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alien-frontier · 1 year

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Juan Ruiz

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alien-frontier · 1 year

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The Pinecone

Shadymoss walked back and fourth, brushing the debris of dried and dead leaves with his tail that were too small to pick up--and a task Shadymoss just did not have the patience for-- to a spot by the den's wall, making a pile that would be easier to remove.

"You know you're just going to have to get all those leaves out of your tail fur right." Bishop-- a kittypet who Shadymoss and his fellow clanmates sometimes meet along the border with unclaimed territory, which is surprising given how far Bishop's den is--currently is resting in a nest after angering a beehive. "I can help you if you'd like." He added with a tired purr.

"Mhm." Shadymoss responded as he continued adding to the pile.

Suddenly a clamor of, "Shadymoss! Shadymoss!"s sounded out from his den and soon the group of kits responsible for the noise burst into the den, full of high energy. Even Shimmerkit, who usually always sticks by his mother, was out with energy matching his three other siblings.

"What can I do for you? And watch the pile please."

"Can we help you?" "Are there any herbs you want us to gather?" "Oh oh oh! Can we play mossball?" "If we play mossball one more time I'm going to stick it in your nose!"

Molekit and Rosekit looked expectantly at Shadymoss while Antkit and Shimmerkit broke into a play fight.

"Hey hey now, I have a patient in here that needs rest. Lets continue this outside." The kits waited for Shadymoss to leave the den-- all of which followed as soon as he was out-- and sat down thinking for a bit on what to busy the kits with. He did normally have them "gather herbs" which were really just cleaning up weeds or picking up the dead leaves that fell during leaf-fall, things to make the camp a little neater; not necessary by the slightest but the kits have fun doing it and other clanmates don't mind.

"How about this? There are some plants growing around the elder's den that have been bothering them, if I go ask for their permission, would you be up for removing them?" The other day he had overheard Tawnyfrog complaining about the wind blowing dandelion fuzz, making him sneeze "all damn day". Probably an overreaction but nonetheless it's something to do.

To his surprise, not all kits were on broad and with a mischievous glint in his eye, Antkit said what was on his mind. "I don't want to remove them...unless there's a prize!"

"A prize? Why do you need a prize, greedy-ears?" Rosekit sneered.

"I'm not greedy! I just want it to be more fun and a prize will do just that!" Rosekit rolled her eyes at Molekit's response.

"Well before we settle on a prize, how about I go ask the elders if they'll be okay with you all snooping around their den?" Shadymoss got up from his spot, heading over to the elder's den after all four kits gave their nods of approval.

Sticking his head through the ivy that covered the entrance to the den and seeing that all three elders were awake, he asked the question. "Would you mind if the kits pulled out the dandelions around the den?"

"A 'good afternoon' would have been nice." Tawnyfrog grumbled.

"They are more than welcome to!" Curlyleaf meowed pleasantly, shooting a side glance at Tawnyfrog.

Shadymoss felt a tug on his tail. "So what's the prize?"

"Oh, it's like that." Curlyleaf purred in amusement at the sounds of the prize-demanding kits-- who Shadymoss remembers where mostly against the idea of a prize. "By the way you're all acting, your prize will be that you kept your ears!"

The kits quieted down after that and Shadymoss backed out of the den.

"Is there anything you kits would like as your prize- that's not an early apprenticeship?" Shadymoss added as he could almost see the sentence forming around Rosekit's head, who looked at the ground disappointedly.

"Why would you even want to be an apprentice? As kits we get to play games all day! I want to be a kit forever!" Molekit meowed energetically.

"Not at the rate you're growing!" Curlyleaf called out.

"Darn." Molekit muttered under his breath.

It was Shimmerkit who spoke up next, walking up next to Shadymoss. "We want that." The kit got onto his hindlegs and pointed with his nose in the direction of a big pinecone that hung from the pine tree just above the leader's den.

"You...want a pinecone?" Shadymoss asked hesitantly. They could have asked for a certain prey or a badger ride but...they want a pinecone...

