fireflies - eating a bug

[Shimmerkit.]

At four moons old, Shimmerkit still had a while to go before she would begin her apprentice training. Not too long ago she might have begun her training by now but things have changed, another code was implemented, four moons became six. If Shimmerkit had known about this she might have protested, claimed it wasn't fair, and that she was not like other kits. Luckily, Shimmerkit did not know this, so lived in blissful ignorance, awaiting the day she would become an apprentice on her own terms. It wasn't all bad though, she could relax with her mother in their nest, her father brought prey regularly, and there were games to be played!

One of her favourites to play that she could play by herself was the stalking game, where she crouched low to the floor and prowled after any bugs that strayed into the nursery. When she played it, she liked to imagine she was a mighty warrior of LionClan, following some huge prey that would feed the clan for moons and moons. On the bonus, the game actually worked as a good way for her practice her hunting skills at a young age.

She had been stalking her prey for some time, finally cornering her beetle, before bouncing. "Got you!" Shimmerkit cried out, jumping onto the beetle and stopping it with her paws. Shimmerkit did not know where the urge to eat it came from but when she picked it up in her mouth, intent on bringing it to her mother to show off, she suddenly had the idea to eat it instead. One small crunch later and the beetle was bitten in half. She might have eaten all of it, if not for how bad the bit she swallowed tasted. "Oh, yuck!" She said, spitting on the floor in an effort to get the last of the beetle remnants out of her mouth. "Beetles are gross."​

 

[Foxpaw!]

Fox had watched the other kitten from a distance, impressed by her leap and catching of the beetle. He trotted up behind her, stomping on unsteady legs, and had been about to compliment her on the catch, when she chomped it in half. His eyes widened, surprised that a cat with access to fresh-kill might try eating a beetle just for the fun of it. She immediately spat it out, disgusted, and Fox wondered about the grasshopper he had tried and failed to catch the day the bigger cats had brought him back here. "I wonder if that means all bugs are icky..." he wondered aloud. "Or just beetles. I tried to catch a grasshopper once, but it hopped away without me."

 

[Gladefrost]

Troutsnout watched the kits bound around and play, and she often found herself making visits to the nursery to check on Robinheart as well. Shimmerkit had found her prey- a beetle. A smile dances on delicate features and it seems as the kit was excited to go show her mother, that was until a bite was taken out the bettle. A loud crunch comes from the direction and an chambray gaze blinks in irony for a moment at the sight she just watched. “Haha,” The warrior laughs softly at the kits before offering a soft smile, walking over to the young kits.

“Do you want me to get you some water to rinse your mouth out?” Trout would inquire with a tilt of her head, ears flicking at Foxkit's question. She wasn't sure how all bugs tasted, but often sometimes kits ate them without complaint. Perhaps, it just depended on your tongue pallet? “I'm not sure, Foxkit. I guess it tasted bad because of the shell.” The spotted tabby would murmur as she studies the beetle's corpse, using a claw to tap the hard shell. Ah... kits were so cute and didn't have to worry about the activities that adults did.

She misses such a carefree life.
​

 

[Moonbeam]

"I'd suggest not eating too many things that aren't prey." The medicine cat would mew out as she moved forward, ears pricked as a small frown creased at the edges of her lips when she looked down at the beetle that Shimmerkit had so eagerly tried to eat. Even if the bugs ended up tasting weird it could be harmful to do so, not to mention how odd it was to see cats eat things other than smaller mammals, birds, and fish. She was sure that bugs could be a last resort if needed but RiverClan wouldn't need to resort to that - not any time soon at least.

Tail sweeped over her paws in that moment before frown turned back to a slight smile. "It was a nice catch though Shimmerkit." It was a softer voice this time, lighter in tone to let the kitten know that it was indeed a good catch. Bugs could be hard to pounce on due to their size and ability to run away, probably similar to how dogs could have issues with cats. Both were quick but the cats with their smaller sizes and ability to move better could outsmart them easily, and maybe the smaller the creature the smarter it was in their own little world. It wasn't something she would dwell on any more before she'd motion with her tail towards the river at the edge of the camp. "Maybe you two could see if a warrior will help you catch water bugs? I don't think they'd taste good but they're fun to see if you can smack them in the water and watch them swim away." Harmless fun where no one would be able to eat toxic things.

