Warriors of the Plants

In Forestclan camp 

Auburntail lounged around the camp, his tail dragging in the dirt. He looked around the camp, and observed some cats lounging around before taking his spot next to the log.

Lightningbug would pad into camp with a tsk of his tongue. He had went out checking out the damages further and to see the usual prey places weren't as active with prey.

Auburntail flicked a ear in greeting, calling out. "How's the prey running?" He asked with a snarky mew.

Lightningbug would shake out his pelt with a tired sigh "Awful. Bugs chased off all the prey and they've been coming back in an awful trickle. We'll be struggling for prey for a while...and it's worse that Greenleaf is almost over..." He muttered padding over towards Auburntail

Raspberrynose came out of the warriors den with a yawn, shaking out their fluffy pelt. They smiled at Lightningbug and Auburntail "Good..morning? Day? What time is it? Anyways, I heard something about prey? Lots to find today I hope!"

Lightningbug would scoff, "If you like hunting all day for a measly mouse," He meowed gruffly

Auburntail sighed. "By the sounds of it, no." He said, getting up and stretching.

Raspberrynose's tail drooped. "Aw geez still? I was hoping there'd be some in the pile! At least a tasty squirrel"

"You can't be that dim. The bugs basically covered every bark and leaf of every tree what kind of prey would want to stay. They ran just like us." Lightningbug growled

Auburntail gestured to the almost empty prey pile. "Leaving us with nothing." He sighed.

Raspberrynose kicked the ground a little. "Well I just thought the prey would have come back by now. Ya know with the bugs gone?" They tilted their head.

Lightningbug sighed "They aren't as bright as us. Might be as bright as you though," He muttered under his breath "It will be a few moons before the prey actually come back enough to fill every cat's bellies but by then it'll be leaf-bare." He looked at the ground wondering why he was still in the clans when he hated it

Auburntail nodded. "It will only get worse." He gestured to the surroundings, where the foliage was still recovering. "Everything's still re-growing after all."

Raspberrynose nodded along. "Well, we should stay positive regardless! I'm sure we can find sooomething!" Their tail flicked up over their back. "Maybe the river! I'm sure fishing isn't that hard right?"

"Staying positive doesn't fill bellies." Lightningbug grunted coldly

Auburntail nodded slowly. "We probably just need to up our hunting patrols." He said thoughtfully. "Maybeee."

Raspberrynose grinned gratefully at Auburntail. "Exactly! Being a negative goose about it won't help either Lightningbug!" They stuck their tongue out at him

Lightningbug rolled his eyes "Let's hunt by Cactusclan border. Maybe they'll be more prey since Cactusclan almost stole two mice," He suggested

Auburntail's eyes widened. "They nearly stole 2 mice?!" He shouted suddenly. "What?!"

Raspberrynose gasped. "Whaat??? When???"

"Few days ago. Firefly told me about it. Apparently we only got one back," He explained licking his paw and cleaning his face

Auburntail hissed. "Those dirty stealing bastards!" He mewed angrily.

Raspberrynose gasped again. "W-well what did Mossystar do about it? Certainly something! Right?"

"Apparently they brought it up at the gathering. Don't know much else than that. It's hard to understand Blackchin," He sighed "I bet my morning mouse (breakfast) since they don't have a leader anymore that they'll do it again."

"They're a bunch of rouges." Auburntail growled. "Outta control and ready to fight." He said, pacing, his claws digging into the ground.

Lightningbug didn't respond since he felt that about all the clans including his own

Raspberrynose shrank in on themself, tail wrapping close to their body. "You don't think they'll take our territory do you?"

Lightningbug scoffed "Not much to take," He muttered "Besides we have warriors here that would rip their pelts off if they tried," He meowed continuing to clean his face

"Yeah they wouldn't make it far." Auburntail said smugly. "I'd rip them to shreds."

Raspberrynose nodded, and breathed a sigh of relief. "Yea plus I bet they wouldn't even know how to hunt in the forest!"

"They hunted fine when they stayed with us during the flood," Lightningbug reminded

"Oh..right." Raspberrynose ducked their head. "I tried to stay out of their way."

Timeskip or smth 

Ashkit had been keeping to herself throughout the ordeals the clans faced. She didn’t understand what was happening exactly, but she couldn’t find it in her to care

Raspberrynose padded into the camp, a single mouse dangling from their jaws. It had taken all morning to find and they were pooped. They tossed it into the pile before flopping down in the camp. They spotted Ashkit and smiled "Heya Ashkit, how are ya today?"

Ashkit stopped playing with her paws, it was getting boring after all, her paws could do so much, before she turned to give Raspberrynose a surprised look. 

