Bumblebeepaw, although they'd been more preoccupied with their own thoughts, had heard the yelling; though it'd been more like some sort of chaotic white noise in the background. They hadn't caught a single word of what had actually been said, nor had they really noticed when it had stopped, or when Brat had slunk out of the den. The family affairs of Kier, the royals, and whatever Kier's kits were, weren't really of that much concern to the apprentice. Their activities made for good gossip when there was nothing better to talk about, but Bumblebeepaw was much more entertained hearing second-hand news than seeing it first-hand themselves.

It was thanks to the fact that the apprentice had been relatively unaware to what had happened moments before that when they looked down to see Brat right in front of them they were pretty darn surprised, and even more so when they felt their paw being forcibly grabbed and splayed. They were slightly dumbfounded, not exactly sure what to do. For one, because it was an incredibly odd situation to be in -- having your paw up and grabbed and forcibly inspected by someone who was ostensibly a stranger with no warning would probably make anyone hesistate -- but also because Brat, and all of Kier's kits, fell into some weird grey-area between ranks. They weren't royalty really, but they weren't not-royalty either. You probably couldn't get away with punt-kicking them like you could normally get away with doing to kits of inferior status, but they weren't to be treated with the sort of head down, un-wavering respect you would treat the royals. They were certainly in a league all of their own, and that made knowing how to tread around the kit that had their paw in their in their grasp all the more difficult.

After a beat of hesitation though, Bumblebeepaw eventually settled on just reacting like they would have if anyone else had done it - with slightly bemused and sarcastic indifference.

"Uh huh? Well I think it's pretty darn nifty." Bumbledbeepaw said, letting their eyes briefly fall back to their paw again, though they didn't bother to move it. "And I think it's a pretty bold claim to say you've seen a cooler paw with no evidence. Whose paw have you seen that's more interesting than mine? No proof means I won't believe it." The apprentice spoke with an incredulity that was clearly teasing, although somewhere under it all there seemed to be some genuine curiosity.

no it's fine, i feel bad for giving people long replies so you are banned from apologizing for short ones. it encourages me to not write ungoddly long ones which is a good thing because it means i can reply faster hopefully.
i mean i still do write long responses because i'm wordy and can't shut up, but it encourages me to and that's what matters



There was a brief moment where Bumblebeepaw was dumbfounded, a moment where where they literally didn't know what hit them. But that moment passed quick, and as Brat started walking away, as she prepared to pad off with what would have otherwise been pretty much no repercussions for her actions, Bumblebeepaw clamored to their feet and managed to close enough distance that the apprentice was able to rather swiftly put a paw right on Brat's tail, pinning her where she was.

The action might have been stupid; after all no matter her rank, she was Kier's daughter, and with no real knowledge or understanding of how bad the fight between father and daughter had been, it made the action in context even dumber. But Bumblebeepaw was -- well, perhaps ticked wasn't the right word. It was something below ticked but above annoyed, it was a feeling of having to act, because it was an insult and a humiliation if they didn't, but the actual emotion behind it was little more than had it been a tiny inconvenience. And perhpas the latter emotion made the most sense, because in some ways, that was all it was. And probably all it would have been, if the apprentice didn't feel like they had face they needed to save.

"'Aight buddy," Bumblebeepaw started, a slight undercurrent of annoyance was palapable in Bumblebeepaw's tone, though it was so dry it was hard to believe the apprentice was as upset as they could've been. "that was stupid. I'd ask what the heck that was for but at this point I'm just guessing you're trying too hard to living up to your namesake."

"Nothing looks good for me till the last moment. That's my secret, or superpower. Whatever you wanna' call it. I save up and take all my bad luck in bulk so when it really counts I have good luck. But of course no cards are going to be able to tell you that, even fate can't see it till it happens." Bumblebeepaw told her with teasing grin as Brat pulled out the cards; half playing along with the kit, but in an odd way, half being serious. They believed what they said, kinda. Not really that is was a super power or a secret, but it was a very funny inside joke in their opinion, one that they shared on the rarest occasion when the topic came up. They had an amazing tendency of getting themselves in terrible situations, not even always of their own making, that seemed to just get worse and worse until one would have thought everything might collapse on them and then -- well, they always made it. Somehow, some way, they always landed on their feet. In their own little way they were the pinnacle of lucky. Not filled with good luck, not filled with bad luck, but they had a lot of luck nevertheless.

