Swiftkit Bugging her Elder Cats

Swiftkit looked around the camp for someone to talk to.  She was bored as she could not leave the camp and needed someone to bug for attention. She spotted Mistyfalcon (her father) nearby.  Swiftkit knew that her father was recently in a battle that had left him badly hurt.


She ran over behind him trying to be sneaky but not doing a very good job at it since she had no training in stalking.  She crouched up behind him in a weird looking position and pounced at him batting at him playfully but being very very careful not to bat at him too hard as he had just been involved with the Windclan battle.

. "Got you dad!" she giggled purring softly.  "Can you tell me a story?" she asked looking up at him with her wide blue eyes "I'm bored and I can't leave camp" she sighed.  "I can't wait to be an apprentice,"  she paused for a little. "Maybe you will be my mentor" she looked up at him hopefully.  She flicked her tail from side to side hitting her father with it slightly to tease/annoy him a little.  Her unkempt fur still matted and rugged looking.

"I heard about the battle with Windclan". She meowed quietly in a more somber tone.  "You were really brave from what I hear". She complimented, she licked Mistyfalcon's shoulder gently showing her respect and love for her father. She nuzzled him and sat down next to the warrior purring softly.

Swiftkit often asked many questions very quickly and did her best to annoy her father just a little (but never too much).

Mistyfalcon had been resting, lazily stretched out near the medicine den. He was doing his best not to grumble, Basilpaw knew what was better for his healing injuries than he did, but his tail still twitched slowly back and forth in annoyance at being stuck with far too little to do. Light duties (and this could hardly be called such) felt like torture to someone used to being on patrols more often. He spent most of his time with the kits, of course, but he'd really feel much better if he could just go out hunting and stretch his legs.

And speaking of kits... Swiftkit's approach wasn't quite as stealthy as she believed, however the only indication Mistyfalcon gave that he'd caught sight of her pale pelt was a smile that flickered across his maw. The dark-furred warrior kept still, pretending not to notice her attempting to stalk toward him until she leapt forward.

"Hey, kiddo," A purr rumbled in his chest as she playfully batted at him with her paws. Much too young to cause any lasting damage, otherwise Mistyfalcon might have been in trouble. His whiskers twitched at her words, he could very much sympathize with being bored and stuck in camp. "Me too." He mewed, gently nuzzling the top of Swiftkit's head. "You'll be an apprentice soon." Swiftkit and Nightkit had grown fast, and somehow that realization still crept up on him as it had with Basilpaw and Loudnose. She wanted him as a mentor? She wasn't sick of her old man (old tom?) yet?

A story... Foxdung. Why was it always a story that kits wanted? Mistyfalcon was about on par with Shadowclan's two elders when it came to storytelling... And that was saying something, considering Flintshard and Shira were about as talkative as he was most days. Shadowclan's kits were truly at a disadvantage, with quiet, introverted clanmates who simply weren't storytellers by nature. Mistyfalcon had told exactly one story in his life... And the tale of Asylum's defeat wasn't the most kit-friendly thing. Someone that was better with words than he was could make it so, he had no doubt. Someone like Murkystar, or maybe Loudnose or Basilpaw.

"Windclan was no match for our strength. It's probably why they waited so long to try and take our territory. And during the day, too." For the two warring sides even in numbers, Shadowclan had done very well. "It was underhanded of them, but our warriors are skilled. Even their leader was no match for Murkystar. We sent them running back to their camp." Mistyfalcon's injuries had been the worst of them by far, but he'd still been able to do some damage to Daystar before he'd been unable to continue. Not that Murkystar had really needed the help, she'd always been an adept fighter. And Mistyfalcon had been able to walk back to camp just fine despite his injuries.

Swiftkit purred hearing about her clans victory over the Windclan invaders. "If I was on the battlefield I could have 1v1ed Daystar myself". The kit said jokingly trying to keep a straight face while she said it. She got into a crouching fighting stance (That looked completely ridiculous tp anyone who knew what it was supposed to actually be) she batted playfully at Mistyfalcon again.

"Maybe if I was there you would not have gotten hurt so bad" she said in a more quiet voice winking at her dad teasingly. She flicked her tail at him brushing his nose. "Silly furball, now you have to heal back up and are stuck with me in camp" she meowed purring continuing to bat at him gently "That means I can annoy you all day long!" she said giggling.

she rolled around in the grass near Mistyfalcon's paws her pelt was itchy and ruffled looking.

she jumped up "You should play mossball with me. Its not like you are allowed to leave camp so you don't have any excuse not to" she smiled grinning from ear to ear.

