Post by LιθΠΗΣαRτεD on Aug 11, 2015 19:36:50 GMT
Season: Early greenleaf
"Everyone out of the nursery," Shellsong ordered, gently shooing Thrushkit, Cinderkit, Emberkit, Blazekit, and Stonekit out.
"But--"
"Cinderkit, be quiet. Wrenflight is about to give birth," scolded Grayfern, and turned her attention back towards the spasming queen, while her kit looked at her gloomily.
"Who's the father?" asked Shellsong from inside.
"Not official," grunted Wrenflight's voice. "I didn't expect to have kits at all, honestly. I'm a senior warrior, for StarClan's sake-- ow!" the kits exchanged glances as they heard grass tearing in the nursery.
"Just relax," said Grayfern soothingly.
"Move!" roared a new voice, and the kits jumped aside as Twigtail, the medicine cat, crashed into the nursery with Alderpaw in tow.
"Wow, we seem to be in the way of everything," Emberkit commented quietly. Thrushkit nodded, tilting his head in interest. Did it hurt giving birth. Glad I'm not a she-cat. Aw, I feel sorry for Cinderkit, Emberkit, and Blazekit. They'll have to go through this someday. Hopefully I'm not going to be the one at fault. If it hurts a she-cat this much to give birth--
"That's all," they heard Twigtail say from the nursery. "One beautiful tom."
"His name will be Foxkit," Wrenflight gushed. Then voices filled the air: passing warriors peeked their heads in, giving a quick congratulations. The queens were fussing over the newborn Foxkit and Wrenflight, and Thrushkit exchanged glances with his friends; Grayfern was gushing over how Foxkit was a tom. Stonekit was gazing up at the sky, looking bored.
"Was I like that when I was born?" he mused.
Blazekit shrugged. "We were born at the same time. So we must've been a huge hassle for the queens, hehehe."
"Especially for Grayfern," added Cinderkit, rolling her eyes. Thrushkit tilted his head.
"Why doesn't she like you guys?"
"She and Aspenheart have always wanted a tom," said Emberkit quietly. "We have two older sisters, Pinetail and Swiftblossom. They're really fun to play with, but Grayfern says it's time for them to go grow up a bit. She wants a 'mature tom.' We heard her saying that to Shellsong."
Wow. Grayfern and Aspenheart are sure terrible parents. His mind began to spin as he wondered. Weren't you supposed to love your kit (or kits) even if they didn't turn out the way you wanted them? He didn't know if he could stand it if Shellsong didn't love him. A wave of pity washed over him. They're right. I practically have three parents and they really don't have any. The world is sure confusing. Aren't all cats supposed to know what's right and what's wrong by the time they grow up? Grayfern and Aspenheart should know to love their kits... and Swiftblossom and Pinetail should know that they're big cats now. Shellsong should know who to love. That's just what you learn when you are growing up... right? That's the most important thing... right? Learning what you're supposed to do in your life.
"Thrushkit, are you coming?" Emberkit's voice jerked him out of his thoughts.
"W-what?" Cinderkit and Blazekit had disappeared, but Emberkit was looking back at him, standing at the entrance of the nursery.
"We're going to see Foxkit!"
"Oh! Coming!" Shaking off his thoughts, excitement coursed through him as he raced after Emberkit to meet his new denmate.
"Aw, he's cute, Wrenflight," Cinderkit was saying. Everyone was crouched around a tiny bundle of red tabby fur, which was snuggled up next to the new queen's belly. Thrushkit blinked in curiosity; he couldn't really see what all the excitement was about. It was just another kit. But joy was etched on Wrenflight and her mate Russetstripe's faces. Stonekit squeezed in between Shellsong and Grayfern and leaned over to sniff Foxkit cautiously, looking impassive.
"All right, everyone leave them alone," Twigtail snapped, picking up his herbs. "I've given you some borage leaves to help your milk come quicker. Wrapped in the borage leaves should be poppy seeds, which'll make you sleep. And don't disturb her, the rest of you! Especially you kits. Hear me? All right. Bye." he left quickly, and Alderpaw muttered a quick "congratulations" before departing behind his mentor.
"Does Twigtail not like us?" asked Cinderkit with wide eyes.
"He's just very busy," said Shellsong gently. "His impatience may be wearing out as the day goes by. He has a lot to tend to, but he cares deeply about all of us. He tends to all of our battle wounds and treats our illnesses. Most of us owe him our lives."
"Oh. Well, then, I guess he's a really loyal cat, right?" Stonekit said, looking mildly interested.
"Yes. Loyalty is one of the most important messages of the warrior code, which governs our lives. You must serve your Clan with you life, and never falter to do your duty," said Grayfern. "Always keep that in mind." She yawned and stretched, then curled up. "Well, the excitement's over. I'm going to take a nap. Kits, if you're tired, you're welcome to join me." With that, she promptly turned her backs on all of them and slept in the other direction.
