Never far from home (parentals)

[Echopaw]

(This be for Spruceclaw and Sandstone it is a mandatory do not eat your daughter spruceclaw I don't care if you're hungry! thread, that you don't actually both have to join if you do not wish to. Hehe, so not so mandatory...)

Echo hadn't even met her father yet. Or conversed with anyone other than her mama and Flutterkit. It was a little off, for her. Especially seeing as she looks and feels so different. Of course, she did have another sister who looked different too, but she had a bit of brown on her at least. Not Echo. From her dark gray tabby pelt with a little white nose, to her bright electric blue eyes, she looked nothing like her family. And there was the matter of her scent. She didn't smell like the clan, and certainly didn't share the same scent of her mother and siblings. She felt so...estranged. Yet still, she bounds around the nursery like a spring lamb on steroids.

Pausing by the den entrance, young Echo can't help but wonder what it's like outside the nursery. She'd never dared set paw outside before, for fear of getting in the way of the Warriors and apprentices. Yet in the midday heat of early green-leaf, it's apparent even to her that the camp is basically deserted. Of course, there are a few cats lazing around, mostly elders and kits, along with a pawful of warriors and maybe one or two apprentices. The young feline blows softly out of her nose, determined to be brave and exit her little safety zone. She'd explored every claw mark of the nursery, and it was too stuffy and overcrowded in the waking hours. And so she allows the scents of daily life to tickles her glands as she peers around nervously.

One paw at a time, she slowly slinks out of the cover of the nursery, and into the Rockclan camp. Her eyes are wide, almost like a doe in headlights, and she peers around in awe. No doubt, she'll get used to this place to the point it seems boring, but to such a young a tiny kit, the scents and sights are so new and enticing. Yet one sight draws her in like a magnet, as her eyes at repay to the form of her mother. Bounding along the edge of the clearing, she stops before her and offers a wide and toothy grin. "Look mama! I did it! I'm in the camp!" She giggles slightly, caught up in her awe and exitement as her tail waves slightly, eyes flitting from den to den.

[Sandstone]

Sorry For my lateness! Youth hunt today and I was huntin all day!)


Sandstone hadn't done much since having her second litter of kits. She knew that her mate, Spruceclaw had been busy as normal on hunting and border patrols. The only thing that concerned her was if Spruceclaw was reconsidering being her mate and going out to see Asterheart. Countless times her mate had told her that he wouldn't leave her, but she still had doubt forming in the gut. Why couldn't her life be easier?

Sand watched from a rock that rested in the sun as her kit Echo tried making her way out of the nersery. She couldn't help but pur loudly as her kit made it out. Well done, darling! She purred moving into a more sitting position to watch as her kit gave a toothy grin. She couldn't help but feel guilty about not telling Echo she was adopted. It couldn't be more obvious, she had such a smoky grey pelt that she couldn't track to any kin of her nor Spruceclaw. Your father would/will be so proud! She purred.

[Echopaw]

(No problem. Since the thread is not mandatory for Spruce as well, and he has not been mentioned as being present, I think we'll just keep on with the thread and let him join when he has time if he wants to )

Echo purrs happily, her bright blue orbs scanning everything around her in complete awe. The cats aren't necacarily any more impressive than the queens and fathers she sees, yet still, she can't help but gape out how many there are. The other dens were all quite similar to the nursery, cosy looking and following some sort of sleeping agenda she didn't yet understand. Her gaze swept over everything within sight, taking it all in. Most dens weren't as well protected as theirs, and from this angle she couldn't see the leader's den past the freshkill pile. Yet one den catches her attention the most. It's surprisingly a decent side, hidden out of the way of everything. There seemed to be no cats near it, and whatever was screening the entrance blocked her vision of the inside. It had a strange smell, or many, perhaps. One of them reminded her of some of the herbs queens and kits received at times. Like the yucky herbs she hazily remembered receiving as a kitten, yet her eyes hadn't been open yet, so she couldn't be sure. She'd been sick then, and she remembered crying as the scent of milk teased her along with the strange scent of a cat she didn't know. Was that how all kittens started out? Her siblings had seemed to recognise their mother straight away.

"Is that where my herbs came from as a little kit, mama?" Of course she was still little, and a kit, yet those particualar facts seemed irrelevant to her as she gestured toward the medicine den and peered at Sandstorne with barely contained curiosity. When her mother went on to congratulate her, she trilled a purr and grinned. "Its so...big!" Not really, but this was the biggest place she'd ever seen in her lifespan, so her reaction was understandable. Echo lifts one hesitant paw, considering exploring. The scents are almost overwhelming, and she isn't really sure where she'd go, with all the big cats she could get in the way of. She freezes for a moment, tilts her head, and seemingly thinks better of it, trotting back to her mother's side.

