[Deleted]

The pervading heat and lack of rain that had thus far defined greenleaf was taking its toll on NightClan’s territory. The marshes were uncharacteristically dry, while the needles strewn about the pine forests of the higher elevations in their territory were brittle and occasionally sharp and unpleasant to step on. Plants, which included useful herbs, were withering and brown. Prey was fleeing elsewhere in search of more plentiful water and hunting was becoming more difficult. Greenleaf was meant to be a time of plenty, and yet that was not currently the case. The valley needed rain.

Sitting at the mouth of her den, Darkstar heard cats speak of the need for rain, wondering when StarClan would see fit to send them some. Multiple different conversations, but there was always some mention of rain, it seemed. Would that rain clouds could be hunted, wrestled into surrendering their contents, and she would hunt them down herself to see her Clan’s needs met. Her tail flicked in irritation over the impossibility of that thought. There was nothing to do but wait for the rains to return, and Darkstar had never been good at waiting.

She stood as she spotted Rainfur returning from patrol. The deputy had been left solely in charge of seeing to their border with TreeClan and she was eager to hear any news, heading toward the patrol even as Rainfur dismissed them, “Anything?”

Rainfur flicked an ear dismissively, “Nothing out of the ordinary. I believe TreeClan had similar ideas about just which cats to send to our border on patrol.” Darkstar snorted at that, disliking the comparison. Rainfur cast a quick look around and lowered her voice, “If we don’t get rain soon, I fear the rest of our water may dry up…. We may need to ask RainClan for permission to use the river.”

Darkstar’s lip curled, “If we need to use the river, we will, whether RainClan grants us permission or not.”

Rainfur sighed lightly at Darkstar’s combative nature, “Of course, but it would be wise to at least attempt a peaceful agreement before we resort to outright trespassing. We already have to keep an eye on TreeClan, we do not need hostilities with RainClan as well.”

Darkstar made a low, displeased noise of agreement. StoneClan had already proven just how well two Clans united against one worked out. Darkstar had not been alive yet, but it was a popular story for the elders to tell. Having to ask another Clan for help rankled, but if it kept them from fighting a war on both borders at once, she supposed she could stomach it, “We’ll give the rain a few more nights. We still have water.”

Rainfur nodded in agreement, “Hopefully we get rain and will not have to resort to such lengths.”

Darkstar let her go then, to find herself a meal from the freshkill pile, and stood looking around the camp for a moment. Restlessness prickled at her like ants crawling through her fur, a nearly unbearable itch to do something. Her claws flexed, scraping the stone under paw, and her gaze shifted up the tunnel leading out of camp, considering her options, tail flicking back and forth in a slow rhythm.

Taxx olook a moving target x’D

Greenleaf 7 - A light midday mist is welcomed as it provides a short relief from the sweltering heat of the day.

[Taxx]

Hollowkit sat tall beside the mouth of the nursery. He didn't know where his sisters were, but at least he knew this time they were both inside the camp- Thornscar was keeping a closer eye on all three of them after learning about Bramblekit's unauthorized trip a few days ago. Which was a shame; he would have liked to go out too, but their mother seemed to think he was still too little. Maybe if he could actually get Bramblekit and Breezekit to work with him, he could pester her enough to at least let them explore the area around the camp. They didn't have to go far.

His attention sharpened when he heard pawsteps in the entrance tunnel. His ears pricked and he leaned forward so that he didn't miss a word as the small group dispersed and Darkstar went to get her deputy's report. TreeClan! His claws scraped against the stone underpaw at the word, but from what Rainfur said it didn't sound like there had been trouble. Those rogues had better not, he grumbled to himself. He couldn't wait to get his first sight of them- to have his first battle with the foxhearts who had killed Blackwolf. He had never known the old tom, but his name was spoken often, with varying degrees of respect and sadness. He had to have been a great warrior- Hollowkit wished he'd had the chance to know him.

