“Are you sure you’re okay?” Velvetdream asks, letting the older she-cat lean on her.
“Oh, I’m fine, quit fussin’.” Primrose snaps, before breaking into a coughing fit. Shortly after joining the clan, Primrose had come down with a persistent case of whitecough which had delayed getting the last of her things from her old den. However, impatient, Primrose insisted that they should go get the last of her things today.
Velvetdream stops, halting the patrol. “I smell cat.”
Primrose sniffs the air. “Oh, fer cryin’ out loud. If it’s what I think it is, it’s nothin’.”
Velvetdream gives her a concerned look. “Are you sure?”
The two head into the clearing where Primrose had once made her home to see a light brown tabby tom rifling through her den.
“Fidget, get yer no good thieving head out my den.” Primrose hisses.
The tom, Fidget, excitedly raises his head out of the den. “Primrose! Oh stars I was worried ‘bout ya!” He bounds towards her, but is stopped by Velvetdream.
“Who are you?” she hisses.
Fidget gives her a charming smile. “Name’s Fidget, darlin’. Pleasure to meetcha!”
Velvetdream turns to Primrose, eyes begging for an explanation.
The older calico sighs. “This is Fidget, one of the no good kittypet-rogues who likes to raid me.”
“Aw, Primrose, don’t put it like that!” Fidget whines. “You know I don’t like this business, but Dash’d have my head if I said no.”
“Dash?” Velvetdream questions.
“My sister. I love ‘er to death, but boy does she have one big mean streak!” Fidget explains. “By the way, who’s the chick.”
Velvetdream gives a slight nod of her head. “I am Velvetdream, deputy of MaggotClan-”
“A clan!? A real life clan!?” Fidget exclaims excitedly. “Primrose, you got cushy with clancats!? Oh, my momma used to always tell me stories ‘bout clancats, I’m actually part clancat on my papa’s side. Tell me, what’s it like?”
Velvetdream steps back as Fidget assaults her with a barrage of questions, slightly taken back at the tom’s enthusiasm. However, he is quickly cut off by Primrose.
“Well, it’s been nice speakin’ to ya, Fidget, but I need my stuff.”
“Huh? Ya leaving somewhere?” Fidget asks, concerned. “But your paw? Not to mention you don’t look too hot, Primrose.”
Primrose scoffs. “I’m fine. And for yer information, I’m livin’ with the clancats now.”
Fidget gasps. “No way! You’re a clancat now! Can I be one too!”
“What!?” Velvetdream exclaims. “Sorry, bud, we don’t accept just anyone. Plus, you’re a crook!”
“Wha- Hey now, it’s not like I wanna do this! I ain’t all bad, tell ‘em Primrose!” Fidget pleads.
Velvetdream turns to Primrose who scoffs. “Outta all o’ them, he’s the least bad. As annoying as he is, he’s an honest cat.”
Velvetdream turns back to Fidget. “If you were to leave, could you leave in a way that wouldn’t get you traced?”
Fidget nods enthusiastically. “Yeah! I’ll leave all stealthy-like!”
Velvetdream sighs. “We can bring it up with our leader, just help us get Primrose’s stuff back to camp.”
Fidget leaps up. “Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you! Oh, stars! Oh, stars! I’m a clancat! Hey, do you think I could be called Fidgetfoot now, it sounds cool!”
“Err, we’ll bring it up with Warmstar…”
Cavepaw enters the leader’s den, wrinkling his nose at the acrid scent of blood that seemed to seep into the walls. “Warm, can I talk with you for a second?”
Warmstar rises out of his nest, shaking himself off. “Yeah, sure, Cave! Whatcha need?”
“Could you… give me my healer name?”
“Hm? I thought you thought the whole naming thing was stupid?” Warmstar questions, confused.
“I find the fact Paradise names you stupid.” the gray tom corrects, “But I do like the concept of getting your name from someone who’s actually, you know, real. Someone who actually knows you. I like that. And since we don’t have a holy site, you get to name me. And believe me, I’d rather be named by my best friend than by some dumb stars. So, would you?”
“Cave, I’d be honored.” Warmstar purrs, thrilled that Cavepaw considered him to be his best friend. “We’ll hold a meeting at sunset-”
“No.” Cavepaw states, firm. “I want this to be just me and you, if that’s alright?”
“Oh… okay. Any suggestions?”
Cavepaw shrugs. “Not really.”
Warmstar smiles. “I always thought Cavepool would be a pretty name for you. Coz of your eyes…”
Cavepaw thinks about it for a second before replying. “I like it. Thank you.”
Warmstar purrs. “I’m glad. Now that that’s out of the way, do you want to help me sort my leaf collection?”
“Border patrol! Border patrol!”
“Bravepaw, please, do you want everyone to know we’re out here!?”
Eveningbriar and Bravepaw were out along the twolegplace border on patrol. They were supposed to be making sure that kittypets stopped trespassing along this border. However, in the back of her mind, Eveningbriar hoped she would run into Ariel again…
“Blech!” Bravepaw exclaims. “What’s that yucky smell?”
Eveningbriar sniffs the air, her blood running cold. “Dog. Get in the bushes.”
Eveningbriar shoves both herself and the apprentice into the bushes, just in time as the dog arrives.
“I thought they were supposed to be massive…”
“Some of them are, this one’s small…”
“... I bet I could take it.”
Before Eveningbriar can stop the eager she-cat she rushes at the dog, aiming for its eyes. The beast howls and gives a retaliatory nip which Bravepaw easily dodges, aiming for the canine’s underbelly. The dog lets out a low whine before rushing off.
Eveningbriar rushes out of the bushes. “Wow, that was…”
“Awesome? Cool? Worthy of an early graduation?”
“Reckless!” Eveningbriar cries. “You could have gotten us both killed! Once we get back to camp you are grounded! We’re reciting the warrior code for the rest of the moon!”
“Now let’s get you back to camp and patched up! Maybe I can use this as an excuse to talk to Cavepaw…”
Primrose catches whitecough!
Fidgetfoot joins the clan!
Cavepool becomes a full-fledged healer!
Bravepaw gets bruised by a dog!
Warmstar: Medium-furred light brown tabby tom with violet eyes and a reddish-brown paw print on his forehead | 19 moons | Leader (9 lives) | Charismatic | Good Decorator | Cis!Male (he/him) | Aroace
Velvetdream: Medium-furred light brown she-cat with copper eyes | 17 moons | Deputy | Reserved | Multilingual & Masterful Storyteller | Trans!Fem (she/her) | Lesbian
Primrose: Medium-furred cream & black calico she-cat with pale green eyes and a frostbitten paw | 67 moons | Healer | Shameless | Incredibly Clever| Cis!Fem (she/her) | Aroace
Cavepool: Medium-furred unusually spotted gray tom with cyan eyes | 14 moons | Healer | Bouncy | Incredibly Knowledgeable| Cis!Male (he/him) | Bi
Fidgetfoot: Short-furred light brown tabby tom with pale yellow eyes| 56 moons | Warrior | Justified | Good Sport & Out-Of-The-Box Thinker | Cis!Male (he/him) | Bi
Eveningbriar: Medium-furred black/Golden-brown mottled she-cat with gray eyes| 14 moons | Warrior | Insecure | Captivating Singer | Cis!Fem (she/her) | Pan
Bravepaw: Short-furred brown smoke she-cat with dark blue eyes | 7 moons | Warrior App. | Spontaneous | Steps Lightly & Interested in Clan History | Cis!Fem (she/her) | Straight