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Squirrelkit pounces on a beetle scuttering through the greenery in the corner of camp, holding it up proudly for Sandstorm to see.
“Good job.” Her mother praises with amusement. Sandstorm had been leaving the nursery more and more the last couple of days, as Squirrelkit and Leafkit were getting more independent. While not rare, Squirrelkit appreciated when her mother made time for her.
Squirrelkit preens at the praise and bounds off with the beetle snug between her teeth. Her paws pummel the ground as she sprint, before skidding to a sharp halt outside the nursery. The red kitten runs into the nursery and brakes in front of Ferncloud, showing off her catch proudly.
Ferncloud tilts her head before purring softly.
“Nice catch, Squirrelkit. You’re sure to be a fine warrior one day.” Ferncloud says kindly, tail flicking softly. The silvery queen shifts in her spot, finding a more comfortable position. Ever since her first litter, the patient she-cat had taken up the role of a permanent queen.
Squirrelkit admired the queen, but didn’t see herself ever able to take on that same role. Nonetheless, Squirrelkit heads over to her mother’s nest and places the beetle down. It shines with an iridescent gradient in the low light of the nursery. It’s a gem to the eye, a shame it was so fun to hunt.
Squirrelkit swipes her bushy tail over the ground, dragging gravel and dirt with it but she remains unbothered.
“Leafkit!” Squirrelkit gasps as she remembers her sister had headed off before her, promising to be back quickly. Squirrelkit spins on her heel and sprints out of the nursery.
She sticks her nose to the ground and feels the distinct smell of her beloved sister, starting to trail it religiously. One paw after the other, the smell gets stronger until-
Squirrelkit bumps into someone, yelping in surprise. She jumps back and sits on her haunches, staring apologetically at Ashfur.
“Sorry, Ashfur!” Squirrelkit apologizes, though it’s very half-hearted.
“No worries, Squirrelkit.” The warrior meows passively, if not a little amused. Squirrelkit nods her head and gets back onto trailing her sister.
Ashfur was Ferncloud’s brother. She doesn’t understand how such a proud and efficient warrior is siblings with the warm, loving queen. Whatever, Squirrelkit thinks, huffing.
Squirrelkit stops at the medicine den entrance, looking into the dark den to see her sister intently listening to Thunderclan’s ever loyal medicine cat, Cinderpelt rambling away about herbs. Leafkit seems so entranced by all the information that she barely notices her own sister at the entrance.
“Leafkit!” Squirrelkit demands loudly, startling both Kit and Medicine cat out of their conversation. “You said you’d be quick.”
“Squirrelkit! Sorry, I got distracted.” Leafkit apologizes, hurrying over to her sister. Leafkit bumps her head against Squirrelkit’s shoulder apologetically.
Cinderpelt giggles from the dark, shaking her head. Her dark tail covered her mutilated leg, she knew it wasn’t a pleasant sight for kits.
“You two best get back to the nursery before your father finds out.” Cinderpelt teases, nodding towards the outside with a playful flick of her tail.
Leafkit squeals, startling to a sprint and shortly followed by Squirrelkit.
As Squirrelkit follows her sister, she spots that dark cat again. Slowing down, Squirrelkit makes a curious noise.
“Go on ahead, Leafkit, I saw a bug.” Squirrelkit murmurs absentmindedly. Leafkit also slows down, looking back at Squirrelkit with a perplexed expression, but shrugs it off and continues towards the nursery.
Her paws make their way towards the shadowed corner where the cat sits. Her head is tilted curiously.
Spotting the approaching kit, the cat’s blue eyes snap to her. Squirrelkit doesn’t slow down though, only stopping when she’s beside the cat.
“Hi! I’ve seen you around. I’m Squirrelkit.” Squirrelkit introduces herself. To her dismay, the cat only blinks at her before turning their attention back to the other clan cats.
“Excuse you! It’s your turn!” Squirrelkit complains. The cat’s ear flicks and their tail twitches. Their eyes slowly turn back to stare at Squirrelkit with an eerie stillness.
“I’m Tiny.” Says the cat -A tom from the sound of his voice- shallowly. His voice is as blank as an untouched puddle.
“Tiny? What a weird name.” Squirrelkit huffs. Her eyes quickly light up with intrigue, though. “Are you a ghost?”
The cat startles, staring down at Squirrelkit. “…Yes.” Tiny answers simply. His tail flicks a bit sharper this time, signaling he doesn’t want to speak anymore.
‘Rude.’ Squirrelkit thinks, turning her nose up pridefully before bounding back towards the nursery to join her sister. This ghost doesn’t deserve her precious time anyways.
Scourge watches his niece prance away. He wonders how the kit knew he was dead- but more than that did he wonder why she seemed so unbothered by it.
He’s seen her catch that bug earlier. It had been quick, scurrying through leaves and about to take off as Squirrelkit caught it after studying its route. She’d be sure to make a fine fighter. He’d have to make sure she was taught correctly.
Scourge tilts his chin down and licks his chest fur- just below where his fatal wound had been. It had become a habit, always checking that it hadn’t magically reappeared. Licking the fur there reassured him.
Huffing quietly, Scourge slips out of the Thunderclan camp. During his reign of Bloodclan, he’d never gotten to appreciate the stars. Now, he took every chance he got to enjoy them.