somebody catch my breath ✧ private, nettlekit

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    Xko9vcK.png    STORKPAW – – ✧


    – – ✧ Storkpaw was not a very able apprentice; with her bad hearing and even worse-for-wear eyesight, that was no surprise. Therefore, she was more than happy to fill the hoard of apprentice duties the camp needed to be done. Her current task? A stringy veridian ball of moss sat between her paws, soft and spongy as the rossetted tabby wove it together with snow-white paws. Squish, squish. Vaguely, she remembered playing with one as a kit, though her childhood had also been cut short by her range of illnesses. "For all the trouble this thing is giving me, those nursery kittens better enjoy this," she hissed quietly, a sigh of frustration evaporating off her lips as a crisp cloud of air into the cool morning chill.


    .Nettlepaw.


    Thinking. "Speaking." Text.


    Until the day I die, I'll spill my heart for you – –✧

    NETTLEKIT

    the stinging silence

    The tabby kit circled around the nursery again, not really present and not really elsewhere. He peeked out of the den, soft paws feeling cold on the hard ground. The air was chilling, some of the sound seemed to also be frozen solid. He looked up to see an apprentice playing with some moss. He sure would like to try what he could do with it, but the kits barely talked to him, tending the the queens or more talkative kittens. Not much he could do alone. Not like he needed to, why would he, but sometimes he wondered how would it be doing things like others.


    On the other side, Nettlekit had excellent sight and hearing and could understand the fact this cat was visibly annoyed. He was sure the other kits would enjoy it. He sat in the edge of the entrance, watching as the apprentice stitched together the mossball, slowly swishing his tail, ears perking up with interest.


    //just for the record I have no idea where I'm going with this hhh. Stork might have to make the first step though


    Xko9vcK.png    STORKPAW – – ✧


    – – ✧ /np you're good c:


    Her eyesight was great; well, if great meant terrible. However, she could still recognize a fuzzy kit-sized blob at the edge of the nursery. As she put the finishing touches on her Totally Kit-Proof Mossball™, she looked in the kit's direction. "Hey, you! Yeah, you, with the face. I need someone to test this with. Want to play a game of mossball?" She gave it a good pat with a paw to show it was sturdy, and smirked confidently, a cheerful glimmer in her eyes as she called out to Nettlekit.


    Thinking. "Speaking." Text.


    Until the day I die, I'll spill my heart for you – –✧

    NETTLEKIT

    the stinging silence

    Nettlekit returned the look to the older cat before stretching his legs and standing up. He padded over to the mossball and without a reply touched it with his snout, redirecting all of his attention to the small orb and shoving it so it rolled towards Storkpaw. The other didn't seem to ask a question, it was more of an order. Nettlepaw decided to obey though, as that was all he knew. Perhaps one day it would make his life easier. The clan had set rules, the rules everyone was always talking about, and the earlier he learnt to listen, the better. Still, it was not like she didn't miss the companion of his mom, and maybe a few heartbeats or playing could bring the memories back.


    Xko9vcK.png    STORKPAW – – ✧


    – – ✧ Storkpaw stopped the ball with a paw, an unsatisfied grimace written across her face. What's wrong with this kit? He hasn't said a word to me. "Cat got your tongue?" she asked, chiming more cheerfully, "I'm Storkpaw. There's no need to be shy." She perked up, and with a playful twitch of her tail, she whacked the toy, sending it flying toward Nettlekit once more. "Think fast!"


    Thinking. "Speaking." Text.


    Until the day I die, I'll spill my heart for you – –✧

    NETTLEKIT

    the stinging silence

    Nettlekit had a tongue, definitely. But since the fight with the rogue, he didn't speak. Even if he wanted to sometimes. Storkpaw sounded like a nice name though and Nettlekit let out a soft purr before jumping up and catching the ball as quickly as he could and landing softly with his paws. He felt great, as if he just discovered something new. He never knew playing this was so fun, although he saw the other kits playing it what felt like a billion times. Once the news spread around the camp and the name Spiderpaw had given him caught up, things might be much less awkward.


    He had to shake his paw for a while until the ball fell down and then he hit it as hard as he could, at least with all the power a kit had, and with excitement and tail quickly swishing, watched it fly over to Storkpaw.


