by Hopeflower » Sat Dec 04, 2010 3:21 pm
This warm, sunlit clearing really was peaceful. And exciting, too! So many things to play with; so many new things to see and smell and touch and pounce on. The brown tabby kitten had her eyes on a bright-winged butterfly. Her tail twitched back and forth excitedly. She leaped; her soft paws clapped shut on the butterfly's wing, dragging it to the ground and bending down to look at it more closely. Its fluttering wings tickled her nose; she sneezed and let it go. But...something was still tickling her nose. She sneezed again, startling herself awake, and batted at what had disturbed her. She felt something soft beneath her paw. Her sister's tail was twitching, moving back and forth as if Cinderkit too stalked something in her dreams. Bramblekit yawned and stretched open her eyes for the first time. Blinking, she took a look around. Beside her was a black tom-kit; her nose told her this was her brother, Breezekit. She leaned over and prodded Cinderkit awake. "Hey," she whispered, trying not to wake her mother. "Hey, Cinderkit, wake up. Let's go outside and explore!" Her sister blinked open her eyes too; they were blue. Are my eyes blue? Bramblekit wondered, tipping her head to one side. "'S cold outside, Bramblekit," Cinderkit mewled, yawning again. "And mama's still sleeping. She'll be real mad if we go out without telling her." Bramblekit looked at their mother. She had her eyes closed and was taking deep, slow breaths. Next to her was a really fluffy-looking white tom. He was sleeping too. "She doesn't have to know," the tabby kitten mewed. "We'll go out and look around, and come back before she even knows we're gone!" "Well..." Cinderkit was looking more awake now. "...okay. But I'm coming in if it's too cold!" Bramblekit gave a little bounce and ran on short, unsteady legs to the nursery entrance. Her sister followed close behind. They skidded to a halt just outside. "Whoa! Everything's so...so...big!" Bramblekit squealed excitedly, forgetting they were trying to avoid being noticed.
At the sound of the kit's squeal, Hawkclaw, who was settled beside Demontalon not far from the fresh-kill pile, turned her head and pricked her ears. The black she-cat, following her denmate's gaze, let out a chuckle. She swallowed a bite of the squirrel they were sharing before speaking. "Looks like your new family members can't wait to join the Clan," she meowed. Hawkclaw purred, amused. "Looks like it." She turned back. "It's great that they're so eager, but does Heatherpelt know where they are?" Demontalon's eyes glittered with memories. She meowed, "Don't you remember sneaking away from Hawksight and Auburnpelt? Half the time, they didn't know where we were either." The dark tabby laughed. "Remember the time Fogcloud tried to convince us real warriors ate beetles?" Demontalon snorted. "Will I ever forget? And Sunstorm and Blazeheart were always challenging each other and Mudswirl and Riverstone, seeing who could jump farther or higher or who could eat the most mice at once time..." She shook her head. "We were all a bit mouse-brained back then." Hawkclaw gave her a good-natured shove. "A bit?" she teased. "Well, okay. More than a bit," Demontalon admitted, purring.
She let out a quiet, nostalgic sigh after a moment, at the same instant spotting Wraith making his way to the leaders' den. She wanted to suggest an idea that had woken her in the middle of the night. It looked like now was the only chance she was likely to get. "Why don't you go stop those two from getting into trouble? I need to talk to Wraith about an idea I had..." she meowed. Hawkclaw nodded and stood. The two she-cats exchanged a friendly lick between the ears before the black she-cat limped towards her former mentor, calling out to him as she approached. Hawkclaw watched her go for a little while. How was the dark she-cat able to keep herself going, the dark tabby wondered, being injured and knowing there was a threat to her Clanmates? If Demontalon wasn't in top form when the battle came, she'd probably not be allowed to fight; something that wouldn't please her. Hawkclaw shook her head and went to shoo the two kits back into the nursery.
"Gotta have a little sadness once in a while so you know when the good times come."
"Talent is a pursued interest. In other words, anything that you're willing to practice, you can do." ~ Bob Ross
"The future is always uncertain and painful but it must be lived." ~ Unknown