snap! [open]

Yellow eyes stared just over the edge of the nursery entrance. Snakekit was lean and tall for his age but he pressed his belly to the ground, a serpent ready to strike. Sitting in the nursery grew increasingly more boring with each passing night. He didn't specifically desire to become an apprentice, and train as a warrior, for it would simply mean another cat telling him what to do. Instead, the little black creature desired only to do exactly what he wanted. And right now he wanted something exciting. Thus far, he had found few things more engaging than sinking his teeth into things. They were large, impressive, and it was satisfying to chomp down onto whatever was right in front of his maw. Normally, prey or sticks or the walls of the den sated this desire. But he wanted something more exciting. His little tail flickered across the den floor, stirring up the dirt as he waited eagerly for a target to pass just close enough.

And then... it was time! A cat approached! Every ounce of his little frame coiled in wait, and when they were close enough, Snakekit pushed off the ground and lunged. It was the hindpaw he was going for, maybe the tail flicking in from of it. Either would be just fine. Relishing in the fur between his fangs, a slight smile came to his maw. He held on tight, no desire to let go any time soon.

Grasspaw's tail didn't make much of a target. Sure, it was fluffy and gorgeous but it was also a third the length any other cat's would have been, and so it was the ginger she-cat's hind leg that Snakekit latched on to as she padded in to the nursery, her intent to poke around and see if Amberkit was around and wanted to hear about the cool thing she'd done in training today. Alas, she never laid eyes on her friend before there were tiny sharp fangs embedded in her limb, and a yowl-hiss escaped the apprentice in surprise as she lurched forward trying to dislodge them to no avail.

Whipping around to face her attacker, it took Grasspaw by surprise to see that her attacker was nothing more than a kit - a lanky, gangly one not too terribly younger than herself, but a kit nonetheless. Grasspaw flattened her ears and let out another menacing hiss, "Let go of me, twerp," she scowled, kicking her leg back none too gently, but like a stubborn tick, fast the little heathen held. "Let. Go!"

Deerleap heard screeches and yowls coming from the nursery. what was it now? she padded over, only to find her adopted little brother, Snakekit, clinging onto Grasspaw's hindleg like a burr. "Snakekit! let go of her! as a warrior and a cat of shadowclan, you should be helping your clanmates, not biting their hindleg! and Grasspaw, he's just a kit, please be more gentle!' despite her harsh words, Deerleap couldn't help but be grateful for the distraction.

Sootwhisker had been looking for Grasspaw, intent on taking her out for some battle training when he heard the commotion from the nursery. He padded over curiously at the sound of enraged yowling, letting out a purr of amusement at what he saw there. Grasspaw was furiously trying to shake off the kit that clung stubbornly to her leg while Deerleap stood over the pair, a stern expression on her face. It was quite a hilarious circumstance, in his opinion, but he didn't want the noise to attract any of their unwanted guests to investigate. He preferred for them to stay as far away from the nursery and elder's den as possible, though ideally they'd still be rotting in the Dark Forest.

"Snakekit, your clanmates aren't food. We've plenty of prey if you're hungry, though by the strength of that bite I'm sure you'll be an excellent hunter when you're old enough. As for you Grasspaw, remember that you were in the nursery not that long ago, and you surely must recall being a mischevious kit! Our young cats are the future of our clan, and we must be gentle with them. One day you'll be a warrior, and it will be your job to protect them."

He didn't want to scold them too harshly, finding the hilarity of it all lifted his spirits a bit from the dark place they'd sunk to as of late, but Snakekit couldn't exactly go around biting every cat he saw, and Grasspaw seemed dismissive of the idea of being responsible for other cats in her clan.

Deerleap glanced up with a smile upon hearing Sootwhisker's voice. catching the line about being a mischievous kit, Deerleap nudged Grasspaw. "weren't you the one coming into the warrior's den saying you had an important errand to make, and that it was top secret?" she purred.

Of course, the target shook furiously. It was a ginger she-cat, without much of a tail to go after. The more she writhed, the more he wanted to sink his teeth in. For a brief moment, Snakekit clung on, allowing his slender body to be whipped around like that of a limp adder. However, enough chastising voices finally caused his jaw to relax. He was throw a short distance, a couple of tail-lengths, and landed with a soft thud. The lanky, black-pelted creature simply laid there in the dirt. His head twisted just enough to look at his clanmates that gathered. He didn't know their names and hardly cared to despite the fact that at least one had been spoken.

Choosing to ignore most of what had been said, he shot Grasspaw a cheeky grin, "Yeah, you should be careful of kits. Like he said I'm the future of the clan!" His tail flickered slightly as he looked over each one of them. If he had any level of an ego, it might have been stoked by Sootwhisker's praise. However, he simply noted it and moved on, thinking instead about how much more fun it would be to latch onto an older cat - one who might put up more of a fight.

Assaulted from all sides! First, Deerleap, the fun-sucker who'd kicked her out of the warrior's den, and then, Sootwhisker, her own mentor! Somewhere between furious and aghast - after all, she'd been minding her own business when the little twerp launched his assault, Grasspaw kicked out again, finally sending the slender tom tumbling away, and as she stood there, twisting to rasp her tongue across the spot where he'd been latched on. The kit spoke up, and Grasspaw's eyes narrowed.

"I'll show you future of the clan," she growled, and then turned and launched herself at him. She landed right beside Snakekit and immediately boxed him around the ears with sheathed paws, being none too gentle but ensuring she wouldn't leave a mark.

His thin tail caught her eye as she pulled away, and for good measure, she pounced it, sinking her own tiny fangs in the same way he'd ravaged her leg. She'd probably pay for that in training later but Grasspaw had zero regrets as she clung to HIM this time, instead of the other way around.

As soon as Grasspaw had shook off Snakekit, the stubborn she decided to latch onto Snakekit now. Deerleap signed as she grabbed Grasspaw by the scruff and pulled them apart. “that’s enough. Snakekit, how about you go play with Brightkit and Fuzzykit instead? Grasspaw, I’m sure Sootwhisker will deal with you,” she said, her voice slightly muffled by ginger fur.

Swiftheart came back from a hunting patrol and did not see any context of what happened prior. All she saw when walking into camp was that Grasspaw leaped at Snakekit and boxed him on the ears and bit at him with her fangs.

She flinched seeing this and went over to the pair. Luckily it looked like Deerleap was already scolding Grasspaw rightfully so.

Swiftheart was a kind and gentle she cat who was very positive at almost all times but seeing an apprentice leap at, box a kits ears then bite its tail was not great in her mind and it upset her quite a bit. Still she was able to keep her cool and not get angry over it. "Grasspaw? How about we find you a better sparring partner than a kit, hmm? Perhaps another apprentice needs sparring practice as well ... or if you would like I think Murkystar is holding a sparring practice for the whole clan soon..."

Deerleap greeted her former mentor with relief. she was always glad to have a more experienced warrior around. maybe Grasspaw might actually listen to Swiftheart.