Morning {OPEN}

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Blackscar stepped out of the warriors den, yawning and stretching. She glanced around the empty clearing. The sun had started to rise and the colors of the sky were beautiful. Her bright orange eyes gazed at the sky. She took in a deep breath, smiling to herself. Blackscar lsat down next to the den, grooming herself quietly.

At such an early hour, there was no surprise as to how deserted the area seemed. Soon enough, too soon for Blackscar, the kits would be wrestling outside of their den, mentors would be taking their apprentices out for training and cats would be hunting and patrolling the border... The she-cat enjoyed the stilness and serenity at this time. One reason she always woke up as early as possible.

It wouldnt be too long until she is no longer alone. Secretly, Blackscar enjoyed that very much. Although the silence of this hour is very alluring to her, just being around others from her Clan could make her happier. Hardly anyone wants to be alone all the time. Blackscar is definitely not that cat.

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Nightkit padded out of the nursery, her large mint eyes barely open. Normally she liked sleeping, but that schedule had to change soon. She glanced at the apprentices' den. She would be there soon. After all, she was nearly 6 moons old. Then back at the nursery. She would have to get moving. Everyone would be out and about soon, and she wanted to enjoy the calm before the storm. Nightkit noticed Blackscar near the warriors den, and padded over to her. "Hey Blackscar," she asked, "What are you doing up this early?" Waiting for a response, she gazed at the sky. The colors were amazing! "I was getting out of my fondness for sleeping late. I'm glad I did, the sky is great..." The kit smiled. It seemed a little strange for a kit to be up early talking to a warrior, but weirder things have happened.

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Cloudpaw sat in the clearing, looking up at the beautiful colors of the morning sky. She closed her eyes for a moment, simply enjoying the slight breeze and calmness of the early morning.

The she-cat had gotten to where this was one of her favorite times of the day. As much as she enjoyed learning new words and trying to have conversations with other cats, this early in the morning when no one was awake was so peaceful, and she couldn't help but relish this time. There was no pressure to keep up with the other apprentices, no worries about her future, no one to laugh at her. Yes, Cloudpaw enjoyed this time very much.

When Cloudpaw opened her eyes again, she noticed a warrior and a kit awake and talking. That meant there were probably more cats to follow. With a sigh, Cloudpaw stood up and stretched, her pure white fur glistening in the early morning light.

Then the deaf she-cat turned and walked towards the pair of cats. Time to work on conversations again, and maybe learn a few more words.

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[Grr, sorry, I've been busy today. I didn't get a chace to check until now xD]

Blackscar smiled at the kit. "The sky is very beautiful, I agree," she said calmly. Her gaze was curious as she studied the young kit. "You'll be becoming an apprentice soon, correct? I think you will do very well and become a great warrior, Nightkit," she purred.

Blackscar looked up when she saw the apprentice approaching then. She nodded at Cloudpaw, smiling a little. The black she-cat wondered how the apprenticeship was going for the deaf cat. She remebered her own time as an apprentice, admiring how much more difficult Cloudpaw's had to be and admired the younger cat for that.

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"Morning," Cloudpaw mewed as she approached. That single phrase showed how much her speaking and confidence had progressed- until recently Cloudpaw never would have started a conversation with someone else. And sure, her speaking was much different from other cats', and slower and more broken, but she was proud nonetheless.

"Cloudpaw," she mewed with a nod to both cats, pointing at herself in an attempt to introduce herself.

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Nightkit smiled, soaking up Blackscar's praise. It wasn't often she was able to be free of all burdens, appearances, and expectations, and just... be Nightkit. Seeing an apprentice walk over, she knew she would soon have to be polite, quiet Nightkit, to generally be ignored. but, three's not too much of a crowd, she supposed... She soon learned the apprentice's name was Cloudpaw. "but... Why is she pointing and nodding? Is she... deaf?" Nightkit admired the apprentice. She must have to work ten times harder than all the other apprentices! She smiled and gazed up at Cloudpaw, hoping she knew how much Nightkit looked up to her.