Now the she-cats were discussing the growing lack of water; Hollowkit blinked. The lack of anything- aside from their explorations- had never occurred to him. He'd never wanted for anything very long and he'd never thought about where it came from. Were they in trouble? But Darkstar's tone was steady as she mentioned that they still had water, and with a last wish for rain to come soon, the deputy turned to get food.

And Hollowkit's eyes were drawn to the back-and-forth flick of Darkstar's tail. His own flipped as excitement sparked, and he dropped into a crouch. He wasn't quite close enough, and carefully he took a few steps, eyes watching the she-cat as he edged nearer, trying to keep his steps as noiseless as possible. The leap itself would be the hardest part; she would probably hear him then. But maybe- maybe she was too wrapped up in her own thoughts. She hadn't moved, her gaze directed toward the entrance tunnel, and Hollowkit took his chance.

With a strong leap he aimed both paws for the end of Darkstar's tail. For where he hoped it would be when he landed. He knew his hind claws scraped as he sprang, knew the chances of this actually working were slim, but he went for it anyway. Any practice was good practice, right?
@zen

[Deleted]

Within NightClan’s camp, surrounded by her Clanmates, Darkstar had no reason to be on guard, to suspect a sneak attack. That some enemy might lurk within the confines of the cavern had never crossed her mind. No NightClan cat would allow an outsider to slip in unnoticed. With a constant guard at the single entrance, it was an utter impossibility. And so any soft sounds behind her were barely registered as some Clanmate or another going about their night, certainly nothing to be concerned about. Until suddenly a weight landed on her tail, pinning it to the stone, and she whipped around, ears briefly flattened to her head until she saw the culprit.

Instantly her demeanor changed completely and she offered her nephew a rough purr. She had often witnessed Hollowkit prowling around camp, pouncing on unsuspecting tails, but had yet to be a victim of his hunting practice herself. She tugged her tail free of his small paws to flick his nose with it, “Your dedication to practicing your skills will pay off one day. You’ll be an impressive warrior, I’m sure.” Hollowkit had yet to speak a single word, while his sisters could both hold a decent conversation. It had been cause for some concern for Thornscar, initially, fearing he might turn out deaf, but the young tom responded just fine to his name, seemed attentive when spoken to. He otherwise did not seem in any way behind his sisters developmentally, or so Shadowchaser said, so neither was it a question as to his intelligence. Either he could not speak or chose not to.

She turned to rasp her tongue between his ears, just once, in a rare show of affection reserved only for her kin, “I’m sure Hollowcry is very proud up in StarClan to have such a talented little warrior bear his name.” She glanced toward the nursery then, but her sister was nowhere to be seen. She recalled her own venture away from the nursery as a kit, leaving her siblings behind with Echobreeze, intent on setting paw outside of camp while they all slept. Hollowcry had found her before she’d been able to sneak out - not that should could have - and then he’d taken her up the tunnel for her first taste of the outside world. She still remembered him encouraging her to explore, careless for the rules or the danger of it. Hollowcry would not be bound by such trivial matters. She turned her attention back to her nephew, “Your sisters aren’t with you?”

Taxx ♛ 𝔽𝕒𝕓𝕣𝕚𝕔𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 Ginger

[Ginger]

The dead lizard lying in front of Breezekit seemed to peer into her very soul with its lifeless, glazed-over eyes. No matter how she adjusted herself, it continued to look at her, accusing her of taking its life. Breezekit by no means had killed it, but she felt an immense guilt at causing the warriors of Nightclan to have to go out and kill more just so she could eat. Gently, she prodded it with her front right claw, accidentally hooking it into the lizard's flesh and ripping out a chunk. With a squeal, Breezekit jumped straight up and ran back a few feet to hide behind a sleeping queen. The tortoiseshell kit looked at the piece of flesh stuck to her front claw, upset at how appetizing it looked. Well...It's already dead. I can't die too. I need to eat it.

