#ochrebadger

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Moon 1 - Newleaf

Ochrebadger stared down at the herbs crushed under her paws. She couldn't do this, she wasn't good enough. Her thoughts raced as she leaned down, gathering the leaves in her mouth and padded out, tucking the rotten herbs in a hole that was filled with other rotten herbs. Her eyes scanned the camp as she scraped dirt over the hole. Two small, blurry shapes raced through the flowers flourishing around the entrance of the den. A dark gray tabby she-kit pounced on the other kit, rolling around on the ground and into the den. Ochrebadger stuck her head in to watch, making sure the kits didn't touch any of the herbs she had carefully tucked away. The two kits rolled to a stop and the dark gray she-kit jumped off of the other. Yellowkit's eyes were wide as she shook herself, the small little tufts of fur growing around her skin fluffing out. The two kits had rolled right through a pile of marigold and Ochrebadger decided that it was time for her to stop this, she padded in but before the kits even saw her, Yellowkit was nudging the marigold back into a pile. When the kit's eyes caught Ochrebadger she crouched low to the ground.

"I'm so, so sorry, I didn't mean to ruin them." She mewed, her tail scraping the ground.

"It's alright, but you two might want to run back to the nursery, I'm sure Sloepaw is looking for you." She watched the two kits skitter away, thinking that perhaps she should think about making one of them her apprentice, StarClan knows she needs one.

Sloepaw glared at Milkpatch as the two headed out, why did she have to get stuck with the cat who spent all her time fussing over kits and elders? She wanted to be apprenticed to someone who knew how to fight and hunt, not take care of old cats and annoying kits. Milkpatch didn't seem to notice her stare as the she-cat just kept padding along, her eyes staring into nothingness. Stupid she-cat, always blanking out. She hissed quietly, tearing up the grass under her before following Milkpatch again. Her ears twitched and she swiveled them to the noise that she had heard. A small mewl sounded again and she spun to stare at the thunderpath. A kitten was laying on the rough stone, it's head tilted back in a cry.

"Milkpatch, Milkpatch, look!" She hurried towards the kit, her mentor spinning to look in horror. A loud ringing noise thundered over them and Sloepaw skidded back in horror as the monster drove past. She expected to see the crushed body of the kit, instead the kitten was gone. She went sniffing at the edge and saw it, it was a brown tabby she-kit with wide amber eyes that stared up at her. She must have rolled into the bushes because thorns covered her small body.

"Who are you?" She squeaked, blinking rapidly as Milkpatch approached.

"I'm Sloepaw, and this is Milkpatch." Sloepaw sat down, wrapping her tail around the kitten who drew closer to the ground.

"Where are your parents, young one?" Milkpatch asked as she began sniffing the kit.

"I-i don't know! Mama told me that she was taking me on an adventure and then dumped me on that scary path! And then she left, and I waited, thinking Mama would come back but she didn't." The little kitten grew even more distressed, tears welling the corner of her eyes.

"Shh, shh, shh, it's okay, it's okay. We'll take you somewhere safe and then look for your mama, alright?" Sloepaw licked the kit who nodded, not putting up a fight as Milkpatch took her by the scruff. As they padded back towards camp, Sloepaw sniffed around for any scent of a she-cat, but the only thing she found was a trail of kittypet stench leading back to the two-leg nest.

That night, Sloepaw curled around the kit, she had searched the entire day and yet didn't find any cat in the territory, so the clan decided to adopt the kit, and Sloepaw named her Pikekit. And she swore to herself, as she fell asleep, to always protect her.

{Pikekit's sprite}

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