The Outside

Leafkit's mother had said not to leave the nursery. But if she really wanted the calico kit to stay inside, she wouldn't have fallen asleep. Obviously, the queen secretly wanted Leafkit to see the camp. Right? Right! The small kit stealthily crept across the den and towards the outside. I am stealth... I am utterly invisible...

The kit crept in a ridiculously low crouch, practically dragging herself across her stomach. This, of course, did nothing except get her pelt dirty as she made her way out into the sunlight in just about the most obvious manner possible. Her escape successful, Leafkit appeared to forget about stealth as she looked around the camp with enormous green eyes. It's so big! So many cats to meet and things to climb and questions to ask! Where to start...

Spottedflight had been sunbathing after a short hunting patrol, but quickly noticed the sound of a kit leaving the nursery. Blinking her eyes open, she saw a young calico trying to stealth-crawl her way out of the nursery. The young warrior flicked her ears in amusement before stretching out and padding over to the little kit. "Hello there! Is this your first time out?" she mewed quietly upon arriving at her destination, pretending to try to keep the air of stealth the kit had moments before.

Leafkit looked wildly around at the voice. Spying Spottedflight, the kit looked amazed. How did she detect me?! At warrior's question, Leafkit nodded vigorously. "Yep! I'm Leafkit!" Happily bouncing around the older cat, she unleashed a torrent of questions. "What's your name? Are you a warrior? Have you been outside of camp? What's it like? Have you-" Leafkit's questioning stopped abruptly as the kit crashed into Spottedflight's side in her exuberant bouncing.

Spottedflight smiled as she watched the kit's bouncing, reminding her of herself as a kit, and even as an apprentice. "Whoa,whoa, slow down" she mewed before the kit crashed into her. It didn't affect the larger cat, but she was concerned for the little Leafkit. "See? You should slow down a bit," she said to the kit before turning to face her. "Take that from personal experience! If you're too excited, they'll name you for it! That's why I'm called Spottedflight. And yes, as a warrior, I've been out of camp. And it's a great sight out there, I promise."

Seeming unaffected by the collision, Leafkit bounded to her paws. Slow down? But that's so boring! But Spottedflight was a warrior- maybe she knew something Leafkit didn't. Taking on a look of immense concentration, the kit managed to stop bouncing and sit down. Whew, is training going to be this hard?

Barely managing to stay still, Leafkit stared wide-eyed at Spottedflight. "Really? I'm not old enough to leave yet. But when I become an apprentice, I can go out there and I can hunt, and explore, and patrol..." The thought of doing such exciting things appeared to be too much for Leafkit, and she started jumping around again.

"Yep! It's a lot of fun, even now!" Spottedflight mewed, giving up on trying to calm the kit. She was too excitable, much like herself had been, and it was apparent as she couldn't manage to sit still. The warrior flicked her tail about, enjoying the company of the little she-kit.

Leafkit's eyes grew even wider as a thought came to her. "Have you been in a battle? Was it scary? I bet they were trespassing on Thunderclan territory! Was it Shadowclan? I heard they're real sneaky." Puffing out her chest slightly, Leafkit added,"But I'm sneakier! Though you somehow saw me..." she said, looking slightly put out.

Spottedflight chuckled a bit. "No, no, I've never been in a battle. But you're right, Shadowclan is sneaky. Almost as sneaky as you," she mewed, then, crouching low, said,"But you know, I'm even more sneaky than you. That's how I could notice you. But maybe, just maybe, I can teach you how to be so sneaky, even I can't spot you!"

Leafkit's eyes shone at Spottedflight's words."Really?!" The kit jumped up and down, positively ecstatic. "Yes, yes! Teach me, please! I'll be the sneakiest sneaker you ever taught!" The small kit continued leaping around wildly, somehow even more energetic than before. Wait! But she told me to slow down. If I want her to teach me, I gotta listen! Showing a remarkable amount of control, Leafkit somehow managed to stop jumping and sit down again. Her tiny tail quivered with effort as she sat, watching Spottedflight expectantly.

"I dunno, I've taught some pretty sneaky sneakers. But you seem to be off to a good start" Spottedflight mewed, even though she'd never taught anycat anything really. Observing the kit, Spottedflight realized she was trying to be still. "Good, being still is important. Now, next, you have to crouch down low, but not too low, like this" The warrior displayed a perfect hunter's crouch for the kit.

Leafkit glowed with pride at Spottedflight's compliment. As the older cat slid into a crouch, Leafkit's brow furrowed as she tried to copy the warrior. "Like this?" she mewed as she held a surprisingly good hunting crouch, though it was still too low. Getting into it now, the she-kit narrowed her eyes fiercely, imagining she was in Shadowclan territory. The effect was slightly ruined as Leafkit somehow lost her balance and tipped over, landing in the soft sand with a frustrated expression.

"Yes, except-" the warrior cut off into a muffled chuckle as the kit fell over. "Except you're a little bit too low. Otherwise, you'll get off-balance... now, come on, try it again, you were almost there!" she mewed, smiling at the kit.

Narrowing her eyes in determination, Leafkit got to her paws. She slid into a hunting crouch, not so low this time. She felt a shiver of excitement race up her spine, feeling like a warrior instead of the bothersome, hyperactive kit that some of the queens seemed to see her as.

Leafkit was young and energetic, but she had always been able to focus better than any of the other kits. She poured all of this focus in her limbs as she relaxed further into the crouch, the position coming to her small muscles naturally. "Like this?" she whispered, as if afraid that mewing too loud would mess her up.

Spottedflight smiled, nodding as the kit got it right. "Good! Now, step forward lightly so your paws don't make a sound, like this," Spottedflight grew quiet as she demonstrated the sneak forward for Leafkit, so she could hear that she couldn't hear the warrior's footfalls.

Leafkit felt a bolt of pride at the warrior's words, and the small kit let out a quiet purr. She grew more serious as Spottedflight silently snuck towards her. The kit's green eyes were wide with admiration as she watched the older cat. Taking a deep breath, she tried to creep forward as Spottedflight had, putting one small paw in front of another as quietly as she could. She of course wasn't even near as silent as Spottedflight, and the frustration in Leafkit's eyes was evident as her clumsy kitten paws gave her away.