I Come Bearing Gifts

[Deleted]

<< For Moonpool, Gentleheart, and Quickfox only. >>


An undersized apprentice stepped hesitantly into the elders' den, carrying a large squirrel by its tail. Harshpaw actually had not been sent here by his mentor; he'd just wanted to check in on the elders and do all of the typical apprentice-y things. Make sure they had food, clean out the den and the nests, check for ticks and fleas... the usual. Maybe he could even score a story while he was working.

"Hello? Anyone awake?" The Russian Blue glanced around, searching for one of the elders. He'd give them the squirrel to munch on before he started his work.

[Moonpool]

Moonpool was woken up by the scent of prey, squirrel scent waved into the cold den and made his stomach growl. Sitting up the elder's ears flicked upwards at the sound of a young tom's voice, turning around Moonpool saw a small young cat with a piece of prey in his jaws. Blinking a few times the orange coloured tom stood up , stretched, and padded over to the apprentice.

"Hello there Harshpaw, what brings you in?..........." He mewed with a cheerful tone before trailing off. " Would that , if you do not mind me asking, squirrel..... oh I do not know.... perhaps be something you brought to give one of use?" He asked with a cocked head, rippling his tail with anticipation like he was a kit waiting to be tossed a ball of moss.

[Gentleheart]

Gentleheart blinked foggy eyes blearily as she sat up. It wasn't that she had been awoken from a nap, because she hadn't been fully asleep, but it was quite clear that the eldest cat hadn't exactly been awake either. The old cat smiled warmly at the apprentice once she had found her bearings before shooting her denmate a thinly masked sharp look.
"Be polite, Moonpool," she teased, her voice a little rough from disuse. "Even kits know better than to beg for food,"

[Deleted]

<< Well, looks like Gabby's not going to show up, so I'll just go ahead and post. >>


A grin spread across the apprentice's face when he caught sight of his grandfather. Shadowbird had told him about this cat. "Hi Moonpool! Yeah, you can have the squirrel. I figured I'd bring something in case you were hungry, but I'm here to help out."

Harshpaw turned slightly to glance in Gentleheart's direction. He really wasn't sure on the female's name, but they'd have time for that later. "It's okay if I clean out your nests, right?" the Russian Blue questioned. Better to make sure that they were alright with him being there before he actually started.

He wasn't sure how often cats usually came to check up on the elders like this, but it looked like he might have his work cut out for him today.

[Moonpool]

Moonpool puffed his cheeks out a little and gave Gentleheart a narrow look, "I am not begging for it, I suppose that I do not need to share with the likes of you then" He mewed with a cocky tone and rolled his eyes a bit. "Oh and thank you Harshpaw, help would be great." He said as he leaned forward to take the squirrel off the apprentices paws, grasping it between his teeth Moonpool plopped the prey down at his own paws.

He took a bite after Harshpaw began to direct his attention away from him for a moment, his ears perked up as the grey cat spoke and with a rough swallow the orange tom glanced up at him. "There is some extra moss over in the corner that needs to be used soon if you are getting on those..... someone brought it in but never got around to cleaning out the nest, beetle brains." He told the young cat before beginning to work at his prey slowly again.

[Gentleheart]

Gentleheart rolled her eyes at her denmate, but her heart held no foul emotion for the tom. She was too old to get upset over things like this anyways. "You're getting fat in your old age," she teased, tail tip flicking in a good natured way.
With a smile to the apprentice, the elder purred her thanks. It had been far too long since the elders had received the company of even kits looking for a story, much less apprentices taking care of the tasks that were distant and hazy memories in an elder's mind. With a little bit of distaste in herself, Gentleheart realized she wasn't doing a very good job of keeping herself updated on the newest TreeClanners. "It's nice to see young cats with such a work ethic," she purred in that motherly tone she had acquired years ago, "What's your name, dear?"

[Deleted]

The apprentice's whiskers twitched with the faintest traces of amusement as he listened to the elders bicker teasingly. It must be nice to retire peacefully and spend the rest of your days just relaxing with a good friend. Harshpaw nodded his thanks to Moonpool and trotted over to the pile of moss; at least this would save him the trouble of going out to gather a fresh supply. He immediately grabbed some, then moved to clean out the nests. Carefully removing the old bedding from Moonpool's nest, he kept an ear angled toward the two older cats.

He glanced over when Gentleheart spoke. "Oh, my name is Harshpaw. It's nice to meet you," the tom meowed with a grin.

It didn't take very long to finish removing the old moss; he set it aside and filled the shell with fresh bedding before moving on to Gentleheart's nest. Harshpaw noticed that there were a few other nests in the den; he wasn't really sure who they belonged to, though.

[Moonpool]

Moonpool finished his meal quick, he though of offering a bit to Gentleheart after a while but if she was hungry she could always send Harshpaw out again or get some on her own. The tom scratched a small coat of dirt over the remains out of instinct, he would get rid of the bones later when they did not have a visitor. He licked his jaws with a rough swipe of his tongue before padding over to the apprentice .

"Thank you Harshpaw, do not forget Rainfeather's nest over there " He mewed as he leaned over to sniff at the new moss nest with a curious nose. It smelled fresher than the old bedding for sure and did not smell much of cat yet. He gave a satisfied purr as he prodded the nest with one shaky paw, feeling the nest had been lined well.