WE'RE PAINTING THE ROSES RED - thorn in paw

[Starlingheart]

// TW: Small mention of blood!

It had been a normal day like any other. Her other, more rowdy siblings were content in their playful wrestling, but the more timid Starlingkit preferred moss ball. She didn't mind if she even had to play by herself, honest! She would watch her brothers and sisters rough house, contentedly batting around the ball, occasionally getting a little carried away, hooking it with a claw, throwing it in the air in an attempt to get it off, watch it go sailing then pounce on it wherever it landed. This is what had happened when she landed on it just now.

This time is different, however. This time, upon landing on what should be just a soft ball of moss, she feels a stabbing sensation in her paws. She lets out a cry of pain before falling back onto her haunches, holding her injured, white-tipped paw in front of her. She flips it over and reveals a thorn stuck in her paw pad, a small drop of blood oozing out from around it. At the sight of blood - her blood - coming out of her - tears begin to well in her eyes, threatening to spill out as she searches with a desperate gaze for the nearest adult, her brain convinced she was dying, her breaths coming out in ragged ghasps as she begins panicking.​

 

[Ravenwatcher.]

So I walk alone down the darkest roads​

---

Canarypaw was no adult but she did notice the kit's quick to panic and she blinked a bit before approaching the kit. "May I see?" her voice was calm, unworried. Her fluffy tail twitched as she looked down at Starlingkit's paw wondering if she should grab Bonejaw but, it wasn't an emergency...maybe she could help the kid to the den? Of course, to a kit this seemed like an emergency since this was their first time seeing their own blood but for many others it was no big deal.

"If you want I can get Bonejaw for you" she offered, ocean eyes looking down at the kit as she attempted a warm smile on her maw. Canarypaw was quite awkward when it comes to...socializing with others, she was always one to seclude herself and just watch from the distance but perhaps it was the false hope she kept close to her heart that her mother would eventually come back, yet that thought that itch in the back of her head tells all. "I am Canarypaw, may I ask who you are?" she tilted her head, her voice calm yet warm, holding no emotion to it as well.​

"speak""Thoughts"​

 

[GRANITEPELT]

As usual, Granitekit completely isolates himself while the others play their games. He watches his denmates wrestle and leap upon one another through a reddish fog of hatred, of jealousy. Part of him wishes he still liked to play, but a stronger section that simmers within the little gray and white kit screams that it's a waste of time.

But his angry thoughts are interrupted by a little yelp. He turns his head, narrowing his eyes at Starlingkit, who holds her paw gingerly, as though she's hurt it. Her eyes fill with tears, though she doesn't start making a scene, like her siblings might have done. She simply glances around, timidly asking the world to send her an adult who might care enough to come fix it.

Granitekit thinks about ignoring her. Some apprentice he doesn't care to know the name of walks up to her and tries to make her stop crying, but he catches this cat introducing herself to Starlingkit. How stupid could you be?

He pushes himself to his paws and stalks over to where the two stand. Granitekit levels the apprentice with a nasty glare and scoffs. "What kind of idiot doesn't know? This is one of the leader's kits." He lashes his tail, scorn dripping from every word.

He glances at Starlingkit, at the blood welling up on her paw, and although his instinct is to just leave her to her own devices, something squirrels its way into his brain. A strange idea. One without words, without context. "I can pull it out. If you want. I'll be quick." His tone is gruff, authoritative. It's not a question, but a demand phrased like one.
​

PENNED BY MARQUETTE​

 

[POSSUMPAW]

possumkit had been rolling around on the damp grounds of the camp in attempts to scratch an itch he couldn't reach but doing this caused his fur to stick up in all sorts of directions and make him look dirty but honestly, there was no real care from the lilac kitten.

feeling satisfied that they had gotten rid of that pesky itch, the kitten rolled back onto his stomach with quite the pleased expression before casting their gaze over the three figures nearby. huh, something must've happened because with a squint of pale orange eyes he could see starlingkit was not having the greatest time. curious, possumkit pushed himself up to all fours and toddled over to join them with a head that leaned a bit to one side.

