RushClan | Camp

Peachspring glanced up and sighed in amusement. "Wisteriakit, listen to Slatelily. She just wants you safe and healthy."

Slatelily twitched her whiskers in amusement. "You'll understand when you're older," she mewed to the young cat.

Wisteriakit growled under her breath. "I am older. I want to be an apprentice, not stuck in this awful camp!" She flicked the snow up as she stormed into the nursery's shelter.

"What's so awful about it? Isn't it home to you?" Slatelily mewed, curious.

Stagheart trotted into camp.

Wisteriakit huffed. "I'd rather be in the territory hunting or whatever. It's boring here," she whined.

"How long do you think you'll be out hunting as a warrior? For ever and ever? What about returning the prey to feed your Clanmates? What about guarding camp and sharing tongues with your Clanmates?" she mewed.

"That's fine, as long as you're not in my face all the time." Wisteriakit huffed, stomping back into the nursery.

Slatelily snorted in amusement and looked to Peachspring, "Look, got her out of the cold." she mewed.

"That's one way to do it." Peachspring chuckled and nudged Cloudedkit towards the nursery, listening to her small whines and complaints before she finally did as told. "I think she was just excited about the snow."

"Excited enough to backtalk," Slatelily mewed with a smirk, waving her tail.

Plumdrop followed the deputy behind, glancing at Spiderpaw. "You need to clean the nests out now, before the snow gets any worse. And if you bring back wet moss for the queens I'm sure I won't need to tell you off."

"Looks we'll be sleeping inside tonight if this snow keeps coming down." Stagheart pointed out, eyes darting nervously to Plumdrop for a moment before he shifted it to his paws.

Spiderstar moved quietly through the camp, glancing over her clan with soft eyes. She exhaled. I need some time out. But I probably shouldn't go alone. She stretched out, shaking the snowflakes from her ebony pelt. They're all relaxed, I shouldn't disturb them. The black shecat flattened her ears and sat by the camp entrance as she debated.

Spiderpaw rolled her eyes at her mentor for the umpteenth time that day, strolling to the elder's den while she grumbled.

"Do you need something, Spiderstar?" Stagheart mewed, trotting towards the older she-cat.

Spiderstar startled as she was dragged from her thoughts, looking toward the deputy. "To make a decision," she mewed, chuckling. "I wanted to go out, but with the snow and wolves... I think being alone wouldn't be the best decision." She curled her tail around her paws.

"I can organize a patrol to go with you if you'd like, what is it you'll be doing?" he mewed, concern lining his voice. He'd never seen her act like this before.

Spiderstar noted the concern and rose to her paws with a reassuring purr. "Mainly just walking. Hunting on the way back if I can," she mewed.

"Oh," he mewed, "I thought you were...never mind. I'll leave you be then."

Slatelily carefully began moving the nests of her Clanmates underneath sheltered spots around camp as the snow continued to fall.

"Spiderpaw! What are you doing? Waiting for the moss to grow on your paws?" Plumdrop scoffed at the apprentice.

Spiderpaw, whom had already moved, shot a glare at her mentor. "I'm already doing it, Plumdrop," she snapped venomously and lashed her tail as she disappeared back into the elder's den.

Spiderstar smiled lightly at Stagheart. "I appreciate your concern, Stagheart," she mewed, waving her tail. "I think I'll take one or two cats with me. Any suggestions on who?"

"Uh, Riverswoop and Hazelspark?" he mewed, "But, if you're just taking a walk I don't know if I should bother them."

"You make a fine point. I knew I made you deputy for a reason." Spiderstar offered a friendly purr and turned to exit camp with a little wave of her tail as a goodbye.

Stagheart frowned and shuffled his paws, not sure what to do now. Should I talk to Plumdrop?


Slatelily trotted toward Spiderpaw. "Need help with that?" she chirped.

"No thanks. This is my punishment for being disgusted by my mentor's flirting with the deputy." Spiderpaw spoke in a sickly sweet tone, sighing and shaking her head. "I'll be fine. Thanks anyways."

Slatelily stepped back. "Stagheart and Plumdrop?" she mewed.

"Yep! They're so oblivious of each other." Spiderpaw dragged out an old ball of moss, shaking the remains from one of her paws with a noise of disgust.

"I have to tell Peachspring about this," she muttered, trotting off to the nursery with her tail held high.

