The she cat touched noses with her mate once more before he left the cavern with the others in search of the small kit, her tail reaching around the two kits with her and flicking Sagekit on the back of the head lightly.
"You do not worry Ravenfeather like that. She's been nothing but good to you." She scolded the kit, acting like a mother already even though her own kits had yet to be born. It bothered her rather easily when any of the kits disrespected the older Queen, or worried her since they were children. They should have known better by then, but none of them paid enough attention, or thought about what they were doing before they went wandering off.
Riversong removed her tail from the kits, curling it over her own paws and watching the remaining warriors within the cavern camp. Her annoyance with Sagekit was clear, even as her own mate was gone, though her worry never faded. Owlkit was small, easy prey for a fox or, more likely, a raptor. He may not have even gotten for before falling or eaten by something and she knew what kind of devastation that would bring to Ravenfeather.
The tom stood as the apprentice paced around him, talking as if he had all the time in the world and for the second time that day, the former rogue realized he was given the most ignorant and idiotic apprentice of them all. He would have much rather have had to answer to the idiot Amberleaf then to deal with this dim-witted apprentice. When the grey tom was finally done talking, Brimpelt was sitting down, his tail curled over his paws, watching something in the distance very intently. Gradually, he forced his attention back to the bore he just had to suffer though speaking and nearly just killed the kit there and then instead of subject those in the clan who were actually worth time to the useless blather this one was spitting out.
The warrior looked at Granitepaw, eyes focusing on him with such sharp attention he could have cut him, and what appeared to be a sly smirk twisted his lips upward, uncovering sharp canines.
"Go tend to the elders Granitepaw. Check them for flees and ticks, change their bedding and bring them breakfast. Any word of complaint and you'll never learn to be a warrior." He didn't sound threatening, or call him names this time, instead his order was as firm as that of any respectable leader, and he turned around to walk away from him again, refusing to waste anymore time.
"Let's go Snowthorn, we have a fresh kill pile to stock."
The soon-to-be apprentice settled back on her ledge when the warriors left the cavern, her eyes closing as if she was just going back to sleep though she was listening to everything she could hear. Granitepaw was being scolded by Brimpelt, and Riversong was clearly worried about Owlkit. The she-cat, who's pelt matched her nameksake, listened to the mentor-apprentice pair and scoffed quietly at them. The tabby tom could have done much better with an apprentice, herself being the top choice with Harepaw just beneath that. Both had drive and an attitude to match the rogue leaders, though the dolt of a male that bounced around as if he owned the place made her regret coming back here. She had never had much choice in the matter when she was found in clan territory by a ready to attack patrol. If she had refused she would have been chased from the hunting grounds she quite enjoyed, and thus put out of the place she had called home.
With her arrival at the clan she had quickly befriended Brimpelt, having pegged him as the one worth following, and she hadn't been the only one either. Timberfoot had been one of the rogues to come to the clan with the rogue leader, and was also a very respected warrior. Brimpelt had been quick to spot out the difference with Leopardkit, with her abnormal size and solitary attitude, he had begun training her in secret, knowing she may not have a worthy mentor soon. If he was ever leader she was to be his right hand, and most trusted, with his former second dead after a battle with the clan. They both intended to place him at the top of the clans, officially or not.
Standing then, with fewer warriors in the camp, she looked up toward the top of the cavern at the hole in the ceiling, but thought against climbing out it with so many cats able to watch her. If the kits did something stupid trying to mimic her the Queens would blame her instead of the kits stupidity. Leopardkit turned her attention to the cavern floor and jumped from her ledge, unafraid of any injury from the high fall and her rapid descent upon the dirty floor. Once down she glanced back at Riversong watching her, though the young cat didn't care to be seen as the walked straight toward the tunnel that acted as the main entrance to their camp. The place was harder for kits to wander out of unlike the Oakclan camp, and as the young cat walked out she wondered if she should go visit one of the rogues, or perch upon the Oakclan boarder until someone found her. Perhaps something interesting would happen then.
Love Dove