Planet Earth Turns Slowly[C]

Burningwing carried a snake back to the fresh-kill pile at around moonhigh. It had been barely hidden under the earth, kicked out of the hole that a startled rabbit had darted down upon Burningwing's approach. The dark tom simply bit it's head off, as the cold temperatures had left the cold temperatures rendered it unable to move. He dropped the long scaly creature into the fresh-kill pile, intending to go back out into the territory for more food. Noises from the nursery caught his ear, and his attention was drawn to it for a few moments. Kits... the thought crossed his mind about having some of his own. It was high time for it... his parents had been waiting. Maybe it would get their mind off of his slowly dying brother and sister... That said, Burningwing had been... less than well received within his own clan for his attitude towards rogues. Most of the time he even patrolled by himself. That was fine... because he wasn't going to die like some run of the mill half breed warrior. He was a true Shadowclan cat. The darkness was his ally and he could not be killed in it.

He was about to move on... even took a few steps back towards the exit to camp... but another noise stopped him again. If he wanted the clan's perception of him to change... maybe he needed to start with the younger ones. He sighed, a long silver mist trailing his exhale. He changed direction right then, just as the sky became filled with a light dusting of snow flurries. They whirled around him and seemed to disappear into the shadows. Just like a shadow itself, the snow flurries melted the instant they touched his fur and before they could touch the ground. It was as if Burningwing was one with the shadows themselves, just as untouchable as the dark. They snow could only exist in the light of the nearly full moon overhead.

He paused outside the nursery, nearly perfectly hidden as he waited. Surely this phenomenon would be investigated by curious kittens? If he was honest with himself... he found the snow flurries fascinating himself. Like thousands of frozen fireflies... their glow not as strong but it was constant in the silver moonlight. It suggested, softly, that maybe there was some form of magic in the world and it only revealed itself under specific circumstances...

Nightkit was sure at this point that stealth was not his strong suit despite being a Shadowclan warrior, he somehow kept rustling the nesting materials, and bumping into the sides of the dens in his need for fresh air, away from his siblings. Swiftkit was nice and all, but how peppy his little sister was could be a little overwhelming for the reserved little tom, every waking moment of his seemed to be consumed by her tenacity. In short, it was exhausting, he just wanted a little quiet. But, thanks to Starclan, Nightkit was able to escape the suffocating den and out into the chilly air. Little white flakes danced in front of his vision and his pupils dilated with curiosity. This was... new, something he did not know of before, had not experienced for himself. Leaning onto his haunches he stretched his black and white paws into the air and batted at the flakes with little success, the white stuff floating away everytime he swiped, or disappearing against his paw pads... how odd.

Eventually a kit did emerge from the nursery. He hadn't heard anything about those impure rats breeding and producing more abominations... so this one must have been from Murkystar and Mistyfalcon. They could dislike him all they liked, but he would make a point to have at least a few voices in the clan to tell them they were wrong. He could maybe get that voice to be their own kit... As he stared confusedly at the snowflakes disappearing on his paws, Burningwing began to approach. Like a spectre, he seemed to slowly fade into existence as he stepped from the shadows into the moonlight... qualities of a pure blood Shadowclan cat.

"Weird, aren't they?" He spoke softly, letting the kit know he meant absolutely no harm. He supposed he had more ulterior motives for interacting with a kit than he was letting on. Why look for someone to have kits with without first understanding how kits acted? He might change his mind and decide they weren't worth the trouble.

"They're called snowflakes... but from what my parents have told me, they get a lot bigger than this and they stick to the ground during leaf-bare." He lifted a paw to try to touch one, but like all of the others, it became a tiny droplet of water upon contact with his paw pad.

"They seem fairly harmless now though." And with that, he put his paw back down and locked eyes with the kit. His eyes were nearly as sulfuric yellow as his own. "I'm Burningwing... an experienced warrior of Shadowclan. What's your name?"

