Pondpaw ; The Tender-Hearted

The nature of Pondpaw's birth was fairly normal. Both of his parents were well-respected older warriors who had already had one litter a few years prior to the pregnancy that resulted in Pondpaw. They weren't exactly expecting to have anymore, but lust is what it is, and on one chilly Leaffall night, Midnightfur and Mothnose conceived.

Two months later, a single kit was born to them, in the nursery that was packed well with other Queens who had also given birth recently, or who were expecting in a matter of days. It was a very cozy atmosphere, and any reservations either parent had about kitting again were quickly swept aside, furthermore when they laid eyes on their little gray bundle. Now neither parent was gray themselves (Midnightfur was a predictable, deep, patchy black with hazel eyes, while Mothnose was a pale tan tuxedo, complete with a white chest, toes, and face blaze, and yellow-green eyes) but it was no shock to them anyhow, that their son was gray. Midnightfur's grandmother was a gray tabby with gold eyes, so they took it as a sign that their son would inherit the late she-cat's disposition. Oh how they were right in that assumption.

But before they took to knowing the little tom, they needed to name him, and for both his gray pelt, and Mothnose's fondness for the trickling stream and pond of the Water Cavern, their new son was Pondkit, and was welcomed to the family with open arms.

Brackenfoot, the only still-living offspring of Midnightfur and Mothnose's first litter, was rather excited about having a little brother, and took to the role completely, volunteering to babysit the few times that Mothnose had to leave the nursery in those first two weeks while Pondkit was still blind and deaf and wriggling about. He was the first cat that Pondkit ever fully laid eyes on, and boy had he looked huge to those kit-blue eyes, even in the dim lighting of the caves.

Once he could fully hear and see, the game of exploration was on in full. Like a typical kit, Pondkit was very curious of anything and everything, but just as equally fearful of it. Yet, due to so many other kits in the nursery at the same time as he was, his social skills flourished. Pondkit worked hard to make friends with each and every other kit, establishing bonds he hopes they'll all keep well into adulthood.

The other kits weren't the only ones that helped his social skills. Brackenfoot still had a very abnormally centered interest in Pondkit, which did well for Midnightfur and Mothnose, for they were fairly older and didn't have as much energy to spend with their son. They did, however, interact where they could, and did their best with verbal lessons.

Brackenfoot was the main guardian, however, and Pondkit enjoyed his company thoroughly. It was his older brother that taught him how to walk and how to play, not to mention how to get into trouble!

As Pondkit truly started getting his legs under him at near to two moons, he was causing havoc where he could, riling up the other kits, and playing pranks on the Queens, but somehow it was always hard to stay mad at him because he had such a light disposition and was very quick to make others laugh or smile, especially when anyone was sad or upset. These were certain traits his great-grandmother, Spiderlily, had held, even from the time she was very young, or so Midnightfur had been told by his grandfather.

Both of his parents were eager to praise these traits, and soon Pondkit grew very proud of his inheritance, and sought to follow the optimistic, light-hearted antics further.

As more moons went by, the pranks faded out, but that was about all that did. By nearly five moons, Pondkit didn't favor trouble as much, having matured considerably, and so he simply stuck to everything else he liked to do, which was socialize, joke, and generally be friendly. Brackenfoot was still his right-paw cat, and the pair spent countless hours playing, talking, and enjoying each other's company, like a solid pair of brothers and best friends. Midnightfur had retired to the elders' den not that long before, and Mothnose planned to join him the moment that Pondkit left the nursery for good.

Nothing of major note happened in his kithood, until was he was fairly close to becoming an apprentice. At five and a half moons, Brackenfoot didn't return from a lengthy patrol one exceptionally hot afternoon, and his body was discovered later that night by another passing patrol. The heat had made him sluggish, and so made him susceptible to slipping up when he hunted. A snake struck him at exactly the wrong time, and nailed him in the throat. The distance from the cavern entrance was too great, and so Brackenfoot perished in the hot desert.

Pondkit didn't quite understand the loss, or that Brackenfoot wouldn't be coming home. Not until he saw the anguish on his parents' faces, as well as the face of Brackenfoot's mate, who was expecting kits about the time of what would be Pondkit's ceremony.

The kit tried to comfort his family as best he could, swallowing down his own sadness for the sake of wanting to make those around him feel better, but even his most earnest effort couldn't save his parents from their immense grief. They had lost two other offspring in the past - Littlegaze to sickness, and Fernpool to a rogue skirmish - and it was simply too much for them to lose one of the two they had left.

Just a few days later, having refused food or medicine for his recent illness, Midnightfur succumbed to his grief and passed on in his sleep. A few days more, and Mothnose followed suit.

Pondkit didn't know what to do with himself, trying to hold all these negative emotions in. He didn't want anyone to see him upset, especially not Whiteflower, Brackenfoot's mate that was so very close to kitting. But the she-cat knew Pondkit was distraught and did her best to soothe him, spending time with him in the nursery and prodding him to stop trying to be strong and to just let it out as she did.

Eventually the dam broke, and Pondkit wailed his sorrows into Whiteflower's fur. The Queen shared in the crying, releasing her own sorrow and heartbreak, and together the pair of them weathered the stormcloud of misery hovering over them.

By the time Pondkit went for his apprentice ceremony, Whiteflower had already kitted three little toms (Brackenkit, Whisperkit, and Smokekit), and although her need to stay by their side was great, she peeled herself away from her precious bundles long enough to watch the ceremony, offering Pondkit (now Pondpaw) her support in leiu of his blood family that couldn't be there.

These days Pondpaw still finds himself saddened by the passing of his best friend and brother, as well as both of his parents, but his moments of crying are becoming less and less, as his days are filled with ample training with his mentor, Mouseheart, which he is more than proud and happy for. Though, occasionally, when he has the time, Pondpaw assuredly spares some hours for Whiteflower as well as his three tiny nephews.

(Added Feb 7th) Now a moon has passed since his apprenticeship ceremony, and things are certainly progressing wonderfully. Pondpaw has had a fair amount of training thusfar, and spends his freetime honing his skills as well as taking care of the other apprentice duties that no one else seems to favor; from changing the bedding in the elders' den and nursery, to making sure prey is delivered to both just as promptly. Even helping the elders remove ticks and groom their fur where they can't reach anymore. Most of his time is zapped up now, and for his own choice, and boy does he sleep well at night. Still, now with his nephews a moon old, he's also helping Whiteflower in teaching them how to walk without wobbling. Ah, for the moment, life couldn't be better for Pondpaw.