spring storms [closed for lapis!]

Blizzardkit yawned, wide and showing the tips of pointy teeth. The big white kit — and he was a kit, even if he looked at least apprentice-sized — blinked slowly… and then glimpsed one of his denmates.

The other kit was brown and thin and always was, but looked even more so in the sunlight. Hrm. He’s like a stick. Curiosity stirred, just as his mama’s disapproving stare flashed in his mind. It would be rude to say that, probably. So of course, he mewed, “Hey. You, Hawthornkit. You’re awfully skinny, aren’t you?” The white tabby fixed one yellow eye curiously at his denmate. It really was genuine, but Blizzard looked a bit imperious anyway, looking down. “…Is it because your dad’s a Windclan cat?”

…he was large because his dad wasn’t clan at all. So it struck him as obvious. But mama says it’s better to ask. At least, it was better for Blizzardkit to, rather than sniffing and staring at cats all day. (That was weird.)

There he lay, spread out elegantly. Carefully resting in the precise position he claimed to give optimal comfort to his delicate, but still kit-like build. Hawthornkit held out his paw, curling his tongue around it before and bringing it to his rose ears. He repeated the movements over and over, obeying a rhythm. That rhythm was ruined when some bothersome kit decided to ask him the most rude question. He turned his neck to the kit, shooting him an appalled glare.

"I am not skinny! I am graceful!" The short fur on his neck spiked as he left his nest to stand over Blizzardkit. The other kit was big, so as much as he pointed his toes, Hawthornkit couldn't look down upon him like he wished to. The frustrated kitten yowled at his white, fluffy counterpart, "My mama would never be with a Windclan cat! How dare you think that!"

Blizzardkit nearly rolled his eyes as his denmate started hissing. Skinny, graceful. Same difference. Hawthorn bristled, but the fluffy white tabby just stared him down mildly. “But why not?” he asked. “If she had been, then at least then you’d be fast, instead of… well.” Blizzard sniffed, eying the other kit dubiously. He had energy for sure, but to Blizzardkit he just kinda looked… like he would fall over. Curiously, he asked, ”Can you even fight?”

Wouldn’t he just get hurt? Blizzardkit’s fur — like Quail’s and his mama’s — protected him, he knew, and Hawthorn didn’t even have that.

If cats could blush, his face would be cherry. Between embarrassment and rage, he felt on the verge of boiling over. This wretched kit! He can't say that! Fearful of what else Blizzardkit would say, he blazed in defensive aggression. "You dung face!" he yelled, "You're so terrible!" Hawthornkit bashed his paws against the ground in a tantrum, hissing at the other tom-kit's insolent question. "You bet your dirty tail I can fight!" he shouted before throwing a practiced strike across Blizzardkit's face. Hawthornkit had spent much time dueling with his brothers, now he could put it to good use.

Hawthornkit used Front Paw Blow against Blizzardkit, dealing 2 damage and costing 5 stamina.

Hawthornkit:
10/10 HP
25/30 SP (-5)

Blizzardkit:
8/10 HP (-2)
30/30 SP

Blizzardkit wasn’t sure what he had been expecting. (He and Quail wrestled, sure, but they didn’t claw each other like barbarians.) And he was only asking, anyway. What he was saying was clearly obvious. But when he felt a sharp pain in his face, he twitched in shock! Ouch, the kit thought, raising a paw to his cheek. It came back… red.

“You made me bleed,” the fluffy white kit observed in that same, mild tone. Hawthorn’s insults fell on deaf ears, at least at first… and then he just growled. It wasn’t very menacing, maybe, to an adult, but Blizzard looked at the red staining his paw — his fur, and his face... ”I didn’t say you could do that. That’s not fair!”

He took it back. This kit wasn’t just skinny, he was stupid, too! With a dirty, kitten look that spoke of a rising temper, Blizzardkit tackled the mean kit to the ground. Nobody got his fur dirty!

Blizzardkit used Headbutt against Hawthornkit, dealing 2 damage and costing 5 stamina.

Blizzardkit:
8/10 | 25/30

Hawthornkit:
8/10 | 25/30

Wildfang had been busy grooming while listening to the kits around her. Her ears did perk up at some kit, not her's so it didn't matter much and would probably never amount to anything, ask if she had been with a Windclan cat. She stared at the other kit, the large one, completely unamused. As if she'd ever touch one of those twig-legged losers. At the very least, Hawthornkit gave the other kit a nice scratch. Good. She had raised him well. Once the other kit retaliated however, she bristled and got to her feet.

"That's enough out of both of you. Mostly you, Blizzardkit... I guess that's your name? I don't know. Whatever." She put herself between the two of them and looked down her nose at Blizzardkit. It didn't matter that he was an apprentice sized tom.... he was a rat and she would make sure he felt that way. "If you insult someone's family you should be expected to get a smack for it. Stop being such a bratty kit and realize where you went wrong. I will kindly ask you to keep rude comments to yourself and I will have you know that myself and Hawthornkit's father are pure Skyclan. Now go away. I won't stop my son from shredding you into the Dark Forest next time."

She looked away from Blizzardkit with a dismissive flick of her tail. And just like that, Blizzardkit may as well have been a stain on the nursery wall. She looked at Hawthornkit and gave a small smile. Good boy. Hit him again if he opens his mouth. She thought, but wouldn't say it. She probably didn't have to, as she and Hawthornkit were close enough they could understand each other with glances.

"Learn to ignore idiots my sweet." She crooned. She gave him a quick lick between the ears. "They'll never be as good as you or me, and they're jealous. They'll say anything to ruffle your fur and you just need to know that they're wrong. Go play with other kits." She lie back down, giving Hawthornkit a sweet smile, before she returned to her grooming as if nothing had happened.