Sharing is caring [Open]

Duskpaw sat in the clearing, the worst of his cough over, but half starved from the lack of prey being brought in by the hunting patrols. He could see his sister Coalpaw working tirelessly, bringing in whatever she could, but it wasn't enough. At first, the lack of prey didn't seem to be that bothersome when the clan had enough warriors hunting that they could make up for it was more patrols, but with so many sick like Blazingpaw and Thornclaw, he could feel the tensions rising. And being half-starved meant it was harder for him to recover fully from the dreaded Greencough that had drained him off whatever strength he had.

"Eat." He heard after the thump of a rabbit being dropped in front of him. Coalpaw stood before him, her once glossy fur dull, and lacking the care that usually his sister placed in her appearance. Duskpaw could see she was barely standing on her paws, let alone conscious, and nudged the rabbit closer to her.

"Only if you do." Coalpaw responded to her brother's request by simply sitting down gracefully and taking a small bite of the rabbit. Then she looked at him expectantly as if demanding her reciprocated the gesture. Duskpaw followed through by taking a decent mouthful, but when he saw a fellow clanmate nearby, he called out.

"Hey! Come and share this rabbit. It's more than enough for the three of us."

Tawnykit, who had greencough, ran over. "Hey Duskpaw! Hey Coalpaw!" The kit was older now, exactly four moons old, and could eat food now. She smiled. "Yay!" She sat down next to the bigger cats.

Coalpaw shifted aside to make room for the tiny kit, settling down pressed against her brother. She mreowed in greeting to the kit. "Hello Tawnykit."

Duskpaw pushed the rabbit closer to the kit, it wasn't the plumpest, but considering the shortage of prey, it was a feast. "Have a bite, it's pretty great."

Tawnykit smiled. "Thank you!" She bit in. The flavors of the forest ran wild in her mouth. She rubbed her belly and licked her lips. "Delicious!" She bit in again, but then politely waited for them to have a bite.

The pair meowed in amusement at the kits gusto while eating, it reminded them of times gone by when they were kits. Duskpaw nudged the rabbit closer to the kit, then spoke.

"You don't need to worry about us, eat comfortably." Prey was scarce, but strong kits meant a stronger clan, and it helped that Tawnykit was a particularly adorable kit. His empty stomach could cope.

Coalpaw padded off after giving her brother a gentle lick on the head, off to hunt more prey.

Tawnykit watched Coalpaw go. "Bye, bye.." She was yet to know her name. "What's your name?" She called, wanting to know before she left. "And yours, too?" She asked Duskpaw. She bit in, looking up, yet to hear an answer.

Coalpaw turned mid stride awkwardly, realising that she hadn't told Tawnykit her name. Slightly embarrassed, she meowed.

"It's Coalpaw. It was nice meeting you, Tawnykit." And with that she was off, her black fur bl6ending in with the shadows as she left for a hunt. Hopefully, something would come by her. Maybe a blackbird?

Duskpaw held back a mreow of laughter at his sister's embarrassment, he knew better than to anger the she-cat. She was one of few words, but was quite skilled at expressing her emotions physically. Taking a second to school himself, he replied to the kit. "I'm Duskpaw, Tawnykit. Thunderclan's strongest apprentice. And once I'm all better, I'm going to catch all the prey in the forest, and become a warrior."

He puffed up his chest in an attempt to look fierce, although his thin frame from greencough and lack of prey made him look less than impressive.

Tawnykit smiled. "Bye bye Coalpaw!" She said, finishing her original sentence. "I like your name, Duskpaw. It's cool. I hope I can be half as good a warrior as you, then!" She exclaimed happily.

"You definitely will be." He meowed with certainty, then took a bite from the rabbit because he was starving. Taking a moment to chew, he thought to himself who could be Tawnykit's mentor. "Your mentor will be sure to teach you everything. And every warrior in Thunderclan are the best of the best. That's why we're the greatest out of the five clans."

Tawnykit smiled. "Awesome! I'm gonna get every mean warrior back for everytime they have wronged us!" She saw a branch. "This stick is another clan warrior!" She announced. She shredded up the stick and threw it away. "See? You're right. We're the bestiest best!" Her excitement got ahold of her though, and she fell on the rabbit. "Owie."