Brightmaple had been pleased when she had awakened before her litter and was able to catch a member of the morning hunting patrol before they had set off. While Oatkit and Heatherkit had been weaned for a bit now, the tortoiseshell queen knew it could be boring for kits in camp, especially as the weather got cooler, even with playmates. So she had put in a special request to the morning hunting patrol for them.
Her folded ears twitched as she heard them padding back into camp and squeezed from the warmth of the nursery to see if it was the hunting patrol and to see if they had been able to accommodate her. Boulderdash had dropped her prey off at the fresh-kill pile before padding over to the nursery with a trill of greeting.
"I was able to find a chipmunk for them." Boulderdash chirped airly as she dropped the chipmunk at the queen's paws. "I do hope they like it."
"It will definitely keep their interest and exactly what is needed right now." Brightmaple purred in response, her tone pleased as she put a paw on the rodent. "Thank you, Boulderdash."
"It was no problem at all. Let me know if you need something else caught for them."
Brightmaple bumped her head against Boulderdash's shoulder in affectionate thanks before calling into the nursery to her kits as the warrior wandered away. "Heatherkit! Oatkit! Come on out! I have a surprise for you!"
17
Brightmaple, Oatkit, Heatherkit, Beewhisker, Berrykit and Cedarkit (Anyone else ask please!)
Hunting lessons with live prey
Outside the nursery
Real strength isn't just in fighting, it's knowing when to stand firm and when to lend a paw.
═════ ∘◦❁◦∘ 🐝 ∘◦❁◦∘ ═════
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.
Bee's Characters
FROM WINDCLAN
Beewhisker - ⚧ Chirpy Queen
Sunbear - ♀ Blunt Elder
Basilflame - ♀ Polite Warrior
FROM THUNDERCLAN
Greypebbles - ♂ Quiet Warrior
Robinkit - ♀ Cautious Kit
FROM SHADOWCLAN
Clovershine - ♀ Optimistic Warrior
Wolfkit - ♂ Odd kit
FROM RIVERCLAN
Goosesong - ♂ Stoic Warrior
Lilyriver - ♀ Independent Elder
OUTSIDERS
Duchess ♀ - Friendly Semi-Feral
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.
FROM RIVERCLAN:
Cottonbright, ♀ Anxious Warrior
Nettleplume, ♂ Cynical Medicine Cat
Merrypaw, ♀ Steadfast Apprentice
Otterwhisker, ♀ Adventurous Elder
FROM THUNDERCLAN:
Brindlespice, ♀ Selfish Warrior
Bravesong, ♂ Gracious Elder
Leopardrose, ♀ Striving Warrior
Wildcry, ♀ Fierce Elder
FROM WINDCLAN:
Cloudflare, ♂ Suave Warrior
Barleyswipe, ⚧ Ornery Elder
Heatherkit, ♀ Sweet Kit
FROM SHADOWCLAN:
Palestar, ♀ Stern Leader
Honeyglow, ♂ Reserved Elder
Emberdust, ♀ Artless Warrior
Duskpaw, ♂ Opportunistic Apprentice
FROM WHITEHART & BEYOND:
Ahryndae, ♀ Princess of Camelot
Lelouch Von Noon, ♂ Marquess of Noon Cattery
Kosmo, ♂ Visionary Feral
Montgomery (Monty), ♂ Sentimental Semi-Feral
Oatkit had heard his mother call and had been sleeping next to his sister in the nest. Like his sister, he opened his own kitten blue eyes- they hadn't changed color even as he had gotten older- and stretched with a yawn. Blinking sleep away, twitching both his ears and his nose as his stomach growled hungrily.
As Heatherkit wriggled out of the nest, he rolled and staggered to his own feet to galumph eagerly after his sister, not caring that Cedarkit and Berrykit were sleep. Brightmaple had a surprise for them? Oooh, what kind of surprise?
He blinked in the bright sunlight as he left the nursery and paused beside his sister to see the handicapped chipmunk under their mother's paw. "Is that fer us?" He asked, trying not to drool at the thought as his tummy growled again.
"Oh, they'll be awake in only a moment." Brightmaple replied to Beewhisker in amusement then purred as she heard her kits' pawsteps comging from the nursery and their little voices questioning eagerly.
"Yes, this is for you two." The older queen replied, though her paw remained on their target. "But you're going to have to work for it this morning."
"Work for it?" She heard Oatkit replied, her son's expression falling. "Whadya mean by that?"
"I mean, this chipmunk is still alive and you two will get to try your paws at hunting it." Brightmaple's eyes shined as she watched her kits' excited expressions. Leave it to her kits to be so enthusiastic about food.
