Ask to Join Playing With Your Food (17LN20)

Real strength isn't just in fighting, it's knowing when to stand firm and when to lend a paw.

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Beewhisker had been dozing, or much rather, snoring, with their kits asleep at their belly. It was much easier to fall asleep in the nursery when there was more space there. But the peace didn’t last very long as they heard muffled conversation and blinked their eyes a few times before they shot open. They instinctively checked in their kits to see if they were okay and purred at the two, who were just dozing in the warmth of their dam’s belly.

Once they knew that Cedarkit and Berrykit were more than okay, they turned to Brightmaple and smiled flicking their tail in a pleasant greeting "Hello Brightmaple,  how’s the day treating you so far?" They asked trying to make small talk, that had Brightmaple to thank for a lot of things, including helping them in their kitting, without Brightmaple there they weren’t sure what they’d do.

"Heatherkit and Oatkit awake yet?" They asked, their tone as loving as ever, their voice has mellowed out a bit from the usual excitement though, perhaps that was because they had just woken up, who knows, but their voice was definitely softer than normal.

The flower that blooms in adversity is the most rare and beautiful of all
❖ ⭒ ❖ ⭒ ❀ ⭒ ❖ ⭒ ❖

Heatherkit stirred at the sound of her mother’s voice calling from outside the nursery. She blinked her sleepy aqua eyes open, squinting against the soft light filtering in. Her ears twitched as the familiar scent of her mother and something new - something... interesting - reached her nose. That was enough to get her up.

With a little stretch and a yawn that showed her tiny teeth, Heatherkit shook out her fluffy dappled pelt and wiggled her way out of the mossy nest. "M’awake!" Came her mumble, her excitement building as her mind fully woke up. Her sharp gaze caught the movement of her denmates, Beewhisker, and the soft snoozing forms of Cedarkit and Berrykit.

Hearing Beewhisker’s gentle voice, she perked up even more and padded toward the entrance. “What kinda surprise, mama?” she chirped, her voice still carrying the remnants of sleep but filled with curiosity. As she bounded out into the camp, her eyes instantly locked onto the chipmunk lying at Brightmaple’s paws after she brushed her body into her leg.

“Oooh!” She squeaked, her tail swishing with excitement. “Is that for me an’ Oatkit?” She bounced on her paws, her drowsiness completely gone, eager to see what kind of fun her mother had in store for them today.

The flower that blooms in adversity is the most rare and beautiful of all
❖ ⭒ ❖ ⭒ ❀ ⭒ ❖ ⭒ ❖

Heatherkit's excitement wavered for a moment as she stared at the chipmunk wriggling beneath her mother's paw. Her aqua eyes softened, and her tail drooped just a little. The creature’s tiny panicked movements tugged at something inside her. "It's still alive?" Her voice was barely above a whisper as she glanced at Oatkit’s eager expression. This sudden guilt that made her hesitate.

While her brother was ready to pounce, Heatherkit's heart fluttered with empathy for the little creature. Her sharp eyes flicked from the chipmunk back to her mother, her small face torn between her eagerness to prove herself and a growing sense of compassion.

"It's hurt..." Heatherkit's claws kneading the earth as she shuffled her paws. "And it looks so scared..."

Heatherkit wanted to be brave, to show her mother and Oatkit that she could handle it - but she couldn’t shake the feeling of pity that bubbled up in her chest. The chipmunk’s quivering form reminded her of how small and helpless they were when they were kits. She didn’t want to seem weak, but the idea of causing it pain made her pause.

She gazed at Brightmaple, hoping for some kind of reassurance or wisdom. The little kit was uncertain, her chest tight with the conflict between what she knew she needed to do and the empathy swelling in her heart.

The flower that blooms in adversity is the most rare and beautiful of all
❖ ⭒ ❖ ⭒ ❀ ⭒ ❖ ⭒ ❖

Heatherkit listened carefully to her mother's explanation, her aqua eyes still clouded with uncertainty as they slowly sank in. She understood why they had to learn, but it didn’t make the situation feel any less... difficult. The idea that prey was always scared made her feel a pang of sadness. Heatherkit glanced at Oatkit, his excitement palpable, but she still felt that tug of compassion for the injured chipmunk.

She shifted her gaze back to the creature, her small form lowering into a wobbly hunting crouch, though her heart wasn’t in it. Heatherkit stepped forward, her movements tentative as she aimed for the spot Brightmaple had shown her. Her heart raced as she inched closer to the chipmunk, her chest tight with the weight of what she had to do. Yet she held back, purposefully allowing Oatkit to have the first pounce as both eyes slammed shut, ears flattening against her skull to try in vain to keep its screams out.