[Pantherkit x Minnowflash] Hey, You!

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Pantherkit was perhaps one of the more adventurous of her siblings. Whereas many of her brothers and sisters seemed content in the Nursery, she wanted to go out and explore! They only listened to her sometimes, but if she was gonna become a great leader like Shadowstar, she had to find some warriors who would listen to her!

So, squeezing her way out of the crowded Nursery, the young kit toddled out into the clearing. Her fur ruffled out against the cold and she gaze a small sneeze when a small flake of snow she'd kicked up landed on her nose. It was cold out here! For a moment, she glanced behind her towards the Nursery. It was so much warmer in there, but... She shook her head. She was gonna be a leader and leaders needed warriors! So she started to wander off, determined to find someone in the camp that would listen to her.

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Minnowflash sat puffed up, the tiny bit of what remained of a mouse at his paws as he had momentarily shut his eyes to allow himself to think and relax. He had been invited on the morning patrol as well as the hunt that followed so his was tired, both physically and mentally. Being around a lot of cats was hard mental work for a shy cat like him, but he was trying and making small advances.

When a snowflake hit his nose, a shiver shot down his spine and he blinked open his eyes. Every time he thought he was used to the cold, it seemed to surprise him. But what surprised him more was a tiny black bean that had snuck out of the nursery and was scooting forward like she was on a mission.

Tilting his head, he looked around for another adult cat or perhaps Shadowstar or Wildflower who had both taken up residence in the nursery.... at least until the kits were fully weened anyways. He was confused when he saw neither and his whiskers twitched in a tiny frown.

"Um...."

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Pantherkit's ears swerved to the sound of another cat nearby. It wasn't Wildflower or Shadowstar, was it? She froze, a black bundle of fur among white snow and sticking out like a sore paw. It wasn't until she spotted a warrior who was definitely not one of the authoritative queens, that she relaxed, puffed out her chest and strode over to him.

"Hey, YOU!" She mewed. "You're a warrior, right?" She demanded, bright yellow eyes looking him up and down. He was big and he looked strong too. He didn't have much of a tail, which was weird, but maybe he lost it in some epic battle. Yes... yes, it's was all coming together. She could make this cat her warrior! If she could prove herself to this cat of being a good leader, surely everyone else would fall in line too, right?

"I'm going to be the leader one day, so you have to do what I say!" She informed him, trying to fluff up her fur to make herself look bigger. Instead, the small cat just looked more, well, fluffy. "Got it?"

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Minnowflash had opened his mouth, about to ask this kit why she had stumbled out of the nursery by herself when she very boldly declared he listen to every word she had to say. Blinking, he tilted his head. "Oh? A-alright?" he said in shock, still staring down at the tiny, now puffy, black fuzball.

Was this the kind of games kits played these days? All he could remember was never getting to sleep thanks to his sister.

With so many black kittens joining the clan, it was hard to tell which was which, so he was at a loss for who this one might be. "You aren't leader yet t-though...so maybe we s-should make sure Shadowstar and Wildflower don't find you out here in the cold, hmm?" he asked with a smile, taking a step forward as if to scoop her up.

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Pantherkit stared at the warrior, considering what he had to say and then her eyes became wide with determination. With a firm nod and a smile, she meowed.

"You're right! They might not like it if I'm out in the camp... which is why you are going to take me out of the camp and into the territory!" She said and looked around to try and find the camp entrance. She wasn't totally sure of where it was, but she knew that it had to be somewhere... She looked to the warrior.

"You will show me the way!" She eyed him. "And don't think of taking me back to the Nursery, cause..." She glanced down. "I don't think they'd be able to tell me apart from my siblings anyway, so..." She looked up with a grin. "They won't even notice I'm gone! So! Where's the entrance? Is it over here?" She said and with her tail high in the air, she started off towards a direction that was vaguely towards the entrance to the camp.

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MInnowflahs blinked and it seemed before he could even process what to say, the kitten was off and waddling away....sort of towards the entrance?

“Ah... no! Wait!” He gasped as he got to his paws and started off at the kitten almost full speed, forgetting for a moment that she was, well, a kitten. It really didn’t take much to catch up to her. “K-kits really...aren’t s-s-supposed to be outside the camp!” He blinked, sort of tip toeing awkwardly around the kitten, afraid to just reach in and grab her.