Oh? They actually noticed her in the shadows? Ashkit was sure the clan forgot about her existence considering how no one usually dared to approach her. Maybe Starclan or whatever was actually shining some light on her

Raspberrynose smiled again and padded over to be closer to Ashkit. They wrapped their fluffy tail around their paws and tilted their head. "Whatcha doin over here by yourself?" Ashkit didn't seem to be in trouble or doing anything mischievous. Raspberrynose looked around for Ashkit's parents but saw no one else close by.

“Playing.” Ashkit said curtly, staring down at her paws. They were so boring, her paws. They couldn’t do anything cool. How was Raspberrynose seeing her? She thought she was like a ghost.

Raspberrynose nodded and looked around the camp agains. "Welll do you maybe wanna play a more fun game?" They asked, leaning down a bit.

“Like what?” Ashkit inquired, slowly blinking with a tilt to her head.

Raspberrynose grinned "Do you wanna play hide and seek? I know you're pretty good at hiding."

“How does that game work?” Ashkit asked. She didn’t know what hide and seek was.

"Its really easy! I'll count and hide my eyes while you find somewhere in the camp to hide! If I find you I win so you gotta hide reaaally well okay?" Raspberrynose explained 

Ashkit let out a small oh. She played that game all the time and she was very good at it. However she wasn’t quite sure how good Raspberrynose would be. “Okay.”

Raspberrynose nodded and laid down, wrapping their tail over their eyes. "One, two, three..." They called the numbers loudly

Ashkit would slip away in the darkness once most, dispersing like a ghost being called back to the dark forest. She hid herself amongst the shadows of a bush, the dark leaves blending in scattered patterns and patches. 

"...ten! Ready or not here i come!" Raspberrynose stood up and looked around. Ashkit wasn't in any of the obvious hiding spots. They sniffed the air and started walking around the camp. They thought maybe near the entrance? That seemed right 

Ashkit would watch Raspberrynose sniff around the entrance. They were so off course.

Crowtalon laid on the ground, relaxing. It was about time she got a break patrol after patrol. Regardless, she was alone and at peace. Until a Raspberrynose started to mess around near her. She cracked an eye open. "What are you doing, Raspberrynose?" she groaned.

Raspberrynose jolted, they hadn't even noticed Crowtalon. "Oh!" Their ears heated "Just playin with Ashkit! We're playing hide and seek, and she's verrry good." They smiled, eyes scanning the camp. "What about you Crowtalon? Takin a rest?" They asked, a little distracted as they stared at bush. They could see small patch of white fur. There! Their tail flicked as they moved towards the bush. 

Ashkit stiffened when she felt the ground slightly vibrate. She looked up and noticed Raspberrynose heading her way. Did they already find her that quickly?

Crowtalon rolled her eyes, though she doubted that the other cat would see it, considering they weren't focusing on her one bit. Still, she turned around to see what Raspberrynose was looking at. A kit, huh? 

Usually little kittens weren't exactly masterminds when it came hiding spots, but when Crowtalon looked behind her, she couldn't find any young kit stifling a giggle. She thought she saw something for a moment, but that couldn't be a kit. Still, she watched Raspberrynose with curiosity. Either they would make an idiot out of themself or her. 

Raspberrynose trotted over near the bush they thought Ashkit was in. They stuck their head in the one next to it. "Oooh Ashkit where aaaare youuuu?" They sang, rustling the bush in a very dramatic way. "Hmmm not there. Maybe here?" They swung and stuck their head in the bush in the other side of Ashkit. 

"You in here??" Raspberrynose rustled the bush again. They pulled their head back out and looked at the bush in the middle. "Crowtalon you think in here?" They turned to call over their shoulder. They stuck their paw in the bush and wiggled it around

Crowtalon got up and stretched. Well, this was boring. "I don't know, and I don't care," she said, beginning to pad away. Still, against her better judgment, she looked back a final time and froze. The spot that she thought she saw something earlier -- that was the kit. Somehow that kit managed to slip passed both Raspberrynose and her. Her. 

Crowtalon smiled and turned back around. However, instead of immediately targeting the feline prey, Crowtalon strolled back to the other warrior. "But then again," She said, trying to play down her previous statement, "I don't have anything better to do. Might as well--"

Suddenly, Crowtalon stopped mid-sentence to try to caught the kit off guard and lunged at her target. She didn't look closely though. Right as she began to reach the other cat, her paws scraped a thorny bush, causing her to hiss in pain. Careless, she scolded herself.

Ashkit tumbled out of the bush and scowled up at Crowtalon. Was the older cat trying to flail her or something? Rude! Look, Ashkit may have been a ghost but that still didn’t mean she didn’t like it when cats would try to snatch her up like that (not that it happened a lot). 

