Spiders in the Ebony Tree [c]

(OOC: Backdated to when Spider was still a kit)

Wake up, train, hunt, patrol, sleep, repeat. Perhaps not always in that order, but that was his life right now.

Ebonypaw felt more like a warrior than an apprentice at times, never giving himself much leisure time unless Hollypaw or someone else requested his attention. He didn't mind, it kept his thoughts busy, but his body wasn't in agreement. It was tired and achy from his constant movement. Perhaps he could afford himself a break for once, he couldn't perform his best anyway if his muscles were in protest.

So, as he entered camp with a fish in his jaws, he found himself a comfy spot near the apprentice den to enjoy it instead of returning to the rivers. He had fed the elders already and this fish was smaller than the others he caught. Surely he could claim this one as his own. Quietly, he curled his paws under himself to lay in the shade, falling into his bad habit of cat watching.

He shouldn't eavesdrop, it was rude, but it filled his social requirements without having to talk to anyone. He could catch clan gossip, pick up on current events, and get a better feel for his clanmates without the stress true interaction entailed. Currently, it looked like Bearspirit's kits were out of the nursery. He hadn't gotten the chance to meet any of them yet, but they looked sweet enough. He watched them play, taking nibbles out of his fish and enjoying the quiet.

Spiderkit has scampered away again, lose in the camp as they would say. Causing misfortune and mishap, though the warrior's is safe from his chaos as he knows full well they can catch him- too easily. Apprentices however, is a 50 50 chance. Spiderkit had noticed the dark gray tabby lounging near, with his hiney held high he approaches the apprentice quietly, before going into a pouncing stance he seen many times (though of course never perfected). When the time was right he leapt, paws outstretched as he tries to catch the already caught fish.

Ebonypaw's ears flicked towards the sound to his left, but he didn't turn his head towards it. He had noticed one of the kits had gone missing from his sight, and the sound of light pawsteps gave him a sneaking suspicion that was where they had gone. Cats were intimidating to chat with, but he liked kits. They felt a little easier to talk to... hypothetically. He never gathered the courage to start a conversation, but it looked like this one was taking the initiative.

Playing unaware, he kept his focus centered on the little tom's siblings until they finally pounced for his prey. He jumped back in mock surprise, lifting himself up on his paws and 'inadvertently' allowing the kit more space to perform his heist. "Hey!" He squawked, having to swallow his chuckles as the kit made off with his fish. "Scoundrel! Caught me when my guard was down, how devious!" He placed a paw to his chest to better play up his shock.

Spiderkit was grinning mischeviously with fish in his jaw, luckily it was small enough for the kit to hold. He would be triumphant if he just runs away- "Hah!" The kit yipped happily, subsequently dropping the fish from her jaws, but he needed the time to boast! "I did it! I bet an apprentice to the food!"

Though while he was dancing around he tripped over the fish that he dropped and tried to steal and floofed onto the ground.

Ebonypaw softly chuckled as he allowed the kit to gloat, letting his facade slip. It was an adorable enough display he had no qualms against losing his meal, he could always catch another fish later.

However, his ears perked when the little kit tripped over his stolen goods. "Oh! Are you alright?" He chirped, padding over to the kitten's side and crouching down to get on their level. "You gotta be careful, a master thief has to be aware of their surroundings, or else their cache might be stolen back." He paused for dramatic effect before nudging the fish a little closer to the kit with a paw. "But, I'm generous." He offered a gentle smile, his eyes still scanning for injuries just in case. It hadn't looked like a hard tumble,

As fast as the kit fell, the kit rebounded back just as fast! "Yeah! Never been better after I eat the fish!" Though he pouts when the apprentice oh so willingly hands him the fish. "Aww but that's no fun! I'll feel bad for taking your fish then!" He says as though him having fun stealing it would have somehow gotten rid of the guilt.

"Ah true, it isn't as fun to take when your prize is being given, hm?" Ebonypaw didn't quite agree, he couldn't stand the thought of stealing something himself, but this was just harmless fun. This was just a kit and he didn't want to turn a game into a lecture. "Then I guess I'll just have to teach you how to be a better thief so you can steal from the more unsavory people." He mused, acting as though he was debating the thought before adjusting his crouch. He lifted his belly off the ground and kept his tail low and still, a more classic hunting crouch. Perhaps this "lesson" could have dual meanings.

"This is the best pose to take while sneaking up on things. You keep low to the ground but only your paws should touch it, it kepts you quiet and hard to see that way."

The kit's eyes glow at the thought of learning actual fighting moves from an apprentice. Well, any form of moves really. "Oh yes, please! I want to learn!" His sour mood evaporates almost immediately as he hops left and right. Though he quickly let it die town and copied the apprentice. "Like this? Like this?" Before the apprentice could really check the stance, the kit is jumping left and right, as though he was pouncing on something, except rather poorly, well much like a kitten on a ball of moss.

Ebonypaw chuckled softly as the kit bounced around like a wound-up rabbit. "I'm sure any Windclanner would be jealous of your agility, but you gotta be still if you don't want to be seen. Or else your target will notice you and make off without you getting to steal anything! You gotta save all that energy once you get up on your mark, then strike faster than a heron."

He took a few steps forward to demonstrate. His pawsteps were a bit exaggerated to make it more fun to watch, but kept true to the fundamental rules of a good hunting crouch. "You gotta be patient, then leap when you are most confident." His tail flicked, his gaze gentle as he watched the kit.

"If I run faster than the prey then I don't need to be sneaky!" Spiderkit chirped in brightly. "And I am ALWAYS confident!" He puffs out his chest proudly before wiggling his butt and leaping once more, but this time at a nearby twig.

Ebonypaw purred quietly. "Ah, silly me. I didn't think of that." Amusement tinged his voice. "I guess you're faster than a hare then? Or..." His positioning dropped from a proper hunting crouch to something more battle-ready, his paws firmly planted on the ground. "a fellow thief? Because that's a nice-looking twig you secured yourself." His tail flicked from side to side playfully as he eyed the kitten before making a dash for Spiderkit's current catch. He moved slower than he could in reality, giving the kit time to run or retaliate.

"Of course I'm faster than a hare!" He doesn't know how fast a hare runs, but he of course already knows that he is faster. "Hey! That's stealing!" he hisses, picking up the twig and making his very awesome faster-than-a-hare getaway. His tail held high as the overconfident kitten he will be safe once he takes this twig he only knows for a few seconds into the nursery. Yes. Apprentices aren't allowed in the nursery! Right...?

Ebonypaw was quick to chase after the kitten, chuckling all the while and feeling like a kit himself. It wasn't very often he allowed any sort of play when he could be providing some service to the clan, but kits were just as important, he could afford himself this simple fun.

His paws came to a halt as Spiderkit ducked into the nursery, preventing his pursuit. He was much too big to be scampering around in the den, it would certainly ruffle a queen's fur. So instead, he plopped down into a sit to lament his loss. "Oh, you were much too quick for me! You really are a master thief."

With the words the young kit was looking for, he popped his head back out, chest-puffing with pride that was too big for his own body. "The best thief! When I grow up I can steal all the other clan's fishes!" unbeknownst to him, the other clan doesn't have fish.

"But that's okay, I was just playing with you cause I'm the master thief! you can have your toy back." he disappears before coming back out with the same stick, "you're welcome! I would never upset a clanmate!" despite many things he said to be contradictory, the kitten was still beaming with joy. But mostly pride, definitely a pride string struck.