She bounded away but came right back with a mossball in her maw, she placed it down and gave it a smack with her front paw hitting it at Mistyfalcon's face. She giggled as it bounced off his nose "I bet that mossball hitting you hurt more than Daystar's attacks did" she said savagely.

Mistyfalcon's whiskers twitched in amusement at her words. Swiftkit was a bit young to be going into combat, especially with a clan's leader, but she'd have to learn eventually... Once she was apprenticed, of course.

She was lecturing him... It reminded Mistyfalcon entirely too much of Murkystar. Swiftkit was definitely her mother's daughter. "Yes, Swiftkit." He let out an overdramatic sigh, though he really wasn't bothered in the slightest. His wounds did need to hurry up and heal. The clan needed all the able-bodied hunters it could get before leafbare set in.

Annoy him all day? Ha. Mistyfalcon smirked at Swiftkit, shaking his head as she rolled in the grass. Stains showed well on her bright fur, but at least she was having fun. He reached up with a paw, lightly batting the mossball back in her direction. It would keep them both entertained for a bit, which was a good thing.

After a while of hitting the mossball around. Swiftkit started to lose focus as her attention span was short even for a kits.  She yawned and tilted her head looking up at Mistyfalcon.

"Ohhh I know!" she said in a low whisper.  She looked around quickly to make sure that Murkystar (her mother) was not within earshot.  "You could take me hunting.... PLEEEEASSEEE daddd" she whimpered begging with wide eyes.

"I wont tell mom promise! We would be back before anyone noticed, and I would follow all of your instructions promise!" she said trying to convince her dad to break the rules a little.

"And besides I know you are really bored too, some exercise would probably do you some good"

she kept going on and on about what a good idea this would be.  Eventually she took a deep breath from all her talking.  "Sounds good right?  You will take me? We should go before mom notices"

she had been pawing at her dad the whole time nuzzling him to try and make him more willing to go along with her breaking of the rules.

"You were a kit too once even if it was like a million moons ago ya elder" she said teasingly

"So you must know how I feel wanting to try it out.  Ill do anything dad pleaseeee"

"Nice try, but no." He said sternly, though he knew exactly how his kit was feeling. "I know, being stuck in camp is boring. The warriors wouldn't let me out when I was a kit either, despite me begging." Brighteye had been sympathetic to his plight, of course. So had Ebonysong, but the older she-cat had prided herself on being the responsible one. And knowing the trouble Mistyfalcon had gotten himself into... He couldn't fault her for that. Being a parent had certainly taught the tom a thing or two about responsibility. Bringing a kit out into the marsh was not within his definition of the word 'responsible,' not to mention Murkystar would have whatever was left of his ears if he tried. Rightfully so.

Even apprentices weren't supposed to go out without their mentors. Forget about kits. Those who wandered into Shadowclan's territory were lucky if one of their warriors found them first. And apprentices... Well, Mistyfalcon had seen what could happen when they were out on their own. He had no desire to have a repeat of that with any more of his own kits.

He leaned down, beginning to smooth Swiftkit's unruly fur. "When you're an apprentice I will gladly take you and your brother out hunting. But for now you will stay in camp. The marshes are no place for a kit, even if you have a warrior with you."

Swiftkit rolled her eyes in annoyance. "Ughh dad you are no fun at all" she complained trying to look sad.

She squirmed as Mistyfalcon cleaned her fur, "That tickles!" she giggled.

Swiftkit was disappointed that her dad would not take her out to see the outside of camp she really thought he would agree, but breaking the rules was just not his style not even once.

"I will just have to explore on my own" she thought silently to herself. she grinned mischievously at the idea. Perhaps she could even catch some prey, that would definitely impress Mistyfalcon.

The entire time Mistyfalcon was grooming her unruly fur she was scheming of how she would wait tonight for everyone to be asleep then she would sneak out. All her scheming left her unusually quiet.

She felt a little bit of guilt about it knowing it was directly breaking the rules and even worse going directly against what her dad had said but she shook her head No once I catch my first piece of prey and show him he will not mind at all she reassured herself.

Swiftkit then had an even better idea. If her father would not take her maybe someone less attached to the rules would go. She started thinking of different warriors but all of them were too rule oriented

...
hmm apprentices, yes that could work apprentices would know their way around well enough and would not be so worried with rules. She saw Ratpaw a little ways away Bingo! she thought to herself

(OOC Do cats even know what Bingo is XD)

She waited until Mistyfalcon was done grooming her, she looked much better now. "Thanks dad" she meowed politely. She waited a little bit sitting next to her dad until his focus shifted elsewhere.

