Learning As I Go (tagged and OPEN)

[Deleted]

Tags: Eveningbreeze, Anya, DanaBelle

Silvermist padded into the nursery with freshkill dangling from her jaws. Her gaze immediately swept across the den, scanning for her kits. The other queens always advised her against leaving her kits alone in the den, especially since they were still so young, but when she thought about it, there were other queens there to watch them, and she had no mate to bring her prey. Plus, she needed the exercise and it felt good to stretch her legs. And, as much as she loved her kits, she needed a break every now and then from the little balls of fur and their constant questioning and never-waning energy.

Silvermist lay down in the den and took a bite out of her prey, thinking all the while. This whole mothering thing was certainly new to her, and Silvermist really wasn't sure what she was doing. Yes, queens gave her advice, but it didn't make sense a lot of the time. And what was she to do when her kits found themselves getting into trouble? Which was quite often, she had to admit. Silvermist had accepted that she would have to learn as she went, but it was hard.

Speaking of which, where were all of her kits?


Minnowkit stirred from her sleep and opened her eyes. It didn't take her more than a moment to realize why she had awoken- her mother had returned.

"Good morning, Silvermist," Minnowkit mewed happily, padding over to greet her mother. She purred as she rubbed her muzzle against her mother's, then sat down and began to groom her paws. They were full of burrs- probably from Otterkit's pelt. Oh well.

"Where's Otterkit?" her mother asked. Minnowkit peered around the den but couldn't find her brother. So, he hadn't returned yet. That could be trouble.

"He's, um, outside," she mewed.

[Eveningbreeze]

Kestrelkit was still asleep when his mother returned, dreaming. Dreams of things he couldn't quite understand yet. He only woke up when he felt his sister moving, and curled his tail, a little annoyed. He opened his green eyes slowly, and was pleased to see his mother there.

"Maybe we could go search for him"-He mewed, his voice cracking a little due to his sickly state. He didn't actually cared that much about his brother, but it seemed like a fun thing to do. To the rescue!-He thought, already hoping that Otterkit was actually in danger so they could go to save him. He needed adventure.

[Anya]

A single vibrant green eye peeked through thick pale creamy fur as Dawnkit stirred. She was growing quite well and seemed to glow with health. Her ears perked at the sound of her mothers voice.

"He's, um, outside." Minnowkit mewed.

"He's probably chasing after trouble." Dawnkit felt a twinge of regret for napping when she could have been out making trouble herself. The she-cat curled out of the nest, feeling the energy seeping back into her as the sun caught her gray markings.

"Maybe we could go search for him." mewed Kesterelkit.

"Can we?" Dawnkit bounded over to her mothers side, fur fluffed out in excitement and whiskers quivering.

[Whiteleaf]

A long-furred brown tom kit was peacefully sleeping in one of the corners of the nursery, dreaming of the day he would finally get to become a warrior. but before the dream could end, Bramblekit heard other cat murmurings in the nursery. He peeked on green eyes open, seeing one of the queens enter the den. He recognized Silvermist talking to one of her kits about Otterkit, who seemed to have gone outside. He quickly propped up in some excitement when Kestrelkit offered to for his denmate, and bounded over to join them. "Can I come too?" he mewed in a tiny voice, looking at them hopefully. There was no doubt about it, he was always up for an adventure.

[Deleted]

Silvermist smiled at her kits' adventurous spirits, even at such a young age. They were going to be truly terrific warriors one day.

"It's fine with me," Silvermist mewed encouragingly. "but be back soon," she added. She already expected for them to run into some kind of trouble, but who was she to stop them? They needed to learn and gain a taste for adventure. Besides, they were only kits, and it was highly unlikely that they would do any real damage.

With that thought in mind, Silvermist nodded towards the den entrance once then sat down, wrapping her tail around her paws.



Minnowkit was surprised that her mother had agreed to let them go- most of the other queens would never let such young kits go alone out into the camp knowing that they would cause trouble. And, if she was completely honest with herself, Minnowkit realized that she wasn't sure that she wanted to go in search of her troublesome brother. Minnowkit didn't like to make trouble or be involved in anything of the sort. Plus, Otterkit always bullied her an pushed her around. No, Minnowkit would be much happier in the quiet of the nursery.

