camp Oh, not agin (crying), now the train’s gone and left

[Shinebug]

a dirt-covered pelt padded slowly into camp, the orange hue below looking as if the sun had been subdued by a cloud. What did Shinepaw have to show for his scuffed pelt and screaming muscles? What bounty had been brought back for Flycatcher and the others by the ambitious apprentice?

A lowly mouse, more bone than meat.

As the kit-in-all-but-name approached the center of camp, all remaining strength was summoned to maintain a smile in spite of the scrawny showing between his jaws. However, Shinepaw was unable to sweep away the emotion in his eyes. It was a strange sight, a soft smile paired with smoldering self-loathing.

Still, as he reached the prey pile, Shinepaw was offered one point of solace. Today the lump of food was stacked particularly high, which meant his meager contribution was less likely to be noticed. The shaft of sunlight shuddered at the thought of being scrutinized come leaf-bare, but that was a bridge best burned later. He decided to wedge the mouse in near the bottom where it wouldn’t be seen; Partly due to not wanting to appear arrogant (putting such a sorrowful sight above such better options to eat would be an insult to those who caught them), but mostly because he didn’t want anyone to catch sight of his shoddy work.

Shinepaw inspected his options, and decided to move a squirrel to make room. Teeth clenched the tail after he’d dropped his mouse, and the shaft of sunlight tugged lightly. Hm. It was wedged in tight, but all he needed to do was shift it slightly. The scatterbrain tugged harder and-

Thump

Sky-blue eyes lost their luster completely as they watched the prey pile topple over and spill onto the ground nearby. The squirrel hung limply in his jaws as the apprentice took in his handiwork. Shinepaw’s forced smile became a scowl, showing clenched teeth. Another screw-up. With a shaky sigh the cat began to clean up his mess, but the boy couldn’t hold in his disappointment. Tears began to roll down flaming fur as he worked, silent as the grave.

Shinepaw didn’t want anyone to notice, impossible though it was. The shaft of sunlight was shaking now, trying and failing to contain the emotions crescendoing within. The only constant was the boy’s silence, using all his willpower to stifle any audible sobbing while he worked.

It wasn’t a big mess, but children had a way of exaggerating their problems.​

 

[BURNSTORM]

Burnstorm does not quite understand his mentors new apprentice. Shinepaw was, by all means, soft and in his opinion should either be forced to grow up or put back into the nursery. He was returning from a hunt of his own, two mice dangling from his jaws as he makes his way into camp and to the fresh kill pile. When he gets there, however, he is confronted with this scene. Shinepaw hunched over the scattered prey, tears streaming down his face as he sullenly works to put the pile back in order.

Burnstorm lets out a huff as he approaches. He drops his prey onto the pile, making sure to place it where it was meant to go and not create more of a mess for the young tom to clean. "What are you crying for?" he asks, its a bit blunt but really he does not understand what the big deal was. "Accidents happen it's fine. Here I'll help you." with that he begins to also gather prey, finding comfort in the methodic task at hand.
​

 

[SHININGSUN]

☼ Not every day could be filled with joy and smiles as bright as the sun. Sometimes they could be sour and heavy, driven by anxiety and dark clouds. Even the usually upbeat warrior could find himself entrapped within such low moods, though he had grown skilled at hiding his bad days from the others. Though it wasn't him having a poor day it seemed, but rather Shinepaw. Sympathy swelled within Shiningsun's chest as he strode towards the youth and Burnstorm, who had already gone to assist with the tidy up.

"Many paws can make light work of any disaster." He chirped warmly as he settled in beside the apprentice with one of his classic sunny grins adorning his features. Slowly his features softened into something more relaxed and less blinding as he aimed to touch his bushy tail to the youth's flank. "Did you know that the brightest, warmest sun follows after a good rainstorm? Just let it out, don't hold it in." He was of course referring to the fact that Shinepaw was crying and trying to stifle it, which wasn't always the best option. Not wishing to wait for an invite to help tidy he simply got stuck in and began to stack up the prey again.
​

 

[Shinebug]

Shaky, warbling features stiffened for a second as Shinepaw sensed Burnstorm’s approach. The apprentice knew the new warrior wanted nothing to do with him, a desire that had been evident practically since the day they met. Sky-blue eyes couldn’t help flicking towards the other, and upon seeing what was between his teeth the tomcat almost screamed. Two mice, juicy and succulent, upstaging his own catch in both quantity and quality.

