Life was strange. These days he found himself surrounded with cats that made him feel like one of them. Sure, there was some things that didn't change. Cats still though he was pretty weird, but nothing really could be done about that. That was who he was and he couldn't change himself to be one of them. However, he found himself becoming more at peace with that fact. He made new friends and maintained old friendships. One thing did change. He had made the decision to take in Otterkit. To this day he isn't sure why the others didn't say anything or raise arguments, but he supposed it was simply because it made things easier if they just allowed it. Or maybe they trusted him to look after Otterkit. Whatever the case, he wanted to look after Otterkit.
One thing for sure was that he was a pawful for sure. He'd heard of the kit being mean to the other kits, such as the ickorykit incident. Thankfully, other warriors were there to deal with the situation while he was out on patrol. It did worry him though. Otterkit may think it's being funny or that's how one makes friends, but the last thing he wanted for Otterkit was to be excluded from the group. After all, Chickorykit was going to be an apprentice alongside him. He may make fun of them now, but he may come to regret his decision.
The problem was that Otterkit was very much different from him. It's not really a problem, more like I don't relate as much. He's my first son? Kit I'm looking after too, so maybe it's that part too? Ugh, maybe I should talk to one of the queens to figure out looking after kits? No one has told what it's like raising kits, but Otter is a... Wild one for sure. When I was young, I wasn't that wild. Maybe accidentally hit my siblings, but it wasn't on purpose. How did Onyx and Gwen manage?My head hurts. With a sigh, he started to get comfy in his nest to rest for a bit.
Everything had been going well. No nightmares. Until, he felt something pawing at him. His nose twitched as he groaned and rolled over. Once again, he was being poked. He yawns, "Alright. Alright, I'm up." Ever so slowly, he opens his eyes and it takes him a moment to register Otterkit in front of him. A blink. Another blink. "Otter?"What time is it? Accessing the situation, he figures he didn't get to sleep too long. Many of the warriors who had been sleeping before he got here were still sleeping.
Slowly raising to his paws to adjust himself into a seating position in front of Otterkit, he looks down. The last thing he wants to do is scare Otterkit or make him feel like he'd done something wrong by waking him, so he licks the top of Otterkits head to assuage the kit's fears. "What's wrong? Did you get hurt?"
The method of Otterkit's entry to RiverClan had certainly been a poor one, not that he would ever know. Two parents who had become so on a whim with nothing but hopes and dreams of living life as a family, who knows if they actually would have been able to handle Otterkit. Or maybe he would have been different with just the five of them. Who would know now, of course. The kit had absolutely no recollection of him having any family outside of RiverClan now, but that also meant he only ever remembered competing with more than just his two littermates.
Competing for what, Otterkit wouldn't be able to answer. He liked having the attention of the bigger kids and adults, whether positive or negative, he hated feeling overlooked. He couldn't understand that some kittens needed attention too, or that some weren't like him, without the solid outline of a family. Sure, the queen that helped nurse him and his littermates had done plenty to keep them alive, but Pikesplash had always claimed to be his father from what he could remember. The queen never let him call her mother.
Which is exactly what had lured him out of the nursery that night. He couldn't sleep, kitten restless and all. The other queens had been sound asleep, and he had seen the wrath of a woken mother before. Even he knew not to get tangled up in that, so he pushed himself out from between his sleeping littermates and ambled out of the nursery. The clearing was wide open, only reeds to hide behind mostly. Otterkit followed to where he saw warriors go the most, his prediction correct when he found so many sleeping warriors. He maneuvered around on clumsy paws, trying to see in the dark which one was Pikesplash. When he finally found the tabby, he immediately got to waking him.
His paws shoved into thick fur, and when that didn't work he started to use his snout to prod into him more. Otterkit was just about to bite into his ear next when Pikesplash finally began to stir. He quickly closed his jaws shut and sat down, waiting for the warrior to rise. "Not hurt." He confirmed, showing his paws up at him to show it. No thorns or bites this time. "Can't sleep... they snore too loud. And the nest is too warm. Nothing soft enough. And I'm not tired." He would list his complaints formally before tugging on Pikesplash's leg. "Bring me outside? Please?"
