like golden showers [o]

With the swift, unsteady speed of a kit not quite yet accustomed to her paws, a tiny golden blur dashed out of the nursery, diving headlong into a nearby bush like a songbird that hadn’t quite learned the use of its wings. A heartbeat passed. Another. Then, as no pursuing queen immediately appeared, Goldenkit stuck her face out of the bushes, sleek fur covered in brambles.

Aha. It seemed her escape had gone smoothly.

It wouldn’t be long before the queens noticed a certain… calmness about the nursery in her absence, but there was plenty that could be looked at before she was inevitably dragged, yowling and kicking, back into the shadowy recesses of a den she was tired of. The den roof was so blue out here, so big, like if she fell into it she’d never stop going. And those white, puffy shapes up there, like mossballs for StarClan cats; except there weren’t any stars out. Huh. Weren’t there supposed to be stars in the outside?

That was weird.

Goldenkit stayed focused on looking for the stars for a few moments before she got bored. The den roof was wayyyyyy too big; she’d never be able to find the stars if they were hiding behind the fluffy white mossballs. That’s what she’d do, if she was a star. It would be a very smart hiding place, like when other kits hid in the queens’ nests during hide and seek. Maybe she could learn from the stars, so she could win at hide and seek! That’d be fun!

Suddenly, out of nowhere, totally unexpectedly, a big cat appeared! Goldenkit’s hazel eyes grew wide. He was really tall, and big, and had a really long tail and big ears, but his fur kinda looked like hers! They could match!

Sky. Right. She knew that, but sometimes it was hard to remember, and big-den-roof made more sense anyways. They should let her name things, then everyone would know what they were talking about. Oh! Was the big cat talking to her??? ”Hi big cat! You’re really tall! We both have the same fur, look! See? Wanna play tag? I betcha I can beat ya, I win against alllllll the other kits allllll the time! Or we could play fight! I win at that, too, but the other kits won’t play with me anymore. Pleaaaaaase, can we play fight? I’ll go easy on you, promise!”

Goldenkit batted at the big cat’s tail as he flicked her ear, just a bit too slow to sink her teeth into it. The queens in the nursery didn’t like when she chased their tails- something about being ‘too rough’ or something like that- but this big cat was tough! And cool! He wouldn’t tell her off for having fun. Goldenkit liked him already.

Oh! His name was Tallpaw! That was soooo smart! Then cats could guess what his name was even if they’d never met him! That was the sort of thing Goldenkit would come up with, if she was leader. As Tallpaw (heh, fun to say) tried to guess her name, the small kit bounced up and down in place, barely able to keep herself from telling. Oooh, this was fun!

“No, silly, I’m Goldenkit!” she giggled, purring loudly. “Lemme guess what your name is… Tallpaw! Look, I guessed it! And don’t worry, I will go easy, or else Foxflower says I’ll be in big trouble if any of the kits go crying to her again, but you won’t, will you?”

Goldenkit waited only a moment before springing forwards and attempting to latch her tiny, needle-like teeth onto Tallpaw’s paw. For such a small thing, she was certainly enthusiastic, if uncoordinated- even the slightest nudge would probably send her sprawling on her back, laughing.

“Good!” Goldenkit giggled, rearing up on her back legs to swat as high as she could, tiny sharp claws momentarily escaping from their sheaths. Yeah! She was a great WindClan warrior! Take that, queens; an apprentice said that Goldenkit was a great WindClan warrior! She’d be leader in no time, and then she’d make everyone’s names make sense, like… like this big cat’s did! His nudge sent her sprawling on her back, but the small kit didn’t so much as wince, consumed with laughter at the sight of a big cat- a big cat!- hopping around like a silly birdie. All the big cats she had known were so serious. This one was fun!

Perhaps a more sensible kit (or any sort of creature her size with any common sense) would be somewhat apprehensive at the sight of bared fangs, but Goldenkit simply shrieked with delight, springing back onto her paws, hazel eyes dancing afire. With a total disregard for any sort of safety, she barreled into the apprentice as hard as she could, laughing uncontrollably. This was fun!

The force of the collision nearly knocked Goldenkit off her paws, but as the apprentice flopped to the ground, she pounced on him, growling. She had defeated a big cat! Hah! None of the other kits in the nursery could say that, huh. It was hard to sink her little fangs into his pelt, but she made a worthy attempt, kneading his shoulder roughly with her needle-sharp claws, her pounding heart only slowly returning to its normal rate after vanquishing her foe. His antics distracted her only for a moment, giggling at the sight before turning back to her attempts to bite his fur like big cats did to rabbits.

And then-

“Wheeeee!” Goldenkit shrieked, claws digging into the big cat’s fur as he stood, so so so tall! She’d never been this tall before! When she was all grown, she would have to be tall, because this was just fun! Reaching up toward the sky produced no stars, however, and so Goldenkit settled for enjoying the badger ride. The queens always said she held on too tightly for them to do it, but look! She didn’t! “I’ma get the stars-“

Swiping at the air with her paws, the small kit nearly slipped off, saving herself at the last moment without a care in the world.

After hearing the quiet- yet apparent - crunch of leaves, Lichenkits' eyes widened. He was worried about his clan members and the potential dangers they might find themselves in. He ignored this worry, quickly thinking to himself, "This could be an opportunity to have a little fun...!" He followed the scent of the other who made the trail through the brambles. Lichenkit slowly and quietly approached the kit with a low, meek greeting. "Hello..?" He was unsure as to whether or not he would startle the kit but he wanted an attempt at a connection with a potential new friend.

Goldenkit clung happily to the big cat’s back, tiny claws sinking into his fur. Huh. He wasn’t talking to her? If he wasn’t talking to her, he must be talking to someone else… ah. She turned her head, eyes narrowed. Another kit. She couldn’t remember if this was the one who had run off crying to the queens complaining that she playfought too hard (or one of the multiple kits who had done so), but even if he was, Goldenkit supposed she could give him the benefit of the doubt… or something. As long as he didn’t steal her new friend from her. Did he look like a thief? He kinda looked like a thief. Well, if he was WindClan, he couldn’t be too bad.

“You can join us, if you wanna!” Goldenkit called, still firmly attached to Tallpaw like a golden, fluffy burr. There. She looked up at him with a purr, clearly expecting praise for inviting the other kit to join. See! She was nice! Take that, Foxflower!

Lichenkit trotted over to the others with a cautious yet upbeat rhythm. He was beaming, thrilled to be invited over but all he could manage to express was a meek grin.

With a joyful expression he purred "Would I!" as he made his way over to Tallpaw.
"My name is Lichenkit!" he chirped at the others.

He crawled up onto the back of the apprentice, pushing his face into the soft pelt of his clanmate and then pushed his head into the forehead of the other as an expression of comfort.