xx. sage arrives

[SHADE. :D]

The longlegged figure of Runespell appeared in the entrance of the BrightClan camp. He shook a small aspen leaf from his pelt, turning around to make sure Sage and Leopardflight were following. The tabby tom approched Sorrowstar's den. Standing at the entrance, he called; "Sorrowstar, it's Leopardflight an Runespell. Can we come in?"

[(aurora) of the problematique]

^{Black ears and socks melted against the dark bark of the tree behind him. Sage looked around timidly, catching smells of cats. Runespell had gone ahead and told him to wait at the aspen. He curled up in silence, hoping no cat demanded why he was here. He wished Aurora and the others were here, even Hollow, who scared him even though the cub was usually asleep. Runespell was a friend of Aurora, so Sage trusted the other tabby somewhat.}

[fernie. (:]

Leopardflight gave Sage an encouraging look as she padded into the camp behind Runespell.

[Spice..xx]

Mousekit peeped out of the nursery at the sound of Runespells voice. She purred, happy that her parents were home. Stretching she padded forward a few steps but then stopped. There was a strange cat in the corner of the camp! She stared at it for a moment before racing back inot the den. She skidded to a stop beside her brothers and sisters. "Theres a strange cat in camp! Mommys with it!" she said excitedly, almost bouncing on the ground. She looked at them all eagerly. "Can we go see it pwease?!" she asked, not wanting to go alone.

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[(aurora) of the problematique]

^{Sage smiled at Leopardflight warmly until he saw the brown kit. At that, he whimpered nervously, flattening himself to the ground. He backed up, peeking out from behind the aspen. The kit had run off back into her den. He breathed out a long sigh.}

[SHADE. :D]

Pecankit appeared beside her sister. The fluffy tabby smiled kindly at the newcomer. She frowned when he shrank away. "We'd better not," she mewed to Mousekit, sounding a little disappointed. "The newcomers never like us at first. You didn't, when you first arrived." Pecankit hissed playfully, batting at Mousekit's ears, Sage forgotten.

[(aurora) of the problematique]

^{Sage poked out his head from behind the tree. "W-w-who are you?" he asked timidly, black ears bending back. While he was still bent on the ground, he was a bit curious to who the kittens are. They were younger than he was and the other kit looked like Runespell. He came out timidly.}

[SHADE. :D]

Pecankit brightened slightly. "Hi, I'm Pecankit," she twitched her muzzle politely. "This is my sister, Mousekit. She was new like you a few moons ago." The tabby batted at her sister's ear playfully. "Don't worry, everyone's nice here. Ryekit and Grainkit will like you too. Their my brothers. I wonder where Hazelkit's got to? She was here a minute ago." The kit looked around for her sister.

[(aurora) of the problematique]

^{Sage waved his paw at Pecankit and Mousekit. "M-my name is Sage. I'm here with Runespell. He's a friend of my mother's," he said, slowly building up courage as he slowly walked out. "I'm about eight moons old. How old are you two?" He sat down by them, licking his paw to relieve some of his nervousness.}

[Spice..xx]

Mousekit batted Pecankits ears back. She drew herself up nervously as the strange cat appeared again. She watched wide eyed with Pecankit. She waited until he had finished and then spoke. "Runespell is my dad! And Pecankits and the others. Im nearly 3 moons old." she said proudly, her neing slightly older than the rest of the litter as she had been a rogue.

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[fernie. (:]

Leopardflight turned round, noticing that Sage hadn't followed. 'C'mon! It's alright, no-one will hurt you.' she mewed.

Hazelkit came bursting out of the nursery and landed squarely on Pecankit's back. 'Ha!' she yowled in triumph, then rolled off when she saw the newcomer. 'Hiya. My names Hazelkit. What's yours? Wanna be friends?' she asked with wide eyed innocence.

[Spice..xx]

Mousekit jumped when Hazelkit exploded on to the scene. She giggled at her sister playfully and then flicked her with her tail. "Thats Sage. His Mommy is friends with Daddy." Mousekit announced, looking at Sage with interest. She then heard her mother. "My Mommy is calling you, i think she wants you to follow her." she said, flicking her tail in the direction of her mothers voice.

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[(aurora) of the problematique]

^{Sage nearly spazzed out into the boughs of the aspen when Hazelkit had come out of nowhere, but luckily recovered in time to nod shakily at Pecankit and Mousekit. "N-n-nice to meet you," he said meekly, padding off after Leopardflight. The scars on his belly were exposed when he ran to her.}

[SHADE. :D]

Pecankit rolled over and pinned her sister. "Ha to you, clumsypaws!" The little tabby leapt off of her sister. "Bye!" She called to Sage. "Nice meeting you!" The kit leapt at Mousekit, hissing playfully. She was determined to forget her dream, if only for one day.

[fernie. (:]

Hazelkit shook her head. 'He smells kinda funny.' she remarked. Then she came up to Mousekit and joined in the tussle. She leapt on top of Pecankit again who was hissing playfully at Mousekit.

