RiverClan Nursery

[lunaheart]

Originally Posted by Tazzy

“Ok..what would you like to play now?” She asked watching the other kit hopping around.

"How about… chase? Or hunting patrol?" Lunakit sat down and tilted her head as she tried to think.

[Tazzy]

Originally Posted by lunaheart

"How about… chase? Or hunting patrol?" Lunakit sat down and tilted her head as she tried to think.

“Hunting patrol?” Stream asked, clearly confused.

[lunaheart]

Originally Posted by Tazzy

“Hunting patrol?” Stream asked, clearly confused.

"We pretend to be on a hunting patrol. Duh. See? There is a bird! Lets get it!" Lunakit had spotted a small chickadee and was creeping up to it in the clearing. She pounced and killed it. "I didn't think I could get it! But then, I had to hunt when my mother died. But not for long. Twolegs found me. Then i met a rogue that told me about the clans then I ran away into riverclan territory. That was when..." lunakit trailed off then spoke again. "When my nose got frozen. I fell in a stream and the water on my nose froze. But beestrike is teaching me how to hear other cats and identify them without scent. Cool huh?"

[Windsher]

Tigerkit looked over at leopardkit.

[Tazzy]

Originally Posted by lunaheart

"We pretend to be on a hunting patrol. Duh. See? There is a bird! Lets get it!" Lunakit had spotted a small chickadee and was creeping up to it in the clearing. She pounced and killed it. "I didn't think I could get it! But then, I had to hunt when my mother died. But not for long. Twolegs found me. Then i met a rogue that told me about the clans then I ran away into riverclan territory. That was when..." lunakit trailed off then spoke again. "When my nose got frozen. I fell in a stream and the water on my nose froze. But beestrike is teaching me how to hear other cats and identify them without scent. Cool huh?"

“That is cool!” Stream exclaimed with a purr. “I don’t think I would be a very good hunter, I’m just to small.” She mumbled and scuffed the ground with her paw.

[lunaheart]

Originally Posted by Tazzy

“That is cool!” Stream exclaimed with a purr. “I don’t think I would be a very good hunter, I’m just to small.” She mumbled and scuffed the ground with her paw.

"The smaller the better! Animals will have a harder time detecting you than other bigger cats. And in a fight you can be stronger, faster and a smaller target. Being smaller is good! I'm a small cat. My mom and dad were small.'" Lunakit hopped around streamkit in circles.

[Tazzy]

Originally Posted by lunaheart

"The smaller the better! Animals will have a harder time detecting you than other bigger cats. And in a fight you can be stronger, faster and a smaller target. Being smaller is good! I'm a small cat. My mom and dad were small.'" Lunakit hopped around streamkit in circles.

Streamkit watched her hop around and perked her ears up. “Your right!” She exclaimed, as she thought of all the things she can do when she’s older. “Ok let’s play.”

[lunaheart]

Originally Posted by Tazzy

Streamkit watched her hop around and perked her ears up. “Your right!” She exclaimed, as she thought of all the things she can do when she’s older. “Ok let’s play.”

"Alright. I cant play hide and seek. Or the hidden egg game. Could we continue to hunt in the clearing? I saw a butterfly earlyer." Lunakit trailed off and looked at something. "There is is! The butterfly!" She yelled "Come on!"

[ponyapan]

