Kit Corner

[BEAR.]

Wolfpaw hadn't a clue what was goin on with this kid, war dancin off to fight some invisible foe. But the distraction was enough to let him sit back up 'n watch the show, so he didn't mind too much. Beachkit seemed to have a jolly old time going off about Stonestar and.. combining Clans? Or something. He must've been missing something, he felt clueless! Just bobbing his head along like yeah, he totally knew what the kid was on about.

Oh, Oldgoat. Thaat explained a lot. Wolfpaw laughed and reached to very gently swat at Beachkit's tail. "Yeah, definitely." It wasn't hard telling a better story though - Wolfpaw was pretty sure that old bat couldn't tell the difference between a bee and a mouse. ".. Is that where Stonestar is from? One of his stories?"

[ @Fawn ]

[Fawn]

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Beachkit -

Beachkit pulled his tail in to give it a few thorough licks after it was viciously swatted. "Stonestar is from ThunderClan! That's what Goatscrunch said." As if he was revealing a little known truth, he continued more hushedly, "I guess he was in love with the ShadowClan leader." For some reason. He couldn't imagine anyone loving them from what he heard around the camp, and besides, they ate FROGS.

With his reenactment concluded, he hauled himself to his paws and shook the dust from his fur. "Didn't you get told that story? Or did he tell you better ones? Because there was this warrior standing around looking mad like he shouldn't be saying that stuff, so I bet the story would be cooler without lame stick-in-the-muds ruining it. I mean, it's just a story! And I'm not some baby that doesn't know about secret love and everything anyway."


@BEAR.

[BEAR.]

Wolfpaw mused at this news. At no point, did he believe Stonestar was real - nor that there was some relationship with ShadowClan's leader. But he didn't have the heart to tell Beachkit this, he seemed so excited about this story. "Oh, he mentioned it to me. Just been a while, is all." Romance alone was such a weird concept to Wolfpaw, he didn't get the appeal - the looks Violetfreckle and Bumba gave each other just grossed him out.

Stories.. Wolfpaw remembered one, sorta. Oldgoat wasn't exactly a reliable storyteller, so he'd have to do his best to fill in the pieces the best he could. "He did tell me one! I reckon that wet-nest warrior would've hated it too, it wasn't no nice one." Maybe Bumba was rubbing off on him, 'cause he couldn't see why a warrior would get their tail bunched over a story. They were just words, and words didn't do no harm. "You wanna hear it?"

[ @Fawn ]

[Fawn]

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Beachkit -

. . . Wet-nest warrior. Beachkit had never heard the term before. It almost sounded like a RiverClan thing, or ... or like a cat wasn't going to the dirtplace when they should be, and it simultaneously worried him and squicked him out. He hadn't been a wet-nest kit in a long time but what if his denmates SAID that about him?

Beachkit's fussing was forgotten as he remembered there was a potential story time at stake, eyes widening to saucers. He couldn't imagine a not-nice story in his limited worldview, they all seemed so interesting particularly in comparison to what happened in his mundane kit-life. "Sure!" He inwardly scolded himself for being a bit too enthusiastic, responding too quickly-- that wasn't what a chilll apprentice would do. But he had trouble tempering his excitement when there'd finally be a story told by someone who wasn't so OLD and confusing as Goatscrunch, and it was a story those stuffy warriors presumably wouldn't approve of. Best of all, told by a clanmate with real experience (at least when the competitors within Beachkit's circle tended to be literal kits.)


@BEAR.

[BEAR.]

Beachkit seemed lost in his thoughts, and for a moment Wolfpaw thought he might pass on the story. But he came back down to earth, and was ready - so Wolfpaw cleared his throat. "Okay, sure."

He took a moment to gather his thoughts on this. He hadn't gone into this prepared to tell a story, so he hoped he did it some justice. "A long time ago, when ThunderClan was a kit, there was a cat named Branchfoot. Branchfoot was a newer warrior, ain't nothin' special about them.

"The thing with Branchfoot though, was they got bored real easy. They were stationed just outside the camp entrance a lot, a near-constant camp guard, and most the time nothin' happened. So one day.. they decided to make something happen. While most the Clan was asleep, they called out: Dog! Dog! There's a goddamned dog! Help!

"If you heard that, what would you do?" He prompted Beachkit to keep him engaged, mostly. Hopefully he didn't mind the stronger language - it made it feel more real to him.

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[Fawn]

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Beachkit -

Beachkit plopped down into prime-loafing position to enjoy the story as Wolfpaw's details began curating a mental image for him. Branchfoot was a stupid name. Whoever the leader was when ThunderClan was a kit needed to get a grip on their naming practices. How did one even have a foot that resembled a branch??????

But he tried not to get too tangled in that minute issue, ears tilted forward in interest at this baby-warrior's problematic behavior. Calling out that there was a dog... that was kind of a good idea to relieve boredom, but Beachkit could only imagine the wrath it would incur. Without the consequences of his actions to worry about, he'd probably have done the same on more than one occasion.

At the inquiry, Beachkit frowned slightly. "My mom said I can't fight dogs yet." Unless he was a warrior in this scenario, then . . would he still have to ask his mom? He couldn't bring himself to be that heartbroken anyway, he didn't WANT to fight a dog. They sounded big and mean and dangerous. So, he had an idea: "I'd get you to help them."


