Smokie Rains [Open for Smoke+Haze's fam]

A little kit poked his head out of the nursery, inhaling the sweet scent of fresh morning dew that lightly coated everything in camp. He knew that he was supposed to wait for his mother or father before heading out, but the grey tom simply could not wait any longer. Icekit wanted to see what laid beyond the nursery, to escape the dirt cavern that had been his place of residence for several moons. He wanted to be in the camp where everything happened, to see apprentices working and meet the warriors that worked hard.

Determination filled his chest, the white tuft fluffing up as he took in a deep breath. Carefully, the kit exited the nursery, green eyes wide as he took in all the different sights and sounds. He was his father's son, a WindClanner to the boot. Standing tall just a few steps shy of the nursery entrance, he meowed to himself. "Have courage, you're gonna be a mighty warrior. This is the beginning of my story."

Splotchkit watched with wide eyes as his brother stumbled out of the nursery with as much silence as a stumbling rabbit. The grey and white tom stumbled after Icekit, his small tail high. As soon as he got a mouse-length away the young tom crouched and leaped for Icekit, barrelling into his brother's butt and tumbling them both out of the nursery and into camp. Pearly white teeth revealed as his pink mouth opened in a squeal of joy.

Wildkit bounded out of the nursery behind his brothers, jumping onto the pile of kitten. He growled playfully as the three of them tumbled around. They were never allowed to roughhouse this much in the nursery; he loved it outside. He couldn't wait to be an apprentice. It seemed like it would be ages before his sixth moon would pass, even though it was coming up pretty fast. But Wildkit was impatient, even considering he was a kit.

Nettlekit, who had been watching the tussle begin, didn't hesitate to quickly scamper out of the nursery after her brothers. Her small gray-and-white paws carried her towards the scuffling pile of kits, and she let out a small squeak of thrill, crouching low for a couple of heartbeats, before leaping forwards and joining in on the kit-brawl. Her mind began to wander around with no borders. Someday in the future, maybe she'd be attacking a real enemy Clan cat this way. Obviously she'd win, because she'd be the best warrior to ever be born in WindClan, ever. Then again, those thoughts were just the usual. They were the common and ordinary hopes and dreams of most Clan kits, but usually it ended up not becoming that way in the actual future. However, now, Nettlekit could just enjoy the imaginative freedom and worry-free life while she was a kit now. Let's save the more realistic thoughts for later.

His majestic moment was ruined as soon he was tossed onto the floor, with his siblings writhing on top of him, a tangle of paws and tails. Icekit squeaked in protest for a second, his fur fluffed up in fright, but then he got with the program. He batted at Wildkit, and nipped at Splotchkit.

"Oft!" Suddenly Nettlekit joined the fray, her added weight crushing him underfoot. With his hind leg, he pawed at her belly of her to get off. He did enjoy the tussle, however he didn't appreciate being the bottom of this pile.

Slatekit looked down at his younger siblings they tussled. He was certainly ready to be apprenticed, but still made his home in the nursery. The serious older tom watched them quietly. It had always escaped him how kits always seemed to have the desire to play. Every now and then a little bit of his kit-like behavior had come out, but after his father had been demoted, Slatekit lost the desire to play as much. As much as he looked up to Ashstar, it made him sad to see the great warrior leave his place as deputy. His paws kneaded the ground anxiously. Why did Smokepelt have to lose his place? No one had told the kit what had happened. The whole situation confused and frustrated him. But he simply stayed quiet.

On the otherhand, Sagekit was excited with the change. While she liked her father, she also looked up to Brindlewhisker. The now deputy had always seemed like an impressive warrior. Sagekit padded over to her younger siblings, green eyes shining happily as she looked at them. It was good to see the clan still growing. Despite all of the change, she liked to see more happening. Unlike her brother, Sagekit was content with life in the nursery. She wasn't impatient about their ceremonies, which would no doubt happen soon.

"You guys are already better warrior than me!" She purred quietly to them.

OCC: crappy post, srry fam

Ashstar looked on with a smile as her newest batch of grandkits played in the newleaf sun. She didn't see Smokepelt anywhere. Where had he been lately? All the kits, especially Icekit, reminded her of Icestorm and herself when they were young. They were so sweet and innocent, without any knowledge of life's stresses and troubles. How she wished she could be like that again. No pain, no stress, no heartbreak- just love, family and Clan. Back when she was Ashwing- a happy mate, a loving mother, a loyal warrior- life had been so simple. Now, it seemed that she had no joy left. Smokepelt hated her, the rest of her family doubted her for her decision to exile Kindleblaze. These kits represented all the hope she had left in the world. Her spring green eyes watched the kits romping around, fluffy gray tail-tip flicking peacefully.

"Nuh-uh, you're the strongest. I heard you're the best at moss ball!" Icekit squeaked to his elder sister, once he'd managed to wriggle free of his siblings. The tom snapped his jaws when their tussling got a little too close, and carefully avoiding them as he cleaned up his messy fur. The tom was quick to be distracted again, noticing Ashstar watch them with eyes just as green as his.