She then darted over to where Ratpaw was. "Hiya!" she said with her usually high level of energy. "So uhhmm I was thinking uhmmm" she murmured a couple of times being as dramatic as possible. "You should take me hunting" she blurted out in a quiet hush. "Ill be really good and follow all your orders... Just think it would be like you could be the mentor for once" she said trying to convince him. "We just cant let my dad find out ... or even worse my mom but just think of it like a mission that you have to do" she flicked her tail in excitment.

"That work for you??"

Ratpaw was laying near the edges of camp, listening to the sounds of Mistyfalcon and his kits. They were cheerful, playful things, and though it might’ve been a bit loud, the apprentice found it pleasant to listen to. The nursery had always been quiet, when he was a kit — it was different to see it so lively now.

And it was... distracting. Ratpaw’s paws nudged at the dirt, suppressing a wince at the action. His scratches weren’t bad, according to Basilpaw, but even a little while after the border skirmish with Windclan, Ratpaw felt... incredibly sore, all over. It was a victory! And the apprentice knew he had done well. But the winding down from it had left him constantly tired, even after naps... and something twinged in his chest, uncomfortable and sticky, whenever he thought of it.

So he... tried not to. Eating helped. And chasing bugs.

Maybe he would look for his grandmother? It was as the tom considered where Amberdawn might be when a little white kit popped into his field of vision.

The pleasant, high and excited voice he’d been hearing nearbye suddenly came close to his ears. It was one of Murkystar’s kits, he realized, blinking. And she was... asking him something? When her voice lowered, Ratpaw instinctively angled closer.

“Oh...” he mewed, in understanding, his yellow eyes wide. The young cat was really quite adorable, like a baby bird. It brought a smile to his muzzle. He wasn’t a very social cat, but to her he dipped his head. Ratpaw hadn’t thought of his kit days in a long time, but he remembered his own mother’s hovering well... And Ratpaw’s burning curiosity for everything; his mom often didn’t have energy for him and all the things he wanted to do. “It’s not as exciting as you think, you know.”

With a flick of his ears, Ratpaw glanced over her shoulder, where the kit’s father and brother were. Mistyfalcon... looked better, certainly, than he had the day of the battle, but he still looked very worn. If it would allow him to rest, Ratpaw didn’t mind taking Swiftkit with him, one time. (Starclan knew his mom was always very thankful when a warrior wanted to help.) That decided it!

“Well, all right, he mewed, still in that same hushed tone, but with a smile. His muscles still ached a bit, though... “I’m not supposed to be up too much too, like your dad. But if you ask me tomorrow night, I’ll be happy to take you. I’ll even show you where to find the best snails!”

Mistyfalcon laughed at Swiftkit's complaints. "You'll be as old as me one day, and you'll understand." He told her. She'd even thank him, or at least come to appreciate it. Stars knew he hadn't when eh was a kit, no kit ever did. That came with age and experience.

When he'd finished grooming her, the little kit bounded off to go play, and Mistyfalcon allowed his head to drop back to his paws. His injuries from the fight were still bothering him, not that he'd admit it out loud.

Movement caught his eye and he turned to see Swiftkit had found Ratpaw. The apprentice still looked exhausted from the fight, too, and Mistyfalcon had to wonder how he was finding being cooped up in camp. He watched as Ratpaw tipped his head towards Swiftkit. She'd likely asked him something... His eyes narrowed slightly, focusing on their movements. It was harder to read lips at a distance, but not entirely impossible. And with his attention properly focused, he could make out the gist of what Ratpaw was saying.

With a snort, Mistyfalcon stood, wincing a little at the lingering pain in his limbs and padding towards the pair. "You can take her hunting all she wants. When she's an apprentice." He mewed, reaching the pair, "Ratpaw, how are your injuries healing?" He greeted the other tom, gently flicking Swiftkit with his tail in admonishment.

Swiftkit felt her heart sink as her dad flicked her with his tail. She opened her mouth to protest but for once in a blue moon thought better and just let out a long sigh instead. "Uhhggg" she complained rolling her eyes.

ughh mom will have my pelt if she hears about this she thought to herself.

Swiftkit looked at her paws not wanting to look up at her fathers eyes which she guessed would be giving her a stern look of disapproval. She shuffled her paws trying to think of something to make it less awkward. That was hard as she had just been scolded by her father in front of Ratpaw

so much for impressing any of the cool apprentices.... Way to go swiftkit she thought to herself.

"uhmm maybe Ratpaw could show me some fighting moves right here in the camp then?"

she asked hopefully she was still very bored and the excitment of being able to leave the camp was now gone after her dumb mistake... its okay she would have other opportunities she told herself.

she pawed at Ratpaw playfully hoping that being overdramatic would distract from the situation of her getting caught trying to ditch camp.

