hold onto this lullaby even when the musics gone [open]

Snowkit stands, frozen, at the entrance to the nursery. She had fought tooth and claw for this moment, to be able to go outside without her mother's overbearing watch, but now all the molly can see is white. White like her fur, white like the gloomy sky blanketing everything she could see. She stuck her muzzle out to smell the air- and wrenched it back in shock. The frosty cold nipped at her nose like tiny claws, making the poor she-cat squeal and shake her head wildly. She briefly considered going back, hanging her tail between her legs and admitting defeat to her mother, but a glance backwards only solidified her defiance. Her mother sat in the back, huddled with the other queens for warmth, watching her daughter with mirth and triumph in her eyes. She thought she won this battle.

Snowkit would give her war.

Letting out a small "hmph!" and sharply turning her head to her blinding wonderland, the kit took a tentative but confident step out onto the snow, watching in awe as her little paw sunk into the powder. It was blisteringly cold, her paw pads feeling dry and numb, but she continued onward, one paw after another, until she was fully outside, standing awkwardly in the snow and blinking owlishly at her surroundings. Her mother said it was dangerous out this time of year, and not to stray too far from the nursery lest she get nabbed by some terrible predator. Her warning fell on deaf ears, however; the tiny kit stumbled farther and farther from the warmth of her mother and closer to adventure.

Finally, Perchfall had a quiet moment away from her responsibilities. All of the patrols were planned out, she had already gone hunting with her apprentices, and there wasn't anything else she needed to do. But... she couldn't think of anything to do with her time. Normally she liked walking alone in the territory, but she was too tired after hunting. So, the deputy sat in a thick pat of snow next to the Willow Branch, just thinking and observing. After a moment, a slight movement to the side of the nursery caught the corner of her vision. Was that... a kit? Out in snow this deep? If it weren't for the kit's little black ears, she might not have been spotted.

As the deputy carefully approached, she recognized the kit. Her sister's kit. She and Amberdawn had never really talked much... they were fundamentally different cats. But still, they were related. Which meant she was related to this little ball of trouble. Vaguely amused, Perchfall finished trekking over to the kit through the snow, and sat down in front of her. Light blue eyes gazed into tiny yellow-green ones. "The snow looks very deep," she meowed, her normally-neutral alto voice having a tinge of warmth to it. "Do you need a ride?"

Snowkit stared up at the deputy, trying her best at an aggravated expression. She still wasn't quite used to expressing emotions that weren't playfulness. "a ride? I don't need a ride, I don't need any help, duh! I'm totally-" she sank deeper into the snow, her tail whipping in the wind at her futile attempts to gain traction, "-fine! I'm totally.. fine.."

The wind picked up in a great gust, snow being tossed around the two cats in a flurry. Snowkit was harshly reminded of the sting in her paws and the numbness in her nose; how long had she even been outside? A few moments? Just a few fox-lengths from the nursery and she was already yearning to crawl back, how pathetic. She turned her head to look at the nursery, snow covered and silent, and then back towards the cat in front of her. Snowkit knew exactly who Perchfall was, her mother would not stop yapping about how she was related to the deputy, isn't that amazing! It had given Snowkit a bit of a distaste for the grey molly, she hated to admit it, but looking up into her icy blue eyes and thoughtful smile made Snowkit feel more at home than bothering Amberdawn ever did. "...Fine, I guess. You're pretty tall, and I'm.. I'm really cold. Can you take me somewhere warmer?"

Perchfall did not cry, and she certainly did not laugh. Ever. However, there was almost a chuckle at the strangely affronted tone in the small kit's voice, even as she sank lower and lower into the snow. Thankfully, Snowkit realized the futility of her argument partway through, and eventually acquiesced. When was the last time I interacted with a kit? I've done my fair share of apprentice ceremonies, but actually talking to a kit... and she is related to me. We're family. As her mind wrapped around that thought, she turned her attention back to the kit, and lay down in the deep snow right next to her. "All right then. Hop on, and I'll show you what the warriors' den is like." She hadn't had a plan until she said it, but now the deputy realized that she wanted to show off Snowkit to her only friend.