The warmth of the new-leaf didn't stop Pebblekit from crawling closer to his mothers protecting pelt when the nursery opening rustled.
Pebblekit was relieved when it was just Nightwhisker, his father.
The kit the other day that had been persistent in that they should play had been scary. "Welcome back!"Stormlily purred. Nightwhisker mewed a thanks, and then licked his fur nervously. "Whats's wrong? Where's Rainpaw and Silverkit?"Stormlily asked. Pebblekit saw how Sootkit didn't shift her eyes from the clouds, but she pricked her ears. "Well... It's all been a misunderstanding. Silverkit thought she saw us, so she followed 'us' into the forest. But she had probably just seen some shadows and assumed that it was us.
We found her on the way back from battle training. Rainpaw is with her right now."Nightwhisker explained. Stormlily relaxed, but Pebblekit felt like he wasn't done yet. Nightwhisker sighed. "We found her next to a bush of death-berries-"
He wasn't able to finish his sentance. "-WHAT! Why didn't you say anything? Is she alive? She isn't sick right? How is she? WHERE is she?"Stormlily interupted. She sat up, clawing the reeds under her subconsciously.
Pebblekit didn't know what a death-berry was, but he didn't like the sound of it, as did Sootkit it seemed like. Her tail was completely straight and stiff.
Nightwhisker put his tail on her shoulder reassuringly.
"We think she's fine. She told us that she didn't taste it, but she did play with it... I made Rainpaw take her to the Medicine cat's den just to be safe."He calmed her. Stormfur sat down again, but she was still too flustered to relax.
"Heatherfur is a great medicine cat, I hope she isn't overworking herself."
Stormlily tried to comment with a calm voice.
Nightwhisker laid down next to Stormlily, and Pebblekit crept down in between them. Sootkit continued to watch outside.
Then they waited.

Pebblekit must have dozed off, because he was woken by the Sootkit saying. "Wait. There she is." Stormlily immediately sat up.
After a moment, Silverkit hopped into the den, Rainpaw close behind.
"Hello!" She mewed. "I'm back! It was so cool to be outside the den, and even outside the clearing. I even saw some-" Silverkit stopped talking as Stormlily quickly grabbed her by the neck fur, put her down next to her, and licked her clean and warm with energy.
"Was she alright?"Nightwhisker asked Rainpaw.
He nodded. "Heatherfur examined her, and there was nothing wrong."
Pebblekit could feel everyone relax to the news.
"I guess we will take the stories some other time."Rainpaw sighed.
"No! I want to hear one!"Silverkit exclaimed. "Please?" She added.
"I guess it can't be helped."Rainpaw purred and sat down.
"Which one do you want to hear? The one about Shadowclan, or when the water froze?"

[wren]

Originally Posted by hiraeth

@Suspiciousmindz @Celestial

curled up against his mother’s side, a small kit was only half asleep. he liked to stay that way, resting his eyes but not opening them in a wake. yet, as he had the night before, his dreams had been plagued with a darkness that never seemed to rise up. something was happening, somebody was crying, but it was as though he was blind. he couldn’t do anything, he couldn’t see what was going on. all the ginger kit could do was sit and wait for it all to end.
now, as he lay with his fur brushing against his brother’s, he could only listen and feel for the gentle touches. once his mother left fragile nuzzles upon him, he mewed quietly, a soft, squeaky sound as it pulled from his throat. he then shuffled into a separate position, tiny paws pushing against his mother’s belly.
a yawn breathed from his chest, mouth opening to reveal sharp, yet small, fangs, having begun to grow in. his stumpy tail wagged slightly, miniscule spine stretching out from being curled up all night, unaware that the cries of his dream happened to be his mother’s. the kit tried to remember her name, having heard it spoken by a few cats, one of which he believed to be his father. how could he not remember his own mother’s name? rowanflower!
much more time passed as the kit made a show to struggle with waking up, his brilliantly green eyes popping open in a blaze of emerald. the sudden light caused him to shrink back, a squeak sounding. his fur bristled, thin and fluffy, barely covering the soft flesh beneath. a tiny mouth opened with a high-pitched cry, stomach twisting with a sudden need to fulfill his hunger.
gorsekit, he thought, a frown pulling as his miniature lips. was that his name? yes.
shaking his head, he made way to stand up, simply tripping and falling back over. his nose twitched, ears flattening against his skull. gorsekit whined and reached over to his mother, his single grey paw contrasting against the ginger of his fur. he tried pushing himself to his paws again, making a few more steps before tripping and falling over his brother. he yelped out a quick, and shaky, “sorry!” before moving and dragging himself back over to rowanflower.
even as he remembered his own name, and his mother’s, he couldn’t bring himself to know his father’s name, not to mention remember what he looked like. gorsekit glanced to his brother, head tilted to the side. shorekit… he clumsily thought, blinking as it settled into his mind. gorsekit pressed himself to rowanflower once again, huffing against her comfortable fur.
then, as he pawed gently at his mother’s side, he mewed softly, looking around.

