here we go /p

[poppy]

♡- @starry. @Sweetie @Naiad @Bone. @Nixey @Estelle -♡
(Hi hi ily all, sorry this is late! I skipped the birthing scene out of laziness/slight discomfort with the subject. Estelle, maybe Nighty wakes up and sees that Bracken kitted, then somehow figures out that her milk didn't come, then offers? Tysm )

Brackenfire lay flopped in her nest, side heaving. That was the most painful and soul sucking thing she had ever done in her life. Her head throbbed, but her eyes traveled to the five kittens at her belly. None seemed to be drinking, and she frowned. Why... Maybe they were tired. She was tired, but none of them had just pushed five cats out of them. Was she this scrappy when she was a child? Pity that her mother didn't stick around long enough to tell her anything. The scent of kittens was grudgingly bringing her pleasure. She was a mom. Somehow, she felt like 19 moons old was too young, but it was alright, because she was more mature than her fellow Clan members thought. She just preferred to not be a stuffy old maid, what was wrong with that.

The kit closest to her was a mottled black and white molly, and she stared at it for a long while. It looked nothing like her, other than it possibly having her eyes, but that was fine. Her chest felt full with this weird feeling, and she leaned down, almost hesitantly, to lap at the child's wet fur, swift, drying licks to make it look more like a kitten and less like a sodden rat. She wanted this one's name to be as unique as it's appearance was, so she furrowed her brow in thought as she licked. "Cuckookit." She said firmly, already forming that tightass mom voice. Yeah. That was perfect. But, she didn't have time to oogle. There were four more wet, unnamed scraps at her belly that needed to be addressed.

The next kit looked more like she did, another molly, a lithe brownish red tabby. Well this one's name was obvious, but she put it off until the kid was clean and dry. "I'll call you Foxkit." She murmured, giving the kid one last lick and gentle nuzzle over the top of her tiny head.

Examining the third kit, she was surprised to see that she had three daughters. What if there were five she cats? That would be a handful, especially if they had adopted her personality. She though that she was great, but five little kids that acted just like her? She wouldn't be able to do it. This one was a very peculiar color, but she came to the conclusion that as the sire was black and white, that silver was on the same side of the spectrum so it was easier to understand. This one, she had already had a name planned for. She knew that she would name two of her maggots after Bounceberry. How could she not? The silvery kitten was soon dried and fluffy, and she swiftly nuzzled her. "You... You can be Berrykit." She thought again of the brown tom that she had fallen in love with, and she felt her nose tingle painfully, like she was going to cry. When was the last time she cried? Wasn't it over Bramble? Her broken, mutilated brother? Yes. She remembered it clearly, but she tried to forget.

The next kitten was a son, her one and only son, and she proceeded to groom him, trying to gather herself. This kit would also carry a part of Bounceberry in his moniker, and she felt tears flood her eyes, though none fell. "Bouncekit." The name was strange, and she had to swallow multiple times to suppress the pain and emotions. God, she was a mess. Good thing everyone was gone.

And finally, a small brown kitten. She didn't say it aloud, but she nuzzled little Cinnamonkit. Distracted from her last kid, she was alarmed to see none of them were drinking. Horror twisted in her stomach, and she moaned. "Eat!! Please eat, you little... Eat..." She wasn't smelling milk. Wasn't she supposed to? Panic froze her belly. Were they going to starve right beside her?

[starry]

@poppy. @Sweetie @Naiad @Bone. @Nixey @Estelle

Berrykit squirmed, trying to gather her senses. She couldn't see anything - it was so dark! Desperately she mewled for milk, but the sweet smell didn't waft into her nostrils like she hadexpected it to. Instead there was nothing except for the scent of her littermates and mother. She was hungry. Very, very hungry. If she didn't get food soon... would she starve and die? Of course, new-born Berrykit was not able to consider this possibility. For all she knew she needed food. So she continued yowling for milk, hoping it would arrive soon. She was also cold. And wet. But her mother and siblings gave her a bit of warmth.

[beau]

The newly named Bouncekit squealed indignantly as his sibling wriggled next to him, all in search of the same thing as him. The sweet scent of food wasn't near, and no matter how loudly he mewled or how hard pushed at his siblings, it could not be found. The fluffy calico squeaked out once more, squirming his way close to his mother and his siblings as his damp fur chilled him without the milk he needed to warm himself.