    Xko9vcK.png    STORKPAW – – ✧


    – – ✧ Sadly, Storkpaw was a sight for sore eyes; well, if those eyes were hers. For a moment, a blur of green buzzed to around like a fly, and the next a wave of pain crashed against the bridge of her nose like an axe against a tree. She let out a stifled shriek of pain, though was more so surprised than anything. Her cheeks went hot; her nose was stinging, too. This is so embarrassing!


    With a hiss of frustration, she growled, "Hey, watch it, Mousekit! Geez, at least say sorry when you hit a she-cat like that." Mousekit -- it was a fitting name for him, since he never seemed to speak. She shook her head, the pain subsiding now, and grabbed the mossball by her teeth. "Think fast, Mouse!" she mrreowed in a giggle, as she chucked the soft green ball at him once more.


    Thinking. "Speaking." Text.


    Until the day I die, I'll spill my heart for you – –✧

    NETTLEKIT

    the stinging silence

    Nettlekit recoiled, visibly startled by the fact he had accidentally hit her with the ball. Was she not good at games or just tired? Perhaps the apprentice duties were too much and she couldn't sleep much. Nettlekit didn't have any idea how it would be when he had to do all of the things apprentices did. He tilted his head when the apprentice scoffed at him, flattening his ears. And why was he a mouse to her? He wasn't a mouse for sure. Was he that much like a mouse? Maybe quiet but, certainly not that dumb! This time he wasn't thinking fast enough, confused by the new nickname, and the mossball flew whiskers besides his ears before rolling inside of the nursery. Perhaps it was fine if he had more names. Mousekit. Mousekit didn't sound that bad. Running towards the mossball, and grabbing it with his teeth, he drifted out of the room and set it down. This time, he gave it a gentle pat with his paw, but strong enough for it to get to Storkpaw in a matter of heartbeats. This cat certainly had a prickly tongue. Perhaps their name should be Nettlekit. Or Nettlepaw?


    Xko9vcK.png    STORKPAW – – ✧


    – – ✧ Luckily for Storkpaw, Nettlekit didn't speak much, as being called 'Nettlepaw' would have likely been enough to send her to the apprentices' den in tears. Luckily, however, Nettlekit seemed to be mute, for some odd reason. Grateful for the gentle push, as she could notice the ball coming into view then, she stopped it with a paw and let out an annoyed sigh. "Are you really not speaking? I can't tell ... I'm partly blind, you know, and a little deaf, too." She hummed, giving their game and the conversation a much needed pause.


    "What's the score again? 1 to 1? First to get to three wins!" Getting a bit more creative, she headbutted the ball toward Nettlekit, though it was quite ungraceful and slow as a result. "Fox-dung, Mouse! If you'd stop distracting me, I wouldn't keep making mistakes," she hissed, her tailing twitching in anger once again. Of course, she knew she was just upset, but it was just easier to have a scapegoat. She had enough things in her life that went wrong because of herself, after all ...


    Thinking. "Speaking." Text.


    Until the day I die, I'll spill my heart for you – –✧

    NETTLEKIT

    the stinging silence

    He watched as the apprentice questioned. Probably it would become clear since he wouldn't answer again. She was partly deaf and blind? That... that was odd. Nettlekit wondered if a sickness caused it or if she also got attacked. Stuff like that really messes you senses up. He already felt a bit bad for not being more gentle the first time around. Perhaps she did have a reason to be prickly afterall.


    Fox-dung, words can hurt if you get emotions get in the way. Not speaking was sometimes welcomed anyways. Maybe someone who for once doesn't lie, doesn't hurt others, doesn't spill others' secrets and doesn't speak at all is a nice change.


    Nettlekit stopped the slow ball with his paw and then gently rolled it towards the apprentice. Maybe cheering others up would be nice too, but don't acts seem a bit more genuine? He gently smirked at Storkpaw's frustration and got into a crouching position as his instincts told him. Mom was about to start teaching them how to hunt overall. He pushed the gloom into the back of his head and swished his tail, concentrating as if the mossball was a mouse.


    Perhaps he would make Mom proud.


    Xko9vcK.png    STORKPAW – – ✧


    – – ✧ Storkpaw's frustration had been growing ever since she met the furball. Everything was ... off. He was too quiet. He had no witty remarks, no hurt retorts, and no explanation for the uncomfortable silence he had allowed to fester between the two. She was not really one for kittens, but for some reason this one had found a way to fixate her curiosity. And she hated it.


