[nindroidzane]

Username: nindroidzane
Cat Name: Wolfkit
Gender: Male
Rank: Kit
Clan: FrostClan
Age: 3 moons
Which kit?: 1
Do you want an apprentice ref?: yes please!
Prompt:
Wolfkit should have friends.

The nursery's been full of other kits since the day he was born. But it seems that none of them ever have any time to play with him. Or, like... speak to him, ever.

Well. Foxkit does pay him some attention sometimes, but that's usually just to make fun of him. She thinks she's so much better than him, even though she's only a couple moons older.

And her sister, Silverkit, isn't much better. Well... she is, in that she doesn't bully him for having short legs, but she does seem to think she's better than him. It feels like they only speak to each other once a moon, and that's not a lot when you've only been alive for a few of them.

Turtlekit and Goosekit are... nicer. They do play with him, sometimes, but he's noticed that's only when he's feeling lonely. He's starting to suspect they're just doing it to make him feel better; they're not really his friends.

But what's really the problem here, he thinks, is his mother.

He's noticed Dustmite and Starsight don't quite treat their kits the same as his mother. None of them are treated badly (at least, he doesn't think so?). But something about the way he's been raised feels different.

His mother's been actively teaching him to hunt, for instance. And it isn't in the same way the other kits play-hunt at all; the crouch is different, his tail is different, he hardly knows how to pounce!

And yet his mother says this is the proper way to hunt.

Other cats stare at the stars; Wolfkit and his mother go out late at night to stare at the moon. The others look at the trees with apprehension; his mother looks at them with longing.

And from the way he often catches her glaring at their Clanmates... a part of him wonders if his mother wants him to befriend the other kits at all.

[I Like Bees]

Extended to February 21st, 11:59 PM CST!

[DiamondDogg]

Username: CloudedDiamond
Clan: Tribe of Endless Traveling
Do you want an apprentice ref?: nope!

Cat Name: Void
Gender: Nonbinary (he/they/it)
Rank: kit > trainee > hunter
Age: 3 moons > 6 moons > 14 moons
Which kit?: #1
Prompt:
Void doesn't interact much with the other kits. He always assumed they were Heatherbreeze's and Petal's blood kits, but didn't find out until he was a trainee that they were rescued. So it only grew close to one of them, Pebble. Pebble was the only tom in that litter, and he always tried including Void in the other kits' games. Void would sometimes refuse, but eventually, Pebble would be able to convince them. The two spend a lot of time talking together when Pebble isn't overrun with his siblings. Sometimes, new cats almost assume the two are siblings, before being disproved when Void returns to its own nest. However much he dislikes the high energy of Pebble's siblings, he tolerated Pebble's energy, only for the simple fact that the tom looks out for Void and does his best to include the lonely kit.

Cat Name: Agate
Gender: Nonbinary (they/she)
Rank: kit > trainee > healer
Age: 3 moons > 6 moons > 14 moons
Which kit?: #2
Prompt:
The temporary camp was quiet. Too quiet. Agate stood up slowly and stretched before slowly poking their head out of the nursery. She sniffed, most of the cat scent being slightly faded, as if all of the cats had only left a little bit ago. They fully exited the nursery, tasting the air, and realized they were alone. She realized this would be a perfect time to explore the camp, which they haven't been allowed to do prior. Of course, she immediately ran straight for Nightstar's den. This den was located in a tunnel under a large rock, and as she crawled her way through and into an underground clearing, she realized how large his den was here. There was enough for at least three full grown cats in this den, four if they're a kit or small apprentice. She gazed in awe, before seeing two tunnels that split off in opposite directions. She took the one to the left first, and entered into the hunter's den. It was much larger than Nightstar's den, and instead of being entirely underground, it was in a ditch underneath a few large bushes. She gazed around curiously before noticing a small pile of moss in the corner. Perfect size, in fact, for a little game of Moss Ball. They ran over to the small clump of moss and balled it up tighter, before beginning to bat it around the den. They scrambled here and there, doing their best to keep up with the moss, not aware of her surroundings. Soon she exited the den, continuing to run throughout camp. The moss ball tumbled into a den, and of course, not paying attention to which den, Agate followed. They ran into the den, and kept chasing the moss ball, before eventually knocking it out of the den. Soon she got tired, so they picked up the moss and carried it into the nursery with them, before settling down for a nice nap.