Either way, as the Brat continued, flashing them that little grin, Bumblebeepaw flashed her a smile right back. It was amused, a little dimissive, but not wholly. It could have been a smirk, it could have been demeaning, but it was just a bit too warm to be either; at least, not in full. "Uh huh. Well I think your dad is going to be making me a warrior soon, so unless you plan on hopping into the den in a few days before everyone else is promoted, I'm thinking you're going to have to start getting someone else to make you a nest. Maybe you can harass one of the kits into doing it." There was a pause, an then their smile grew slightly bigger as they considered their next words. "Or maybe you can get Ratpaw to help you. Last I heard there was a rumor he was picking up flowers to put in Oleanderpaw's nest, so I figure making a nest for you would probably be an upgrade."Bumblebeepaw added. They were sure at some point, if Ratpaw found out there were casually spreading around stuff like that, they'd be primed for getting a claw to their muzzle; but for now it a funny thing to even consider, much less share. The ramifications of running their mouth would probably come later and it would suck, but Bumblebeepaw had already accepted it the moment the first words had left their mouth.

At the whisper, the press against their cheek, the childish dramaticness of Brat's intensity, all Bumblebeepaw could bother to do was roll their eyes, though there was a certain look that briefly crossed their face. It wasn't quite the humorous dismissal of an adult to a child's youthful energy and imaginative beliefs, though perhaps a touch of it was there. Instead, more than anything, there almost something competitive, daring. If Lady Fate existed, they had long been sure they wanted their head. But too bad for her, she'd failed so far. They still had their head, and they planned on keeping it.

However, Brat's comment about there size was not met half so dismissively. There was a moment where they couldn't hide the humiliation, a slight moment where there up until this point unflappable demeanor and mostly constant smile half curled into a snarl, a paw half-rolled up off the ground in a knee-jerk reaction of defensiveness enough to let Brat easily free herself. It was a sore point, it wasn't hard to see it. They knew well enough that their size, in the long run, meant nothing. At least, not to their success as a warrior, as an executioner. They had other ways of proving their strength and power; while cats like Ratpaw were learning to throw their weight around, Bumblebeepaw was learning that speed and agility were their best bets at keeping up with their opponents. Of course, that kind of stuff was objective, very tactical, and something that Bumblebeepaw had accepted to be their current fighting style because they had to accept it to keep up with their peers; but it didn't mean they liked it. And to some extent, the very nature of their small size, their dainty figure, was a threat to them in more ways than just their ego.

"If size is what gets you promoted I wouldn't be worrying about me, I'd be doubling your concern about you getting in the apprentice den." The words came out almost a step away from a growl, and it shocked even Bumblebeepaw how harsh they sounded as they hit the air. It was enough to make them pause, get a hold of themselves again. It was a childhood taunt, nothing more. And besides, they were getting their second growth spurt soon; they were sure of it. They were letting something get under their fur that in a few week probably would barely matter and would be all but forgotten about when they did eventually catch up in height. That thought reassured them, and with that a lot of the tension lessened as Brat continued on, only to give a sound of half laughter, half disgust, at the mention of all guys best being "half feminine."

"First off, I wouldn't be saying that so loud, I think Ratpaw'll kill you for it -- if he doesn't kill me first for repeating it. We'll both be in a hole in the ground. Second, I don't think it was really of Ratpaw's own choice, I think it was something with Oleanderpaw. But I don't think it would be that hard to get him to do it again if you're smart about it. Ratpaw isn't the brightest light in the night sky, if you know what I mean. No offense to him though. He doesn't really need it, he's got other things. And thirdly," Bumblebeepaw paused, if only to give a half condescending smirk as they considered what was about to come out of their mouth, "you don't actually want that, and probably shouldn't. Not that you'd understand it yet, you'll get it when you're older."

