I NEED EVERYTHING NOW \ taking a tumble

[FERNGILL]

Somewhere along the way to where he was in life now, Fernkit had picked up a terrible affinity for collecting- and it was relentless. Everything even slightly sightly was scooped up by paws too large for the body they belonged to and stashed near his nest in the nursery, creating a daunting pile that made the ginger scrap irate if even slightly moved. There was no sign of him slowing down, either; every day his pile grew larger with shells and fish-scales and feathers and stones, and when he slept Fernkit notoriously nuzzled into it like a dragon guarding its hoard. It seemed he was never satiated despite his small stature- for today, as the sun beat down noon-heat on the camp, the thin-furred tabby carried crammed in his minuscule maw a trio of stones: blue, cyan and turquoise.

Well, he'd describe them like that. They were barely differing shades of blue, in reality- but different enough to enthral him.

Still, with such a tiny maw and stones being as large as they were, to anyone with eyes the precarious nature of the situation would be clear. And sure enough, to any dissenters prophecy would soon be gifted upon them- the cyan fell from its place onto the ground, bouncing to settle just where Fernkit's foot was about to step. Already unbalanced from his disproportionate form, the unsightly kitten stood no chance against gravity- with a slip and a clatter, he was splayed out deer-like upon the ground.​

( penned by pin )​

 

[BUCKGAIT.]

MY NAME IS BRUTUS AND MY NAME MEANS HEAVY ✧​

the world continues to pass her by, uncaring of the plights and worries that she carries that it almost all feels minuscule. there had been very little carefree worry within buck's life, even as a young kit dancing by the river's edge. she had too much to learn, too much to take care of. forced to grow too fast that sometimes she still sees the confused little girl staring back at her. wondering why the treatment between her and her brother were so vastly different, and why the world did not favor her intelligence and curiosity. it's something the kits in riverclan hold, this gentle innocence, and pure outlook. there's no worry about anything except if they'll get a favored food, or how long they can play until the sun beckons them to bed.

the splayed out figure of fernkit comes into view, already hearing how he had stumbled and fell. there's slight entertainment in her eyes until she focuses on the scattered rocks littering the ground. she's seen him sneak treasures into the nursery before, and it comes as no surprise if this is his new prize for the day. she ignores the bug-eyed features as she approaches the calendula-colored kit, deciding between if she should help him up or collect his rocks. she fears that one may get her pathetically hissed at. "you might need help carrying those, fern. unless you want to keep tripping the whole way." she offers a paw for the child t use for leverage, not that he needs it. it was only a tumble.
​

 

[POPPYSPLASH.]

kits were... weird. poppy avoided them because more times than not, she just made them cry. they were pretty fragile like that. had she been so fragile as a kit? probably. but she wasn't a kit anymore. she grew up, and kits take way too long to do them. they're parasites, and they're parasites that cry. it's too much. and stars, kit games were so annoyingly boring.

right now, however, poppysplash hadn't anything to do. it was cat watching time, but she knew it wasnt going to last long. she was avoiding a lot of her responsibilities under the guise of still healing ( which she truly was ). her gaze followed a silly looking kitten with rocks in his mouth. stars be damned, are all kittens that... ugly?! i feel bad for the kid. being ugly is so sad. propping her head on her paw, she watched quietly, tail pausing mid-flick as the kitten fell down, sprawling out dramatically onto the ground. there was a dead silence around before poppysplash couldn't help it.

"pfffffft! ahahahahhahah! oh my stars! ahahahahahaha- oh- that is golden!"

what a sight! oh, kittens were stupid little things weren't they? buckgait offers her help but poppy hasnt stopped laughing. it's too hilarious. she needed the laugh. and she had no intentions of offering help either.
​

[ I'LL GIVE YOU THE WORLD ]​

 

[Chirping Bird]

NOTHING LIKE HOME AND GRANDMA'S KISSES​

---

“My my, still finding your paws Fernkit?” the elder teased at the sight of the fallen kit. She barely remembered her kit-hood but she was sure it took her a while till she was good on her paws. Chirping Bird became quite the hunter in her youth. Of course, she would claim to this day that she was one of the best hunters in Riverclan. But in truth, her still joints made her slower.

Spotting the colorful stones that had spilled back to the ground, she smiled. Looks like they had a collection starting. Wondering if one day they would have a massive pile of stones or if this hobby would be dropped off when they became an apprentice. ​

 

[GILLSIGHT]

Fernkit's collection rivals that of Gill's. He doesn't know where the kit finds such pretty things, but Gill wishes his collection was just as pretty as the funny-looking ginger kit's.

