"You're a star in my sky!"

⚝──⭒─𖣂.ೃ࿔ ✈︎ *:･𖣂.ೃ࿔ ✈︎ *:･─⭒──⚝

Cedarkit watched Barleyswipe leave before she tried to stand tall on Basilflame's back. However, the feline failed and crouched closer to the base of her back again. Cedarkit started to listen closely to Basilflame.

The kitten squealed when Basilflame jumped, the kitten climbing off and scrambling away. Perhaps Cedarstar isn't ready to lead a clan...

I’d rather bear the weight of others than let others carry pain alone.

━✦━✶━✺━🌸━✺━✶━✦━

Basilflame let out a soft purr as Cedarkit scramble up onto her back, lowering herself as close to the ground as she could to make it as easy as possible for her to climb up and giving the kit plenty of time to get settled. "There you go" she murmured warmly "You're a natural badger wrangler already!" her whiskers twitched in amusement as she watched Barleyswipe amble off, the elder's voice lingering in the air like a familiar breeze, Sunbear was somewhat similar if she was being honest with herself.

Once Cedarkit had firmly found her spot on Basilflame's back, she rose to her paws, slowly, gently, like a wave rolling in rather than crashing down. "Now listen here, little sprout" she meowed over she shoulder in a low, dramatic tone. "You've wandered into badger territory. And this badger, me, is ravenous!" She took a few exaggerated steps, swaying side to side like she was trudging through some imaginary underbrush. She held her tail out for balance and her shoulder rolling beneath the kitten's tiny paws.

"But!" Basilflame suddenly chirped, breaking character for a heartbeat "if you're clever, and quick,  and just a little bit brave, you can defeat the beast by knocking her right over!" her voice dropped again, this time, playful and grumbly. "Though you'll have to work for it, mighty warrior of the nursery. The badger's not gonna go easy on you!"

With that, she gave a small hop in place, just enough to make a bump in her back, not enough to unseat her precious passenger though. She zig-zagged across the clearing in exaggerated, obnoxious stomps, tail flicking as if she were swatting invisible threats. "Think you can beat me, kit? I bet you can't even make me stumble!" her purr bubbled again, full of joy and fondness, her every movement measured to keep Cedarkit safe and laughing.

"Come on now" she teased "give me your fiercest warrior move! Show the clan what you're made of!"

If ignorance is bliss, you must be the happiest cat on the planet
✧ ⭒ ♦ ⭒ ❦ ⭒ ♦ ⭒ ✧

Barleyswipe gave a long, wheezing sigh as she watched Cedarkit clamber onto Basilflame’s back, the whole scene unfolding like some squirrel brained play. Her tail flicked once behind her, stirring a small puff of dust as she rose stiffly to her paws. "StarClan save me from kit-brained games..." She muttered under her breath, though there was no real venom in it just the exhausted fondness of an elder who'd seen it all and then some.

She gave Cedarkit one last crooked smile, her green eyes still twinkling with amusement. "Well, when you tumble off and land on your tail, don’t say ol’ Barleyswipe didn’t warn you." Then she turned her gaze to Basilflame and added with a huff. "And you - don’t let her go flyin’. I don’t want Bayflower at my nest for an interrogation."

With that, Barleyswipe stretched her aching limbs, gave her pelt a rough shake, and started to pad toward the elders’ den. "I’ll be in my nest if WindClan needs rescuin’ again." She vanished around the bend of the camp tail flicking lazily behind her.

"You're a star in my sky!"

⚝──⭒─𖣂.ೃ࿔ ✈︎ *:･𖣂.ೃ࿔ ✈︎ *:･─⭒──⚝

Cedarkit couldn't help but giggle, the feline enjoying Barleyswipe and Basilflame's reactions. The kitten sat themself down right in front of Barleyswipe and looked up at her before their ears turned in Basilflame's direction when she spoke up.

When she offered to get on her back, Cedarkit hesitated. She looked at Basilflame then at Barleyswipe then back at Basilflame before bounding over. "Okay. I guess there's no harm in this." The kitten mumbled, climbing onto Basilflame's back.

I’d rather bear the weight of others than let others carry pain alone.

━✦━✶━✺━🌸━✺━✶━✦━

Basilflame twitched her fluffy ears in curiosity as she watched and listened to Cedarkit's idea of a warrior assessment and let out a soft chuckle at both the idea and at Barleyswipe's words. With a twitch of her fiery red tail, she moved to a crouch so Cedarkit would be able to climb on top of her. "Oh Barleyswipe, it sounds like you don't think fighting off a badger is a worthy thing to be made a warrior for" she shot back, but there was no malice or bite behind her remark.