"Boulderdash brought this chipmunk back. It's hurt and not going to be able to escape you too fast. But when I move my paw, it's going to try to scurry away from you two so you two will have to try and catch it and kill it before you can eat it."
Of course, Brightmaple would properly disembowel it for them like she always did, but the catching and killing would have to be up to them. She had told them how the killing bites worked for them when they first started trying meaty tidbits so now they could try it out for themselves. "Think of it as good practice before you become apprentices! And make sure you work together!"
Then she removed her paw to watch the fun start as Oatkit harried away towards the chipmunk.
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.
FROM RIVERCLAN:
Cottonbright, ♀ Anxious Warrior
Nettleplume, ♂ Cynical Medicine Cat
Merrypaw, ♀ Steadfast Apprentice
Otterwhisker, ♀ Adventurous Elder
FROM THUNDERCLAN:
Brindlespice, ♀ Selfish Warrior
Bravesong, ♂ Gracious Elder
Leopardrose, ♀ Striving Warrior
Wildcry, ♀ Fierce Elder
FROM WINDCLAN:
Cloudflare, ♂ Suave Warrior
Barleyswipe, ⚧ Ornery Elder
Heatherkit, ♀ Sweet Kit
FROM SHADOWCLAN:
Palestar, ♀ Stern Leader
Honeyglow, ♂ Reserved Elder
Emberdust, ♀ Artless Warrior
Duskpaw, ♂ Opportunistic Apprentice
FROM WHITEHART & BEYOND:
Ahryndae, ♀ Princess of Camelot
Lelouch Von Noon, ♂ Marquess of Noon Cattery
Kosmo, ♂ Visionary Feral
Montgomery (Monty), ♂ Sentimental Semi-Feral
Brightmaple's gentle golden eyes fell upon her daughter as the kit observed the critter under her paw. "It is still alive." She confirmed, her voice as gentle as her gaze, although she did noticed Oatkit dropping into a clumsy hunter's crouch, his haunches waggling eagerly as he stopped several fox lengths from her and the chipmunk.
"It is hurt and it is probably scared. Unfortunately, that is probably one of the only things prey feel is fear. The reason we have to learn to stalk prey and practice is because when we go out on hunting patrols, the prey is scared."
When Heatherkit began to kneed the ground with her claws, the queen continued to answer her kit. "It's why I'm trying to teach you how to kill your prey. Because prey is always scared, it makes them hard to catch. But because you and Oatkit are still little, I can't have the warriors bring uninjured prey to you- you haven't learned the skills yet to make it fresh-kill. So that's why Boulderdash brought this chipmunk back and why it is already injured."
The chipmunk wasn't going to get far, even if she let it up. She did feel sorry for having to have it injured but the kits certainly weren't big enough to practice on healthy prey yet. "What we're encouraging you and Oatkit to do is practice turning live prey into fresh-kill. As apprentices, you'll be taught the finer points of hunting, so right now, all you need to learn is how to make the killing bite."
Oatkit seemed all too ready for the brief chase and pounce- beings they just woke up, he was hungry and hunger always helps with hunting and catching prey, so Brightmaple didn't doubt her kits were hungry. Most kits acted like famished foxes when it came to food.
"Practice the hunting crouch if you like, or pouncing on your prey. The only thing you need to do, when you're ready to eat, is deal the killing bite." She showed the two kits where the skull and spine on the chipmunk was. "You will want to bite as hard as you can right around here. That should turn it into freshkill when you're ready."
Oatkit was waiting to see if Heatherkit wanted the first pounce, his kitten blue eyes excited at the opportunity to do some hunting without really doing any hunting. After all, like his mother said, this was just practice for when they were apprentices!
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.
FROM RIVERCLAN:
Cottonbright, ♀ Anxious Warrior
Nettleplume, ♂ Cynical Medicine Cat
Merrypaw, ♀ Steadfast Apprentice
Otterwhisker, ♀ Adventurous Elder
FROM THUNDERCLAN:
Brindlespice, ♀ Selfish Warrior
Bravesong, ♂ Gracious Elder
Leopardrose, ♀ Striving Warrior
Wildcry, ♀ Fierce Elder
FROM WINDCLAN:
Cloudflare, ♂ Suave Warrior
Barleyswipe, ⚧ Ornery Elder
Heatherkit, ♀ Sweet Kit
FROM SHADOWCLAN:
Palestar, ♀ Stern Leader
Honeyglow, ♂ Reserved Elder
Emberdust, ♀ Artless Warrior
Duskpaw, ♂ Opportunistic Apprentice
FROM WHITEHART & BEYOND:
Ahryndae, ♀ Princess of Camelot
Lelouch Von Noon, ♂ Marquess of Noon Cattery
Kosmo, ♂ Visionary Feral
Montgomery (Monty), ♂ Sentimental Semi-Feral