There were a mix of emotions that rose from that statement, and it was hard to pin exactly which one was the strongest. On one hand, Brat had passively implied that Kier "liked them well enough," which might as well have been a world of praise -- if it meant anything at all from Brat of course. It was hard to tell if the kit had any clue what her father actuallty thought about them, or if she was just saying things to say things as kits sometimes did. Either way, it softened the blow of the first part of the statement, that filled Bumblebeepaw with a second wave of humiliation and an almost irrationally strong sense of disgust; to the point where the subconciously made a sort of scoff mixed with an "ick" a the comment.

"First of all, I'm not a girly boy. I'm more manly than even Ratpaw is, you won't see me picking up flowers any day anytime soon. And I mean honestly, go down the line of the current cast of apprentices and I can prove my point I'm like the most macho apprentice around. Bishoppaw is built like a twig, Nadirpaw I'm pretty sure is called 'Nadia" all the time, Crimsonpaw has that emo boy energy so you know inside he's a softie at heart, and all my siblings? I'm just going to say it; they're all called Bunnypaw, Bubblepaw, and Balloonpaw respectively -- I mean say what you want about bumblebees but at least they can sting. Oh, and I don't know Agrestralpaw that well, but let's be real here, I see him cleaning his fur all day till it's absolutely pristine so you know that's pretty darn girly, and Lilacpaw is just an absolute twink." The entire tirade was very clearly humerous and joking all the way through, a grin on their face far too amused at their own words they clearly weren't taking seriously at all, but were having a heck of a time saying. When they finally finished up, their amused smile at their own rant basically wide enough to span from ear to ear, they took a pause, as if to gather themselves a bit. The smile slowly faded a tiny bit, being replace by their previous, "cooler" half-grin, and having settled a bit, they continued.

"But anyways, back on topic. That isn't the point. The point is that one day when you're older you're going to realize why. But that's more a talk for you and your dad when you get there."

Bumblebeepaw gave a roll of their eyes, not humoring the taunt with any more responses. At this point it was all it was, a stupid taunt. It was easier too, to consider it just that in a way. It helped repair a bit of their ego to think that Brat would have done this to anyone, if it would get under their skin enough.

As the kitten started demanding, making a scene, even so much as growling at them, Bumblebeepaw was admittedly slightly startled. It was something of a temper tantrum, in hindsight that would be obvious, but at the moment it cause the apprentice to look at the kit like the had grown two heads, even slightly pulling back a little. It was easy sometimes, in the moment, to forget that Brat was a kit. As much as Bumblebeepaw didn't want to admit it -- would never admit it -- the kit did a good job of acting like they were on the level of the 'big and important' apprentices. But then she did stuff like this, and the illusion came crashing down, and Bumblebeepaw felt like they were baby-sitting more than talking with a semi-equal. After a second of just watching this like it was some odd, obnoxious little show, Bumblebeepaw finally interrupted her. "'Aye 'aye 'AYE! Chill. Listen," Bumblebeepaw said, trying to get some sort of control of the situation. "I can't tell you the nuances of it, that's a quick way to be me on trial for corrupting the leader's daughter. But you'll get the bulk of it when you get into the apprentice den even if your dad doesn't tell you, trust me. You'll hear all about that kind of stuff in there. Anyways, in "simplest terms' all I'm really saying is girls like manly guys and you're going to need them one day to do the stuff guys do for girls when you get older, 'cause guys and girls do different things. That's the dumbed down version."

"Aight, so first of all, like in everything in life, there's outliers. There's not a lot of them, but they exist. Normally when girls like girls there's a really manly one in the pair that handles the manly stuff, and then there's the more feminine one that handles all the girly stuff. Same thing when guys like guys, you have like the really masculine one and then the really feminine one, and sometimes that can work. But like, the reality is that 99.9% of the time, girls want to do girl stuff and can't really handle doing guys stuff, and guys want to do guy stuff and don't really want to be doing girl stuff." Bumblebeepaw explained, saying it all with that slightly dismissive, "You're too young to really understand this but I'll try to dumb it down for ya' kid." energy the entire time.

