Creepy Crawlies [Open]

To Littlekit, it seemed that Mossykit might not be interested in friends, but he quickly determined that simply could not be true. What cat wouldn't want someone to play with? Still, the little grey and white tom had no desire to be intrusive when it came to his denmate. He sat back on his haunches and watched for several moments as the other kit crawled after something. Littlekit tipped his head to the side. Never having seen such a creature before, his eyes grew wide.

Several long seconds passed as he weighed the agonizing decision to step forward and break the silent. Finally, with soft paws, he crept forward in a crouch. Stopping a mouselength away, he mewed softly, "What is that thing?"

There was a considerable mental coinflip going on in her mind as she watched some of the youngest of Riverclan's members play. On one paw, there was significant envy at their energy, their ability to move and pretend to hunt without the burden of responsibility. Or, more pressingly, illness. On the other paw, perhaps it had been due to her mother's lineage, she respected their youth. Didn't want to get too near for fear of getting them sick with something that she felt could so easily cost them their lives, given just how harshly it was that Murkyriver felt. In fact, she had to turn her head away as a sneeze forced its way out of her, the pressure causing her ears to ring and the dizziness a bit stronger than it should have been.

Once she was no longer fighting off a wave of symptoms, though, the kit's question reached her ears. What is that thing? Looking, she attempted to find just what it was the other kit had underpaw, when- ah. She caught a flash of the bug's shell.

Words never came easily to her. Never had, never would. But she could observe the youth playing before her, and she crept forwards to insert herself more closely to their play. Whiskers twitching, she debated whether or not to provide the answer, but instead opted only to continue to observe. Only because she didn't have the strength to go out and hunt, at least.

A beetle? Littlekit tipped his head to the side, peering at the creature and trying to memorize its shape. This thing was so much smaller than a cat, and even a vole! He found it to be smooth like a pebble at the lake's shore with a pelt just as dark as a starless night. His eyes widened and his tail flickered with excitement. Warmth blossomed in his chest as Mossykit responded rather than shrugging him off. There was nothing he loved more than basking in the presence of a clanmate, and enjoying activities together.

A sneeze caused his ear to flick. His denmate's jump was more of a shock than the earth-shattering sneeze. He'd grown up with such sounds ringing in his ears. Littlekit turned his head to look at Murkyriver and greet her with a warm smile before turning back to the beetle when Mossykit piped up again. His thoughts started churning. Maybe he could learn to be like mice and beetles, feeling the ground around him to make up for the slight impediment on his vision. Seeing the world in his way was something he was used to, and hardly slowed him down. But occasionally, he wondered if it would make hunting harder. Or battle.

"Woah." Littlekit muttered incredulously at the thought, "Do you think I could be like a beetle too?" Maybe if they studied the creature long enough, all of its secrets would be revealed.