[Fae Magic]

Big blue eyes peered through the nursery walls that enclosed her and she looked out into the camp clearing where the light was starting to peek through the reeds and walls that enclosed the camp. Poppykit looked back at her sleeping clan mates. The queens curled up along with their little ones fast asleep. The only one yet to have slept was Poppykit herself. Large pointy ears half drooped as her tired eyes looked out at the camp. Even her sister Yarrowkit and Webkit were fast asleep besides their friends and foster mothers. Poppykit didn't sleep much anymore. Not after her mother passed away. Yarrowkit and Webkit took a liking to different queens as their foster mothers while Poppykit stayed more to herself. She was always the energetic one out of the bunch with a love for learning and being sassy; just overall showing people up and being everyone's friend in the kindest way. But she did miss her mother and she had a hard time sleeping since her death. 

It was her mother's death, her father's overbearing nature, and their 'uncle' had left the clan as well and she missed them all dearly. She missed the time they had when everyone was still around; how times used to be. Now it was different and she felt a rift in her heart no matter how much she pretended that she was okay. She was young but she was smart and needed to watch out for her sisters. Shaking her head the little brown molly pushed herself out of her nest and padded towards the entrance of the den with a quick glance out behind her to see if her sisters had woken up or any of the other queens with their kits but thankfully all seemed quiet and lonely just like before. Peacefully they slept on unaware of the little she-cat's broken heart and tired mind as she padded her way to the entrance and peered out. She could see the patrols being sent out; her father being among them. 

Her tired expression turned into a frown as she watched him leave. She didn't like him very much since her mother passed away. He hid secrets and he pushed her away because she was too nosy. That didn't matter to her. Something serious had gone down between her parents and her father's best friend whom they called uncle and she wanted to know what and why he left but her father wouldn't tell her anything and would always get mad whenever she asked about it or about his friend. 

Bravely the little she-kit decided she'd go outside even though technically she shouldn't be out without guidance but everyone else was asleep in the nursery. Maybe she can go bother Emberlight and see what the Rainclan deputy was up too. She'd probably get into trouble for that but she rather get into trouble than sitting there in the darkness and silence of the nursery and getting so many bad thoughts running through her small head. She didn't want to be tortured by her thoughts and unanswered questions. Her family was torn apart and no one seemed to be having an issue with it anymore unlike her as if it was just something trifling that happened one day. It destroyed her family and she wouldn't let it off the hook anytime soon. With new determined steps she headed into camp and looked around for someone to bother. 

[♛ 𝔽𝕒𝕓𝕣𝕚𝕔𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟]

[GoogleFont=Libre Franklin][GoogleFont=Marck Script][GoogleFont=Trirong]

Be part of the scene, 

like you're living the dream.   

Fogcloud loved the night, and the creatures that inhabited it. There seemed to be fewer cats around to annoy them when they went out into the centre of the island when the moon was high. They could sit and listen to the comforting sigh of wind through the reeds and the distant hoots of owls, hunting in the darkness. Unlike many cats, Fogcloud had no personal vendetta against the predators of the valley. They were simply doing as they were born to do, with no malice or ill intention. In that way, Fogcloud could understand them, and admire their beauty from a safe distance. They had yet to actually see an owl take a mouse, but had been told stories of their silent flight and razor-sharp talons. The RainClan warrior had no doubt that they would be proficient hunters.

So late they stayed up owl-spotting and listening to the gentle chirp of crickets, that when they rose the next morning they found themself with a splitting headache and tired green eyes. Regret pulsed in their veins. How were they supposed to go about day-to-day activities if they were so tired, their paws felt like they were made from stone? As it had each morning they had woken for the past moon, Fogcloud was struck with the sudden, awful memory that Lionstride was gone. They sat up in their nest and turned their green eyes towards the spot where their father once slept, their heart clutched with pain. The world felt like it was broken, and they would never be able to stitch those pieces back together again. The spot where his moss nest once rested had been cleared, without so much as a scrap left of his scent. Tears pricked at their eyes, which they promptly wiped away with their white paws. They couldn't let anyone see them upset, there would be questions, and Fogcloud hated having to meet those sympathetic gazes. They just wanted to be left alone.