Snowkit, glad to be out of the snow, tumbled awkwardly onto her aunt's back. She had crawled and climbed all over her mother, sure, but never the deputy of RiverClan, regardless if they were related. Snowkit suddenly felt a strong desire to be respectful to the she-cat, which was a very new feeling. Snowkit never had a feeling to respect anything. How strange, she thought, Maybe the snow is messing with my head. Shaking her head to rid the thought, she used her kitten-sharp claws to latch onto Perchfall's neck. "Take me away! I wanna be a warrior so bad someday- do you think they'll teach me anything?"

The compounding stillness of the afternoon, movement gradually dispersed throughout the corners of the territory as all those able went about their usual assignment of tasks, wreathed across the chilly camp with the usual allure of a circling vulture- although an odd scrambling of movement in the shaded reaches of Jaystar's vision provided an apt distraction. Muddied with the clinging remnants of mud-heavy snow and ice, creeping in stark contrast against the steeped richness of his dark coat, the dark tom paused in his procession to give his Deputy and the young kit currently straddling her nape a wide, unblinking stare shaded with the faintest brushing of curiosity. "What exactly," He eventually rasped out, low voice forever sticky with the lightest touches of disuse, "are you two doing?"

Ashflight brushed past the reeds that guarded the entrance to the warrior's den, blinking sleep from his eyes.  He had just woken up very a nap, and though he hadn't been assigned any patrols yet, he wanted to check if Perchfall needed any help.  Though, as he caught sight of the gray and white deputy, he realized with a soft smile that everything was probably in order.  A small black and white kitten was clinging to his friend's back as they made their way across the camp, and Ashflight couldn't help but purr.  He had never seen the serious, self-aware she-cat interact with kits before, much less give one a ride through the snow.  As he met Perchfall's gaze, he could see just a hint of enjoyment there, and that simple emotion brought him more joy than he realized.  

Approaching the two, his ears perked as Jaystar, pelt dark and shadowy against the snow, stopped to comment.  It was a simple interaction, not one he would call negative or accusatory, but he knew that those words likely would break Perchfall out of the moment.  Refusing to see her brightened eyes return to their neutral dullness, Ashflight quickened his step and purred, eyeing the kit playfully.  "Hello there, this must be our new greatest warrior, arriving from far away to train with us!"  His bright green gaze lingered on Perchfall for a moment, before he meowed to the little kitten with a big smile, bowing his head in 'respect' as his voice deepened.  "What's your name, oh powerful one?  The mighty and beautiful Perchfall doesn't kneel to just anyone."

Feeling the kit clamber onto her back was... definitely not a sensation that Perchfall was used to. As a matter of face, the tiny pinprick claws digging into her scruff were decidedly uncomfortable. However, a small huff of amusement escaped her at Snowkit's enthusiasm. She had forgotten what it was like to be a kit (not that she had ever really been a "kit" in the normal, excitable sense of the word). "You'll get your turn to be a warrior," she replied to the she-kit, waving her tail slightly as she stood back up. "Of course, you have to be an apprentice first." However, as she regained her bearings and was about to walk towards the warriors' den, a strange sight greeted her. Jaystar stood before them, staring with his almost-unsettling eyes. Was he disapproving? Disappointed? Was the tom just confused at seeing any sign of softness from his cold deputy? Either way, the vague sense of contentment in her interaction with the kit began to quail in the face of that imperious, questioning stare.

"I--" Before she was able to muster a proper response, the cat she had initially planned to go see appeared as if out of the woodwork. Ashflight. Her friend. A bright purr flowed easily from him as he wandered over, soothing the tension that had begun to build up in her shoulders. For a moment, she wondered how it would feel to purr like that. The bright green eyes that saw through everything took in the situation with a quick glance, and then turned to the kit atop her shoulders, playful words dancing from his mouth. All her attempts to prepare a response to either cat were immediately tossed down the Gorge at his light conversation. Mighty?... Beautiful? W-what? Without warning, a flood of warmth rushed forward to Perchfall's face, a barely visible pinkness to her thick gray and white fur. That's not fair. He's probably joking, isn't he? A sharp stab of disappointment at the thought calmed down her furious blush slightly. However, it was what she needed to regain some small control of her mental faculties. "This is my sister's kit," she said finally, once again aware of Snowkit digging into her shoulders. Icy blue eyes flitted from Jaystar to Ashflight. "I'm sure she can introduce herself."

