A Big World [OPEN]

The tom-kit was already old enough to leave the nursery. He wasn't any longer a helpless kitten in need of the milk of a queen. He could prey from the fresh-kill pile, walk around and even explore. And it was all thanks to Riverclan and their queens. Due to different circumstances, he was an orphan. Brookkit did not remember their faces, nor their voice or smell. He just knew he had parents but that they joined Starclan way too soon and now, he was the only remaining legacy of the deceased warriors. Even if he was truly grateful to the queens who looked after him all these moons... there was an empty space in his chest that they could not feel. The feeling of belonging to a family... of having loving parents and littermates... he would never experience that. He had no brothers or sisters. His family was all gone and there he was: a small brown-furred tom alone in a camp full of cat that, even if they were clanmates, they were not family.

His blue eyes looked up to the clouded sky, wondering if his parents could see him from there. Were they proud? Did they care about him? How were they in the first place? Did they even want him as a kit? So many questions yet with no answers. All his young mind could think... is that no matter if he was the only remaining member of his family standing up, he had to live up to what his parents probably wanted for him as Riverclan warriors. Brookkit was determined to become a great swimmer, fisher, hunter and fighter for the sake of the clan and to make everyone proud, including those in the silverpelt. The blue-eyed feline was still too young to train under a warrior... However....

His gaze shifted to the borders of the camp surrounded by reeds. Maybe, even in the cold, he could find a stream deep enough to start practising his swimming skills. As a Riverclan cat, that was a must after all. His paws were made for that and he knew it had to be in his blood. Letting go away all the blue feelings that were starting to lurk in the back of his head, Brookkit smirked and rushed to the closest stream he could find in the borders of the camp. With no much care, the kit moved the reeds away and started searching for the perfect spot. Maybe he would find a pretty shell or stone for his nest too if he started swimming so early. The thought of that just encouraged even more as he searched around, not paying attention to his surroundings. In his mind, it was only him and his goal.

Nightkit ran after a moss ball. He didn't pay too much attention to his surrondings. The moss ball was was way more exciting. But he then stopped when a kit padded into the reeds. I wonder what Brookkit is doing? He thought. Curious he peeked his head through the reeds Brookkit went through.

"Hey Brook whatch ya doing?" Asked Nightkit his head tipping over to one side.

Since Brookkit did not notice at all the approaching kit, he almost jumped when he suddenly heard a voice next to him. His face, at first surprised, quickly shifted into a half-smile when he recognized the other kit as one of the ones that slept with him in the nursery. "Oh, Nightkit! I just thought that now that I was big enough to leave the nursery on my own, I could try some swimming as the grown-ups do. Maybe find a pretty rock or a feather to play with." He smiled, turning his gaze to the water, a bit too excited about getting into it despite the cold of leaf-bare. "You know, since I don't have a mom to teach me properly and the queens have not taught me yet, I thought I could try here in the shallow parts. Wanna join me and play in the river? I'm sure that if Torrentstar sees us swimming like the apprentices, he will give us mentors to train with!"

Nightkit perked up. "Of course! Sounds like fun!" Squeaked Nightkit. He ran into the water excitedly. But as soon as his paws hit the water he let out a whimper.

The tom kit was soon to follow his denmate but he jumped a bit surprised when he heard the yelp of Nightkit. Was it that cold? Brookkit looked at the water doubtful and carefully, he let one toe touch the clear surface just to discover it was even colder than the snow under their paws. "Wow! That is way too cold!" He mewed with a shiver before turning his face to the white-and-black kitten. "Maybe that's why the queens have not taught us yet how to swim. Is nearly impossible to not freeze with that water! But maybe... we could play something different! What about hide-and-seek! That way, we can get better at both tracking and hunting."

Nightkit nodded. "Sounds good with me!" Said Nightkit. He imeaditly ran out of the water. While the water was cold it wasn't because of that. It was because Nightkit didn't really like water. "Do you want to count or hide first?" Asked Nightkit.