Sighing, he shook his head, whiskers twitching as he seemed to hold his breath before finally letting it out. “Ok... j-j-USt for a little bit...and were not going to far.” He decided out loud, steering Panterkit towards the entrance. “And d-don’t leave my side....p-please.” He added as an after thought.

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Pantherkit looked behind her and for a moment had a look of fear come over her as the large cat came running after her. Bushing out her fur, she let it settle as he slowed and spoke.

"That may be, but I am going to be leader! And for that to happen, I need to know our territory as fast as possible! Besides, I have you with me! You're not gonna let anything happen to me, because warriors protect their leaders." She said, brimming with confidence now that her momentary fright was over.

"Maybe you should stay by my side." She suggested with a smile and a flick of her tail, before she moved ahead of him with an eager resolve. She was going to act like a proper leader today! Then her siblings would have to do what she said after they heard about her adventure!

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Minnowflash frowned and moved to stand in front of the boisterous little kit. He didn't want to ruin her sense of adventure or pride but it was beyond dangerous out here for such a tiny kitten and he wasn't about to let anything happen to her. "P-please, I must insist we stay close to camp." he about panicked, trying to paw her back towards Riverclan camp entrance.

His nub of a tail flicked a bit and his ears fell backwards as he tried to listen if any other cat were coming. So far, didn't seem like any others were. Maybe he could get her to get her fill then go back inside before anyone even noticed. "S-so many dangerous things out here... you don't need to get c-carried off!" he gulped, parting his jaws to try and scent if anything dangerous was lurking around this close to camp.

Nothing should be....but this tiny little black puffball had his anxiety on high alert.

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Pantherkit stared defiantly at the legs that stood in front of her. Leaning her head back to fix her most powerful glower at the warrior, she bared tiny fangs at him.
"I'm not afraid to bite you." She warned him. "I'm a tough warrior too, you know. Even if I'm not as tall as you."

Pantherkit squeezed her way between his legs, looking out at the territory. Getting away from this giant cat would be troublesome, but maybe...
"Can we go to the river? That's got to be close to camp, right?" She asked him, glancing back. "We can go to the river and then we'll go straight back to the Nursery afterwards. Deal?" If she went all the way to the river... that would be a great adventure!

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Minnowflash frowned, sighing heavily. "i-if being bitten is what it t-takes to keep you safe.... t-t-then ill be bit!" he about wailed before he hushed himself, hunkering down to the kits level, trying to squish himself into a big grey blob ball. Then he frowned again. The river was close....for a grow cat. For a kitten it would take her ages! And he'd be in so much trouble if Shadowstar or Wildflower found out!

Fretting, Minnowflash kneaded the ground as best he could while still being a ball. Finally, heart racing, he sighed. "F-fine. But we do this my way." he said as he bent over and scooped up the kit by the scruff, taking off as quickly as he could towards the river. Once he got there he set her down gently between his front paws. "There. We are here. L-lets go b-back now...."

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Pantherkit looked up at Minnowflash, wondering if she'd really have to bite him and if Wildflower and Shadowstar would be upset with him if she bit him. She wondered if she could come up with an excuse to make them not be upset with her. Like 'I thought he was a fish' or something. She was imagining how that would go over, when she was abruptly picked up.

Letting out a mewl of surprise, tiny claws appeared and then she squirmed, until she adjusted to being picked up. When she was put down between his paws, she stared out at the river, round eyed. Leaning against one of Minnowflash's paws, she purred.

"It's so coooool!" She mewed, before a new idea popped into her head. Sure, she could tell her siblings about how she'd seen the river, but what would be even cooler is if she could jump over it! But how would she get there without Minnowflash trying to stop her? She knew she could do this! She was looking around at the ground when a slight movement caught her attention. "There's a beetle on your paw!" She shrieked and launched herself forward, away from the bug, her burst of speed sending her stumbling forward. She had wanted to be free of his paws, though she could've done without the scare... Still not one to miss a chance, she let out a triumphant. "Leader leap!" And launched herself into the river. She didn't even make it half way across and landed with a small splash.

Paws flailed as water filled her nose. She should've cleared that jump, why didn't she? Kicking wildly, her head broke through the surface of the water. Was the warrior still around? "Minn-" She gasped, before spluttering water. Would he be too mad at her jumping into the river to come get her? Trying to grasp any sense of direction between the water, she struggled to stay afloat through it all, a bobbing black head among the ripples. She would apologize for being mouse-brained if he saved her! She would apologize a lot forever! But if he didn't... Then she needed to try to save herself, like a real leader would!