"What are you supposed to be loyal to?" whispered Thrushkit, still interested. Cinderkit and her littermates sat down beside him, peering up at Shellsong, who smiled. I'm finally learning something about the Clan. "The Clan, and nothing else?"
"Swiftblossom told me that she was on patrol and Shadowpaw stepped over the border," squeaked Blazekit. "Does that mean he's not being loyal?"
"Well, no. Loyalty is not just staying behind boundaries. That's just following the rules. But loyalty is deeper than that. Following the rules is part of it, yes, but it's also how we support and show our allegiance with whatever we feel loyal to. And that can mean a number of things."
"So the warriors show their loyalty by fighting and hunting for the Clan," said Stonekit, nodding to show his understanding.
"And Twigtail and Alderpaw show their loyalty by helping us!" chimed in Cinderkit.
"Very good," purred Shellsong. "You kits are all very smart. I'm sure you'll all grow up to be superb warriors."
"Well, I'm going to be the most loyal!" said Thrushkit, eager to join in. "I'm going to train as hard as I can!"
"I'm glad to hear that."
"Yeah? Well, I'm going to train harder," sneered Stonekit.
"Shut up!"
"Thrushkit!"
"Hmph!"
"Shellsong?" Emberkit quietly piped up. "Loyalty is not just to a Clan, right?"
"Yes, Emberkit. It can be to many things. It's to what you feel is important."
"Like family, too? Are you supposed to be loyal to your kin?" Emberkit looked up at Shellsong with wide eyes. Thrushkit, Cinderkit, Blazekit, and Stonekit mirrored her movement.
"Of course. Family is also one of the most important things in our life. You should love your family as much as possible, and everyone should be at each other's side every step of the way. Family is the biggest support you have," said Shellsong gently.
Thrushkit tilted his head. So if her first mate was Snowfall, and then she took a second mate, does that mean she's not being loyal to Snowfall? And if Grayfern and Aspenheart don't like their kits, does that mean they're not loyal, either?
"...and this is the apprentices' den, where we'll be sleeping in two months," said Thrushkit confidently, flicking his tail towards the patch of grass. The three kits that had followed him on the tour nodded vigorously. It was their first day out of the nursery (as they had been born a half-moon ago), and Thrushkit felt obligated and proud to show them around.
"Wow! So you'll be Thrushpaw, then?" exclaimed Featherkit.
"Yep!"
"Wait, so we're not going to have any denmates anymore?" Brownkit pouted.
"Well, you'll have Foxkit," said Thrushkit.
"But he's so mean," pouted Featherkit.
"You mean he never shares anything?" mused Thrushkit. Since he was already three moons older than the younger tom, he only talked to him a couple times, and never took the time to play with him. However, all the kits knew that Foxkit was the most spoiled; whatever he wanted, Wrenflight would happily give to him. It was no surprise that he had become a selfish fur-ball.
"Yeah, but whenever we let him join in on our games, he just takes everything and hides it," complained Birchkit. "Like yesterday, we were playing moss-toss, and he just grabbed the moss-ball and sat on it. So we had to stop playing."
"Just make another one," said Thrushkit lightly. I'm four moons old now. I'm not going to play with the kits anymore. I have to prepare to be an apprentice, and that means letting go of some of the games. Later, I'll try to ask Rosepaw again to teach me some moves. I can get a head start! Ha! Then I can challenge Blazekit to that rematch fight. Ugh, it was so embarrassing that I lost to a she-cat.
"Yeah, but then he'll take that one!" exclaimed Featherkit as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Thrushkit rolled his eyes and shook his head in mock exasperation. That was me four moons ago.
"Rosepaw?" he asked, padding up to her; she had been eating a mouse. "Will you teach me some of your basic moves?"
"Sorry, Thrushkit," she said; it was the same thing every time. He felt his ears droop, and she smiled at him apologetically before giving him a lick between the ears. "I promised to meet Kitepaw for training."
"Kitepaw again?" he pouted. I'll bet you two are gonna be mates in the future, hehehe. "Okay, then." Fine, I'll just return to the nursery with the loud kits and the snoring queens, he grumped.
He squealed as he barely missed Blazekit, tumbling body; she had been fighting with Foxkit. Thrushkit watched as the russet tom threw himself on top of Blazekit, who hollered in surprise.
"Ow! Hey, no claws!"
"Ha! I'm the winner!" Foxkit yowled in triumph, perching on top of Blazekit's body. The she-cat scowled and wriggled, but Foxkit dug his claws in, making her growl more. Thrushkit sighed.
"Blazekit, stop it right now. You're almost an apprentice. What do you think you are, a kit?"
