N/A: Here's chapter two for you all! This took me longer than usual, I had to rewrite the scene on the shale rock multiple times since I wasn't happy with the outcome. Glad I did, though!
Brushkit draped herself over the crumbly shale, grateful for the shade provided by the limbs and foliage of an apple tree above. She closed her eyes briefly and relaxed in the peaceful environment, before rolling to face her brothers. Flintkit had dared Acornkit to try and pick one of the unripe apples from the branches that hung down just a whisker-length or two away. Acornkit was balancing on his hind paw while reaching up clumsily to grab onto the nearest branch, which was way out of his reach. Flintkit spotted him from below. "That's it! Just a little closer!"
"That's mouse-brained." Brushkit remarked, aimlessly flexing her claws in and out while they lay on the rock. Moments later Acornkit collapsed, barely stopping himself from faceplanting into the shale.
"So was you falling asleep up here last night." Acornkit mewed, his gaze sharp and almost challenging.
Brushkit glanced away, trying to hide the hotness creeping onto her cheeks. Who could blame her? It was so tranquil, and it wasn't like their conversations were interesting!
"Well don't blame me, it's your fault that you guys are so boring!" She huffed, lowering her gaze. She had Flintkit to thank for taking the pressure off of her.
"Hey, I think the other kits can play now!" Flintkit pointed out, flicking a gray tipped ear in the direction of Lynxkit, Cheetahkit and Tigerkit, who were emerging from the Nursery.
"Oh yay! Come on guys!" Acornkit squeaked suddenly, darting off with a bounce in his step. The little kit paused at the edge of the flat rock, then carefully scaled the steep surface. Brushkit gave her brother a warm, thankful glance, then followed Acornkit with Flintkit on her tail.
The sun that filtered through the canopy of leafs above most of Thunderclan camp dappled the pale earth under Brushkit's paws. Out of the corner of her eye she spotted Foxkit, who once again lay alone in the nest that he shared with his mother and Grasskit. Brushkit paused and watched as her siblings padded ahead, Acornkit's tiny tail waving in the air like a flag. I just need to stop by for one second, I need to at least talk to him.
Foxkit lay his head lazily on his ginger paws, gazing longingly after the departing group of kits, when Brushkit crept quietly into the walls of the Nursery. Lilyspots, the she-cat who mothered Lynxkit and his siblings, was the only other cat inside, and fast asleep. Brushkit padded cautiously over to Foxkit, sunlight seeping between woven sticks that enclosed the space.
"Foxkit?" She murmured, which made the smaller kit face the other direction and grumble.
"What do you want?"
"I just- listen, I'm sorry for not inviting you to play or anything..." Brushkit struggled to find the words to explain what she wanted to say. The two were bathed in silence for moments after.
"It's..." Foxkit said under his breath, then drew a long breath in, "It's fine. I don't want your pity, okay?" The ginger kit sounded strained, but Brushkit ignored it.
"Besides, it was pretty nice talking to Tigerkit anyway." The last comment seemed to be more directed at himself than Brushkit.
"Go Tigerkit!" Cheetahkit shouted, pacing across the tangled roots of the oak tree.
"Almost there!" Acornkit mewled, standing with his paws on the walnut brown trunk. Brushkit watched with eager eyes as Tigerkit crawled up the tree, his claws raking down the bark and leaving tiny marks. Finally, the dark brown striped tom heaved himself onto the branch closest to the awning of leafs. Although it had looked difficult, Tigerkit had barely paused while climbing and the quick pace combined with strength that the larger kit held amazed Brushkit, as well as all the other kits gathered at the bottom.
"Haha! I told you guys I could make it!" Tigerkit boasted from where he sat balanced on the branch. Acornkit anxiously clawed at the tree bark, almost as if he were trying to climb.
"How 'bout you guys give it a try? Bet you Cheetahkit and Lynxkit can't get up faster than the rest of you." Tigerkit said in a sort of playful tone, which would be rare for a kit as firm and uptight as him.
