camp early learner rises the fastest {mock lesson}

[erminekit]

For days, Erminekit hadn't been doing a whole lot. Everyone was getting sick, and there was no one to play with which made things boring. The only thing he could really do was sit around and wait for the day he would be made an apprentice... which wasn't for another two moons. Patience was not a virtue the lanky kit possessed, and, more often than not he found himself lashing his tail in irritation as he didn't have very much to do. There was only so much fun one kit could get from kicking around one perfect moss-ball, after all. None of the other kits seemed that fun, which was boorinngggg. Seriously! Have some fun once in a while!! C'mon! Time to do something about this boredom!

"Hey!!" Little Erminekit says bossily to the nearest warrior, stomping over with big, dramatic pawsteps and a fierce (read: ineffective and adorable) scowl on his face. "I wanna learn cool hunting things! Teach me cool hunting things!!" A demand. An invitation. A challenge. It didn't have to be a real lesson, just as long as Ermine was under the impression it was real enough. Maybe this would be the start of his super cool adventures as WindClan's very best, most successful warrior ever.

OOC - open to anyone !!

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[downyfur]

Downyfur tries to make a point of remembering all of WindClan's kittens. Dull as Downykit was, they remember wanting to be at least noticed by the world beyond the nursery, for at the time even notice by greater eyes meant praise. With Bluefrost's tumultuous return, her five kits spilling over her dainty heels like wavefoam, it's grown considerably harder to track them all.

Still, it's hard to forget the shrill little hawk-cry that assaults them now, demands channeling furrows above accipiter eyes. "Oh—Erminekit, hello." They barely manage to eke a greeting out beneath the tumble of words from his mouth, like a pack of hounds biting at each others' heels. "Um." Her hesitation comes from doubt of her own skill, not of whether a four moon-old was fit to learn. Seasons ago, she'd been a moon younger than him when Sootstar had called her up to the Tallrock and given her over to Sootspot.

They tilt wide blue eyes at the tom, smaller than them but likely not for much longer. It'd be a good learning experience for them both; Erminekit for his own curiosity, and Downyfur for prospective mentorhood. They don't think they've done anything wrong within the past few moons, no dissent nor negligence; nothing they think Sunstar would frown upon enough to withhold an apprentice from them. It hadn't been for the sake of being a mentor, or having their future apprentice taken from them as they had been from Sootspot; only what they'd consider a healthy sense of self-preservation.

"Alright. I'll teach you." She offers a smile to the boy, hoping its warmth would take some of the edge off his insistence. "What do you want to hunt?" That's a good starting point, they think, with a natural answer of, "THE BIGGEST, FATTEST RABBIT!" Rabbits were WindClan's mainstay, but if WindClan's territory held only rabbits they would've all starved to death long ago. Maybe she could convince him that vaulting through the air after sparrows was a worthwhile pursuit, or channeling after voles as tunnelers did too.​

 

[erminekit]

True to form, Erminekit's response is the one expected of him. "I wanna catch the biggest, FATTEST rabbit WindClan has ever seen." There's a gravity to the little tomkit's tone, one of seriousness that doesn't quite feel in perfect place on a kit like him. Perhaps going up to a tunneler for this wasn't the smartest idea, especially considering Erminekit is well aware his future lies above ground on the moors - he may still be kit sized, but his limbs are already long, and he's growing quickly. Quintessential to WindClan's diet, Erminekit had always wanted to be one of the best rabbiters on the moors, so he's taking this extremely serious.

