camp Tell me a story || storytime

[Rabbitnose]

it was getting late, and Rabbitnose was padding into the nursery to greet his family, as well as the other kits and queens. He greeted everyone with a warm smile.

"Hello everyone!" He said, taking his place beside Sunfreckle and giving his head a kiss.

"Would you like to hear a story before bed?" He asked.

He had plenty of stories to tell of his family, the family he was seperated from. They were..... Certainly interesting. He wondered how they were doing now, if he would ever see them again.

But now wasn't the time for that. It was time to inspire the youth.
​

 

[JAYWISH]

Jaypaw isn't exactly a kit anymore but being a newcomer with no family in the clan (despite halfheartedly searching for one parent specifically), a queen let him stay in the nursery to feel safe at night. Like any kid, he's acting like it's some big insult to his maturity on the surface. Really he's grateful to be in this peaceful environment. It's the first good sleep he's had in a while and much better than being afraid to wake up staring down a predator back during his journey. The memory of being chased by a screeching owl is still enough to make him shiver in his sleep (or worse, mother) but right now, he's only blinking slowly from a nap he didn't mean to take.

Jaypaw watches with a quiet envy as Rabbitnose cuddles in with his family. He wonders if his dad is like that. Probably not, but he can dream about it and maybe even hope a little. He plays it off with a yawn and stretch. The orange patched tom then lies his chin on his paws and tunes in, silently curious to hear this story.​

[ I'M THE HERO THAT SAVES ME ]​

 

[DEWKIT !]

Like any kit would, Dewkit was nearly willing to do anything to stay up later. There wasn’t any reason she should go to bed early! So what was the point in going to bed so early? Her father’s words drew her attention, leaving the child with a golden ticket in paw. Looking up at him from her place bedside Sunfreckle, she would gaze at him with hope filled eyes. “Please! Please tell us a story! I wanna hear!” Dewkit initially thought it would be best to leave out how she was trying to avoid going to sleep, knowing that if she said something the chances of being able to listen in would be close to nothing.

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[Sunfreckle]

He was not being very attentive, but he was mildly aware of the voices and cats present; mostly the red tabby was in a lucid doze. Sleeping with menacing little kittens and fretting over their sickly little daughter did not give him much time to sleep at night so he caught his bits of rest during the snatches of peace in the day. Dovekit was currently drowsily sleeping away against his side and he gave a disgruntled purr to the sudden nuzzle atop his head before tucking his nose back into his tail. Face hidden, but ears pricked upward to remain alert-at least until Dewkit began to squeak out her excitement and he lifted his head to look down on her with a warm smile, only then noticing Jaypaw.
Sunfreckle vaguely recalled the young tom being brought to camp, uncertain and afraid and having been lost in the wood alone. Flicking his tail in a quick movement to get the moggy's attention before patting a paw on the ground more blatantly, "Did you want to come sit with us, Jaypaw? Plenty of room!"

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[JAYWISH]

Watching Dewkit's enthusiasm, Jaypaw mistakes the excitement for being about the story itself. He starts imagining lofty tales in his mind similar to what his mom used to tell him and his eyes naturally wander until he finds himself momentarily fixated on Sunfreckle's missing paw. The apprentice wants to ask but he isn't sure how to breach a topic like that. What if it's painful? Or if it's a long story, he'd be interrupting Rabbitnose's in these circumstances. It's just, he's never seen a cat without all four legs before. It's the implication too. That he's stepped into a world now dangerous enough to cause heavy losses and he almost shivers at the realization. Maybe mom's stories weren't so farfetched...

Realizing it's likely rude (like when he stared at Berryheart), he rips his eyes away to the cushiony ground. That's when he notices Sunfreckle flick his tail out of the corner of his eye and at first Jaypaw feels a little panicked, thinking he's been caught looking and would be in trouble. His mind runs through numerous ways to apologize when the flaming cat speaks and Jay blanks briefly only to feel a rush of relief but also intrigue. The white and orange cat hesitates only a little before standing and coming to sit at Sunfreckle's side with his legs tucked under. Still a bit shy, he tries to take up as little room as possible. "Thanks..." Jay looks over the excited kit before up to the warriors, head tilting slightly. "So what's the story about?"​

[ I'M THE HERO THAT SAVES ME ]​

 

[Rabbitnose]

Rabbitnose smiled at Jaypaw. "Come sit! Anyone is welcome!" He said. " I'm going to tell a story about my father." He added.

He reached over and gave Dewkit a lick on the head. " He was big and strong, with black fur that flowed with every movement." He said.

Yes, his adoptive father was certainly one of the biggest cats he knows. Under that smokes fur was enough muscle to deck a dog and send it running.

"His name is Spruce, and he kept me and our little group safe from all sorts of trouble." He continued.

Including the troubles caused by Rabbitnose himself, but he left that part out. Those were stories for another time.


​

 

[DEWKIT !]

Watching Rabbitnose, Dewkit would listen carefully, wondering where the story was going. A story about her dad’s dad? Where was he now? “What kind of trouble? Where is he now?” Wondering aloud, Dewkit would turn towards Sunfreckle, seeing if he had any answers for her.

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