Sitting In The Camp (open)

[Sunmist/Tessa]

Doomkit wandered restlessly about the camp, her tail dragging in the dust. She looked rough, tired, as if her mother hadn't groomed her in moons. Huh, in fact her mother wouldn't groom her; her mother was dead. The empty nest back at the nursery reminded her of that everyday.

Her mothers death had been recent and sudden. She had been out for a hunt and ran into a twoleg fox-trap. No one was close enough to save her and by the time they arrived, she was already dead. Doomkit sighed sadly, her bitterness to clan life growing by the moment.

She was always a resentful kit. At first it was all for fun, for the shock factor-- it was a game, but then it became who she was. It became what defined Doomkit. It justified her namesake. She blinked blearily. She hadn't been able to sleep in the den for moons, for it still smelled of her mothers pelt, and since Leaf-falls coming, the nights became harsher and harsher. Doomkit sighed bitterly as she lay down in the grasses, her head resting heavily on her little black paws.

Why did her mother have to die?

The kit watched dully as warriors hustled and bustled about her lonesome self, as kits and apprentices played in the dust. As the fresh kill pile rose and fell. She pondered odd things when she was by herself like this. She questioned Starclan, the seasons, why she survived out of her two siblings. What clan life was really about. She also reflected her own personality. All of her kit-mates were basically bursting with excitement for their warriors ceremony, a mere moon away. She was dreading it. Why? What had Starclan planned for her. Doomkit sighed bitterly, her deep brown eyes betraying her hysteric grief. She was a stoic. That grief would remain inside the bottom of her belly for the rest of her life. It was unhealthy. But she didn't know that. I need to be brave, she thought to herself, for the Clan.

Thats what being a warrior meant, right? They weren't afraid of anything. They grieved for no one. They were brave. So why was she so scared? Was she not fit to be a warrior? Doomkit shook her dark head slowly, her little stomach rumbling. Scents from the fresh kill pile wafted towards her little black nose, her whiskers twitching madly. Maybe just one mouse... she thought as she rose and padded to the fresh-kill pile. She stole a glance around her and, when she thought none were looking, pinched a small mouse and hauled it back to the spot in the grass where she had been previously sitting. She wolfed it down in a few short moments, and sat basking in the sun, purring, as she finally began to groom herself.

A sad, selfish, confused thought crossed the back of her mind that disrupted her temporary bliss;

No one cares about poor, orphaned Doomkit. I am all alone... I'll always be all alone...

[cloverleaf]

Another typical day in the ShadowClan Nursery. Lightkit bursting with energy as always. Eclipsesong never saying a word and being her cynical self. Emberkit had grown used to this after the many days. Her sister's cheery voice bothered her no more. Her mother never annoyed her. She was always silent, only speaking when necessary. She and her mother were so similar. Except the small dark gray kit was more ambitious. She wouldn't stop at being greatly respected just in her clan. Only once she was known throughout the clans. Being leader would be fantastic, but she would be fine without the status. As long as she had respect. But she was also an observer that learned from others actions and mistakes. This made her wiser than the average kit, and she knew it. But hubris wouldn't be a problem for her either; she was too clever to fall under its spell.

Fluffy fur kept the she-kit warm as she huddled underneath some ferns just outside the Nursery. She wasn't in the mood to be pestered with. Alone, she was doing what she loved to do: observing and analyzing. But the day was pretty dull, with all the cats rushing through their normal routines. Nothing exciting was happening in the lives of the other cats. All, except for one.

It was her den-mate, Doomkit. She had never really talked with her, as she was always alone, mourning her mother and pitying herself. She had learned that much from the kit. It was indeed a saddening thing to lose ones parents at such a young and tender age. Personally, Emberkit did not know what it felt like. Life without Eclipsesong would be somewhat similar, as her mother barely talked. But her presence was always there. Just not in a motherly way. Eclipsesong loved her kits, but didn't know how to express it. The gray kit knew losing her mother would be easier than what Doomkit felt.

