strange world [c]

Ever since he had been given his own apprentice, Foxtrot felt a responsibility to go on as many patrols as he could. Showing his apprentice and his clan that he was ready and willing to take on more responsibility was directly related to his deep desire to climb ranks within his clan. Though this desire only recently being realized, it wasn’t a secret he already put himself on a pedestal. Everything about him was perfect in his eyes - save his messy coat.

Ever since he was known as just Kit, he had always looked as he did now; dark as midnight and fur as prickly as a thorn bush. While when he was younger he let his pelt get tangled and dirty to spite his biological mother, in recent moons it had become quite iconic and he felt as if he wouldn’t be himself if he thoroughly groomed.

Humming a tune he had heard from an elder, the Tom branched off from the main patrol throwing them a nod and smile before he could no longer see them over the rocky terrain. Long muscled legs launched him into a lower branch of one of the larger trees, then jumped a few more until he was high enough to get e good look at the territory below him. His eyes scanned with sharp and trained precision, as an avid tree flyer he had to be good at things like this. Really.

He smelled them before he saw them. The nostalgic scent of Twolegplace hit his nostrils and suddenly the warrior was back in his mothers den, tossing around Twoleg trash with Star in their makeshift den made from a cardboard box. He could hear Star’s laugh, hear her voice calling to him. Foxtrot shook his head breaking himself out of his reverie.

Then flash of gray fur in the undergrowth in his peripheral vision startled the tom, so much so he nearly fell off the branch. Talon like claws dug deep into the bark and gave him the balance he needed to stay hidden within the trees.

Surely not.

He jumped a branch or two lower, towards the commotion. At first he didn’t see Thyme at all, he was hyper fixated on the fact he believed he had just seen his sister for the firs time in moons. THe last time he had seen Star was when she was around 5 moons old. What he was not expecting, was a kit. Where was its mother? Foxtrot lifted his head and did a quick scan of the surrounding area but seeing nothing, he looked down at the small thing. Was this Star’s kid? He leaned down and gave its fur a curious sniff, his suspicions were confirmed. Without a doubt this was his sister’s child. But why would Star just leave? Foxtrot’s confusion was blatant on his face, but as he thought more about it he was able to rationalize his sister’s decisions. Star had always been extremely adventurous, she took long trips away from their den and he wouldn’t doubt that her adventurous personality remained after he had left. Who knows what she was like now that she was older.

Foxtrot looked down at Thyme with a soft look on his face, she was adorable. The kit was incredibly small and seemed not much older than he was when he had made the journey to the clans. His eyes flickered from the kit to the direction he had seen Star head in. It took everything in him not to run after her. Movement from the kit turned his attention back to it; he couldn’t leave it here.

“Hey kid. Where’s your momma?” Foxtrot asked his accent heavy in his words, maybe Star was coming back? There was doubt but he couldn’t help but be hopeful that Star would come back and stay.

His stomach was twisting into knots of nervousness and uncertainty. As the seconds passed by after Thyme reported Star would be back soon, his hope diminished and fizzled out. With that in mind he wasn't left with many choices. But just in case Star was going to come back, he didn't want to take Thyme back to Skyclan and Star come back and not be able to find her kit. "You know you're on Skyclan territory? Did your ma tell you about the clans?" Foxtrot sat down, the patrol he had originally come out with would be fine without him. He wondered if Star had told her child about the clans like their ma had told them when they were kits. Rita - their mother - while you could barely call her that, spoke a lot about the greatness of the clans, she often told Star and Kit about their strength and prowess. It was that and their unhappy living conditions that drove Kit to escape to the clans.

Thyme's excitement about the trees made his heart melt, it reminded him of his own interest with treeflying. The first time he had seen Dawnfeather tree fly was life changing. He had no idea he would be capable of such feats, they just weren't an option for him when he was a loner.

"Lightning trees? Ah, treeflyin' is for apprentices and warriors only." he informed her matter-of-factly as he got to his paws and followed her to the base of the tree, "You'd learn soon nuff if you were in Skyclan."