"Come on Ratpaw show me some moves, we can pretend i'm a fleabag Windclan cat and you have to stop me" she said slowly shifting back to her usual overenergetic self.

she crouched in a goofy looking position and swiped at Ratpaw playfully.

"Please Dad? Ratpaw could be like my mentor for the day and we would stay in the camp"

she turned to face Ratpaw again. "I'm the evil Daystar I am coming to get you Ratpaw!" she said trying her best to sound scary

(She did not sound scary at all and had to try and keep from laughing the whole time)

she lunged awkwardly at Ratpaw trying to paw at him

(The whole time her claws were not out so no damage was done... besides maybe damage to her pride but she regarded pride as overrated anyways)

before Ratpaw could even respond she spun around quickly and looked back up at her dad.

"Maybe we can keep that whole other thing our secret from mom okay?" she asked winking at him not really wanting to have a lecture from both parents. She purred softly doing her best to win at least this small victory of not having to have mom talk to her about how dangerous it was and yadda yadda yadda and what would she ever do if she lost her little kit yadda yadda.

Swiftkit of course knew that both her parents cared very much for her but the lectures were horrid. They were mainly horrid because the whole time Swiftkit was not allowed to talk back or talk at all which for her was one of the hardest thing in the world... besides trying to sneak out of camp perhaps

Somehow her brother nightkit had always managed to stay out of trouble... or more accurately he had managed to not get caught something she was very jealous of but he also didn't like to roll around in the dirt and get dirty like she did and was a lot more quiet.

Ratpaw’s head turned as he saw Mistyfalcon approach them, and ducked his head in greeting. And... also flicked his ears back in acknowledgement, at the tom’s words. So that’s why Mistyfalcon had walked over, when it  was clear the steps pained him somewhat. Apparently, the father didn’t want his kits in the territory. Good to know?

The apprentice thought he would’ve asked, tomorrow... before stealing away with Swiftkit...

Probably...?

With a flick of his ear, Ratpaw realized he might not have. He would’ve forgotten.

“Ah, I promise. Not until you’re an apprentice.” He looked up at Mistyfalcon, hoping at least his honesty showed. And he thought about it; at the reminder, he felt a twinge of pain. “They’re doing fine, I think. They still sting, but... I’m okay. Just sore. And yours?”

He glanced meaningfully at the tom’s head, previously streaked and glistening with blood. It wasn’t a thought he even liked to have around Swiftkit, who he was sure would’ve been horrified at the image. But her father had looked...

Just, Mistyfalcon looked better, now. Sharper. Healthier. Closer to life.

With a shake of his head, Ratpaw looked back to Swiftkit — who looked distinctly put-out by her now-ruined plans. He stifled a small smile; it was sad for her, he knew. And also knew the look of a cat getting roped into something, and he’d—

—flinch, apparently, at what it was.

It wasn’t said with any concept of what ran through Ratpaw’s mind, he knew that. She was a kit! And it was kit-excitement, it was the suggestion that they wrestle and pretend. Ratpaw knew that, even if he never had memories of playing like that himself. But as Swiftkit went on, suggesting loudly they should fight like she was Windclan, all Ratpaw could see was her tiny body, twisted and fleeing  — her tail in his mouth, just like...

That young molly — Mistypaw — was light-furred, too. His ears flattened to his skull. She’d been so noisy, so loud, and it was irritating and distracting to him at the time — but couldn’t she have been like this, too? So playful, and talkative. She was a kit once, too. And Ratpaw had maimed her. Like.. a dog, or a rogue.

None of his clanmates had made a big deal out of it, but — he could almost still feel her tail twitching, in his mouth, the feeling of forcing his teeth through, and the taste—

Swiftkit swiped a paw at him, playfully, and Ratpaw was so distracted he startled, recoiling like a snake. He felt a burst of guilt, not wanting to scare her, but thankfully the hyperactive kit had immediately whirled around to her father, chattering happily, and apparently missed it. Or... wait... she was asking Mistyfalcon not to tell Murkystar.

Ah. Well, how that turned out he kinda wished for that too. “I’m sure Murkystar is busy,” he added, even if it felt a little awkward. Knowing that the kit would spin around to him again, he also mewed, hesitantly, “And you don’t want me to play battle with you, Swiftkit, I promise.”

It felt like a lump in his throat, at the reminder of Daystar — the leader been streaked in blood, too, and had done that to her dad. Ratpaw wondered if Swiftkit knew. Gently, he added, truly apologetic if for different reasons, ”I’m sorry. I don’t know any good battle moves, so it wouldn’t be very fun for you.”