Bored of her favorite hobby, Emberkit sighed into the chilly air. She stifled a yawn and stood up, her fur being bent away from the wind. She had decided to attempt to talk with the dark tabby kit. Although she wasn't much of a talker. Maybe the other she-kit was, that way, she would only have to listen and offer words only when necessary. Padding warily up to the patch of grass Doomkit was resting on, her dark green eyes never left the other kit. Finally arriving, she nodded in greeting and sat to an angle of the she-kit. Then with her dark voice she meowed, "I hear they come back and visit in dreams sometimes." Such a sinister but interesting way to start a conversation.

[Sunmist/Tessa]

Doomkit's eyes became suddenly sharp, her ears pricked at the sound of her denmate. She recognized the scent, among other things. This kit and she were much alike in their personality. They were both quiet, for one. Though, her mother loved her. Doomkit had her doubts about her mother. Who names their kit 'doom' anyway? Doomkit would challenge. She sat up a bit, watching Emberkit curiously. Somewhere at the back of that dark heart of hers she was glad the kit had come to her. She was sort of missing the companionship that other clanmates could give her. But she didn't show it. Not obviously, anyway.

She cocked her head slightly to the left, trying to puzzle through what emotions the kits simple statement had given her. She had never considered that her mother could speak to her in her dreams. A slightest sliver of hope erupted at the back of her mind, illuminating her eyes for a split second.
"Oh?" Doomkit said hesitantly, "Like... like medicine cats?" The kit asked, her interest peaked.

Doomkits mind wandered for a moment. She imagined seeing her mother in her dreams. It would be wonderful... could she really talk to her? The kit gazed at her denmate sadly. "I don't think she would... she's probably busy visiting my father, or her mother, or whatever..." Doomkit pulled her tail into her, and sighed. It was a nice thought...

[cloverleaf]

It was quite a change to at last see hope in her Doomkit's eyes, even if just for a split heartbeat. Laughter and happiness were the cure for sorrow, or so she heard. Personally, Emberkit did not care about other cat's lives, for she believed that everyone lives were their own and no one else had any right to question them. This is why she knew that in the end, perhaps she would not help her denmate very much, as any problem in life was personal and could be solved without help. But the dark gray kit knew that Doomkit would get through it. Being forced to handle a cruel situation early on in life makes two different kinds of personalities: the weak who cringe at nothing, and the strong that have learned to withstand anything. Doomkit seemed to be the latter. Not just her namesake, which was actually a decent ShadowClan name, for it meant that those she would face were facing doom, but also just because of her personality. The quiet type tend to be deadly. At least the ones that stay silent because of their wisdom rather than their fear.

Not surprised that the she-kit did not know about the subject, for she was never really around her Clan, Emberkit stared blankly back, her eyes hard as usual. She only offered a nod to the other kit's first comment. It did not deserve a spoken answer; a nod should satisfy as the answer. But after seeing the sorrow afterward in Doomkit's eyes about how her mother was too busy, she scowled slightly but knew that deserved an answer. "StarClan members are immortal. They have all the time in the world to visit anyone or everyone. Perhaps she is just waiting until you fall deeper into your pity pit, to bring you out like any mother would." Her comment about the pit was actually unnecessary, but the dark gray kit believed that once her denmate knew her actual problem, she would address it. She was breaking her own rules, but we do need someone every once in a while to gently push us towards the path you should be going down. That is what Emberkit was doing; or at least trying to do.

[Sunmist/Tessa]

Doomkit had been getting very little sleep lately, and the mouse was only just making its magic in the kits bloodstream. She was feeling energy seep back into her muscles. She could feel herself become stronger. She thought about her mother, in Starclan with all her friends and kin and clanmates. And suddenly, she felt at ease. Doomkit had been in a permanent daze over this... tragedy. A daze that held her in this pit of self indulgence, where she thought of herself and herself alone. Emberkit was the only cat ever to speak to her about it. It was as if everyone else in the clan were too afraid of sending her into more sorrow than she already was. But Emberkit...it did not seem to bother her too much that Doomkit was suffering from herself. The dark tabby she-kit sighed, and her chest relaxed as she felt her lungs contract and relax.