"Really, Grayfern?" said Shellsong, rolling her eyes.
"Everyone out of the nursery," Shellsong ordered, gently shooing Thrushkit, Cinderkit, Emberkit, Blazekit, and Stonekit out.
"But--"
"Cinderkit, be quiet. Wrenflight is about to give birth," scolded Grayfern, and turned her attention back towards the spasming queen, while her kit looked at her gloomily.
"Who's the father?" asked Shellsong from inside.
"Not official," grunted Wrenflight's voice. "I didn't expect to have kits at all, honestly. I'm a senior warrior, for StarClan's sake-- ow!" the kits exchanged glances as they heard grass tearing in the nursery.
"Just relax," said Grayfern soothingly.
"Move!" roared a new voice, and the kits jumped aside as Twigtail, the medicine cat, crashed into the nursery with Alderpaw in tow.
"Wow, we seem to be in the way of everything," Emberkit commented quietly. Thrushkit nodded, tilting his head in interest. Did it hurt giving birth. Glad I'm not a she-cat. Aw, I feel sorry for Cinderkit, Emberkit, and Blazekit. They'll have to go through this someday. Hopefully I'm not going to be the one at fault. If it hurts a she-cat this much to give birth--
"That's all," they heard Twigtail say from the nursery. "One beautiful tom."
"His name will be Foxkit," Wrenflight gushed. Then voices filled the air: passing warriors peeked their heads in, giving a quick congratulations. The queens were fussing over the newborn Foxkit and Wrenflight, and Thrushkit exchanged glances with his friends; Grayfern was gushing over how Foxkit was a tom. Stonekit was gazing up at the sky, looking bored.
"Was I like that when I was born?" he mused.
Blazekit shrugged. "We were born at the same time. So we must've been a huge hassle for the queens, hehehe."
"Especially for Grayfern," added Cinderkit, rolling her eyes. Thrushkit tilted his head.
"Why doesn't she like you guys?"
"She and Aspenheart have always wanted a tom," said Emberkit quietly. "We have two older sisters, Pinetail and Swiftblossom. They're really fun to play with, but Grayfern says it's time for them to go grow up a bit. She wants a 'mature tom.' We heard her saying that to Shellsong."
Wow. Grayfern and Aspenheart are sure terrible parents. His mind began to spin as he wondered. Weren't you supposed to love your kit (or kits) even if they didn't turn out the way you wanted them? He didn't know if he could stand it if Shellsong didn't love him. A wave of pity washed over him. They're right. I practically have three parents and they really don't have any. The world is sure confusing. Aren't all cats supposed to know what's right and what's wrong by the time they grow up? Grayfern and Aspenheart should know to love their kits... and Swiftblossom and Pinetail should know that they're big cats now. Shellsong should know who to love. That's just what you learn when you are growing up... right? That's the most important thing... right? Learning what you're supposed to do in your life.
"Thrushkit, are you coming?" Emberkit's voice jerked him out of his thoughts.
"W-what?" Cinderkit and Blazekit had disappeared, but Emberkit was looking back at him, standing at the entrance of the nursery.
"We're going to see Foxkit!"
"Oh! Coming!" Shaking off his thoughts, excitement coursed through him as he raced after Emberkit to meet his new denmate.
"Aw, he's cute, Wrenflight," Cinderkit was saying. Everyone was crouched around a tiny bundle of red tabby fur, which was snuggled up next to the new queen's belly. Thrushkit blinked in curiosity; he couldn't really see what all the excitement was about. It was just another kit. But joy was etched on Wrenflight and her mate Russetstripe's faces. Stonekit squeezed in between Shellsong and Grayfern and leaned over to sniff Foxkit cautiously, looking impassive.
"All right, everyone leave them alone," Twigtail snapped, picking up his herbs. "I've given you some borage leaves to help your milk come quicker. Wrapped in the borage leaves should be poppy seeds, which'll make you sleep. And don't disturb her, the rest of you! Especially you kits. Hear me? All right. Bye." he left quickly, and Alderpaw muttered a quick "congratulations" before departing behind his mentor.
"Does Twigtail not like us?" asked Cinderkit with wide eyes.
"He's just very busy," said Shellsong gently. "His impatience may be wearing out as the day goes by. He has a lot to tend to, but he cares deeply about all of us. He tends to all of our battle wounds and treats our illnesses. Most of us owe him our lives."
"Oh. Well, then, I guess he's a really loyal cat, right?" Stonekit said, looking mildly interested.
"Yes. Loyalty is one of the most important messages of the warrior code, which governs our lives. You must serve your Clan with you life, and never falter to do your duty," said Grayfern. "Always keep that in mind." She yawned and stretched, then curled up. "Well, the excitement's over. I'm going to take a nap. Kits, if you're tired, you're welcome to join me." With that, she promptly turned her backs on all of them and slept in the other direction.
