Learning new things

Wisteriapaw had been just finishing up her fresh-kill outside the apprentice den and was watching the camp. The nursery had seemed very full recently, with lots of litters being born recently and a large handful of them nearing six moons. She had nothing better to do, so maybe she'd check to see if any of the kits wanted to play moss ball or something. As she stuck her head through the entrance of the nursery, she called, "Any of you kits want to play with me? I can teach you how to hunt!" Kits were sometimes fun to play games with - more carefree than the warriors and other apprentices, with endless energy.

Shrikekit stepped out of the nursery at Wisteriapaw’s call, head tilting curiously. “Me!” He didn’t know Wisteriapaw’s name, but that wasn’t about to stop him. His siblings were sleeping, tired from discoveries of the day. Shrikekit had slept in too long... at least he could do this now.

Wisteriapaw jumped a little in surprise when a small (but probably still nearly apprentice-age) kit stepped out, instantly volunteering. "Hi!" she said cheerfully, "I'm Wisteriapaw, what's you name?" As they talked, the tabby apprentice led the kit across camp to a less crowded area. "Do you wanna hunt leaves or bugs? Look," she said, dropping into a hunting crouch she had practiced so many times, "You want to keep your paws tucked in so that when you pounce you can jump really far. Go on! Give it a go!" she was enjoying being in charge - maybe a little to much - and considered how fun mentoring would be. I'm not even a warrior yet but it feels like I've got my own apprentice!

Shrikekit trilled a brief greeting back at the apprentice - Wisteriapaw. One of his small ears flicked as he considered the question: his name. Comprehending words was still hard for the kit, even though he wasn't far from apprenticeship. "Shrikekit." He followed Wisteriapaw to another part of the camp. He paused again at her question. Bugs were more like real prey. Moving prey, even if they were slow. But it wasn't like fish, the prey he'd be normally hunting. "My daddy catches minnows sometime, he said he could teach me," the ghost tabby mused, tail twitching as he thought. Tawnylight was never one to fulfill promises, even if Shrikekit didn't realize it yet. "I wanna catch minnows in the shallows, it's real hunting. Bugs 'n leaves are stuff every kit can catch!" Already, the petulant kit's desire to be better was showing through. He stole a glance at Wisteriapaw, trying to gather a hazy memory of the crouch for his apprenticeship.

Wisteriapaw, a little taken aback by the kit's straight-forward request, but all the same obliged to it. "You want to learn to fish?" she asked, suddenly questioning if it would be allowed. But, she thought, if his father promised to teach him, why can't I? "Come on then slowmouse!" she called as she trotted back across the camp (yet again) to a spot where a shady patch of stream was in near reach. Her longer legs kept her at a faster pace then him, even when walking. Gesturing for him to sit down by the water's edge once he had caught up, she tried to remember what Streamtail had taught her about catching fish. "Look," she instructed, "there are a few minnows here, can you see them?"

He nodded eagerly, hopeful still that she would let him despite her question. He hared after Wisteriapaw as she sat down next to the river and sat down next to him. He leaned down and stared at the stream. "I can see the weird silvery things that move really fast. Are those minnows? Why are they all swimming one way?" Shrikekit dipped his paw into the water. The minnows darted around it. He frowned as he experienced the current, something he hadn't known was there. "That... river-thingy, what's it called? It's like wind, but in water, pushing it all one way..." He hesitated and drew his paw onto flat ground. "You know what I'm talking about, right? And how do you catch the minnows if they all swim really fast?" The questions were fast and rapid-fire as he leaned back, studying the minnows.

Smiling at the kit's cluelessness, she quickly explained. "The minnows are swimming that way because of the current - they're not strong enough to swim against it. The river runs in one direction, creating that pull you feel. Now," she instructed, "as you have already realised, they are small and fast, so gently put your paw in the water." He listened closely and soon followed, copying what she had done. "You might have to wait a while, but hopefully soon you will feel one brush past your paw, dig your claws in and flick it upwards. But remember that patience is key."

He grunted in acceptance, nodding his head. Shrikekit scooted closer and stared into the water, but his dark form was projected across the river. The minnows quickly rerouted their paths to avoid him and he frowned, but it changed to a grin quickly. “Wisteriapaw, I know what that’s called! A shadow! But the minnows saw it, I think...” He frowned. “How do you catch them if they see you?” The ghost tabby suddenly dunked his head into the water. It was a very low stream, due to the little rain they’d had, and his plan of cooling himself off didn’t work too well. He ended up struggling to catch his whereabouts, having crashed his head into the bottom of the river. Although he didn’t notice it, there was blood coming from a scratch on his forehead. The kit was too proud to admit his mistake and hoped Wisteriapaw wouldn’t realize what he’d done (which was inevitable because of the blood streaming down his face).

"Noooo," he insisted, voice petulant. "I'm just tired." Do not take me there! Herbs are gross! Both his thoughts and what he said was true. He had a remarkably low amount of stamina as a kit. "Can I nap now?" Without waiting for a response, he shuffled towards his nest. His striped tail looked like a snake as it trailed out behind him. Shrikekit pulled himself into his nest and rolled onto his back. He was already almost asleep. The blood on his face was stopping. His tiny teeth glinted in a yawn as he whisked his tail around his nose. It became apparent soon enough from his tiny kit-snores that he was asleep. His chest rose and fell with deep breaths as the kit drifted off into dreams.

Wisteriapaw watched but didn't intervene as Shrikekit shuffled back to his nest in the nursery. He was still a fairly young kit, who tired quickly. It must of been tiring for him to hunt for so long, and he needed sleep. She decided to take a leaf out of his book and slowly padded towards the apprentice den: the sun was hot, and she could always patrol later. Kits are so tiring.., she thought as she drifted into sleep, I wonder how the queens can handle more than one at one. Hopefully it will be a while 'till I have my own.