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Post by Shad on Oct 3, 2015 19:04:40 GMT
 The sun shone brightly overhead, its rays gently floating down against the rough log where the Nursery was kept, heating the air inside until it was so comfortable, so warm, even the most rambunctious kit would be hard pressed to stay awake. Small furry balls of kits and big furrier balls of queens curled protectively around their young as the cats all slept. In the smallest nest, Featherpaw and the twins slept. Both twins were snoring and snorting in their sleep. In the second smallest nest, but also the newest, Fernheart and all her newborns had just settled down to rest again. The newborns kept waking up demanding to be fed every few hours but since there were only two of them and the tuxedo shecat especially was not very fussy at all, it did not cause too much trouble. By the door, Swanstrike gently napped, her huge soft tail laying over the entrance so she would be woken by any kit attempting escape. Mistlekit and Rosekit were fast asleep beside her. They had grown a lot lately. Some cats were starting to whisper about apprenticeships in the coming moon. The last nest, the biggest by far, belonged to Starlingfur and her brood. While the queen often worked harder than any other cat and stayed awake longer than most, it was midday now and she had long since given over to sleep beside her many kits, all obediently snuggled together like peas in a pod. Except one pea's head had just popped up, amber eyes bright with wakefulness. The small pudgy brown kit had gone to sleep at the edge of the pile last night. Normally Flickerkit preferred the middle -the middle was warmer and much more comfy with all the soft fur pressed around her, but normally the brown kit did not have things other than sleep on her mind when she went to bed. Tonight -er, today, was different. The kit easily slipped out of the edge of the nest and gently scrambled to the Nursery floor. She took a moment to congratulate herself with a much needed stretch. Eurghhhhhh! That had been so hard! Flickerkit never stayed up this later, or early rather. She had had to count about ten zillion mice to stay awake -so high she had needed to make up the numbers because she did not know the real ones anymore! But now, now she was free of the nest and moving and about to put her plan into action! Now she practically buzzed with adrenaline and nervousness. She had never gone outside during the day. Maybe a few times when she was very very small like Fernheart's kits, but never a time when she could remember! But now she was going outside! Not just outside but- The kit broke off the thought quickly. She was not out yet and she did not want to tempt fate. She stealthily made her way over to the entrance. Flickerkit had never considered herself stealthy. She had never tried it before to be honest. Trying it now... it just felt like walking slow and with her back arched. She assumed there was more to the stealthy hunting crouches she had heard about, but if there was she didn't know it. Now she was at the entrance. The shecat's fur bristled with nerves. She looked at the massive tail barring her way and the sleeping face that would get very angry very quick if she woke the owner of that tail up and was out of her nest. Flickerkit was many good things, but a good liar was not one of them. If she was caught, that would be the end for her. Amber eyes looked at the two older kits nestled in Swanstrike's fur. She had two options. Rosekit. Or Mistlekit. Rosekit looked like he was closer... Flickerkit wrinkled her nose in distaste though. She didn't trust Rosekit. She spent more time with Mistlekit who said all these funny words and was always super nice. The brown kit liked Mistlekit better, but could she keep a secret? Flickerkit was not sure. She had never had a secret that needed keeping before. The kit fidgeted on her paws quietly, unsure. Mistlekit... Mistlekit was her best friend. She did not mind that Flickerkit was a little bit slower than her siblings. She was never cross when Flickerkit did not understand even though everyone else did. She certainly never teased the younger kit, at least not in a mean way like the other kits did sometimes. Flickerkit looked at the innocent sleeping face of her best friend. Sure, she was the best friend Flickerkit had, but she was also the only friend Flickerkit had -so how good did that really make her? And how good was this plan anyway? There were so many ways it wouldn't work! The tiny brown kit wished, for about the millionth time in her life, that she was smarter, like the twins or Poolkit or Rosekit or even Shrikekit! But she wasn't. And this was the only plan she had. Mistlekit was the only friend she had. This was her shot. And she was taking it. With a deep breath, hoping her plan worked, Flickerkit pushed Mistlekit's shoulders with both paws. She didn't mean to hurt or startle her. The older kit was simply a lot bigger than her, and it took more effort to wake her up for someone smaller like Flickerkit. "Mistlekit," the shekit whispered, faintly shaking her friend's shoulder. "Mistlekit, wake up. Shhhhhh. I want you to stand up. Just stand up." Flickerkit's voice was quiet, but urgent. |
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A flaming sword of burning righteousness and also fire!
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Post by ♏aple♢ on Oct 4, 2015 5:00:34 GMT
If you start most of your sentences with 'Why Can't', 'Why Not', or 'What if', you'll build a stronger imagination.
One cloud... Two cloud... Three cloud.... Oh, but they just stretched higher and higher! Swirling and twirling into the sky, taller than any of Cedarclan's trees could ever hope to climb. And oh how tall and beautiful those were. But Mistlekit had passed them long ago. No matter how she would have loved to lie in their boughs all day, rocked gently by the breeze and sang to sleep by the song of birds, she had to keep going. Keep climbing. Something was waiting for her, after all! So she leapt, hopping from cloud to cloud, higher and higher into the sky. Little poofs of clouddust puffed out from every hop, but even when she looked down Mistlekit was never afraid of falling. She didn't have to be afraid. She was safe here.
