GET BACK IN THE NURSERY!!

Snow fluttered down outside the tangle of gorse, weak leaf-bare light trickling through the tightly woven branches. One warm yellow-orange eye cracked open, and then the other. Rosekit hopped to her still too-big paws, big tufted ears on her little face perked eagerly. She shook the sheep's wool and feathers of her nest from her rosy wispy fur and pushed her way outside, blinking in the brightness. She had missed the return of the dawn patrol and Rosekit's little wisp of a tail lashed in frustration. She shook a pesky snowflake off her nose and loped to the fresh-kill burrow, sticking her head inside to find one of Lilymeadow's catches. Rosekit found a beautiful plump bird that smelled faintly of mama. She popped her head back up, the bird in her little mouth, to see Kinkear newly returned from the territory and waiting for her.

Rosekit trotted over to her papa. His ears curled back, making him look always grumpy. Rosekit smiled up at him, but he only frowned back. The two sat and bit into the bird. It had beautiful white feathers with just a dusting of colour, like mama's fur. After she had eaten her portion, Rosekit found herself rifling through the remains and pulling out the prettiest ones. She lifted up a wing with her nose, startled when Kinkear's yellow eye glared through the gap. He got to his paws and pulled the corpse away from her, looking like he was about to scold her for picking at the food, but he only lashed his tail in the direction of the nursery and turned away. Rosekit quickly gathered up the feathers and walked slowly back to the tangle of gorse, kicking up piles of snow and watching the fluffy flakes drift back down. 

She wriggled back under the bush, and dropped most of the feathers in her nest, so it would smell like mama. The two prettiest ones she took to the back of the den. Deep in the gorse, her and Watertail had an alcove full of treasures. Interesting pebbles, feathers, nice-smelling plants that were dried and stiff now, even a coil of snake's skin, a pair of hare's feet. As the harsh season wore on her big brother hadn't had time to add to the treasures or see Rosekit. For when he came again, she added the prettiest feather, to show Watertail. Tucking the second prettiest behind her ear, Rosekit stepped carefully past the treasures and squeezed her tiny body inside the camp walls. She slipped through the prickly branches behind the nursery, ears tucked against her head, along the tiny path her paws had worn within the thick walls, up the slope until the open moor showed through the tightly tangled gorse.

It was silver under the sun, wide and windswept, gleaming invitingly, dotted with brown and grey. Rosekit settled on her belly in a tiny space she had cleared, the paws she was growing into stretched in front of her. Her pupils narrowed and her ears pricked excitedly as she watched a patrol in the distance, Lilymeadow among them. Absent-mindedly she leaned forward, the icy wind blowing on her cheeks and ruffling her tufted ears. It snatched the feather from behind her ear and twirled it up and out across the moor. Rosekit's little mouth opened in a mew of indignation and she chased after it, dashing out into the open expanse. The feather was always just out of reach. 

Rosekit saw a shadow gliding across the snow not far in front of her. She squeaked in alarm, seeing the hawk in the sky above, its feathers gold in the sun. Rosekit ran as fast as she could for a cluster of rocks to hide under, her heart thumping against her chest and her paws thumping against the snow.

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fighting the hawk is optional (if you need a battle req), or it can be scared off by the sight of a full patrol <3

hawk
40 HP / 125 SP

Rosekit
10 HP / 30 SP

Batsong was hunting nearby when she was interrupted by a shaddow passing overhead... Hawk she thought to herself slightly panicked... she darted for nearby cover... but wait... what in the world?? it was not going for her it was going after something else?? she squinted her eyes and her heart dropped as she saw rosekit running for her life as the hawk was aiming for her.

Without thinking or a moment of hesitiation Batsong leapt forward a growl coming from deep within her, on full adrenaline she charged as fast as she could covering the distance very quickly as windclan cats often do from their gift in speed.

She dug her claws into the ground propelling her forward and used her tail as a counterweight to navigate the rough terrain between the two, she was closing in quickly and looked to her like she would intercede just in time... but it would be close.

With a loud hiss she kicked off with her hind legs up into the air above Rosekit and swung viciously out at the hawk smacking it claws raking across the bird. She had gotten to it just in time, any later and Rosekit would have likely been swooped up carried away in the birds massive talons.

Batsong used Jumping Strike for (7+3) damage and costing 7 sp

The hawk let out a screech of anger that its easy meal was no longer so easy.

Batsong landed back on the ground next to Rosekit she positioned herself between the agressor and the kitten back in a full arch and hissed as loud as she could hoping to scare the bird off.

