Hailpaw's kits

[Ten]

Tinykit peeked around Hailpaw's leg, looking out at Rainstripe. She wasn't acting like the rest of the grown-ups, all scary and invasive. She seemed shy... even hurt, and although he flinched and squealed at the sound of her agonized screech, it seemed like she needed help. So he tottered out over to her, much farther from his mother than he realized, and blinked up at her with big, blue kitten eyes. "Wuz wrong, laydee?"

[Gosh]

'Hey,' Bronzefoot thought, 'I know her. That's that batbrain who blurted out something about the Rebellion in front of Woodstripe!' He hadn't been paying attention to her one-sided conversation with the white tom before, but something had obviously gone awry; she was acting crazier than ever. "What in the walls?" he muttered.

[Thistle]

Locustkit started, the sharp noise unfamiliar as it rang in her ears. She didn't like the she-cat who screeched and acted so... strangely. And so unlike Tinykit, who approached the stranger, she backed away, the fur on her nape standing up. "I dun' like her. She'z a weirdo," she whispered at her brother, who was a tail-length in front of her now. She watched him speak to Rainstripe with flattened ears but a sparked interest. Maybe the she-cat was just crazy. She sure acted like it.

[duckyaisha]

Dingypaw had been thinking about Bronzefoot and whether or not he was telling the truth; whether he was actually a con or not and it was all in her head. After all, if he was a con it was all too likely that he was also a spy for whatever the cons were planning. She didn't have any proof yet, but she knew the cons wouldn't lie down and accept the Experiment. They'd panic, thinking this would eventually lead to a real Clan, and they'd try to do something about it. You could bet your tail on it.

But Rainstripe's panicked screamed and jerky movements interrupted her thoughts and she was flung back into reality. One of the kits, of course she didn't remember its name, was wandering towards her as if to comfort the poor she-cat. Bad idea. The old, grizzled she-cat saw the look in her eyes, a hardened, colder version of what they must look like when hunting. Rainstripe had issues, she knew, but this- she didn't even know what was going on.

One think she did know was that the kit wasn't safe. Her legs screamed at her as she bolted to her paws and dashed toward the kit, knocking it to the ground away from Rainstripe. Exertion made her chest heave and legs tremble; she had pushed her decaying body hard and was paying for it now. But at least the kit was safe.

[Ten]

Before Tinykit knew what was happening, his gray head hit the hard ground and he was on his side. The pain was sudden and, although not much, more than he had ever experienced. "MOMMAAAAA!" he bawled, rolling over onto his stomach with frightened eyes. He felt dizzy, his eyesight swarming around him, but after a moment he recognized that the big old lady cat was right next to him. Had she done this? Meanie! Tinykit yelped and bit his little teeth into her lower leg.

[duckyaisha]

Now that the kit was safe, Dingypaw wasn't focusing most of her energy on watching it. No, her eyes were locked on Rainstripe's convulsing body, though she was at a loss for what to do. Some part of her, perhaps that which had convinced her to perform her random rescue, urged her to comfort the poor she-cat, to calm her down at least somewhat. After all, in this state, Rainstripe had no control over her actions and was very much a threat. It wouldn't be long before she'd end up doing something she'd regret. Despite the obvious benefits of such an action, it would be potentially life-threatening, especially for an aged cat like her. Rainstripe was probably faster, stronger, and more agile, and though Dingypaw had more experience, it didn't seem like such an advantage if Rainstripe could gut her before she could make her first move.
While this internal debate raged, all thoughts of the kit completely left her mind. But even Dingypaw clearly heard the kit's loud, terrified wail, and before she could comprehend what was going on, it had sunk its teeth into her leg. Hissing angrily, Dingypaw had to resist the temptation to fling or tear it off. "Let go you little cricket-brain! I saved your life!" she grunted, hoping her rasping, crackling voice didn't scare the poor kit more. Truthfully, she couldn't blame it for panicking after being tackled and dragged away by a creature that looked more like a corpse than a cat.

[Cloud]

Hailpaw

She groaned, picking up Tinykit and pinning him behind her legs as she sat. "'M verreh sorreh." She said to Dingypaw, then turned a stern gaze on her son. "Bad Tinykit, bad. You no bite cats, you never bite cats. 'Specially cats ya dun know."

Stonekit

The little tom laughed at his brother, seeing him pinned behind their mother's legs.

"Haha! You bad! You in trouble!"

"Ya could be too if ya dun be quiet."

The tabby closed his mouth immediately.

Pebbletail

Ah, here she was. Seeing the queen, the gray con padded over carefully, hoping to stay relatively unnoticed. Wait...she knew that face, if only from hearing about it. Hailpaw. Of course. Well, she'd just have to be careful. She'd talk to her fellows first.

Quietly stepping over to the tabby, white, and gray trio, she whsipered, "Who are those cats around Hailpaw, and what do they want?"