    This mysterious child, however quiet he was, was extremely annoying. Her fur thoroughly ruffled, she instinctively unsheathed and sheathed her claws, still trying to wrap her mind around the brown tabby enigma.


    As the ball came back to Storkpaw, she huffed, now noticing what the kit was doing. After catching whiff of her terrible eyesight, he had intentionally began pushing the ball slower for her to catch. It suddenly clicked, at what that meant, and how the child had actually been listening to her the entire time, even if he never replied. Her heartstrings tugged a bit, and a blush quickly swept itself upon her cheeks.


    But she wasn't some fragile doll! "Mouse, you've really gotta put some effort into this. You're not nearly hitting hard enough." Of course, her nitpick was a cover-up, again for her stifled feelings. Even though the other cat did not speak, though, for some reason ... it seemed like he understood her. He didn't just hear her; no, he could pick up exactly how she actually felt. It was probably obvious. I'm such a whiner sometimes. Maybe out of sympathy, maybe out of a change of heart, or maybe just out of her regular bad habit of overthinking and entering another mood swing, she stated, "No, nevermind. Sorry, Mouse ... I'm being a bit harsh, aren't I?"


    With a swift, full-powered kick, she swung the ball lightning fast to the kit. Even she was surprised at how much power she had just put into it, and for a moment she held her breath in shock. Next, fear set in, hoping she hadn't hit it too hard. The kitten had been nice enough to play with her the entire time, even while she had repeatedly picked on him and teased the tom. She felt a short sense of relief, though, as she realized the kitten was a bit more robust and able than she was. He had caught the ball before ... so it would probably be alright, right?


    He's not so bad, she realized, compared to other kits, at least.


    From there she would offer the kitten a smile and gave a bit of an embarrassed chuckle, rather than immediately reacting with a retort for once. A weight seemed to be lifted off her. "Also ... you're mute, aren't you? You could at least nod, you know ..." She flicked an ear, still annoyed, but trying to manager her temper better now. A rare bout of patience had been extended to the kitten, and that was likely the best thing Storkpaw could ever offer someone in her eyes, as she rarely received the same treatment herself.


    Thinking. "Speaking." Text.


    Until the day I die, I'll spill my heart for you – –✧

    NETTLEKIT

    the stinging silence

    The kit watched as the apprentice seemed to flash through emotions he couldn't catch in those few heartbeats and then let out another scoff. Nettlekit wasn't one to complain, quite obviously, but he definitely could see Storkpaw was getting close to mad and he didn't like it. Maybe he should just step of to the side and let her play with some normal kits who aren't as sensitive and would just have careless fun as always. He hasn't really had fun since he came, but if the other wasn't having fun too, it probably wasn't worth it.


    Harsh? Perhaps. Nettlekit got up from his playing position and listened, since that was all he knew. He smiled softly as the other seemed to be going through something, that he didn't understand but perhaps would experience one day. Harsh? No, she wasn't being harsh. Overall, if he had been focusing on words this whole time, he wouldn't be playing at that moment. Words were nothing to make decisions and assumptions based on afterall. You needed more, and for that you need time, and if you give some you can make decisions that are a bit more stable, a bit less mindless, a bit less reckless. Harsh? No. Having a hard time was the word. Storkpaw seemed to have more trouble with herself than anyone else.


    The ball flew in with unexpected power, because, let's say when you see someone's weaker in one way you have a tendency to underestimate. Luckily, Nettlekit was already born with strong teeth and he caught it at an angle, although it was really just whiskers away from hitting him in the face full speed. He looked at the apprentice as her concern turned into a smile and his heart thawed as if he could feel the atmostphere get a little less frozen.


    Finally she understood. He probably wouldn't stay quiet for so long if he just chose to speak whenever he wanted. A quiet purr came out at the suggestion, and after a nod, which he himself percieved as an attempt ar a joke, he nudged the ball with his nose as hard as he could. But since he didn't have as much power in his spine as he had in his legs, it at least didn't go so quick it would smack Storkpaw in the face again.


    It took a bit but if everyone in the clan was like this, which it wasn't, for example the medicine cats, he would manage. His tail relaxed as well as the rest of his muscle as the mutual understanding seemed to finally come to them and he really got ready to have some fun.