chasing bugs (closed)

Wrenkit sat quietly in the nursery when a beetle appeared. The fluffy she-kit watched the bug as it made its journey. It was fast with its six tiny legs, and Wrenkit outstretched a paw to stop it. The beetle ignored her paw and just went around it. Wrenkit remarked on how it seemed to not care about the giant furry monsters all around the nursery. Soon enough, it was out of her paw’s reach. She stood to follow the beetle, and the kit found that she could catch up with it quickly. Wrenkit tried to stop it again, and this time the beetle decided to turn around. It scurried beneath her legs and as she turned to follow it, Wrenkit found herself face to face with another kit.

Icekit nearly collided noses with one of the tinier kits in the nursery. An instinctive hiss escaped her lips as she scrambled back a couple mouse-lengths. She cleared her throat and planted herself on her hind-paws.

"Apologies," she said.

She looked over the kit and tilted her head. While Icekit was much older, nearly apprentice age, this kit looked like she had been born not long ago. It only took her a moment to remember that one of the queens kitted recently. Icekit had only glanced over them and gave the queen her congratulations, but overall didn't pay much attention to the new faces in the nursery. She was going to be leaving soon enough, and that's what she was looking forward to most.

"You should watch where you're going. We don't want you taking a tumble," Icekit continued. "Are you alright? I didn't bump you, correct?"

Manners, she silently reminded herself. She added aloud, "I'm Icekit. You're one of the new ones recently born, yes?"

Icekit talked like a warrior, or at least Wrenkit’s imagined version of a warrior. She hadn’t met a warrior yet, unless you included her parents. Icekit had amber eyes, brown fur, and was bigger than Wrenkit. She was most likely becoming an apprentice soon. The she-kit was very polite, too.

Wrenkit wasn’t sure what question to answer first, so she introduced herself. ”I’m Wrenkit.” She stated, ”Um, sorry about that. You didn’t bump into me, Icekit. And, yeah, I am one of the new kits.” Wrenkit herself was a little under a moon old. ”I was following a beetle. It should be around here somewhere..” Wrenkit proceeded to look around her paws. However, the beetle must have scurried away, because it was not where she searched. ”Oh well, it’s gone.” The kit glanced up at Icekit, and felt somewhat embarrassed.

Icekit looked over her shoulder in the direction that Wrenkit had turned, but she did not see a beetle either. She had never bothered chasing after bugs, but she did feel a bit bad that she had ruined the kit's fun.

"I can help you find another," Icekit offered She moved to Wrenkit's side and got down low on her legs like she'd seen some apprentices do when they sparred near camp. "We can pretend that we are hunting prey."

She almost felt a bit foolish, doing this. They weren't hunting prey. They were hunting for beetles and ants. And as young as Icekit was, she wanted to act like she was older, so this kit-play felt beneath her. But she wasn't about to discourage another kit, especially when she was so young. Icekit's pride could be spared a bit if it meant inspiring another cat in the clan.

"If we move carefully and close to the ground, then we can spot one before it sees us," Icekit meowed.

Wrenkit’s eyes lit up at Icekit’s words. It was very kind of Icekit to offer to play with Wrenkit. ”O-ok!” She replied, obviously happy. The she-kit silently observed Icekit as she crouched down in a hunting position. Wrenkit did her best to mimic the other kit’s movements. She likely hadn’t done it properly, but the young kit didn’t care. It was just a game, after all.

She glanced quickly at Icekit before she scanned the ground around them. Wrenkit looked for more bugs, or as most kits liked to call them, prey. She decided to follow Icekit’s instructions, trusting the older kit to know more than her. The kit started moving forward as carefully as she could.

Nodding with approval, Icekit mirrored Wrenkit's movements. She crawled forward carefully, keeping her nose low to the ground. Beetles and ants didn't give off the same scent as mice and lizards, so Icekit couldn't follow her nose; but the appearance of it wasn't half bad.

She scanned the ground carefully with wide, unblinking eyes, until her tail snapped at attention. She spotted a beetle and she lifted her nose to point towards it. She gave a tiny flick with her tail to indicate that Wrenkit should be the one to approach and pounce on the bug, like it was a mouse.

