psychosomatic freedom to your head [S]

Larkkit & Willowkit

Larkkit was not a fan of the new kits that had filled the nursery. Despite what Rookkit had said to him, they did not leave the nursery immediately. There was getting Perchstar settled, letting the kits grow up, organizing for mentors because there were simply not enough warriors to go around…all in all, Poppyshine had still delayed their ceremony for a while longer, and Larkkit was irritated about that. He was too big for the nursery at this point. He was itching to leave camp for once. He wanted to go to a Gathering. He something more out there…

But no. He was stuck here.

He batted around a moss ball on the ground. Rookkit was busy with Sunkit—because of course they were, they always were—and so Larkkit was once again left to occupy his time all alone. He really did not care about the death of that old elder, but at least he had occupied more of Sunkit’s time. Now there was no one and Rookkit seemed to feel obligated to stick around him. If Larkkit was sad, then would they ignore Sunkit for him? Larkkit liked to think so, but did not know for sure. That just frustrated him more.

Larkkit swatted at the moss ball and it went rolling further than he’d wanted. He huffed and got up to trot after it, but its momentum was stopped by another passing kit. Larkkit stopped short. When the silver she-kit looked up at him, his ears lowered. It was one of Perchstar’s annoying kits.

“You were running after this,” Willowkit said. She turned and pushed the ball back towards him. Larkkit huffed and let the moss ball bounce off of his paw, but he made no motion to actually grab at it. That would be like playing with her. Willowkit tilted her head. “What is bothering you?”

Larkkit’s fur bristled. “Nothing is bothering me.”

“You only look more irritated. It is clear that something is bothering you.”

Larkkit growled. First Sunkit, and now this one? Were all cats so stupid that they couldn’t understand when he did not want to talk? (Yes.)

“You are Rookkit’s brother, are you not?” she asked, either oblivious to or just ignoring his anger. “It was…Larkkit?” She paused and when Larkkit said nothing, she added, “I am Willowkit. Rookkit spoke highly of you.”

That made Larkkit pause and her perked up again, anger momentarily forgotten. “Of course he did. We are very close.”

Willowkit nodded. Rookkit had said that Larkkit did not get along with many cats. The concern was evident even if they did not say it, and she could understand why now. But Larkkit seemed positive when the subject of his sibling was brought up. She wondered if his earlier irritation had to do with him at all.

“So where is Rookkit? I have not seen them today,” mewed Willowkit.

Larkkit’s ears flattened again and his eyes narrowed. “They’re with Sunkit,” he spat.

Ah, she had met him too. She blinked a couple of times and meowed, “You are not a fan?”

“He’s annoying.”

“He is your sibling’s friend.” That made Larkkit’s face twist badly. Definitely not a fan. Willowkit watched him for another minute before she asked, “Are you always like this?”

The question was an odd one and kind of caught Larkkit off guard. He looked at her and replied, “Like what?”

“…bitter,” she replied, choosing that word carefully. Larkkit stared at her like he was processing. She added, “You will not make many friends like that.”

“I don’t need friends,” Larkkit replied immediately. “I have Rook.”

Willowkit can see the flaw in his logic. “And what about when they are busy? Or with Sunkit?” His ear twitched, but he said nothing. “Mama always says that it is important to watch what you say.”

Larkkit rolled his eyes and slumped down onto the ground. “Your Mama doesn’t like me,” he replied indignantly. “And for no reason either. I just asked her questions and she yelled at me.”

Mama had never yelled as long as she had been alive. If she had to yell, there was probably a good reason—or Larkkit was exaggerating. He seemed like the kind of cat to inflate things in his mind. Mama had warned her about doing that too. She took a couple steps towards him and sat down. “If she yelled at you, then you must have said something improper, or you were doing something wrong. Do you ever look at your own behavior?” He looked at her and his eyes narrowed again. He did that a lot. Could he see right? “If you act poorly to other cats, they will act poorly back at you. You should not treat your clanmates poorly.”

Larkkit lifted his chin. “I don’t care about other clanmates. I have Rookkit.”

Willowkit’s tail flicked as her irritation finally started to mount. “If you keep thinking like that, then no one will like you. And no one will help you when you are in trouble. The territory is not like camp: it is dangerous. You need to trust in clanmates or else you will be hurt.”

“What would you know? You’re not an apprentice.”

“My Mama is already teaching me and my siblings everything I need to know for when I am apprenticed.”

Larkkit’s lip curled and he growled, “I guess I haven’t been getting those lessons.”

“Your mother should be teaching you.”

“My mother is dead,” he snapped, fur raising again. Arrogant little kit. Her mother was the leader, of course she was having a wonderful time in camp. He knew only what the queens had time to tell him, and with the number of kits in the nursery, there was no time for him—or for Rookkit.

Willowkit paused. “Your father then.”

“He’s gone.”

Ah. Willowkit’s tail flicked along the ground with embarrassment. “I am sorry,” she replied. “My father is not here either.”

“I know. Your father is probably some rogue.”

Willowkit blinked again. She had not asked her mother about their father yet, and she had not given it much thought. This ‘rogue’ word was strange to her, but Larkkit was so irritated that she did not want to ask. She feared she would not like the answer that he gave her. Instead, she replied, “My point stands. If you were not taught these lessons, then learn them now: Your life will be easier if cats like you.”

Larkkit watched her. He wanted to argue and say that that did not matter. He had Rookkit, after all…but Rookkit would not always be with him on patrols. If what this Willowkit was saying was true, and he was putting himself at risk on the field due to his personality…well. He could not risk that. He swore to Rookkit that he would never leave them alone.

“And how do I get cats to like me?” Larkkit finally asked.

There we go. Willowkit nodded. “You be kind.” Poppyshine had been teaching her more about these things than Mama. She always told her and her siblings about the importance of kindness and generosity. “Say hello to cats. Ask them about their day. Help them when they need it.” She looked at his soured expression again. “…smile instead of whatever it is you’re doing.”

Larkkit’s eyes narrowed again. He tried to stretch his lips in that way that stupid Sunkit always did.

Willowkit blinked rapidly. “Okay. Don’t do that,” she mewed. “Don’t snap at other cats. Just…” Oh how was she supposed to explain this? She ran ideas through her mind and settled on, “Pretend other cats are Rookkit, and treat them how you would treat him.”

Treat other cats like Rookkit? That was absurd. Larkkit almost wanted to laugh in her face…but maybe she was right. How would he know? The only way to know would be to try. He watched her, skepticism clear on his face. He finally asked, “Well what if I really, really hate a cat? What if I can’t stand them?”

Willowkit shrugged. “I still think it is better to try, but if you truly cannot, I suppose that one cat who does not like you will not be all that important? But you still must try.”

Larkkit sighed. Fine. He would try. He could be…nice. He could pretend. Maybe everything would be less irritating if he did.

He stood and placed a paw on the moss ball. He looked at Willowkit, judging her for a moment, trying to read…something off of her. Willowkit stared blankly back at him during the assessment. Finally, Larkkit let the angry expression drop from his face and he meowed, “…thank you.”

Ah. He looked better already. Willowkit nodded and replied, “Of course. I am happy to help a fellow clanmate.”

Larkkit resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He would never roll his eyes at Rookkit. He then carefully batted the moss ball towards her. Willowkit stopped it and looked at him inquisitively. When he did not walk away, she pushed it back.

Their afternoon was spent in silence, just rolling the ball back and forth at one another.

Credits: code inspiration - 1 2 |  image 1 | image 2 | image 3