Emerging into the clearing, they immediately swerved to go left in order to avoid the large crowd of cats that often formed in the centre. As they did so, their eyes fell on a small calico shape crouched suspiciously near the entrance. Fogcloud frowned. They didn't normally like spending time around kits, kits tended to be loud and hyper and obnoxious, and they found themself very quickly worn out by that youthful energy. But this kit seemed to be planning an escape, and would likely be taken by a hungry pike just waiting for the chance to devour a warm meal. Approaching quietly, their tail flowing gracefully behind them, Fogcloud looked down on the little she-kit with an unimpressed expression. They realised that this little kit was Poppykit. Ah. Part of the litter that had recently lost their mother. Empathy bloomed in their green eyes. They understood what it was like to lose a parent, and Poppykit was so much younger and more helpless than they were. Clearing their throat to get the kit's attention, the large grey feline sat their rump down on the damp ground.

"So, what's the idea?" They asked rather bluntly, though their tone was gentle. "Sneak out of camp, get yourself drowned or eaten or worse?"

Fogcloud

MADE BY VEL OF GS + ADOXOGRPHY 2.0

[Fae Magic]

Beauty is a joy that forever increases
It will never pass into nothingness

She was almost there...just waiting for an opportunity to leave and explore; she wanted to find her uncle and ask him why he left. She didn't care what her father had to say about it even if he wanted to even tell her what she wanted to know. She was just about make her move and rose up to leave whenever she heard the thump and swirled around with big blue grey eyes to meet the large fluffy cat. She nearly choked on her own breath and if she had fur long enough it'd have been standing up in the air like she got electrocuted. She gave a nervous smile "Err...hi Fogcloud...pretty day hmm?" she commented looking around nervously like she was waiting on something to happen. She was caught red handed.


"Leave the camp? Me...no of course not Fogcloud why'd you think that?" she asked; despite her words her ears fell back and she looked away obviously lying through her teeth. But she knew they wouldn't believe her. She slumped slightly and glared looking away with a pout.

"I'm bored." she muttered grumpily with a huff. "What are you doing anyways? Aren't you supposed to be...doing warrior stuff?" she asked trying to change the subject.

She didn't know Fogcloud all that well personally but the small brown female had memorized every face and name she could. She may not know their backstories or histories but she knew their names and faces. Fogcloud didn't seem to happy right now though. 

♛ 𝔽𝕒𝕓𝕣𝕚𝕔𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 - sorry it's so short!!!
Silverburr Russet-Tail Ivoryrose poppypaw Tigerpaw Smudgenose PRIMROSEPETAL mousepaw rock pendulum

template by punki of adoxography

[♛ 𝔽𝕒𝕓𝕣𝕚𝕔𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟]

[GoogleFont=Libre Franklin][GoogleFont=Marck Script][GoogleFont=Trirong][googlefont=Poiret One]

Be part of the scene, 

like you're living the dream.   

They gave an odd, blank expression as the little kit's eyes swivelled left, then right, uncertainty in her gaze. She was clearly trying her best to deflect suspicion and make it seem as though she were simply innocently sneaking to the edge of camp. "Err... hi, Fogcloud... pretty day hmm?" Poppykit wouldn't meet Fogcloud's pale green gaze, and they flicked an ear dubiously as they waited for her to give her excuse. Lifting a dainty white paw, they drew their tongue along their fur methodotically, drawing out the suspense and the pressure on the little kit to see if it was enough to get a confession. "Oh yes, it's a fine, beautiful day. I'm sure there plenty of pike out basking in the sun at this time. Their golden scales and spots make it very difficult to see them in the water, so even the largest can go entirely unnoticed." They meowed casually, giving Poppykit a meaningful glance.

"Leave the camp? Me...? No, of course not Fogcloud. Why'd you think that?" Poppykit squeaked out. Fogcloud didn't miss the slight bristle that ran through the tiny kitten fluff, their expression disbelieving. "No, of course you wouldn't. That would be a very silly thing to do, and you're a smart kit, right?" Their tail curled behind them, a great fluffy banner. Each time they spoke, the tip furled slightly, accentuating their words. "Sure, there are countless terrible things that could happen. Herons, pike, foxes... even the great lynx, Demon." They shook their head, aghast. "And oh, even if you safely returned to camp, well... Silverstar would surely delay your apprenticeship by a season." They smiled. "You definitely wouldn't want to start training late, oh no. All of your littermates would get their warrior names while you were still picking ticks off the elders. That would be simply terrible."