Wrenkit crawled forward with Icekit and searched the area around them. Icekit spotted the beetle first. However, Wrenkit only noticed the beetle when Icekit pointed at it with her nose.

The kit locked her eyes on the small bug, moving up to it as cautiously as she could. When she was close to the beetle, she pounced on it sloppily. Her little, fawn-colored paws practically squished the bug. Wrenkit’s eyes were wide as she opened her paws and revealed the beetle. She was surprised she actually landed on it, and quickly covered it with her paws again to keep it from escaping.

Icekit sat up fully again and nodded. "You have the makings of a warrior in you," she said. She didn't know enough about proper hunting to know how sloppy the form was, but she was impressed that Wrenkit caught it at all.

She watched Wrenkit for a moment and admitted, "I've never been fond of catching bugs, but I think you've changed my perspective. It's rather good practice when you can't go out to chase mice yourself."

Icekit wished that she could enjoy something like that more. It was good for the clan, to have those natural hunting instincts. But Icekit simply did not find enjoyment in it. It was too much energy, too much random chance, and too much time spent alone.

Wrenkit warmed inside at Icekit’s words, but it surprised Wrenkit that Icekit didn't like to catch bugs. What did Icekit like to play, then? Wrenkit spent most of her time playing. Of course, she was a kit, and that was what kits did. The other kit had a good point as well; bugs were a good substitute for mice when you couldn’t go out of camp.

"Yes, it is." Wrenkit nodded her head in agreement as she replied. Her paws still covered the beetle. Curious, like the kit she was, Wrenkit added, "What do you like to play?"

Icekit hummed and tilted her head in thought. She...didn't, really. Play was not something that she indulged in except for rare moments like this. Running around, rolling in the snow, getting dirt in her coat...it wasn't fun.

"I don't play," she admitted softly. "I like talking to cats." She looked to Wrenkit. "Like speaking with you. I like to get to know cats. Now I know you're curious, you like to chase bugs, and you have the makings of a good warrior."

Now that Wrenkit’s attention was focused solely on her conversation with Icekit, she released the bug. The terrified beetle took its opportunity and left.

“Hm.” Wrenkit whispered. Her eyes drifted from Icekit to other areas of the nursery before they landed on Icekit again. ”I guess everyone has their own thing…” There was a pause before Wrenkit added, ”I’m still finding it hard to believe you don’t play.” She giggled softly as she said it.

It was true, though, that Wrenkit found it hard to believe that Icekit didn’t play. Wrenkit found playing very fun, but she knew that some cats might not. Icekit was one of those cats. Getting to know others was a perfectly fine thing to like, Wrenkit thought.

Icekit gave Wrenkit a wry smile. "I'm not against play. And should you ever need a friend to play with, I'll be happy to hunt beetles with you." She patted her paw against Wrenkit's leg. "Or, when we're both apprentices, we can hunt together. More of a challenge than just some beetles, don't you think?"

She nodded and gazed at Icekit. ”Yeah, hunting will be much more of a challenge than tiny bugs.” Wrenkit responded. Becoming an apprentice… just the thought sounded so far away to her. Wrenkit barely grasped that she would even be one. ”Thank you. Maybe I’ll take you up on that offer later. I have a long time left in the nursery, though. You’re almost an apprentice, right?” She questioned.

Icekit immediately puffed up with pride and lifted her chin. "That's right. It should be any day now. Which means I'll even get to go to the Gathering this moon." She relaxed herself again and said, "And soon you'll be old enough for all of that too. It goes by faster than you would think. You'll get out of the nursery in no time."

A shiver ran down her spine and she looked up at the sky. It was starting to grow late. "It looks like there's not enough sunlight left to catch bugs. We should get back to the nursery and get settled for bed." She pushed herself up to her paws and gestured for Wrenkit to come with her. There would be more days for more bug-catching. For now, though, it was time for rest.

At once Wrenkit glanced at the sky. Icekit was right, the sun had started to go down. They’d better get to bed.

”Ok.” Wrenkit said. She took Icekit’s cue and turned her head towards the nursery as she stood. Wrenkit followed Icekit. She wasn’t really tired, but she went anyways. The cold leaf-bare weather had started to get to her, even with her long fur.