according to what he heard from granitekit, besides his bristly comment about the indentity of the small molly, he put together that the other kit had something lodged in her paw. soon a nose would scrunch up slightly before he began to speak. "you sure you're not just gonna push it in further?"
​

[ penned by cobi ]​

 

[BONERIPPLE]

Fitting herself into this new job has become easier she supposes. Not quite the word but it's all she can really use currently. She's resigned herself to it and to making the best of what she has. Learning and remembering has been a main focus of her's so she has been making sure she keeps her stock organized, keeping things separate within her den. Hearing a yelp of pain makes her react instinctively now, and she grabs a few things, wrapping them up in a leaf before she leaves from her den. Her eyes look for the scene that she is needed for and she quickly finds her niece with a desperate look upon her maw surrounded by other kits. Quickly she steps forth and she allows her figure to wind around the child as she carefully drops the bundle of things upon the ground. Shifting her gaze to Granite who has offered to pull the thorn from her maw makes her slightly concerned and she shakes her head a little. "I appreciate the offer but I can handle this Granitekit." She speaks gently before she moves to look at Starlingkit's paw.

Gently cupping it in her own she looks at her niece and gives a small smile, trying to be encouraging. "It's okay. Only a thorn and it'll be out of your paw before you can blink. I'll count to three and then I'll pull it out quickly. Okay?" She mutters before she lowers her maw and turns her head to the side, attempting to grip the thorn in her maw she huffs softly before beginning the countdown. "One-," She tenses and before she can say two the woman quickly attempts to pull the thorn out of the paw. Once it's possibly out she then moves to apply a thick webbing of cobwebs to stop the bleeding so she can get a good look at it after it stops bleeding. "It's not that bad. It'll heal up in no time. I just need to apply some marigold and you'll be okay, Starlingkit."​

 

[Starlingheart]

It isn't long before someone older comes along, presumably to help. Upon her request, Starlingkit holds her paw out to Canarypaw for inspection, a couple of tears slowly slipping from her watering eyes and leaving a stain in her ebony fur as she waits for the diagnosis. Was she going to die? Was her aunt going to take her away like she did Sparkkit, never to be seen again?

She is about to tell the kind apprentice her name, her jaws part as she prepares to have to stammer out an answer, heart-gripping in apprehension. What if this cat thought she was stupid because she couldn't talk? Before she can say anything, Granitekit interjects though. Her eyes flit nervously to the silver-furred tom. The last time she had seen him he had thrown a rock at Ghostkit, had called her a fool for telling him he was wrong. Nevertheless, she is grateful to him for answering for her, sparing her the trouble of having to talk. She knits her eyebrows, confused by his sudden kindness but she does not protest. If Granitekit wanted to be nice to her, he would get no complaints, and besides, she's a little intimidated by her aunt. It would be better for someone else to do it. "I-i-if y-y-you-you're certain." she says hesitantly, holding her paw out and squeezing her eyes shut, preparing for the sting she is certain she will feel when the thorn comes out of her paw, ignoring Possumkit's question. She didn't want to think of the possibility of having a thorn stuck in her paw forever. What if they couldn't get it out and her aunt had to take her whole paw off? She nearly starts to tear up at the mere idea of it.

Before Granitekit can pluck the thorn out, Bonejaw is there. No doubt summoned by the cry she had let out when the pesky thing had pierced her. "I-it-it's o-ok-okay auntie" she says, trying her best to squirm away. "I-it-it ca-can jus-just stay i-in" but before she knows what is happening, Bonejaw wraps herself around her and is starting to count. She braces herself but she does not give her to the count of three to fully tense up. The black and white kit lets out a surprised yelp as the thorn frees itself from her paw, a small trickle of blood coming from the paw pad that her aunt is quick to clean. Fresh tears spring to her eyes at the pain that it leaves behind. She looks up at her aunt and sniffles. "Th-tha-thank you" she mews quietly. She is glad that the thorn is gone and that Bonejaw says it's not so bad. Maybe she wouldn't lose her paw after all. ​