“father?”

Originally Posted by Suspiciousmindz

@Celestial @hiraeth

There wasn't much Shorekit could do right now. He didn't want to budge from his mothers side, merely mewling in protest whenever she'd move. He really threw a fit whenever she left just to get some food. Being merely a moon old, who could expect anything else? The majority of the time he just napped and suckled, allowing his mother to do everything else for him: grooming him, giving him warmth, etc. So while Gorsekit was up and about, even attempting to talk, Shorekit just remained immobile. The only time he attempting crawling was when Rowanflower moved too far away from him. That was it. That was very apparent at this moment as Gorsekit clambered over him. Shorekit simply let out a mewl of displeasure before curling his body up tightly, leaning more into Rowanflower's fur. He didn't watch, keeping his eyes closed in fact, but he did listen to everything going on around him. The kitten's curiosity showed slightly as Gorsekit mentioned the word 'father'.

Originally Posted by Celestial

@hiraeth @Suspiciousmindz



' ' You are the future of riverclan ' '

Fallenstar had said that to her in he midst of the territory he had said it and he had cried and she had cried, and yet somehow it was so ghostly she couldn't quite bring herself to accept that it was the truth. She lay in the heart of the camp; the nursery. She lay amongst other mothers and even some fathers who seemed out of place for a nursery, Though she felt as if even they fit more into this setting then even herself. Non of this had been planned, in fact they, a shiver shot down her spine, had only spoken on the topic once and it had been left hanging like a dangling branch on a weakened tree. Just waiting to finish its cycle by hitting the forest floor and reducing to rot. No it was still dangling there on the edge of breaking of with the slightest breath of wind. That's when the gentle rustle of someone entering the den caused her head to jerk up and her mind to break out of its thought process. Tumblestep? she watched the dark figure move in than shuffle off to the side, away from her, and as they did the hope screamed than sizzled and burned.

The multicoloured tabby shuffled and attempted to sit up when she felt the small bundles of fur at her belly shift and she dropped back down quick as a snake's strike eyes darting over their small bodies which appeared to be in great contrast to her own. Distractions had come from all directions, her responsibilities and callings and life seemed to have got in the way of what was important, she glanced back down at her sons, gorsekit and shorekit. There had been others in fact her only daughter had barely crawled into the world before she was taken away from her. The deputies- the queens belly churned and she blinked her eyes closed fighting off the tears that she knew would soon come. She had lost so much in a span of such little time it was hard to imagine moving on so quickly, moving forward for both fallenstar and the sake of riverclan but also the yearning to slow down and simply mourn. She glanced back down at her sons running her delicate pink tongue over their ears before gently moving herself into a more comfortable position. Now she faced the entrance of the nursery, just in case tumblestep came back. Just in case...

( [ ~ morning ~ ] )

Sunlight dappled the ground of the nursery as it leaked through in thin streams between the tangled den ceiling. For a moment the queen lay with her muzzle buried between her paws and her tail curled over the small kits in a defensive manner, muscle memory perhaps. The night was a patchy one where she had shifted, moved, groaned, moaned and cried. Only gentle cries of course considering her surroundings and she wouldn't wanna risk getting any pregnant queens in a mood. Been there. Done that. for a while as others woke up Rowanflowers remained peacefully in her nest, eyes puffy from lack of sleep and cheeks soaked with dried tears while her fur was tangled and matted in places. But now of all times she was sweetly held in the embrace of sleep and deep memory. Like nothing was wrong whatsoever. That's when the deputy blinked open her green eyes, studying her own paws which where awful close to her face. A hazy film still remained over her eyes as she attempted to blink away the film of sleep that covered them, a tempting yawn crawled out of her throat as she extended her jaws and squinted her eyes shut muscles growing taut with a lavish stretch.