@BEAR.

[BEAR.]

Wolfpaw had to admit, having a kit be so transfixed on a story was kinda endearing. He had to wonder if he once looked like that -- before apprenticeship and the struggles that came with trying to train.

... Wolfpaw hadn't been considering the "as is" perspective, he assumed Beachkit would answer as if he were a warrior handling it. "No - you're not allowed to fight dogs!! Leave that to the purrfessionals." He puffed his chest up, as if embellishing how tough and professional he was. So fierce.

"At their call, several warriors came to their assistance - ready to drive the dog off. 'Where is it??' they demanded. 'Where'd it go?'

"'Hah!!' Branchfoot cackled with glee. 'I got you good, there is no dog!'

"The warriors were furious with Branchfoot, and told them to knock it off. 'Do not yell for help if there's no threat!' They angrily said before they left.

"Well, Branchfoot simply didn't care. The next time they were camp guard, they got bored again - being on watch did not excite them. Again, they decided to fool around. 'Dog! A dog is coming! Help!'"

Wolfpaw paused. "How'd you think the warriors felt about this?"

[ @Fawn ]

[Fawn]

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Beachkit -

Kudos to the fictional Branchfoot for being so easily entertained that they got endless enjoyment out of guarding camp, then crying there was a dog, then reveling in the Clan being mad at them. Enough to potentially do it more than once. Beachkit could admire that level of simplemindedness. Not even refreshing what animal their fake-threat was seemed kind of dull.

But nonetheless, it confused him. That a warrior (or anyone) would WANT the Clan to be mad at them, finding fun in the activity somehow. He wanted to be liked! Not despised! Because it didn't compute to him, he could only land on the conclusion that Branchfoot was doing it wrong.

Beachkit made a face. "Did they fall for it again!? Oh, and probably did not let Branchfoot on guard duty anymore...? They are the worst guard! A pebble would do a better job." He couldn't envision a leader like Bumblestar putting up with such a menace to society.


@BEAR.

[BEAR.]

"They did fall for it! Branchfoot wasn't the best guard, but what if a dog was actually approaching? The warriors decided to not take that chance, and went to make sure there was no dog.

"'I don't see no dog!' snarled one warrior. 'This better be no prank again!'

"Branchfoot laughed. 'I got you, twice! You look so stupid!!'

"The warriors were pissed with Branchfoot.. but despite their complaints to Clan leadership, Branchfoot merely got a talking to, and a final chance at guard duty.

"It was an unusually dark night and a thick fog crept over the forest. Branchfoot could hardly see a whisker's breath away! Originally, they had planned on pulling another fast one on their Clan-mates.. but this time, they saw movement in the darkness. Heavy pawsteps pounded against the forest floor.

"And beneath the damp scent of mist, was the powerful, rank scent of a dog. A real dog, a beast that towered larger than all the trees in ThunderClan!

"Branchfoot was frozen in fear. Never in their wildest dreams had they seen a dog so monstrous. After a moment, they found their voice once more. 'Dog! Help! There's a dog!' .. When no one came, they tried again. More desperately. 'Please, help! This dog's real, I swear, please--'

"But Branchfoot had ruined their relationship with their Clan, and made a mockery of the cats who would have tried to protect them. The Clan thought Branchfoot was a liar, lying in wait to do another prank. No one came to save them.

"The dog attacked. Branchfoot was no matched for the beast as it snapped its jaws down around their lower jaw, and tore it off completely.

"Branchfoot died, a punishment of taking advantage of others' trust. It's said even to this day, you might see their spirit wander the woods in search of the jaw they lost. Sometimes, when the moon is black and a mist rolls in, you can even hear a distant cry... 'Help! Help! There's a dog...'" Wolfpaw left off there, curious to see how Beachkit would respond.

[ @Fawn ]

[Fawn]

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Beachkit -

OH NO! Beachkit couldn't believe they fell for it again! Stupid Branchfoot and the stupid ThunderClan warriors.

He tensed as the story continued, pulse quickening and eyes widening. What could be lurking out there in the creepy darkness!? Although too invested to stop now, a chill coursed through him envisioning the countless possibilities of some awful creature waiting to strike in the middle of a foggy night.

And the way Wolfpaw described the dog -- the monster of an animal -- was the scariest thing he'd ever heard! It wasn't in the same realm of Goatscrunch's tales of revenge and violence, this was horrifying. Made worse by nobody coming to the warrior's aid, even if they did deserve it for how many times there'd been a false alarm on their watch.

Beachkit shrunk back. Fear-inspired images of a torn-up Branchfoot flashed through his mind, and he couldn't shrug off the disturbing nature of the tale. It haunted him, despite his best efforts to appear unaffected and brave. Now that it was over, he could merely stare in awe for several seconds.

.. he preferred the love and drama stories. At least they didn't leave him on the brink of tears and with a freshly-intensified terror of dogs.

First order of business: "Is the dog gone now?" he asked, anxious, noting that little detail had been missing from the story. "What if there's another one like that?! As big as the trees, and.. mean as bees! What if the warriors think it's a joke?"


@BEAR.