Downyfur's hesitance goes completely over Ermine's head, he's never been very good at clueing into the thoughts or feelings of those around him, far too preoccupied on his own plans for the future and being the best. Not only will he be WindClan's best hunter, but he'll also be the strongest fighter! With strength to rival even Sunstar! Practically vibrating with excitement at the very prospect of learning now, even before he's ready to be an apprentice, silver hued tail cannot stop from swishing back and forth in the dirt behind him as sunshine eyes dance with anticipation and wonder. He can't help but imagine that he already has his 'paw suffix, and that this lesson is taking place beyond camp walls and in the wide, open moors with a cat who's just as eager to help him learn...
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[PINKSHINE]

What a surprise — Downyfur has been accosted, burndened with the task of teaching cool hunting things, no less. It'd make good practice for when Downyfur was a mentor themselves, and that would be... gosh, soon, wouldn't it? And soon Pinkshine might be one too, and Featherspine, and Rivewhisper... Being a warrior was so excited. Who knew just where her future apprentice may be laying in wait? Pinkshine's unsure if the urgent Erminekit was aware just how many what-ifs might come with cool hunting things, like... What would he be hunting? Would he be a tunneler, or a moor runner? Was it day time or night time? if night time, why is he out at night time, anyways? Also, what's his favorite color?

Downyfur begins carefully, asking what it was Erminekit would like to hunt. The worlds fattest rabbit, of course. It's predictable, but predictable is adorable, in this case. Pinkshine nods understandingly. " Hoh... Ambitious of you, Erminekit! I believe in you, though! " She wouldn't want to rob Downyfur of this uber-cool opportunity, so she would sit back and be moral support, and stuff. Maybe she could help with the questions, though... " You think you'll be a tunneler or a moor-runner? " she asks. Pinkshine isn't sure about the cutoff when it comes to size... Plus when she was a kit, she totally thought she was way bigger than she actually was...

" They hunt a little differently, but either way you gotta be fast, " she tells him. " You fast, Erminekit? " And a mischievous spark gleams in blue - ringed eyes.​

 

[dimmingsun]

Dimmingsun becomes more keenly aware of kitten business that he would like. He's never had an issue with them, per se, but then, he's always had the chance to get away and thus shield his ears from actual damage. Now his duty has shackled him in place... and no amount of ears pressing down onto the top of his head would lower the volume.

He does not even react physically anymore, not even to Erminekit's call; Dimmingsun's movements are languid as he turns to face the little thing, but much to his surprise, he is not the victim this time around. Downyfur is.

A desperate cry for attention. Dimmingsun can't help the amused scoff — because even if he struggles to understand how anyone in their right mind would want litter after litter, he still has a soft spot for WindClan's youngest. The sickness might be gone by now... but life only seeps back into their camp slowly and with hesitation. Playtime has not been on the agenda.

"Ambitious, says you," Dimmingsun murmurs, mischief glimmering in his eye as he regards Pinkshine. "Erminekit, did you know Pinkshine tried really, really hard to be a moor-runner, back when she barely left the nursery?"

The memory is bittersweet. Sweet, naive Pinkpaw and her ambitions — unafraid to demand a change of ranking from Sootstar herself. Dimmingsun hopes the reminder comes to her as a bit of a tease, not something to regret or mull over too much; her mood can scarcely be brought down anyhow, so surely, it will not be Dimmingsun who manages it. Featherspine would not let him live it down.
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[erminekit]

When Pinkshine approaches, Erminekit looks to her, his eyes wide. Of course, he'd known there were moor-runner warriors and that there were tunneler warriors, but the idea that they'd have different hunting techniques had never registered before to him. All that mattered right now, though, was Pinkshine asking him if he was fast.

"Yeah!!! I'm so fast!!" He exclaims, short fur fluffing up in excitement, making the little kit appear much bigger than he truly was. And another voice soon joined the congregation, Dimmingsun making his presence known, and he tells Ermine a secret - Pinkshine had wanted to be a moor-runner! Eyes going starry with wonder, Erminekit swivels his head to look between the Lead Warrior and the tunneler. "No way, really??" He asks, hardly able to conceal the curiosity and wonder he felt at that. "I wanna be a moor-runner!!"

all you wanted // i could be

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  ooc -
  
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  #9bcfad
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  (img) Erminekit * he/him * 4 moons
  short furred blue sepia with low white and pale yellow eyes
  Peaceful & healing powerplay allowed || underline for attack
  penned by Neptune. || Neptune on disc, dm me for plots

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