But oh- what was that? The wind had changed. It wasn't melodic and beautiful anymore. It seemed rushed. Chattered. The breeze shook the soft cloud beneath her paws- she was supposed to be safe here, but now looking down... It seemed an awfully long way. Mistlekit gulped. She just... Had to keep climbing! She was strong, and an awful good climber. She could smell a million miles away, and would sense any trouble before it happened. And there were no scents but the cool, crisp air, and the soft fluffy clouds this high up anyways! So why, why did she smell a cat? And why did her lovely clouds keep shaking beneath her paws? They had been so kind before, but were being awfully rude now. Mistlekit looked down, puffing out her cheeks, and stuck her face into the pile of fluff that she stood on now. She would find the source of this!
Aaand... When she pulled her head out, she was surrounded by cats. Her head felt... Dizzy. Lichen green eyes were hazy like a fogged pool. These things were soft... But they weren't her clouds. Where was...? That was Rosekit. And that was Swanstrike. Oh.... right. This was the nursery. It must have all been a dream. Well fiddlesticks. But what a lovely dream it had been... Mistlekit sighed contentedly, blinking slowly against the hazy sunlight streaming into the den. But wait- not everything had been in her dream! The shaking persisted. But instead of beneath her paws, it was....
"Flickerkit?" Mistlekit mumbled sleepily, opening her jaws in a silent yawn. It was so early... What was she doing up? Surely the camp wasn't in danger. Or was it? Was this the beginning of some grand adventure- did they have to save their hope from a threat that only they could hope to defeat, setting off at the break of dawn? How romantic! Mistlekit blinked a few more times, excitement springing to her eyes as she slowly followed the younger kit's instruction. Or perhaps Starlingfur had a special mission for her? Oh, but she was sleeping over there. But the princess! The princess! That was Starlingfur's very own little daughter, Flickerkit! Did the princess have a special task for her, perhaps? A task that only a knight could preform? Oh, as soon as she awoke Mistlekit always had a dozen ideas running through her mind. A dozen lives, a dozen stories. And even though it was early, she couldn't wait to dive right in.
"What is it, Flickerkit? Danger? Excitement? Adventure?" She meowed quietly, voice dreamy but joyous.
586 words | Mistlekit | Daytime |
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Post by Shad on Oct 4, 2015 16:12:56 GMT
The small brown kit was tense as Mistlekit sleepily rose to her paws. Come on. Come on. This had to work. Every time Flickerkit was restless when trying to sleep her mom would comfort her with a brush of her tail. She didn't even wake up to do it. It was just automatic. Mistlekit was not Swanstrike's kit, but the huge kit acted like she might as well be. So maybe- Swanstrike's tail lazily lifted from the Nursery entrance to land on Mistlekit's shoulder soothingly, subconsciously trying to settle her kit back down. At least, that was probably what the shecat had intended in the dream-filled mom sleep she was currently inhabiting. Sleeping cats are not exactly known for their accuracy. Mistlekit instead got a face full of soft white fur. Flickerkit giggled at the sight, but quickly remembered her mission. She darted through the Nursery entrance -out into the camp beyond. She did it! She was halfway there! And yet Mistlekit... A small furry brown head popped back in. "I'm going out," she mewed quickly, quietly. "Don't tell anybody! Or... Or..." Flickerkit tried to think of the worst threat she could possibly think of. "Or I won't listen to your stories anymore!" she mewed decisively, then immediately bit her lip, her face guilty. That was awfully serious and sounded nothing at all like what the normal Flickerkit would say. Flickerkit was a very nice, happy, bubbly kit for the most part who was hardly ever cross (at least, not for more than a few minutes at a time). The very idea that she would threaten somebody was alarming. Something serious was most definitely going on to make her act like this. Especially her threat! She liked Mistlekit's stories. She loved them even. They were her favorite part of the day -but she had to do this. She just had to. And she couldn't let Mistlekit tell on her. With that, the small kit raced back behind the Nursery along the briar walls. The camp was quiet right now. Not a cat in sight. Everyone was sleeping except the guard. What was she going to do about the guard? Flickerkit was not a good planner. She liked puzzles -that was how she had figured out how to trick Swanstrike. It was just a puzzle -but planning was decidedly not her strong suit. Crouching low around the corner of the last den, Flickerkit tried to think of what she was going to do next. |
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A flaming sword of burning righteousness and also fire!
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Post by ♏aple♢ on Oct 6, 2015 0:55:22 GMT
If you start most of your sentences with 'Why Can't', 'Why Not', or 'What if', you'll build a stronger imagination.
A big swooping tail swooshed over, brushing down the little she-cat as she stood. Swanstrike was just as deep in her slumber as the rest of the nursery's residents however, and didn't even notice when Flickerkit slipped out of the den from beneath the lifted tail. Oh, how clever! Mistlekit's eyes lit up. Why, Flickerkit was going to be just as smart as Starlingfur at this rate. And- wait, oh no she didn't! Going out without her? After waking her from her dream? Mistlekit was already in a mood for adventure, and it wouldn't be quenched!