"What are you supposed to be loyal to?" whispered Thrushkit, still interested. Cinderkit and her littermates sat down beside him, peering up at Shellsong, who smiled. I'm finally learning something about the Clan. "The Clan, and nothing else?"
"Swiftblossom told me that she was on patrol and Shadowpaw stepped over the border," squeaked Blazekit. "Does that mean he's not being loyal?"
"Well, no. Loyalty is not just staying behind boundaries. That's just following the rules. But loyalty is deeper than that. Following the rules is part of it, yes, but it's also how we support and show our allegiance with whatever we feel loyal to. And that can mean a number of things."
"So the warriors show their loyalty by fighting and hunting for the Clan," said Stonekit, nodding to show his understanding.
"And Twigtail and Alderpaw show their loyalty by helping us!" chimed in Cinderkit.
"Very good," purred Shellsong. "You kits are all very smart. I'm sure you'll all grow up to be superb warriors."
"Well, I'm going to be the most loyal!" said Thrushkit, eager to join in. "I'm going to train as hard as I can!"
"I'm glad to hear that."
"Yeah? Well, I'm going to train harder," sneered Stonekit.
"Shut up!"
"Thrushkit!"
"Hmph!"
"Shellsong?" Emberkit quietly piped up. "Loyalty is not just to a Clan, right?"
"Yes, Emberkit. It can be to many things. It's to what you feel is important."
"Like family, too? Are you supposed to be loyal to your kin?" Emberkit looked up at Shellsong with wide eyes. Thrushkit, Cinderkit, Blazekit, and Stonekit mirrored her movement.
"Of course. Family is also one of the most important things in our life. You should love your family as much as possible, and everyone should be at each other's side every step of the way. Family is the biggest support you have," said Shellsong gently.
Thrushkit tilted his head. So if her first mate was Snowfall, and then she took a second mate, does that mean she's not being loyal to Snowfall? And if Grayfern and Aspenheart don't like their kits, does that mean they're not loyal, either?
"...and this is the apprentices' den, where we'll be sleeping in two months," said Thrushkit confidently, flicking his tail towards the patch of grass. The three kits that had followed him on the tour nodded vigorously. It was their first day out of the nursery (as they had been born a half-moon ago), and Thrushkit felt obligated and proud to show them around.
"Wow! So you'll be Thrushpaw, then?" exclaimed Featherkit.
"Yep!"
"Wait, so we're not going to have any denmates anymore?" Brownkit pouted.
"Well, you'll have Foxkit," said Thrushkit.
"But he's so mean," pouted Featherkit.
"You mean he never shares anything?" mused Thrushkit. Since he was already three moons older than the younger tom, he only talked to him a couple times, and never took the time to play with him. However, all the kits knew that Foxkit was the most spoiled; whatever he wanted, Wrenflight would happily give to him. It was no surprise that he had become a selfish fur-ball.
"Yeah, but whenever we let him join in on our games, he just takes everything and hides it," complained Birchkit. "Like yesterday, we were playing moss-toss, and he just grabbed the moss-ball and sat on it. So we had to stop playing."
"Just make another one," said Thrushkit lightly. I'm four moons old now. I'm not going to play with the kits anymore. I have to prepare to be an apprentice, and that means letting go of some of the games. Later, I'll try to ask Rosepaw again to teach me some moves. I can get a head start! Ha! Then I can challenge Blazekit to that rematch fight. Ugh, it was so embarrassing that I lost to a she-cat.
"Yeah, but then he'll take that one!" exclaimed Featherkit as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Thrushkit rolled his eyes and shook his head in mock exasperation. That was me four moons ago.
"Rosepaw?" he asked, padding up to her; she had been eating a mouse. "Will you teach me some of your basic moves?"
"Sorry, Thrushkit," she said; it was the same thing every time. He felt his ears droop, and she smiled at him apologetically before giving him a lick between the ears. "I promised to meet Kitepaw for training."
"Kitepaw again?" he pouted. I'll bet you two are gonna be mates in the future, hehehe. "Okay, then." Fine, I'll just return to the nursery with the loud kits and the snoring queens, he grumped.
He squealed as he barely missed Blazekit, tumbling body; she had been fighting with Foxkit. Thrushkit watched as the russet tom threw himself on top of Blazekit, who hollered in surprise.
"Ow! Hey, no claws!"
"Ha! I'm the winner!" Foxkit yowled in triumph, perching on top of Blazekit's body. The she-cat scowled and wriggled, but Foxkit dug his claws in, making her growl more. Thrushkit sighed.
"Blazekit, stop it right now. You're almost an apprentice. What do you think you are, a kit?"
"Really, Grayfern?" said Shellsong, rolling her eyes.