Shinepaw’s gaze lingered on the pieces of prey as Burnstorm put them on the pile, half-expecting them to spring to life and taunt him. The warrior’s blunt words brought him out of the temporary trance, and a flame-tinted head snapped towards his clanmate. Normally bright eyes were now dark with a cacophony of feelings: rage, jealousy, sadness, all swirled behind sky-blue optics. Shinepaw said nothing in reply to the other’s statement. He couldn’t say anything. Nothing out of his mouth would make the situation any better.

Flame-tinted pawpads stopped work as Burnstorm began to clean up the mess. His mess. Shinepaw took the action as a slight, a message that he should just go back to the nursery and give up. So, the shaft of sunlight turned petty. The apprentice deliberately snatched prey Burnstorm was about to pick up before putting it on the pile, his own childish way of trying to say he didn’t need help.

Shinepaw had been so focused on the competition he’d concocted and convinced himself of that he’d been completely blind to Shiningsun’s approach. The warrior’s words were kinder than Burnstorm’s, but they didn’t make him feel much better. At first the shaft of sunlight employed the same strategy, staying silent and trying to solve the situation as speedily as possible. However, the beacon of positivity’s next proclamation made him stop.

Shiningsun was everything Shinepaw wanted to be. He was kind, strong, competent, and always calm. Sky-blue eyes swung towards the warrior, and there was more silence punctuated by the intensifying of tears. Shinepaw’s breath hitched as he opened his mouth, wanting to admit everything and beg for help on how to hunt and fight and not be such a failure. Right before he could get the words out, though, the shaft of sunlight had a single selfish, terrible thought: “I wish you were my mentor.”

Immediately, Shinepaw shut his mouth and went back to work, regretting the unspoken words so intensely he wanted to vomit. His failings weren’t Flycatcher’s fault, they were his own. Like the prey pile, Shinepaw viewed this as a mess of his own making, and one he would have to solve alone.

With a mindset like that, maybe he was still a kit. ​

 

[& RAINBOWPAW]

Rainbowkit doesn't know what they think about being an apprentice someday. Not just someday, but in two more moons. He isn't sure if thats a long time or a short time. A moon ago, they would've been scolded for leaving the apprentice den. Now Rainbowkit could walk all around camp as long as they were being a good kit. Does that mean a moon was very long, or very short? Rainbowkit wasn't sure.

They aren't sure why Shinepaw looks so sad, either. They brought home some prey, and Rainbowkit thinks that's very good of him. It's very good of everyone. It's very important. Rainbowkit has knocked over things before, but it's always been okay because Rainbowkit knows to pick up after themself. Shinepaw doesn't have to be sad. Cat's being sad makes Rainbowkit sad. He watches for a little bit before padding over.

Did you know that the brightest, warmest sun follows after a good rainstorm?

Rainbowkit didn't know that. " Sometimes, there'll be a rainbow, too. " That's something they do know. " Can I help? " They don't think it's rude if they go ahead and start. They weren't too much bigger than some of the prey still, but that's okay. " You're very good, Shinepaw, " they say. Rainbowkit didn't know them so much, but they didn't have to.

『 OOC 🌈 08.06.2023 』

• OOC: —
  

• 

• rainbowkit & [ raine ] [ bow ] : sunfreckle xx rabbitnose 2nd litter. littermate to sunshinekit & emberkit. younger brother to mousepaw, sparkpaw & frecklepaw.
  —— amab. they / he ; fine with gendered terms ( tom / boy / brother / etc . . . )
  —— currently 2 moons old.
  
  a typical size for their age. warm - faced and bright - eyed, rainbowkit sports boyish features and an easygoing smile. early signs of a thick ruff to come can be seen in plush cheeks and a thickening tail. sports long curling whickers and a dip of sun - red down the length of their neck.

• this is for cute purposes begone.

​