In the Snow [Open]

Hopekit was just like every other kit. She was sure of it!

She liked rabbits more than birds. Which everyone must. They were infinitely more delicious. It sat heavier in her stomach when she ate one, making her feel warmer and fuller. Birds, on the other hand, were thin and light. You had to pick around to not get one of the bones in your mouth. Her father brought a bird in one day, and her siblings devoured it. But honestly? If there were a rabbit on the menu, she would wait. But her mom had nudged her towards the bird and nodded her head. Ugh. Fine.

But beyond that. She also loved playing outside. Even if her mother always hovered nearby and occasionally interrupted Hopekit's fun by bringing her back elsewhere. Sure, she did this to her other littermates, too, but not as much as Hopekit. But no! She wasn't any different.

The kitten opened her pale blue eyes to watch the rise and fall of her littermate's and mother's chest. Sound asleep. Typically, Hopekit slept through everything, but today? She would be like the older cats who lounged outside, going about their lives. She loved watching the happenings in camp and routinely would sit at the nursery's entrance to observe. Hopekit knew from when she was just a small kit and had opened her eyes for the first time that there was much to learn from just watching.

But today? Today she was participating...!

Head held high, fluffy tail held high like a twig, and she bounded out of the nursery. Well, she bounded right into a fresh pile of snow. The only sign of the kitten was the pink of her hind paw pads and the tail held out of the hole she had fallen into. After a moment of shock and an effort to get herself out, Hopekit let out a pitiful cry, hoping some cat would pull her from the powdery heap.

Awe. Mother found her again.

The long-furred kit shook herself off as she was hauled from the offending snow. When no warm tongue of her mother's began to groom her as Mother usually did, Hopekit spun around. Oh! It was one of the younger cats that she saw around camp, not Mother. He was often with one of the older cats when they left the haven of brambles they called home. What did they do outside? She had no idea how big the world was until she left the nursery. Was there truly more outside camp?

She watched their mouth move but, as always, didn't know what it meant. Maybe it was only polite to reply. She opened her mouth, and a squeak escaped. Good enough. She flicked her ears and touched a nose to their shoulder. It was nice of him to pull her from the snow. Hopekit paused, watching their face. Was he going to make her go back into the nursery? Quick! A distraction! The white kitten ducked low and pounced for their tail--

Most seemed to be sleeping in peacefully that morning. Doekit had been snuggled up comfortably between her mother and her siblings, and all had seemed well until a cold breeze had sent shivers up her spine. Sky blue eyes blinked open, and the tiny she-cat realized that she was missing a sister. "Hopekit?" she mewed, hearing her voice echo through the small den.

A sudden panic shot through her. What if Hopekit got lost? What if she fell in the snow?! But she was ALL snowy-pelted. They would never see her again! Her head shot up as she glanced between the exit and her mother, gathering up a bit of courage before she snuck away from her family and headed outside where - sure enough covered in snow, Hopekit was chasing after one of the apprentice's tails. "Hopekit, what are you doing?"

The brown tabby ran up and swiped playfully at her sister's ear. "Sorry," she said to the young tom. "She, uh - she doesn't hear so good."

Auburnpaw was still adjusting to the many cats within Thunderclan's walls. Slowly, it became more of a comfort, the clan he had longed for in his dreams. And now he was truly one of them. The desire to race back into the unknown to return to his parents just to brag about how his endeavor had been fruitful. He was no longer a mousebrained kit but an apprentice of Thunderclan. Just like Appledapple and Stoatfur had once been. He woke with a wide yawn and stretched out slowly before padding into the sunlight speckled clearing.

Blue eyes adjusting to the daylight, the tom's gaze quickly found a couple of young cats playing around in the snow. Although it was hard to pick out her pelt, Auburnpaw identified Hopekit and Doekit. Sleepycloud had her kits not long before and they had started to explore camp. An odd sense of duty to the kits that belonged to the warriors he had shared camp with before the rest of the clan returned. While he would never explicitly voice that to their parents, it did cause him to subconsciously pad over.

His tail flicked Hopekit on the nose in a silent greeting. He fully anticipated that the would soon become a target for kit claws or fangs. While waiting for the sensation to come, Auburnpaw glanced between his denmate and Doekit, "Morning. Are we playing lose Hopekit in the snow again? Might have to stick some feathers in her fur at this rate."