Yikes!

Swiftkit was bored as usual her life consisted of constantly begging for attention and bugging cats but currently there was not alot of cats around in camp.    Being a kit was alright but she longed for her promotion so she could get out and see the world.  

She felt left out knowing that a gathering would be coming soon but she wouldnt be able to go.

She sighed breathing out heavily watching her breath hang in the cold air.  She was sitting out in the clearing She shivered as a cold wind blew through camp. Ughh she thought to herself. Maybe the nursery will at least be slightly warmer


she padded into the nursery.  It was indeed much warmer almost toasty cozy in here.  She headed deeper into the nursery her eyes still adjusting to the dark of it.  She heard something rustle nearby she tilted her ears forward trying to listen more carefully.  She didnt smell anything out of the ordinary.

hmm probably nothing she reassured herself.

then she saw a quick movement it was hard to make out what it was at first she crept closer to where she saw the movement.  Realizing what it was she froze in panic her heart raced rapidly.  

Coiled up about a taillength away was huge snake the tip of its tail shook rapidly back and forth.  

Swiftkit was frozen not really sure what to do, maybe she could kill it and be praised for getting her first kill?

She shook her head For once in your life could you not be stupid? she thought panicking to herself.

She slowly backed up away from the snake, she fought every instinct to run out but she wasn't sure if that would make it attack.  However, the snake had seen her movement it let out a loud hiss and lashed out at her releasing all the energy it had from its coiled up position. It missed her face just by mere inches. Swiftkit let out a shrike

"Dahhhh  ahhheee Daddddd... Mommmm help meeeeeeeeeeeee" she squealed squirming backwards to try and gain distance before the snake could coil back up and strike.

Mistyfalcon was finishing a vole, steadfastly ignoring the urge to grumble about the cold as he sat with Murkystar. With leafbare approaching, he'd just have to get used to it, and complaining about it wouldn't do anyone any good.

His ear twitched, catching noise that definitely shouldn't have been happening. Yowling. And not the playful shrieks of kits tussling together, either. No, this sounded downright panicked, and a kit would have no reason to be panicked by anything in Shadowclan camp. Especially not in the nursery.

Fur lifting, Mistyfalcon abandoned what little was left of his meal, bounding towards the nursery on light paws. It had been Swiftkit's voice. Swiftkit, who wouldn't have panicked over nothing. He knew didn't need to check if Murkystar was following.

Snake. In the nursery. How it got there could be figured out later.

"Swiftkit get back!" Driven by a mix of fear for her safety and fury at the snake that had somehow found its' way into camp, Mistyfalcon's tone was perhaps harsher than it otherwise might have been. He lunged for the snake, heedless of the danger it posed to himself, sharp claws flashing towards the snake. It was nearly leafbare, and the thing was moving much slower because of the cold, but not slowly enough for even an energetic kit. Adrenaline did interesting things to the reflexes of a cat however, and as the snake reared back for another strike (Mistyfalcon wasn't sure which cat it was aiming for, but he sure as foxdung wasn't letting it reach Swiftkit) his claws ripped into scales, sending the snake about a tail length backward. Stunned, but still twitching. Mistyfalcon wasted no time in staring at the thing, rather leapt for it, this time his claws catching the snake just behind the head.

It stilled, though Mistyfalcon kept his claws where they had landed, though it was obvious the snake wouldn't be moving ever again. He head snapped in Swiftkit's direction, dark gaze scanning over the kit for signs of injury. Nothing that he could see, and he stepped away from the snake, making his way over to the kit.

"Are you okay? Were you bit?" His tone was still a bit sharper than intended, though the anger had been replaced with worry.

Swiftkit scrambled behind him cowering in fear she watched her fearless father leap at the snake. "Be careful dad!" she squealed.

It was over so fast, Swiftkit's heart was pounding in her ears as she watched her dad kill the snake in one precise blow. She was shaking unable to move frozen in fear.

Mistyfalcon's sharp tone snapped her back into the present very effectively

She shook her head answering the question No I- I dont think so at least her voice trembling.

she looked up at him with wide worried eyes, a small tear running down her face.

She ran over to him and nuzzled his shoulder with her small nose.

She wept softly leaning on him still clearly terrorized and rattled. "Th-Thanks dad" she meowed softly



She sat quietly for a little while calming down and collecting her nerves she took a couple deep breaths trying to relax.

"Dad?" she asked pausing for a little, hesitant

"I know I dont always say it enough but I really appreciate you always being here for me, and I dont just mean about the snake I mean all my life. I am so happy to be your kit and not some rouge or windclan fleabag. I want to be your apprentice so badly"

she purred softly finally beginning to calm down from it all.