- Jun 20, 2023
- 57
- 10
- 8
"... I'll just - I'll be over here!"
Sunshinepaw doesn't shout often, but as they trail away from their sister, they allow their voice to raise a few octaves to cover the distance. Arguments with Mousenose are no longer here-and-there, but instead peppered into their daily routine. Some days he kicks it off, some days they do - and most of the time, they separate to cool off and find one another again before returning to camp. Today is no different. Sunshinepaw recalls identifying a border correctly, but being unable to identify what the cats did on the other side. It's easy with RiverClan because it's in their name - they swim in the river! But SkyClan cats can't fly, how are they to remember differently?!
They kick a rock, which sends it into some unsuspecting undergrowth - which squeaks. Sunshinepaw stares, eyes widening as much as they can, and he responds in an uncertain, "Hello?" It takes a few long moments, but the bush shakes out feline similar in size to them, if not a smidgeon smaller. Sunshinepaw grimaces as the bell hooked to their collar jingles after being wretched free from the brambles. Kittypet. He makes a silent, bitter note. It's SkyClan that houses house pets like the one before him, trains them into warriors.
He thinks oh so briefly of his father and how the tom used to live the 'soft' life. How if he kept the soft life, they and their littermates wouldn't be here, but the red furred tom would be alive.
"Hi - Hi, oh, so sorry," they laugh as they shake out their pelt, only ringing the bell some more. Sunshinepaw takes a step back, glancing over his shoulder in hopes that a warrior is nearby. Unfortunately, they are not. An ear flicks as the kittypet continues talking, "I'm a bit lost, um... if that wasn't clear, of course." Sunshinepaw still stays silent as the cat rabbles on before him, as if they aren't trespassing.
"I should chase you out," the calico states, a bit too plainly and with no urgency.
"But... you aren't," the kittypet hums, a smile on their face. They're too calm - nothing like that Roaringpaw that's joined them recently. This cat seems at ease with their sin, but Sunshinepaw wonders if they know it to be a sin at all.
"I suppose 'm not," they say, and on instinct, they smile. Lopsided, uneven, but it's theirs. The cat before them gasps suddenly, approaching them on quick, light paws.
"Oh, you're one of those Clan cats! The ones that live in the forests and eat baby bunnies and stuff!" They stop short of Sunshinepaw, noses nearly touching, and the calico casually slinks back a step. He almost retorts that he's never eaten a rabbit (he's not been lucky enough to catch the ones that run in from WindClan's borders, after all.) Instead, he sees a chance - a chance to be something, even if it's in the feeble mind of a kittypet. Even if he must lie... maybe it'll be worth it.
"Yeah - 'm only an apprentice, but 'm almost there to bein' a warrior. Just a few more moons," he doesn't push out his chest or grin like some of his Clanmates might've. Instead he is modest, his lazy smile is bashful as he turns his gaze over his shoulder again, checking for Clanmates once more. "M'names Sunshinepaw, 'nd this is ThunderClan land. I... think y'had to cross SkyClan t'get here, which is a big no-no in our lifestyle," he takes a slow, cautious step forward again, and this time its the kittypet that steps back. Their enthusiasm does not die yet.
"Oh, oh, I'm sorry! My people just moved here, and this is my first day out," they apologize with the same gusto they had prior. "I heard other cats on the fences talking about the cats out here, so when I had the chance, I just had to explore. I had no idea you guys have... rules, and stuff." They seem genuine, however Sunshinepaw has never been the sort to define the difference between truth and lie. He's always taken everything at face value.
"I'll let it go this time," he nudges his face in the direction of the border, "But y'should get home before my mentor finds me. She's not as kind as I am, unfortunately," Sunshinepaw doesn't have the need to lie with that one. The chocolate tabby frowns, but offers a nod.
"Yeah, okay," they say, forlornly. But their excitement picks up again, "But you should come visit me, then! I live not far from here, in the big blue house!" They must see how Sunshinepaw's face contorts with a bit of confusion and fear, for they tack on, "If I'm not allowed in here... surely you're allowed out there, yeah? It's - it's like my territory. So... my rules. And I think Sunshinepaws are allowed...!"
"'m... not sure," he hums, and as he does he makes a point to start walking past her, guiding her along the edge of SkyClan's border and hopefully back towards her... 'house.'
"Please? I won't come down here ever again. I'm just... super curious about you guys!" A pause, "Please...?"
Sunshinepaw wavers before offering a soft, "I'll think about it." They reach the bottom of a hill, and up at the top of it is a big blue structure. A house. The kittypet looks back towards Sunshinepaw, as he stops long before the structure. They smile, but as they turn to climb the hill, Sunshinepaw calls to them. "Wait!" he says, "What's your name?"
They stop, and look over their shoulder with a blinding grin, "It's Missy! It's nice to meet you, Sunshinepaw."
"It's nice to meet you too, Missy," And before he knows it, she's disappeared over the crest of the hill. Sunshinepaw hears calls of his name and turns back around, saying nothing to his mentor of the encounter, and simply tucking it into the mats of his pelt.