( tags ) He was relived that Otterkit was not hurt. Considering the little toms history with trouble. Despite his nest calling for him to returned to the land of dreams, he strained himself to listen to Otterkit. The complaints that Otterkit had given were things that could be talked about and adjusted, but he knew the queens wouldn't be happy about hearing how loud they snore. They can snappy sometimes. What garnered his attention the most was the admittance of not being tired. That he understood and could see why Otterkit was restless. Kits had energy and sometimes he even wondered how the queens got Chickorykit to sleep given her massive amounts of energy. Now, he wouldn't say that Otterkit had as much energy as Chickorykit, but he did have plenty more energy than most kits.
The tug on his leg and Otterkit's plea made him sigh internally. Oh, how soft he was. He simply nods, not wanting to risk waking up his fellow warriors. Ever so slowly, as a means to not startle Otterkit, he bends down and carefully grabs him by his scruff. Kit in tow, he navigates easily through the slumbering warriors and out of the warriors den. When the pair was a tail length away from the warriors den, he set down Otterkit. He knew that Otterkit wanted to go outside, but there were rules. As much as he wanted to, he wouldn't take him outside of camp.
Still, he wanted to help his son. Problem is he had no clue what exactly Otterkit wanted. They could play together for a bit, but it seemed like something was bothering him. That there was more to this than having too much energy. Maybe he wants to be distracted? When he looks down, he sees eyes similar to his own. The urge to spoil Otterkit is there, yet he knows the little tom would always crave more. There's nothing wrong with showing it once and awhile... Perhaps overstepping a bit, he brought his paw to Otterkit's head and ruffled the kits fur. "I get it. Sometimes I can't sleep either, it's okay. I'll be here with you. Even if we don't sleep at all, I'll be with you." To seal his promise, he proceeded to gently fix the fur he had ruffled.
"Now, what would you like to do?" The question isn't meant to pressure Otterkit. He wants him to know that he is in control here. That everything will be just right. All that needed to be done was utter what he wished.
While he waited for Pikeplash to decide, Otterkit kept his eyes on the warrior. They grew round, pleading for a breath of air beyond the beech copse. He was ready to make whatever promises he had to for Pikesplash to say yes, even if his track record for keeping them wasn't the best. He might just say anything if it meant he got his way, which typically turned sour when his promises for good behavior turned into threats instead.
When Pikesplash doesn't say anything, instead moving to pick him up, Otterkit's little body would wriggle with excitement. He was careful not to be difficult as he was carried out of the den, unable to help himself from playing swatting at the ear-tip of a snoozing warrior as they navigated between the nests. The near second after his paw reached out he quickly pulled it back to his chest. He had to stay focused, he had to at least act properly before diving head on into trouble. Would he still get in trouble by the others if he was with Pikesplash? He wondered if having the supervision of his father brought him permission to do whatever he pleased, as long as it was within his father's limits of course.
Once he's placed down his eyes set for the reeds that lead to outside. They're so close! Just a few more steps and they would be free into the plains! Of course, he waited for his father to make the first approach as he would have eagerly followed at his ankles, but they remain.
He looked up quizzically at Pikesplash. Bubbling anticipation near instantly removed once the other's paw came down on him, and the kitten began to giggle. He raised his paws to fix his fur, but planted them back down when Pikesplash beat him to it. "We're not leaving?" He sounded disappointed. The anger that would have come with it is spared, he could hardly ever get angry at his father. Instead there's a quiet pause as he accepted it- he would be staying in the beech copse tonight. Otterkit would find satisfaction in just having the moment alone with him. It was becoming rare they ever had the time alone anymore.
"I wanna know about the biggest fish you ever caught!" A perfect time to wrangle in for a story! He was tired of the tales the elders told, he wanted to hear the real action! "Do they bite back? Do you gotta fight them?" Otterkit had seen the size of the fish some brought back. Perch and bream were definitely no joke when comparing them to the warriors that dragged them in.
