[doghouse]

Originally Posted by Charmer

"Very very good!" Cherrypaw exclaimed, delighted at how Ravelledkit had been able to manage the acorn cap. "You're a natural. Here's another tip. Remember when I sat up when I did the trick for you the first time? That's when I shifted the pebble underneath me." Cherrypaw took her paw, still holding the pebble and ran through the motion one more time, going from a crouch where she had been to swat at the stone to a sit, shifting her front paw under her body to lift her weight. She showed her empty paw. "It looks like it vanished. But really..." the little she-cat stood up and took a step back. There was the pebble, no longer tucked beneath her body. "My mother showed me this trick a long time ago..." Cherrypaw's blue eyes clouded over with a stale sadness. "She's with Starclan now. My sister too," she explained, a wan smile on her lips.

Ravelledkit purred with excitement and ran in a quick little circle, humming softly and practically chasing his own tail. Then he returned to Cherrypaw and watched, intent as ever as she demonstrated, nodding half the time as if to show that he was paying attention and his eyes widened, even though he knew the trick already, it was hard not to fall for, because, especially for a kit, it was a very convincing trick indeed. He grinned a toothy grin and did as she'd instructed as best as he could, though his paws were still clumsy from lack of age and experience as he did it, so it wasn't as fluid and quick as Cherrypaw's, nor as convincing, but a close secvind, even if he did say so himself. I'll get it one day! He thought cheerfully, sweeping the acorn cap out from under himself with a swish of his tail, sending it spinning into Cherrypaw with surprising speed. He lowered his head to show he was sorry and gently licked her foreleg, that being the closest to her shoulder that he could reach, then stepped back, suddenly looking weary and subdued.