The young she-kit is midway through trying to climb onto the rock, when her mother speaks. Her ears perk up to listen, before she backs off the rock and peers down at her paws at the mention of her father. She felt a little deserted, not seeing him. She knew she looked nothing alike to him, and she'd heard murmurs of her looking like another cat her father was apparently with. Could her father like two cats? Could this other cat mpbe her mother instead? No. Sandstone loved her. Yet the lingering question of 'why am I so different?' settles upon her mind once more. Peering up at her mother, she allows slight curiosity to mask her uncertainty as she peers into the queen's eyes, attempting to gourge her reaction. "Mama, can I ask you a question?"

(Edit: So that no one gets confused, we'll pop a posting order going Echo, Spruce, Sand, since after sand posts that'll be the most recent order. Just so no one is left behind. And no problem Spruce, and welcome to our little party *waves*)

[Spruceclaw]

(*Clears throat* can i but in here or are you 2 gonna have a moment?)

Spruceclaw bound back into camp after a long and somewhat tiring hunt. As he rushed through the camp his fur rippled over his well toned,firm muscles and he panted heavily for a few moments as he dropped his kill on the pile for someone to indulge in later. After catching his breath he scanned the area until his eyes came to rest on a sandy she cat. he purred as he made his way across the camp to her stopping to look down at the bundle of fur that was perched halfway up the rock that sandy had claimed. he purred as he reached down to pick his kit up by the scruff and move her the rest if the way up the rock that sandy was resting on to let her down next to her mother. "Well look who's out and about."he mewed gazing over to his young kit before giving her a smile.

(This is the kinda thread i need to get me active again. Ill delete this post if I'm not welcome anymore. and sorry if him picking her up was a bit of power playing just felt natural for old spruce but i will amend it if necessary.)

[Sandstone]

Sandstone looked down at her young kit as Flutter's gaze landed on the medicine cats den. Memories of how the young kit was hurried into the den right away made her mentally frown. She remembered how scared she was, and the fact that they had adopted young Flutter, scared her much more. She turned her emerald green gaze back to the young kit and gave a soft smile. Yes, it is where you got your herbs. Her meow was soft, almost like a whisper. She didn't want to tell the young one why she had to go there, the reason made her and her mate some what sad. 

Speaking of her mate she noticed the tom she loved bounding into camp and turning to dart towards her. She smiled happily to him when another question was given from the young kit. Well not really a question, just a wonded statement as she let her head lower to her. Of course you can, ask away. She meowed as she watched Spruceclaw lift the young one so Flutter was sitting right next to her. She just hoped the question wasn't about Flutter's apperance.

[Echopaw]

(Sorry Sandy, you're out of luck... |Echo: *cringes away from her mother and asks dreaded question* | lol. Also sorry for late reply, in short, school sucks)

Echo still couldn't help but wonder exactly why she had to go there. Why she had to get those herbs, and why all she remembered from her early days were being weak and cold and hungry. Always hungry, even when she wasn't so cold. Yet those herbs had made her better, right? She should be glad for them. And yet peering over at the den caused a prickle of uneasiness. Turning back to her mother, she almost missed her whispered confirmation, and she allows her head to tilt slightly, portraying her confusion at her mother's soft tone. It sounded almost, submissive...the kitten quickly shakes this thought off and peers up at her mother. "Well, I hope I don't have to go back there again." And then catching her mother's sad look, she decides to add another comment as an after thought. "Its okay mama, I'm fine now. Right?" her own gaze is a little uncertain as she peers up at the queen, yet no less hopeful.

The child is jolted from her thoughts as another cat bounds over. Instantly, the kitten cowers away slightly, ears flitting back as she peers up at the stranger with wide blue eyes. Yet said eyes have already begun slowly registering why this cat seems familiar. His scent...his looks...A wide grin splits across Echo's maw and she releases a slight giggle at her own reaction. "Papa! I haven't seen you in ages!" She cries, bounding forward to give him a lick on the cheek, only to be scooped up and placed upon the rock. She giggles again and reaches out to bop him on the nose with a tiny white paw, her ears twitching forward and her eyes scanning him to lock his features into her memory. She didn't see him enough, and so she needed to memorise him so this lapse in recognition would never happen again.

Turning her attention back to her mother at her go ahead, Echo cringes inwardly at the question she was about to ask. Originally, she was going to chicken out and ask why she never seemed to see father, yet at his joining them she realised such a question was no longer appropriate. And so she sits down upon the rock, takes a steadying breath, and dives right into what's been troubling her so deeply. "Am I someone else's kit? Because the other kits say that cause I look different, I must be adopted. Is that true?" Though she wants the truth, her pained face that basically begs them to disprove this fact is not exactly very convincing. Oh how she hopes she is their child as she has been told by them that she is. She doesn't even yet know what adopted is, and she's not sure she wants to find out. Yet the lingering thought that she might not be theirs, because she's just so...different...She feels a pang of trepidation as she shuffles her paws and avoids the gazes of her parents.

