ShadowClan Life Before Destruction

[SuspiciousMindz]

Originally Posted by mirefern

Badgerpaw's own activities dwindle down when he's no longer in the company of his own brother. settling along the outskirts of the clearing with nothing much to do beyond skywatching. The clouds roll lazily, heavy and threatening to split and pour at any moment. Not that he particularly minds the rain, he just doesn't fancy having to spend a good portion of the evening trying to un-mat the mud from his fur.

He stretches himself out, gangly but small, not fitting in this body quite right. He makes a note to try training more often to become stronger, more comfortable with himself. It's going to be a struggle, but it's something he wishes to set his mind to.

The tom drifts in and out, dissociating with his surroundings up until he tries to rise and immediately backs onto another cat -- his rear bumping the poor apprentice and his paws only narrowly missing squishing the frog he'd apparently been attempting to eat. He's not entirely sure how to approach an apology -- getting off the other might be a good idea, but he's still in a foggy state of mind. All he manages is a simple, very ingenuine-sounding 'sorry'.

Blackpaw had just begun to settle down near the apprentices den until a bump from another feline caused him to drop his frog into the dirt and make him stumble. His stunning blue optics flashed with frustration. Why couldn't he ever have a normal day? It never seemed like it could happen, although he shouldn't complain. A strange day was always better than a day that came out boring. With those thoughts in mind, the ebony apprentice took a deep breath, allowing his frustration to vanish into a more calm manner.

Turning, the long limbed apprentice caught the other felines words before his optics rested on the cat that bumped into him. It certainly didn't sound like he was sorry, that was for sure. Although Blackpaw let it slide. He was in Shadowclan after all, what else could he actually expect? As his blue optics studied the other apprentice, he blinked slowly before giving a slight nod. "It's fine I guess, just watch where you're going next time," he replied. His voice was calm, although held no hints of being friendly.

Blackpaw's pelt prickled at the tension from the incoming storm grew stronger and stronger. He could practically taste the rain staining the air and blocking out most other scents. He was well aware that the downpour would be soon, he didn't have to look up to know that one. Besides, it was much darker than normal for a morning in leaf-fall.

[Ever]

Blazingnight wanted to beleive his words but some part of her wanted their kits to be kept a secret from the world for as long as possible. She was also torn between wanting to care for the kits herself so that they didn't have any outside influences and laying them all on Burdockclaw and a queen under his supervision so that she could take care of the clan and not have to worry about them. The latter was probably the best option as the clan would need her in the upcoming moons. Leaf-bare would be hard this year with Bucknight circling her clan looking for its use. She hadn't even though about that, the kits would be born into a cold and bleak time, the roughest time of year. She didn't even want to think about that. Though she supposed that if there was any way to weed out the weaklings in her kits, that would be the best way to do so. She finally removed her paws from her face and glanced up at Burdockclaw. "Alright, if you think that I can trust her, then I will." She finally said, some sense returning to the dark tabby. "I will need help since I will have to be gone often for the clan, though I am sure between your sister, yourself and maybe another queen to help nurse them we can make it through this." She said, though her heart wasn't in her voice. She sounded unsure of the situation, untrustful that other cats should be able to help care for her kits. She wished this had been planned.

[Snake]

Originally Posted by MaskedBandits

Mulberrykit Sat up and looked at Mossflight, eyes still wide and her head tilted. "What's a fresh kill?"

"Freshkill is prey" She replied, "You will try prey when your older" She mewed picking up a vole

[Caligo Everton]

Originally Posted by Raven

Ravenpaw flicked her ears in amuzement. "It's hard to explain the taste. Prey mates just like cats do, and they have kits of their own that grow up. And yes, in a sense it does come from the ground. That's where it lives. It comes above ground to find things for it to eat like nuts and berries. A kill is when a warrior catches prey for the Clan to eat," she paused for a breath, then added, "There's a lot to learn, even when you're not an apprentice yet!"

fern kit tilted her head. "whats nuts and berries?" she mewed in wonder.

[Derpple and Ashie]

With a soft sigh of relief, the crippled tom gave her a comforting lick to her brow. "Honestly, she might take it better if you do the asking," he added, "but there are herbs to help a she-cat produce milk so she could use those, and if it's not enough for them maybe Whitesplash or Dustpelt could give us a paw." The brown cat glanced to the side, as if expectant of listening ears before continuing, "I don't know if you've had time to notice running the clan, but I think she's expecting kits as well. She's gotten slower and larger, and I know she's not sneaking extra rations. Maybe she would be willing to share with the kits... our kits." His heart quickened at those words, at the thought of children actually of his blood. A small part of him had never even thought it would come true, one disastrous love affair after another, losing Whitesplash to Flickerheart though that turned out for the best, Heatherwing who simply vanished, and then all the struggle with Blazingnight until they had finally confessed they still had feelings for the other. Despite the terror in his chest that he wouldn't be good enough for hen, there was no denying the pride and joy he felt. He was going to be a father.