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Minnowflash finally managed to let himself purr softly when the kitten seemed to lean into his leg and be content. "It really is..." he had started to say when she mentioned a beetle on his paws.

Blinking, he glanced at his paws and spun in a circle, trying to find said beetle, not realizing the kitten had just flung herself into the river. "I don't see..... Pantherkit?" he called and blinked, looking up just as he saw a tiny black figure land in the water with a bloop.

"No..." he gasped, shaking his head. She hadn't been crazy enough to just jump in...had she? Blinking again, he saw her little head rise above water then fall. The grey tom cat shot off like lightning, almost leaving his fur behind as he took a full leap with all his strength, landing in the water with a bigger and louder splash. "PANTHERKIT!!!" he screamed, paddling towards her as quickly as he could. When he reached her just as she was about to go under again, he sunk his teeth into her scruff. He'd apologize later.

Throwing his head back to keep her above water, Minnowflash strained to see around the black soaked furball, padding towards the direction of land without stop. The second his paws touched firm ground beneath him he hauled himself on land, dashed away from the river towards a sunny spot, set Pantherkit down and proceeded to vigorously groom her to get her warm.

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Pantherkit wasn't sure which way she was going, but once she felt teeth bite into her scruff, she stopped paddling, relief and exhaustion taking its hold on the small kit. Not long afterwards, they were on the land again and she stared at her paws, teeth chattering against one another.

"I-I thought I could j-j-jump over." She admitted, looking properly abashed. "Sh-Sh-Shadowstar could jump o-over it, r-ri-right?" She mewed, looking up at Minnowflash with frightened dismay all over her face. "How can I be a l-leader, if-if I can't jump it?" She ducked her head, certain he was mad at her and she was feeling properly fish-brained herself. Moving and tucking herself as close to one of his paws as she could, she slowly started to lick her tongue against his paw. She couldn't do as good of a job grooming the water off his pelt like he did to hers-she was already feeling warmer-but she could try right?

"I'm s-s-sorry, Min-Minnowflash. Don't be m-mad. I'll get you d-dry." She mewed gloomily. "Please don't tell Sh-Shadowstar. She won't make me a leader ever if she knows I can't j-jump the river." She eyed him, feeling miserable. "We can go home...I'll be good."

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Minnowflash wasn’t really paying attention at first. His sole focus was to warm her up and make sure she was alright. He didn’t stop grooming her until he felt a tiny little tongue on his paw that made him stop. Blinking, he finally glanced down at the little now only half wet fuzz ball. SIghing, he frowned but found himself not able to really be that mad. “That’s why I warned you.. you could have gotten hurt.” He said, sitting down into a soggy loaf position.

“Shadowstar couldn’t jump a river when she was a kit either. There’s plenty of time for you to grow and get stronger.” He said softly, spinning her around to look her straight in the face. He wanted to make sure she at least got something out of this. “B-besides....who says Shadowstar has t-to know....” he blinked before trying to grin sheepishly. His heart was still pounding in his ears and he felt wobbly which probably made him look even stranger combined with the fact that he was drenched. “N-no more adventures!” He said at last, though it still sounded more like a plea than anything.

What a spitfire this kit would be! Boy he felt for her future mentor...

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Pantherkit blinked in surprise when it was revealed that Shadowstar hadn't been able to intially jump over the river. Her brow furrowing, she asked.
"I thought her leadership had something to do with the river though. Like, she jumped over the river when she was younger and then they made her leader." She mewed. She vaguely remembered the medicine cat, Stonebelly, saying something like that to the apprentices. (She hadn't realized he had been teasing them at the time.)

Flicking her ears, she nodded at last.
"I'll... wait till I'm a little bigger. And stronger." She looked up at him with a grin. "I'm gonna get so strong that everyone's gonna look at me and go 'Wow, Pantherkit's so strong!' Except I won't be called Pantherkit at that point, I'll have gotten my warrior name, like... Pantherclaw or Pantherheart or Panther...well something cool!" She purred.

At the mention of no more adventures, she snorted, but nodded.
"No more adventures." She replied, but inwardly added. Today, that is. With a smile on her maw. "Let's go home."

((I'd say this is a good stopping point! Thanks for the RP, it was super fun!))

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