Private Thread Over the Briar Wall

I can go the distance

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The orange kit had ventured out of the nursery, an attempt to get some food and possibly explore more outside of the nursery of the place they call home. Their stance low to the ground as she exited the thorny den. They dashed to go grab a small mouse from the pile before abandoning their mission to explore more and running back. 

On her dash back there was a cat in the way, looking up she noticed she recognized this cat. It was that cat that gave her the duckling. What was his name? Dusk.. something? Why was he outside the nursery? They didn't need another duckling.. He looked up at the tall warrior, relaxed a little bit at the friendly face. Not that any cats had been particularly unfriendly..

"Why're you over here?" Glowkit asked, tilting their head slightly while keeping their gaze upwards at the other cat. 

Tiptoe through the murk and mire
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Duskmantle's ears twitched at the sound of paws approaching, his attention breaking from the barrier as Glowkit emerged from the nursery, dashing here and there on the turn of a whim. He looked down at the kit. He might not have recognized them if it wasn't for the fact they were the only kit in the nursery.

His gaze briefly returned to the wall before settling on them again. "Just looking...Checking for any large holes." Even if it didn't fully explain why he was standing there so long. He considered telling them more, and took a breath. "When I was your age, I used to wonder if there was a way through it. I got over it once." His head tilted up and it didn't seem as tall now.

His eyes traced their trajectory an ear flicking towards the fresh kill pile. "Were you hungry?"

I can go the distance

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Nodding slowly Glowkit processed the idea of trying to leave. They'd been out there. They missed being out there, traveling. It was fun, even if the memories of it grew hazier every sunrise. "There's always a way out if I want to leave." She mewed, gaze golden gaze resting up on the sky above her as they swiftly but somewhat subtly rocked side to side, shifting her weight between paws. "I just don't think I want to." Nevermind that these cats probably wouldn't like if he broke their rules. They wanted to remain in the good graces of these cats, like he'd been told to.

After Duskmantle asked them the question her gaze returned to the tom. "I was, am. I just did end up getting anything." They sent one glance back at the fresh kill pile, the location of their failed exploration and retrieval mission. As if on cue their stomach rumbled and he looked down at her paws, a bit embarrassed as the noise.

Tiptoe through the murk and mire
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Duskmantle's ears flicked at the rumble of Glowkit's stomach, gaze dropping briefly toward the kit's paws before returning to their face. There was little point pretending he hadn't heard it and after all, it had been loud. Urgent.

"Come on then." He turned toward the fresh-kill pile, taking a few steps before glancing back to make sure Glowkit followed. "You should listen to your body when it wants something."

He led them toward the pile leaving enough room for the kit to walk alongside him rather than herding them along. Once they reached it Duskmantle looked over the assortment of prey. From what he could see their was a mouse, a water vole, a lizard, a frog, a couple minnows and a squirrel.

"Mouse is probably the easiest meal. Small enough that you won't have to worry about wasting much of it. Unless you want something else..." His cornflower eyes settled back on Glowkit, expression faintly expectant. "Take what you want."

I can go the distance

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"I knoww." Glowkit pouted in response, dragging out the last syllable, as he followed after the taller cat. Glowkit moved swiftly to catch up with the bit of a lead Duskmantle was able to get before trotting beside him as they were led over to the fresh kill pile. Small limbs still moving quickly as they tried to keep up with the warrior.

Golden eyes looking across the pile of prey as Duskmantle explained some of it. There was always so much food here.. "There's so much, it's so different." Glowkit muttered, moreso to themself than anyone else. After a few heartbeats of staring at the options while gently rocking back and forth on their paws they decided.

He picked out a couple minnows from the pile. "I wan fese!" They mewed, the two fish in their maw making it difficult to speak.

Tiptoe through the murk and mire
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Duskmantle's ears tipped forward as Glowkit selected both minnows. Small fish were a staple in ShadownClan and while most couldn't fish like a RiverClanner, they got by well enough and he appreciated a good fish. Of all the prey on the pile they were certainly an appropriate choice for one their size.

"Those work." He nodded, stepping aside to give them room. They were easy enough to eat and once they were done there woudln't be much left behind. His eyes swept briefly over the pile before returning to Glowkit, something almost amusing about their surprise at the abundance of prey. It certainly woudln't be the same in Leafbare.

"There's plenty of prey...Now." As a kit Glowkit would enjoy everything ShadowClan had to offer, basically first dibs. "Leafbare will find those minnows impossible to come by. The water will be frozen and stiff. If you like those maybe I can try and bring you an eel...Slippery but delicious."

I can go the distance

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Glowkit shifted a little away from the pile, unsure if they should eat there or go back to the nursery. Their rumbling stomach told him to eat there quickly. Placing the minnows gently on the ground they took a big bite out of the first one, trying not to eat the bones they knew were hidden underneath the skin.

"Frozen?" The kit echoed after swallowing the fish, they looked up at the warrior. "How do the fish survive? Dont we need water too? What do we do if it's stiff?" They mewed, tilting their head in concern at the idea. "Eel sounds good though."

Tiptoe through the murk and mire
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Duskmantle watched Glowkit take another bite, his ears flicking as they worried over the fish bones. "The fish grow very still and sleep until the waters melt. Most awaken once it gets warmer. We need water too. That's why ShadowClan keeps track of the ponds and streams in Leafbare. Ice can be broken, though. We will be okay."

A faint twitch pulled at his whiskers as the kit seemed agreeable to trying eel. He'd make a note to find one the next time he was out, but not so suddenly that Glowkit might remember his offer. "What stories have Ashcloud told you?" he recalled a few from his kithood and it would be interesting to see the kits perspective.

I can go the distance

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"Oh. Okay." Glowkit mewed, the explanation of this 'ice' making some sense. They figured they'd see it when the ice appeared anyways. If Duskmantle said it was okay then it probably was okay.  "Ashcloud's told me about the four clans before the ones here now." Glowkit paused and looked past Duskmantle, trying to remember what all Ashcloud had said. Golden gaze shifting back towards the other cat after a moment they tried to say the names, "Lionclan.. Tigerclan.. and the two others. "

The young kit then looked back down at their food they took another bite, finishing off the first minnow. After a couple chews they felt a loud crunch under their teeth and instinctively spit out what was in their mouth.

"Eck." She grimaced. "Fish bone.