"You wouldn't dare!" Mistlekit gasped, eyes hurt. That was a serious threat. Mistlekit loved telling her stories to all the little kits in the nursery. They were special stories. Ones that her mama and Swanstrike had told her, and some that she even came up with out of her own head. And she came up with an awful lot of them! In fact, Mistlekit spent the better part of her day thinking of new stories to tell. And Flickerkit had threatened not to listen to them anymore if she told? Oh, this must be a serious matter indeed. Mistlekit steeled her eyes- well, as steeled as a dreamy, half-asleep kit with fur sticking up all over the place could look.
"I'm coming too!" she squeezed out of the den, slipping under Swanstrike's tail just in time as it slapped back down. Tumbling onto the warm earth, Mistlekit took a moment to right her position. Oh, the sun was so bright.. She was so used to being awake at nighttime now, that she had to get used to the golden warmth. Mistlekit blinked a few times before sneezing. And by the time she opened them again, Flickerkit had raced off! She ran along the side of the nursery before ducking behind the bramble wall that marked the warriors den. Eyes determined, Mistlekit chased after her. She couldn't just let a little kit like Flickerkit run off and get hurt all on her own! She was the princess! She had to protect her!
It didn't take too long for Mistlekit to catch up. After all, even though Mistlekit was little, she was way bigger than the two-moon old. She found herself crouching next to the she-cat when they were just between the big tree den and the camp's entrance. And then, Mistlekit finally had the chance to look around camp. It was... pretty empty, when nobody was awake. The sun shone beautifully, but the clearing was like a ghost town. It sent shivers down the little she-cat's spine. No, there were no cats out and about. Except for the guard. Were they actually going out of camp? Oh, what a marvelous adventure this was turning out to be. But how far had Flickerkit thought this through, Mistlekit wondered? "Where do you plan on going, Flickerkit?" she whispered, pressing as close to the bramble wall as possible. She didn't want to be seen- but they did kind of poke her. Ouch!
525 words | Mistlekit | Daytime |
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Post by Shad on Oct 6, 2015 19:28:11 GMT
The little kit heard someone come up behind her and spun in terror to see- Mistlekit. Oh. The brown ball of fur's pelt lay flat again and she eyed the tunnel, worrying about the guard at the other end. She had to admit, she was glad Mistlekit was here, even if she hadn't wanted to ask her to come. Mistlekit made her feel safe. She was so smart, and knew about practically everything. Mistlekit always told stories about warriors and princesses. The warrior was always a tom that rescued the shecat but Flickerkit was pretty sure Mistlekit would be a warrior if she tried. She was good at protecting. Just look at Rosekit! Everybody knew the story. Some bad cat had attacked them and Mistlekit fought him off. Rosekit would have died if Mistlekit had not been there. As it was he just got a really back scar on his shoulder that all the boys thought looked super cool and wanted one. Flickerkit was glad to have her friend with her -although she hoped the ending to their outing did not turn out the same as Rosekit's. "I'm going outside," she mewed in a whisper. "And I'm going to bring something back to prove it. Maybe I'll even go catch a mouse or something."Flickerkit was still not quite sure how she was going to do this. She did not know next to anything about hunting except the older cats went out to do it. She figured a mouse was about her size so she might be able to drag a little one back. She just did not know where she was going to find one. Where they like rocks that you just found on the ground? She did not think so because the Warriors made it sound like they moved fast and you had to catch them, but they weren't cats so she was not exactly clear on how they could move. She had never seen one move. They had legs like cats and heads and tails but they pretty much just laid there while she ate them and the idea of them actually moving seemed strange. Maybe a mouse wouldn't work. Maybe she should go for something easier. She could try... berries? That might work. Ravenface sometimes brought the kits sweet berries when she checked up on the newborns. Flickerkit did not liked them even more than mice since they were so sugary and yummy but when she would ask for more Ravenface would start to go on about 'New-trish-on' and then all the queens would get excited and it meant Flickerkit could not have anymore berries. How would she prove she had gotten them herself though? Or even the mouse? No. No. Neither would work. It had to be something different. Someone no one had ever seen before. That was it. That was how she was going to prove she had gone outside the camp before anyone else. She was not a liar or a baby and today she was going to prove it! Quailkit and Quiverkit only busted out of the Nursery. Flickerkit was going to do even better! She was going to bust out of the entire camp and no one would ever call her a baby ever again! Courage renewed, the shecat darted into the tunnel, ears and tail low. She crept up behind the guard, but froze when she heard him growling. Her tiny kit fur fluffed up in fear. He had not even turned around yet! Had he spotted her somehow? Did he have eyes in the back of his head like Swanstrike? Or... was there something out there? Was it a monster? Would it attack them? Flickerkit started to back up fearfully toward Mistlekit until, hold on. The shekit's ears flickered. Oh. Wait. She recognized that noise! It was the same noise Ternkit always made! It wasn't a growl it was- "Snoring!" she whispered to Mistlekit in excitement and relief, a huge smile breaking out over her face. "He's snoring! He's asleep! Come on! Come on! Let's go!"The little brown kit could not hold back her excitement as she hurried out of the tunnel and into the bright, big, exciting world outside! She hurried away into the undergrowth, uncontrollable giggles breaking out of her louder and louder the farther she went. Honestly, it was not too far. A pawful of taillengths maybe, but to the little kit, it could have been miles and miles. "I did it," she breathed in amazement. All those mean names. All those times she had felt bad that she was slower than her siblings. All the times cats looked at her with pity because she just did not get it. All of those times flew away as the she cat reveled in her first, real success. "I did it!" she laughed aloud, spinning on Mistlekit and excitedly bouncing around her, more joyous and carefree than she had been in days, ever since the twins had been mean to her. Her blue-amber eyes shone with happiness and gratitude as she finally stopped to purr breathlessly, "We did it! Mistlekit, we did it! Look! Look! We're outside the camp! Can you believe it?" |
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A flaming sword of burning righteousness and also fire!
