𝙄𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙜𝙤𝙠𝙞𝙩𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙛𝙩𝙚𝙙𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙗𝙤𝙙𝙮𝙘𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙚𝙩𝙤her mother as a cool breeze swirled into the nursery, ruffling her fur. She shivered, noticing light beginning to trickle into the nursery entrance. There was no use trying to fall back asleep when the leaf-fall chill had sunk into her pelt, nipping at her bones. She shook out her fur, scattering scraps of moss onto her brother, Fawnkit, who lay curled up next to Skyrose.
Willowkit stirred on the other side of Skyrose, blinking sleepily. Indigokit wriggled her hindquarters, launching onto her mother as her belly rose and fell steadily. Skyrose jolted underneath Indigokit, letting out a huff as Indigokit kneaded her little paws into her mother's fur.
"Can we please explore the camp a little? The breeze woke me up. I can't fall back asleep," Indigokit begged. She hopped off Skyrose as her mother slowly got up, stretching each leg in turn.
Willowkit grumbled, noticeably irritated that Skyrose had gotten up and taken her warmth. Fawnkit opened his jaws at the beginning of a yawn, looking expectantly at Skyrose for an answer.
"Alright, you three can go explore. But please tread carefully. Hazelflower is trying to get some sleep." Skyrose cast a stern look across them before angling her ears towards the sleeping queen.
Indigokit tried to hide her excitement, nimbly exiting the nursery with Fawnkit following close behind. Indigokit felt like she would explode, energy coursing through her veins despite the frosty wind that tugged at her fur. She shook out her pelt, ruffling her thick gray-and-cream coat to twice its size. She felt Fawnkit's pelt brush hers as he sat beside her.
Indigokit scanned the clearing, noticing Russetkit, Cedarkit, and Dawnkit playing a game to the right, next to the medicine cat den. The camp was busy with activity. Looking to the sky, she noticed the sun's golden rays creeping above the trees. Her face was bright with glee as she scanned the camp. It may not have been her first time exploring around the quarry, but she still felt like she had a lot to learn.
"What should we do?" Fawnkit inquired.
Indigokit looked around, trying to find someone they could chat with. Rosefall and Beamkit were outside the medicine cat den, speaking with Wrenflutter. Thornscar was calling off patrols of warriors. Indigokit perked her ears.
"...Mapleleaf, Embersun, Flutterstorm. You three can hunt near the Sandy Clearing," Thornscar was meowing.
Mapleleaf nodded, Embersun and Flutterstorm following her toward the entrance that sloped upward out of camp. Indigokit had heard of the Sandy Clearing before. It was where the apprentices practiced their battle moves. Tuning into Thornscar again, Indigokit heard him call off the last patrol.