( tags ) The disappointment stings, but he couldn't risk it. When his son became an apprentice he would be allowed to take him anywhere within their territory. Well... Not the gorge. He wouldn't be able to live with himself if his son fell in and met his end via sharp rocks. Pike would not be angry at Otterkit, his son simply wasn't aware of the dangers at night. He was just one cat, he could promise to protect Otterkit, but who could say he'd able to keep it? Either his son got hurt or he would meet his untimely end, leaving his son behind. Not wanting to quench Otterkit's spirit he decides it would be best to explain. "No, not yet. It's more dangerous at night. We don't have many trees around like Thunderclan, so we can't hide from owls. Owls are fast, they don't make a sound, and they hunt mostly at night. They can eat food as big as rabbits, which means they are able to eat kittens."It occurs to him that Otterkit might not know what an owl looks like. However, he hopes that he didn't scare his son. The explanation is only to reassure Otterkit that he would've loved to take him out to explore, but there are certain dangers out there.
Green eyes glance at the kit in front of him. You'll be an apprentice soon. You've grown a bit since your mother and father left you with us. Gwen and Onyx. They hadn't run into them again. He wonders what had happened to the pair. Would they be relived to know Otter was doing just fine? "Don't worry, you'll be an apprentice soon. When you're an apprentice you get to leave camp for the very first time. If you want, I'll show you the different places we can go to."The decision is ultimately Otterkit's. Whether or not he would like Pike to show him their territory and teach him which areas to avoid. Of course, Otterkit would be given a mentor. That mentor would have a job to train his son, and funny enough Otterkit would see him training Catfishpaw. he hopes that his son won't be jealous seeing him teach another cat how to hunt and fight.
A moment of silence is shared between father and son, the cool breeze tickling their fur. Startled he is that Otterkit wishes to know his biggest catch and the details of hunting. "The biggest fish I've caught?" The issue is that Otterkit has not defined what big means. Eels are more long than big, but technically they are big. If we were talking more fish like not so much snake like then trout and bream might be what Otterkit is thinking. He brings a paw to his chin as he continues to be lost in thought about what really is the biggest fish he's caught. GOT IT! "The biggest fish I've ever caught would have to be a catfish! They're not my favorite fish to eat, but I do think they're silly looking! I'm not sure if anyone's caught one recently, so I'm not sure if you've seen one. But! They're called catfish because of their whiskers. They also have little horns. Tow of them atop their head, and three or more below their chins. catfishes have very big mouths, I would say they can open them as big as your head Otter."
In terms of how dangerous they are, it really does vary. "It depends on the fish and how you hunt them! The first way you'll learn from your mentor is to be silent and wait for the fish to come close to you. Don't try and catch just yet! Watch where it swims, and once you can guess where it move next.." He quickly unsheathes the claws on his right paw and swats the sand, as if it were the very river he typically hunts in. The action kicks up sand and a stray leave sticks to his claws. "Of course, this isn't a fish, but this is how you do it. Fish like to stay in the water, so we force them out. Once they're out of the water they'll wiggle in the air or against your claws. Most fish just wiggle and can't do anything, but some like a Pike or Catfish can be dangerous if you hold them wrong."
Chuckling, he shakes his paw so the now punctured leaf falls to the ground unceremoniously next to them. With that explanation done, he sheathes his claws again. "Pike's have sharp fangs, and they will hold on to you. They're fighters. Catfishes are different. The bigger they are the less dangerous it is to catch them. it's the small Catfish you have to be careful of Otter. Their fins are sharp and can cut you. If they wiggle in your mouth, then you'll have a whole bunch of cuts on your face and mouth. it may surprise you but Catfish don't really have fangs. They do have many of them, but it doesn't hurt. It's just very uncomfortable. Eels are dangerous because they're the snakes of the river. They'll wiggle around and bite you. They like to put up a fight! But... I think the fish you'll be grossed out by are lampreys."
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