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Post by .:{Crag}:. on Jul 1, 2009 12:28:49 GMT -5
Inside the Nursery a small bundle of fur was stirring. A small, ginger tom took to his paws and stretched himself out, reaching his paws out in front of him before doing the same to his back legs. Sensitive looking eyes blinked the sleep away, and he moved forward, not caring whether he stirred the moss or woke anyone. The Nursery was still dark, and only a sliver of light shone through. Surgekit narrowed his eyes at the entrance. He hated the feeling you got from going from dark to bright light, and they way it stung his eyes. The tom slowly brushed his way through the entrance and into the sunlight. Surgekit hissed, blinking his eyes vigorously as his pupils retracted with a painful sensation. He forced himself to get used to the light, and soon the splotches blocking his view were gone. The tom leaned back on his haunches, staring around camp for anything interesting. He was the only one up.
Surgekit was an odd kit. He was never the one to suggest playing or running about. He never wanted to participate with conversations or share his opinions. An odd personality haunted him, and occasionally the tom wondered if he even belonged in a clan at all. Surgekit sighed, watching the clouds. Suddenly, the Nursery entrance rustled. He didn't turn around. He didn't care who it was, and wasn't exactly in the mood to have a conversation. He never was.
"Surgekit? What are you doing up so early?"
A recognizable voice; his sister, Gracekit. Surgekit still didn't turn, but snapped at her, "What does it matter to you?" Only when his sister didn't reply right away did the tom turn around, eyes blazing. She was looking at him with narrowed eyes. He couldn't tell what emotion she was feeling; whether it be hurt or angered, Gracekit was too much like a ScarClanner.
"What is with you?" She said quietly, "You used to be so much fun!"
"I just want to be left alone, ok?"
Surgekit lashed his tail and hissed, turning his back on her. He didn't belong here, he was too easily annoyed. Trying to be nice never worked, it only kept cats around longer. Gracekit was certainly no acceptation. You have to be social to live in a clan, but what about some privacy? The tom had considered leaving, but didn't know where to go. He just closed his eyes and tried to block out Gracekit, who was now hurt and trying to lash out at him. She could never be mean though, it wasn't her style.
"Surgekit really!"
Surgekit whipped around, stopping only a whisker length away from his sister's nose, "Really what? Talk nice to you? Well get your nose out of everyone's business, Gracekit, and go to someone who cares." The tom growled under his breath and slashed at a leaf floating through the air, letting it fall to the ground in shreds. All he wanted was to be left alone! Why could no one understand that!? Then when he gets mad he ends up hurting someone's feelings and they end up hating him. How long before the whole clan ends up hating him! Surgekit flexed his muscles and turned, running. Before long his tail was seen disappearing through the camp entrance. |
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Post by Thistle on Jul 1, 2009 13:31:19 GMT -5
Pridekit awakened and lay in the warmth of his and his siblings nest for a few moments, enjoying the comfort of sleep. He didn't have much to think about; he was too young to have anything on his mind. He felt the same weight on either side of him that he had fallen asleep next to. His brother and sister on one side, and his other brother on the other side. He lay there dreaming for another few moments before opening his eyes and looking around the darkness.
Suddenly, Pridekit felt the weight of one brother leave. It didn't bother him too much; Tornkit and Surgekit didn't usually sleep in very long anyway. But then, as Pridekit realized that his eyes were open and it was still very dark, he wondered exactly what time it was for any kit to be leaving the Nursery. He was about to get up and see who it was before he felt the lighter weight of his sister leave as well, and he figured the two of them would be fine together. But then he heard Gracekit's voice, though he couldn't make out the words, but he could tell she sounded shocked. He tried to push her sentence and his brother's reply out of his mind...
