Espionage Expedition (OPEN)

[Yoko]

(Any apprentice/mentors want to be spied on by Kittypets? )

"With long, powerful, stealthy strokes, the spotted lion makes his way through the thick jungle-"

"Leopard."

The small gold and black spotted kitten paused in his over-dramatic steps. He twisted his head backwards to see his gray triplet brother.

"Huh?"

"Leopard," Drake repeated simply. "Leopards have spots. You said 'lion'."

The smaller gray cat circled around his brother to take the lead.

"Oh," Tybalt mewed, still frozen in place.

Then, with a deep breath he continued walking and said, "Well I know, it's just that Lions sound more powerful."

"Sure, they do."

Drake had to admit that stealth was not his sibling's forte. This wasn't quite what he had in mind when he considered adventuring into the forest. Sneaking around all skulky-like and looking out for killer cats. Still, he liked that Snaketail cat. That dude knew his stuff, and the rewards they would get for going through all this trouble far outweighed the risk. After all, look at his fur-ball brother-

Tybalt was pouncing on some leaves strewn over the ground.

Who could hurt him?

Tybalt looked around with wide eyes. He couldn't believe they were actually here! It was bright morning and they were beneath more trees than he had ever seen at home. There were so many new sights and sounds. And the food here just smelled sooo good! Who cared that they had been wandering aimlessly for a while. Looking for this place called "Sandy Hollow". They were in the forest and should probably make the most of it.

"Drake, you know where we are?"

"Yup, we're here."

Drake looked at the little dip in the ground with scrutiny. It was smaller than he had expected. Just a fair amount of tail-lengths across. There was nowhere to hide inside of it, so he circled to some of the bushes around it. Finding one surrounded by a cluster of flowers, he beckoned his sibling over.

"We'll watch it from here, no talking for a while, kay?"

Disheartened Tybalt replied, "Okay"

[Heathclaw]

Lightheart hated the phrase "sneaking out of camp." It carried such a bad connotation, as if it implied that the sneakee was going out to perform dastardly treacherous deeds or something. Which of course was not Lightheart's intention at all. For the most part, at least. No, no, Lightheart much rather preferred the phrase "adventurous expedition" over "sneaking". After all, that was precisely the point of this trip outside- so that Lightheart could check up on the territory and all the wondrous playthings within. Foremost on his mind today was his secret acorn collection. He hadn't checked it in awhile, and woe betide if some thieving squirrel were to come across it!

The very thought made Lightheart quicken his pace, However, once he reached the sandy training hollow, he sensed that something was wrong. He stood stock still for a moment, scenting the air, and then whirled around, glaring at the bushes at the edge of the clearing. "Found you!" he boomed in an ominous voice. A moment later, he had reverted back to his goofball self. "What're a couple of kits like you doing wandering outside of camp? Surely Unkie Lightheart isn't that interesting. Come on out here before the bush monsters eat you."

[. s p o r e l e t t ♪]

Spottedkit wasn't sure how he found himself sneaking out of camp with ThunderClan's only resident kit to follow one of their warriors. He still didn't really feel like he belonged in ThunderClan, although the she-cat who was the mother of a father he had never met took pains to make him and Stonekit feel welcome. He knew that some of the warriors and apprentices snuck wary looks at him and Stonekit when they thought that they weren't looking. Even Ravenkit didn't welcome the addition of two new kits to the nursery, though he largely blamed that on a personality issue on the older kit's part.

Somehow, though, he'd still managed to wind up slinking furtively out of camp with him in order to see what one of the younger — and more mischievous from what he had heard — warriors was up to. After rather skillfully tracking him through the forest and remaining undetected as far as he could tell, Spottedkit stopped when he saw Lightheart start to dig something up, and looked around for cover. The young tom squeezed after Ravenkit into the small space underneath a conveniently placed bush to watch, still wondering over the crowded nature of ThunderClan's territory. It was much easier to find places to hide, but having trees all around him was a bit strange, and at times he felt choked by their thick canopy.