[Ever]

Blazingnight listened when he spoke of ways to make his sister better suited for helping raise the kits, but she still wasn't sold on the idea. Worse those was the second suggestion and she pinned his ears. She wouldn't have her litter soiled by some other queen's kits being in their presence. The dark tabby was ready to glare at him and swipe him up the side of the head for even suggesting that, but she saw the light in his eyes. He wanted this, he obviously had wanted this for some time. She wished that she could share the same passion for parenthood that he did. If she looked forward to this it would be easier, but all that she could picture it as was a burden. A small sigh escaped her maw and she rolled against him, curling her back against his belly so that she felt surrounded by his warm body. "I'll worry about it later." She mumbled defeatedly. Ash felt guilty for feeling so miserable about the kits, when he wanted them and was excited. She felt like she was dragging him down from what should be one of the highest points in his life. I should have left him, he would have been so much better off.She thought as she pulled her front paws over her face again. Blazingnight felt a strange urge to cry, she hated crying more than anything in the world, and of course that was what she felt like doing. She pressed her paws into her eyes to prevent the burning sensation from forming tears and took a deep breath. This will be okay, I will find a solution... She only wished that it could be that easy, that she could give Burdockclaw the normal life he wanted, the love that he needed, and still run the clan in ways that made him want to hate her.

[Derpple and Ashie]

"Okay," he meowed gently, not wanting to upset her as she was clearly not as happy as he about all of it. Of course he also wasn't the one that had to carry the kits inside of him for the next few moons let alone give birth to them. He shuddered at the thought of ever experiencing a kitting aside from his own. "You just rest up, I will do everything I can to help," he vowed, enjoying the touch of her against him. Slowly he licked at her paws, trying to coax them away from her eyes before she clawed them out on accident. "Everything will be okay," he promised, "you'all see. Our kits will have the strongest, bravest, most beautiful mother in all the clans, and the coolest dad to boot." He gave a crooked grin, "not to mention the rest of my family. Liontuft will probably be a fun uncle to them like I was. Or cousin? I don't know the word but he'all be that. I think even kits will get on Auroraeyes good side! Dustpelt will love them too I'm sure, and Whitesplash might even smile at them. Wheatflick... not too sure about him actually, but I'm sure he'd like them. My brothers, Volefrost and Shrewcall, too." The to smiled at her apologetically, blushing at her as he realized he'd rambled. "Sorry," he tenderly said, "got carried away."

[monfang]

Moonfang woke up, and looked around dazed. She shook her pelt gently, and groomed it before stepping into the clearing.

[Ever]

Blazingnight reluctantly tucked her paws against her fluffy cream chest when her urged them away. As he rambled on she simply felt more and more miserable about herself and pinned her ears, tucking her face tightly against her chest to semi-hide it in the fur. She wished shad had had such a strong family connection, sure they were technically her family now, but it wasn't the same. She had been quickly abandoned by her heartbroken mother as soon as she was done being weaned, and she had never gotten to meet her father who had died before her birth. She'd had no siblings, and she committed a crime against the clan as a kit that turned every other cat her age against her. So she'd always struggled to trust, to love, to have friends. She was envious when he rambled on about his family, but she took a breath, pasted on a fake little smile and glanced back at him through glossy golden eyes. "I'm sure they'll be perfect." She whispered, a voice was much easier to control and fake when it was at a whisper. Though he knew her well enough to probably see the fear deep in her eyes, the worry maybe even the envy. Though he wouldn't understand, he would just say that his family was like hers and that they were there for her. She was even envious of Whitesplash, remembering the night after she'd told Burdockclaw of her plans with Bucknight and he had told her that they were done. She'd returned to the den to see the two close together, the thought still made her chest ache. The dark tabby tried to push the jealousy away though, it was difficult however as she lived a life of jealousy and hunger for power.

[Derpple and Ashie]

He gave a soft frown, seeing through her words with ease, and leaned down until he could lick her face once more. "Our kits will be," he said firmly, determined not to be convinced otherwise. "They will be amazing and perfect because they'all have something neither of us ever had, both of our parents, real parents. Ones that won't betray or leave them, or need to take care of." He dared to move a paw to her belly, a touch apprehensive but he took the risk. "Loving parents."