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Post by ♏aple♢ on Oct 9, 2015 14:07:38 GMT
If you start most of your sentences with 'Why Can't', 'Why Not', or 'What if', you'll build a stronger imagination.
So it was true then! Out of camp... Mistlekit's eyes were wide with excitement. She hadn't left camp since she and Rosekit had been brought back. So much of that day was a blur now... But she remembered the outside just as clearly as she remembered her Mama. Fields of flowers that stretched on forever, and an endless sea of stars. Air that smelled like honeysuckle and violet mountains as far as one could see. She treasured these memories. They were her special secrets- her brightest days from which to spin stories from. And now... she might have a chance to see them again! Kits weren't allowed to step beyond the bramble tunnel- except for the oldest ones like Poolkit, and even then only with a warrior! But if they snuck out, who would be able to stop them? Well... the guard, perhaps. But if they brought back a prize of some sort... They would have no choice but to make them warriors early! Surely that was how it worked!
"Oh, we'll catch the biggest mouse in the forest, Mistlekit." Mistlekit whispered excitedly, barely able to keep herself from bouncing. With the two of them, how could they not? Mistlekit loved her brother, but she would have never been able to do a thing like this with him. And if Flickerkit was going- the leader's daughter, how much trouble would they get into if they got caught after all? Surely the queen wouldn't punish the princess and her royal guard too harshly. Especially when they brought back marvelous gifts for the whole clan to share. It was a failsafe plan. Now all they had to do was sneak past the guard...
Mistlekit watched the tom, crouching far more slowly after the younger kit as she snuck through the tunnel. Would they be able to sneak around him? What would she say if he woke up? How could they lie their way out of this one? Oh, they wouldn't be stopped here, no sir! Mistlekit began to think of plans. Ideas. Things to say and things to do, when-
"Snoring! He's snoring! He's asleep! Come on! Come on! Let's go!"
A gasp erupted from the off-white she-cat's chest, and without hesitation she burst after Flickerkit and out the entrance like a ball from a cannon. The scent of fresh-air, untainted by fur and dirt and the smell of fresh-kill hit her like a wave. Flowers and tree bark and crisp wind and leaves- oh it was marvelous. Mistlekit skipped and skitered and ran, joyous trills ringinging from her throat like birdsong. Oh it had been so long. She'd missed it so much! The colors were so vibrant- all the fallen oranges and browns that were swept from camp shone so brightly under the sunlight. Leaf-Fall's last blossoms clinging stubbornly to brambles and tangles, refusing to give up their fight. Dew sparkled on the grass, tall and lush and oh so unhindered. Out here it was free, and it was beautiful.
"We did, we did!" she cried out, sommersaulting into a pile of leaves. She rolled around, drinking in the scent and colors of the forest in just that moment. It was wonderful. This would make for one of the best tales of all- but she would live in the moment as it came. "Isn't it beautiful? Isn't it vast?" she breathed, splaying her legs and tossing leaves to the sky. It was different from the forest she remembered. The trip to camp had been a hazy one. Stricken with fear, she'd struggled to remember. But it was so much more orange than it had once been. The air was chillier. The flowers sparser. What would her home look like now? Would the flowers have faded, and the grass have turned a sharp red? Or would they bloom more vibrantly than ever? Oh, but they just had to find out.
They were still so close to camp, and yet it felt so far. If Mistlekit peered, she could see that bramble wall through the trees. But thanks to the thick undergrowth, the were well concealed. But what if they went farther? Mistlekit couldn't smell any mice here after all- and they had come out to catch one, hadn't they? And who would a bit of adventure on the side hurt? "Lets see more of the forest! Oh, what could we find? If its anything like this, I would be the happiest kit in the world." well, except for Flickerkit maybe.
