Playing With Food

[Amber]

A smile streched across Ivypaw's face as she watched Hollykit sniff the mouse in frong of her curiously. The medicine cat apprentice had decided to bring the little kit out of the nursery for a moment so she could at least have the opportunity to explore, even if she didn't care too much for it.

The orange apprentice soon became entranced in a memory of Hollykit and herself earlier in the day, just after her other sister, Cloverpaw, had gone out training.

"Hollykit don't touch that, I just organized it!" Ivypaw mewed dragging the red kit out of the pile of herbs that she had just sorted. She was glad to see Hollykit more active lately, but she had been trying to get this done so she could play with the little kit. Obviously Hollykit had other plans. The kit had only looked in her direction and purred. Teaching the kit what was wrong and right was hard. Especially when the kit didn't speak and didn't see. Ivypaw knew all of this was just a game for the kit, and figured Hollykit could open her eyes and speak, she just took after their older sister and was a bit stubborn.

This soon led the apprentice to grabbing the kit by the scruff and taking her out of the medicine cat's den and into the clearing. Ivypaw had grabbed a mouse, hoping the kit would eat at least some of it.

Ivypaw could not help but laugh as she saw Hollykit jump back as she pawed at the mouse's tail, not realizing what it was. The apprentice figured this wasn't hurting anything, and even if Hollykit was playing with her food, it was just some silly kit thing. Besides, Hollykit was the only kit and Ivypaw knew she got bored easily. Maybe if she had some sort of interaction other than herself or Cloverpaw, Hollykit wouldn't have turned out so...fragile.

[☆ Y e l l o w ☆]

Willowstar parted her jaws and let out a yawn. It was midmorning, getting closer to sunhigh, yet she didn't know why she was yawning. She didn't feel tired. Maybe it was just because she wasn't doing anything at the moment. She lay at the edge of camp, somewhat close to her den, half watching the cats in the clearing and half fighting to not feel bored. Her eyes landed on two cats close to the medicine cat den. Ivypaw and Hollykit seemed to be occupied, but Willowstar was bored and didn't have anything to do at the moment.

The leader steadily got to her paws and trotted over to them, her long shaggy fur making her appear large like it always did. "Be careful not to play with that mouse too much, Hollykit. You won't want to eat it then." She meowed. Though it was good to see kits playing and having fun, playing with fresh-kill wasn't a desired game in the eyes of the warriors who had worked hard to catch it. She blinked at Ivypaw in a short greeting, and looked back at Hollykit.

[Amber]

Ivypaw had been watching her sister so closely she had not heard Willowstar approaching. Only when the leader spoke did the apprentice look up. "Hello Willowstar." she mewed softly. "I hope you don't mind me bringing Hollykit out for a little bit. I thought some fresh air might do her some good. She spends all her time either in the nursery or with me in Shadestripe's den, and I think she gets a bit lonely." her words came out quickly, she wasn't too great at talking with other cats. It was just social issues. And it looked as if her little sister had taken after her, rather than the social Cloverpaw.

Hollykit had jumped at the sound of Willowstar's voice. It always took the kit a minute or two to register who was approaching, and not recognizing the cat at first, the reddish colored kit stumbled to Ivypaw, getting as far in between her big sister's paws as she could.

"Hollykit, it's just Willowstar. She isn't going to hurt you, I promise." Ivypaw mewed to her sister softly, but the little kit refused to move. Turning her attention back to Willowstar the apprentice sighed. "Sorry, she usually is a bit more friendly. Maybe it's because Cloverpaw isn't here." she thought out loud.

[☆ Y e l l o w ☆]

"It's alright. I expect she would be bored with no other kits to play with." Willowstar meowed. Ivypaw's rapid manner of speaking sounded unusual to her, but she was used to hearing it so she didn't mind.

Mild concern clouded the leader's eyes when she looked at Hollykit. As long as there was only one kit in the Clan, she wouldn't have many cats to be around or even to play with. Willowstar couldn't help but think she might turn out different without the socialization most kittens have. Hollykit was three moons old, but still spooked easily and rather shy, which was uncommon for her age. "Maybe," Willowstar agreed. "She's training now. I don't think Cloverpaw will be back for some time."

"Anyway, are you ready for the Gathering tonight?" She asked Ivypaw to change the subject. "It will only be your third one, if I remember correctly."

[:c a i:]

"Oh, Willowstar, how are you?" A soft, femenine voice said. The owner of the voice, Mistflower, appeared, carrying a few small fish by their tails. Her silvery pelt was slightly wet, but she looked her usual elegant self. She went to place her catches on the fresh-kill pile, flashing a warm half-smile at Ivypaw and Hollykit. She admired Ivypaw for her patience and care for Hollykit, for after all the youngster seemed so timid.