The ginger-based tom kit blinked his eyes to the sound of raised voices outside the Nursery. His brown eyes blinked again, trying to rid himself of sleepiness, and the amber flecks stood out particularly well for a moment, before fading a little again. He sat up, yawning, with his eyes squinted, before standing up and shaking off his spotted and striped pelt. Squinting to see through the Nursery entrnace, Pridekit could make out the faint outline of his light brown tabby sister, Gracekit. He heard her voice again.
"What is with you?"
Pridekit sighed as he heard the replier's voice.
"I just want to be left alone, ok?" Not Surgekit, again?
Pridekit listened as hotheaded brother's hiss faded. He got to his wide paws and bounded out of the Nursery in time to watch Surgekit's pale ginger tail dissappear out of camp. He turned to Gracekit and felt her amber eyes bore into his own. "What happened?" But Pridekit already knew the answer. Surgekit had been rude or something like that and he had now run off into JaggedClan territory. Now he was just worried about his brother, and he knew that he would get into trouble when he returned. His hotheaded younger brother was getting everyone angry with him recently."Should I get Wrenflight?" He turned his own gaze back towards where he had seen his brother dissappear out of camp.
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Post by .:{Crag}:. on Jul 2, 2009 15:00:31 GMT -5
Surgekit didn't know where he was going, or how to get there, for that matter. He was just fuming angry. He needed to get away. The tom's tail lashed behind him as he sprinted through the trees with no sense of direction, letting the cool morning breeze penetrate his ginger fur. Why couldn't he be more like his father, Cheetahfang? The warrior was small but sturdy, and had never looked as dainty as Surgekit, his failed son. Eyes narrowed against the wind, the kit forced his small legs to move faster, trying to run into a world that was different from this one. One where he could be left alone. Finally, after what seemed like forever, Surgekit slowed to a stop, forcing oxygen into his tiny, undeveloped lungs. He slashed a tree with unsheathed claws before plopping down beneath it, hidden between its thick roots. He no longer cared what trouble he would get in for leaving camp.
Surgekit sighed. Life was hard in the clans, he knew, but this hard? Did this place have to be so prejudiced with size, color, and even personality? The tom had always been teased because of a small size and sensitive eyes. Why, even Cheetahfang had playfully called him a she-cat before. How terrible. Surgekit curled up tighter, shoving himself further into the notch he had wedged himself into. The reason he was so testy was because no one understood him. Well, that and he was naturally anti social, never wanting to talk or play. Surgekit didn't think that was so bad. If his siblings had learned to simply leave him alone this would have never happened.
Meanwhile, back at The Nursery, Gracekit was pacing in a panic. She had gone from hurt, to scared, to angry, and finally to worried. Why had Surgekit stormed out of the camp entirely? Oh of all the mousebrained things he could have done! Her light brown fur was now prickling with so many mixed emotions, and she just felt like going back into the Nursery and curling up next to Wrenflight. After all, her limbs were still aching with exhaustion.
"What happened? Should I get Wrenflight?"
Gracekit whipped around suddenly, she hadn't noticed Pridekit come out. Should they get their mother? Oh, but she was still sleeping! The she-cat closed her eyes in thought. They could wake Wrenflight and make her worried for her son, angry, and tired all at the same time. She would probably wake up Cragstar to organize a patrol and... well Surgekit would get into a heap of trouble!
"No, we'll have to go after him ourselves." Gracekit stated hesitantly, "If we wake up Wrenflight, the whole camp will know... Surgekit's a mousebrain but shouldn't get into trouble for loosing his temper." Gracekit didn't at all agree with what she was saying, but was never one to like seeing others get into trouble. If Surgekit was caught he might have his apprenticeship delayed, and to her that was just cruel. Gracekit silently cursed the fact that their was no guard on duty, and ran for the entrance to camp, praying to StarClan no one would see her.
She doubted Pridekit would follow her, but hoped he did. |
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Post by Thistle on Jul 7, 2009 1:35:22 GMT -5
Pridekit waited hesitantly for his sister to reply. He could tell by the look on her face that she didn't think waking Wrenflight would be a good idea, and he was right. "No, we'll have to go after him ourselves."