Hazel eyes flicked towards her back as she made her paws steady, she was sure that the kit would be able to climb up her back without trouble, she was certainly not as a big as her mother that was for sure. "Hop on Cedarkit, I don't have much experience being a badger but I can certainly give a ferocious young warrior like you a run for their prey" she jeered playfully, pressing her body lower to the ground in an attempt to keep Cedarkit from struggling with climbing onto her back.

A playful and almost adoring glimmer came to Basilflame's eyes as she offered to play with Cedarkit, no matter if she won or lost, it was the time spent with her clanmates that mattered most to Basilflame and the bonding felt quite important to her, so she wouldn't want to waste a moment of this, especially with such a unique kit as Cedarkit "I bet you'll be earning your warrior name in no time Cedarkit!"

If ignorance is bliss, you must be the happiest cat on the planet
✧ ⭒ ♦ ⭒ ❦ ⭒ ♦ ⭒ ✧

Barleyswipe’s ears twitched, and for a moment, she just stared at Cedarkit like she was trying to figure out if the kit had grown a second head.

"Defeat the Badger?" The ragged she-cat echoed bluntly, voice flat with the kind of tired amusement only an elder could truly master. "You mean to tell me your idea of a warrior assessment is... jumpin’ on a clanmate’s back like a burr and holdin’ on for dear life?"

A raspy snort escaped her, followed by a coughing laugh that made her shake. "StarClan help us, the future of WindClan lies in the paws of a kit who wants to saddle up the enemy like a hare! Cedarstar... Cedarstar the Clinger."

"You're a star in my sky!"

⚝──⭒─𖣂.ೃ࿔ ✈︎ *:･𖣂.ೃ࿔ ✈︎ *:･─⭒──⚝

Cedarkit kind of just stared at Barleyswipe blankly for a few heartbeats before they giggled. "Well I don't see a problem with that. Imagine. Cedarstar of WindClan. Doesn't that have a nice ring to it?" The kitten continued to giggle playfully, their dark tail swaying briefly. "Hmm... What kind of warrior test would satisfy me? Maybe like 'Defeat the Badger'!" The molly suggested with a giggle. "It's a game I made up! You have to get on another cat's back and you have to do everything in your power to stay on. If you fall off you lose but if you stay you win."

I’d rather bear the weight of others than let others carry pain alone.

━✦━✶━✺━🌸━✺━✶━✦━

Instead of huffing and puffing at the kit's complaints, Basilflame drew back her tail and wrapped it around her body, she had a lot more tolerance of the kit then Barleyswipe it seemed, but that was not her place to voice her opinion on, as she respected all the elders in the elders' den, so she wouldn't dare speak out in a way that might offend them... not that she thought Barleyswipe could be easily offended.

Basilflame's shoulder's quivered softly in suppressed laughter when Barleyswipe mentioned Cedarkit being so bold to just want to skip her apprenticeship and jump to her nine lives. "Cedarstar seems a bit of a rush wouldn't you say Barleyswipe" Basilflame said, her tone was intended to be more serious but the giggle beneath gave away that she was making a light hearted remark more than anything.

"Apprentices don't choose their warrior assessments you know" Basilflame stated before flicking the tip of her tail absently, giving the fur on her chest a few short licks to keep it fresh and clean. "But since you're not an apprentice, I think you should be able to pick your own just this once" she added with and amused twitch of her whiskers "But don't go making things too easy on yourself, the assessment it meant to challenge your skills" she purred softly, flicking an ear before turning both of them toward Cedarkit's direction to hear what her self assigned assessment might be.

If ignorance is bliss, you must be the happiest cat on the planet
✧ ⭒ ♦ ⭒ ❦ ⭒ ♦ ⭒ ✧

Barleyswipe let out a low, wheezing laugh, her eyes crinkling with amusement. "Stars above, you’re barely outta the nursery and already tryin’ to change the rules of your warrior assessment?" She scoffed, shaking her head. "Next you’ll be askin’ to skip your apprenticeship and jump straight into your nine lives."

She gave a short grunt as she shifted her weight again, tail sweeping lazily behind her. "Bayflower's right, y'know. Even the best warriors learn to lean on others. Trouble is, most don’t learn that 'til their muzzle’s gray and their joints complain like mine do."

Her eyes narrowed playfully, pointedly, on the kit. "But fine, if this game’s too boring for you-..." She dragged the word with mock disdain."- what kinda warrior test would satisfy such a fierce little fox chaser, hmm?"

"You're a star in my sky!"

⚝──⭒─𖣂.ೃ࿔ ✈︎ *:･𖣂.ೃ࿔ ✈︎ *:･─⭒──⚝

Cedarkit thought about Barleyswipe's question for a bit before nodding. "Yeah! I think I could take it... But definitely not on my own. Bayflower says that warriors shouldn't eb afraid to ask for help." The feline responded before looking over at Basilflame's tail again. "This game is so boring. Can't I have a different warrior assessment?" The kitten complained.