Larchkit lingered right outside of the nursery entrance, within view of Brindlepatch. She never strayed far from the security of her nest or her mother, and she only went to the far edges of camp when she was with someone. She didn't feel secure with the thought of being completely alone, even though she liked time by herself. While there was no possible way she could get lost in camp, the mere thought of being lost at all chilled her to her bones. Her fast-approaching apprenticeship loomed over her like a storm cloud, and she was more anxious and nervous by the thought of it than she was excited--the territory was huge, and she didn't know any of it. She knew her feelings would have to change soon, but she didn't know how it would happen.

It occurred to her that she didn't see Badgerkit anywhere in her field of view. She hadn't seen him in some time, either. The she-cat looked at her paws. Should she look for him? Maybe that was the first step to facing her fears. Steeling herself, she stood up and kept to the side of the nursery as she looked around it. She didn't see anything at first, but upon a second look around, she caught sight of black-and-white fur. Taking a deep breath, she approached. "Badgerkit?" she whispered. "Is that you?"

Relief flooded her when it was her brother that responded, and Larchkit’s disposition relaxed. She drew closer to him, gathering her courage before she lost the momentum, and stood by him. She was close enough to the camp wall to hear a little of the outside world, and she took a steadying breath. She then turned to Badgerkit. It was easier to just look at his paw than to ask to look at it, so she didn’t ask. She tugged on it gently to confirm that it was stuck, then she crouched down to peer underneath it. It was caught under a curving branch that somehow managed to loosen from the wall, enough to tangle around his paw. Larchkit hooked a claw around the branch and tried to loosen it further, but it remained stubborn where it was. Eventually, she put her weight into it to snap the branch. “Did that work?” she asked, voice soft.

Larchkit smiled in relief when it worked. It was a small thing, but helping him made her feel good. She returned the gesture, leaning into him as much he did to her. She pulled back a few moments later so she could get a good look at him. “So... what were you doing back here? Before, you know...” she trailed off, deciding that his pride would appreciate her not mentioning him getting stuck. She didn’t think Badgerkit the type to needlessly get in trouble, but she was curious all the same. She definitely didn’t have the bravery to consider breaking rules for even a second, but learning about the mindset of those who did was something that interested her. For a moment, if she could pretend not to be afraid and envision herself in someone else’s pawsteps, that was enough.

She frowned. He was already learning moves? A flash of jealousy and longing filled her. Was that even allowed? Could she do that? She was far too shy and far too worried to ask an apprentice. What if they said no? What if they told on her? It was never something Larchkit wanted to risk. She was close to becoming an apprentice, and she was still apprehensive about it. Badgerkit probably wasn’t. He was always more confident and always seemed to know what he was doing, at least for her. “How long have you been practicing? ...Is it to become more confident with apprenticeship?” she asked quietly.

Larchkit sat with the information for a moment. If he only started practicing today, then it couldn’t make much of a difference. She admittedly felt a little better, but it still concerned her that she seemed more worried than him. “Are you... not that worried about the ceremony?” she started carefully. “I don’t think I’ll be able to match up to the other apprentices. They all seem so carefree and confident. I don’t have that.” She looked down at her paws, holding back a heavy sigh.