Ask to Join Glow At Dusk

I can go the distance

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It'd been a few sunrises since they'd been taken in by Shadowclan. Slowly she was learning about camp life, although most of her time was spent hiding away in the nursery. He felt like she was being watched every time he stepped out of the nursery, even if that wasn't actually the case. His remaining in the nursery didn't mean she laid around and did nothing all sunrise. It was odd going from traveling to being stuck in one place, and a lot of her time was spent walking in circles and finding random things to do.

It was in one of her bouts of walking in circles that they heard a different voice than they were used to hearing in the nursery. Immediately their circle walking stopped and he swirled around to face the entrance, trying to get eyes on the stranger. "Who're you and what do you want?" They said sharply, fur standing upright, not used to having visitors in the nursery. Their actions were rooted in fear and might seem unnecessarily harsh or aggressive, although how that was taken was entirely up to the strange cat. 

Tiptoe through the murk and mire
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Duskmantle's ears flicked forward at the challenge he was immediately faced with.For a heartbeat he simply stared back, cornflower eyes blinking across the den as he stood by the entrance with the prey at his paws. His answer was immediate, if a bit exasperated.

"I don't want anything from you."He remained where he was, careful not to step further into the nursery as his tail swept slowly against the entrance floor. "My name is Duskmantle and I'm a warrior of ShadowClan." It didn't feel as weird saying it aloud anymore, but he still didn't say it with one hundred percent conviction.

"Emberdust thought you might be hungry." He didn't reveal that Glowkit reminded him of himself than he wanted to admit. "You don't have to come closer if you don't want to but I just caught it fresh. Best to eat it fresh." Wanting to keep it simple, he nudged the duckling closer with a darker paw.

I can go the distance

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Glowkit's bristled fur settled back down as they somewhat relaxed. Despite this cat's presence in the nursery being strange, he was just wanting to help. Like every other cat he'd met so far this cat just wanted to help. She wasn't in danger, but it still felt like she had to worry. After a few heartbeats she slunk forward, grabbing the duckling from near the other cat.

"Fank ou." They said through a mouthful of duckling as they backed up a few paw steps. As on edge as they still were they knew they should still be glad these cats were feeding him. They could decide to not feed them. After gently placing the duckling on the ground she took a small bite out of the creature. "Is good."

Tiptoe through the murk and mire
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Duskmantle watched the kit retreat with the duckling, some of the tension easing from his shoulders as Glowkit actually accepted it. It wouldn't do to have a fearful kit in the nursery. He nodded simply at the kit's gratitude. At least they had manners now...Maybe Ashcloud was the right cat to be a queen after all.

"Well. It should be good." He was mindful to leave the kit with plenty of space. For a moment he watched the kit defeather and fluff the bird, wondering if he managed a mouthful of down or meat. "I caught it this morning. It was pretty exciting - if you want to hear how I did it."

I can go the distance

＊

Realizing the fluffy bits of the bird weren't all that tasty she began pulling out feathers and putting them to the side, clearing a clean bite to have next while they listened to the other cat talk. He wanted to hear about the outside, he missed exploring outside of camp. It'd been explained to her at one point or another that kits stay inside for their safety, but they'd been outside already. 

"I want to." He said, shifting her golden gaze up at the other cat as she took a break from pulling the feathers out. Looking back down at the bird they determined that enough feathers were removed to continue eating, and so she took a bite out of the tiny creature. While chewing they looked back up at the other cat, awaiting the beginning of the story surrounding the bird they were eating now. 

Tiptoe through the murk and mire
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Duskmantle settled onto his haunches just outside the nursery entrance, watching Glowkit carefully pluck feathers from the duckling. "It started with a lot of noise." He finally took a few steps into the nursery, hoping his presence wouldn't be too...invasive. "I was walking through the reeds when I spotted a mother duck swimming with her ducklings. I crouched down...and then she saw me. Shouting and honking."

The theatrics was amusing, if not in the moment, then when he was retelling the morning's events. His voice remained calm, not too used to regalling young kits with thrilling hunting tales...but here he was. He just hoped they appreciated it.

"The ducklings scattered in every direction. Most of them followed her into deeper water....but one panicked. It ran into a clump of reeds where it got itself tangled. It's mother wasn't far behind..."

He flexed his claws out, illustrating a pounce as he slapped his paw down dramatically. "I got to the duckling first." He concluded, sheathing claws once more. Eyes narrowing with a pleased glower, he stared down, ears tipping forward at the kit as they ate.

"When you're old enough to leave the nursery, what do you think you'd want to catch first?"

I can go the distance

＊

Glowkit listened intently to the story as they alternated between plucking out more fluff and taking bites out of the creature. The duckling had been with their mom.. running away and then caught to be eaten. It was sad almost. What if he'd been with his mom and just caught and taken here? At least she was still alive to tell the tale. They knew they had to eat prey to live, but that saddened her just enough that she lost her appetite a little bit. Although she would never say anything of the sort aloud. 

Outwardly they remained neutral towards the story. "Good catch. It sounds like that was difficult" They said once the story was completed,  after what would likely be their last bite of the duckling was swallowed. She paused for a moment after the question, trying to think of what she would want to catch. "I dunno." She replied after a heartbeat. "Probably a mouse?" Mice were tasty, they'd had a lot of them. It'd probably be a good first catch.

Tiptoe through the murk and mire
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Duskmantle exhaled through his nostrils, accepting the answer without trying to steer it elsewhere - even if it was rather mundane. "Mice will certainly fill stomachs." He meowed matter of factly with the tone of a warrior who had caught plenty of them. But they weren't his favorite.

His gaze dropped briefly to the remains of the duckling. Glowkit had eaten well enough, and that had been the whole point of Emberdust's suggestion hadn't it?

"When that day comes, then." He cleared his throat, an ear flicking. "I'll let you finish your meal." With that Duskmantle slipped back out into the camp, the darkness of the nursery behind him while he moved onto his next task.

[DUSKMANTLE EXIT]