770 words | Mistlekit | Daytime |
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Post by Shad on Oct 13, 2015 5:14:47 GMT
"Not happier than me!" Flickerkit giggled beside her friend. She peered around the big world, blue-amber eyes bright with excitement as to what she would find. There was a well traveled path heading off to in two different directions, and the plants everywhere! The camp was nothing like this! The trees were the same but there was so much more grass! And plants! It was so strange to have so much grass everywhere and so many plants and things all around! Flickerkit spat out plant fuzz as one smacked into her face as she walked forward a bit, exploring this strange place. But she could do that later. First things first. "Right. Okay," she mewed, her tone serious and her eyes bright. "We have to find something to bring back. Something interesting and different. Like a tabby mouse or something!"Flickerkit looked one way, then the other, not sure where to start. "Uhm... you go that way maybe," she mewed waving vaguely with her tail, "And I'll go this way." She pointed in the other direction. Then Flickerkit hesitated, shifting a bit on her paws. "Uhm.... You... you won't go too far, right Mistlekit?" the little brown kit murmured sheepishly. "I'm not afraid or anything I just... uh..." the shekit's tail curled and uncurled uncomfortably behind her until she realized how obviously childish she looked and quickly straightened. "Right! Okay! Let's go!"Flickerkit darted off before she could make any more of a fool of herself. She did not want to be the baby the twins had accused her of being. She could be brave! And adventurous! And a rule breaker! The little kit bit her lip as she looked at all the plants, which seemed a lot more intimidating and vast when she was alone. She decided she would stick close to camp, specifically the big wall. She made sure to keep it in sight. Blue-amber eyes flicked over everything she could find quickly. The sooner she found something interesting, the sooner she could go back and find Mistlekit. She felt better when Mistlekit was with her. She found a neat looking rock, and really big red/orange/yellow/green leaf, and a weird fuzzy worm thing, and even a stick that looked like Hawkkit's tail -but those were all things she could find in camp and, while interesting, not what she needed. The little brown kit harrumphed and ventured a little bit further, not too far, just a little bit. There were strange smells out here, almost like prey but... fresher. So... not-dead prey she supposed. She could go back to catching a mouse but... There!Flickerkit's eyes lighted upon a bush. With berries! And they were white berries! Ravenface had never given the kits white berries before! Flickerkit bounded over in excitement, inspecting the bush. It was quite little, with only a few berries left on it, most had shriveled off already, but a few was enough! "Hey Mistlekit!" she called out. "Mistlekit come see what I found!" Flickerkit looked at the small white orbs and figured this must be a Mistle plant! Mistlekit had told them about the plant with pretty white berries she had been named after! How lucky! She would get to bring back Mistlekit and Mistleplant! Flickerkit giggled to herself and the amazing idea. She gazed at the appetizing plants and licked her lips. She remembered the sweet berries Ravenface gave them sometimes when she came to check on Frostkit and Redkit. Excited, the little brown kit popped one in her mouth. Her eyes opened wide and her fur fluffed in delight. It was delicious! She ate two more in a heartbeat, then had to lecture herself to stop. They were yummy, but she had to save some to bring back! She should just... uhm.... well she was going to... er... bite... what was she doing? Huh. She forgot she -Flickerkit yawned- she felt really... really sleepy. Her breath... it felt short... heavy... hot... She was having a hard time keeping her eyes open. It was daytime. And the sun was so warm and... so sleepy... and... Mistle.... Flickerkit was laying on the ground now. She did not quite remembering -remember? remurmur. murmur. having done that. So strange. So sleepy. She felt so slow... so... sluggy....shuggy... muggy... so... The kit's eyes rolled back in her head and she knew no more as her breaths started to come in disjointed, slow gasps. Note: Flickerkit has eaten Doll's Eye (Raven calls it Snake's eye/Snake Eye since cats don't know what dolls are). It is a small leafy bush with bright white berries with black 'eyes' (seeds) on them. It is highly toxic and causes the heart to malfunction and slow, eventually stopping and obviously leading to death. It is dangerous to cats if eaten in fair quantities and to kits... well this isn't going to go too well. Hopefully Mistlekit is still nearby...
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A flaming sword of burning righteousness and also fire!
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Post by ♏aple♢ on Oct 15, 2015 20:42:09 GMT
If you start most of your sentences with 'Why Can't', 'Why Not', or 'What if', you'll build a stronger imagination.
"Oh, of course not!" Mistlekit chirped, green eyes bright and full of life. No, just the two of them had to be happier than anyone else right about now. If only Rosekit could be here. But once they brought back something lovely... Why, everyone in the clan would just oooh and ahhhh. And if they found something particularly unique... Perhaps they would even be made warriors on the spot! Oh, what a wonderful thought. They just had to find something special!
Mistlekit nodded seriously as her friend spoke. Interesting and different... Maybe a vole the size of a fox- voles probably couldn't fight even if they were big, right? Or- or a tabby mouse! Green eyes grew wide at the thought. "How beautiful a tabby mouse would be..." she meowed thoughtfully, tipping her head. All stripey, just like Starlingfur. She might not even want to eat it if it looked like a cat! Perhaps they could take it home alive and teach it to live like a cat... The first mouse warrior! Oh, that would make for such a lovely story! But- they were on a mission right now. She could come up with a story for that later! "We'll find the most interesting and different thing in the forest Flickerkit, and when we return the entire clan will be proud of us."