With a resigned sigh, Breezekit lifted her paw to her mouth and ate the chunk of flesh stuck in her claw. After she had done that, she moved over to the lizard, eating the entire thing in no more than four bites. As she ate, a slight movement caught her eye. A small lizard was climbing up the wall of the nursery. Looking around the nursery to make sure no one saw what she was about to do, Breezekit jumped up with the intent of startling the lizard. "Go, go! Get out of here!" The small anole scattered away before she could even finish her sentence, and Breezekit sat down with a small sense of heroism causing her chest to puff out.

Another sound ripped Breezekit out of her small moment of pride. A raspy purr. The young cat swiveled her head around until she found the source of the purr and stood up with excitement once she saw who it was: Darkstar! Upon a closer look, she also saw her brother, Hollowkit. A perfect opportunity to spread some love to her family. Looking over at Bramblekit, her sister, Breezekit motioned to the outside of the den. "Let's go say hi!"

With an innocent lightness in her step, Breezekit drifted over to the two cats, unaware if her sister had followed her or not. As soon as she approached them, she rubbed on Darkstar's leg and gave Hollowkit a loving lick right on his nose. Breezekit didn't need to say hello to her brother for him to know she loved him. She tended to mirror his muteness with a more quiet version of herself whenever she was around him. It was somewhat refreshing to be able to have an entire conversation without talking. 

The young tortoiseshell oriented herself to face Darkstar, sitting beside her brother, unable to contain her loud purring as she made eye contact with her aunt. "I hope Hollowkit isn't causing too much trouble," she said with a loving gleam in her eyes.

 

---

479 Words 
@zen Taxx ♛ 𝔽𝕒𝕓𝕣𝕚𝕔𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟

[♛ 𝔽𝕒𝕓𝕣𝕚𝕔𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟]

Bramblekit you're on fire She was terrified. She couldn't see them, but she could taste their scent on her tongue. They smelled like the rotting rat that once got left on the fresh-kill pile too long. She had no idea what they truly smelled like, but in her dreams, they smelled of the worst feeling of horror she had ever experienced in the waking world. All she could do was run. She sped through the trees, which were uncannily tall. Their tallest branches disappeared into a frightening mist, as though they slipped from existence entirely. She heard paws thundering after her, and her head spun as she dove among roots and rocks, trying to get away. She burst from the bushes and tumbled into an open space where the ground was dried earth. Only it wasn't dried earth. It was the Ambush pond. She shrieked, expecting to plunge beneath the surface and get sucked down into the darkest depths. But when she opened her eyes again, she realized that only her paws were submerged, and the pond felt more like wet mud than water. She tried to tug her paws free, but they held fast, the muck keeping her frozen in place. She panicked, trashing against the impossibly strong grip. When she looked up again, her pursuers stood right before her. They bore the shape of cats, but their features were cloaked in darkness. The only things she could make out were their harsh golden eyes and the blood that stuck to their faces. Bramblekit's eyes were wide. "Stay away from me!" She yelped, every hair on her pelt bristling. The cats moved closer, a horrendous snarl emanating from everywhere at once. She closed her eyes tight, shivering in pure terror. "Go, go! Get out of here!" The words leaked into her dream, and when Bramblekit opened her eyes again the TreeClan cats were gone. She jolted awake in her nest, eyes bleary from her nap. "Breezekit?" She mumbled, still half-asleep. She woke in time to watch the lizard skitter away from her sister's tortoiseshell form, and pushed herself up into a sitting position. Thornscar sat nearby, grooming herself with great concentration. Bramblekit finally woke up when her sister spoke to her again, and she snapped to attention. "Let's go say hi!" Having no idea what Breezekit was talking about, Bramblekit gave once glance towards her mother, who seemed preoccupied, and then resigned to follow her sister out of the nursery. Her colour point pelt was sticking up in all the wrong places due to her restless nap, and she barely had time to lick a single tuft of chaotic fur into place when she realized who Breezekit was "saying hi" to. She halted in place and felt a wave of shyness crash over her the second her eyes fell on Darkstar. Darkstar may have been her mother's sister, but she still held a bit of a legendary status in her young mind, alongside Greywolf and Thornscar herself. She shuffled her brown paws nervously, her mouth bone dry. As she padded dazedly forward and sat next to Breezekit, she found herself as deathly silent as Hollowkit. Her iridescent eyes landed on her brother, who seemed every bit as confident as she was not. How could he be so casual? Darkstar was literally the leader of the greatest Clan in the whole forest! you got that last dance look in your eyes WORDs: 566 / tags: @zen , Taxx , Ginger