She rolled over onto her back peddling her paws in the air for a brief moment before gently turning over into her side to cradle her kits by the bend of her belly. She was quite surprised both kits had slept through the night so peacefully with the white noises of her tears in the background. How precious they are... Just like their father. she bent to nuzzle gorsekit the closest one finger chest and wrapped her tail around the bundles of her sons. She needn't wake them yet, they needed their sleep and perhaps that was far better than being awake. Dreams where bursting at the seams keeping their inocent lives in a bubble that was way too easy to break. The more they where asleep, the less they would hear, the less they would see, the less they would know. Even though she knew they would wake she was in need of someone to eat in order for them to eat, the matter was how she would obtain the prey. She let out a long deepened huff closing her eyes for a long moment and shuffling her shoulders than gazing around the nursery. There didn't seem like any willing participants who would offer to go grab her a mouse or a nice freshly caught fish for the morning so she caught herself simply staring at the entrance hopeful for any apprentice or warrior who felt happy enough to drop some prey off.

' ' there wasn't much a chance... Perhaps I might just doze off for alittle? ' '
" they outta be fed though dearest, you outta feed your kin "
' ' I'll wait till they wake... ' '

Rowanflower couldn't help but surpress a mew of pleasure as Gorsekit pulled himself up from his place, his one grey paw mildly amusing to look at when his fur mirrored her own ginger patchs. She cranned her neck ever so gently and gave him another affectionate nuzzle, her own green optics focusing in on his small ones. She felt joy swell in her heart and her tail have an excited wave as she turned her head to see if any other queens where looking to see her kits, my kits, moving about. ' ' my little gorsekit ' ' she cooed, her voice growing soft and filling with affection. She settled back into her laid back position forgetting about the prey for a moment as gorsekit tried to gather up his sprawling legs beneath him, than tumbled backwards right onto shorekit. She watched the exchange between the brothers with warmth in her gaze and her tail flicking back and fourth. It hadn't ever occurred to her how much little shorekit didn't look like herself or tumblestep.

He was a gentle alabaster coloured Tom kit, perhaps he got that from his fathers side. It certainly wasn't her side of the gene pool. She could easily see how shorekit was more inclined to settle down and suckle, take in life slow, whilst his brother gorsekit was waddling about the very moment he could blink open his eyes. A purr rumbled deep in her throat and she used her tail to push shorekit closer to her belly and let out a deep and settled sigh. She had almost forgot about gorsekit who stood staring quizzically at her until he suddenly said the word she had dreaded hearing since the day the grey tom dispeared. ' ' father ' ' the word echoed around her head for a moment and she jerked her head back to look at gorsekit, horror covering her face for a singular moment before she wiped it away. Her heart began to throb and she felt her eyes heat up followed by tears threatening to spill, her ears became awfully red and she glanced away in a pained sort of way.

What can I do, he is gone, I can't even cope with that, let alone the only things I have left in this world. her stomach churned and she bit back a sob of remorse, ' ' Tu- tumblestep ' ' she croaked her paws now shuffling gently. The way shorekit seemingly perked up at the word father and gorsekit's unbearable gaze she felt like she was cornered by two warriors... They felt so big and knowledgable. Like they where tormenting her. And she snapped. The queen stood up suddenly careful not to send shorekit flying but fast enough for it to be an abrupt change. I need air, I can't breath. she looked at her kits longingly for a moment than thrust her way out of the nursery with a heaving hiccup. Than she stomped her way towards the freshkill, tears now dangling off her eyelashes. She was going to cry.