Drabheart

Frozenheart had rejected her. Of course he had. Now what would they do?

Talk to Pebbletail, evidently. But why was she so interested in this little gathering? Well, he hadn't been paying attention, admittedly...

"Um, the old one's Dingypaw, and I think the tom's called Bronzefoot, and that's all I know." he whispered back.

[Gosh]

ooc| aaaaaaaaaargh I'm sorry about being, what is it? Two and a half months late? This is possibly an all time low.

bic|

Bronzefoot made a decision that he rather thought he might regret. I have to, he thought, trying to justify himself. It's too early to give myself away. Can't make Dingypaw suspicious... He cleared his throat and stepped towards Hailpaw. "Excuse me," he began, "but I was just about to leave and find Spiderstripe when I heard a bit of Dingypaw's conversation with you earlier. To get straight to the point, I was wondering what your opinions were on joining the Experiment." He hated himself, hated himself very much for going through with this plan. These kits were very, very impressionable... but perhaps, with the rest of the Rebellion, he could strike down the Experiment and all other formations resembling Clans, or wannabe Clans.

[duckyaisha]

Ooc: Don't worry, Gosh. I'm just as late as you are. Was Cloud's salescat ever here? I forgot...
Bic: The bronze tom spoke, providing a welcome excuse for DIngypaw to push Rainstripe and her plight to the back of her brain. After all, wasn't it more important to try and get more cats in the Experiment? Then they too could enjoy all the benefits of a Clan. It wouldn't be hard to coerce a mother with new kits; she had been in Hailpaw's place before and knew how difficult it was to raise kits. She'd had her mate to help, though, while the unfortunate Hailpaw had no one. "The Experiment's a good thing. Y'got kits, y'need to feed 'em, and ya ain't got no one to help you, far as I can see. With a Clan, y'don't need to worry, cuz everyone hunts for everyone an' the mothers, kits, an' elders eat first. I don' think it's smart t'try an' feed four kits all by yourself. Spiderstripe'n Woodstripe'll let ya join, promise." While not exactly eloquent, her speech did get the point across. And her conscience was nagging at the back of her brain, telling her to deal with Rainstripe somehow. The gray tabby was lying on her stomach, those wide yellow eyes staring blankly into space, a sure sign that she'd gone completely mad. But her conscience had to fight with her instinct for self-preservation, which had always spoken louder. It was better to have guilt crawling under her skin than claws tearing it open.

[Cloud]

OOC: Nope, Darkfur wasn't here. He's never even met Hailpaw.

Hailpaw

The young queen blinked, her attention moving away from her youngest son. Another she-cat had just arrived and was whispering to the other tabby tom with the crazy gray one and the silent white one. Oh well, it was none of her business. What was her business was the enjoyable feeling of power she had as the mother of these kits who were so apparently valuable.

The future of the Enclosure. Perhaps it was true, for there seemed to be no other queens about. So...the Experiment.

She looked up at the serious tom, sniffing at his unfamiliar smell. "Um, well, it seems like issa good place t'go, y'know? Cause I gots all these kits ta feed'n'all an' it's na'easy t'hunt by m'self." she drawled. Also, there would be plenty of toms in the Experiment for when she was done with these four little ones.

True, she was a con, but frankly, she knew she needed help and she was willing to become a Clanner to get it. Plus, Shortwhisker might be there - she knew he was a Clanner.

Dingypaw's words only convinced her more, and she nodded once the old cat was done speaking. "Ya got me convinced, all right. Lessee if we can find these Wood and Spider kitties."

Drabheart

He didn't know what Pebbletail was planning, and though he was slightly interested in the whole issue about Hailpaw and her kits, he had more important things on his mind. Namely moving Rainstripe to a safer place with less cats. He nudged her gently, and looked at Frozenheart, whispering to his friend that they should move.

Stonekit

The little gray tabby had lost interest in what the adult cats were discussing and began poking at his little brother. "Is you okay?"

Pebbletail

The gray she-cat stood half-hidden by her tabby companion, listening with great interest and anxiety to the Clanners' words. Stones, they were trying to lure this ignorant lizardbrain into joining their pathetic little band, and she was dumb enough to do it.

Time to make the dirtfaces look bad.

"Excuse me" said the gray con, stepping out from behind Drabheart and padding to where the trio was lying/sitting. She could care less about the kits; irritating little balls of fluff. Unfortunately, they would be adults one day and it was her job to make sure their loyalties were not to the Clanners. Four more of their number would be disastrous.

"But Hailpaw, are you really sure you want to join this...Experiment? How you do know the leader is competent and the warriors reliable? You don't know anything except what Dingypaw has told you, and she could easily be lying. Besides," here the she-cat smirked. "do you really want your kits to be brainwashed into serving their aims?"