Instantly, Cheetahkit leaped at the trunk, ascending to the first knob a few tail-lengths off the ground with ease. Flintkit was next to scramble onto the tree, struggling to latch himself onto the bark at the same time as crawl upwards. "Hey!" Acornkit whined, his claw marks layering as he kicked and scraped at the bark. The tiny kit barely made it a whisker-length before sliding back down. Brushkit hadn't noticed until then, but Grasskit, despite being younger than her siblings, was already almost up to the first knob where Cheetahkit had been.
Lynxkit exchanged a glance with her, a glance that wondered if she would participate at the same time as letting her know that she was going to join them. The golden-brown tom sprang swiftly onto the trunk, and it was only a matter of time before Brushkit decided to try her luck on scaling this obstacle.
She bunched her muscles and jumped upwards, hooking her claws into the bark and grappling to enforce her grip. Acornkit cried out something from below, but Brushkit was too focused on the task at hand. She carefully removed one paw after the other from the bark and then reached farther up the tree, pulling herself up with all the muscle she had. It was a gradual and centralized process. She noticed with a glance over her shoulder that either Flintkit had slid down closer to Acornkit, or she was actually making it at a pretty steady pace. Brushkit grasped the first knob, heaving herself closer to her goal.
After what seemed like moons of climbing the rough trunk, passing numerous skinny branches that wouldn't even hold her weight for a second, Brushkit reached for the big branch where Tigerkit now sat with Cheetahkit and Lynxkit. The three helped haul her onto the branch, while Brushkit gasped for air, her heart pounding at the mere thought of what she had just accomplished.
"Nice, Brushkit!" Grasskit congratulated her. Brushkit's hopes dropped a little, seeing as she hadn't beat even one of the good climbers up. She looked down over the branch to see Acornkit still leaping feebly at the bottom of the trunk, and Flintkit staring up at them with defeat. At least I made it. Brushkit thought to herself.
"Kits!" An enraged voice yowled, striking fear into Brushkit. Lilyfeather and Wildflower had just returned from their walk, and were now standing at the base of the oak tree, Wildflower having been the one who shouted.
"Mama! Oh good, you're here! Can you just... give me a boost?" Acornkit said the last part in a whisper, being too proud to openly admit that he needed help. But Brushkit could still make out what he had said, and all the other kits could as well.
"Do you have bees in your brain?! This is unbelievably dangerous! And- Brushkit! Come down here right this second!" Wildflower spat in a panicked voice.
"You as well, Grasskit! And you three, Lilyspots won't be very happy to hear you've been convincing your friends to complete stunts like that!" Lilyfeather added, tail lashing.
Brushkit obediently began to back down, awkwardly getting into position and then sliding down using her claws to keep her attached to the tree. One claw got snagged on the bark and stung after she got down, but Brushkit knew better than to complain at a time like this. Climbing the oak had been risky, she knew that very well, but didn't consider what would happen if her mother saw. The brown and gray she-cat hung her head as she padded into the Nursery.
Foxkit gave her a confused and slightly concerned glance as she padded in, but a look of realization came when he saw the other kits following.
"Foxkit, would you mind if I talked to my kits privately?" Wildflower asked in an oddly calm tone.
"Oh- no, I'll go outside." He answered quietly, then whisked himself outside the Nursery.
"Acornkit, Flintkit, and Brushkit... that was incredibly irresponsible and reckless. I don't care if any of the other kits wanted you to climb. It was your choice, and I don't want to see any of you three getting hurt, okay?" Brushkit let a sigh of relief escape her maws. She was sure they were in for a longer lecture.
"Yes mother..." Flintkit and Acornkit said in unison.
"I'm sorry, it won't happen again." Brushkit dipped her head humbly. Wildflower gave a warm, relaxed smile.
"That's my sweet little kits that I know and love..." She gave Acornkit a fond lick on the cheek. "Now, you all should go get some prey to have before nightfall."
A/N: Thank you all for taking the time to read this! Reviews are greatly appreciated, they help me be motivated to make the next chapter! I think I'm going to start a QOTC (Question Of The Chapter)!
QOTC: Which kits do you think will develop crushes on who?
I'm interested because I already have a dynamic of who in going to like who planned out, but then again it's always changing when I think about their personalities and all that. What do you think?