The young tom wondered if there was some truth to that, too. Except maybe to the opposite end, where Ratpaw just didn’t know where to stop before he hurt others too much.

He couldn’t expose Swiftkit to that.

"They'll heal." He shrugged at Ratpaw. They'd be fine in a few more days, he was sure. He knew the apprentice had been shaken from the battle, though the concern was... Unexpected, even still. "Basilpaw knows what she's doing." She was less overbearing than a certain other medicine cat apprentice he'd known, and it made staying cooped up in camp a bit easier, at least.

He'd caught Ratpaw's flinch, the way his ears flattened at Swiftkit's playful antics and the idea of teaching her battle moves. He understood, somewhat. He certainly didn't want his kits going into battle. He'd been through enough of it to be okay with never seeing another bloodied form crumpled on the ground again. Sometimes it was necessary, though there were few cats he knew that would actually enjoy it. Kits and apprentices were often eager to learn how to fight, at least until they experienced the real thing instead of the careful blows of their own clanmates. His gaze lingered on the apprentice for a moment, understanding, before he turned to Swiftkit.

"I won't tell your mother because you didn't get the chance to sneak off." Mistyfalcon said, gently bumping Swiftkit's shoulder with his head. "Now come on, let's not bother Ratpaw further. I'm sure Webshadow wants him well-rested for training." It was obvious to Mistyfalcon that the apprentice wanted no part of playfighting... Time to try and steer Swiftkit away without making it too obvious.

Swiftkit frowned at Ratpaw's answer "What do you mean you don't know any good battle moves?" she meowed inoccently. "Everyone says you did great in the battle! I even heard you absolutely destroyed a windclan apprentice" she purred queitly

"I think you are just being modest" she continued smiling at him.

(Swiftkit had obviously misread the situation, the real reason Ratpaw did not want to show her this was far darker a reason she could have known right now, as she had never experienced the terror of battle).

She continued poking at Ratpaw playfully. "Fine pretend im the apprentice you had your victory over... what even was her name again... murkpaw? muddypaw? Mistpaw?" she guessed "well just show me what you did to her!"

(Swiftkit had not realized how shook Ratpaw was by this battle, especially the part with Mistypaw so this was not done out of any mean intensions on Swiftkits part it was pure ignorance and innocents and general misunderstanding of the situation)

Luckily for Ratpaw's sanity Mistyfalcon had spoken up right about then.

Swiftkit grinned happily "Yay it can be our little secret" she nuzzled her father happy he had agreed to not rat her out.

This had actually ended up distracting her from bugging Ratpaw further. Her attention span was short so any distracting news such as this made her totally forget about trying to get Ratpaw to show her some cool moves.

So when Mistyfalcon suggested they leave Ratpaw alone she nodded without any objection. "Dad can you ask mom if you can be my mentor?" she asked pawing at him poking him.

"She's always so busy and I hardly ever see her around" she explained.
"Just think of all the trouble we could get into. Just promise me you will ask her? She will listen to you more." she pressed on grinning.

Ratpaw’s heart lodged in his throat at Swiftkit’s words, and the desire to flee and desperately apologize warred in his chest. And it wouldn’t even be to Swiftkit, really — she wouldn’t understand either. It was that knowledge that made Ratpaw want to be even more gentle, to hold his instinctive flinches.

He considered reaching out a paw, to touch her shoulder and stop her, but hesitated. It returned to the ground beside his other forepaw.

The dark-furred apprentice watched Swiftkit then mew happily to her dad, smiling faintly. It was okay, wasn’t it? It was good, that Swiftkit thought this way. Maybe if Ratpaw had more, when he was a kit... it wouldn’t be so uneasy, so like a pit at the bottom of his gut. And fighting would be just like that: an adventure.

Ratpaw thought of her father, though, and glanced up; remembering the blood there, the scent of it metallic and heavy. Mistyfalcon... it was no adventure for him, either.

”I think your dad would be a great mentor,” he said to Swiftkit. And meant it, very genuinely. With an inaudible grunt of effort, Ratpaw got to his paws. ”And I think Webshadow would want me to rest right now, but thank you. I’ll see you soon, okay? In the apprentice’s den.”

With another respectful nod to Mistyfalcon, Ratpaw gave Swiftkit a small small — one that did fall, as soon as he turned. But... it would be all right, he was sure. Somehow.

He let the sounds of Swiftkit’s happy chatter and Mistyfalcon’s warm tone comfort him as he walked away.