Snowkit swivels her head between the two newcomers- some gray tom she's seen before and Jaystar, the leader of RiverClan, and then settles her judgmental gaze back on to Perchfall's blissful face. Romance. Yuck. The black and white kit scrambled off of the deputy's back and back into the soft snowbank, quickly sinking back down to face everyone's knees. She decided very quickly that she detested being as small as she is; her mother said she wouldn't grow much larger due to the circumstances around her birth. Leafbare is soul-sucking. Raising her little head to meet Perchfall's strangely cheerful blue eyes, Snowkit screwed her face up and stuck out her tongue with a "Eugh!", "Don't look at him like that, that's yucky! No one wants to see your nasty lovey-dovey stuff!" Turning her attention then to the grey tom, she gave him as confident of a smirk as she could muster, "I'm Snowkit, and I'm going to be the greatest warrior RiverClan has ever seen! You watch, if you even live that long!" She stood her ground under his gaze, but slowly grew uncomfortable with the silence, adding quickly, "I uh.. what's your name? So I can, um, remember it when I surpass you!" She smiled wider this time. She definitely saved herself there.

Remembering that she's in the presence of her clans leader, she swiftly turned to look up at him, too. "I know who you are! You're Jaystar! I'm Snowkit, and I can't wait to show you how great of a warrior I'll be!" She stood up straighter, attempted a step towards the two toms, and promptly fell face first into the snow.

Jaystar's poignant gaze lessened its fixing upon the unusual spectacle of Snowkit strung atop Perchfall at the timely intervention of Ashflight, the pale-furred outline of his kin nothing more than a watery smear of pale shades in the reflective dark gleam of simmering, liquid amber gaze. Perceptive as he was, very little of the.. moment between his Deputy and brother went unnoticed; though for the sake of his own exceptionally fragile state of well-being, a feigned masking of ignorance was promptly adopted and studiously held. Thankfully, it seemed as though his own preferential treatment for a lack of interrupting some sort of moment was shared by the young Snowkit, childish interruption a welcome one in all semblance of such a regard. "It would seem as though you've been singled out," Jaystar dryly remarked, dark gaze briefly lifting from the scuffed outline of little Snowkit to remain perched upon the vaguely familiar shape of Ashflight.

Whatever secondary follow-up weighed upon his tongue in the absence of any respondence quickly withered and died, watching as the fiery young kit before him promptly plunged into the awaiting freezing embrace of the snow- proclivity for grace evidently not as profound as her spitfire. "I'm certain you will," was the singular exhale in response to the statement, Jaystar bending forward, with the softest hiss of fur dragging upon frost, to pluck Snowkit free from the frigid staleness.

Ashflight hadn't realized his thoughtless, innocently intended comment would create such a stir, but as he gazed at Perchfall out of the corner of his eye he could see a sudden brightness to her face, and she seemed lost for words.  Wait, I didn't realize...does she...is she embarrassed?  That's it, I suppose that was a bold thing to say, even if I was just playing.  

It's true though.  She is beautiful.

It was Ashflight's turn to feel his face flush pink, and it was only amplified when Snowkit took it upon herself to narrate the situation.  The tom opened his mouth to speak, correct the kit and say they were only friends, but at the last moment, he realized he didn't want to say that.  Instead, his slightly panicked gaze flashed quickly to Perchfall before falling briefly onto Jaystar, his green eyes narrowing a bit as if to say you're not helping.  Finally with a sigh he turned back to Snowkit, watching as the little scrap dropped down into the snow.  "Can't I compliment my deputy without being teased?"  He was glad when the subject changed, very glad.  "My name is Ashflight, and I'm sure you'll surpass me someday Snowkit.  After all, you're..."  Perchfall's niece, oh my gosh Ashflight watch what you say!  Why do I want to compliment her so much?  His odd trail off was saved quickly; "...going to be our greatest warrior, like I said!"  His voice was a little too high-pitched at the end there, and Ashflight mentally smacked himself.  As Snowkit went on to talk to Jaystar, Ashflight sat down in the snow next to Perchfall, considering for a second what he could say.  After a moment he leaned over and spoke softly, green eyes betraying the depths of his awkwardness.  "Sorry about that, I didn't mean to embarrass you."