R-r-Rosekit!? she said with her usual stutter, (Batsong has a heavy stutter and cant speak well)

she couldn't talk much as she was panting from the sprint over here and knew she needed instead to focus on the fight and protecting the kit, she would find out what in stars the kitten was doing out here later.

hawk
30 HP / 125 SP (-10 hp)

Rosekit
10 HP / 30 SP

Batsong
30 HP / 73 SP (-7 sp)

A loud hiss came from behind Rosekit and a dark figure arced over her head. The young warrior swung viciously at the hawk, claws smacking into it and raking wounds. The hawk screeched angrily. 

Landing back on all four paws, Batsong put herself between the hawk and Rosekit, back arched high and fierce, hissing loudly. The hawk stared, then swung around and took flight a little lop-sided, its feathers tattered and bleeding in places. 

Rosekit's mouth made a little o in awe. "Batsong!" was all she could chirp out. The two caught their breath. Rosekit shuffled her paws, her wisp of a tail drooped. "I hid in the camp wall. Just watching! ...but then, my feather blew away..." She trailed off in a mumble. The tiny she-cat's warm eyes darted. Batsong didn't have a scratch, thank stars. "Please don't tell anyone?" Her tufted ears perked hopefully, sunshine-coloured eyes begging.

Batsong breathed heavily staring at the hawk making sure it was gone.

She looked down at the kitten and checked her carefully for any scrapes or anything... a-a-... are you ok--okay? she stuttered .... speaking had always been difficult for Batsong and she had quite a stutter even now as a warrior.

She listened to the kittens explanation and nodded understanding.  

hmm

she gave her a stern look...

"d-d...dont ever do that again... I was so scared I would not get to you in time.... next time no one may be around to save you and I c-c-c..care too much about you to have that happen" she explained to the kitten.

she thought long and hard at the kittens request ... she gave her a small grin . ok.... our secret .  I wont tell anyone Batsong grinned winking an eye of promised secrecy.

She used her tail to pluck out the feather from behind her ear that Slightpaw had given her during the gathering.  

Here, you can have my feather... I w-w-w..want you to have it.  A special... hmm friend gave it to me she explained... Slightpaw was more than a friend but she would not tell Rosekit that. she held it out for Rosekit to take it was a beautiful white feather

and she was happy to give it to the kitten seeing as how it would hopefully get her mind off of nearly getting carried off by a giant bird.

"Come on... back to the nursery for you though and no arguing..." she said giving Rosekit a gentle nudge back towards the camp as they walked along.

"b-b..besides, have to get back before others notice right?" she gave a little wink and giggle and rest her tail on the kittens shoulder doing her best to comfort her from the scary thing that had just happened.

"I promise I won't!" Rosekit mewed earnestly, "that was definitely not a good idea." Batsong looked shaken. Rosekit tensed as the warrior thought, and sagged with relief, breathing a comically big sigh for a little kitten when Batsong agreed to keep it a secret. She giggled at the grin and wink.

But she shook her head vehemently when Batsong offered her the feather. "It looks pretty on you!" she protested, standing on her back paws on tip-top to reach up and push the black tail back. "Who's your friend?" she asked curiously, blinking up at Batsong, but continuing on unconcerned whether she got an answer, "I have a friend who gives me treasures. He's my big brother, his name is Watertail, and he's a really cool warrior like you." The terror of a few moments ago was all but forgotten with the joy of making her first friend, though Rosekit still trembled a little. 

Rosekit nodded and let Batsong guide her gently back towards camp, the warrior's tail coming to rest on her shoulder with a wink and a giggle. "Yeah!" Rosekit whispered with a giggle of her own, 
"thank you, Batsong."

Batsong blinked a couple of times not expecting Rosekit to deny the gift. "hmm okay, if you say so" she giggled putting it back behind her ear and walked along side the kitten.

"oh slightpaw?... hes well uhh ermm" she blushed slightly.

"Hes just a friend I met at the gathering... he is from Skyclan" she said ... she felt bad not telling Rosekit that he was so much more than that to her but cross clan relationships were against the rules... hmm perhaps that could be the pairs secret as well??? she considered it.

hmm maybe....

"dont tell anyone... but he is a little more than a friend I suppose... I guess a secret for a secret is only fair" she giggled at the gossip and walked her the rest of the way back to camp.

"I would like to get to know your brother more too! he sounds r-r-...really cool"  as they arrived at the nursery again she gave the kit a final wink

r-r...remember our secrets .... we tell no one either one she grinned playfully and warmly her golden eyes sparkling

...

and of course... you are very welcome, you are worth saving she giggled and tossed a mossball to the kitten to play with

Rosekit caught the way Batsong blushed slightly, and tipped her head to the side, not quite understanding the nature of the relationship. Oh, it was a grown-up kind of secret. Rosekit's blushed sympathetically. She smiled happily, she knew a secret too! She would never ever tell any cat! "We tell no one either one," Rosekit mewed in agreement, eyes sparkling, she winked clumsily back, then ran to catch the ball of moss Batsong had tossed for her.