Youthful [Open!]

The black kitten carefully maneuvered her stubby legs away from the nest. She had grown tired of mothers and moss. She wanted to meet her clanmates! What would the other cats of Thunderclan like? The ground outside the nursery was no longer soft, and much, much colder. Comfreykit considered retreating from the rough, frosty floor. Her kitten fluff wasn't ready for this! But remember, Thunderclan is brave! Be brave Comfreykit.

After a few deep breaths she called for her brothers and sisters, "Come on guys! Be super careful though because it's really cold!" The last thing she wanted was this scary weather to hurt her siblings. Maybe we should wait for a warmer day... Glancing around the camp she felt a thrill bubble within her. She couldn't help it, she'd have to take the risk.

Comfreykit ran through the thin snow and headed towards the first thing she saw. At the time the kit knew little about tree stumps, but it was indeed what she climbed. Pulling herself up over the dead tree's edge she then looked around the area from her new vantage point. This is huge! How will I find all my clanmates? She then gazed down to see which of her littermates had followed, and more importantly if they were struggling. "Is everyone doing okay?" she yelped in her tiny kit voice.

(OOC: The tree stump Comfreykit stands upon is in front of the Apprentice Den, so apprentices are very much welcomed/encouraged to join the noisy kits!
also here are some fun ideas for games!)

Darkkit had been curled up against his mother, but he was far from asleep. His eyes had been closed, but his brain was busy. There was always something exciting to think about and it meant that sleep often alluded him, like becoming a warrior! He always had silent day dreams about fighting other clans and even beating the leaders of them by himself. Thunderclan had no idea how lucky they were to have him as warrior and how unfortunate for the other clans that they missed out on that.

His eyes opened when he heard Comfreykit leaving the nursery. His head popped up and he watched, his ears pricked forward and alert. Then she called for them to follow. With a quick glance at his mother, Darkkit got to his feet and followed. He always tensed at the cold, not liking it at all.

"Comfreykit," He mewed, right before he grit his teeth against the cold. When was this supposed to go away? When he was an elder? Not that he had any idea of what greenleaf was. At this point it was just some elder's tale of times long past. He followed after, eyeing the stump with careful consideration before he jumped up onto it too. This seemed almost as natural to him as walking. The kit wouldn't know for quite some time, but his Skyclan blood was still very prevalent within him. He climbed up with his sister, his ears pricking forward again when she spoke for a second time.

"This is easy," He commented. A smile slowly spread across his face. "This is fun!" He began to scrabble up faster, his light kitten body easy to pull upward and onto the top of the stump. He gazed out around the camp, his duo-toned eyes alight with wonder. He watched the other warriors come and go, carrying freshkill and taking orders from the deputy while others waited to give reports. That would be him one day. Maybe even... his eyes slid over to where the leader's den was supposed to be though he wasn't entirely sure yet. What if he could lead Thunderclan one day?

The shuffling of his littermates stirred Daykit awake, the pale tom lifting his head just as Darkkit's tail slipped out of sight. He yawned, then registered the fact his brother had just left– and, despite the fog of sleep still crowding his brain, the kit pushed himself onto his paws to follow, curiosity leading him out of the den. Comfreykit had left, too; she was perched atop a tree stump, and Darkkit was close on her pads.

"Hey, wait!" Daykit called around another yawn. He shook his fur out, grimacing against the cold, before he pushed himself to bound after his siblings. By the time he'd reached them, Darkkit had joined their sister on the stump, and Daykit had to crane his neck back to look up at them. "I wanna play too. Let me up," he mewed, a hint of dejection in his tone. Tiny claws hooked into the brittle bark, and as Daykit hauled himself upward, any sense of being left behind was forgotten.

"It's... big up here," he muttered as he shouldered his way between his siblings. He joined Darkkit in looking out over the camp, watching warriors come and go. Am I... really supposed to learn to do all that, one day? It looks... kind of hard. He cast a glance back towards the nursery. Even being an apprentice, exciting as the thought was, was daunting.

But this was no time to dwell. A grin spread across his features, and he looked between Comfreykit and Darkkit expectantly. "Well, what are we doing up here? I think mom's gonna be mad if I push you guys off, even though I want to." He snickered a little. It would be funny, fighting his siblings for ownership of the stump. He headbutted Comfreykit in particular, purring, "I bet I could beat you for it."

Comfreykit bumped her forehead against Darkkit's shoulder before leaning down to help Daykit, but he had already crested the stump. The she-kit made room for her brothers, quietly balancing by the edge. She smiled when they did. Soon we'll be apprentices, she thought with an excited flick of her tail, And then even warriors! We'll be the best warriors. Maybe we'll even get to train together.

Then Daykit spoke, threatening to push them off out of boredom. She laughed along, but also steadied herself in case he did attempt to push her. "Don't hurt yourself trying! You couldn't knock me down if you threw the whole clan at me!" she teased, gently headbutting him back. Comfreykit didn't want her brothers pushing each other at such heights, but didn't mind if they tried to hit her off. She was confident in her skills. "What about you Darkkit? Want to test your luck?"

