Grayshadow Warrior: Yeah! She definitely has a difficult time ahead of her, that's for sure.
A paw prodded her painfully in the ribs. "Wake up, Swankit!"
Swankit grumbled slightly and tucked her head underneath her paws as she tried to ignore Troutkit. She flattened her ears against her head as that dreadful sound began to ring in her ears again. It was kind of like rain falling but thrice as annoying. It didn't help that it muffled her brother's mew as well.
A weight landed on top of her and began to bat at her ears. Swankit got up with a huff, causing the weight to disappear. She whirled around to snap but the words died on her tongue. Troutkit was looking at her happily and he looked like he could hardly stay in one place. Swankit glanced outside and saw that it was late morning and she flattened her ears shamefully. She had promised her mother to be better at waking up earlier. Apparently, she had failed, yet again.
No wonder her brother was trying to wake her up.
"Thanks," Swankit mumbled out, her fury melting away to be replaced by shame.
"No problem!" Troutkit responded with a flick of his ear.
Swankit began to lick at her sleep ruffled fur, eyes drooping slightly at her still tired state. She got to her paws when she was finished and looked at Troutkit. "Any ideas for a game?"
Troutkit narrowed his eyes thoughtfully before speaking. "We can play…"
A big black tom came over and glared at Troutkit. "…down…ya?"
Swankit blinked not knowing or understanding what he was saying. She couldn't pick it up. "What?"
They ignored her and she saw Troutkit flattening his ears in shame. "What's going on?" she asked again, after she saw Troutkit saying something. The tom seemed satisfied with whatever Troutkit had said, for he walked away with a flicking tail.
Swankit padded over and nudged her brother with a paw. "Troutkit, what did he say? Who was he?"
Troutkit turned to her and opened his jaws but nothing came out, yet Swankit felt a breath of air against her face. He flicked his tail across her muzzle and over towards the side of the camp, then he bounded away. Swankit followed, wondering what was going on and why Troutkit was being so secretive.
Swankit sat down beside her brother and blinked in surprise when he brought his muzzle close to her ear. "That was Blackpelt and he wasn't happy that I was yelling."
"You weren't yelling!" Swankit meowed indignantly. "You were talking like you always do."
"I was yelling, Swankit." Troutkit affirmed, pulling back and nodding his head slightly.
Swankit gazed at him with wide eyes. "Then why couldn't I hear Blackpelt?"
Troutkit put his muzzle close to her ear again. "He was speaking normally, Swankit."
"Why?"
"Ask mother," Troutkit responded before looking away. His shoulders sagged and his ears flattened against his head. His jaws moved but Swankit couldn't pick out since it seemed like he was mumbling or muttering something under his breath.
Swankit flattened her ears and got to her paws. She padded away, over to the fresh-kill pile and gazed at it curiously. She eventually pulled out a mouse and padded over to the side of the clearing where she sat down and curled her tail around her eyes. She ate the mouse quietly, her only companion the constant roaring and buzzing sounds in her ears.