PineClan kits [open]

[Dawn]

A pale reddish pelt rose and fell with a simple rythm, sleep clutching the breaths. That is, until the little cat woke with a faint jerk. Sapphire colored eyes widened as conciousness flooded them.

The little kitten stood and shook her pelt, bits of moss flying in all directions. Looking around, she could see her mother and all of her siblings slept on. Their flanks caught by the same sleepy rythm.

She stayed silent for a moment, looking around the nursery to see if anyone else was awake. Now that sleep had been snatched from her, she wanted something to do - who wants to sit in the silent darkness waiting for excitement? No, this little kit was never one to wait.

"Is anyone else awake?"

[/color] She asked tentitively, hopeing that her voice was not enough to rouse those cats who were sleeping. Who knew how crank they would be, especially after the battle fiasco of her own beloved PineClan and MarshClan against DustClan and OakClan.

Many cats still walked around sporting scars and injuries from the fight. Every cat seemed to be on edge a lot of the time too. She did hope it would fade, all this negitive energy pouring in on all sides did nothing for her mental sanity.

"Not anymore, unfortunately."[/color] A voice answered her from a corner of the dark nursery. "Did you just wake up, Sorrelkit?"[/color]

Sorrelkit turned to where the voice had come from, her eyes catching Drizzlekit, a little white and gray she-kit with pale blue eyes. "Yeah, sadly. I could have done with a few more minutes at the very least." She mewed with a yawn.

Sorrelkit stood and padded over to the other kit, trying her hardest not to tread on any of the sleeping kit's tails. She accidentally stepped on a furry gray tail and heard a little yelp of adgitation.

Turning, Sorrelkit saw Brushkit's dark amber eyes glaring at her through the darkness. "Watch where you're putting your paws Sorrelkit!"[/color] Mewed Brushkit irritably.

"Sorry Brushkit, I didn't mean to step on your tail."[/color] Sorrelkit mewed, though she wasn't particularly bothered by Brushkit's sour tone. The she-kit was always grouchy in the morning.

Sorrelkit made her way towards Drizzlekit and sat beside her, giving the other kit a lick on the ear in greeting. Drizzlekit returned the greeting with a faint smile.

A faint snort alerted the two that Brushkit had risen from her nest and was padding over to join them as well. "Well, now that we're up, we should do something. Wanna wake some of the others up?"[/color] She asked her fellows, eyeing the other sleeping kits through calculating eyes.

Drizzlekit flicked her ears slightly. "They will wake soon enough, no need to put anyone in a bad mood."[/color] She mewed, her large light blue eyes on Brushkit.

Sorrelkit watched as Brushkit rolled her eyes but abandoned her search for someone to wake. The gray she-cat always seemed to want to cause some sort of chaos, but obeyed the requests of others well enough most of the time.

In truth, Sorrelkit wasn't sure if she liked Brushkit or Drizzlekit all that much. Brushkit had a short temper and was very implusive a lot of the time while Drizzlekit always seemed to need some cat to compliment her or she would sulk in a corner somewhere.

Of course, they were company so Sorrelkit wasn't complaining. She just wished some of the others would wake soon. That way they could have a big game for once! She knew the warriors would not appreciate squeaking kits running around the camp and waking them, but they wouldn't be angry with the darling daughter of their leader, and that was all that mattered, right?
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[frosty]

"Watch where you're putting your paws Sorrelkit!"

"Sorry Brushkit, I didn't mean to step on your tail."

"Well, now that we're up, we should do something. Wanna wake some of the others up?"

"They will wake soon enough, no need to put anyone in a bad mood."

A pair of gray-black ears twitched irritably. A sudden yelp had originally woken her, but Shadowkit refused to get up. Whatever, no big deal. She could always get back to sleep. That's when the chatter started. Sorrelkit, Brushkit, and Drizzlekit were all awake already, as she was constantly reminded.

Shadowkit's head shot up, the fur on the right side of her face smooshed down where she had been sleeping on it. "Shut up!" she hissed, narrowing her charcoal gray eyes angrily. "Can't a cat get a decent sleep without being woken up at the break of dawn? The first patrol hasn't even left yet. Now be quiet."

The black-and-white she-cat had always be stormy and changeable, but she had been particularly touchy recently. Any cat would be constantly short-tempered if they had to endure their mother's death, their brother's death, and their sister's death. Galestep had recently contracted greencough which turned fatal in a short amount of time. Then, when her kits decided to pay her a surprise visit, two of them had caught the disease as well. Greencough made quick work of the nursing queen, while Owlkit and Timberkit slowly fell victim to the cough.

Shadowkit and her other sister, Brushkit, had managed to avoid catching the disease after Pollenpaw had given them both some yucky leaves to chew on. But no herb could heal her broken heart. Their father, Stonetooth, had been very supportive throughout the whole ordeal and had even let his daughters sleep with him in the warriors den one night. Regardless, the hole in heart was big enough to swallow up the entire Appalachains.

It was wise not to annoy Shadowkit this morning, for she seemed unusually furious this morning. And when Galestep's daughter was annoyed, her tongue was sharp enough to cut through a boulder.