(Oh, when they finally tell her when she's older, she's going to be devastated, poor Bub. |Echo: B-but you said...you said...you lied to me?| Poor child, I'm so mean)

[Sandstone]

Sandstone listened as her kit spoke of never wanting to go back into that den. Agreeing with that because that would pain her so bad to see her kit back in the den. It was still a reaccuring nightmare in fact. Darling I hope you never have to set a paw in there again either. She meowed giving Flutter a caring lick on the cheek. She felt a smile grow on her pale ginger face when Spruceclaw was brought into the conversation. The young one deserved to speak with her father. She didn't have the heart to tell her that one day they wouldn't be here. That though was for another day.

Suddenly the horrible question came....hed kit asked where she came from. Her heart began to ache and question, should she lie or no? It was impossible to deside as she looked at Spruceclaw and then gulped. Well, just because you don't look like us doesn't mean your not our kit. It's possible you got your looks from an ancestor. She meowed feeling completely guilty. Feel pride in that, ignore what the other kits say. 

[Spruceclaw]

(Okay I'm just gonna role with what we discussed in the messages)
After spruceclaw had sat his daughter down between them he had stretched himself out in the warm sun. he stretched and flexed his aching mussels exposing himself to the full warmth that the sun provided. although echo and sandy's conversation continued spruce was allowing himself to sink into a gentle and calm daze. It was at this moment that his eyelids started to slip as he lost himself in total peace,not asleep but in a mental haze.
As he sat he had intently listened to their conversation. he never had any input on what they were saying but the sound of the two conversing was soothing to him. he sighed to himself as he was content. as their conversation continued so did spruces mental haze he had no input to give on the twos current conversation. not because he didn't care but simply because he knew little of their chosen subject and would only dull their conversation. as the discussion moved on he was snapped from the haze when the conversation had reached a lull on Sandy's part. this made his eyes snap open as he analyzed what the two were discussing before the break in conversation. echo had asked a question about her appearance and the other kits. he knew not why sandy hesitated on what should have been a simple question. so he instead replied to his daughter. "Don't worry about it, echo. the other kits are just jealous of how beautiful you are." he mewed reaching down to touch his muzzle to hers as he gave her a assuring smile and licked her between the ears. Hopefully that would move the conversation along some but it wouldn't move his anger along. he wasnt happy that other kits were picking on his own. he would have to discuss the subject with their parents and if that didn't work he would take discipline upon himself. The clan needed to teach discipline to their kits at a young age.

(Whoo *wipes sweat off forehead* i probably used the word conversation about 15 times, feel free to correct me.)

[Echopaw]

(Nine precisely, if you count both conversing and conversation, which I did. lol.)

Echo payed much attention to the fact her father didn't respond to her, instead merely smiling and laying down. Yet as he closed his eyes and seemingly slipped into a sun warmed daze, she decided he must simply be tired. And so she grants him a lick on the ear, not really minding the lack of speaking with him. She just wanted him to be here with her and Sandstone. Twitching her ears, she turns her attention back to her mother to continue their discussion. Not that it was much of one.

There must be something bad about that den, Echo decides. She just didn't want to go in their because she was sick at the time and the herbs tasted yucky, yet she didn't fear the den. After all, it had made her better, right? Yet her mother seemed adamant about her never going in there again, which made the child frown slightly, uncertain. Yet as he mother caresses her cheek with a gentle lick, the child both giggles and squirms away from her mother. "Mama!" She squeals, still giggle as she pulls away, yet she does return the lick and seats herself back between her parents.

Her mother looked nervous, like she did sometimes when she though she'd done something wrong, or perhaps had. Yet why would she look like that? No one was going to scold her for answering a question. Unless...was it true? No. Of course not. She shakes off the thought just as her mother speaks, and she eyes her dubiously yet nods, trying her best to look reassured. "Okay mama, I believe you" She meted, and realised that this much was true. She believed her mother wholeheartedly, because what need would she have to lie to her? The kitten's eyes flick to her father as he speaks up, and she cants helps but smile and nuzzle him happily. "You think so?" She asks, turning in a circle to observe herself before sitting back down. Perhaps they were right, the other kits were just being silly. That made much more sense, right? But still..."When can I be an apprentice?" She asks, swiftly changing the subject with a hopeful look.

[Spruceclaw]

Spruceclaw smiled at both of them. "Of course i do" he responded. "After all, you're your mothers daughter." he purred giving sandy a wink. Spruceclaw loved these moments that he and his family shared it would often brighten his entire day. he smiled as his daughter brought up apprenticeship. "Soon baby girl, soon. just be patient and maby you'll impress one of the great warriors." He mewed giving her a reassuring grin. He stretched again exposing his muscles to the sunlight and closing his eyes in contempt.