In the Bright Eyes of Youth [O]

Martenkit

I'm alright, I'm okay, I'm alright, I'm okay

His mama said that soon the snow would be going away, that things would get warmer... but Martenkit didn't want that at all! If the snow went away, what would replace it? Would hot mud fall from the sky instead? Or hot rain?! If cold stuff came from the sky in leafbare, surely something hot came from the sky in greenleaf, right?! That's how things got cold and hot with the change of seasons! Perhaps he should have asked his mother, but he didn't want to hear what could possibly replace his precious snow for the fact it could be something terrible... so he decided he'd cherish what snow he had for the last few moons.

Martenkit's thick brown coat and kitten fat protected him from the chill as he began to collect as much snow as possible, using his paws to drag the cold powder around. He prioritized the clean fresh stuff that compiled on the edges of camp where few cats walked, little black paws carrying him back and forth as he rolled more and more to his amassing snow hill near the nursery. The little tom was careful to ensure his pile remained light and fluffy, never packing down his collection until finally his project was done.

The first thing Martenkit did with his brand new pile of snow was gingerly step into its center, the chill freezing his pads before he curled his paws underneath himself, loafing in his frozen nest. A rumbling purr rose from his chest in satisfaction. He had heard some complain of the cold, but Martenkit didn't get it. To him, it was perfect.

Martenkit

I'm alright, I'm okay, I'm alright, I'm okay

Martenkit blinked as a voice pulled his attention away from his chilly respite, blinking open icy blue eyes to find a warrior that he hadn't met before. He had seen her around camp though. Martenkit liked to watch the warriors trot around camp like busy bees, disappearing out of the entrance and sometimes returning with prey, other times not. Sometimes they'd have conversations he'd snooze through since warrior talk was a bit boring... and sometimes frightening, talking about cats that have disappeared and predators called twolegs that didn't seem anything like the hawks and badgers his mother told him about... but it was rude to eavesdrop, so he only did it a little bit.

"Yes, I did. It's very comfy." Martenkit nodded plainly, settling himself deeper into his snowy nest. "I'd offer you a spot... but I made it me-sized. I don't think you'd fit." He glanced down at the frosty powder, squinting a bit as though trying to calculate how to fit a cat much larger than him into his spot. Maybe if she sat instead of laid down? No, that wouldn't work, even if she did fit she'd only get cold paws instead of that full encapsulating chill.

Wait, she asked for his name! "Oh! I'm Martenkit, what's-" The brown tom looked to have almost started rolling into the usual introductions before remembering Brookstone had already stated her own name, there wasn't a need to ask for it again. "I mean, nice to meet you." Nailed it! Right, Mother said it was good to ask questions to... 'keep the conversation going.' "Do you like the snow too? Mom said it would be going away soon... how close is 'soon?'"

Martenkit

I'm alright, I'm okay, I'm alright, I'm okay

The small tom watched silently as the she-cat started to make her own snow nest. She didn't put as much time into it as he did his own, but he didn't judge, maybe she liked an uneven nest? He tilted his head, observing as she stepped into the middle of it and plopped down into the snow. It was impossible not to smile back when she let out an infectious laugh, Martenkit giving a reserved giggle. It did fit her, the nest curving unevenly in the same way her smile did... It also fit her much better in the literal sense as well, he wondered if he'd get big enough to fit in there too when he was an adult.

Brookstone started talking about snow and Martenkit listened quietly, regarding the white powder underneath his disproportionate paws. He found some solace in the fact there was a chance it could stay longer than the queens told him. A lot of adults didn't seem to like the snow, he didn't get it when he liked it so much. "I hope it sticks around then. At least until I'm big. I don't want it to go away until I can make big tunnels in it outside." He wasn't allowed out yet, but he could see all the untouched snow and how big it could pile up when it fell all night. He wanted to badly to go play in it, but he could make due with what was in camp for now... "As long as it isn't too cold for you," he added.

The inquiry to his hobbies made him tilt his head again, this time to the other side as he thought. "I like to play in the snow... Or sometimes I like to look for pretty rocks, the ones that are all smooth. Sometimes they have a cool line through the middle and I think that's pretty." Martenkit hesitated before listing the last one. "But, I really like just listening... Sometimes the warriors will talk about something all hushed-like and it makes me feel smart to listen, even if I don't get it half the time. Or maybe some cat talks about how they looked for this one specific prey because another cat really liked it and I think it's sweet..." The young brown tom cleared his throat quickly. "But mom said it's rude to eavesdrop, so you can't tell her I still do it, ok?"