The little she-cat looked around the forest. Hmm... They were still awfully close to camp. All she could see around here was bushes and trees- but the trees were so tall! But- no, she couldn't bring a tree back. They already had two of those in camp. Ah- maybe they should split up in different directions! "So clever! The perfect plan. We'll cover more ground that way, and maybe even find more special things!" Mistlekit purred. Oh, Flickerkit was definitely Starlingfur's daughter! A perfect little leader. But- she wouldn't stray too far of course! Oh no, definitely not. Mistlekit could see that little bit of nervousness in her friends eye. Puffing out her chest, Mistlekit shook her head. "I would never leave you out here all alone! I'm older, and a knight, which means I'm supposed to protect you. Because you're the princess!" she proclaimed, head held high. And even just saying that gave her a bit more confidence herself. "I'll keep an eye on where you are and not go too far away, okay?"
And off they went! Flickerkit shot off like a hare out of its den, but Mistlekit moved more slowly. She wanted to enjoy the experience of being outside again. Soak in the crisp cool of the wind, the gentle warmth of the sun on her fur. Things like this- feelings and forming memories that would last- were important to her. And out here.. With the reddening flowers and tangling vines and trees that never seemed to end.. She felt closer to her Mama.
But her Mama would want her to find something special for the clan. Oh, she would go on and on! Mistlekit had no doubts! And so after a few moments of admiring the scenery, determination lit her eyes. She was going to find the best thing ever! And make her Mama, and Rosekit, and Swanstrike, and Starlingfur proud!
Twigs, branches, brambles... There was nothing out of the ordinary so far, though. Well- everything was out of the ordinary compared to camp. But as Mistlekit walked, she found no signs of giant voles or tabby mice. But she wouldn't give up. They were going to find something- maybe they just had to go a little farther out! Oh- speaking of they... A little voice called out to her in the distance. Flickerkit's voice. She beckoned her back- had she found something! Mistlekit's heart skipped a beat. Oh, what could it be? "I'm coming!" she called out, running back along the path from whence she'd came. What could it be? A blue fox? A tunnel? A sheep?! Mistlekit had never seen a sheep, but her mother had always talked about how they were like clouds with legs. What a wonderful thing that would be! Or- maybe it was something completely different!
She hadn't strayed far, just as she'd promised. And so it only took her a pawful of moments for her to reach her friend. And when she found her- had she fallen asleep? "Flickerkit?" Mistlekit questioned, moving closer. Her friend was.. Just lying there. Under a beautiful bush, with the oddest berries she'd ever seen. They were shriveled- some of them. But some were ripe and full, clinging to bright pink stems with the most curious little dots on them. They looked almost like eyes! Was this what Flickerkit had found? "Oh, I just wonder what these are?" she gasped, reaching up with two paws and batting at one. It bounced back playfully, and Mistlekit giggled. "A special herb, maybe! What if it was rare, and could cure every sick cat ever? Oh, Ravenface will be just so pleased!" she purred, dropping back down onto all four legs. Maybe she would even let them play in the medicine cat's den! It always smelled so lovely in there, and-
Why was Flickerkit breathing like that? Now that.. Mistlekit was actually looking down at the younger kit.. There was something... wrong. She was breathing too hard- like when they played too rough and had to take a break. But it was all.. slow and weird. Nervousness began to prickle at the back of Mistlekit's mind, and she gave her friend a gentle shake on the shoulder. "Flickerkit? Are you awake?" she questioned tentatively. No response. She shook her again. And again, nothing. Why wasn't she moving? Why wasn't she getting up? And why was she breathing like that? Mistlekit shifted from one paw to the other, nervousness turning her eyes sharp. "C-come on, it isn't funny to play like that! Not without telling me!" she meowed, a hint of pleading to her voice as she shook her friend again. But she still wouldn't move.
"Uhm... Uh..." Mistlekit stammered, looking around the forest. The birds still sang, and the wind still whistled. But Mistlekit felt a darker undertone to it, now. Or perhaps it was her own panic rising. What had happened? Oh, she should have stayed closer! And-
Green eyes went wide.
It was just like Mama.
"No, NO! Flickerkit, get UP!" she wailed, pushing her friend with her face roughly. Mama had been still, and now mama was gone. And now Flickerkit was still. But... But... She'd promised to protect her! She couldn't fall asleep like this! She didn't even know what was wrong, but when she pushed her friend again and her eyes finally opened, they looked like glass. Rolled back in her head, the whites clearly visible, and too empty. "No, no no no..." Mistlekit shook her head, backing away. She'd just left for a second! There was no blood or anything! What was going on?
But- but she was still breathing! Panic fluttered in her chest, but something clicked in her head. Ravenface. She had to get her to Ravenface. Ravenface helped them when they had scraped paws or pricks from thorns- she could help them now! She just had to get Flickerkit back to camp, and everything would be a-okay. "I'm gonna get you home, Flickerkit." Mistlekit reassured her friend- and perhaps herself, as she tried to wrap her little jaws around her friend's scruff. "And Ravenface will fix everything, and then you'll wake up, and then we can come back and find something else, okay? Or maybe just stay in camp." she babbled, trying to adjust her grip. But Mistlekit was so little- so thin- that picking up a kit even half her age was difficult. But she managed. Flickerkit would have a few bumps on her back by the time they got back to camp, but... Ravenface could... Ravenface could just fix those too!