And then they paused, watching as Brat made a small scene of what was clearly her kitten crush, and even Bumblebeepaw had to give a small laugh at that. It was cute; really stupid too, but that made it extra charming in a way. And it almost reassured their point. What a girlish thing to have, kitten crushes. Well, perhaps the kitten crush wasn't girlish, but declaring it to the world sure was. "Nah, Druzyprince can like bench press half the clan, man is built like an absolute bear. You probably think he's not manly because he's pretty quiet but I can assure you he's probably the most manly thing around. Bar Ratpaw maybe, but as said before, Ratpaw went out with Oleanderpaw to pick flowers so."

The size of their amused smile couldn't help but grow as Brat fully fell into the dramatic throw of her what Bumblebeepaw was sure was only a small, passing enamorement. It wasn't love of course, in spite of what Brat said -- as least Bumblebeepaw figured as much. Not that they really knew what love was or what it felt like beyond familial and perhaps platonic love. Nor were they exactly sure what you did to get people to fall in love with you, or what you did in a relationship, or how to maintain a good one. They were as oblivious to those things as perhaps even Brat was, though they felt like they knew, and at Brat's request they were more than happy to give their entirely uneductated advice on the subject matter.

"Probably not elk bones. The elk bones are probably like at least a 'year anniversary this is serious' kind of gift. Not your starter." It was very clearly a tease, but there was a grain of truth to it. If only because they were sure that if the relationship had lasted a year, they'd probably have to love the other person well enough to accept at least some strange oddities from them. At the very least they would have figured out most of the other's quirks by that point; like, for example, the proclivity to give animal bones as gifts. "I mean to be fair, most guys if they like you well enough don't really care too much about gifts, they pretty much just want you." There was a double meaning to that that Bumblebeepaw figured, or at least hoped, the kitten was too young to get. But it sounded really nice when read on surface-level, and when she were older they figured she could look back and understand it. "Flowers and stuff are more the things that guys give to girls to show them that they do actually really like them, like courting. What I'd suggest, and what most guys like, is that you make yourself really pretty and you like, passive flirt. Like not outright flirt, because that's what the guy does. But like, you hint you like them, and then after they try and woo you, you play hard to get for a few months. Then if they're any guy worth their merit they'll eventually get the courage to ask you out, and then you get to say yes, and then bam, you have a relationship..." There was a small moment where Bumblebeepaw looked awfully proud of themselves for breaking it down that easy, but then they had to take an extra moment of consideration; as if they realized a little too late they should have put a bit of an asterisk to their original statement. "It's not that simple but that's the shortened version. And like again, outliers are a thing. But other than that, yeah. That's normally the proccess."

Bumblebeepaw didn't humor the implied threat of what she'd do if she were "getting scammed" with a response. In part because, if one was to take Brat's question at face value, yeah, she probably was. Bumblebeepaw had never been in a relationship, never been with a girl or a guy, but in spite of that, they didn't think they were tricking her. As far as they were concerned, they were pretty sure this was how you were supposed to be in a relationship, this was how a girl was supposed to react, and how a boy was supposed to try and woo her. And so they just looked at Brat with an amused but dismissive sort of expression, one that said she was getting worked up over nothing, one that was confident they knew what they were doing.

As they looked up at Brat they paused, taking a moment to genuinely consider if this was about the right energy she should be putting off, mulling it around in their head for a few seconds. "Eh, pretty close. But you need to actually look interested at first. Cause like, the point is that they have to think you might be interested at first. Then the guy knows to make like, a sauve, vague, kind of flirt towards you. You can start doing the whole, "I'm super perfect and too good to be with you." act later, guys like that, but only once they're sure that you might kinda possibly like them to begin with." Bumblebeepaw took a pause, as if re-considering, or at least considering clarifying what they just said. "Well, I guess also some guys will just like you just with no prompting and they'll risk it just in the hope you'll like them back, but that's how you imply to a guy who might have not considered being with you yet to like you."