A Wolf on the Prowl [O]

It was a bright, beautiful day in Thunderclan... and Wolfkit was a very playful kit. This was the first time she had actually been allowed out of the nursery, and she was going to enjoy every second of freedom she could grab. Not that she hadn't tried escaping the nursery a few times on her own before actually getting permission, but not getting dragged back in after 10 heartbeats was nice. Suddenly though, she found that she was surrounded by cats who weren't playing, and that simply wouldn't do! The gray she-cat knew immediately that she had to make some fun for these guys! She darted back into the nursery, emerging soon after with a fairly large moss ball, doing what any kit would do with it. Batting it around as hard as possible, and hoping that it either would attract other kits, or she might just bonk an older cat. Either way, she'd get to something!

"Aaand there! Done! Finally got it finished. Maybe it's time for a bit of a break..." muttered a young tom to himself as he proudly scanned all that he'd accomplished that day so far. It was quite a lot, for an apprentice. Despite that, he still had a lot to finish but he was starting to feel a bit... sluggish. That was no good if he wanted to complete his chores to the best of his ability. So, he decided, it was certainly time for a break. He earned it, after all.

The brown and white tabby stretched and let out a content sigh as he felt his aching muscles relax. He took some time to scout out the bustling camp and all the cats that were working diligently in making the clan run smoothly. His keen gaze paused on a small figure batting around a large moss ball all by her lonesome. He quickly scanned around her and realized that nobody had gone over to offer a playmate or just keep her company. She seemed like she was rather new out of the nursery too. The she-kit's name was Wolfkit... maybe? He remembered how often he was found alone during his kithood. He grew to like the solitude as time went by but not all kits were like him. Right then and there, Kestrelpaw decided that he'd go over and see if she'd be fine with him joining in.

Once the tom approached the she-kit, he made sure she had spotted him before saying, "Hello there... Wolfkit? Is that right? Very sorry if it was not. I was just finishing up some of my daily chores when I happened to see you playing here by yourself and felt the need to maybe... join in on the fun? If you don't want me here, that's fine! Just wanted to see if you wouldn't mind some company." The apprentice offered a light smile to the young kit as he awaited a response.

Just as she was winding up to knock the moss ball as far as possible, she saw another cat out of the corner of her eye. Finally! Someone who might not be boring! She fluffed up slightly as she bounded up to... Kestrelpaw? She had seen this guy around before, but never actually talked to him. This would be great! "Yeah! Come join in on the fun! I'm knocking the moss ball around to see how far I can get it to go! Here here here-" she spouted off quickly, rolling the moss ball over to the brown tabby with her fluffy paws. "Ok so now you try batting it super far! You're probably stronger than me but that's fine, 'cause someday I'll be super strong too!" She quickly bounded out of the way of the ball, moving her gray tail out of the way last to make sure it wouldn't get whacked. Her amber eyes shone with anticipation, she'd never had anyone who wasn't a kit bat the ball, and she just needed a new benchmark.

Kestrelpaw couldn't stop the grin that was slowly taking over his face. Wolfkit was just too cute and had such an infectious energy that he was starting to feel himself be rejuvenated. A wave of nostalgia hit him hard as he got into position to whack the moss ball. He felt just like a kit again. It felt... great! He felt great! He should do this more often. Playing with kits was much more entertaining than he'd originally thought.

Once the young molly was safely out of the way, the apprentice moved the ball to a suitable position for him to bat. "Alright. Let's see how far I can hit it... Here it goes!" he eagerly announced to her before winding back his left paw then bringing it down and behind the ball in a nice and smooth batting motion. To his inner glee, the moss ball flew then rolled a good couple of foxlengths before coming to a stop. It was certainly farther than he'd thought he'd hit it.

"Wolfkit, why don't we mark where the ball lands after each hit? We can try to best our previous attempts." suggested the apprentice as he got up and looked around for a stick he could use. After finding one not too far from them, he returned and walked over to where the moss ball sat. With the stick held firmly in his jaws, he scraped a deep line horizontal to the ball. Once he was satisfied with the visibility, he went back to where he'd bat it from and sat down again. Kerath placed down the stick beside him and turned back to address the she-kit with a chipper smile, "Alright, now hit it back this way and I'll mark where it ends up."

Admiral felt that the apprentice was getting off of his duties. "You there apprentice, aren't you supposed to be doing actual work?" he asked gently. He was new to this clan, but one of the rules he had learned was that everyone was to do their part in the clan and no mess around.