[/i] Though he didn't blame her for feeling this way, he also thought that it was a very bad idea to look for Surgekit on their own. It would cause panic if three kits were found missing! But before he could tell Gracekit this, she shot out of camp. Pridekit sighed, but followed her; he would have blamed himself if he hadn't gone with her and she got hurt. He didn't say anything as he caught up to her, Pridekit just started past her and pressed his nose to the forest floor to follow his brother's scent. Meanwhile, hidden deeper in the trees in JaggedClan territory was a group of four cats. There was a big tom with a fiery pelt and green eyes, and by the way he was sitting at the entrance to their makeshift den looking into the forest, it was obvious he was a leader. The next cat, a big, dark gray, almost brown, tom. He was definitely a warrior; his stance was enough to prove that. Behind them, laying close by eachother, were a tom and she-cat. The tom was lithe and hard-pawed with a rough-looking black pelt, and the she-cat was a long-legged, but small blue tabby. The fiery tom turned towards the others. They each had their own scent and it wasn't one of any of the Clans; these were rogues. "Aqua," the fiery tom meowed in a husky voice. The tabby looked up. "We have been watching this Clan long enough that I am sure we all agree that their talents and territory would best suit Kestrel-" the black tom grinned "-and not you." Aqua dipped her head to show that she understood. Suddenly, the big, gray tom gowled. "Fire," he meowed in a deep voice that sounded close to a growl. "I can smell some cats that are obviously of this Clan, but, and I doubt you'll believe this, those cats are kits!"Fire shook his head. "Impossible," he mewed. "We know that the Clan don't let their kits travel out of camp. Are you sure, Wolf?""Yes. There's one kit on his own closer to us, and two kits further back who must be following his scent, and they're catching up to him."[/center] |
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Post by .:{Crag}:. on Jul 7, 2009 10:17:33 GMT -5
Gracekit realized the scents of the territory were completely overwhelming. She couldn't smell Surgekit at all! Small body shaking, the kit began to pad forward slowly, tasting the air to try and find her brother. Every few steps she would get something, run a few paces, then lose it. Gracekit wondered if this is how tracking actually went. "Surgekit!!" The she-kit yowled this as soon as she knew no one at camp could hear her. There were so many scents she was not used to... Everything was so confusing... "Surgekit!!" Gracekit looked around, trying to keep in mind the direction they left so they could get back to camp. A bird cawed loudly above her head, and she jumped. The noise had never been so close before. "Surgekit, please..." Gracekit said this under her breath, shaking and digging her claws into the ground as she walked.
Suddenly the ground beneath her paws began to get rockier. When Gracekit looked up, a field of tall boulders filled the expanse of her vision. Interested, but confused, the she-cat began to pad warily into the cluster of rocks. There was one, a rather large one at that, towards the center of the cluster. It wasn't its size that memorized Gracekit, it was the fact that it was completely split in half. Her eyes widened. "Pridekit.... What happened to it..?" She was well aware her brother probably didn't have any more of a clue than she did, but asked none the less. Shadows had begun to form on one side of each of the boulders, the sun rising.
Meanwhile, still in the roots of the tree, Surgekit began to stand up. His eyes were blazing with anger, still, and now his legs were stiff from crouching for so long. The tom winced in pain, and looked at his pads. Not only were they bleeding, but one of his claws had snagged on the bark of the tree and started to bleed as well. Surgekit hadn't even noticed at all. Scenting the air, the tom was trying to stay alert for danger, but every scent was unfamiliar so he had no way of knowing. Amber eyes narrowed, and he began to walk in a random direction, the way he thought was opposite of camp.
As the kits were roaming around the territory, the sun was rising in camp as well. The Dawn and Hunting Patrols were being organized, and the apprentices were outside their den grooming and getting ready for the day. Things were not so peaceful in the Nursery, however...