The other kits looked at The Pinecone almost has if it's their first time seeing it.

"Yea! We want that one!"

Shadymoss blinked. "We live in a pine forest with tons of pinecones, does it have to be," he looked back at The Pinecone, he could get it, if he strained and stood on his hindlegs, "that one?"

"Uh-huh!" The kits collectively meowed their agreements on how it had to be that pinecone, The Pinecone.

With a sigh from the depths of his very soul, Shadymoss agreed. "But, only if Cobwebstar says it's okay for me to climb up his den and grab you guys The Pinecone."

"Go ask! Go ask!" The kits urged him and as he reluctantly made his way over to the tumble of stones that made both the leader's den and where he called clan meetings from.

Cobwebstar was more of a thoughts over feelings sort of cat, doing things that would benefit the health of the clan over the heart- at least that's the best way Shadymoss could describe it. He hated to disappoint the kits with the news that they couldn't get their pinecone, The Pinecone, but he knew there were other things they could earn as a fun prize; and he spent the short time it took to get to Cobwebstar's den and ask him the question, to think of what the new prize could be for the kits.

"Sure, sounds fun."

"What." Shadymoss blinked, absent-minded and taken aback by its answer.

"Hm? It shouldn't be too difficult, I've seen other cats- shorter than you- reach the branch it grows on. Glad you're making time to have fun with the kits."

Huh? Not only did Shadymoss not at all expect Cobwebstar to be okay with it but...other cats climbed the leader's den? Why in Starclan's green fields would any cat have any reason to climb all the way up there? And before Shadymoss knew it he was already back near the elder's den, with all four kits looking at him with excitement shining in their eyes. ...Did I say goodbye?

"So? What did he say?" Shimmerkit asked, swapping eager looks with his siblings.

I have to climb the leader's den to get a pinecone for these kits. I better not fall. "The kit to gather the most dandelions wins and," all the kits moved forward and kit-step as he continued, "I'll climb up and get the pinecone."

"Yes!" "I'm going to gather the most!" "No I am!"

The kits meowed excitedly among each other but Molekit stayed in place, looking at Shadymoss still. "It's The Pinecone."

"...Huh?"

"The Pinecone. It's not just any ordinary pinecone Shadymoss. It's The Pinecone."

"Go join your siblings so I can get this over with." Shadymoss meowed in a stern tone as Molekit scampered over to join his siblings. Kits. He was glad to be spending this much time with them though, especially knowing how Rosekit wants to be his apprentice; she's mostly the reason her littermates come into his den. As well as another reason that's a bit too painful for Shadymoss to remember.

"Alright! Before we start!" Shadymoss meowed clearly to the kits as they all gathered behind the elder's den, Antkit looked up from splashing in the small stream that was also there.

"As every game has, there are some rules to follow, you break any and you're out. Is that clear?"

"Spiketongue and I will watch since I know you have a guest in your den." Curlyleaf and the other elder walked around the corner to join the others, there was a slight hint of something in Curlyleaf's meow that Shadymoss didn't quite pick up on. Are they trying to tease me about something.

"...Alright, Curlyleaf and Spiketongue will watch and make sure no one breaks any of these rules." Shadymoss goes over and explains the rules to the kits that he can tell are just itching to get ready and start the game.

"And go!"

AN: ending this here :) Just a lil short story I thought about and couldn't stop thinking about so I wrote it (at 5 am i see the sun....i need to sleep). I hope those who read this enjoy it as much as i did writing it. Shadymoss :)

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alien-frontier · 2 years

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alien-frontier · 2 years

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alien-frontier · 2 years

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alien-frontier · 2 years

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hey KH1 fans wanna see instant regret from a newbie

I'm... Gonna go to the final area first....

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alien-frontier · 2 years

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i’m always like “i can’t wait to feel good and confident and grow into the best, healthiest version of me!!!!!” while doing horrible acts of self sabotage like girl it doesn’t work like that u are pressing the gas and brake at the same time stop it

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alien-frontier · 2 years

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