Heatherbreeze and Petal were the first to enter camp, quickly notcing something was off. Apple followed, and the healer she-cat dashed for her den. "My herbs!" was all that could be heard from the den. Heatherbreeze rushed over, noticing many herbs scattered across the floor. Petal came a bit later, and told the two she-cats that the hunter's den had been messed up as well, some of the nests being torn completely apart.
Nightstar came up chuckling. "What's so funny?" Heatherbreeze asked, confused.
"Follow me, I think I found our culprit." He led the three she-cats to the nursery, only for them to find Agate sleeping peacefully with her moss ball. The hunters all looked at each other amused.
"I'll handle it," Apple said. "I'm gonna need their help to clean my den, and I think it'll be a good lesson."
The other three quietly laughed before going to clean up the mess in the hunter's den.

Agate finally woke towards sunset, before noticing a fluffy, dusty-colored she-cat next to her. "Apple? What is it? Am I sick?" Still half asleep, she was confused why the healer was sitting next to her.
"Oh no, it's not that, Agate. Follow me." The older she-cat stood and looked backwards, waiting for the kit. Agate stood and stretched before slowly following Apple back to her den. When Agate entered the den, they realized what they'd done.
"I'm so sorry. I guess I was a little too caught up in my game of Moss Ball." She looked down guiltily, feeling terrible.
"Well, now you get to help me clean. I hope this teaches you to be a little bit more aware of your surroundings."
It didn't take too long to tidy up the den, and Agate learned a lot. Apple noticed how quickly the young cat learned some of the herbs and where they went, and wondered if maybe, just maybe, would they become a healer alongside Apple?

[Vivika]

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Username: vivika
Cat Name: azaria (zoé)
Gender: female
Rank: kit
Clan: azeryn
Age: six moons
Which kit? top left <33
Apprentice ref? yes, please! <3

[image credit]

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──── SECRETS !!

My life is built on secrets.

Secret after secret after secret built upon layers caked with lies. It’s like an endless stream of silver thread all strung into a tightly, coiled web, strung too high and too tight. But Lija… she doesn’t think it’s a lie. She says it’s the truth, but told in a different way. An artistic retelling.

But I don’t think so.
I really don’t think so.

The truth is…

My sister is an assassin. She’s a hunter, who… looks for cats that are lost. At least that's what she says. But sometimes, I think those cats don’t really want to be found. Not by her. I mean… why else would she have to look so hard for them?

The thing is, secrets suck. And they really suck, when it comes to making friends. But I’m good at it… making new friends. Well, kinda.

I know Tomas, Ilya, Ilya’s best friend and his twin sister… and then there’s Rie and Maple from the northern village, then Donovan and Audrie from the southern village. There’s their parents as well and their neighbours and their friends and their friend’s friends. I know Lija’s friends, her surly boss, her stone-faced allies, and also her partner that clings to the shadows like it’s his saving grace. I mean… c’mon. It’s not like the sun’s gonna kill anyone.

But the problem is just… we never stay in one place for long. We follow the trail. Wherever the job goes, Lija follows and that means I follow. Whether raging storms, thundering hail or blazing fires, we keep moving. We move under the cover of night, vanishing without a trace and without ever saying good-bye.

Lately, she’s been leaving me behind a ton. Back at the village. Okay, I may or may not have complained about moving around, but still ?? And it’s a little lonely. Really lonely.

Sure, I know almost all the villagers now, but sometimes… it's hard to breathe. There’s this weight on my chest that doesn’t go away.

I just… can’t be myself around them.

With Lija, it’s different. She knows, I know and we both know. But the others? They don’t know the truth. They don’t know what it’s really like… what I really do or where I’ve been. And it’s hard. It's hard lying to them and thinking up stories all the time… and making up 'artistic retellings'.

But I have a secret of my own.



──── TO GOOD FRIENDS !!

I can’t ever tell Lija about it.