With the chatters of her siblings growing louder by the moment, Fawnkit peeked an eye open, just enough to catch the moment of the three of them sneaking out. Immediately, she arose, curiously following behind Daykit. Though the drowsiness still lingered in her eyes, she yawned, attempting to blink it away for a moment. "Comfreykit, Darkkit, Daykit? What are you guys doing?" By then, she watched as Daykit soon pulled himself up into the tall bark along with the others— Comfreykit and Darkkit already above. This shouldn't be as hard, right?  She considered the option to join them.

Fawnkit took a step back, blinking, and pushed herself down. Then, with enough pressure— she leaped up to the bark, clinging onto it as much as her tiny claws would allow her to. A smile grew on her maw as she then was able to push herself up. "Woah, everything really is huge up here..!" She looked over the camp for a brief while, momentarily pausing at each cat for a second or so. Then, she'd turn over to her siblings again. "Though I don't really get it, I want to join in, too." She'd grin.

Specklekit was busy jumping over his mother, trying to practice not falling. But it was so dumb! He kept falling every other jump because he'd slip on some moss or... something! He was careful not to land on any of his other siblings, but sometimes he'd fall onto them. Eventually, he just stopped trying and went to clean one of his back legs to calm him down. His ears flicked up as his siblings got up and tried to join Comfreykit.

Hey... He thought, twisting his whole body to face the exit. He stood up on four paws, wobbling for a bit, but once he regained balance he trotted outside to join his littermates. "And I'm Specklestar!" He announced pulling himself up, thin back legs dangling behind him. Once he finally pushed himself onto the stump, he couldn't move for a bit, but then he jumped up onto his paws like nothing had happened.

"Leader of..." Well, as far as Specklekit (or star) knew, Thunderclan was the best clan there but Eveningkitstar already took that spot. "Big bad Riverclan! RROOOAAR!" His tail flicked playfully. "I'm Darkstar's ally! I'll help Darkstar's clan secure the stump as their territory! If he shares..." His blue eyes flicked towards his odd-coloured brother's for a second, before grabbing onto Eveningkitstar.

Darkkit moved aside to let more of his siblings onto the stump. What he hadn't been expecting was to be challenged for it afterward. Cheaters! He could have just pushed their paws off of it on the way up if he had known! Comfreykit's challenge made him snort and he almost refused to participate... but Eveningkit's claim for the leader of Thunderclan had hit a nerve. That's what he was going to do! Not Eveningkit! His ears flattened in response and he bristled... or tried to rather, since he was all just kitten fluff at the moment anyway.

Specklekit chimed in as Riverclan's leader and apparently his ally. He laughed, hearing stories at one point about their bitter rivalry. It was enough to lighten the mood and Darkkit took a position beside Specklekit.

"Okay you can help me, Specklestar! Try not to get your stinky fish fur on me though!" A shot at Riverclan, why not? He doubted it would bother Specklekit. With that in mind, he launched himself at Eveningkit. The audacity of his sibling to think he'd be leader one day. Ha! Still, he only meant to playfully wrestle with Eveningkit. He was going to almost push him off if he could, but he didn't want to actually send his sibling tumbling off of the stump. He didn't want to hurt him.

Daykit snickered at his sister's response, shouldering her lightly. "I could knock you both off, easy," he declared, downy chest swelling with pride. And he was about to act on it too, give his sister a stiff shove and send her to the ground below, but the swift appearance of the rest of his littermates distracted him.

Fawnkit came first, quieter than the brothers that followed– Specklekit and Eveningkit next, both crying about being excluded. Daykit laughed, high and genuine, as siblings crowded around him on the stump. He felt squished between them, a feeling he was used to; with the cold air stirring his pelt, though, it felt freer somehow. The warmth of their bodies comforted him.

An ear twitched towards Eveningkit, temporarily Eveningstar, and Daykit frowned, though there was warmth in his eyes. "I'm not listening to you!" He cried back, but any protests were lost as Specklekit-star's announcement that he was RiverClan's leader, on the attack, drew Darkkit's attention. Their half-patterned brother leaped, bowling into Eveningkit, and Daykit found himself ducking away with a yelp. Wait a minute–

"Hey, hey! Claiming the stump was my idea!" He cried out, indignant, and turned to face Specklekit with as much ferocity as he could muster in his little frame. "I'm Daystar, of..." He paused. What were the other Clans again...? Right– "Daystar! SkyClan's leader! And this stump his mine!" His war cry was swallowed by an uncontrollable fit of giggles as he reared up on his hind legs, wobbling slightly as he boxed a soft paw against Specklekit's ears. "And no one will take my territory! Except, uhm– well, I'll share if Fawnkit and Comfreykit help." His voice lowered at the last part, and he twisted to shoot his sisters a sly wink once he'd landed with a gentle thud.

As Eveningkit hurriedly climbed his way onto the tree stump, the she-kit arched her back, claws instinctively gripping into the bark— just moments away from slipping off. "Hey! Watch your paws, Eveningkit!" She'd hiss, eyes narrowed for a second. Her siblings' small quarrels began to grow, and soon she felt agitated enough to join in as well. Maybe even then, she'd be able to get payback for just earlier!