[Spice..xx]

Mousekit squealed as Pecankit leapt on top of her. The weight doubled as Hazelkit too joined in. She squirmed and wriggled, trying to get free before finally rolling over, sending her sisters sprawling to the ground. She sat up and licked a paw demurely. "Hazelkit thats rude!" she said as Sage was still in earshot.Once he had gone though she said "Yeah he does kinda." she giggled. Mousekit watched him bound after her mother and saw his scars. "Oh! Look at his tummy,its all scratched!" she gasped,looking at her sisters with wide eyes.

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[fernie. (:]

'Well he smells different to the Clan cats. It's not my fault if it smells like fox-dung.' she said, giggling.

[(aurora) of the problematique]

^{Sage flinched when he heard what the kits had said. "They smell funny to me too, I guess," he mumbled to himself as he padded after Leopardflight. "Leopardflight, do I get to meet your Leader today?"}

[trissea]

Ryekit stumbled out of the nursery with a huge yawn, and blinked at his surroundings blearily. He puffed out his chest and bounded over to Pecankit and Mousekit. "What's the racket all about?" His tabby pelt was shining; he'd been given a bath recently.

Pansyleaf trotted into the camp with a squirrel and vole in her jaws, both limp and rather plump. She let them drop onto the fresh-kill pile and chose a large mouse, sitting near a thicket of bracken. She looked warily at the new, nervous, strange-smelling tabby, narrowed her eyes, and nodded quietly at him. She wanted no trouble, just to eat. Her silver tabby pelt was ruffled from the wind when she'd been hunting; when she finished her prey she groomed for a while.

[Spice..xx]

Mousekit turned to her brother. " Theres a new cat. Hazelkit says he smells like fox dung." she giggled, looking at her sister.

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[trissea]

Ryekit shook his head at Hazelkit. "That was pretty mean, Hazelkit. He's brand new." His valiant persona showing through his tabby face. He felt bad for Sage. But he'd have to learn: that's how Hazelkit was. She meant well.

[fernie. (:]

Hazelkit's face fell. 'I suppose it was pretty mean. Should I go and apologise?' she asked quietly.

[SHADE. :D]

Pecankit wriggled out from beneath her sisters' wriggling bodies. She heard Hazelkit's comment and gasped. "Hazelkit!" She looked apolegetically at Sage. "Yes. I think you should." Noticing her brother, Pecankit regained her playful mood and leapt on him. "Hi Ryekit!" she yowled.

[(aurora) of the problematique]

^{Sage waved gamely at the kits one final time before continuing off after Leopardflight. "Leopardflight, I'm gonna stay out here with Pecankit, kay?" he asked, smiling nervously at the she-kit. He didn't wait for a response from the she-cat when he bounded back to the kits. "Hey, can I change my name to be like yours? It would be Sagekit, right? Maybe I'm too old, I guess," he said, the last part quietly.}

[trissea]

Ryekit was about to answer Hazelkit when he was knocked down by Pecankit. He lost his breath for a moment, and batted at his sister with sheathed paws. He imagined they looked like a ball of rolling mewling tabby fur. He pushed out with his back paws, scrabbling with his claws in at Pecankits' soft stomach fur, careful not to push to hard. She was feirce!

[fernie. (:]

Hazelkit padded up to Sage. 'I'm sorry, I didn't mean what I said. You just smell different to the Clan cats.' she said apologetically.

Leopardflight lingered for a second. She didn't know wether this new cat should come with her or not. 'Runespell...'

[(aurora) of the problematique]

^{"It's...it's okay," Sage said, waving it off before calling to Ryekit and Pecankit. "Mind if I play too?" He tackled Ryekit too, rearing with paws up high to make himself look bigger. Unable to keep up the I'm-bigger-than-you act, Sage burst out laughing, as he lay rolling onto his back. He leapt onto Pecankit, batting at her paws playfully. Aurora was right: he did belong here...}

[Spice..xx]

"Me too!" Mousekit squealed, leaping into the wriggling mass of cats. She hissed and spat with the rest, not knowing who it was she was fighting throughout the whole time. She jumped on Sage's back and covered his eyes with her paws."Hahaha You cant see!" she mrrowed cheekily, trying to stay on top of the Quick moving cat.

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[(aurora) of the problematique]

^{Sage yowled in pained surprise when the kit landed on his scarred belly, and he rolled over, batting aside Mousekit. He pushed his head into her chest. "Please don't do that," he said, voice trembling. "That hurts..."}

[SHADE. :D]

Pecankit giggled explosively as Ryekit tumbled over and over with her. She wriggled free, batting at his cheek with a paw. Shaking herself, she answered Sage. "You'd be an apprentice. Sagepaw." The tabby kit watched Sage playing with Mousekit. Her eyes widened. "She didn't mean to hurt you," Pcankit defended her sister. She knew Mousekit would never hurt another intentionally.
Runespell shook his head. "Leave them to play," the tabby mewed, pressing his nose against his mate's soft gold muzzle. "He needs to get to know them. It'll ne good for him to have some friends in BrightClan."