Then she heard a voice from behind her- Bramblekit- ask if he could go. Minnowkit honestly hoped that someone would tell him no. After all, if he went, she would feel the need to go herself. Otterkit seemed to have a habit of bullying others- including Minnowkit herself- and Minnowkit didn't want anyone to get hurt.

Maybe, though, if someone told him to stay here, she wouldn't have to worry about it. Minnowkit could stay in the nursery and her littermates could be the ones stirring up trouble.

[DanaBelle]

Flintkit had been listening quietly, strange for his usual behavior was far off. His amber eyes twinkled with mischief and the prospect of stirring some up was more than inviting.

"Well then let's be up and away," the silver tom flicked his black tail at Bramblekit, "you might as well tag along Brackenkit." he stole a glance at Minnowkit with a teasing look and padded over to join Kestrelkit and Dawnkit as they prepared to go in search of their brother. He cared not of the danger Otterkit might be in for he seldom cared for what his siblings did; but a chance to leave this slow and stuffy nursery would not be passed by this tom. "Well come on, no one is waiting for us you lot." and with a bounce and a step he was out of the nursery.

"Good bye mother! We'll be back with Otterkit in two-shakes of a fish tail." he laughed over his shoulder, as a final farewell.

[Anya]

Dawnkit glared at her brother as he chatted away and the fact that he was allowing Bramblekit to tag along infuriated her. It wasn't poor Bramblekit's fault it was just the fact that she didn't click well with having Flintkit be leader. He was always leader whenever Otterkit wasn't around.

"Brackenkit shouldn't get to go, he'll slow us down!" she huffed, her tone was stubborn and rude but she was just as comical as her brother and twisting the other kits name was quite fun.

but her brother was already making his way out and she rolled her eyes as he bid their mother farewell. "Show off." she muttered under her breath. but she would put up with it only so she could sneak off and have her own adventure.

[Deleted]

'Great,' Minnowkit thought when Flintkit invited Bramblekit along. Now she would have to go, too.

"Come on, Bramblekit," she mewed, taking extreme care to call him by his real name. Once again the she-kit was making amends for her littermates.

Minnowkit followed her littermates, perfectly happy to let them lead. If she had to take part in their troublesome "adventures", she preferred to tag along behind. Her eyes scanned the clearing as she went for her brother.



Otterkit crept into the apprentice's den, eyes gleaming in the darkness of the den. There were several sleeping cats, exhausted from training and hunting. Well, they were about to be rudely awakened. The apprentices annoyed Otterkit- they always acted like they were better than him and sent him on his way like he was an annoying fly or something. Well, they would receive payback soon enough.

With an earsplitting squeal, the tom dropped into his best impression of a hunting crouch and began pouncing on tails and ears and paws, screeching all the while, enjoying the commotion and the chaos.

[Anya]

Otterpaw let out a yowl as little claws dug into his tail. Hissing he scrambled to his paws, his yellow eyes glared at the kit causing the uproar.

Otterkit. Of course. This namesake thing was becoming too much of a problem for Otterpaw. His mentor, Otterfrost, would agree. There were simply too many Otter's in this clan.

Dawnkit's ears swiveled towards the commotion coming from the apprentices den. "Tooooold ya!" she smirked, flicking Flintkit's nose and taking lead as she dove into the den. There she found Otterkit, the root of the problem. Well a problem needed more than one root. "HAHAAAA!" letting out a battle cry the she-cat launched herself at the nearest apprentice, who just so happened to be Otterpaw.

"Yeeeow!" Otterpaw hissed as claws dug into his back. He turned his head to find Dawnkit devilishly grinning. These rotten kits. What in StarClan's name was their mother doing?!?

[DanaBelle]

Flintkit scrunched up his nose and flattened his ears as his littermate rubbed her "know-it-all" behavior in his face. "Otterkit! We have come to fetch you on behalf of our mother!" he yelled into the opening, disregarding any cats who were close enough to hear him.

With his announcement made the silver tabby pushed his siblings and Bramblekit into the den after Dawnkit. Of course he was here to get Otterkit, but a little fun never hurt any cat...right?

As he did so he heard the pained screech of Otterpaw. "Goodness Otterpaw and cats think kits are loud." He huffed, eyes flashing with amusement in the dim lighting of the den.