little paws, lofty goals [c]

A frown has worried its way onto Littlekit's maw. Often, however he was feeling would flicker easily across his expression, betraying whatever was brewing in his mind. At this moment, he was contemplating how to keep himself busy. With so many cats sick, it seemed like every cat older than a kit was constantly on their paws working to keep the clan fed. Ultimately, the tiny tom had decided that he wanted to help somehow. It was his self-appointed mission to make the clan better, one day at a time. But what to do? He was too young to go on patrols to hunt and the medicine cats were already doing everything they could. Plus, medicine cats could talk to Starclan! Littlekit couldn't talk to Starclan.

He hummed softly to himself while staring down the bridge of his nose. At the end of his slightly clouded vision, the tom-kit's eyes settled on a black and white warrior. Larkspring! The name came to him quickly, one he recognized from watching the warriors around camp. Littlekit was known for his silent watching, often studying things so intently as if to determine the core of their very nature. And that was exactly what he found himself doing. Absentmindedly so, of course. Given he was on his paws, without quite meaning to, he tottered closer to the older tom until they were only a mouselength apart.

And he just stood there. Not thinking about the fact that he had drawn so close to another cat he was likely invading their space, but instead silently focused on the task of figuring out what it was that he, a kit, could do to make the world better for Larkspring. It was a lofty task and so, the staring continued.

"O-oh!" He squeaked, shocked from his silent stupor. Littlekit blinked several times and immediately snapped into focus. It was then he realized how close he had managed to wander to the warrior and took a step back. Tipping his head, the little kit grinned sheepishly, not knowing quite what to say. Only seconds earlier his mind had flitted through several fanciful thoughts on the matter at paw, settling on nothing, and lacking any sort of formal decision. What was he supposed to say to Larkspring when he had no idea what the answer was.

The tom's tail flickered anxiously. His coat fluffed out in embarrassment, making him look like an overgrown burr. After a beat, Littlekit tipped his head as far back as it would go to properly look up at the black and white warrior. He was trying to be brave and certain in his speech but it was hard when his eyes darted away every few seconds. Still, he mewed, "I'm trying to figure out how to help you." That was all he said. Simple and without explanation.

"Well, I, uh..." Littlekit stumbled to find the right words. He was used to dealing with the more friendly and warm cats of Riverclan. Ears heating up in embarrassment, the tom-kit froze with his tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth. The urge to shrink back into the nursery was overwhelming, yet combated by the urge to make a difference within his clan. For too many moons, his paws had paced the nursery and up and down the length of the makeshift camp walls. It was maddening. He wanted to be an apprentice just like every cat and put his paws to work.

He was staring again. These thoughts bounced about in his head and he realized that his gaze had affixed itself on a patch of Larkspring's gray fur. Littlekit swallowed and ducked his head, "I-it's okay I won't get sick. I haven't gotten sick yet, see!" Suddenly, the kit jumped emphatically, as if to show his adequate state of being. In hindsight, that might now have been the most convincing argument but at least it was something.

The rising uncertainty in Littlekit's chest seemed to bubble over. He'd never felt so out of place in front of another cat as he did in that moment. Maybe Larkspring was right after all and his attempts to do something with his time were just a waste. After all, he already felt so underfoot and helpless all the time. His coat pricked and he shook himself out. The thought of being the next to fall victim to the sickness had come to him more than once, especially when seeing so much of it around on a daily basis. To hear it so bluntly though... it made the little grey and white tom want to cower.

"I, uhm, okay. I'm sorry for getting in the way, Larkspring." Littlekit muttered in defeated with his head lowered. He wasn;t quite sulking but he was certainly resigned as he turned to head back to his empty nest in the nursery. A nap sounded like good comfort right now, even if it was always lacking the warmth of another cat.