Exploring

[Spruceburn]

A small mouse stood in the forest in a patch of sunlight that had found its way through the canopy of leaves above, its whiskers twitching fervishly as it turned its head back and forth. Sprucekit was in the bushes, his green gaze fixed on the prey with his hind quarters swinging back and forth as he prepared to spring. The young kit took a paw step forward and- too late. The mouse had ran away into the ungergrowth, its quiet pawsteps fading as it scurried away farther and farther. '' Fox-dung! '' Sprucekit spat as he tumbled out of his hiding spot. He got to his paws, shaking the dust off his tabby pelt, and proceded deeper into the forest in search of more prey.

[Greenlily//Topaz]

Greenlily was frantic. She'd gone to make dirt, and when she came back it was to find that while Gladekit and Pinekit were still curled up in the nest, Sprucekit had vanished. She'd looked in every nook and cranny of the nursery, but he simply wasn't there. Dashing out, she began searching the clearing. Not wanting to admit that she'd lost one of her kits, even though it would probably be one of the wiser things to do, she dashed out into the forest to look for him. Finding his scent trail, she began pursuing it.

[Spruceburn]

Sprucekit made his way through the forest, stumbling and tripping over branches and roots here and there, his eyes peeled for more prey. Suddenly his ears swiveled toward the sound of birds coming from high above him and he turned his head eagerly toward it. Sprucekit scanned the trees, looking for the creature who had made the sound.... Finally he spotted the culprit. Far above him was a robin looking down upon him with curious beady black eyes. '' You stupid bird, your orange stomach makes you stick out like a fox in a den of badgers! '' He laughed to himself then started making his way up the tree, his minute claws leaving tiny marks on the bark. Sprucekit was a little under a tail length up with he lost his paw hold and fell, landing on his rump. He got back on his paws, growling determinedly, and started clawing his way up the tree again.

[Greenlily//Topaz]

Greenlily followed her kit's scent trail all the way to a grove of trees where, with great relief, amusement and anger, she found him determinedly clawing his way up a tree. "Sprucekit!" she meowed sharply. A robin let out a startled call and flew away, several feathers fluttering to the ground in it's haste. Greenlily waited for her son to come over to her, struggling to determine if she were proud or furious with him.

[Wolfy//June]

Wolfstar followed the queen out of camp. He couldn't help but feel that she was very irresponsible. She was always wandering off and now the kits were. He spotted her watching Sprucekit climb a tree. "Come down this minute!" he commanded, his deep voice reverberating through the forest.

[Gladetail]

Gladekit slowly stumbled into the forest. Once she gained balance she stalked quietly into the forest following her kin. She knew she wasn't suppose to be out here, but having the guilt of knowing that her littermate had snuck out was gnawing at her. She hid behind a tree and once she peeked from behind she could see Sprucekit, Greenlily, and Wolfstar. She quivered and kept telling herself to go back, but for some reason her legs wouldn't budge.

[Spruceburn]

To intent on his prey, Sprucekit was just as startled as the robin when Greenlily shouted his name. He turned his head toward his mother with a little less than pleased look on his face, flexing his claws deeper into the bark. '' Mama! I almost had that! '' He meowed angrily, '' If you could have just waited a few more mome- '' Sprucekit was cut off as he let out a little squeak of alarm at the sound of his father's voice, losing his grip he fell out of the tree and landed on his rump again. The kit scrambled to his paws with as much dignity as he could muster and shook the forest debris from his pelt. Determined not to be intimidated by his mother or his father, Sprucekit walked over to them with his head and tail held high and his chest puffed out. He stood in front of his parents tall and proud, noticing Gladekit in the back round. He smiled and winked at her, though he made sure Wolfstar and Greenlily wouldn't notice, '' Mother, '' he spoke in an attempt at a deep voice like his father's as he nodded to his mother, '' Father. '' he nodded to his father too. All the warrior's always nodded to each other before speaking, '' Is there a problem? 'Cause you see, I almost had that robin up there until you scared it away. ''

[Greenlily//Topaz]

"Do you have any idea how worried I was?" Greenlily growled at him, fighting back her overwhelming relief that he was all right. "What if you'd been caught by a fox or a badger? I don't care if you were close to catching a robin, you shouldn't have been out of camp to begin with!" She struggled to calm her temper. Yowling at her kit wouldn't make him more obedient.

[Wolfy//June]

"Congradulations, Sprucekit. You get to start cleaning out the dens early. You will check every cat for ticks and you will do anything any cat tells you to do. Oh, and no leaving camp and you will be grounded into camp for a moon, even after your apprentice ceremony. I can't afford kits wandering off." swirvling his ear so it faced behind him, he growled, "Gladekit, come out now. You should have never followed your disobediant brother."

[Gladetail]

Gladekit shrunk and pricked her ears, deciding if she should show herself or run back to camp and act like nothing happened. Gladekit was about to run until she stubbed over a fallen branch and fell. Fox Dung! She blushed as she felt as if the snapping sound of the branch echoed through the whole forest. Slowly revealing herself she bowed her head in guilt. "S-- I'm sorry..." Only then did she notice a thorn in her pad and she squeaked in shock.

[Greenlily//Topaz]

Greenlily saw the thorn in her kit's paw and came over to examine it. "I'm going to take her back to camp so that Doveheart can patch this up for her," she meowed to Wolfstar. "You can punish her however you like once you get back." She then turned and began herding Gladekit away.

[Gladetail]

Gladekit's head hung low as she was guided back to camp. She felt guilty for all of this, she just hoped Sprucekit's punishment wasn't too bad. Then the pain in her pad started burn. The pain was gnawing so hard that half of the way Gladekit started to limp. I'm overreacting, it's probably nothing... Trying to take the pain like a true warrior would, Gladekit softly padded on the ground, though the pain just intensed.

[Spruceburn]

'' I could have taken any fox that was unfortunate enough to cross my path! '' he meowed to his mother, his head raised high. But then his father spoke, and Sprucekit's fur began to bristle indignantly. But before he could retaliate Wolfstar called out Gladekit, who blushed nervously as she spoke. Sprucekit rolled his eyes, he and his sister were almost apprentices and she still acted like a kit! One Greenlily had carried off his sister, Sprucekit turned back to his father. Fueled by anger and pure guts, the young tabby marched right up to his father and stood on his hind legs so he could face him, '' Who do you think you are? You think that just because I get in trouble, you have the right to start acting like a father now? Are you so worried about being embarrassed by your kit in front of your clan that you'll prevent him from training to be a warrior! '' he yowled angrily, knowing he was getting in way over his head. If I'm getting that kind of punishment, it might as well be worth it!

[Wolfy//June]

Wolfstar gritted his teeth. "Who do I think I am? Last time I checked I was clan leader! I don't have time for bothersome kits!" he spat. His voice boomed and his eyes blazed. He picked Sprucekit up roughly by the scruff. "If your going to act like a kit, your going to be carried like one!"

[Spruceburn]

A walking disaster
The son of all bastards
You regret you made me
It's too late to save me

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Sprucekit hissed furiously with his ears flat against his head when his father picked him up. He squirmed, wiggled, and flailed fiercely in retaliation. '' I'm not just some bothersome kit! I'm going to be the best warrior ever! I'll become leader too! I'll be a better leader then you ever were! And- and I'll have a mate and I'll treat her better than you've ever treated Greenlily! '' Sprucekit yowled furiously at his father, '' And I'll give my kits the respect they deserve! I don't need you or anyone to protect me! You think you can do this just because you're bigger than me! When I get older, I'll be bigger than you and then I'll show you who's the bothersome one! ''