Daykit— Daystar had offered Comfreykit and her to join in, and she trilled, immediately feeling the rush of adrenaline coming in her. Just like how Daykit had taken a moment to think, she had, too. "And I'm Fawnstar, of WindClan! Ally of SkyClan," She'd declared, puffing out her chest as she giggled along with Daykit. "This stump will be ours, Daystar!" She trilled, crying out as she heard Eveningstar declare himself once Darkkit had bowled him over to the ground. She'd nearly jolted, though checking that he wasn't injured, continued.

"Specklestar, Darkstar; Daystar, Comfreykit, and I will challenge you for this territory!" She'd playfully snarl, then braced herself before leaping down to the stump. "You decide whether or not it's worth it to ally with Eveningstar, Daystar!" She'd yowl, soft paws aiming for her brother as she reached to tumble over Specklestar. She made sure her claws were sheathed, though.

Comfreykit was glad to see the other kits joining them, but that soon turned to apprehension as the talk of territory escalated. Soon every kit was picking sides, and she understood it was all in good fun, but there was no doubt in her mind someone was going to get hurt.

She listened to them nervously, hooking her claws into the old bark. Her tail curled. What was she to do? Join Thunderclan and fight for the stump? But then she might hurt someone- Eveningkit fell under Darkkit's pounce, and soon everyone else had begun to tussle. Daykit and Fawnkit targeting Specklekit, and she couldn't see what happened to Eveningkit.

Comfreykit didn't have time to think, she just had to act. Leaping between Specklekit and the other two she shoved the pair away from him. She glared at them, anger and fear seeping in her voice as she cried, "Please don't fight!"

She took a deep breath, trying to regain her cool. "I mean.. uh, I'm Starclan... And, and I'm very displeased." Comfreykit didn't want to seem like she couldn't take a joke, and she wanted to prove she could be a loyal Thunderclan warrior, but the thought that someone would get hurt couldn't leave her mind. "I'm sorry, I don't like this." She turned to Specklekit, giving him a look that seemed to ask "Are you okay?"

Littlekit was asleep in the sweeping curl of her mother's feathery black tail at the edge of the nest. As the nest emptied of kits, she stirred in her sleep at the shouts and stretched out further into the middle and closer to Waterlily's warmth. She mumbled and batted gently at Specklekit when he fell on her, but it didn't properly wake her. The tiny golden tabby stretched out all her limbs in bliss and rolled over for more sleep. The shouting continued. Slowly Littlekit's eyes opened, deep blue-green, and she yawned widely.

She blinked against the brightness and the falling white flakes, feeling the cold after being so snuggly asleep. She stepped onto the snow, falling through up to her ears. She yelped, too muffled for any cat to hear, but undeterred she burrowed through the freezing powder with tiny sturdy square shoulders.

Fluffy fur still clumped with snow, she stood on her short back legs and tried to jump up and hook her tiny claws on the edge of the stump. But with her all her siblings jostling up there, she couldn't get a hold. She fell back onto the snow with a low huff. She shook the icy clumps from her fur with a determined glare at the tree stump. Her small rounded ears flicked up at Comfreykit's cry, and she gave her sister's joke a supportive giggle. "I think we should listen to StarClan, because I'm a medicine-cat, Little... um, Little..frost!" With a play-serious expression, she placed her paw on her fallen black-and-white brother's side, "You're healed, Eveningstar!" 

She titled her head to one side with a grin, "Are you all alright, did any of you leaders lose a life?" Everyone seemed to be okay, and Littlekit looked up to give worried Comfreykit a clumsy wink. "I... advice... you all this stump is a no fighting place!" Littlekit wanted to see from up there too, and finally pulling herself up, the short tiny she-cat looked across the clearing. She could see all of it at once for the first time, and it was so big! There were lots of stumps for her siblings to squabble over, she noticed with a soft giggle to herself.

No sooner than his paws had connected with his brother, Comfreykit jerked forward, shouldering him and Fawnkit away with a desperate cry. She turned to survey all their siblings, stammering something about how she was StarClan. Even Littlekit had rolled out of the nursery to join them, nodding in agreement (much less serious than Comfreykit, but agreement either way), that this was a place for no fighting.

Daykit withered, glancing towards Fawnkit, then to Specklekit, then to Littlekit lightly pawing Eveningkit, and eventually to Comfreykit. "Sorry," he mewed softly, ears drooping. A little, he was frustrated that their fun had stopped; more than that, though, he was upset that Comfreykit looked so upset. Leaning over the stump to peer at Littlekit, he nodded slowly, then pulled back to look at his other kit-leaders.

"Maybe this can be our... uh. Our– right, our Fourtrees. It is a... well, tree. Kinda, at least." Daykit offered, looking between Comfreykit and Littlekit– who had just made it up the stump, jostling into him as she did –with a meek smile, hoping that his suggestion worked for them.