Out of the Nursery || OPEN

His mother was asleep. Quillkit tumbled clumsily out of the nursery. He winced, looking back at his mother, who was still sound asleep. Encouraged, he continued onward. His wide eyes gazed around the camp - it was one of the few times he got a chance to explore, and he was excited to do so. Camp was so much bigger than the nursery. He was unsure if he was even allowed to be out of the nursery, so he was as sneaky as possible: not very. Quillkit purred on seeing the newer sights rather than the familiar nursery. Eventually, he spotted a stump, and immediately began attempting to climb it.

Quillkit managed to get atop the stump, trying to get a glimpse of outside the camp. If camp was this big, he could hardly imaging how big it was out there! And then he looked down, now nervous about the height. His tail twitched anxiously, lowering himself to a laying down position, peering over the edge, but he wasn't about to call for help. He'd get down on his own... eventually.

Oddkit was hidden in the shadows away from prying eyes, she saw Quillkit creeping out and began to clean herself as she watched the tiny kit explore. The brown tom was doing no harm. She bit on her claws as she eyed him climbing the stump.

She waited for him to climb back down, after waiting for a few minutes she crept over, slightly nervous and asked  "Hello, are you okay?".

Quillkit fluffed out defensively. "Yeah! Wh-Why wouldn't I be?" He looked down at her nervously. It was a bit of a climb down, he had no idea how he'd actually get down. Does he just, jump? Regardless, he wanted to look brave for the other cat, so he tried to (poorly) stifle his nervousness.

Oddkit could tell this kit was nervous, she could see his new kitten fluff stuck up all around him, as if Starclan themselves had struck fear into his small heart. She flicked her tail encouragingly and sat at the base of the stump.

"You can do it!" she mewed persuasively.

Just in case she stood poised to jump up the stump and join him. She knew what it was like to be so nervous!

Quillkit gulped. He had to prove himself, no doubt this other kit knew he was nervous. He wasn't nervous, just... cautious. He scraped his tiny claws against the wood. He laid down on the stump, slowly walking his forelegs down the side in preperation to jump.

He closed his eyes. Here goes nothing. He took the leap, tumbling to the ground as he landed on the softer grass, ending up splayed out on his belly. Quillkit slowly opened his eyes, half expecting to see StarClan.

When he realized he was in ShadowClan and very much alive, he scrambled upward, clearing his throat, his ears hot. His fur was still on end. "I-uh... I meant to do that."

Oddkit watched the small kit throw himself off the stump and land awkwardly. She purred in amusement and sharply replied "Of course you did". She cocked her head "Who are you? I've never met you before, I've been trying to keep out of trouble." She looked at her paws awkwardly.

I need to make friends she thought to herself, she wanted to impress this kit as there were usually no other kits around who wanted to play with her. Her brothers and sister thought she was too clumsy to hunt with and the other kits mocked her for losing her temper at a warrior.

Quillkit adjusted himself to sit more comfortably, trying to casually smooth his fur. He flicked his ears. "Ah- my name is Quillkit! I've never really left the nursery before, this is my first time outside on my own. What about you? What's your name?" He asked, his head tilting to the side inquisitively.

Oddkit licked her chest trying to act casual "I'm Oddkit!" she responded cheerfully. "Don't worry, my mother rarely lets me out of the nursery, so I have to sneak out whilst she isn't looking! It drives her into a mad cat rage!" Oddkit said nervously chuckling "Would you like me to show you around?".

Quillkit perked up. "That would be great!" He replied excitedly. The camp was so big - he used to think the nursery was big. How did cats not get lost here?

He stood up, regaining his train of thought. "It's so much bigger out here than in the nursery," he meowed idly, looking around the area.

"I know, it took me AGES to find my way around." said Oddkit, purring once again with amusement as she remembered having the same feelings moons ago when she first snuck out of the nursery.

"Follow me!" Oddkit suddenly burst into a run, heading towards a huge oak tree that was the leaders den.

Quillkit scampered behind her - he was easily distracted by all the sights, doing more of a slow-run or fast-walk to keep up. As the duo reached the large oak, he halted, his eyes trailing up the bark of the tree. He got exhausted climbing the stump - could any cat climb this?

"It's huge!" He commented, eyes round in curiousity, finally walking forward to catch up to Oddkit completely.

As Oddkit skidded to a stop she barrelled over and landed face first, paying no attention she back up and spun around to meet Quillkit excitedly. She crouched close to the ground and motioned for Quillkit to do the same then crept closer to the roots of the tree.

"This is our leaders den, his name is Firestar" she whispered excitedly, gazing at the roots of the oak "He isn't very happy with me at the moment so we have to be quiet".

She gazed at Quillkit as if expecting him to say something.

Quillkit nodded quickly, still looking straight up the tree, trying to see the top. Was Firestar able to get to the top? Does Firestar use the entire tree as his den? He opened his jaws to speak, lowering his voice. "Why is he unhappy?" He asked curiously, looking back at Oddkit.

"I accidentally fell through the bramble walls of the camp, I got injured from it." Oddkit looked at her paws and shifted uncomfortably. She hadn't meant to make Shadowclans leader so furious, she looked at Quillkit and brightened up.

Oddkit charged off in a random direction, then came racing back almost barrelling into Quillkit. "Follow me!" she wheezed and ran off in the same direction.

He was about to inquire further, but Oddkit was already bounding off. Then, she headed back towards him. He quickly hopped out of the way, then he quickly chased after her, this time trying to keep pace with her. He was out of breath, but pushed through - a future warrior of ShadowClan had to be strong.

"Where... are... we going?" He asked between breaths.

Oddkit flicked her tail in the direction of a small bush by the opening of the camp. Warriors and apprentices alike were filing in and out of the narrow brambles leading out of camp. She turned and blinked at Quillkit "We're gonna go spy on some warriors! I do this all the time!"

She seemed a little too big for the bush now, but Oddkit squeezed herself in nonetheless. She motioned with her tail for Quillkit to join her.

Quillkit nodded quickly, squeezing into the bush beside Oddkit, trying to tuck his tail close to him to avoid being visible. He tilted his head to her inquisitively. "What do the warriors do all day? What's out there?"

Oddkit stared at Quillkit amusement gleaming in her eyes. "Well, they go and they hunt to feed the clan. I can't wait till I'm an apprentice! I'll be the best!" she mewed triumphantly. She looked at her fellow kit "We should probably get back to the nursery, you don't want to get in trouble, neither do I!" she flicked her tail enthusiastically and struggled to climb out of the bush.

She crouched by the nearly bare bush waiting on Quillkit, she didn't want to leave her new friend behind!

Quillkit's eyes sparkled with interest, his eyes fixed on the exit as he followed Oddkit out of the bush. "Ohhh... I can't wait til I'm an apprentice either! Who knows what you can find out there?"

Quillkit was fascinated by the prospect of leaving camp one day, after all, if camp was this big, what was it like out there? His tail flicked back and forth playfully as he shook excess dust from his pelt.

As Oddkit stood up to lead Quillkit back to the nursery "I already accidentally fell out of the bramble walls, it wasn't fun at all." she stopped and frowned. "Don't tell anyone I told you that, especially not my mother. She HATES being reminded of it." She turned to Quillkit and her eyes sparkled with excitement "But that was one bad experience, I bet it'll be great! Maybe even someday we'll hunt together!" Oddkit's fur bristled with excitement.

She started walking slowly towards the nursery, stopping every few steps and keeping an eye on the smaller kit. After all if she were to be apprenticed she would need to learn teamwork!