Day In and Out [C]

Whisperkit awoke from yet another nap. It felt like that was all they were doing lately: Sleep, wake up, eat a stringy rabbit, and then slumber again. The lack of food and cold air was not doing well for Whisperkit, and they found it hard to keep up their energy. They felt like an elder lounging in their nest all day, and it was really starting to wear on them.

Today, they decided they would walk around camp in hopes that that would give them more energy. They walked idly around the camp, their head hanging low. Their paws dragged along the dirt and already they found themself longing for a nap. Not even the whispers in the wind could hold his attention as they whisked through the air and sent a shiver down their spine. They were so distracted by their own tired thoughts that they bumped into another warrior entirely.

They took a couple slippery steps back and looked up at the warrior with wide eyes. They blinked a couple times to try and push the fatigue out of their head. "Hello," they said politely. "I'm sorry. I wasn't watching where I was going." They let their body sink into a sitting position. "I hope I didn't bother you."

Returning from patrol with empty paws, Swiftspirit shivered as she made her way into camp, hardly paying attention to her surroundings as she split from the rest of her patrolmates with an absentminded wave of her tail. It was clear despite her efforts to hide it that recent losses were weighing on her, but if anyone asked she was determined to tell them otherwise.

A kit stumbled into her from behind, and Swiftspirit turned, glancing down. As distracted as she herself had been, she wasn't angry. "Are you alright?" She tipped her head, studying the kit. He looked tired, and Swiftspirit supposed she couldn't blame anyone for that nowadays. The kit was quick to stumble over apologies, and Swiftspirit dismissed them easily. It was obvious there'd been no harm by the misstep. "It's okay, I'm not going to tear your pelt off for a simple mistake. What's your name, kit?" She sat as well.

Whisperkit relaxed when the warrior did not seem upset with them. Their ears perked up a little higher. They took in the new cat's appearance: she had such kind eyes and despite the few battle scars that could be seen on her body, she still had an approachable demeanor. Yes, Whisperkit had nothing to be nervous about here.

"My name is Whisperkit," they replied. "How about you?" Their gaze trailed away from the warrior for a moment and looked back at the other kits. A lot of them were tired too, but they also had a neverending energy that Whisperkit couldn't seem to muster nowadays. They wondered if warriors had the same problem in harsh seasons like these. Their gaze returned to Swiftspirit and they added, "You seem as distracted as me. I hope patrols haven't been giving you trouble."

"Nice to meet you Whisperkit. My name is Swiftspirit." She introduced herself. The kit went on, noting she seemed distracted... No, that definitely wasn't it.

"Patrolling isn't the greatest in this weather, no." She mewed, "I don't exactly have the fur to deal with the cold and snow. Of course, prey doesn't usually see me coming... When there's prey to be found in this season." The patrol had found nothing today, unfortunate and frustrating. "I suppose you must be bored stuck in camp, huh?"

"A bit," they admit. "But it's not too terrible. I haven't had much energy as of late, so I'm trying to make the most of my time as a kit. Sleeping as much as I can and all."

It didn't even occur to Whisperkit to feel sheepish about admitting that weakness to another warrior. For Whisperkit, their conversation wasn't necessarily a kit to a warrior; it was just a conversation between two cats.

"Leafbare is certainly treating us poorly," they mewed softly. "I've heard other cats speak of newleaf, though. How close it is? Will prey be easier to find when newleaf arrives?" Whisperkit certainly hoped so. Maybe then they wouldn't feel so sick so often, and the clan could begin to thrive.

Lack of energy in a kit? That was concerning... Swiftspirit would remember to bring some extra fresh-kill to the nursery later. It was clear that the queens and kits could use that. Whisperkit could be tired because he was bored, too, though Swiftspirit would rather err on the side of caution. "You'll be old enough to be apprenticed soon. Having actual things to do will help a bit." She mewed.

"Newleaf is a few moons off, yet." She mewed, "But it'll be warmer and there won't be as much sickness as there is now. Plants will grow, and that means prey will breed and be more plentiful." Swiftspirit missed the warmer weather, truthfully. She missed prey being plentiful and easier to come by, too.

"It can be hard work, but it's rewarding work, too." Swiftspirit nodded. The kit went on to ask about predators, and she sighed, though her whiskers did twitch a bit. "Weasels and geese aren't too bad, more annoying than truly dangerous at least. Same with birds of prey such as eagles. Most warriors have no trouble fighting them off on their own. Dogs and badgers, on the other paw... They're always a threat. They're strong, and dogs can be much faster than one might give credit for. Vicious beasts, the lot of them." Her mind went briefly to Buzzardpaw and Timbersun, then to Bearspirit, who she'd fought a dog with once.

The kit's tone was... Less than enthusiastic, and Swiftspirit smiled softly, attempting to offer some small reassurance when she spoke again. "Our warriors know what they're doing, and will train you to handle anything you encounter. You'll do just fine." She mewed. Most kits she knew tended to be a bit more excitable, though Whisperkit seemed to be more on the cautious side of things from what Swiftspirit could tell. Perhaps that was a good thing.

Swiftspirit purred at the kit's thanks. "You'll be an apprentice soon enough. Then you can patrol with me and the other warriors." She said, head dipping slightly. She could tell that Whisperkit was tired, and waved her tail at him. "Go back to the nursery and rest." She told him, stretching as she stood. It had been nice to talk with the kit for a little while, the distraction of simple conversation had helped her own mood.