Crowtalon glared at the kit. The kid had spunk, and a lot of it too if she was trying to stare down the experienced warrior. It was cute. "What is that supposed to be?" she asked, stalking forward. "If you want to stare down someone, try doing one of these."

Crowtalon got in the younger cat's face and snarled, twisting her face into something to be feared. However she couldn't hold it for long. Eventually, she started to break and chuckle. It's been a while since some kit tried to put on this act in front of her. 

Raspberrynose stood, watching the two try and intimidate one another. Ashkit looked so cute trying to take on a warrior! Crowtalon was known for her fierce scowl but Raspberrynose giggled as the other warrior broke. "No no it goes like this!" Raspberrynose shook their pelt out and let out a deep growl, teeth flashing and ears pulled back.

Crowtalon would be lying if she said she didn't feel a chill roll down her spine from Raspberrynose's snarl. She chuckled. "Exactly. I didn't know you had that in you, Raspberry," she complimented. She turned back to the kit. "Take notes, kid. That's what you need to look like. I expected to be scared next time, got it?"

Ashkit squeaked from the sudden ferocity Raspberrynose shared. She didn’t expect the ginger cat to be so..serious

Raspberrynose's pelt fluffed from the praise "T-thank you Crowtalon!" They looked at Ashkit and their eyes grew big. "Oh! Ashkit! Oh I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to scare you! I was just playin!" They leaned down, fretting over the kit.

Crowtalon looking the kit up and down. "You're a bit big to still be a kit, aren't you?" she bluntly asked. She turned to Raspberrynose and whispered, "How old is this furball anyways?"

Raspberrynose shrugged "Dunno not my kit"

Ashkit ruffled her fur and glared back at up Crowtalon again. “I’m six!” She said crossly.

Crowtalon looked back at the kitten with a patronizing smile. "Oh! So you are old enough to talk. Good to know." She paused. "And you still haven't had your ceremony yet?"

Ashkit stuck her tongue out. “No need for it. I’m a ghost. ForestClan doesn’t want me.” She said firmly

Raspberrynose pawed at Ashkit, poking her in the forehead. "Uuh you're not a ghost! I can feel your fur silly!"

Ashkit shook her head. “I’m a ghost.” She insisted. “No one sees me, and that’s cool.”

Crowtalon cringed. She remembered when she used to feel like that. Sometimes she wished she could go back to being a ghost. Not now though. Her smile faded. "Well, we're seeing you right now. Doesn't that mean anything?"

Raspberrynose nodded "talkin to you and everything! Even found you while you were hiding! That's gotta count right?" They looked to Crowtalon for reassurance

Crowtalon rolled her eyes and smiled. It was weird, seeing a cat look to her for validation. That smile quickly faded though. "Look, kid. I know you may feel like the world's against you or something, but that doesn't mean it'll be that way forever. At one point, some cat's gonna see you, and you may not see them back. It might just become a self-fulfilling prophecy." She sighed. "Take it from me, kid. Growing up as a ghost isn't good for you in the long run."

Despite Raspberrynose and Crowtalon being able to see her and insisting she was the a ghost, Ashkit didn’t really feel tangible. She just existed in the back of the crowd, watching and playing with her paws until she memorized every vein and chip in her nail. “Okay.” She said a bit harsher than intended to but it was obvious she didn’t really understand what Crowtalon was trying to tell her

Raspberrynose was out of their depths here, they were unsure what to say. They looked back to Crowtalon again, hesitating. What do you say to a kit who thinks shes a ghost? Just hope they grow outta it?

Crowtalon just stared at the other cat, thinking. Change of tactics. "You know, at first I didn't see you in those bushes. You may not be an actual ghost, but you can act like it. Your hiding skills would make you both an excellent hunter and fighter, given the right circumstances." 

Crowtalon slowly blinked. "Six moons, right? You could be an apprentice any moment now. Hopefully your mentor will be able to show you your full potential someday," she said.

Ashkit looked down at her paws then back up at Crowtalon. “What if they can’t see me because I’m a ghost?”

Crowtalon met her eyes. "Then make them see you."

Ashkit kept Crowtalon’s gaze, narrowing her eyes. “Okay.”

Raspberrynose nodded, puffing up. "Yeah! Gotta show em whose who and what's what!"

Crowtalon smiled. She was glad that the kit finally listened to her. She backed off. "Exactly," she responded to Raspberrynose. She yawned. "Well, I think I'm done for right now. I trust you won't lose this apprentice-to-be again, Raspberrynose?" she asked with a hint of sarcasm.

“Cats always loose me.” Ashkit murmured crossly. “I’m one with the shadows.”