settling [closed for arcana]

The night was in full swing. All across camp came the soft sounds of snoring cats. Every now and then perhaps a soft mutter or the cadence of wind whistling through the barren treetops. From the mouth of his den, Stoatstar digested all of this with a soft sigh. He drank it in, fully familiarized with these nightly sounds. Sleep had never come easy for him and was as evasive as a squirrel darting to the treetops. Recent events had done little to soothe that. If anything, rest had come purely from sheer exhaustion or clanmates chasing him into the den as if rest would somehow cure him. But the silence was more condemning than anything else.

Moments like these, he remembered Minkstar, clearly and vividly as if the ginger pelt might appear right before his eyes. Grief was a funny thing. The more accustomed he became to it, the more certain he was that it would never subside. Rather, events pushed it to the back of his mind, waiting like a coiled snake that would readily strike without notice. This terrified him more than anything. Already concerns and inadequacies and wrapped themselves around his self-ailing mind. In some ways he found himself to be more accustomed to slipping into conversation with clanmates. But in equal measures, he grew to care for them more deeply than ever before. To consider it, was to recognize the possibility that one day they too could end up like Minkstar. And he could do nothing to stop it.

A helpless creature he was.

Rising to his paws, the leader intended to leave the camp. Perhaps the chill of the breeze would shock him from this state. Laying around would do nothing. Eyes had been set on the camp entrance as he planned to slip away with little more than a dismissive tail flick to the night's guards. One of the few perks of leadership. However, a distance from the camp mouth, he caught sight of the frame of a younger cat and turned his gaze to fixate on it. Peering into the dark... he tried to make out their frame.

Fawnkit couldn't sleep. The wonders of the outside of the camp kept her up, especially how Dovefrost explained to her how many different herbs there were. How many more were there? What did they all look like? She soon figured out that those herbs lying in his den was just one of the few out there. And so, in another failed attempt to fall asleep, the she-kit snuck out of the nursery. It was moonhigh— a relatively quiet time for all those lying around, resting. She couldn't count herself in, though. Fawnkit glanced at the apprentices' den, managing to make out her siblings' figures amongst the crowd. She envied them.

However, a sigh, and a shadowy figure from afar— near the Highrock, was then caught noticed by her. Her ears perked, whiskers twitching in curiosity. She'd assumed they were a warrior, still awake, and unable to sleep... if she hadn't looked closer. Stoatstar!  And awake at this time, too. Was he also kept busy by his thoughts? With silent steps (or at least she tried to be silent), she approached the leader, hoping to be able to strike a conversation with him.

"Stoatstar?" She mewed, hoping her guess was correct. Her vision wasn't always keenest in the dark. "Are your thoughts keeping you awake, too? I couldn't sleep. Dovefrost told me all about these different herbs before, and they're all so exciting! Has he ever introduced you to any unique ones before, Stoatstar?" Her mews came in rapidly, though knowing it was late, she tried her best to keep it down.

Fawnkit. The name sounded right but he wasn't certain. Regardless, he laughed lowly, "They always do, little kit. I hope you don't find yourself in the same pattern." She had already jumped onto the next topic as excitable young kits did. He'd grown more accustomed to them as the clan began to expand and flourish. Some how, even in the midst of leafbare and their stomachs growling, Thunderclan was doing well. The thought briefly crossed his mind that it would soon mean they could take back some of their bordering territories.

Stoatstar pushed the thought away for a later time. He mulled over her words, thinking about the herbs he'd familiarized himself with. Several he knew by names and uses but putting them together and curing ailments was Dovefrost's specialty. After a pause, he finally meowed, "Nothing too special I can think of. But a new herbs was just discovered - the coneflower. My favorite is honey because of how sweet it is, though. It makes it easier to swallow down traveling herbs." Remembering the coneflower journey reminded him of unpleasant things. But a kit hardly needed to know that.

Like how most other kits would, Fawnkit listened attentively, making sure to remember the few names that had occurred when Stoatstar was talking. To her! Maybe the leader wasn't so distant, after all. "The coneflower..! I think I know that one." She nodded, continuing to listen to the grown cat. "And honey.. is it that sticky, bright yellow material? That's found in the medicine den?" Fawnkit smiled. There were still so many things she was curious about, although speaking to Dovefrost about herbs would definitely teach her more.

And for a while, Fawnkit tried to think of another topic for them. "Stoatstar, how was your training like? Or leadership? I've heard our clanmates say you do grand things, is that true?" For now, she still bore the innocence that a kit would, despite her age. So many curious things, how could she not? Perhaps, she'd only know more when she grows.