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"Hello Cloudpaw," Blackscar said calmly. Her eyes brightened as the thought of the deaf cat learning so much more than what cats had originally thought. She saw the bewilderment in Nightkit's eyes as she gazed up at the apprentice. She flicked the kits ear gently with her tail. "Amazing, isnt? She must work very hard to be able to speak without hearing," Blackscar said to Nightlit, smiling.

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Cloudpaw recognized that the warrior had said her name along with hello, but much of the rest was jumbled. Cloudpaw managed to figure out from the word 'hearing' that they must be talking about her disability.

"Name?" she asked, pointing a paw at each of the two cats. She hoped they were words she already knew how to pronounce- that would make this much easier. At the same time, however, she hope they were new words, as it would give her another opportunity to learn.

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"Oh! Uh... Nightkit." Nightkit pronounced her name slowly, for the apprentice to read the shape of her mouth. She really hoped she could learn to communicate with Cloudpaw... She seemed like such a great cat. but there was a certain barrier, a visible barrier between her and the rest of the world. Although it was the best conversation they could accomplish, the tension was laid thick. Nightkit turned to Blackscar, an expectant look on her face. This apprentice was definitely not a guarded cat by nature, just a cat who couldn't help but be thanks to what the world had taken from her.

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"Blackscar," the older she-cat said slowly, giving Cloudpaw an approving look. She was greatly impressed by the apprentice's skills and her lack of frustration when she talked. The opportunity to have a young cat at such a disadvantage working so hard was amazing, more than which most could accomplish in her place.

Blackscar glanced down at Nightkit and smiled. She looked back up to Cloudpaw. "How are you?" Her voice was calm and casual, though she made sure not to speak too fast. Seeing how this young, deaf apprentice could speak gave the black she-cat hope for not only Cloudpaw, but future disabled cats in LeafClan as well.

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Cloudpaw watched their mouths closely as each spoke, trying to understand their names. Nightkit was an easy one- she knew both words that made up the name. Blackscar was a bit trickier, as she didn't know the word 'scar' yet.

"Nightkit and Blacksar," Cloupaw mewed, repeating their names for practice. Then she turned her attention to Blackscar, happy that she understood what she was being asked.

"Good," she said. "Good morning, pretty sky, quiet," she mewed, doing her best to explain her morning. Then, for emphasis, she looked up at the beautiful morning sky. "Orange, pink, blue," she mewed, naming the colors she saw, endlessly fascinated by colors.

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Blackscar smiled, nodding. "Very smart," she murmured to herself. The black cat noticed the fascination in Cloudpaw's eyes as she gazed up at the morning sky.

She looked up at the sky too. Her eyes brightened when studying the beautiful colors. I wonder what the weather will be like today, she thought. She might go hunting by herself today, if it weren't to rain or be too hot.

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Nightkit listened to Cloudpaw. Yes, colors. They seemed to be bold and beautiful in the sky, like snakes pressed together in wonderful waves of color. They would fade soon, but not too soon. Nightkit could sit here all day, just talking and watching the sky fade into blue. The serenity of the time before the world had awoken. The sun illuminating the clouds with its color. The three of them, a kit, an apprentice, and a warrior, watching the silent morning sky. but alas, others would wake up soon. Cloudpaw seemed satisfied and happy when she looked at the sky. Nightkit pointed at Cloudpaw, then at the sky. "You can be like that." Oh, how she hoped Cloudpaw could understand. Nightkit smiled. After all, Cloudpaw was named for those clouds, but just like them, all she needs is the sun, or her words, to shine out the colors in her.

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Blackscar turned her attention to the kit, a surprised expression on her face. She cocked her head to the side curiously. Nightkit obviously had a lot going on in her mind. That was obvious enough from the expression on her face and the look in her eyes. The warrior looked over at Cloudpaw, pondering the younger cats' response.

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Cloudpaw turned in time to catch the last words of Nightkit's sentence.

"Like sky?" Cloudpaw mewed in confusion. She gazed upward, wondering what the kit could mean. She could be like the sky? Then she noticed that the colors reflected off of the clouds, creating the dazzling morning display. She thought she understood Nightkit's meaning- she was named for the clouds after all. Maybe she had colors, too, like the clouds in the sky. Maybe they were just hidden.

"My colors," Cloudpaw mewed softly with a smile.