But right now… it’s my best friend. My only friend in the world next to Lija. The only one who really understands me. And I never have to lie to it. Ever.

It’s hard to explain.

I think… I think it’s a portal. It’s a gateway into other worlds and kingdoms, but it’s also so much more than that. When I step inside ─ inside those silky wisps of indigo and mauves pulsing with brilliant light ─ everything feels alright. Everything is just… as it should be.

I can’t explain it, but the portal… it’s a part of me. Connected. I don’t know how to even explain it, but it’s there. So close. It sees everything and understands everything just like a friend.

It’s always been there. A reassuring, comforting presence, a cocoon of warmth, a bubble of protection. And it shows me things. Faint glimmers, glimpses of other worlds, so different from what I know. Beautiful things, haunted things, mysterious things.

Darkened taravans with fruit spiked with neon hues. Lofty spires reaching to the a city of clouds. Cities with canals and ships in place of dusty roads.

Gardens blossoming under the kiss of winter. Forests graced with enchanted song, where avians rule. Mountains with peaks roaring with an unquenchable fire. Creatures with both grace and ferocity.

The portal never speaks, but sometimes I feel like it does. It speaks through colors and shapes, patterns and pictures, paintings and art. It’s a language unspoken, but… a language of the heart. There’s a vein that runs through it, a pulsing heartbeat, a rhythm of the universe.

I tell it everything… my fears and worries and secrets; my dreams and hopes and future. About Lija and what she’s like. And it never judges me.

It's a friendship, a kinship, without words. And… I think the portal is lonely too. Like it’s been disconnected from something or maybe someone. Because sometimes… it keeps me inside. It doesn’t point the way towards home right away. It’s almost like it’s telling me to stay. So I do.

It always lets me back out eventually.

Because… the portal is my friend.
And it will always be.

My friend, my confidant… and my little secret.

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──────────────────────────────────────── fear not, little one. it's just… me.

───────── moons later !!

“please. you don't understand.”

the portal ripples, pulsating, an
all too familiar heartbeat of light.
it changes, fading to something
familiar. achingly familiar. a world
of gold, undulating wheat. one of
dancing, of music… of home.

“please.” she rests her head upon
the invisible barrier, the same
routine she’d done for many many
moons. “i… just want to go home.”

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[I Like Bees]

aaa I loved all your entries so much!! 🥺
Thank you all for entering, and congrats to the winners below!
Apprentice/warrior refs will be posted asap

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Username: vivika
Cat Name: azaria (zoé)
Gender: female
Rank: kit
Clan: azeryn
Age: six moons
Which kit? top left <33
Apprentice ref? yes, please! <3

[image credit]

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Username: nektar
Cat Name: petal from sweet lilac, lilac
Gender: molly
Rank: seed
Clan: the groves
Age: 5 moons
Which kit?: top right
Do you want an apprentice ref?: yes please!
Prompt: -snip-

Username: nio
Cat Name: Lucidkit
Gender: nonbinary
Rank: kit
Clan: bayguild
Age: 2 moons
Which kit?: 3
Do you want an apprentice ref?: yes please!
Prompt: -snip-

Username: Griff
Cat Name: Sandpaw > Sandstorm
Gender: Female
Rank: TBD
Clan: https://toyhou.se/griffhighwind/charact ... er:2507939
Age: 7 Moons > 13 Moons
Which kit?: 4
Do you want an apprentice ref?: Yes
Prompt: -snip-

I'd also like to award HMs to stqrveil, coffee.berry, SilentMelody, quirky;, midnightFOXO, Demon_Rose, litteminicooper, EternalOutcxst, Goatmom, nindroidzane, and CloudedDiamond !

[Vivika]

shfdsdkjfsd thank you so much, bees!! i'm really excited to flesh zoe
and her story out, ahh! those growths are also absolutely stunning! <33

and congrats to the hm winners + the winners of the other kitties! i
really loved reading all your entries + concepts!!

[nio]

AAAA TYSM!!!!! :"0 and conga rats everyone who won or got an HM!!!

[Griff]

Thank you so much! And grats to everyone! There were some amazing entries in there!

[néktar]

aaa thank you so so much!!
congrats to everyone else that won or got an hm <333