Open to Join A Willing Kitsitter

Maybe I can make the whole forest my friend. ~Echobright
-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

Echobright had been returning from the dawn patrol when the familiar scruff of a tiny black head caught her eye. Her whiskers lifted in delight.

“Wolfkit! Up before the sun again, aren’t you?” she purred, padding closer as the kit dragged the mouse with all the seriousness of a seasoned warrior.

She lowered her head, blue eyes soft. “That’s a fine catch you picked out. Your mother and sisters will be so proud when they wake.” A gentle brush of her tail swept across his flank, not intrusive, just encouraging.

“If you’d like,” she added warmly, “I can help you find something extra big for Emberdust and the little ones once camp wakes up. You’re already thinking like a proper protector of your family.”

Her smile brightened.
“You’re growing into such a strong young tom.”

I’m not different. Am I?

═════ ∘◦✧◦∘ 🐾 ∘◦✧◦∘ ═════

Wolfkit's devoted retrieval of the mouse was halted when he heard the chirping of his maternal aunt calling for him. A soft smile formed on his muzzle as he dragged the mouse over to her, meeting her as she walked to meet him. The smoke tom dropped his mouse to give Echobright a soft nudge to greet her, though his growing size made the touch a little more firm than it was intended.

He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came, just a simple breath of his usual silence, however his ears perked at his aunt's offer to help him drag out a bigger piece of prey. He nodded quickly before trotting over to the fresh-kill pile once more, with the posture of a serious, season senior warrior, although he did pause every now and again to make sure that Echobright was following him like he had once done when he was on a camp tour with his mother. 

The prey pile was full, full enough, when he spotted a plump bird laying limp, wings and legs sprawled and laying limply over the prey. He let out a squeak, more-so a higher pitched meow to get Echobright's attention. He thought for a moment on what to do, if he should say anything at all... would Echobright know which prey he picked out if he didn't?

"The bird..." he whispered out, barely intelligible over the other sounds of the word waking up around them, but it was there if Echobright would listen close enough to hear him. However at Echobright's compliment he turned his bright orange eyes towards her, instead of words, her simply leaned his head against her body, a soft purr leaving his throat, he was grateful, he just didn't show it the same as everyone else.

Maybe I can make the whole forest my friend. ~Echobright
-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

Echobright followed Wolfkit’s proud little march with an affectionate glow in her eyes, matching his pace as though he were leading a patrol instead of weaving through camp on tiny paws. Every time he paused to check for her, her heart squeezed a little.

Her ears perked at his whisper, quiet, but not missed. “Oh, Wolfkit… that’s a wonderful choice.” Her voice stayed low, warm, making space for his softness instead of pushing him. “Your sisters will have full bellies thanks to you.”

Then he leaned against her, and Echobright stilled, letting him rest his head as long as he wished. She curled her tail gently around him, just enough to hold the moment.

“You’ve got such a big heart,” she murmured into his fur. “Bigger than that bird, even.”

She nudged the prey toward him with a smile.
“Come on. We’ll carry it together.”

I’m not different. Am I?

∘◦✧◦∘ 🐾 ∘◦✧◦∘

Wolfkit touched his nose to the bird, expression unreadable but thoughtful, as if weighing its importance against the whole world. His shoulders lifted with a soft, almost silent huff, approval, satisfaction, pride all bundle into one small, almost silent sound.

He didn't answer Echobright with words at first. Instead, he pressed more firmly into her side, leaning his weight as though anchoring himself there for just a heartbeat longer than needed. His eyes half-lidded, calm and steady, watching the bird like it was a puzzle he had already solved. His tail flicked once, deliberate, a tiny flag of determination. He shifted his stance to mirror Echobright's, tiny paws squaring themselves with quiet seriousness, as though they truly were preparing to lead a patrol together rather than carry prey.

Wolfkit's thoughts drifted in that strange, peculiar way of his, imagining feathers rustling in the wind and his sisters' surprised faces when he dropped it at their paws. A warm flutter curled in his chest. Providing felt good. He nudged the bird with his muzzle, then glanced up at Echobright, giving a tiny nod, slow, certain. "Together." he murmured, the words soft but sure, before gripping the edge of the prey and waiting for her to lift her side.

Maybe I can make the whole forest my friend. ~Echobright
-ˋˏ ༻❁༺ ˎˊ-

Echobright felt the weight of him lean into her and welcomed it without a second thought, shifting just enough to steady them both. The quiet determination in Wolfkit’s posture made her chest warm, pride blooming soft and full.

She watched him for a moment, blue eyes gentle as dawn, then dipped her head in a small, solemn nod of her own, matching his seriousness, honoring it.

“Together,” she echoed softly.

Careful not to rush him, Echobright lowered her head and took hold of the bird opposite his grip. She waited until she felt his stance settle, then lifted in sync, moving at his pace instead of her own.

As they started back, her tail brushed his lightly, a steady presence. “You’re a natural at this,” she murmured, voice low and sincere. “Your sisters are going to be so proud.”

She didn’t hurry, didn’t fill the space with chatter, just walked beside him, sharing the work, the moment, and the quiet confidence of doing something right.

I’m not different. Am I?

∘◦✧◦∘ 🐾 ∘◦✧◦∘

As Echobright shifted the weight of the bird, Wolfkit lifted his head to make the travel more even instead of a lop-sided pair. Wolfkit glanced over at his aunt, his lip twitching in an appreciative smile as the two made their way to the nursery. However he wasn't sure how much longer the nursery would feel like his own. After all, his apprenticeship was not long away now. Not long at all.

Wolfkit didn't say any more, he never did usually. It wasn't out of the norm for him, nothing could ever truly be cast as 'out of the norm' for Wolfkit, he had heard Eaglecry and Clovershine call him odd, not to ridicule, but to make an observation. He had come to terms with it now, he was weird, he'd embrace it.

When the soft ground of the nursery entrance met his soft paw-pads, Wolfkit stopped, tapping his paw on the ground to gesture a halt like a strong senior warrior that just happened to be smaller than the rest. 

Wolfkit then dropped his side of the bird without a lot of fanfare, and nudged it closer to the nursery entrance with his nose. Hoping that if his sisters or his mother would smell it, that they we could able to play. But yet, the movement was lacking, there wasn't even an ounce of noise aside from a faint snoring from Swampkit and a louder snore from Muddykit.

He sighed but didn't let the lack of activity get him down. He would find his own thing to do if that is what the circumstances told him. He looked up at Echobright expectantly, perhaps she wanted to play?