She lifted her eyes to Emberkit, filled with quiet gratitude. Perhaps she had found a friend after all. Quite a dreary pair they would make, but perhaps they were perfect friends. Doomkit was still chewing on Emberkits words. She was making some very good points. Perhaps the kit wanted to be the medicine cat apprentice one day. She seemed to know a lot about starclan. Doomkit was completely lost when it came to things like that. She believed in them, and spoke to them even if they did not speak back, and she watched them in night sky when their pelts glowed the brightest. She imagined Starclan, forever hunting and running in the forest with all your favorite cats and kin.

Doomkit groomed a piece of fur on her chest quickly, and shook her ears free of dust.
"Yes..." she said thoughtfully, "yes, I suppose so..." The she-kit looked to Emberkit and wondered why she, out of all the other cats in the clan, chose to talk to her. In Doomkits experience, Emberkit was quite seclusive. She shrugged it off. Better not to question friends. At least she knew some cat cared about her.
"How do you know so much about Starclan, Emberkit?"
And why wasn't I informed? she asked herself, a little annoyed that she didn't know already.

OOC; Sorry for the lateness, I finally had ONE free moment, so I caught up on the majority of my late posts.

[cloverleaf]

The question about why she knew so much about StarClan actually startled the dark gray kit. She never really thought she knew very much about the ancestors. The subject did not interest her as much. It was just something that she had learned from Russetstripe when he spoke to her and his sister when they were younger. Oh, Emberkit had her thoughts about the Clan of dead warriors though.

"I don't know more than the average warrior knows. I am personally not very interested in the whole spiritual thing. Honestly, I do not believe StarClan has all the power that everyone claims they do." Her words were strong and personal for having just meet Doomkit. But she felt a connection. Emberkit never really thought about friends. She viewed accomplishing her goal as something she would do alone. But having a friend would not go in the way of that, would it? In fact, two minds were better than one. Together, they could achieve anything they wanted, anything they could think of: status, fame, recognition.

But that would be later. For now, the only goal was for Doomkit to release her sorrow. And by the new energy flowing through the other she-kit, Emberkit knew her words were successful. Perhaps not one hundred percent, but it was better than nothing. Deciding to keep the conversation going, although it went with all of her instincts, the dark gray kit asked, "So what do you plan on your life being like? Are going to be a warrior?" The questions were obvious, but hey, you never know.

[Sunmist/Tessa]

Doomkit smiled finally. Of course she was going to be a warrior. That was the master plan, after all. For many kits it was the ultimate honor to become an apprentice (even thought it was almost automatic) and Doomkit, throughout all her pessimism, was excited for that day to come. She looked to her new found friend, and nodded. "Of course I am to become a warrior... there is nothing much else for me to do after all. I mean, isn't that what we train for?" she asked rhetorically. The dark tortoiseshell kit bent forward and licked her chest nervously. She would have to prove herself worthy in becoming a warrior first though. And even though she vowed she would, the older kit had the fear, like any other, that she may displease her clan and her warrior ancestors. She wondered if Starclan would visit her one day. That, she thought, would be pretty awesome. Doomkit wondered what would happen. Were they larger than life? Did they glow? Were they all perfectly healed? She didn't know, but it would be fun to find out.

"You know," Doomkit said after a long time, "I can't wait to be an apprentice, she looked off in the direction of the apprentice's den, her eyes curious, " It would be better than sitting here all day." Suddenly the kit jumped to her paws, her eyes aflame. She pounced on a drift of snow, falling in with a soft puff. She popped her head out from it and shook, looking back to Emberkit. "We'll learn to hunt," she said, running after some invisible prey. She didn't actually think she was hunting, this little display was mostly out of boredom and pent up energy. She turned around and headed back for Emberkit, "And we can learn how to fight!" she yelled, jumping for the kit. She missed her by a mouse length, however, and landed head first into the snow. Fortunately she picked herself up and faced the gray kit, crouching, her tail flicking back and forth, challenging her young friend to a playful fight.