Mosskit curled her tail around Shadowkit's shoulders comfortingly. The brown tabby was kind of like a sister to Galestep's litter, mainly because her own mother, Yellowear, had been killed by a fox shortly after she was born. Her father, Coyotefang, had asked his friend Galestep to suckle his daughter, and the she-cat agreed without hesitation. Mosskit had always acted like the mediator in tense situations. She was gentle and kindred, just like her dead mother, and would always comfort and calm stirred up feelings. Mosskit had grieved Galestep, Owlkit, and Timberkit as much as any cat but she had instead dedicated herself to soothing the others.

"It's alright, Shadowkit. Sorrelkit accidentally stepped on Brushkit's tail, is all. It's no big deal, just go back to sleep," she mewed softly. The patched kit merely squeaked, a horrible, heart-wrenching sound, rolled over, and shut her eyes.

Mosskit turned her blue-tinted green eyes to Sorrelkit and mewed a quiet apology for Shadowkit's harsh words.

[Dawn]

"Shut up! Can't a cat get a decent sleep without being woken up at the break of dawn? The first patrol hasn't even left yet. Now be quiet."

The sound of Shadowkit's hiss made the three she-cats turn to look at her. Sorrelkit merely raised an eyebrow at Shadowkit, an almost pitying look on her face. Drizzlekit shifted her paws nervously, not wanting conflict to ensue.

Brushkit on the other hand, turned to face her sister, teeth bared with equal anger. "Shut up yourself Shadowkit, it's due time you woke up anyway. It's not that early, stop your whining. The world doesn't revolve around you, you know."

[/color] She snapped irritably at her sister, her light amber eyes blazing with irritation.

She too had been woken up earlier than she would have liked, who was Shadowkit to be thinking that she was the most important kit in the nursery? It was true that the loss of their mother and siblings was horrible, but Brushkit had gone through it too, hadn't she? It wasn't as though Shadowkit was the only cat who had lost family.

She didn't say anything more though as Mosskit piped up, "It's alright, Shadowkit. Sorrelkit accidentally stepped on Brushkit's tail, is all. It's no big deal, just go back to sleep."

Brushkit gave a slight snort as she turned back to Sorrelkit and Drizzlekit. Sorrelkit nodded slightly to Mosskit showing she understood and Brushkit sniffed. "Don't be sorry Sorrelkit, it's her fault she slept on a burr last night."[/color] Brushkit growled, low enough for her voice to carry to only Sorrelkit and Drizzlekit.

Sorrelkit flicked her ears. "I'm not bothered by her really, it's alright."[/color] She replied easily, casting a glance towards the silent Shadowkit.

She of course knew that Shadowkit and Brushkit had lost their mother and siblings. As sorry as she felt for them, she couldn't truly empathize as she had not lost either of her parents. As much as she had tried to put herself in the other's paw steps, it was impossible.

Brushkit flicked her ears slightly and sat back, watching her two companions somewhat curiously. "So what should we do now? It's obvious that some cats,"[/color] she cast a surly glance at her sister. "Would rather not like their sleep interrupted."[/color] She sneered slightly as she spoke.

Drizzlekit flicked her tail towards the entrance of the den. "We should probably play outside, that way we won't disturb anyone."[/color] She mewed quietly.

Brushkit merely flicked her ears slightly and padded silently towards the entrance of the den. Drizzlekit followed her, casting a slightly exasperated glance towards Sorrelkit.

The little reddish she-kit hung back and looked towards Mosskit. "Want to come play with us?"[/color] She whispered to Mosskit, not wanting another angry outburst from Shadowkit.
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[frosty]

"Shut up yourself Shadowkit, it's due time you woke up anyway. It's not that early, stop your whining. The world doesn't revolve around you, you know."

Mosskit flattened her ears to her head and winced, trying to block out the sting of Brushkit's words. They were sisters, for StarClan's sake! They should be supporting each other for their losses, not bickering between themselves. She felt as though the other kits didn't realize what they had to be apprecative of. She had no biological littermates herself, so she was extremely grateful to be accepted by Galestep and her kits. That was why Mosskit referred to Shadowkit, Brushkit, Owlkit, and Timberkit as her sisters and brother.

"Don't be sorry Sorrelkit, it's her fault she slept on a burr last night."

The pale brown tabby didn't think Brushkit noticed how bitter her words were. Green eyes wide, she looked down at her paws, trying to take no account. Mosskit would never

"I'm not bothered by her really, it's alright."

"So what should we do now? It's obvious that some cats. Would rather not like their sleep interrupted."

Though she would never stand up to Brushkit, Mosskit really badly wanted to ask her to stop sneering. But the little kit would never to something like that.

"We should probably play outside, that way we won't disturb anyone."

"Want to come play with us?"

Mosskit nodded, hearing Shaodwkit's breathing deepen back into sleep. Breathing a small sigh of relief, she hoped there was no lingering beef between her sisters. Standing up slowly as to not disturb the gray and white kit, she squeezed out of the den to follow her denmates.