But, unfamiliar territory or not, Spottedkit was in the midst of congratulating himself for navigating it competently and remaining hidden from a full grown warrior when Lightheart suddenly whipped around and stared right at the place where both kits were hidden. There's no way you can see us! he mentally objected, but when the warrior continued, he reluctantly crept out. "There's no such thing as a bush monster!" he said boldly, although he really had no idea. He didn't know anything about ThunderClan territory, after all... maybe they really did have bush monsters.

[Yoko]

Drake's small body tensed up. They had settled down at just the right time. Some strange looking tom came bounding into the sandy clearing. He was all by himself. Weren't these forest cats supposed o travel in bug groups or somethin'? Well, by the looks of it, he was gonna breeze right on by. If he did, than that meant this place was some kind of travel route too and lots of cats might go through it. Then suddenly, the cat stopped and whipped around.

"Found you!"

No way! Are forest cats THAT good at finding cats? I'd hate to owe one of them anything.

What're a couple of kits like you doing wandering outside of camp? Surely Unkie Lightheart isn't that interesting. Come on out here before the bush monsters eat you."

"W-!"

The pink pads of Drake's paws were suddenly covering his mouth. Oh, right, stealth. But we're not kittens, or kits or whatever he said! And bush monsters...

Tybalt's eyes darted from one side to the other. Were those real? He hadn't even been in the forest before. Drake's muzzle was suddenly in his ear. It tickled and he almost choked trying not to laugh.

"He's not talking to us, fuzz-brain" the smarter brother breathed.

Tybalt mouthed an "oh".
Ravenkit had no worries about leaving camp, though it was of course not allowed. He had already been out several times with his older brother and could not see what the big deal was. Foxes? No one had spotted those on ThunderClan territory since he had been born ( a mere 5 moons ago). Dogs? They were stupid. Enemy Warriors? As if anyone would set foot on his Clan's territory! So although the black kit with a single white spot was stealthily creeping along the underbrush with his "denmate", he had all the confidence of a powerful warrior that they would not be caught or harmed.

The reason for his present company, one of the WindClan kits who was a whole moon his younger, was unclear to him as well. Ravenkit had decided to follow Lightheart out of camp because the tom looked rather suspicious creeping out without a patrol. This decision surely had nothing to do with the fact that Rabbitheart had not visited the nursery in days, or the fact that Ravenkit was bored...and maybe a bit lonesome.

He flattened his ears and came to a halt. Mouse-dung!How long has he known we've been tailing him? He stayed frozen in place for a moment. A bush monster? Does he really expect us to believe that? He kneaded the ground with his paws. No! Rabbitheart would have told me if such a thing existed! Still they had been caught. Ravenkit braced himself to run until he heard Spottedkit speaking. He had been so deep in thought that he hadn't noticed his company creep out into the open.

Ravenkit flattened his ears. The jig was up! He stomped out from the cover. "Mouse-brains, bush monsters don't exist! And don't change the subject! Just where did you think you were going Lightheart?" he demanded.

[Heathclaw]

"Oh no. You did not just call me a mousebrain," said Lightheart ominously, narrowing his eyes at Ravenkit. The word all over the camp was that Ravenkit was a spoiled little brat- and Lightheart for one was going to set him straight. "First of all, what kind of mouse has black and white fur? Second, have you ever seen me eating nuts and seeds? If you're going to insult someone, at least make sure you've done the research!"

By the time he'd reached the end of his little lecture, he was grinning broadly. "For future reference, it's 'squirrelbrain' to you, young Ravenkit. And as for what I'm doing out here- that is top secret classified warrior information, you little rogues. Buuut, since you were resourceful enough to track me here, I might tell you- if you tell me how you two wound up getting out of camp!"

As he spoke, his gaze shifted from Ravenkit to Spottedkit, their little WindClan transfer. Ravenkit he might have expected to pull a stunt like this, but he was surprised that Spottedkit came along too. He smirked a bit, reminded of his own mischievous kit escapades. "And come closer. I won't bite, but the bush monsters surely will."