[Taxx]

Success! Hollowkit landed true, his paws pinning the tip of Darkstar's tail to the stone ground. The she-cat spun, her ears briefly flattening to her head, but when she saw who it was she calmed, a purr reaching his ears as she tugged her tail free, a light sniff following the tickle of her tail against his nose. Straightening, the kit gave a rusty purr in return, and his pride in the catch increased at Darkstar's praise. He straightened, eyes shining as he stood as tall as he could manage, nodding vigorously in response to her words. I will, he promised, no matter that it was only to himself- he hoped Darkstar would grasp some of his meaning in his expression. I'll train hard, I promise- I'll be the best apprentice!

Her unexpected lick against his forehead had him ducking away then, gaze flashing around the cave in the hopes that no cat had seen it. It didn't look like any of them were paying attention, so that was good. He blinked back up at her, head tipping to one side. Thornscar had told him that he bore the name of his grandfather, her own mother, just as Breezekit bore the name of their mother, but he'd never known the tom. He had died a long time ago, Thornscar had said. But he was watching. Hollowkit gave Darkstar another purr. He'd make his namesake proud too.

At the mention of his sisters, however, Hollowkit glanced over his shoulder at the nursery and shrugged. He didn't really keep track of their whereabouts. As he looked, though, Breezekit appeared, her gaze fixed on him and Darkstar. She padded over, and not far behind her was Bramblekit. Breezekit brushed against Darkstar's body, and then turned to give Hollowkit a lick on his nose; he jerked back and rubbed a paw over it, tail flicking indignantly. He knew Breezekit, and he was usually more open to those displays, but not in front of Darkstar. At least Bramblekit kept her distance, as she came up to sit on Breezekit's other side.

The young tom's ears flicked and he rolled his eyes at his sister's words. He wasn't causing trouble. He waved his tail in Darkstar's direction and then flashed out a paw to pin the fluffy tip of Breezekit's tail to the ground. I was practicing!

[Deleted]

Regardless of his lack of speech, Hollowkit was a determined little thing, and while not being able to communicate his needs clearly would make his apprenticeship a bit more challenging if he never found his voice, with the right mentor surely he would be a great warrior anyway. He had the blood for it, and he seemed to have the attitude for it as well, even at such a young age. The weight of the decision ahead of her, which cat would shape him into the warrior he was meant to be, hit her especially hard being that he was kin.

Her whiskers twitched in some amusement as he simply shrugged at her question, as if he didn’t care either way just where his sisters were. Then it was as if speaking about them had summoned them, Breezekit appeared, followed by Bramblekit. She offered a rough purr to the tortoiseshell kitten as she rubbed up against her legs in greeting before sitting beside her brother, Bramblekit settling beside her more sedately.

All three of them would need mentors in no time. They were already getting so big compared to those tiny, helpless, squirming bundles they had once been at her sister’s belly. They were Thornscar’s legacy, and whoever she chose to mentor them, they would become the legacy of those warriors as well, just as she was part of Blackwolf’s. It was an important decision she certainly didn’t plan to take lightly.

"I hope Hollowkit isn't causing too much trouble.”