Nightkit's head whipped around to face the new arrival, his little maw flashing his teeth threateningly before his features relaxed again as he processed that it was a clan-mate approaching him. He wondered how he hadn't noticed him there before, he must've walked right on by. Before Nightkit could ask what he was doing, the tom spoke again and drew his attention to the cold white flurries that he was just inspecting. Nightkit looked back towards Burningwing, his eyes squinted as he listened. So these white fluff balls were called snowflakes? It seemed fitting, but perhaps his parents should have named Swiftkit, Snowkit instead. His eyes flitted undecidedly between flakes both floating and touching the ground before melting away at contact, like his paw.

Nightkit looked back to Burningwing as he spoke again, his eyes connecting with the warrior's own, "I'm Nightkit of Shadowclan, Murkystar, and Mistyfalcon's son. The leader's son." He mewed simply, though tacking on that he was the 'leaders' son to seem a bit more impressive. Though Nightkit was not one to be one for persistent eye contact he turned back away again before speaking up, "You said they're fairly harmless now, what's so dangerous about these things?" He asked, straightening himself up straight and regally, tidying tufts of fur sticking up here and there as he quietly regarded Burningwing.

Burningwing gauged the kit's reaction to his name carefully. It seemed that their dislike of him had no rubbed off on their kits yet. Good. He would swoop in before there would be resistance. Burningwing reclined into a casual sit and wrapped his tail around his paws. At it rounded, it swiped snowflakes from the air and made them disappear as if they had never been there in the first place.

"Those who have been through a leaf-bare already have said that once there is more of these, they kill the plants which feeds our prey. Once the plants die, the prey leaves to search for more food. As beautiful as they are on the surface, this snow is a messenger of death and hardship." He looked up at the sky and stared unblinkingly as they fell onto his face only to melt away. It would be a time before the snow would actually cling to Shadowclan territory the way it did with drier territories, but in time it would claim this land too.

"I know both of your parents, Nightkit. I like them both, though we don't always see eye to eye. Not everyone does, or even has to, all of the time." There was no animosity in his voice. Finally, he stopped watching the sky and returned his eyes to the kit. "It's an honor to be the son or daughter of the leader, but it is not without it's burdens too. You'll have to pay close attention to what they do and understand why they do it, all the while keeping yourself out of trouble and be a good example for everyone else so as not to embarrass them." It wasn't like this advice was wrong, so even if Nightkit reported it back to either of his parents, what would they do? Disapprove? "Should you be lucky enough to get to be deputy and then leader of Shadowclan one day, it is then your responsibility to make the clan better than the leader before you. In some situations, that might mean undoing something that previous leadership has done." The seed was planted.... but he would continue no further for today. The kit was still a kit. Let him be what he was. Let him retain his innocence about the world for now.

"What are your siblings' names?" He asked, his voice soft as a whisper now.

Nightkit listened with rapt attention as Burningwing spoke, and looked towards him and the sky, a shadow of mimicry. Ear perked towards the warrior he listened well and close, lessons to be taught that should be listened to and held close. "I think I understand... Burningwing." Nightkit mewed softly, perhaps feeling a little too enraptured with what the tom had to say. But he wasn't wrong, was he? He was right in every way, it made perfect sense! It would hurt to undo what his parents would have done before him, but as far as he knew there was nothing TO undo. The little tom sucked in a big breath and let it out slowly, watching as his breath billowed out like dust. Burningwing was a smart cat, that was for sure, lots of big words and what seemed to be a whole sky worth of knowledge. Someone to be admired, surely? Why would his parents not see eye to eye with Burningwing even though he was so reasonable?

Pulled from his thoughts, Nightkit looked back at the tom with a blink, adjusting to being an active participant in the conversation right now. "Swiftkit is my little sister. She never keeps clean and is always so loud. My other sibling is Loudnose, I've never actually spoken to him though, but with that name, he must snore." Nightkit complained distainfully, his noise wrinkling with disgust. "It's not proper. We should be better, it's a bad look for mom and dad." Nightkit mewled, pushing his paw into the grass and destroying the green blades.

Burningwing as glad for the fact that he was being listened to, for a change. As Nightkit talked about his siblings, the dark warrior had to chuckle, albeit behind closed teeth, about Loudnose. "We share the warrior's den and I assure you that he most certainly does snore." There was no animosity in Burningwing's voice. The snoring was something that they all had grown accustomed to and it wasn't a big deal. Loudnose was the least of Burningwing's concerns.