@poppy. @Sweetie @Naiad @Bone. @Nixey @Estelle

[JackHunt_17]

(we said we would change Foxkits name to Applekit-)
Applekit was strong and her instinct drew her to find her mothers milk scent. But she was confused when she couldn't. There was something beside her, so she crawled over to that and started to push at her belly with her paws, trying to get milk. It didn't come though. She started to yowl as loud as her tiny body could.
(sorry for the delay, was on vacation)
-- @poppy. @Sweetie @Naiad @Nixey @Estelle

[Nixey]

As Cinnamonkit finally was in the world, her little body squirmed when her mother began to groom her. It only took a few moments for the brown kitten to begin to scent for her mom's milk, but just as her other siblings had discovered, there was none. Letting out what could be considered a mix between a yowl and squeak as she wiggled her way closer to Brackenfire. For a moment she was comforted by the warmth, but as she began to search for a meal a soft mewl escaped her. She couldn't scent anything, and her paws working against her mother's belly did nothing to help.

@poppy. | @starry | @Naiad | @Bone. | @Estelle | @Sweetie

[Sweetie]

The molly was engulfed in a bubble of warmth and enjoyed it thoroughly until it was ripped away from her. Within a heartbeat the new born kitten felt a new warm sensation. This one wasn't all around her, only near her head and left her lower side exposed to the raw, new elements of the world. Confused she squealed with surprise until a new warm feeling brushed itself down her wet body. Oddly, this object brought the molly a calm wave of peace and soothed her cries.
Minutes later Cuckookit felt other small and squirmy bodies right next to her, disturbing her bliss. Now annoyed and hungry the kit moves away looking for anything that could satisfy her needs. But much to her disappointment there is nothing.

(I apologize for the short reply. Im on vacationand typing on my phone)

@poppy. @starry @Naiad @Bone. @Nixey

[Estelle]

[ @poppy. @starry @Naiad @Bone. @Nixey @Sweetie – Apologies for the delay! Was having some computer troubles ]


Although it had been lacking her in recent moons again, curled around the young kit she had only recently taken in, a previously sleeping Nightshiver was awakened by the soft sound of needy mewling and quiet pleads. The mewling of kits wasn’t that unusual since they were in the nursery, but this, it sounded… Smaller, somehow, younger. And a strange worry, and curiosity, prickled her fur. It felt unusual that the mewls woke her, but perhaps it was a motherly instinct that pushed her to be more alert to it. And perhaps it was that same motherly instinct that pushed her to get up from her nest, and look over to the new mother.

Brackenfire. Her heart jumped. When had she come in here? Worry washed over her face as she saw the enforcer’s expression, something was off. Carefully she pushed herself up and quietly she approached. The young queen didn’t utter a word as she came by her former apprentice’s side, looking from her face to the newborn kits. They weren’t eating.

Confusion tugged at her expression. The white molly glanced over to Brackenfire as if asking for permission before bending down and sniffing near the new mother’s belly. …It didn’t smell like milk. At all. She rose back up, visibly befuddled. She, admittedly, didn’t know if it was normal for milk to seemingly not come right after birth. There was… Well, she hadn’t quite taken notice of any other queens having their kits recently. And there had been a considerable amount of time between when she gave birth and when she found Bunnykit. So… Was this normal…? She always assumed the milk would just come right away.

The young queen hesitated. It didn’t feel normal. Far from it. And quite truthfully, she had noticed the scent of milk clinging to herself even before she gave birth – not just the general scent of the nursery. Which Brackenfire both seemed to lack.

Silently, Nightshiver kept on watching for a few more heartbeats. Still nothing. Worry tugged at her being as she looked back at Brackenfire.
“Do you.. feel a-any..thing coming… at. all..?”
She asked a bit hesitantly, feeling silly for doing so. Clearly nothing was coming. It felt off. She swallowed at the thought. The kits needed to eat, that much she did know. Should she..?
“Bracken..fire..”
She hesitated a bit, not quite certain until she briefly glanced at the small kits again.
“If… If.. your mi..milk isn’t.. coming. ...Yet. If.. need be, ...I could nu-nurse.. them… Until it.. does..?”
Assuming the new mother’s milk would be coming at all. Worry was written over the young queen as she offered her assistance, in a way, eyes resting upon the enforcer. Nightshiver wasn't sure how she would take this, but... If she could be of assistance in any way possible, she would do it.