Once she was outside, Mosskit couldn't help but notice Wolfpaw returning back from hunting. There was a plump sparrow clasped in his jaws and she couldn't help but wish she was an apprentice herself so she could go into the forest. The clean scent of the pine forest that clung to Wolfpaw's pelt appealed to her. She couldn't wait to leave the camp and become an apprentice!

The wolf brown tom obviously saw Mosskit admire his catch. Flicking his ears, he padded over to the four she-kits. "Good morning, Brushkit, Drizzlekit, Sorrelkit, and Mosskit. What are you four doing up so early?" he asked casually.

[Dawn]

Sorrelkit smiled slightly upon seeing Mosskit nod, and followed her fellows out of the den and into the camp. Morning sunlight was seeping through the interlaced pine branches which of course were not at all barren, even in the chilly leaf-bare moons.

The air was fresh today, warmer than it had been for a while. Perhaps new-leaf was here at last. Sorrelkit hoped so, she had only ever been told good things about the warmer moons and was getting quite sick of the cold.

Sorrelkit looked around from her thoughts as a flicker of movement caught her eye. Wolfpaw was returning to camp from hunting. She too could smell the fresh pine scent on his fur and felt a prickle of curiosity. She didn't feel the same burning of longing that Mosskit did, but she still longed to explore the vast territory.


"Good morning, Brushkit, Drizzlekit, Sorrelkit, and Mosskit. What are you four doing up so early?"

Sorrelkit inclined her head slightly in greeting to the tom apprentice, but it was Brushkit who spoke first.

"Morning Wolfpaw." She mewed, tipping her head slightly to one side in an admiring way. She had always had more admiration for Wolfpaw than any of the other apprentices. Not in a romantic way, he just seemed to know what he was doing and how to get there. He was always in control of the situation and Brushkit liked that.

"We just woke up and couldn't go back to sleep. We came out here because my sister got angry that we were making too much noise."

[/color] She continued, rolling her eyes slightly, oblivious to Sorrelkit's hard, reproachful stare.

"We just didn't want to disturb anyone, that's all."[/color] Sorrelkit cut in pointedly, her eyes on Brushkit, a silent warning to the she-kit. They couldn't go through the day already angry with one another, she should just let it go and move on. That's what real warriors did after all.

Brushkit glared back at her den mate but didn't say anything in return. She merely turned her attention back to Wolfpaw and allowed her admiring look to return to her small face.

"Do you know any good games we could play, Wolfpaw?"[/color] Drizzlekit after a moment,breaking the tense silence. "Like, any that would really prepare us for apprenticeship I mean?"[/color] She added quickly. She didn't particularly care about becoming an apprentice, she would rather stay in the nursery and be cared for, but everyone else seemed to want to become an apprentice so she should follow the crowd, right? [/blockquote][/blockquote][/size]

[frosty]

"Morning Wolfpaw. We just woke up and couldn't go back to sleep. We came out here because my sister got angry that we were making too much noise."

"We just didn't want to disturb anyone, that's all."

Wolfpaw nodded, blinking his frightening yellow eyes slowly. He knew Shadowkit and Brushkit had recently lost their mother and a sister and a brother. He understood loss, and his glare darkened with the painful memory. Both his parents were killed off by leaf-bare hunger, while his little sister Yewkit had died only a quarter moon after being kitted.

But he also knew his father had betrayed his mother by mating with Rabbitspots of OakClan. The she-cat had beared two kits: Nutkit, who died, and Driftkit, who still lives. Blackfang had told his eldest son his darkest secret while laying on his deathbed. Wolfpaw had never forgiven his father, and he had never told his littermate Woodpaw.

He grieved his mother and sister, but didn't bat an eyelash at Blackfang's grave. His father should've been his idol, his everything. But he was just a dirty scumbag. Wolfpaw just wanted to do what was best for PineClan. Never would he ever betray his mate or his Clan like Blackfang had.

But the fury he felt whenever OakClan was brought up was unbearable. The apprentice wanted so badly to make sure Rabbitspots felt the same pain he had. He would kill Driftkit with his own claws. And then he would kill Rabbitspots. The stupid she-cat and her stupid daughter. She should never have interfered with his family.

"Shadowkit isn't taking Galestep's death well. Remember Brushkit, StarClan made us all different. She isn't as strong as you are. You must be gentle and understanding," he meowed, his voice unusually flat. His words were meant to be taken heavily, but his weakness was that he couldn't deliver them with enough emotion. Though he was full of fox dung and didn't believe anything he spoke, Wolfpaw wanted the kits to take his words to heart.

"Do you know any good games we could play, Wolfpaw? Like, any that would really prepare us for apprenticeship I mean?"

Wolfpaw nodded, shaking the cobwebs of his dark history out of his mind. "How about I teach you four some battle moves?" he offered, more than willing to train the four she-kits. He could gain their loyalty and trust early and use it to his advantage later...

He caught Mosskit nodding eagerly, flewing her little claws with excitement. He liked her enthusiasm, but she was too much of a mediator. He also liked Brushkit's attitude. She'd make a great warrior. Drizzlekit and Sorrelkit would too, if only they got rid of the gentle bone in their bodies. PineClan warriors needed to be hard, cold, fierce, and merciless.