"Your parents have a good reputation. An excitable sister and a snoring brother won't damage that. You only need to worry about yourself. If you feel that your siblings are lacking, make up for it with your own endeavors and the way you carry yourself." He liked where this was going, actually. Nightkit seemed to be listening, beyond just hearing.

"So far it seems like you have a good head on your shoulders. I'm sure whoever you receive as a mentor will be pleased."

Nightkit blinked at his worries being confirmed, but couldn't help but chuckle himself. Smiling a little bit, Nightkit nodded along attentively. Nightkit was growing fonder and fonder of Burningwing by the second, such good lessons being taught, and compliments are given freely? What was there to not like for a little tom like him? He was eager for more, and suddenly found himself not really wanting for the conversation to end. Nightkit could almost feel a little spark in his chest, the embers simmering so strongly it was almost a flame, the flames of passion. "That's good... I'd really hate for Ma' and Da' to suffer because of us. I'll just have to be better, I'm the oldest anyway... Well, other than Loudnose of course." he mewed.

'I'm sure whoever you receive as a mentor will be pleased.' Nightkit seemed to freeze and ponder this. He knew that his sister, Swiftkit wanted to know who her mentor was off the bat and had asked Nightkit more than five times a day, but he never really cared for knowing... At least until now. Who DID he want for his mentor? He never really met any of his seniors just yet, Webshadow seemed decent enough but Nightkit didn't really have a fondness for the tom. Loudnose was his sibling, and while he didn't really know him, that connection was still there, but that meant even if Nightkit wanted Loudnose to be his mentor it wouldn't happen. But now... now he met and knows Burningwing, and he LIKED Burningwing. Nightkit could tell he was smart, and knew tons, and was a great teacher! Burningwing was already teaching him stuff, like about snow! If Nightkit had to pick, he'd really like Burningwing to be his mentor.

"Hmm, if I had to pick my own mentor though... I'd like you to be my mentor. You're pretty cool." Nightkit responded, before he felt his fur heat up a bit and he looked away shyly. His tail gave an antsy lash once or twice, betraying his bashfulness.

Burningwing's lip twitched into just a faint shadow of a smile before it was gone just as quickly. His plan was going well. He would be interested in mentoring Nightkit.... Nightpaw by then. He wasn't sure how easy it would be to influence him, as it had been for Cicadapaw. His older apprentice would be named a warrior very soon, he was sure. He had already told Murkystar that he believed Cicadapaw was ready to earn his warrior name. Shadowclan needed more pure bloods, and he specifically needed those pure bloods to be excellent warriors. He had a feeling that purifying Shadowclan might require civil war... but it was something Burningwing was willing to go through with to save his clan.

"I'd be honored. Please remind the deputy how... cool I am. He hasn't seemed to notice." It was so unfortunate that Frostgaze was so terribly lost and unproud of being a pure Shadowclan cat. He had such promise... but with his disgusting love of rogues and bringing them endlessly into Shadowclan camp, he was just as lost as the impure ones. He would have to be put to death too before this was over.

"I'll need to get back to my duties soon. Is there anything you'd like to ask an experienced warrior before I go?" Most kits had questions, but if Nightkit didn't, that was alright. It wouldn't soil the good opinion he had of the kit already. Only time would tell if Frostgaze would actually assign him to Burningwing, but he hoped that Nightkit would stand firm and demand that union that he wanted so badly. It would be a good first test for him...

"Yeah I will." Nightkit promised, though the young tom seemed to find the statement a bit odd but didn't particularly find any issue with it. But just like that, the conversation was over and Burningwing had to get back to work. Nightkit felt a little guilty that he took up all his time but didn't bring it up, surely Burningwing could have just left and ended the conversation sooner if he'd been busy. "Hmm? No not particularily, I'm sure I'll have lots though if I get to be your apprentice." Nightkit mewed, giving his fur a shake to remove some of the snowflakes that had ended up settling on his fur, settling on his black coat and making it look like the night sky.