"I'm bored." She meowed, so quietly Fogcloud had to strain to hear it. "What are you doing anyways? Aren't you supposed to be... doing warrior stuff?" Fogcloud didn't respond, simply settling down and lying on their paws, making them look like a big boulder that had just plopped down into camp. "Well," They said quietly. "Doing warrior stuff has been a bit hard lately." They said, tilting their head slightly. "See, I had someone really special to me join StarClan not too long ago." They dipped their head, sombre. "I'm trying my best, but sometimes when you're really sad, it can be hard to do things. Sometimes you can want to do things that you wouldn't normally do, like leave camp all by yourself." They murmured. "But, instead of letting myself do things like that, I remember that it's okay to be sad, and to miss someone you loved very much." They looked at Poppykit, their tone gentle. "And I remember that it's going to hurt for a while, but it's okay, because I have my sister, Poppytail. And my brother Perchpelt." They added, but thought of their antagonistic and unsupportive brother with a flash of distaste in their eyes. He may be a pain in the tail, but he was still their brother.

Fogcloud
^They/them

MADE BY VEL OF GS + ADOXOGRPHY 2.0

[Fae Magic]

Beauty is a joy that forever increases
It will never pass into nothingness

Poppykit expected more scolding or some aloof response from the fluffy warrior in front of her. But the larger feline went from a more teasing tone speaking of being held back if she left camp and how awful it would be to something more somber when it came to answering her question as to why they weren't out and about as the other warriors within the clan. Stormy grey orbs watched the older clan mate as they spoke and the brown molly wished she was anywhere but here stuck in camp. But, the more the warrior spoke the more Poppykit couldn't help but feel the sinking feeling in her gut. Who had Fogcloud lost that made them so sad? The small kit knew about sadness. She'd lost her mother, her father didn't want anything to do with her, and her uncle left the clan without telling her why. All she had left was her sisters Yarrowkit and Webkit but they weren't any fun to be around. She missed her family and what it felt like to be around them. Now all was left was an empty space within the small she-kit's chest.

Feeling the edge roll off of her the brown bat-eared kit settled herself down beside the warrior and looked up at them with big eyes filled with understanding and wonder.

"Who did you lose Fogcloud?" she asked curiously but not wanting to pry too much if it meant hurting the other's feelings more than their heart could handle with their own grief.

She understood the implication Fogcloud was trying to hint to her. Poppykit wanted out of the camp because she was not just bored but she hated the air around camp and the tension between her and her father. Sighing the little feline followed the larger's example and plopped herself down like a loaf of bread and looked down at the ground in front of her.

"I need a change of scenery or something!" she exclaimed finally as she looked up at the sky looking defeated.

"Ever since my mother died my father can't stand to look at me, my uncle left the clan without telling me why and it's brought tension between me and my father. My sisters don't seem to sense it or if they do they just don't care...I feel left out and unwanted." she finally confessed and looked away ashamed. Who within the clan knew of the fact that Poppykit and her sisters were not their father's children and in fact their father's best friend. The very tom they called 'uncle'. Poppykit was too young to understand what was going on within her family dynamic but she did know one thing. Her father hated her and the only one who had her back died not too long ago.

465 word count ♛ 𝔽𝕒𝕓𝕣𝕚𝕔𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 
Sorry it's short! XD
Silverburr Russet-Tail Ivoryrose poppypaw Tigerpaw Smudgenose PRIMROSEPETAL mousepaw rock pendulum

template by punki of adoxography

[♛ 𝔽𝕒𝕓𝕣𝕚𝕔𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟]

[GoogleFont=Libre Franklin][GoogleFont=Marck Script][GoogleFont=Trirong][googlefont=Poiret One]

Be part of the scene, 

like you're living the dream.   

To Fogcloud's genuine surprise, the little kit in front of them sat down and gave them her full attention. They had never quite been great with kits, they had always seen them as a nuisance more than anything else. But somehow, they had reached common ground with Poppykit and had evidently earned her respect enough to keep her gaze fixed intently on them. They could see empathy reflected in those tiny eyes, and they felt a twinge of regret that one so young could understand loss so early in her life. It wasn't fair. Death didn't care how young or how innocent Poppykit was, it swept in and claimed her mother without so much as a thought for the kittens it left behind, motherless and confused.

Poppykit seemed to relax, the slight bristle to her fur settling down as they each spoke.  Again, Fogcloud was surprised. Usually their words made pelts prickle, not smooth. It was really the first time in a long time that they had felt like they were doing something right. "Who did you lose, Fogcloud?" Poppykit asked, a note of caution to her tone. Fogcloud envisioned the golden-coloured tom with a bittersweet pang. "My father, Lionstride." They answered softly. They didn't ask who Poppykit had lost, for they already knew. But they paused, wondering if maybe having spoken about their own loss, Poppykit would feel compelled to talk about her mother. Fogcloud was even more surprised as Poppykit not only listened, but imitated them by plopping down onto the ground beside them.

