A Chilly Afternoon(Closed)

Hollowkit sprawled himself out on a large rock in camp. It was quite cold and most cats were in there dens or out on patrol. A breeze came and went causing the trees to sway. Hollowkit actually kind of liked leaf-fall, with all the beautiful leaves and chill winds. He stretched his front paws out and yawned. The kit surveyed the camp seeing who was out, a couple of elders, some apprentices play fighting… Oh! Dawnfeather! he saw the she-cat and smiled happily. It hadn’t been long since she had adopted Hollowkit… He sat up and trotted towards her happily.
“H-hi Dawnfeather!” he squeaked.

Dawnfeather was perched in a tree just outside SkyClan camp, watching the warriors trot in and out of camp. Which was Olive’s crush? She couldn’t- for obvious reasons, Pigeonpaw and Beetlepaw were ruled out. It couldn’t be anyone too much older than them, and she doubted it was anyone younger. Maybe… Newtspring? He’d been her mentor, but they were very close in age. Somehow, she didn’t think that was it… hmm… she kneaded her paws on the branch. A chilly breeze ruffled her fur and she shivered, leaping down from her branch and trotting back into camp.

“Hollowkit!” She responded joyfully, always pleased to see the little tom-kit. “What have you been doing?” The young warrior asked with a purr, very gently headbutting the silver tabby. Maybe they could play a game together! Or maybe… ooh, Hollowkit would be apprenticed soon, wouldn’t he? A part of her- alright, most of her- wanted to be his mentor, just to be able to watch over him more closely… but she didn’t want to stifle him. In the end, it was up to Bloodstrike, wasn’t it?

Hollowkit purred and curled the tip of his tail. Another gush of the crisp wind almost knocked him off his feet, it carried crumbled but colorful leaves with it, and it looked as if they were jumping up and down with joy. He steadied himself, shook the leaves that stuck to him from his fur, and gave her a toothy smile.

“N-nothing much, just enjoying the weather, h-how about you Dawnfeather?” he asked, Hollowkit stared up at her with his large yellow eyes that sparkled in the sun. “I’m actually quite b-bored,” he spoke with a squeaky and piping mew.

His voice had gotten higher the more confident  he became with his speaking abilities, he still had his stutter, but at least he cared less about it. Though every time some cat mentioned it he still got embarrassed and wanted to curl up in his nest, But that’s not what a warrior would do! he’d tell himself. Hollowkit snapped out of his thoughts and focused back on Dawnfeather.

“Nothing much, either,” the young warrior mewed back, her golden fur shining in the sunlight. “We could play mossball? Or… I could tell you a story? Or… we could play Clans? Which do you wanna do, Hollowkit?” Dawnfeather dropped to a crouch, meeting his yellow gaze. She’d noticed him becoming more confident, his stutter becoming less noticeable. It made her shiver with joy, the knowledge that she’d helped him, impacted another cat’s life.

A smile spread across her face, accompanied by sincere joy in her eyes. She loved her friends, loved her family, and, to her, Hollowkit was family. She thanked the stars that had brought her into his life.

“Hmmmm, they all sound l-like fun!” he purred, mainly to himself. Hollowkit stared upwards at the sky thinking. “Okay l-let’s play clans! That sounds f-fun! he bobbed up and down, he never really been invited to play with the other kits, and he was too scared to ask to play with them as well so it was nice of Dawnfeather to ask him to play. Hollowkit’s fur tingled with excitement as he thought of his character…

“I-I’ll be the Skyclan leader, H-Hollowstar!” he leapt up on a rock nearby, puffed out his chest proudly, and let out a little “rawr”, that was more of a newborn kit squealing. He giggled and looked to Dawnfeather again, to see what she would do.

Dawnfeather grinned as Hollowkit leapt onto a nearby rock, puffing out his chest in a comical manner. “Not Hollowstar, the leader of the strongest Clan in the forest!” She mewed in exaggerated distress, flopping onto her back, barely containing a smile. “I mean… quake in despair, Hollowstar! It is I, Dawnstar of… hmm… WindClan, I guess? Yeah, WindClan. Ehem… we have come to conquer your territory,” she said, clambering back to her paws.

“Look upon us and despair,” she mewed, flicking her tail at the leaves behind her. “Pretend those are WindClan cats,” she whispered, getting into the game. “What are you going to do, Hollowstar, against our far superior… umm… stinkyness? WindClan’s kinda stinky.” The young warrior dropped into a crouch with a smile, flicking her tail to show she was ready.

Covering his mouth with his paws to stop himself from laughing, Hollowkit cleared his throat.

“ Ahem, I-I Hollowstar of Skyclan d-declare war against the stinky c-cats of Windclan!” he meowed. He jumped down from the rock and started mauling the fallen leaves. Hollowkit threw the leaves into the air and swiped at them. After he “finished them off” he rolled over and faced Dawnfeather panting.

“ I-“ Hollowkit started but before he finished he burst out into a coughing fit. He shook his head and looked back at the she-cat. “ I challenge you, D-Dawnstar of Windclan, t-to a warrior duel!” He shouted in a triumphant voice. He laughed a little bit before lowering into a crouch.

“No, not my brave warriors!” Dawnfeather flopped onto the ground again with a melodramatic moan. A few warriors were looking over, grinning at the young warrior. “A warrior duel? Against Hollowstar, defeater of warriors?” She gulped, taking a step backwards and rising to her paws. “I… oh, look!” She pointed with her tail before leaping forwards, careful to not actually touch the tom with her paws, sheathed as they were. “Aha! Never look away from an enemy,” she purred, mischief glinting in her eyes. “Will you surrender now, Hollowstar? Or will I be forced to drop a leaf on your head? Or even a feather?”

The kit smirked as the she-cat flopped over in distress. Hollowkit crouched down and let out a tiny growl.

“Skyclan w-warriors never surrenders!” he shouted as hauled himself at Dawnfeather. He pawed at Dawnfeather’s stomach playfully and leapt off quickly. The kit let out a squeal of joy as he leapt off of her, Hollowkit made sure he hadn’t actually hurt Dawnfeather but what was a small kit going to do to warrior.

He luckily landed on his feet though he almost slipped and fell on a leaf when he pushed himself back. Hollowkit puffed out his chest once more and purred in his supposed victory.

Dawnfeather let out an oof as Hollowkit sprang on her- he was getting bigger. He’d be an apprentice soon… she’d better savor these memories. “True! SkyClan never surrenders!” But sometimes tactically withdraws, she thought with a grin. Her eyes widened with momentary worry as the grey tom nearly slipped, but he managed to right himself.

“You’ve won, Hollowstar!” she purred, still on her back, blue eyes shimmering in the sunlight. The young warrior rolled onto her side, enjoying the warmth a solitary ray of sunlight brought her. “You’ll be an apprentice soon…” her tail flicked in concern. A lot of things had happened to her as an apprentice… what if she wasn’t there to protect him? “I could give you some tips, if you want,” she offered.

“T-that’d be great, t-thanks!” he purred. Hollowkit didn’t realize he’d be an apprentice so soon. It was exciting, but he’d miss the nursery, his old nest, relaxing in camp, and playing with Dawnfeather… He rolled onto his back and stared at the blue sky. “Maybe you could be my m-mentor!” he stuttered in a hopeful mew. Hollowkit shifted to make himself more comfortable and sighed. Maybe, just maybe. He imagined him and Dawnfeather practicing battle moves and climbing trees together. One day. One. Day.