Hairs on End

[Zeporah]

Stopping in mid-lick, Zeporah sensed something... She didn't know what it was, or how to place the feeling in her gut, all she knew was that it was strange. Turning away, her fur bristling with unease, her pale golden visionaries flickering among the bushes, till their movement pinpointed whatever it was that was out there. Arching her back, Zeporah took a few hesitant steps forward, expecting Dog's Breath (the now convenient name of the passing she-cat) appearing with a band of her coyote-dung friends, instead, a white bundle of fuz tottled towards her, her white tail held up and her gait bouncy with kit awkwardness.

Zeporah froze, narrowing her eyes as the kit paid no attention to the obviously tense queen. When she got too close for comfort, Zeporah drew back her ears and hissed, one paw raising in threat. "Who are you, kit? And what are you doing here?!" she snarled, not budging from her threat stance till she knew what to make of this... interesting... vice of fate...

[loutuskit]

Ice's ears layed flat as she let off her fear scent "I'm Ice...sorry to bother you..." she stammered.

[Zeporah]

Instantly the roof of Zeporah's mouth was attacked by the fear-scent radiating from the kit like death to a carcass. She wrinkled her nose at the smell, before calming down. No kit, if sent to be a distraction, would radiate her fear so openly and so strongly. Still, Zeporah wasn't much fond of kits outside of her own... Sitting down, her fur now lay flat and her ears raised, Zeporah debated on what she should do with the kit. The more she thought; however, the more she realized that, despite her annoyance of other younglings, no kit deserved to be left alone... Besides, she thought, as she reached down hesitantly to sniff Ice, we're both here alone... I wonder where her mother is... "Where's your mother, Ice?" she mewed quietly, but made no further attempt on comforting the youngling.

[loutuskit]

"she got killed" she mewed sadly looking at her paws. " and my father died too." she continued.

[Zeporah]

The words floated around in empty space for a while, before they were fully absorbed the queen. She flexed her whiskers, an effort that brushed the kits head. The amber orbs set in her feminine head softened, and she purred comfortingly. "We must do something about this," she answered, gazing at her two boys questioningly, before she nodded welcomingly. "Well, Ice, you may stay with me. The three of us should make up for your loss." Flicking her tail in the kit's direction, she welcomed the she-kit, offering to draw her in a mother's embrace.

[loutuskit]

Ice's eyes shimmered in joy as she scampered towards her.

[Featherstar]

Yang purred as his mother seemingly adopted this new kitten. He then spoke, Mother, I think we need to leave. The black feline might return, with more warriors. I think that we should join one of the Clans that we scented. They seem like a safe place to stay. What do you think Yin? Yang went over to sit beside his brother, rubbing his sibling's head with his tail in a 'cat noogie.'

[loutuskit]

Ice tilted her head. "What black feline?" she mewed. "By the way, what is you three's names?" she continued.

[allyaliboo4]

Yin grunted as Yang's tail landed on his head.

"OOF!"

Then he looked around at the little kit sitting beside his mother. He purred and narrowed his eyes in sympathy.
"I am Yin. This"--he pointed his tail to Yang--"is Yang, my brother. That is Zeporah, our mother. The 'black feline' is apparently a she-cat named--what was it, Night? Yes. Well, she was annoying us. Tried to kill mum here. But then me and Yang came to save the day." Yin turned to look at Yang, who sat, grinning, with his tail still on Yin's head. "I think we should look around quickly, and if there's a place that doesn't reek of this 'BoneClan', we can stay there. Unless you really had your hopes up for staying with a Clan she-cat?" Yin looked mischieviously at his brother. He curled his tail around his black paws. "Did you see any pretty ones as we were passing them?" Yin thought his brother might be thinking, Not in front of mom and a kit!, but he didn't see any reason why Zeporah shouldn't know if he did. He was only teasing, of course.

[Zeporah]

The pregnant queen purred with amusement, feeling a little sibling 'rivalry' showing in her two boys. If she was correct, they'll probably end up in some sort of scuffle, and then lick a quick apology before continuing on their way. It was always like that, even since they were little kits, and their only worry was when their next meal was. Now... on their own... there was a lot more to worry about. The thought brought a protective frown to her face, as her tail coiled tighter around the little she-kit. There's no way that little hussy is gonna hurt my boys... she thought, as her amber eyes traveled over the lean black and white toms.

Standing up, the queen regally padded to her two adult sons, a grim smile on her mouth. "As much as I'd love to hear who my strong sons are interested in, Yang is right, we must be out of here before that... she-cat... ruins everything." Zeporah then continued on, heading in the opposite direction to which the she-cat had disappeared to, keeping her mouth and ears open as she went.

[loutuskit]

Ice still had no idea what was going on but she still scampered after them.

[allyaliboo4]

"Yes, of course, mother. But..." Yin dropped his voice to only a whisper. "What is the kit going to do? Are you going to keep her? She can't live out here with that...that...dog of a cat roaming around. Remember what she said about this Bane cat?" He stared into his mother's amber depths. He couldn't see any emotion stirring up there except thoughtfulness and amusement. He knew that she had to be ready for when he and Yang went off to live by themselves, whether alone or with each other. They couldn't stay with their mother for their whole lives; she had to know that. Besides, she would have other kits to take care of. He thought of the little white she-kit, Ice, sitting happily and a bit awkwardly beside Zeporah. Yin straightened up and shook his head, Yang's tail flopping out of its position between Yin's ears. "I think..." he looked at his paws sadly. "Mother, you know we need to leave you, right? Yang and I?"

[loutuskit]

Ice purred a the two kit's. "I wish my brother was like you.." she sighed. "But he was the terrible cat who killed my mother..." she meowed quietly.

[allyaliboo4]

Yin stared at the little kit in sympathy. Her brother had killed their mother? How depressing! He was glad that Yang would never do something like that.
"Well, little kit..." Yin glanced at his mother. "If my mother wants, you can live with us."

[loutuskit]

Ice sniffed Yin. "Ok!" she sqeaked. "So what do you wanna do Yin?" she asked intusiasticaly (sp?)

[allyaliboo4]

Yin grinned and glanced at Yang and Zeporah.
"Well, maybe....I should teach you how to hunt!" Yin dropped into the hunters' crouch. He circled Ice playfully, only his eyes and white face showing in the dark.

[loutuskit]

"Like this!" she said repeating him but was still a bit wobbly. "I'm like a one legged badger!!!" she laughed.

[allyaliboo4]

Yin purred loudly in amusement.
"You just need a bit of practise...but not from any one-legged badgers!" He pounced on a leaf that had blown into the cave. Bending down to pick it up, he caught a somewhat familiar scent on it. Night! The piece of fox-dung for a she-cat was coming back! No, he thought. It's just her scent from before.

[loutuskit]

Ice followed him and sniffed the leaf. "Is that Night's scent?" she asked him.

[allyaliboo4]

Yin stiffened and his eye twitched involuntarily.
"Uuummm..." he didn't want to scare the kit, but as he looked into her somewhat scared eyes, he knew he couldn't hide the truth for a mouse-tail. "Yes," Yin sighed. "But it may just be her scent from before."[/b]