Martenkit

I'm alright, I'm okay, I'm alright, I'm okay

Martenkit offered a soft smile and brief nod as Brookstone offered to keep his secret safe. It still felt a little rude to listen in, but the she-cat made sense. He was stuck in camp, but the warriors could go anywhere anytime they wanted. Maybe it was ok if he listened just a little bit. He didn't understand what they were talking about most of the time anyway, so it canceled out... probably.

The tom let out a quiet hum of thought at the inquiry to his collection. "I don't keep them. If I take them then other cats can't find them for themselves. Maybe another cat might take it, but that's alright because I already got to see it... but there is one I kept." He glanced to the nursery entrance not too far from where they laid, pausing for a moment. "I'll be right back." Martenkit carefully lifted himself from the snow, clumps of it sticking to his long brown belly fur. Paws he had yet to grow into carried him into the den, lifting the moss of his warm nest and grabbing a small stone in his maw.

Returning to his spot next the Brookstone, he settled back down into his pile with a quiet crunch of snow, placing the stone down on his paws, cradled in his white mits like a kit of his own. At first glance, it didn't look too special, a round, flat gray river stone that was abundant in their territory. However, it had two lines of white that ran around it. "This is the prettiest one I found. Sometimes I find stones with one line, or some that have really cool web markings, but this one is the only one I found that had two. I don't know, maybe it's just pretty, but I like to think it's lucky too."

He turned his gaze to the she-cat beside him. "Do you have any rocks you really like? Or feathers; it doesn't have to be a stone." Some feathers were really beautiful, though it was rare for a warrior to bring a bird instead of a fish. Though, even their scales came in pretty colors sometimes, but he didn't know how someone would collect those. They were so tiny.

Martenkit

I'm alright, I'm okay, I'm alright, I'm okay

Martenkit waited patiently when the she-cat rushed off to grab her own collection. Brookstone's enthusiasm leaked into him and he found himself kneading into the snow, wondering what a warrior would find interesting to keep. Their minds seemed so nebulous to him sometimes.

Brookstone returned and Martenkit leaned closer in his snow nest, getting a better look as the she-cat showed off her items. The stone was absolutely beautiful, so different compared to the dull river stones he found across camp. They were still pretty, but they didn't shimmer as Brookstone's did nor were they so vibrant, all monotone greys, browns, or whites. His eyes widened a little bit, a small tell of his awe as the warrior explained its significance. Not only was it gorgeous, but it had a story behind it too!

The feather collected just as much of Martenkit's attention, silently admiring how it shimmered in the sunlight. He had seen jay and cardinal feathers, birds could come in so many colors, but the fact that starling feathers had hidden colors fascinated the kit! How many other things glimmered like that if he looked at it from the right angle?

Just as he was contemplating what he could be missing out on, Brookstone passed the rock to him, the kitten blinking in shock. It was her special rock, wasn't it? She wanted him to have it? His lips pressed into a tight line, unsure and debating passing it back to her, but she said no takesies backsies, clearly the words of an unbreakable law.

"Ok," he said softly, "I'll keep it safe." And start a collection to share. He'd find a really special rock to give back to her too, something just as pretty as her pink stone. He didn't know how when hers was so vibrant, but he'd figure it out. "When I'm big, I'll look for all the good ones to share... Thank you." He slid the stone closer to him with one large white paw before affectionately pressing his head to her shoulder in a show of gratitude.

Martenkit

I'm alright, I'm okay, I'm alright, I'm okay

Martenkit let out a soft purr at the affection, barely audible, but there. He was already thinking about what rocks he would get. Maybe something blue? Did rocks come in blue? They came in pink, so they must come in blue too, right? Or maybe he had to collect something at a special moment like Brookstone did, a rock that was more sentimental than pretty? He'd figure it out when he was able to leave camp and find all the rocks.

He gave a chuckle and a nod, the fur on the top of his head messed up from her paw. "Alright, thank you- uh, again." He stumbled a bit on his words again. "I wanna show these to mom. I'll see you later, ok?" He picked up the rocks into his mouth, giving her a quick nod in farewell before scampering off back to the nursery with his new treasure.