camp not for little ears // casual chat

[cottonsprig]

Cottonpaw hasn't much space in her schedule to hang out with her peers anymore. Not for lack of trying, either - Wolfsong leaves her be when he can, however the sick and new are often in need of attention or supervision. The 'new,' in this case, happen to be her mentor's little ones. Cottonpaw oft offers to watch them while their fathers are busy otherwise, however last she checked, she was not on kitten duty.

She's chatting with Snakehiss, her attention wholeheartedly on him and his recent achievements (Stars know he loves to brag,) when she notices a tuft of white and red fur lazily twitching around the bend. "Hold on a second," she likely interrupts him, eyebrows stitching together though a partial grin matches them. "I think we have little ears listening," not that either of them were too curt... were they? (She thinks about their discussion, the language used, and for a moment is frantic about possibly teaching Wolfsong's children anything too young.)

Perhaps partially due to her panic, but also simply because eavesdropping is a task worth getting good at - Cottonpaw approaches the fluffy little scrap that is Featherkit, her smile remaining in spite of her worry. "Ah, Featherkit. I thought that was you," she makes an effort to tap his tail back behind his hidden post. "Are you bored?" she asks - as a kitten, that was usually the reason why she bid into older conversations.

[ please wait for @FEATHERKIT ! passively mentioning @SNAKEHISS ]​

 

[FEATHERSPINE]

This was often a good spot to sit, to hear the happenings of the world... or what little into the world that Featherkit had. Her tail-tip twitched lazily as she listened to the familiar voice of Cottonpaw, and the much-less familiar voice of Snakehiss, lock in conversation. It was mundane in terms of normal warrior stuff, but was enough for Featherkit himself to find rather appealing information-wise. With such attentiveness, though... the subconscious drop of her tail into Cottonpaw's line of sight went unnoticed. Blinking double, piercing yellow eyes looked up at her subject... now, her interrogator.

"No." he said, bluntly. It was rather entertaining to listen... at least, as entertaining as it could be. And he found Cottonpaw interesting, anyhow... unlike the other apprentices in terms of her learning material, thus spending a lot of time with his ðir. "You speak t- t- t... with Snakehiss lots, I noticed." A languid sway of the paw accompanied her words, delivered evenly. He wasn't stupid, listening just for fun... it was good to know wasn't it?​

✦ penned by pin​

 

[sunlitpaw]

shadow of the moon
—————— ( ☼ ) ——————

Sunlitkit wasn't one to squirrel herself away into a corner and strictly observe. As much as it grew tiring to skirt herself around conversations, or even force herself through some, she found that staying to herself was even more boring and awful. The company of her family was always preferable, but Sunlitkit didn't mind slowly wandering her way into a different situation with eyes wide if she could pick up something new from it. Sunlitkit had much different motives from her sister, however. She looked at the world around her much warmer than her nocturnal littermate. Sunlitkit didn't quite fully understand the extent of Featherkit's impassive nature, not when she was never at the receiving end of it. The larger of the siblings trots over quickly as she sees a gathering of friendly faces, nerves immediately soothed by the mere sight of Featherkit and Cottonpaw together. Sunlitkit trills a greeting as she moves to push her nose against Featherkit's head, touching her nose to the diamond of her brother's forehead.

The movement of a familiar gray paw catches her attention next, following the movement swiftly with her own as she aimed to pin Featherkit's tail with her paw. Sunlitkit giggles playfully, rolling around the corner to pounce Cottonpaw before her movements swiftly still, back stiffening as she sights Snakehiss. Her excitement fizzles out rapidly, slowly creeping back around the corner to sit next to Featherkit quietly. "He's right there," she whispers to Featherkit, as if his presence wasn't blindingly obvious to every cat but her.

​

 

[SEDGEPOUNCE]

Eavesdropping is a crime befitting a punishment of cuffed ears, or tick duty, or general disappointment, depending on the offender. Some cats older and wiser than him would probably want to discourage this habit among the quickly-growing youth of the clan. Sedgepounce, however, is no such cat—and the only difference between himself and Featherkit in this instance is that Featherkit is still young and clumsy enough to be caught.

Not that Sedgepounce particularly cares to listen to Cottonpaw and Snakehiss talk about how cool his bloodline is or whatever. He passes by with a mouse clutched in his teeth, the warmth from its frame wicking away in the moorland breeze, and happens to catch Featherkit's precocious observation. It's enough for Sedge to abandon his mission of depositing his catch on the freshkill pile, instead dropping the mouse at his paws so he can grin widely at Cottonpaw somewhere over Feather and Sunlitkit's heads.

"Whaaaat?" Sedge cows in mock disbelief. As if he hasn't teased Cottonpaw about this exact thing already. "You two sharing a lot of secrets, or what?" He looks between Snake and Cot eagerly, waiting for them to flounder.​

 

[SNAKEHISS]

Cottonpaw tears her attention away from Snakehiss, who could talk about himself for days on end. This unexpected distraction is inconvenient; his serpentine-like pupils narrow into slits as they fix onto Featherkit. As if the very idea of Wolfsong and Sunstride offspring wasn't loathsome enough! Now they were gaining sentience, hobbling around on little legs and getting into mischief ( or simply eavesdropping, in this case ).

Featherkit describes her "observation", which he finds the slightest touch creepy. What else has this child listened in on without the knowledge of him or Cottonpaw? Has she listened to the murmurings between him and his father? If word got to Featherkit's parents, or Sootstar herself, even....

So, the young warrior is quick to try and dismiss the little chocolate tabby, "Go off and play with your littermates, yeah? Most cats don't like it when nosy kits listen in on their conversations." An unfriendly and rather snooty tone of voice accompanies his words.

Another spawn comes tumbling in rather boisterously, coming to a halt beside her littermate and pointing out the obvious. Was Snakehiss some sort of feared figure among the children of the clan? Hm. It wasn't a bad reputation to have, in his eyes. At least the little snot-nosed brats would learn to leave him alone.

Of course, from a distance, Sedgepounce is present to offer his ever-so-meaningful "input". If Snakehiss were to pull himself out of a den of spiky brambles, Sedgepounce would be the equivalent of dirt in his wounds. Is he ever serious about anything? At least he was helpful in the event of the fox attack. Snakehiss has still never properly thanked the other warrior for throwing himself in harm's way for his sake, but he had always figured that holding his tongue around Sedgepounce served as 'thank you' enough. Obviously, Snakehiss was not opposed to giving the black-and-white tom attitude now that some time has passed. "That's hardly any of your business." He meowed curtly with a wrinkle of his nose.

✰ INFO

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  ✰ SNAKEHISS
  —— he/him; warrior ( moor runner ) of windclan
  —— bisexual; single; not looking
  —— long-limbed black tom with green eyes, a small white chest patch, and a notable bite mark on his right foreleg
  —— "speech", thoughts, attack
  —— link to full tags; @ on discord for plots.
  —— penned by beatles

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