Wolfkit watched with glee as she watched the apprentice thwhack the moss ball far further than she ever had, a new goal for herself! She had started towards it when she heard Kestrelpaw's idea about marking where the ball landed. She turned quickly, "That's a great idea! Wow, I wish I woulda thought of that!" As the words practically tumbled out of her jaw, she rushed back over to where they had originally begun to bat the ball, and prepared herself. When Kestrelpaw was finished marking, she aimed, and swung her paw as hard as she could! The moss ball didn't go anywhere near as far as Kestrelpaw's shot, but it was a start. "Haha! That felt like a good one for me! Bet that was my best yet!"

Just as she was about to rush over with a stick herself to mark where it hit, she heard someone else approach, but when she turned her amber gaze on him, the cat, who she could only assume was a warrior or something, was telling Kestrelpaw to get back to work! Turning on her paw, lashing her fluffy tail, she marched on over to this cat. "Hey! This may not be work, but everyone likes fun! Everyone deserves some fun every once in a while!" Wolfkit's fur was fluffed out even more than usual, and her tail kicked up dirt in her wake. She looked up at the other cat with defiance in her eyes.

Admiral smiled at the younger kit. "Kitten, that is true however if the apprentice doesn't do his duties to the clan how can we survive? Is it not best for him to do his duties and then to play? He will have more time to play if he does his duties first." he said gently. He knew what it was like to play and to have to fun, but in his mind the duties would always come first....unless it was taking a nap in the sun. Admiral flicked his orange tail, "come now, would you like to help him kit?"

"It was a great hit! Went pretty far and I bet the next one'll go even farther! You got some strong paws on you." Kerath said to the young molly, enthusiastic tone in his voice. He was quite impressed with her. Whoever her mentor will be, there was no doubt that she'll exceed expectations. Maybe he'll be able to pass on a bit of his tricks to her once she enters her apprentice stage.

As the apprentice watched the energetic kit about to go and mark the moss ball's position, the tom heard pawsteps approaching them before he got a chance to see their owner. The cat that belonged to them was soon into view and the younger tom put on a polite smile. He'd seen Admiral working about but never really got a chance to interact with him yet. He knew the older cat was not clan born -his name should be an obvious sign of that- but that didn't mean he didn't fit in well with them. He was loyal and hardworking like the rest of the warriors and for that, he'd instantly earned Kestrelpaw's respect.

As the brown and white tabby was about to greet the warrior, he was cut off by the older tom himself asking why he wasn't working. The apprentice felt a bit taken aback by the inquiry. He had been doing his duties diligently up until he noticed Wolfkit playing alone. His fur burned with embarrassment and he was about to defend his actions when to his surprise, Wolfkit beat him to it. Kerath couldn't keep from outwardly showing his surprise and appreciation. The young tom snapped out of his mild daze as he quickly began to address the warrior, "Oh, um, Admiral, I was just taking a bit of a break from all the chores I'd been doing when I spotted Wolfkit playing by herself. I thought that she could use a playmate and joined her. I finished all of my duties earlier but it is true that I still have some more to do. I end up taking other apprentices' chores sometimes when I'm in an extra helpful mood. I tend to finish them before sundown but since I take on so many, I have to have breaks in between. I hope that's okay... It's just the way I do things..." The apprentice offered the older cat a sheepish expression as he awaited his response.

Admiral shrugged. "Well as long as you finish your duties....." he said with a smirk and a flick of his tail. "There is always time for play." Admiral wasn't well known in the clan yet but he liked to hurry his duties so that he could take a nap or take a stroll through the forest or just play with the kits in the nursery. He wasn't much for fighting or hunting, much preferring to lay in the sun all day and relax.
The orange tom looked around and didn't see Kestralpaw's mentor. "And as long as you aren't caught eh?" he said with a sheepish wink.

"Yeah, that's right there's always time for play!" Wolfkit hollered enthusiastically, her tone changing from defiant to joyful in a matter of moment. Her very poofed-out body got smaller, and she licked down some of her fur quickly. "Maybe you aren't so bad after all!" Wolfkit went to go pick up the moss ball, trotting over with it to Admiral, and scooting it over near him. "Do me one favor, how far can you whack this moss ball? It's for knowledge! I gotta know how far a warrior can whack one of these things! Then, I can train to become as strong as a warrior with it!" She said this all with a grin on her face and a joyous glint in her eyes, ready to watch him whack it as far as it could go.