Breezekit’s comment brought her back from her thoughts and she flicked her tail dismissively at the suggestion, “None at all.” Some of the other warriors didn’t appreciate Hollowkit ambushing their tails, but the kit was doing more than just playing, he was doing what training he could before his apprenticeship began. She looked the three of them over, “Hollowkit was practicing his hunting skills.” From the look of Bramblekit, she’d just woken up, her fur sticking out in places. With a quick glance around, she reached out to pull a nearby pebble toward her before batting it away again, sending it skittering farther off across the shadow marred camp, “Have you been practicing at all, Breezekit? Why don’t you show me your crouch and stalk that pebble.” She addressed Breezekit first, taking Bramblekit’s silence to mean she needed a bit more time to wake up fully.

Ginger ♛ 𝔽𝕒𝕓𝕣𝕚𝕔𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 Taxx

[Ginger]

Breezekit was taken aback by Darkstar's challenge to her to go stalk the pebble. It wasn't unusual for their aunt to see how the kits were faring with their "pre-apprentice training," but usually the tortoiseshell kit would slink back and let her siblings try and impress Nightclan's dauntless leader. However, she couldn't hide from a direct statement to her. She had to show Darkstar how good of a...hunter she was. Breezekit gulped and mentally prepared herself.

Green eyes whipped around to the pebble that Darkstar had kicked off, narrowing in on its small form in the distance. Quickly, she emulated the crouch she had so often seen Hollowkit practicing, almost perfect in form. Quietly, she darted across the camp, closer and closer to the pebble until it was within pouncing distance. She focused in on it, wiggling her haunches and preparing to pounce - until it changed forms. No longer was this just a rock. It was now a quivering mouse, afraid to die, crying for its family in the distance, squealing even more and more the closer it came to its death.

Almost as quickly as she had gotten in the zone, Breezekit snapped back out of it. She sat up and hung her head with resignation, feeling like a failure. The mouse had once again turned into a pebble, lifeless and cold. Hot embarrassment filled the she-kit's entire body. It was one thing to be unable to hurt another living thing. It was an entirely different thing to not be able to even consider the concept of hunting, of taking another life. Breezekit felt weak. Useless. How could she help her clan if she couldn't hurt anything?

Gently, she stood up and walked the rest of the distance to the pebble, carefully picking it up with her mouth and walking back over to her aunt and sisters. She dropped the stone at Darkstar's paws, refusing to make eye contact with her aunt, who must have been disappointed in her. "I...I can't." At least not yet. Breezekit would have to learn how to take a life, but she just wasn't ready at the moment. Even to pretend.

The fluffy feline took her place behind Bramblekit and Hollowkit, too ashamed to look at anyone. No one can see this weakness ever again. Especially my family.

---

386 words
♛ 𝔽𝕒𝕓𝕣𝕚𝕔𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 , Taxx , @zen

[♛ 𝔽𝕒𝕓𝕣𝕚𝕔𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟]

Bramblekit you're on fire Bramblekit watched as Breezekit brushed up against Darkstar's legs, and relaxed a bit when she heard the soothing sound of the tortoiseshell leader purring in greeting. She felt a little bit less intimidated, though that didn't stop her from trying to sit as neatly and as well-behaved as she possibly could. The little point kitten glanced in the direction her mother was, perhaps for a bit of reassurance, the tip of her ear turning nervously. Her nervousness was not just because she desperately wanted to impress her mother's sister, but she was disconcerted by her nightmare, and sleepy from just having woken up. "None at all." She heard Darkstar purr in response to Breezekit. "Hollowkit was just practicing his hunting skills." Bramblekit's eyes turned up to Darkstar, alarmed at first. She thought the dark feline meant that Hollowkit had actually been hunting, which would be so unfair! Bramblekit had only gotten to go outside with Greywolf, she'd never gotten the chance to actually catch something! But she soon realized that the only thing Hollowkit had been catching was tails and twigs. She breathed an internal sigh of relief. Bramblekit refused to let either of her siblings pull ahead of her, not even for a pawstep. “Have you been practicing at all, Breezekit? Why don’t you show me your crouch and stalk that pebble.” Darkstar then continued, catching Bramblekit by surprise. She hadn't expected a little assessment from Darkstar to come right after she woke up. She watched her sister race towards the pebble just as Bramblekit would have done, then abruptly skid to a halt and hung her head in embarrassment. Bramblekit stared at Breezekit in surprise and confusion. Why did she stop? "I...I can't." Breezekit stammered, and Bramblekit felt a crash of sympathy and concern for her littermate. Forgetting her nervousness around Darkstar, she sprang to her paws and trotted over to join her sister's side, nudging her with a small, freckled nose. "Yes you can!" Bramblekit mewled, her golden eyes cheerful. "C'mon, I'll show you. Let's try again." She rested a small brown tail on Breezekit's side, a calming gesture she had learned from none other than Thornscar. A purr rose in her throat as she pressed against her sister, hoping that it would help. you got that last dance look in your eyes WORDs: 377 / tags: @zen , Taxx , Ginger