Sunshinepaw doesn't shout often, but as they trail away from their sister, they allow their voice to raise a few octaves to cover the distance. Arguments with Mousenose are no longer here-and-there, but instead peppered into their daily routine. Some days he kicks it off, some days they do - and most of the time, they separate to cool off and find one another again before returning to camp. Today is no different. Sunshinepaw recalls identifying a border correctly, but being unable to identify what the cats did on the other side. It's easy with RiverClan because it's in their name - they swim in the river! But SkyClan cats can't fly, how are they to remember differently?!
They kick a rock, which sends it into some unsuspecting undergrowth - which squeaks. Sunshinepaw stares, eyes widening as much as they can, and he responds in an uncertain, "Hello?" It takes a few long moments, but the bush shakes out feline similar in size to them, if not a smidgeon smaller. Sunshinepaw grimaces as the bell hooked to their collar jingles after being wretched free from the brambles. Kittypet. He makes a silent, bitter note. It's SkyClan that houses house pets like the one before him, trains them into warriors.
He thinks oh so briefly of his father and how the tom used to live the 'soft' life. How if he kept the soft life, they and their littermates wouldn't be here, but the red furred tom would be alive.
"Hi - Hi, oh, so sorry," they laugh as they shake out their pelt, only ringing the bell some more. Sunshinepaw takes a step back, glancing over his shoulder in hopes that a warrior is nearby. Unfortunately, they are not. An ear flicks as the kittypet continues talking, "I'm a bit lost, um... if that wasn't clear, of course." Sunshinepaw still stays silent as the cat rabbles on before him, as if they aren't trespassing.
"I should chase you out," the calico states, a bit too plainly and with no urgency.
"But... you aren't," the kittypet hums, a smile on their face. They're too calm - nothing like that Roaringpaw that's joined them recently. This cat seems at ease with their sin, but Sunshinepaw wonders if they know it to be a sin at all.
"I suppose 'm not," they say, and on instinct, they smile. Lopsided, uneven, but it's theirs. The cat before them gasps suddenly, approaching them on quick, light paws.
"Oh, you're one of those Clan cats! The ones that live in the forests and eat baby bunnies and stuff!" They stop short of Sunshinepaw, noses nearly touching, and the calico casually slinks back a step. He almost retorts that he's never eaten a rabbit (he's not been lucky enough to catch the ones that run in from WindClan's borders, after all.) Instead, he sees a chance - a chance to be something, even if it's in the feeble mind of a kittypet. Even if he must lie... maybe it'll be worth it.
"Yeah - 'm only an apprentice, but 'm almost there to bein' a warrior. Just a few more moons," he doesn't push out his chest or grin like some of his Clanmates might've. Instead he is modest, his lazy smile is bashful as he turns his gaze over his shoulder again, checking for Clanmates once more. "M'names Sunshinepaw, 'nd this is ThunderClan land. I... think y'had to cross SkyClan t'get here, which is a big no-no in our lifestyle," he takes a slow, cautious step forward again, and this time its the kittypet that steps back. Their enthusiasm does not die yet.
"Oh, oh, I'm sorry! My people just moved here, and this is my first day out," they apologize with the same gusto they had prior. "I heard other cats on the fences talking about the cats out here, so when I had the chance, I just had to explore. I had no idea you guys have... rules, and stuff." They seem genuine, however Sunshinepaw has never been the sort to define the difference between truth and lie. He's always taken everything at face value.
"I'll let it go this time," he nudges his face in the direction of the border, "But y'should get home before my mentor finds me. She's not as kind as I am, unfortunately," Sunshinepaw doesn't have the need to lie with that one. The chocolate tabby frowns, but offers a nod.
"Yeah, okay," they say, forlornly. But their excitement picks up again, "But you should come visit me, then! I live not far from here, in the big blue house!" They must see how Sunshinepaw's face contorts with a bit of confusion and fear, for they tack on, "If I'm not allowed in here... surely you're allowed out there, yeah? It's - it's like my territory. So... my rules. And I think Sunshinepaws are allowed...!"
"'m... not sure," he hums, and as he does he makes a point to start walking past her, guiding her along the edge of SkyClan's border and hopefully back towards her... 'house.'
"Please? I won't come down here ever again. I'm just... super curious about you guys!" A pause, "Please...?"
Sunshinepaw wavers before offering a soft, "I'll think about it." They reach the bottom of a hill, and up at the top of it is a big blue structure. A house. The kittypet looks back towards Sunshinepaw, as he stops long before the structure. They smile, but as they turn to climb the hill, Sunshinepaw calls to them. "Wait!" he says, "What's your name?"
They stop, and look over their shoulder with a blinding grin, "It's Missy! It's nice to meet you, Sunshinepaw."
"It's nice to meet you too, Missy," And before he knows it, she's disappeared over the crest of the hill. Sunshinepaw hears calls of his name and turns back around, saying nothing to his mentor of the encounter, and simply tucking it into the mats of his pelt.