"I need a change of scenery or something!" Poppykit cried, and Fogcloud felt their eyes soften with sympathy. "Well, how about instead of going to the scenery, I bring the scenery to you?" They offered, tone softer. "I can bring you different kinds of fish and tell you about them. And anything I find out on the territory. Feathers, or leaves from trees." They really did sympathise with being cooped up. Little Fogkit had found the camp to be desperately boring as well. Six moons of living there, seeing the same things and speaking to the same cats, it exhausts a kit's attention span very quickly. 

"Ever since my mother died my father can't stand to look at me, my uncle left the clan without telling me why and it's brought tension between me and my father. My sisters don't seem to sense it or if they do they just don't care...I feel left out and unwanted." Fogcloud twitched an ear. They had little respect for a tom that could treat his own kits like that. Frowning, Fogcloud brushed their tail against Poppykit's shoulder, hoping it was a comforting gesture. "You'll never be unwanted, kit." They promised. "Even if your father is too minnow-brained to see it, you're a good kid, and none of what happened is your fault." They gestured with a paw towards the camp, where other cats were milling about, minding their own business. "See the calico she-cat, Poppytail? She's my sister, and she's the kindest cat you'll ever meet." They smiled. "If you ever feel alone or unwanted, you can come to me or to Poppytail when we're not on patrol. You're not as annoying as the other kittens," They joked. "So I don't mind." They stood, their fur moving with them like a great, shaggy mane.

Fogcloud
^They/them

MADE BY VEL OF GS + ADOXOGRPHY 2.0

[Fae Magic]

"Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory." ~Poppypaw

The more the brown female sat there looking like a bat-eared cat loaf with ears pointed towards the older fluffier clan mate Poppykit couldn't help but feel as if the other understood her; if anything they made a good job at trying to understand what the small kit was going through and feeling. Fogcloud treated Poppykit like an equal instead of trying to sugarcoat anything or brush her off as if whatever she was feeling meant little. Stormy eyes stared up at the larger figure in front of her; searching keenly for something, anything that would give the other an idea of why Fogcloud would care. They didn't come off as someone who liked kits so the fact they sat there talking to Poppykit was a good sign in her opinion. Maybe they were as different as Poppykit was being treated?

Blinking to herself as she registered the words spoken by the other she seemed a perk up a little bit at least. Bring the outside world to her? That was a middle ground for both of them. Poppykit couldn't walk out of the camp until she was made an apprentice and even then she would need supervision. But, if someone like Fogcloud would be willing to take time out of their job to collect items from outside the camp walls to come and entertain Poppykit with tales of the outside world made the other feel better.

"That would be...nice actually. It'd make me feel better about having to be stuck in the nursery and camp. I don't want you to think you have to do it though Fogcloud." she spoke up and looked at them with hesitation. Although, it'd be nice to have someone give her attention she'd feel guilty if they didn't want to do it in the first place.

Her head turned off to the side and her ears fell back slightly as they suddenly spoke up about her family dynamic. She did blame herself though even though she never had a hand in what happened. But, her father didn't seem to want her and her sisters were hesitant to be around her in their father's presence. The only people that cared about her were gone and she felt alone so why shouldn't she feel unwanted? Her gaze turned towards the others in camp and she noticed the cat spoken about. They had the same first name as her and it piqued her interest as she looked closer at the calico molly before turning to look back up at the fluffy cat and tilted her head curiously up at them.

A small smile tugged at her maw as she finally spoke up. "Thank you..." that's all that Poppykit could say.

She watched as the larger feline stood to their paws as if about to leave. She wouldn't stop them if they needed to go. She appreciated the advice and comfort though. She gave a small smile up at them as they stood over where she still sat as a loaf of a cat.

"I'll make sure to find one of you guys if I ever need company...thanks Fogcloud." she mumbled softly before she too stood up and shook herself off. Little tail waving a little she looked up at them before flicking an ear and turned.

"I need to go back to the nursery before my sisters and foster mom find out I'm gone. Thanks again!" she called before she darted away from them and ducked herself into the nursery

Word Count: #583 || Tag: ♛ 𝔽𝕒𝕓𝕣𝕚𝕔𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 || Notes: We can call the thread finished sorry it took so long to reply!

~☣~~☣~