[Taxx]

The pebble rolling away had gained every bit of Hollowkit's attention, and his muscles had bunched as he'd tensed to hurl himself after it, but Darkstar's voice speaking Breezekit's name made him pause and he glanced over at his tortoiseshell sister as she followed the suggestion. Yellow eyes watched as Breezekit dropped into a crouch, as she scurried toward the pebble, as she paused just a tail-length from it...

His tail flicked as she continued to hesitate and then hung her head, picking up the pebble and returning to Darkstar with an apology and shame in her eyes. Bramblekit jumped up, assuring Breezekit that she could, and offering her help; Hollowkit nodded along with Bramblekit's assurance, and he stepped forward to scoop the pebble back to where it had come to a stop after Darkstar had flicked it. He backed away from it, trotting toward Breezekit again and giving her a light nudge on her shoulder before crouching down and glancing toward her again, waiting for her to copy him, and then toward Bramblekit. Together.

I'm a soldier till its over I will never fall
fearless hearts holding on through the night

Hollowkit

NightClan

Ginger @zen ♛ 𝔽𝕒𝕓𝕣𝕚𝕔𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟

[Deleted]

Darkstar watched Breezekit with a keen eye as the little tortoiseshell stalked up to the pebble. For her age, she was doing well, but when it came time to pounce, she stopped. Darkstar’s ears flicked in some amount of confusion as Breezekit stood, head hanging, and brought the pebble back. The leader’s fiery gaze narrowed down at the kit as she insisted that she couldn’t, wondering where this sudden insecurity had come from. But before she could question her niece, Bramblekit was at her sister’s side, encouraging her, and Hollowkit plucked up the pebble to replace it from where Breezekit had retrieved it.

Darkstar sat, tail curling around her paws, as both Breezekit’s littermates showed their support and tried to encourage her to try again. She was taken back to her own time in the nursery, to the endless support of her sisters and brother as they grew and learned. Her gaze shifted around the darkened camp momentarily, considering how a distance had seemed to grow between all of them since those days. Shadowchaser was busy as a medicine cat, Thornscar had been cooped up in the nursery for several months now, and she barely seemed to see Cobrastrike around camp anymore. Now that she had her own den, isolated from the rest of the Clan, she didn’t even see her sister in the warrior’s den at the end of the night.

Her gaze refocused on the three kits, side by side, Hollowkit crouching down beside Breezekit, ready to stand with her paw step for paw step. “Try again, Breezekit,” she encouraged, “Your brother and sister are ready to help you. Hunting can be done with another, so that your partner can make up for what you lack. This is what it means to be part of NightClan. We are stronger together, when we all work toward the same goal.” She didn’t know what the tortoiseshell kitten’s hesitation was about, but hopefully the support of her siblings might be enough to help her overcome it. Were they not kits, not her kin, perhaps she wouldn't have been as patient, but they weren't apprentices yet, they still had so much to learn.