Having put the fish amongst the other pieces of prey, she headed back over to Willowstar. "Did I hear you mention the Gathering?" She meowed, licking her paw and smoothing her slightly damp fur. "Who's going?" All the while she was speaking, her gaze rested on Hollykit, a tender expression softening her bright golden eyes. She squatted herself down, leaning on bent forelegs so she was more on a level with the small kit. She really was tiny and scared-looking. It was unusual to see a three-moon-old kit hiding behind an apprentice... Nonetheless, it wasn't her business and she knew that Ivypaw was trying very hard with her. It must be difficult, she thought being a medicine cat apprentice as well as looking after a kit the way she does.

[Amber]

Ivypaw nodded to Willowstar but couldn't go without smiling at her sister for more than two seconds. The kit was just so little and cute it was funny. She nudged her back to the mouse, which Hollykit began to squeal at again, completely forgetting about Willowstar.

The apprentice sighed. "Yeah, she went to see Hollykit before she left, just to tell her goodbye and that she would be back soon. Hollykit can't wait till Cloverpaw gets back and plays with her." she said softly.

"Hmm? Gathering? No, this will just be my second. I missed my first one because Hollykit was really sick and I wanted to stay with her. She turned out fine, but that was when she was sick almost every day." her glance turned to Hollykit. The kit had grown since that day, it may not be too apparent with some, but to Ivypaw there was a big difference in Hollykit's size now.

"Hi Mistflower." Ivypaw managed to choke out to the approaching warrior.

Hollykit was busy playing with her mouse once again that she had forgotten all about Willowstar. But at the sound of more pawsteps approaching, and them not being Cloverpaw, the kit mewled once again in fear and retreated back to Ivypaw. She pricked her ears as her sister mentioned the cat's name.
Her nose twitched as she picked up the scent of the cat, who was actually coming closer to her. The warrior had made herself her size, somewhat! This made the kit purr a little, a rare occurance with strangers. She swatted a tiny paw at the direction of the warrior, thinking it was a game.

[☆ Y e l l o w ☆]

Willowstar nodded a greeting to Mistflower, happy to see that she had been hunting. Fishing would probably have been a better way to put it, however it didn't matter much to her. "Good morning, Mistflower. I'm well."

Watching as Hollykit inspect Mistflower and swat her with a paw, the leader thought about the Gathering. She would bring a majority of her warriors as she usually did, leaving a few to guard camp. She hadn't yet decided who would stay behind. She might as well choose now, she thought. "I'll leave Spottedfur and Puddlepelt here and the rest of the warriors will go. As for the apprentices, I haven't yet decided."

She looked at Ivypaw, surprised she hadn't remembered. Was she getting old already? She joked to herself. "Oh, yes, I forgot. This will be Graypaw's second Gathering as well." Wait, that meant that if Graypaw went to the Gathering, he would be going without his mentor. Willowstar thought for a second about this, then let it go. Apprentices didn't always have to be with their mentors as long as there were other warriors around.

[:c a i:]

"All right, Willowstar." Mistflower nodded, dragging her eyes to focus on the leader. She vaguely registered that she would have to prepare for the journey to the Gathering, but for the moment she was preoccupied with the two youngsters. And also very interested to see whether she could coax Hollykit into being a little bolder.

Mistflower smiled softly as she heard Hollykit's faint purr, and she was very pleased to see the little kit acting playfully as she swatted a paw out in her direction. In response, the delicate she-cat gently flicked her tail over Hollykit's ears, sending a few tiny droplets of water which had not yet dried from her pelt over her. "Hello, little one." She murmured softly. She edged closer, not wanting to spook Hollykit, but eager to play with her.

[Amber]

Ivypaw looked up at the leader for a moment, only slightly paying attention as she talked to Mistflower, right now the apprentice was more in tune to watching her little sister. It was rare to see the kit so excited about something.

She only nodded as Willowstar mentioned about it being Graypaw's second gathering also. Then as the leader began to speak about who was going, and not yet deciding on the apprentices going, she looked back up.

"Would you mind leaving Cloverpaw here? One of us always likes to be with her, just in case. That is, if you don't mind. I know she would want to be here, since I'm going." Ivypaw mewed softly.

At the feeling of water over her ears, Hollykit's ears twitched, which led to the rest of her body erupt in a short little spasm. She had no clue what had just hit her, and she quickly retreated back to Ivypaw. After a few moments of realizing it was nothing, the little kit came back out from her sister's paws and trotted a little closer to Mistflower. She mewled with delight and bounced a little on her paws.

[:c a i:]

Worried that she had scared little Hollykit, Mistflower watched anxiously as she disappeared behind Ivypaw again, but she let out her breath in relief as the kit bounded back out towards her. She purred gently, resting her belly on the ground as she moved a little closer. She was pleased to see that Hollykit seemed happy and unafraid, bouncing about cheerily. Mistflower reached out and softly licked her between the ears very slowly and soothingly, her tongue rasping on the soft kit fur. She was barely comprehending a word Willowstar and Ivypaw were saying, now her attention had been caught by the kit. And deep inside, Mistflower knew that one day she wanted her own kits to look after. She just had to find her other half... And that was no easy task, she thought ruefully.

