Posts by SPRUCEPAW

^{— Sprucekit had been born amongst these storms and was beginning to wonder if this was how life normally was. He was only three moons old, and these storms had been all he'd known from the sky. No stars. No sunny days with clouds. Just gloom and rain and booms and cracks. He was beginning to get used to it, but the flashes still startled him. The seal point was lying nearby as the apprentices began talking, each expressing their own thoughts on the thunderstorms outside. Sprucekit was glad to see he wasn't the only one afraid. Even apprentices and warriors could be afraid! The small tom perked up more as he heard them discussing doing something fun. It was tiring to huddle in here without play. What could the apprentices come up with?}

^{"Hi guys," Sprucekit mumbled as he slowly padded over to the group. Lotuspaw, Rustpaw, Foxpaw, and Mintflower. "I want to do somethin' fun."}

                                                                                                           ^{"speaking" thinking}

^{— Sprucekit liked stories- what kitten didn't?- but his approach was much more subdued than Laurelkit's. He padded over calmly, watching as the other kit dashed around Blackstorm like a dragonfly. She was excited! Sprucekit couldn't help but smile. "I want to hear a story too," He called, waving his tiny tail. He plopped himself down in front of the older male, his large blue eyes staring with curiosity. "Is it a true story?"}

^{— The small tom was sitting just outside of the nursery, watching the warriors and apprentices come and go. It was a cooler day out, dark with clouds, but at least not storming. Yet. Sprucekit sighed and glanced behind him, as if expecting someone to be there. There was no one. Sprucekit was a friendly fellow but had yet to really make any real friends. Good thing he was only three moons old; he had plenty of time. Maybe someone would find their way over to him?}

^{As a few light raindrops started to fall, a butterfly flittered its way into the camp. Sprucekit watched fly, wondering where it was going.}

^{— //intro of sorts, I guess?? :)}

^{Sprucekit had yet to make too many friends here in ThunderClan, as could be seen by the way he was absently batting around a few leaves that were falling from above. The point tom didn't mind the calm life he led, and watched the others move about camp with sparkling blue eyes. The warriors came and went, the apprentices joked and trained, and the kittens played and caused trouble as much as they could. Sprucekit wasn't a troublemaker, but it was still fun to hear what others had gotten into. He was distracted by a dragonfly for a moment and grinned as it settled down on the ground near his tiny paw. How cute! He stayed very still as not to bother the insect, wondering what it would do next. Maybe the dragonfly could be his friend?}

^{— Sprucekit felt himself being lifted in the air rapidly, and his blue eyes blinked open wearily. Hey, what was going on? The kitten yawned as he swung in the air, presumably in the jaws of Hailcloud. He craned his neck around to see that it was indeed Hailcloud carrying him. His dad looked scared. Actually, everyone did. Sprucekit's eyes widened as he noticed that they were running, everyone was running, away from... was that smoke? Was there a fire? "What's goin' on?" He whimpered, "Where's Squirrelkit?" His tone was scared and anxious.}

^{However, his question was answered as Hailcloud came across his daughter and began pushing her along with the others. Sprucekit tried to stay as still as possible in order to make this easy. He didn't want to burn in a fire!}

^{— Sprucekit glanced up as tiny pawsteps approached him. Another kit, looking curious but not making any movement to say hello. He blinked at her with his owlish eyes, wondering what she was going to do. The dragonfly remained still. "Hello," Sprucekit finally stated quietly, hoping she wasn't about to yell and scare away his new friend.}

^{They were soon joined by Petalwhisker, who was asking what Sprucekit had. "He's not mine. Jus' happened to land here," He told the warrior, flicking an ear. The dragonfly buzzed a few inches away, scared by the movement of the cats.}

^{— Sprucekit was still in a little bit of shock after he had been rushed from camp in a flurry of flames and ash. He was alright, but was sad they couldn't go back to camp. Was his dragonfly friend alright? He hoped that the insect had flown to safety somewhere. The kitten listened as Blackstorm announced patrols, his father volunteering for one of them. The kitten got to his paws and padded over, rubbing against Hailcloud's leg. "Be safe."}

^{— Sprucekit wasn't sure about much of what was going on or what Blackstar had said, but he had still wanted to listen. The seal point tom sat near Waspkit, watching the leader and the others absently.}

^{— Sprucekit was one of the first to be rounded up and brought to the RiverClan warriors for a check-up. He hadn't been hurt much, if at all, but had breathed in some of the smoke. Maybe it was better if he was looked at just in case. The seal point wandered over as the RiverClan medics spoke with Blackstar and the other warriors, his blue eyes gazing widely up at the strangers. "Hello," He greeted softly, tiny voice almost a squeak.}