♛ 𝔽𝕒𝕓𝕣𝕚𝕔𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 Ginger Taxx

[Ginger]

A familiar form pressed up against Breezekit, causing the young tortoiseshell to turn her gaze upwards. Bramblekit was right next to her, assuring her that it could be done. Looking around, she noticed that Hollowkit had carried the pebble away from the group and to where it had been after Darkstar had kicked it away. Her brother returned to her, assuming a crouching position, inviting her to join him so that they could do it together. Even Darkstar, who was not known for being patient, was giving Breezekit encouraging words as she urged her to try again. It was almost too much. Breezekit found herself surging with emotion, with love, for her family. They were her everything. 

What would happen if Breezekit was the only one who could provide for her clan? If she was too weak to hunt? Her family, the cats beside her, would suffer. It was terrible to take the life of another creature, but wasn't it equally as terrible to let her family die because she couldn't provide for them? 

Breezekit didn't need to say the answer to herself; she knew exactly what it was, and she would show it in her actions. Dropping her body into a crouch that perfectly mimicked Hollowkit's, Breezekit's tortoiseshell form began to move towards the pebble once again. This time, she wasn't alone. This time, she had her siblings pressed up beside her to remind her what really mattered.

Approaching the pebble, it once again changed forms. The crying mouse, writhing about in pain and fear. Breezekit noticeably flinched, but she knew she had to do this to learn how to be strong for her family. Watching Hollowkit's pounce, Breezekit wiggled her haunches ever so slightly before leaping at the pebble, the screams increasing and increasing in volume until she landed square on it, silencing them completely. 

It's only a rock. It's only a rock. Double checking between her paws, Breezekit looked at the small pebble. It's only a rock. She knew her family couldn't see that even pouncing on this pebble was the most difficult thing she had done yet. Forcing a light smile onto her face, Breezekit looked up at her siblings and then to Darkstar. "Look! I caught it."

---

372 words
♛ 𝔽𝕒𝕓𝕣𝕚𝕔𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 , Taxx , @zen

[♛ 𝔽𝕒𝕓𝕣𝕚𝕔𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟]

you got that last dance look in your eyes

BrAmBlEKiT

nightclan she-cat 3 moons

Bramblekit was surprised when Hollowkit joined her beside Breezekit, nodding vigorously in encouragement for their littermate. It was the first time she and her brother had agreed on anything. He replaced the pebble where it had come to a rest, his dark muzzle almost blending in with the shadowy floor of the underground camp. She watched Hollowkit crouch down beside Breezekit, and she knew immediately what he meant when his green gaze met hers. She nodded, then dropped into a crouch that mimicked Hollowkit's, the two kits on either side of Breezekit, because neither of them were going to let their sister give up. 

“Try again, Breezekit,” Darkstar called, her voice unusually patient. “Your brother and sister are ready to help you. Hunting can be done with another, so that your partner can make up for what you lack. This is what it means to be part of NightClan. We are stronger together, when we all work toward the same goal.” Goosebumps rose along Bramblekit's spine at those words. We are stronger together! She thought, a surge of pride and joy at having been born in NightClan dawning in her young mind. She imagined she would hunt and fight alongside Hollowkit and Breezekit forever, the three of them always there for eachother, to make eachother stronger and to watch out for when they stumble. They would be a NightClan trio to be reckoned with! No Clan would dare threaten NightClan once they became warriors!

Breezekit seemed much braver this time she approached the pebble. Bramblekit knew it was because she wasn't alone this time, this time she knew that everybody was with her and always would be. Bramblekit watched her pounce on the pebble, slamming a small paw on the make-believe prey. She leaped to her paws, tail twirling in delight for her sister. “Look! I caught it.” Breezekit meowed, and there was genuine pride in her voice. “Great pounce, Breezekit!” She purred, brushing her shoulder against her sister's dark tortoiseshell fur. “Told you you could do it.”