Mistlekit ran through the forest as fast as she could. She almost tripped once or twice, but luckily it wasn't that far of a run back. Maybe it was good that they hadn't gone so far after all. When she got back to camp, the sun was still bright and warm. And the guard- well, the guard wasn't even there any more! Nobody was in the clearing. Relief and fear washed over her as the little she-cat dragged her friend through the camp's tunnel. Shame burned through her body as she trudged towards the medicine cat's den, along with terror. Would she be able to fix her? She.. Ravenface had to! She would know what was wrong. Grownups knew everything.
As soon as she burst through the den's entrance, the scent of sickness hit her like a wave. Mistlekit wrinkled her nose, setting her friend down as easily as she could in her panicked state. "Ravenface!" she cried out, voice shaky and fearful. "Ravenface, you have to help Flickerkit! Please!"
1511 words | Mistlekit | Daytime |
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Post by Shad on Oct 15, 2015 20:59:20 GMT
The silver shecat was organizing her precious herbs, as usual, when a frantic voice reached her ears. Ravenface was on her paws in a second, carefully picking her way around the myriad of plant piles to make her way to the front of the den and her very excited visitors. "Mistlekit?" she asked, taking in the wide eyed white kit and her... uh.... sleeping friend Flickerkit. This was certainly different. She had to help Flickerkit? The small shecat frowned and her eyes sharpened as she looked closer at the kit. "What happened?" she prompted, her tone short. Yes, after a moment Raven could see her breathing was off. No, not just off, wrong. It was too slow and gasping. Ravenface snapped up the kit by the scruff and dropped her in a nest, putting her ear to Flickerkit's tiny chest as she waited for Mistlekit's answer. There was no crackling sound in the shekit's lungs. No slosh of fluid. What then was upsetting her breathing? Icy blue eyes turned to Mistlekit. Hopefully she had the answer, at least for what had started this, then Ravenface would have somewhere to work from. |
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A flaming sword of burning righteousness and also fire!
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Post by ♏aple♢ on Oct 15, 2015 21:15:22 GMT
If you start most of your sentences with 'Why Can't', 'Why Not', or 'What if', you'll build a stronger imagination.
Mistlekit shuffled her paws, looking down nervously. "I- I don't know. We-" should she tell? They would get in trouble, wouldn't they? If they just left and didn't bring something great back, then... Kits weren't supposed to leave camp, but what if this was important? If Ravenface was going to help Flickerkit.. She had to know. 'Sorry Flickerkit' "We were uhm- we went outside the camp, and- we were looking for something good to help the clan! We split up, and when I found her, she was like this." Mistlekit rambled, green eyes wide and little body shaking. She didn't know what had happened, she'd just found her like this.
"I- uhm, she was laying under a bush with white berries. They looked like eyes, and had pink stems. M... Maybe she ate some? I don't know!" She cried, tears filling up her little eyes.
166 words | Mistlekit | Daytime |
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Post by Shad on Oct 19, 2015 5:14:11 GMT
"Snake's Eye." The shecat hissed the words like a curse, and give her strange per chance for herbal swearing, it would be difficult to say whether it was or not. "I knew you all would get yourselves into trouble with that bush, but why would she eat...?" the words trailed off as the slim silver Medicine Cat looked at Mistlekit, as if placing the pieces together. Oddly enough, she grinned. That was decidedly not a good sign. "Do you know what a Mistle berry looks like, Mistlekit?" she asked. The shecat disappeared for a moment, returning with a branch of white berries, but these were different than what the two had encountered earlier. They were lighter, with a more translucent sheen to them and the leaves were a hardier, deeper green. Not to mention the complete lack of bright red stems. "These are Mistle berries," Ravenface mewed. "They are white, like Snake's Eye, which you found, and deadly, also like Snake's Eye."The pretty shecat delicately plucked the white orbs. "I'm guessing Flickerkit here knew about that first fact, but not the second. She probably thought Mistle berries were just as sweet as the kit named for them, and since Snake's eye is a sweet berry, thought nothing about eating a few. What do you say we let her have a taste of what she was aiming for, huh?" Without warning or any preamble, the Medicine Cat, and former Healer, promptly shoved the berries she, herself, had described as 'deadly' into the flagging kit's mouth, shocking her half-wake, then forcing her to chew and swallow them down. "Snake's Eye is an amazing force of nature. It stops the heart. It ah... well... It makes you feel sleepy," she simplified, trying to be considerate of the age of her audience, "-and then you die. Not a particularly showy poison, but dead is still dead.""Now, Mistle berries on the other paw, are much more fascinating. They-"Flickerkit, hardly conscious, promptly began puking and shaking... but most notably puking. A lot. And violently. "-cause convulsions and vomiting. See, Mistle berries are much less subtle. The body recognizes them as a threat and will use any means necessary to get rid of them. However, they are far less potent than Snake's Eye. You would have to eat about twenty of these to get yourself to puke to death, even as a kit, because you will just keep vomiting them back up. Neat, isn't it?"'Neat' was certainly one way to put it... Ravenface waited patiently as the little brown kit proceeded to puke her guts out for several minutes, then continued to dry heave for many more before finally passing out from exhaustion. "Well, that was an exciting way to spend the afternoon."