With the familiarity of kin, the kit bounded over to the leader, looking up at her with curiosity. "Ashstar, how did you become leader? Is it true that StarClan chose you?" He'd asked his mother this question before but he found her answer unbelievable. Cats in the skies that lead their lives? Pft, it couldn't be real. Ashstar was their leader, she'd never lie to him. She'd tell him the truth.

Wildkit enjoyed being in the mass of play-fighting and when it ended he was a little disappointed. When Sagekit told him and his siblings they were already better warriors than she was, he puffed out his chest a little. "I don't know about that Sagekit, Icekit's right," he told her, following Icekit with his eyes. Noticing that he was padding up to the leader, Wildkit quickly followed, sitting down next to his brother.

Nettlekit had already been pushed off of the pile before it had ended due to Icekit pawing at her belly, but watching the scuffle continue and then end was interesting enough. Upon Sagekit's words of praise, she lifted her chin with a sparkle in her amber eyes and a grin growing on her muzzle, and then nodding sharply.
"Maybe not them, but I certainly am!" She announced, proudly, before quieting her voice with a slight smirk.
"Kidding, kidding." She added.
Nettlekit followed after her brothers, Icekit and Wildkit, and looked up at Ashtar with wide eyes that showed curiosity and admiration. It was the leader of her own Clan for StarClan's sake. She sat down behind Wildkit and Icekit, blinking a couple of times and tilting her head to the side. Millions of questions were swarming her head, and she had to repeatedly tell herself not to ask any until Ashstar had finished answering Icekit's.

Ashstar's smile widened as the kits gathered eagerly around her. It was nice to have family that actually loved her. Her heart melted at their excited, adoring faces. "Well, Sablestar- the leader before me- chose me as her deputy," the leader began in response to Icekit. How to phrase this in a way that kits would understand? "But then the Dark Forest, a group of evil cats, drove out the good cats who believed in StarClan. I was only Ashwing then. Eventually the time to fight back came, and StarClan, the spirits of our dead ancestors, came down to Earth and helped us drive the evil cats out. Then, yes, StarClan chose me as leader and gave me my nine lives." She purred at their perplexed expressions. "Don't worry, it'll make sense when you're a little older."

A slightly shocked purr of delight broke from the older kit's throat. It made her happy that her younger siblings thought she was decent at something. Moss ball was a bit out of her element, both Sagekit and Slatekit were far more serious than the others. However, when the younger ones had convinced her, Sagekit had been fairly good at it. Before she could respond, someone had asked Ashstar a question. The she-cat's ears pricked up, eagerly waiting for an answer. Her eyes widened slightly as the great, grey she-cat told the tale of when she had been chosen as leader. Sagekit had heard it before, but never directly from her grandmother. It was thrilling to hear the tale from Ashstar herself.

Slatekit watched with a mild interest, but did not move to join the rest of his kin. The tome was in his own world. He was also quickly growing sick of being around all of the kits. His sister, who never wanted to leave their comfortable nest, would be perfectly fine with never moving out. Although, he was aware of her desire to become a great warrior alongside him. But you would never know with how quiet she normally was. He would rather be out with the warriors all the time. The kit's tail flickered with boredom as the leader spoke. All he wanted was his apprentice ceremony. Hopefully, it would be soon.

The tom frowned puzzled as he tried to make sense of it, but he lacked the imagination to interpret the idea of their ancestors coming down and helping them. It didn't help that he barely knew any of their sacred ancestors, he'd never experienced any loss in his life before, and honestly couldn't imagine anyone dying, let alone joining StarClan. But not wanting to seem like a silly, unknowledgeable kit, Icekit  bobbed his head like he got it.

"But Ashstar, you chose our dad and Brindlewhisker as your deputy. How does StarClan pick who'll become leader? They're both our deputies." Icekit spoke sincerely, trying his best to make sense of it. Ashstar became leader because she was the deputy, but Smokepelt and Brindlewhisker were both the deputies of WindClan, so who got to be leader? Would they share the nine lives?

Ashstar blinked at the surprisingly intelligent yet confusing question. "Well, Icekit, many leaders have had multiple deputies during their lifetimes. A deputy stops bring a deputy when they retire, die, are exiled, or the leader removes them." Ashstar looked into the kit's blue eyes. "And that's what happened. Since I removed him, Smoke is not the deputy of WindClan. Brindlewhisker is. So if I were to die, she would become leader. And though I chose her for the position, StarClan would have to feel that she is worthy of get nine lives before she becomes leader."

Somehow, through all of the commotion, Brackenkit stayed asleep. It was only when he heard Ashstar's strong voice that he finally awoke. All of the others were outside playing, but he was left inside the nursery."Hey, I wanna play!" He rushed out of the nursery, his Windclan speed showing through. He didn't stop when he was out of the nursery, and he tumbled right into hhis brother, Icekit."Haha! Gotcha! Better be quicker next time!" He meowed as he had him pinned down to the ground, one paw to his chest. He hopped off of him, sitting down proudly in front of Ashstar."What are we talking about again?" He whispered to her, under his breath.