blue waters [open]

The world beyond the reaches of the nursery were terrifying to the larger-than-average Bluekit, and while her denmates had been eager to leave and become apprentices, the large kit still felt large volumes of anxiety about following them into the path of apprenticeship. Honestly, she was still anxious about setting paw outside of the safe confines of the nursery. The only reason that she was considering finally leaving the den was at her mothers' urging, and despite that, she still hesitated. The brightness of the camp shone through the narrow entrance to the den, and she took a deep breath before poking her head out.
Oh no, oh no...

She looked around, gathering the sights of the rest of the camp and committing them to memory, and slowly stepped out one paw at a time until she stood fully outside of the den she'd called home for the past few moons. Her heart thudded in her chest at the newness of the experience, and she really wanted to go back inside the den, but before she could, something collided with her side, and she recoiled, squeaking in fear, fur bushed out as she realized that the offending object was only a moss ball. A quick glance around told her that the ball had come from another cat a little ways away, and she softly batted the ball back towards them.

Spiderquill was out on a stroll, legs cramped from doing nothing in the medicine den all day, when he noticed a larger-than-average kit standing anxiously outside the nursery. She looked like she'd rather be warm in a nest with her mother, this was probably her first time outside the nursery. Spiderquill remembered with a jolt his own first time leaving the nursery. He was anxious too, though he was a lot smaller than this kit. None of the others played with him, just Honeytongue. The medicine cat felt a pang of sympathy for the kit. She looked like she needed a friend. Spurred by the moment, he rooted around for an adequate toy before settling on a small moss ball. As gently as he could, he rolled the ball towards Bluekit with a warm smile on his face. He smiled even more when she returned the toy, though it had startled her at first. He rolled it back, a little faster this time.

Despite her earlier scare, and the fact that her heart still pounded in her chest, she calmed down a little bit at Spiderquill's warm smile, and smiled a little bit back to him. She stopped the moss ball with her front paws, and batted it back to him with the same amount of force. She took a few steps toward the medicine cat, a bit puzzled by the lack of fur on his face, but said nothing about it, instead opting to mumble quietly,
"I'm Bluekit... What's your name?"

Spiderquill caught the mossball again, glad that the kit had warmed up to him a little. He looked up when she spoke, pleasantly surprised that she had approached him. He could see her eyes linger on his bald face just a bit too long, but he paid it no mind. She was a curious kit, that was all. "It's great to meet you, Bluekit. I'm Spiderquill, the medicine cat. Is this your first time outside of the nursery?" As he spoke, he casually tossed the mossball back to Bluekit.

"Spiderquill?" A gentle voice rang throughout the clearing. The source of the voice was none other than a broad shouldered tabby with a kind expression. There was a gentle glint in those eyes of hers, she turned around the corner of the medicine den she had only gotten used. She couldn't believe how she hadn't been there earlier when she was a kit herself now looking at one of the recent kits. Thornpaw stepped outside now fully revealing herself to the both of them. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything." She lowered her head apologetically realizing the two of them must have been talking from the way they were sitting.

Leopardkit mewled in her sleep, kicking her feet out and clawing at an imaginary enemy. She was Leopartheart, and she was the deputy of Riverclan, leading them bravely into battle against the wretched Shadowclan! They'd never know what hit them!

A paw prodded her side, and Leopardkit's eyes opened with a start. Huh? Where was she?

"Sweetheart, you were kicking me in your sleep. Why don't you go outside and meet some of your clanmates instead of sleeping the day away?" Her mother asked, licking the top of Leopardkit's head. Leopardkit ducked under the tongue, scowling. She wasn't Leopardheart, she was just Leopardkit and she was just a kit who hadn't even been out of the nursery before.

"Oh all right, mother," Leopardkit muttered, once again ducking a tongue to the forehead. "I'm out, I'm out..." she mumbled. She tumbled out of the nest, and crept toward the entrance to the den. She nervously peeked out, and saw Bluekit playing with a moss ball with a larger cat that Leopardkit didn't know.

Leopardkit took a hesitant step outside, the sun now shining off of her silver-and-black coat. "Uh... c-can I p-play?" she stammered.