Camp Center {OPEN}

Creamkit

Creamkit opened her eyes and rolled over onto her back, little legs up in the air. She yawned sleepily and closed her eyes again, deciding it was too early to get up just yet. But then she remembered what day it was. She hurriedly rolled back over and bounced right up. She looked and saw her mother, Brindleface, curled up but awake. "Good morning," she mewed gently. "Mother, Mother! Do you know what today is?!" she cried happily, jumping on her mother's side. "Yes, I do and apprentices don't jump on their mothers..." she scolded softly. Creamkit immediately jumped down and sat down nicely, sticking out her chest in pride. "Right! I'm going to be a fierce warrior now!" she said.

Dovestar

The DewClan leader had been up for quite some time now. She sat perched on top of the large rock that sheltered her den and observed quietly as Honeydrop padded out of her den, looking frazzled. Dovestar could understand where her anxiety came from, though, with the new prophecy hanging over them. The other thing on Dovestar's mind was the ceremony. It was midafternoon by now and the sun was declining steadily. At sunset, she would dub Creamkit an apprentice. She was still debating over who to choose for the young cat's mentor, but she felt as though she had finally made up her mind. With that, she spotted Rainsong as if on cue and leapt off the HighRock, padding over to the other she-cat. She held her head high as she approached and said, "Rainsong, may I speak with you for a moment?" She flicked her tail in the direction of her den and then turned and padded away, waiting for the warrior to follow.

Graystorm

Graystorm came bounding back into camp. He had just lead the mid-afternoon patrol and came back with a thrush to add to the fresh kill pile. After dropping it off, he spotted Honeydrop carrying herbs out of her den. She didn't look to be very happy and Graystorm wondered if there was anything he could do to help with that. So he decided to ask her. Approaching quietly, he purred and said, "Good afternoon, Honeydrop. Is there anything you need help with?"

Flamebreeze

The young deputy surveyed the camp as the afternoon sun rose to shine down into the camp center.  She had been awake for a few hours, organizing patrols.  She had just returned from the sunhigh patrol.  She didn't want to miss Creamkit's apprentice ceremony.  While she may not admit it to any other cat, she wouldn't mind having an apprentice.  She felt as if the experience would prove useful, not only to being a better deputy, but a better cat.  And, possibly, if she lived that long, a better leader.

She watched as Honeydrop passed, herbs in her mouth.  Flamebreeze nodded to the medicine cat as when she passed.  Her eyes drifted to Graystorm as he walked to the medicine cat and she exhaled a little.  The broad shouldered, grey and white tom had caught her eye in the recent moons.  She had been placing him on more patrols with her, even flirting with him on occasion, in contrast to her normal character.  

She regretfully tore her gaze away from the tom and padded over to the fresh-kill pile, plucking a vole from it before sitting down near Rainsong to enjoy her meal.

Dovestar

Only after Rainsong had followed Dovestar to the more secluded area behind the HighRock did Dovestar turn to face Rainsong and speak to her. "As you know, Creamkit has reached the age of six moons. She'll be needing a mentor and I'm only slightly embarrassed to say that I have just made my decision now. I just wanted to make sure it was alright with you if Creamkit were to become your first apprentice," she explained, an expression of calm, cheekiness on her face. Having an apprentice was an exciting thing although it could be nerve-wracking the first time around.

Graystorm

Graystorm looked down at the collection of herbs that Honeydrop had brought out. "Collect ones just like these, you say? I think I can handle that. I'll see if I can't grab someone to help me out. Mind if I borrow these for reference?" he asked, good-naturedly. He liked being able to help out, especially with Honeydrop, who spent so much of her time helping everyone else. I wonder if Rainsong and Flamebreeze would help me out... he thought, turning to look for the two she-cats. He saw Rainsong with Dovestar next to the HighRock and decided it best not to interrupt their conversation. He spotted Flamebreeze, sitting down and eating her fresh-kill and brightened a little. He waited for Honeydrop's answer, though, before he planned on talking to Flamebreeze.

[Aww now I wish there was another kit to be Flamebreeze's apprentice!   Maybe I'll just make another...   ]

Dovestar

The she-cat made no attempt to hide her amusement at Rainsong's obvious excitement at the idea of having an apprentice. "Having an apprentice is a draining task and requires you to devote a lot of time, energy and attention to a young cat. Creamkit has proven to be mischievous already; she'll be a pawful. My best advice is to try to be as patient and possible and remember how your Clovefoot trained you, as he did a very good job," she said. Dovestar didn't give compliments easily either. She inclined her head in the direction of the warriors' den. "Go get some rest now. The ceremony will begin at sundown."

Graystorm

Graystorm nodded in acceptance. "Alright. Sounds easy enough. I promise I'll bring back lots for you!" he purred cheerfully. He followed Honeydrop's line of site to see Rainsong listening intently to Dovestar. He felt a pang of jealousy for the she-cat. "Lucky..." he mumbled. He looked at Honeydrop. "I know you're young and all, but do you think you'll pick an apprentice anytime soon?" he asked conversationally, almost forgetting that he was supposed to be going to ask Flamebreeze if she wouldn't mind helping him out.