^{— Sprucekit was always a little cautious in everything he did- stepping out of the den included. The moment his paw touched the icy ground, he jerked back, not wanting to fall. He peered down at the substance, wondering if the freezing rainfall last night was the culprit. He touched it again, carefully, and put his weight on it. If he was careful, he wouldn't fall. Sprucekit continued stepping, his movements slow but calculated. He raised his head to see several others out and about, all putting in their own two cents about the ice. He couldn't help but smile a little. He hadn't seen ice before but at least he knew what it was. Mouse-brains.}

^{He finally made his way over to Hazelkit and the rest, peacefully coming to a halt. "It's ice," He told the others gently, eyes gleaming up at them. He could be useful, sometimes.}

^{— The seal point squeaked in fear as a ball of snow went cruising over his head. Where had that come from? Sprucekit darted towards the nearest den as fast as he could to avoid the flying snow. He didn't want to get hit! Especially by someone like a warrior, who had to have a powerful throw. He came to a halt by the nursery, content now to watch from his safer position. He had to giggle as Redstripe aimed to hit their leader with her own snowball.}

^{— Sprucekit heard his father's voice even over the trickling of the river ahead of him. He'd been peering into the water for some time now, wondering if he'd see a fish. Or maybe a RiverClanner? The kitten had yet to see someone from the allying Clan and was a little disappointed. He wanted to learn how to swim! Then he would't have to fear rivers. But now it seemed Hailcloud wanted to do something. The seal point wandered over, pawsteps quiet. He was getting bigger now, and would be an apprentice before he knew it. It was kind of scary, but exciting too. Who would mentor him? What would he learn? Would he be a warrior or a medicine cat? Sprucekit was still deciding. "Like what?" He asked as he approached Hailcloud, blue eyes curious. "What things to families do?"}

^{— Sprucekit considered himself to be somewhat brave. He had faced down other kits and dragonflies before. He hadn't even cried during the mass evacuation during the fire. But now, he was staring down the face of death itself. A harmless black racer had made its way into the makeshift camp, unnoticed, somehow, but everyone. It had slithered around the makeshift dens, searching for a warm place to sun itself. Instead, the snake found a young Sprucekit. The seal point tom had been resting underneath the overhang of a rock, his tiny body just fitting, when the snake decided that would be a good place to slither through. Sprucekit let out a gasp, blue eyes wide, too afraid to move. The snake froze too, staring at the kitten, its tongue flickering in and out. Of course, black racers were completely harmless, but Sprucekit didn't know that. "Help, please," He called, afraid to make any noise too loud.}

^{— The kitten's eyes flickered to both Stormkit and Rosepaw as the two hurried over to help. Rosepaw crouched, readying herself to pounce on the snake. Sprucekit cheered her on silently, not wanting to do anything else as the black racer flicked its tongue out yet again. Suddenly, though, Hailcloud was there, bowling the kitten over to get him out of the way. Sprucekit scrambled to his paws, now safely out of the way of the snake, eyes wide. His dad and Asphodelpaw took on the snake together, with Blackstar appraoching a moment later and crushing the reptile's spine. The snake never stood a chance, whether it had been malicious or not. Sprucekit couldn't help but grin at the show of heroism his dad and the others had just demonstrated. His eyes flickered briefly to Rosepaw as she huffed and exited, but he couldn't really go after her on his tiny legs.}

^{"T-Thank you," He breathed, padding closer to Hailcloud and pressing against his legs. They might not be the closest parent and child in the Clan, but Sprucekit knew his dad still loved him. "That was really brave."}

^{— The cold breezes around camp meant lots of leaves were falling. Dead leaves, of course. Sprucekit liked to watch them from the entrance of the nursery, his blue eyes wide. His attention had been snagged as a group of kits nearby chattered with each other, praising the one- Dustykit- for his catch of a leaf. Sprucekit wasn't an apprentice yet, but even he knew that a leaf wasn't that great of a catch. It was dead! And there were lots of them. But the seal point didn't want to be mean, so he padded over quietly to join. Maybe they'd let him play or join in the conversation? "Do, um, you think we could catch more leaves? Maybe the medicine cat will need them..." He suggested, tone soft.}

^{— At Cyclone's call, Sprucekit poked his head out of the makeshift nursery, ears perked up. A fox? How on earth? He padded a little closer, sniffing the fox cautiously. It was dead, right? Foxes could be monstrous creatures, causing death and heavy injuries even to warriors. He didn't want to mess with one. Still, though, it would be interesting to see what one tasted like. "I would, but.... not first," Sprucekit mumbled, taking a hurried step backwards.}