Shells, feathers, stones and the like - Gill can't help but wonder if Fernkit is getting help collecting said things. He'll have to ask where he's getting them, he figures. Maybe they could trade rocks?

Yellow eyes watch as the younger kit drags in more for his pile of a collection, one that seems to grow bigger every time he looks at it. Gill looks at his own collection - shiny rocks carefully woven in and around his nest - ears flattening against his head at how... unimpressive... it looked in comparison.

Just where was he getting them from? Gill doesn't understand.

The kit tumbles, and he hears laughter. He looks at the owner of the laugh, a frown growing on his face.

"S-s-stop that!" he hisses at Poppy, yellow eyes wide in dismay. "Th-That's... That's m-mean!" The black and white kit looks back at the ginger scrap of fur sprawled out on the ground, colorful pebbles strewn around him. Buckgait and Chirping Bird are there too, but don't say a word towards Poppy's laughter, an action that upsets Gill even more. But, Buckgait offers to help Fernkit up, so Gill goes over to him too.

"H-Here," he says, pawing the rocks towards him in a neat pile, "I-I'll... I'll help too."
​

 

[SMOKESTAR]

Funnily enough, he shared Poppysplash's opinion that kits were weird. Odd little miniature cats that hadn't developed enough to fit their own paws or heads; awkward and clumsy and terribly vulnerable. But everyone had started as one and that was where the similarities ended. Smokethroat wasn't fond of kittens, not because of the kittens, but because he struggled with how to hold himself when speaking to them or engaging with them; it was his own failing not theirs. They were still learning, couldn't hold it against them. Kits were important, growth didn't happen without them being born and growing.
Before RiverClan he might have ignored the seething laughter ringing from the center of the camp and gone about his way, but now he was thinking of how a cat would feel. How a kitten would grow up responding to laughter at their expense, how they might lose that sense of structure and community.
The dark cat moved on surprisingly silent, stealthy steps despite his larger form and took a seat next to the giggling she-cat.

"Poppysplash." The tom's voice is its usual low growl of a tone, calm but stern and with an edge to it that made it all the more audible, "Enough." His orange gaze did not linger on her long, he turned to watch the daring little kitten who called Poppysplash out run off to assist their tumbled sibling and Buckgait. That one had the spark of a fighter, sizing up a cat more than twice their size and admonishing them. Smokethroat did not go to assist alongside Buckgait, she seemed to have it under control and he didn't want to involve himself with the kits much until he figured out how to stop being so terribly awkward.


​

riverclan --- warrior--- tags

 

[FERNGILL]

So many eyes, so many voices- he hadn't ben expecting it at all, and such was transmitted through his eyes' wideness, and the bewilderment imprisoned within them. Mouth a tiny o, he spent a noticeably few moments registering the world around him, the happenings- the laughter, the hisses, the kind words. No part of it all harmed his self-esteem, not yet developed enough to even be chipped away at- but as cackling doubled Poppysplash over, his mind grasped at nothing. "Whatcha laughin' at, miss...?" he murmured, looking up at her from where he was spilled upon the ground.

It was then that Fernkit realised that he was, in fact, still on the ground. He noticed the presence of Smokethroat but did not pay much attention to him, for soon he was surrounded by the figures of Buckgait, Gill and Chirping Bird, the former two of which offered to help him. "Mmf- thanks," he hummed in a tone as tumbled as his fall, wobbling as he pulled himself up. He wished not to take Buckgait's aid; he was strong, he didn't need help getting up. But... well, evidently he needed help carrying stuff. He swept up the cyan stone, keeping it close, but allowed internally for Buckgait and gill to take care of the other two. "M'pile's in the nursery, by- by m'nest, so- yeah, bring 'em there 'n I- huh?"

Chirping Bird's murmured coo confused him. Finding his paws? "But ma'am, m'paws are right here." he murmured, a frown contorting his fishlike features further. Looking down at his oversized mittens, he indeed confirmed that they hadn't snapped right off in the confusion of his fall.​

( penned by pin )​

 

[Chirping Bird]

NOTHING LIKE HOME AND GRANDMA'S KISSES​

---

The elder didn’t think there was anything wrong with laughing. Was it mean? A little. But she believed everyone needed to be okay with getting laughed at. Kits needed to grow thicker skin. Chirping Bird paid no mind to the cats that laughed at Fernkit’s little spill. It wasn’t like they were hurt and they didn’t even seem upset with the giggles. She watches as he seems more confused by everyone’s reactions than anything else.

A small giggle passed her maw as he confirmed his paws were right there. She squints and leans in closer. Acting as though her eyesight had been failing her. “Oh my! You’re right!” she uses her own paw to point at his four, “One, two, three… four! Yup, all four.” the graying feline says as if she’s very proud of them. ​