A STRAWBERRY AVALANCHE ꕥ CRASHED OVER ME

• --
• 
  MEDICINE CAT;
  — ꕥꕥꕥꕥꕥ FLESH WOUNDS
  — ꕥꕥꕥꕥꕥ INFECTIONS
  — ꕥꕥꕥꕥꕥ ACHES & PAINS
  — ꕥꕥꕥꕥꕥ ILLNESS
  — ꕥꕥꕥꕥꕥ BREATHING ISSUES
  — ꕥꕥꕥꕥꕥ TRAVELING HERBS
  — ꕥꕥꕥꕥꕥ BROKEN BONES
  — ꕥꕥꕥꕥꕥ KITTING
  — ꕥꕥꕥꕥꕥ POISONS
• 
  ꕥ SH white masking cinnamon torbie w/orange eyes & small ears
  ꕥ speaks softly & often found humming
  ꕥ 12 moons old; ages the 17th every month
  ꕥ homosexual homoromantic ; interested in beepaw & redacted
  ꕥ currently mentoring none
  ꕥ easy to befriend/interact with ; hard to anger/upset
  ꕥ "speech", thoughts, attacking
  ꕥ easy in combat unless in water, focuses on defensive tactics
  ꕥ peaceful powerplay allowed

​

 

[Pinepaw ⭒]

-ˋˏ ༻ ❆༺ ˎˊ- Shimmerkit was strange, that hadn’t been difficult to figure out, but… well. Pinekit didn’t exactly dislike the she-kits company, either. Her weirdness made her kinda funny, sometimes. Like now, Pinekit hadn’t thought the other would be able to actually catch the insect that tried to skitter away, but as tiny forepaws came diving down, mismatched brow bones would stretch high in surprise, for a moment at least.
The vaguely envious congratulation dies on the girls tongue when her pal proceeds to eat the beetle, and rounded features pinch together, grossed out. Naturally, Shimmerkit seems to instantly regret her decision, and now half a beetle carcass lay, casted to the side. “Well I coulda told you that.” Pinekit scoffs with a slight eye-roll, why was it that others didn’t come to her more often? She was smarter than, like… a lot of them, apparently. Troutsnout, and Moonbeam all seem to have a amused hum behind their words, but Pinekit doesn’t get the joke. “M’retty sure I’ve seen my brothers eat plants before.” The patchwork girl remarks flatly.

‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎┌── IF YOUR LOVE’S THE TRUTH ⋅ ࿏ ⋅ OR DECEIT ──┐‎

• 
  
  
  

• 

• 
  PINEKIT ✩ she/her, kit of riverclan, 4 moons.
  ⭃ plush-furred tortoiseshell she-kit with white dipped forepaws, tail tip, and muzzle and round, honey hued optics.
  ⭃ daughter of Iciclefang && Stormywing ࿏ sister to Cragkit && Crabkit
  ⭃ peaceful and healing powerplay permitted / / underline and tag when attacking
  ⭃ penned by Noor ↛ @toyangel on discord, feel free to dm for plots.
  

​

 

[Shimmerkit.]

As she sits there contemplating her action, she hears Foxkit make a comment about whether all bugs would taste the same. It makes Shimmerkit curious but understandably she's in no hurry to test the theory, lest whatever bug she tried next turned out as bad. At least Foxkit's remark is more cheerful - albeit not helpful - compared to Pinekit's scoff. In response to the latter, Shimmerkit stuck her tongue out, hoping the adults wouldn't see her.

Troutsnout offers to get some water and Shimmerkit nods eagerly. "Water would be nice," She mews softly. Shimmerkit is quietly glad that between Troutsnout's gentle laughter and Moonbeam's comments about her hunting, none of the older cats seem angry or disappointed that she had eaten a bug. When Moonbeam suggests maybe seeing if a warrior would watch them try to hunt water bugs. "Ooooh that sounds fun!" Shimmerkit trilled, already imagining herself pawing and diving for the little bugs. She didn't want to brag but she would definitely catch one. ​