Wrenflight lifted her head and blinked the sleep from her eyes. It was dark in the Nursery, as always, but the small rays of sunlight that shone on her face told her it was morning. The Queen rose to a sitting position and looked down. What she saw caused a flair of panic to surround her. There was only one kit at her paws. Wrenflight's eyes widened, and she began to scan the Nursery to see if they were hiding. She forced herself to stay calm, and forced her way through the Nursery entrance and into the clearing. Surgekit, Gracekit, and Pridekit were all gone, and they were not in the Nursery, or outside playing. Wrenflight wanted to yowl their names, and to sprint out of camp and look for them, but she didn't. Instead she headed for the Leader's Den, where Cragstar was already sitting. When the queen arrived in front of him, her heart was racing.
"I can't find Surgekit, Gracekit, or Pridekit!" The words came out in a panicked jumble, Wrenflight's eyes wide and claws unsheathed. The small tom in front of her rested his tail on her shoulder. "Don't worry, we'll find them." The leader then stood and yowled to the clan,
"Three of Wrenflight's kits are missing!" Cheetahfang whipped around, fear aparent in his eyes, "Cheetahfang, take a patrol and look for them. If you see the Dawn Patrol or anyone hunting, ask them to help. Everyone else, search the camp!"
Wrenflight watched the camp scramble into action, and ran to Cheetahfang, who pressed his nose into her pelt.
"It will be ok..." |
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Post by Thistle on Jul 12, 2009 4:09:04 GMT -5
A sleek, pretty tabby blazed her way from the warrior's den to where Cheetahfang was standing, a brown and cream she-cat following close behind. The two warriors went straight up to Cheetahfang. "Passionwar and I would be glad to join your patrol," the tabby meowed in a prideful, slightly vain voice. This was a habit, not her way of telling him that she was better than him, which she would do at any other time, most likely.
Willowstripe had been awake for a while now, after her son, Midnightsoul, had awakened her, sometime, it seemed, after Pridekit and Gracekit had left camp. Now she felt ashamed that she hadn't noticed them missing. Willowstripe could remember the last time three kits had gone missing. When Midnightsoul was a young kit, two of the elder kits in the Nursery had dared him to follow them into the forest. Oak-kit and Ashkit had almost succeeded in getting Midnightsoul to taste a crowfood pigeon when a patrol of warriors found them and brought them back. Oakfur and Ashfrost were now sitting silently together in a corner, most likely remembering their punishments.
Perhaps this memory of feeling what it was like to be a mother with a missing kit might have been what drove Willowstripe to make an extra effort at finding Wrenflight's, but she even got an idea that might help find Pridekit, Surgekit, and Gracekit. "I can also fetch Climbingspirit, Rockclaw, and Midnightoul if you like, Cheetahfang."
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Pridekit kept his nose close to the ground and didn't look up when Gracekit called Surgekit's name. It became harder to distinguish scents once they reached the rocks, so he slowed down, but kept going until he heard Gracekit stop. He was about to ask what was wrong when she asked him, "Pridekit... What happened to it...?"
[/i] He turned his head to look at her, then followed her gaze to where she'd been staring. His eyes widened at the sight of the split rock, then he shook his head. "I don't know. maybe lightning hit it. Afterall, it can't catch on fire like trees."Meanwhile, Fire had led Kestrel into the forest. Fire and Wolf had watched interestedly while Surgekit came to a stop at a tree near them and rake his tiny claws across the trunk. Even Wolf had been impressed by the strength and ferocity in the strike. Once he'd begun walking again, Fire had convinced Kestrel to come with him to meet this young kit. Now, they stepped out of the bushes behind him. "Hello, youngling," meowed Kestrel in a gentle, understanding voice. "Where are you going?" Fire expected that the young kit would jump in surprise. "That was quite a show of strength back there," he put in. "You must have some powerful parents to get strength like that."[/center] |
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