Creamkit

After letting Brindleface fix her untamable fur a little bit, Creamkit bounded over to her sleeping brother and jabbed him with a paw in the flank. "Acornkit! Wake up! Today's the day!" she meowed excitedly, practically shaking with giddiness as she poked at her brother again.

Flamebreeze

The she-cat watched as the leader padded over Rainsong and her nostrils flared.  More than likely getting the apprentice talk.  Flamebreeze had seen that happen enough to know it when she saw it.  She tore at the vole, taking a bit of anger at not being told she would be a mentor.  But when she saw Graystorm looking at her, she grinned not realizing a bit of vole was stuck in her teeth.

Her ears flicked as she heard Creamkit's familiar squeaking from the nursery and her bitterness settled back in.

"Well, there is her brother," she reminded herself. "Who knows.  Maybe I will be chosen to mentor him." Acornkit had always been the quieter of the two, so Flamebreeze had almost forgotten about the little kit.

Dovestar

The leader dipped her head in a farewell as Rainsong (or Rainstorm I guess lol?) ran off to "rest". Dovestar watched as she padded over to Graystorm and had always had a funny feeling that both Rainsong and Flamebreeze had feelings for the large tom. She watched as Graystorm's eyes drifted over to Flamebreeze and sighed lightly. Sorry, Flamebreeze...it'll have to wait a second. She stepped out of the small alcove and called over to her deputy. "Flamebreeze! A word please?"

Graystorm

Graystorm flinched as Honeydrop snapped at him. "Uh...no. I was just wondering, just...y'know, making conversation..." he said sheepishly. He breathed a sigh of relief when Rainsong bounded up. He whispered his reply. "I mentioned her getting an apprentice... Bad choice."

Creamkit

"I'm gonna be the bestest warrior EVER!" Creamkit explained as she jumped on top of her brother and wriggled, trying to pin him to the ground.

[short post for Creamy but whatevs.]

Graystorm

Graystorm snorted. "Well, it's not my fault that she doesn't like having a regular conversation with someone," he grumbled. He glanced at Rainsong and then at the herbs. "Yeah, and you'd think she'd be a little more grateful. Nobody else offered to help her; she thanks me by being grumpy?" He gathered up some of the herbs in his mouth and headed for the camp entrance.

Creamkit

Creamkit landed on her feet when her brother pushed her away and thwapped him upside the head when he bit her ear. "I wonder who my mentor is gonna be!" she said excitedly, trying to think of all the warriors she knew. "Maybe it'll be Graystorm! He's big and strong! Or Rainsong! She's funny!" She thwapped Acornkit again. "My mentor is gonna be better than yours!" she taunted. Brindleface frowned at her daughter. "Now, that's not very nice Creamkit..." she scolded.

Creamkit

Creamkit moved sightly away from her brother and flopped onto her side. "Flamebreeze is cool too and it would be awesome to have Dovestar, but she hasn't had an apprentice since she became leader!" She turned her head toward her brother when he spoke again. "Yeah right! I'm already better than you at everything!"

Flamebreeze

Hearing Dovestar's call, she quickly sat up and trotted over to her leader.  She sat in front of her, curling her feathery tail around her paws.  She nodded to Dovestar.

"Yes, Dovestar.  What can I do for you?"

Creamkit

Creamkit was about to argue with her brother again but then he leaned closer and whispered. He was daring her to sneak into Honeydrop's den. Creamkit was, however, always the more adventurous of the two and wasn't the least bit deterred. "Oh yeah? You'll see!" she said, bounding out of the queens' den and into the camp center.

She watched as Graystorm and Rainsong left camp and then looked at Honeydrop's den. She padded over lightly and stuck her little head inside. She waltzed right in. "Honeydrop?" she called out, looking around for the medicine cat.

Dovestar

"As my deputy, I don't really expect you to decline, but I thought it would be courteous to ask anyway. As you know, Creamkit and Acornkit will become apprentices at sundown. Would you be interested in mentoring Acornkit?" Dovestar asked with a happy expression playing on her face.

Creamkit

Creamkit didn't even flinch. Her voice did sound a little meek when she spoke though. "I was just wondering if there was anything I could do to help. Like if there was anything you need or the elders need..." she said, looking up at Honeydrop unblinkingly.

Creamkit

"I was just trying to help..." she said quietly, hanging her head in sadness. But with that, she turned slowly and padded lightly out of Honeydrop's den. When she saw her brother, she walked really close to him and whispered, "Told ya so!"

Acornkit

Creamkit

Creamkit stuck her nose up in the air. "You dared me to go in her den and that's what I did. It's not my fault you were to much of a scaredy-cat to do it yourself," she said snootily. But she too flopped over beside him. "Ugh, I know! Tomorrow we'll be able to go together though!" she said excitedly. As much as they teased each other and picked on one another, Creamkit loved her brother and thought that he'd always be her best friend.

Creamkit

The young she-cat rolled over and looked at her brother. "I don't think so. I think it's just understanding that your job is more important. Don't worry; we can still do all sorts of fun stuff! We can train together and when we're warriors we can hunt together and have apprentices together! And we can always sit together at meetings and gatherings and we can go on patrol together and eat together too!" she said, listing everything they could do as quickly as possible for fear she'd forget what she wanted to say.