Curiosities[C]

Copperkit had been watching the tom for some time. Curlyfluff was a popular cat among his clanmates, with many friends, and so far seems very reliable. But that was not all. Curlyfluff was always so kind, always thinking about others first. Copperkit had tried multiple times to share the same concern for the cats around her, but she always slipped, making one or two comments that hurt them. Each time she spotted the look of hurt on their faces, Copperkit felt her heart sink. How could Curlyfluff do it so efforetlessly? Lost in her thoughts, she hadn't realized that she had been starring until the warrior was right in front of her.

Having returned from a patrol and eating some prey, Curlyfluff couldn't help but notice a dilute kit looking his way. At first he assumed the small kit was simply lost in thought or perhaps wasn't even looking at him at all, but after a few moments of watching the she-cat's intentional stare towards him he presumed otherwise.

So much doom and gloom had been going on with the clan lately that chatting with a kit was just what he needed to lift his spirits, or at least he hoped it was what he needed. Standing up and giving his curly pelt a shake, he grabbed a mouse and padded over to the kit. "Hi little one," the warrior purred as he sat down and placed the mouse in front of her. "Wanna share a meal?" he asked with a smile, tilting his head in a curious manner.

Copperkit jumped to her paws at the sound of the warrior's voice. She looked up at the huge tom, finding herself too terrified for a moment to say anything. Recovering quickly from her initial shock, she nodded quietly and offered Curlyfluff a shy smile. He didn't seem to have any ill intention, so it would be ok, right?

Noticing that he’d taking her a little by surprise, the warrior laid down in hopes of looking a little less threatening. He’d forgotten how small kits could be and hoped he hadn’t scared her too much.

Placing one of his paws under his chest, he used his other to hold down the prey and took a bite from the softer part of the mouse. Putting it back down in front of the kit, a smile rested on his maw. “Here, this way it’ll be easier to eat.”

Copperkit sniffed the morsel of meat warily. Curlyfluff was as kind and sweet as she had observed. The dilute she-kit looked up at the tom, searching for even the smallest signs of boredom or malice, but found nothing but a gentle fondness. Was this tom even real? Remembering Blazefang's stories about Starclan warriors, she immediately placed a paw on the warrior's.

Her pelt flushed with embarrassment as she realized that Curlyfluff was as alive as the rest of her clanmates. Fool, of course he is! There aren't any stars around him, if you cared to look. Copperkit quickly retracted her paw and turned to nibble at the bit of mouse. Her ears burned as she looked away, hoping the tom wouldn't ask about what had just happened.

The little she-kit didn’t seem too keen on talking, but that didn’t bother him at all and he supposed a little silence every once in a while was good for the soul. Before he was able to say anything else, the kit placed a paw gingerly atop his own. He was a little surprised by the gesture and wasn’t quite sure how to react, but he couldn’t help himself from chuckling at the situation. He didn’t really understand what had just happened, but it was cute none the less. Perhaps she was curious about how his fluffy pelt felt or was wondering why he was so much larger than her, only StarClan knew.

”Us warriors are a curious thing,” he laughed as she began to peck at the piece of mouse that he’d shared.

Curlyfluff's laughter only made her pelt flush even more. She closed her eyes, wishing for a moment to just sink below the ground and never surface again. Taking in a deep breath, Copperkit composed herself and turned to face Curlyfluff with a slight smile. Yellow eyes watched the tom's bright smile for a moment. How did he be so good all the time without trying? Unless... unless he was trying, but didn't want to show his struggles with being a good cat. Maybe he has bad intentions, but wants every cat to think he has good ones.

The more she turned it over in her mind, the more she was sure that Curlyfluff was not as she first thought. The fur along her back bristled as she took a step away from the tom. Should she call Blazefang? No, no no, don't be a mouse-brain. You don't know that he's bad. Just because you yourself have no empathy and no heart doesn't mean it's the same for other cats... isn't it? What if I am normal, and Curlyfluff is also rotten in the heart? The dilute tortoiseshell flexed her claws as she continued to turn the question this was and that.