[☆ Y e l l o w ☆]

Willowstar thought for a second, then nodded in understanding at what Ivypaw said. "Sure. Cloverpaw will stay here. Though I wonder what Hollykit will do once you two get older and don't have as much time to play. Your training will likely get harder when you both get closer to earning your full names." She thought about that too, remembering how much busier she had been as she came closer to her warrior ceremony.

She watched Mistflower's gentle interaction with the kit, and couldn't help being impressed. Willowstar, surprisingly, had never been that fond of kits. She somewhat enjoyed them, but wasn't all that good at interacting with them. Mistflower's enjoyment of kits made it seem obvious that she would prefer to be a queen than live the sometimes harsh life of a warrior. The leader wouldn't say anything, but she thought that it certainly wouldn't be a bad thing to have more kits in the Clan.

[Amber]

Ivypaw let out a breath of thanks that the leader said Cloverpaw could stay. That relieved the apprentice more than ever, it meant that Hollykit wouldn't be alone. "Thank you, Willowstar." she mewed.
In response to Willowstar's thought, she had to think about her answer. It had been the thought that had been troubling herself for quite some time now. She knew she couldn't take care of her baby sister forever, but then again she was hoping she didn't have to.
"Well Hollykit is a little over three moons now, and I was hoping by this time next moon, she would be fine to leave alone by herself. She is still so little and doesn't open up to many cats, we feel it is best for one of us to always look out for her. Hollykit is strong, she had to be to be the only one out of her litter to survive and to still be alive today. I know she has had a rough road, but I am hoping that she will be strong enough to not need us one day." Ivypaw let out a breath. That was a lot* to say in that short time.

Hollykit didn't know what to think about having someone so close to her, at first. Usually she only had her sisters lick her head, but the way Mistflower did it was really soothing. She stopped her bouncing and began to purr, enjoying it. She had never known her mother, but this is how she imagined it would be like. The little kit yawned, why was this making her tired?

[:c a i:]

With a smile and a purr, Mistflower ceased her gentle licking of Hollykit's head and moved away with some regret. "I'm afraid I have to get moving soon." She sighed. "I can't lounge around all day." It was true, for though she would love to continue playing with the kit, it was best that she got moving. After all, there were plenty of cats who needed fresh-kill. And she had an apprentice to worry about, so it wasn't very impressive to leave her abandoned all day.

"Though I hope you're all right with this little one." She meowed in a hushed voice. She nodded to Ivypaw, flashing a kind smile and briefly brushing the younger cat's shoulder with her tail. "She's a special kit." She sighed, quite taken by the youngster. Though, she thought to herself, she probably should not get so attached to kits that were not hers. After all, she was supposed to be a busy mentor and warrior. She was not a queen. Not yet, anyway.

Shadestripe approached quickly, his brow knitted in concentration. "There you are, Ivypaw!" He exclaimed, spotting his apprentice with Hollykit and Willowstar. "I need your help. Slatepaw's cut his shoulder and I need you to come and help with him." He informed her calmly, eyes briefly taking in Hollykit's small figure. He paused, waiting for Ivypaw to join him. Though he knew Ivypaw was often busy taking care of Hollykit, he did not want her to fall behind on her training. It was very important that she got enough experience to prepare her for the things to come. And he wanted to make sure that she understood the importance of her position in the Clan.

[Yoko]

Shellclaw was stunned by his sister's walking out on him. He had leered after Spottedfur. Shellclaw had classified him a "sometimes firend". Whenever the spotted warrior was willing to come along on patrols, Shellclaw would chat with him. He didn't seem like the talkative type, or even very social. He certainly didn't seem like a cat that would treat his sister the way she deserves to be treated!

Huffing, the grey and white tom finally decided that he had to get something done today. All he wanted was to keep an eye on Puddlepelt but sense that clearly wasn't going to happen, he might as well put his new found energy to work.

He looked around for any warrior that might want to go on hunting patrol. The freshkill pile was getting smaller by the moment, and it was sunhigh already.

[☆ Y e l l o w ☆]

Willowstar nodded at Mistflower and ran a list through her head of things the warrior could do. She wasn't the deputy, but since she hadn't seen Heronstorm yet that day she decided she could organize patrols for the time being. It would be nostalgic to take over some of her old deputy duties, even for a little while.

"You're still here, Shellclaw?" Willowstar called across the clearing. She could see that the fresh-kill pile was rather small. "Why don't you go on a hunting patrol with Mistflower? And see if you can find a few others to go with also," Yes, it felt good to be in charge of patrols again. Even if only for a little.