn't seem to be there. Awkwardly backing out of the den, she went straight to the entrance of the camp and sat nervously by it, straining her eyes to see down the tunnel. Oh, why did Specklefeather have to be gone now? He had been sitting, injured, in the camp for the last three quarters of a moon, and today just had to be the first day that he felt good enough to hunt or patrol or whatever he gone off to do.
|
|
|
Post by ( x Dint x ) on Sept 9, 2009 20:19:07 GMT -5
The tom watched the kit out of the corner of his eye. Watching her as she ran to the leaders den, that poor frightened kitten, to probably say something about him. Chuckling under his breath, thoughts reeled through Branchwhisker's mind like a slide show. As if this hadn't happened to him before. Oh yes, many a time. Cats go running to the leader expecting them to fix a little problem that they couldn't handle themselves - just a little quarrel, really.
There was nothing new here - he was still around. Oh baby, was Branchwhisker still around. It still remained a mystery to many why he was never kicked out. But he knew. He never really did anything against warrior code. Sure, he talked a little smack. Didn't every cat? So his personality is a lot less than perfect - you can't kick a cat out for something hereditary. It's illogical and unmoral.
So, so many reeling thoughts..
|
|
|
Post by wolflover1458 on Sept 10, 2009 19:19:07 GMT -5
Specklefeather lay peacefully for a while longer, listening to the Clan above. It soon became apparent he couldn't just lay there any longer. He got up, wincing a little at the healing wounds. Nightshade still wouldn't let him go, and he agreed with her, a rarity. He was yet up to the journey. Even if he was, he couldn't think of anyone suited to be a deputy. He had done a fine job of it, but a lot of the cats that would have done good had died in battle. They could be deputies in StarClan, but that didn't help him here.
He noticed Branchwhisker out. He wondered if the tom might do a fine job. If he wasn't so new a warrior, Specklefeather might think about it, but Branchwhisker was to young. He shook his head. He had Branchwhisker, Arcticfire, and Sorrelthorn, and they were all to young! Well, anyone who had an apprentice could do it, but Specklefeather still wanted to think of someone older. He changed his thoughts when he saw Darkkit. He remembered she was getting quite old. Perhaps ready to be an apprentice by now? Soon enough, at least, she would be. Specklefeather sat down and watched her and Branchwhisker.
|
|
|
Post by me on Sept 10, 2009 22:43:19 GMT -5
Darkkit, still standing near the thorn tunnel, spun around as she heard a cat sit down nearby and relaxed as soon as she saw who it was. Where had the leader been? She had checked his den, and hadn't seen him. Oh well... he must have been in one of the other dens.
"Specklefeather!" She called, rushing over to him. Normally she would have been calmer and more respectful, but not in this case. "Please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please please please please please do not make Branchwhisker my mentor," she said desperately, half-rearing up onto her hind legs to throw a frantic look from her eyes directly into his. "He's terrible!"
|
|
|
Post by ( x Dint x ) on Sept 11, 2009 21:16:26 GMT -5
'There she goes,' He thought, watching the scene with a convincing sweet smile. Nodding his head towards his leader,. "Good day Swiftfeather," he greeted, his tail slashing the air lazily.
Branchwhisker laid his head on his paws and closed his eyes, ears twitching - still picking up the conversation. He let off a lazy purr. 'Just put up a good act, Branchwhisker!' He thought with a smile.
|
|
|
Post by wolflover1458 on Sept 12, 2009 9:30:14 GMT -5
Specklefeather smiled in amusement at the kit. "I'm sure he's not that bad." Branchwhisker would, after all, be having an apprentice sometime. Then again, it was possible he could wait a little while, just having become a warrior himself. "You don't have to worry about that until you actually get a mentor. I'm sure you'll get along with your mentor just fine." If she didn't, that would be her problem to sort out. He did think it amusing how she was acting, though.
|
|
|
Post by me on Sept 13, 2009 18:03:03 GMT -5
The expression on her face immediately changed to shocked, then to a strange combination of annoyed and frightened. "Specklefeather. Branchwhisker is... creepy. I CAN'T have him as my mentor. I wouldn't be asking you if it wasn't important," she added, flexing her claws and twitching her tail in agitation. "Please?" She silently resolved to be nothing but trouble for the coppery brown tomcat if he did end up being her mentor. She would sneak out on her own, hide when it was time for training, and confuse her scent trail.
|
|
|
Post by wolflover1458 on Sept 14, 2009 15:08:47 GMT -5
Specklefeather shook his head. He couldn't see the problem she had, but he might as well go along with what she wanted. Branchwhisker was pretty young to have an apprentice anyway. He hadn't actually considered Branchwhisker for Darkkit. Maybe some other kit later, but he had just become a warrior himself anyway. He could teach her, or Arcticfire could. Besides, the new apprentices really should get a little bit of say in it, though Specklefeather was still adamant, to himself, that if she stayed around him, they might end up enjoying each others company after a while. Some things just weren't to be though.
|
|
|
Post by me on Sept 14, 2009 17:21:02 GMT -5
She sighed with relief, immediately feeling much much better. "Thanks, Specklefeather," she meowed, looking at the leader.
Suddenly feeling tired after all this commotion, she turned to head back to the nursery. A good long nap sounded nice just now. But then she saw Branchwhisker standing in the way, and paused awkwardly before trotting in a wide circle around him. She felt slightly embarrassed, but kept her eyes straight ahead, resolutely staring into the entrance of the nursery. Almost there now...
|
|