@zen , Ginger , Taxx 338 Notes

[Taxx]

Hollowkit felt the rightness of the moment. He and Bramblekit might challenge each other to be better, but he was pleased to know that when it mattered, they could actually put aside that combativeness to boost their more hesitant sister. It was Breezekit's challenge to overcome, but Hollowkit and Bramblekit kept pace with her, one step after another as Breezekit took another try.

The tortoiseshell flinched, an all too obvious jerk of her form backwards, but she didn't give up again. Hollowkit waited until she had leaped, springing after her and his own paws slapping down over her ginger-flecked ones, and then he met her gaze with gleaming green eyes. Well done! he praised, straightening from the crouch and then fixing all of his attention on Bramblekit. His tail sprang straight up and he was hurling himself over Breezekit at Bramblekit in the next heartbeat.

She ducked, he missed and hit the ground, sprawled onto his back and blinking, upside down, at both his sisters and Darkstar.

I'm a soldier till its over I will never fall
fearless hearts holding on through the night

Hollowkit

NightClan

Ginger @zen ♛ 𝔽𝕒𝕓𝕣𝕚𝕔𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟

[Deleted]

Breezekit seemed to take the support of her family to heart and Darkstar was glad to see her begin her second attempt, her brother and sister with her every step of the way. There was a slight hesitation as she neared the pebble, she seemed to flinch back as though expecting a blow, but a few heartbeats later the tortoiseshell kitten was pouncing, and hit her mark.

Bramblekit offered her sister praise as Darkstar stood and padded closer to the three, reaching them just as Hollowkit threw himself at Bramblekit. But Bramblekit was not a lifeless pebble, and Hollowkit missed his target. Darkstar’s whiskers twitched with some amusement as the little tom gazed at them all from his back and she dipped her head to rasp her tongue once over Breezekit’s ear, “Well done. Remember that your Clan is here for you, whenever you need help. You don’t walk through this life alone. That is loyalty, and it is what separates us from rogues and loners. If you give your loyalty to your Clan, the Clan will give it back to you.”

She raised her head to look over at Hollowkit, whiskers twitching again, “It seems you might have a tell, Hollowkit. Some cats develop a bad habit of giving their actions away during a fight. Before you leapt, your tail shot up. You should pay attention to that in the future, it may just be why Bramblekit was able to avoid you.” She hadn’t observed the kits that closely to know whether Hollowkit’s tail was a habit or not, but with how Bramblekit was able to dodge him, and with how much time a litter tended to spend together, it was highly likely the she-kit had learned her brother’s tell without even realizing it. Or it was a coincidence and Bramblekit simply had impressive reflexes. Either way, it was good to be alert about the careless actions you might take in battle that would put you at a disadvantage.

She stepped over to her nephew and reached out to place a gentle paw on his exposed belly, “And now you’ve left yourself vulnerable for too long. You’re dead.” There was a hint of a teasing note in her voice, but it didn’t last, her next words more serious, “When you miss a leap and don’t land on your paws, you should roll with it to get your paws back under you again as quickly as possible.” She took her paw back and took a few steps away, “Watch.” She demonstrated the maneuver, leaping a short distance and tucking herself into a smooth roll, pushing herself back to her paws in one fluid motion and lashing out with one forepaw. She padded back over to the three, tail flicking behind her, “If your opponent gets you on the ground, you’ll be at an immediate disadvantage. They can move freely, but you cannot. You should do whatever you can to avoid it.”

Thornscar appeared at her side, some amusement in her sister’s tone, “That’s a little advanced for kits, don’t you think?”

Darkstar shrugged, “The sooner they can start practicing, the sooner they’ll master it.”

Thornscar hmm’d indulgently at her sister before sweeping her tail over her kits, “Well I think it’s time to practice a nap. That’s enough battle training for today. Back to the nursery."

♛ 𝔽𝕒𝕓𝕣𝕚𝕔𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 Ginger Taxx