id like to see them catch me [o]

Orchidkit, a tiny ball of energy with black-and-white fur, darted around the nursery restlessly. The camp was beautiful - the midday sun casting long shadows across the snow-dusted ground of camp and the chill of leaf-bare lingered in the air, to her, this made the adventure that brewed in her mind even more exciting. She spotted Crabkit nestled in the nursery - his eyes blinking against the sunlight that filtered through the thick branches of the thicket that protected them. Perfect!

"Hey Crabkit!" She chirped, her voice loud and laced with excitement. She was extremely animated and she paced around the nursery. She barely knew Crabkit, but something in his demeanor made her confident he'd be willing to come along. "Guess what I saw Heatherberry bring in? There are these berries just outside of camp, and I think we should get some for Heatherberry so she doesn't have to make another trip!" She mewed, shuffling her little paws frantically. "I-I... I bet she'd love them! I bet she'd be so happy that we found them for her that we'd be made apprentices immediately!"

She leaned forward and continued, her voice dropping into an attempt at a whisper. Unfortunately, it was more-so screaming directly into Crabkit's ear. She was trying, at least. "We can be super sneaky and careful - just like real ShadowClan warriors! Okay? It'll be our little secret mission. Maybe we'd find a snake to bring back! They'd be so impressed! Follow me!"

And, with that, she darted out of the nursery without looking back. Her small form weaved through the shadows of the camp and she left behind small pawprints in the frost leading directly to the entrance - where she waited with wide excited eyes. This had not been her first adventure outside of the camp, but it would be her first one without a warrior. Well, I hope so anyway. I don't want any warrior to take the credit for my find! I want Heatherberry to be impressed.

She pawed at the entrance of the camp as she waited for Crabkit. Something inside of her told her this was a bad idea - but it was wrong! I want to be useful!

ooc: rolling invasion dice... FAILED. TOPIC IS NOW OPEN

The member 'kieer' has done the following action : Dice roll

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'Camp Invasion Dice' :

Curled up in the corner of the nursery was a little orange scrap of fur. Given the fact he had been born without a tail, instead of having one draped over his nose, Crabkit had shoved his maw underneath his paws. As daylight broke through the entrance of the den, he tried to blink it away and snuggle tighter but it was a futile effort as Orchidkit's words reached his ears. Immediately he unfurled his body and stretched out to full length before leaping onto his paw pads. Normally it was his excited voice cascading a tad too loudly through the air. The energy made him all the more ecstatic to join in on whatever she had planned.

His eyes widened at the thought of finding berries for the medicine cat. They would be heroes! Little claws kneaded at the ground as energy bubbled up in the kit's chest. Crabkit loved going on adventures and the thought of one of these adventures being so useful was thrilling. He wriggled his haunches and bounded next to Orchidkit as her voice lowered. Nodding fervently, he agreed, "I will be as stealthy as a snake and cunning as a rat!" Within seconds, the other kit was scrambling off.

Crabkit didn't expect her to speed off quickly and blinked in surprise before racing after her. He skidded to a halt briefly before almost crashing into Orchidkit. Unlike the she-cat, he had no reservations about their attempted escape from camp, for his head lacked that much forwardness beyond the single task at mind. He could be a very focused creature on the most obscure things and right now all he could think about was the idea of grabbing the berries he had heard about and returning them back to camp. Heatherberry even had berry in her name. There was no way this could go wrong.

Unable to sleep, Heatherberry had decided to go for a walk to clear her head. Her talk with Swiftheart heavy in her heart and mind... A conversation she would soon have to have with one other cat. Sighing, she marched through the blinding white snow that glimmered with the midday sun, shuffling the white powder around every so often in search of a stray herb or two just to say she had an excuse for leaving. There were plenty of nursing queens in need of some borage, right? She should get more. And sticks for the expecting. Lots of sticks... Parsley would be needed.

And that is what she returned with, all wrapped in a fern for easy carrying. Her head still wasn't cleared, but the fresh air had done her better than being cooped up in the den by herself every day since they returned to the forest.

Just as she rounded a corner to return to camp, bright red berries caught her eye. Nearing, it was easier to tell what they were by their long leaves: Deathberries. Her brow furrowed. Had they been away from the forest so long that it allowed poison to grow where they slept? Sure, the skins - if ever so delicately removed - could be used for infections, but she wouldn't even trust the most senior of medicine cats to do it right. They would need to be removed before some foolish cat took a nibble.

Setting her collected herbs away from the bush, Heatherberry snapped a branch off. Just one. Five bright red berries clinging to the bark for dear life as she entered camp and pushed back the curtains to her den; they would be hidden away where only she would know. Was this a dangerous course of action? Absolutely. But she was ginger in her handling and they would never be used to kill. Not by her, anyway. Perhaps... She would skin them for their intended purpose of treating infection, or maybe she would just leave them to dry out and rot away. Only time would tell.

With that dealt with, she was on her way to let Leopardstar know they would need make quick work of uprooting the vile bush before something happened-- "Guess what I saw Heatherberry bring in?" The shrill voice of a kit - Orchidkit - had her ears flicking back, her name on their tongue. What were kits doing up at this time of day? Her first concern should have been that the kit had even seen her with the berries, but she thought nothing of it until the next squeal sounded. An immediate alarm ran through her body, greying hair standing one end. She never would have seen leaving had one of them not been shouting. Before she could even call out to not one but two kits leaving, their little legs had already sped right out the entrance and into the forest. No. No!

"Not. Another. Step." A growl so raw that it felt like it ripped through her throat had erupted from the normally sweet and loving medicine cat, her paws thudding the ground in long strides after them. Crabkit had been the slowest, her teeth closing in on his orange scruff as she skidded to a halt in front of the younger she-kit. Out of breath, she dropped Crabkit at her paws. Her eye flared in both panic and rage, but the anger was mostly at herself for not being more careful. "I don't even want an explanation. Turn your tails around and return to the nursery. Now."

Orchidkit looked behind her excitedly when she heard Heatherberry's voice behind them, and affection for the she-cat danced in her green orbs. "Hi, Heatherberry!" She squeaked, turning around. They got caught, but she was a welcome member of the escapade, anyway. Maybe she'd come with them like Swiftheart likes to do! She could get some berries with her and Crabkit! They've been through this many times before, and each time it's been fun.

Yet, the sight of Heatherberry with an enraged expression made her stomach churn with confusion. The playful excitement that had filled her moments ago was crushed - evaporated into thin air, replaced by the cold reality of a situation she didn't fully understand. Why was she angry? Why was she holding Crabkit? What did I do wrong?

As Heatherberry growled and dropped the other kit at her paws, Orchidkit's ears flattened firmly against her skull and she instinctively took a step back away - convinced the medicine cat was going to hurt her. Heatherberry's tone and the fierce look that danced in her eyes were enough to make her legs tremble. She had never seen Heatherberry like this before. It frightened her.

"I-I... I just wanted to help." Orchidkit stammered out, barely below a whisper. She felt small underneath her stern gaze, and her wide eyes darted between Crabkit, Heatherberry, and the entrance to the camp. Why doesn't Heatherberry want her to help anymore?

She had hoped to impress the medicine cat with her find. Contribute - just like she had done before. Not incur her wrath. Without daring to argue, Orchidkit turned around and began slowly padding towards the nursery. Her head held low and her tail tucked between her legs. The nursery felt like a den of shame now. She let Heatherberry down, and she didn't know why, and now someone she loved so much hates her. She could feel tears well up in her eyes. She didn't let her explain.

As she entered the den, she stole a glance back at Crabkit. Did he feel the same way she did?