Spiderpaw watched after the queen for a moment before snorting and heading back into the elder's den. How did she not notice?


Peachspring sighed heavily as she dealt with a hyper Cloudedkit, muttering about how she just needed to be cleaned.

Riverswoop padded up to Stagheart, having heard his name. "Am I needed?" he asked the rather preoccupied looking tom.

Slatelily trotted into the nursery, brushing her tail comfortingly over Cloudedkit. "Peachspring," she mewed, "Did you hear that Plumdrop has a crush on Stagheart?"

Stagheart shook his head, snowflakes scattering, "I was thinking of sending out a hunting patrol but we should probably wait until the storm passes," he meowed.

Peachspring glanced up at Slatelily and purred. "I had suspected, somewhat. Though, I only wondered because I heard Spiderpaw grumbling about it."

"Do you think Plumdrop will be moving in here soon?" she purred.

Peachspring tilted her head, remaining silent for a long moment. "No, I don't think so."

"Leafbare isn't the best time for kits I suppose," she mewed, "Or do you think Stagheart doesn't feel the same? Oh dear that would be so dreadful for her!"

Plumdrop padded into the niche that served as the warriors' shelter, flicking snow off her paws before finding a fresh nest to lay down in.

Riverswoop nodded. "Probably best if we wait for the others to get back. Didn't Jadescorch and Brambledusk go out?"

Peachspring nodded in agreement. "Leafbare is a terrible season for kits. I have a sneaking suspicion that we don't have to worry about feelings not being returned." 

Firelily slid timidly over to Stagheart and Riverswoop. "They did. With Windpaw as well," she mewed. "They went to the open moors."

Wildflower stretched, her lips widening into a yawn. She shook herself roughly to rid her pelt of the wet snow. With a start, she padded over to Stagheart and Riverswoop. She nodded a greeting to the warrior and deputy before meowing, "I can go on the hunting patrol once the storm is passed." She flicked her ears in annoyance as another snowflake cluster landed on them. "Let's hope this passes soon," she added after shaking off more snow from her speckled fur.

"They should be fine, the snow isn't coming down too hard." Stagheart mewed, "We should be alert though."

Riverswoop nodded. "I might see if there's any rocks we can move to prop up against the nursery, the wind is getting through still."

Stagheart nodded, "Firelily, do you think you can help with that?"

Firelily jumped a little and nodded, shaking off her russet fur. "Of course. I wouldn't want the kits getting cold." She looked toward Riverswoop and purred, "Lead the way."

Riverswoop dipped his head, walking over to the entrance and managing to wedge a smaller rock in behind a large one embedded in the walls of the camp, feeling the ground shift a little as the loud thump was softened by the snow. "If we can get a few more of these we should be better."

Firelily nodded, swiping at the snow to try and spot any other rocks. "I hope the patrols are alright. Jadescorch, Brambledusk, and Windpaw left awhile ago, and they aren't back yet." Her ears flattened and she twitched her tail worriedly, nudging a rock over to Riverswoop.

"Hopefully their whiskers haven't all frozen out there." Slatelily mewed, readjusting a rock to close a gap in the wall.

Stagheart began carrying the prey from the freshkill pile to an area under a rock.

Plumdrop shifted a little further into the gap under the overhang, shivering as a gust of wind blew into the shelter.

Riverswoop nodded, glancing inside at Wisteriakit huddled in the nest with her sister and mother. "I should hope not."

Stagheart set a thrush from the freshkill pile in front of Plumdrop, then left to make more repairs without making eye contact. I hope she likes thrush, or she might take that as an insult... I should have asked her favorite prey stupid harebrained Stagheart.

Plumdrop looked at the thrush, then watched Stagheart walk away. That was nice of him, she thought, feeling her cheeks warming.

Peachspring curled her body around her kits, nuzzling her nose into Wisteriakit's fur while she purred. She watched Cloudedkit snuggle closer to her sister.

Firelily peeked inside and purred at the scene. She turned and pushed a rock she'd found against the back of the nursery. "It's always so cute, seeing kits and their mother."

Stagheart took the last piece of fresh kill, a small rabbit, and dropped it in the makeshift den. "I don't know if this will last us the whole day." he mewed.

Plumdrop nodded, shivering slightly. “Give this to the queens,” she said softly. “I’ll be fine.”