Seeing the warrior's cheeky expression and the words that accompanied put Kestrel at ease. Phew! For a second there, he almost thought that he'd be turned away and hurried back to work. Good. Admiral was fine with them just messing about, he even seemed like he wanted to join! The whole situation had made the apprentice extra playful. It was a bit unlike him but a change of scenery never hurt.

"It should be alright. My dad wouldn't really mind me taking a break. We should be free to play for a bit." he replied to the warrior using a light tone. Then he turned back to Wolfkit with a grin as he watched her enthusiastic exclamations. Gosh. Her excitable personality was quite infectious. He nearly snorted at her words that the warrior 'wasn't so bad after all' but refrained out of respect for the older tom. As he observed Wolf interact with Admiral, he couldn't help but feel overly fond of the she-kit. She just reminded him of his siblings and most everyone was probably well aware by now of how protective of them he was. Perhaps he'll be adding Wolfkit in that list.

"That's a good idea, Wolfkit! What do you say, Admiral? Wanna show us how far you can whack this moss ball? You're going to have to mark where it lands, as I've done. It'll be a reminder of the length you'll have to surpass on your next turn. Here, take this stick." Kestrelpaw picked up the stick he'd been using with his jaws and brought it over to the warrior. He plopped it down and moved away to where he'd been previously seated as to give the older tom space. "Start whenever you're ready to. Then, it'll be my turn followed by Wolfkit's." he instructed with an enthusiastic nod of his head.

Admiral smiled eagerly and rushed over to whack the moss ball. He squared his hunches, wiggled his butt and whacked the ball up into the air. It didn't land very far and he looked embarresses. "I'm sorry, I didn't play as a young kitten." He looked at the two younger cat's with a smile and a flick of his tail.

Wolfkit's eyes widened as she saw the ball go, what would be farther than hers, but shorter than Kestrelpaw's. She was a little surprised that a warrior couldn't go farther than an apprentice, but that was ok, that just meant that he could get stronger too. Nobody was perfect, everyone is different, and its all chaos! As these thoughts went through Wolfkit's mind, she swept her tail, bumping Admiral in the shoulder. "Woah, that was good! Thanks for showing off! Don't worry, you can play now and stuff, so now eventually you'll go super-duper far!" She swiftly padded over, marked the position, and returned the moss ball to Kestrelpaw. "Ok you can do it! Get that thing super far!" She sat herself down, causing a small cloud of dirt to rise up for a moment, and Wolfkit set her amber eyes upon the moss ball.

Kerath felt a small pang of sadness for the older tom as he revealed that he never had the chance to play, even when he was a kit. Even Kestrelpaw, who mostly kept to himself during his early youth, partook in the joys of games every once in a while. Before he could say anything, Wolfkit stepped in with words of encouragement. He couldn't help the smile that formed on his face as he watched the she-kit mark the ball's position before passing it to him. "Wolfkit's right, Admiral. You can have whatever fun you'd like and try all the things you've missed in your kithood, whenever you have the time, of course. The more you practice, the more you'll improve your swing and I bet you'll bat it very far once you do." The brown and white tabby offered the older tom an encouraging grin and nodded at Wolfkit. Time for his turn now.

"Alright! Let's see if I can top my last hit." he commented as he positioned himself as to where it was easier for him to bat the moss ball. He eyed the line he marked before taking a clean swing with his paw. He held his breath as he watched it travel. Once it stopped moving, the tom got up and quickly made his way over to it, a stick ready in his jaws. As soon as he got there, he looked down and was quite surprised to see he had surpassed his last attempt only by a mouselength. He eagerly marked it and beckoned the others to him. "Look! I just barely passed my last mark. Didn't really think I could but I guess I got lucky." The apprentice passed over the moss to the she-kit. "Looks like it's your turn, Wolfkit. Let's see how far it'll go."

As the tom walked away and settled in an area that was not going to obstruct Wolf's hit, he looked over at Admiral, question clear in his mind that he wanted to ask. He took a few moments to contemplate before deciding on just asking, "Admiral? How... How was your life before you came here? Do you miss the way you used to live? You don't have to answer anything! I was just a bit curious..."

Admiral smiled at the younger cat, (he sure was curious). "Well, I didn't really have to do anything. I had some two-legged things that would take care of me. They didn't trap me in their den so I was free to roam around. Later on they got a new cat that their kept in their den." he shrugged in indifference, but hurt one bit.