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A flaming sword of burning righteousness and also fire!
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Post by ♏aple♢ on Oct 25, 2015 23:38:23 GMT
If you start most of your sentences with 'Why Can't', 'Why Not', or 'What if', you'll build a stronger imagination.
Snake's eye. Snake's eye. The berries looked like eyes, but... that didn't sound good. Snakes were bad. Snakes bit cats. Mistlekit's eyes widened. Oh no oh no.... No no no!
Mistlekit was shivering when Ravenface asked her next question. Mistle berries...? Mistlekit blinked. She... Uh... "T-they're... they're white, like me, and little, right?" she tried. She.. uh.. hadn't ever really.. seen the berry that she'd been named after, she now realized. Until Ravenface brought a branch out, that was. It was ripe and heavy with pale, translucent white berries. They were shiny and tasty looking- or they would have been, had Mistlekit not been in such a state. Those were mistle berries.
And they were deadly. And snake's eye was deadly.
Oh no. Ohhhhh no oh no oh no. She really hadn't kept a close enough eye on her friend. And now... and now...! She'd eaten poison berries. Oh goodness, oh no oh no oh no. Mistlekit's jaw dropped. Her friend was gonna die. And then Starlingfur was gonna kill her. And then they would both be dead and Mistlekit would never see Rosekit again and neither of them would be warriors and-
WHY WAS RAVENFACE MAKING HER EAT THE POISON BERRIES?! Mistlekit lunged forward to try to stop her, but stopped in her tracks as Flickerkit began to shake. She woke up. And then she puked. She puked a whole lot. Mistlekit jumped back, young mind barely able to register what was happening- let alone what Ravenface was saying. But Flickerkit was awake! And if she was puking.. That- that was good, right? Mistlekit looked at Ravenface, half terrified and half hopeful.
She puked for a looong time. Mistlekit didn't even know that a cat could hold that much puke. And terror pricked at the pale kit the entire time. What if she puked too much? What if she puked all her insides out?! Ravenface said she wouldn't, but- what if she'd eaten too many of the berries? Oh, Mistlekit just couldn't stop panicking. And then, Flickerkit went still. Mistlekit shook.
"She- she... Is uhm... Is F-Flickerkit gonna be.. okay?" she whimpered, ears flat against her head and tail tucked between her legs. Her eyes were wet and terrified. How could something so pretty be so bad? She was never going outside again. Ever.
406 words | Mistlekit | Daytime |
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Post by Shad on Oct 27, 2015 4:11:26 GMT
I don't know. How long ago did she eat the berries? You cannot simply say that to a kit! She will blame herself!Why? Flickerbrain here is the one that ate them.Irrelevant! Just look at her!Ravenface eyed the small white kit. She did look quite frantic. Her eyes were all watery and red from stress and tears. She had a terrified look on her face that was, frankly, unnerving. I kind of want to smack her and tell her to get a hold of herself...
She's a kit!
That's a 'no' then?
YES!
Yes?
NO!
Well, gee, make up your mind. She's standing there waiting. Oh! Do you think she's going to hyperventilate? Her pupils are dialated and her breathing increased. If I prod her a bit more to up her heartrate I bet I can-
NOPE! Nope. Nope. Nope. Get back in your corner right this second!
But-!
The Medicine-ing is over, right?
...
Alright then. So shut up and let me handle this.
......Are you sure we can't make her hyperventilate just a little bit? I have herbs for that!
CORNER! NOW!"Ahem," Ravenface cleared her throat, her expression softening as she looked down at the scared kit. "Flickerkit will be just fine," she lied smoothly, her voice calmer and sweeter. Her hard pale eyes softened into the cool blue of the Leafbare sky. "I need to go tell Starlingfur though. Will you stay here with Flickerkit for me? And come tell me if she wakes up?"The Medicine Cat smiled warmly at Mistlekit, giving her a warm lick on the head for courage and comfort. Ew. She tastes like kit. Did we have to lick her?
You eat plants all day and the taste of kit is what grosses you out?
Well... yeah. I mean, who wouldn't, right?
Oh. I don't know. Queens maybe?
Nah. They totally fake it.
I truly worry for your sanity at times.
Ah well. You are the one destroying it anyways. You're the intruder, after all. Not me.With that sobering thought, the silver shecat slipped out of the den and over to the Nursery, taking care not to wake anyone. She settled down quite comfortably beside Swanstrike at the entrance. The large white queen recognized her scent and came half-awake for only a moment, just long enough to scoot to the side and make room for her friend, before falling back asleep, tucking Rosekit close. Ravenface could wake Starlingfur immediately of course, but that would not do anyone any good. The queen would fret and lose sleep and Flickerkit would not be waking up for hours. She might as well sit and wait and let the leader of Cedar Clan get a few more hours of peaceful rest until nightfall. They likely would be the last ones she got for some time...
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