RiverClan Nursery

[AbsurdJinx]

@Deranged Llama

Juniperpaw entered the nursery casually, dipping her head to the resident queens in both greeting and respect. She liked to occasionally visit the den of kits, sometimes carrying herbs for a brief basic training with the little ones, and sometimes just to check in and interact with the future generations of RiverClan.

The medicine cat was very kit-like, that could not be denied. Perhaps it was because she seemed to grow up so fast, spending a majority of her time helping Geckoleaf in the medicine den? Whatever the case, the mottled she-cat could easily be described as fanciful and playful, maybe even reckless and carefree. Unfortunately or fortunately - depending on the cat - she found her innocence slowly slipping away only to be replaced with responsibility. She's seen a lot in her time as medicine cat, a lot that easily had an affect on her personality. However, she still knew how to have fun.

She wasn't looking for anyone in particular, rather nonchalantly shuffling around the den and sharing a few quick words with a couple of her clanmates. This time, though, Juniperpaw noticed a gray-furred, green-eyed kit who resembled a feline who came to her in a moment of weakness. Is that Rainpelt's kit? She couldn't help but stare, remembering the tense conversation between herself and the queen. If anything, she expected the she-cat to abandon her offspring, maybe play them off as deceased. Joy filled her as she came to the conclusion that Rainpelt did have a heart, however small it may be. A purr rumbling deep in her throat, Juniperpaw approached the kit and greeted him with a neutral tone, ``Rainpelt's kit, yeah?`` She paused to beckon to herself with a flick of her head, ``Juniperpaw.``

[SuspiciousMindz]

Originally Posted by Lonestar23

Jasperpelt lowered his gaze, keeping his eyes firmly on the ground now. He felt horrible, really - it probably wasn’t fair to ask something like that, but since Lotusheart didn’t sound offended - perhaps it was alright. ”Oh. Well I, I’m… glad they have a mother-figure like you.” The warrior attempted a smile as he spoke, although he didn’t raise his gaze again - he didn’t quite dare to. Right now, his eyes flitted to the kits who were still curled up with Lotusheart - they were so small. Frail. Precious. Jasperpelt could barely remember his own days as a kit, although he did recall they had hardly been worry-free and fun… more terror-filled and occasionally, a ray of sunshine would slip through. His apprentice moons hadn’t been much better. It seemed this time as a warrior was the best he’d had in a while. And these days? Well, these days were the best of all.

She could easily sense the awkwardness that radiated from the very vague conversation they just had. There was nothing she could do about that, so she simply kept quiet. The she-cat wasn't going to try to fix that moment this time as there really wasn't a way to. Jasperpelt seemed to figure that out on his own anyway, as the comment he addressed made her purr a little. It was only for a moment. Lotusheart loved being spoken to about her parenting skills. Sometimes they may not be the best, but she knew she was good mother through and through and definitely appreciated when someone else in the clan took notice of her hard work. The Maine Coon nodded a little before looking back at the dark tom. "And hopefully you'll be around enough to be a second father figure in their lives," she replied with a small smile.

[lone]

Originally Posted by Suspiciousmindz

She could easily sense the awkwardness that radiated from the very vague conversation they just had. There was nothing she could do about that, so she simply kept quiet. The she-cat wasn't going to try to fix that moment this time as there really wasn't a way to. Jasperpelt seemed to figure that out on his own anyway, as the comment he addressed made her purr a little. It was only for a moment. Lotusheart loved being spoken to about her parenting skills. Sometimes they may not be the best, but she knew she was good mother through and through and definitely appreciated when someone else in the clan took notice of her hard work. The Maine Coon nodded a little before looking back at the dark tom. "And hopefully you'll be around enough to be a second father figure in their lives," she replied with a small smile.

”I would like that,” Jasperpelt smiled back, before bashfully ducking his head and returning his gaze to his paws. He’d liked being a father-figure for Lotusheart’s previous litter - he was glad he was Quailpaw’s mentor, too. He could look out for the she cat’s kit and get to train them into an amazing warrior. She’d taken care of them as a kit, raised them, and they were going to be a great cat - Jasperpelt knew it. ”Are the kits already showing signs of their personalities? I mean, like… like can you tell what they’re going to be like, sort of?” He questioned, glancing back up at Lotusheart. She was very good with kits - if anyone could tell that sort of thing, it would be her. Jasperpelt was glad she was getting the chance to be a Mother again, even if it was a foster Mother… and these kits couldn’t be luckier, either. If he did get to be a sort of second father-figure in their lives, Jasperpelt would make sure to be around - just like their biological father would, no doubt.

[ponyapan]

Stormlily gently licked Pebblekits white fur, hoping he would open his eyes soon. Silverkit and Sootkit had already done so. Silverkit was eagerly waiting for her mothers approval to go out to the clearing, and Sootkit was spacing out- her eyes unfocused. Warmth filled in her chest and spread through the rest of her body when she watched them. This was her kits. She had never been this proud before.

[ponyapan]

Suddenly a black tom whith white paws and white belly stumbled inside.
"Nightwhisker!" Stormlily purred happily. "Come meet your new kits!"
Nightwhisker had been on patrol when they were born, and when he came home all of the kits had been asleep. After that he had been so nervous to meet them that he had nearly avoided them, just poking his head inside to see if they were all okay.
Nightwhisker carefully made his way towards them, the joy visible on his face.
Silverkit scrabbled towards him. "Silverkit, Sootkit and Pebblekit. This is your father." Stormlily meowed proudly. Silverkit purred, and Sootkit watched him observantly. To her suprise, a pair of amber eyes was open behind her.
"Pebblekit! You've opened your eyes!" Stormlily exclaimed. "This is your father, Nightwhisker!"

[Jynx]

- @AbsurdJinx -

Galekit woke from his nap in his nest of reeds and moss with a small yawn. He had been dozing in the nursery, unable to find something to entertain him. As he blinked the sleep from his green gaze, the small, skinny tom kit parted his jaws, now in a yawn but in order to catch the scent of the cat that had entered moments before. The sharp tang of herbs hit the back of his throats and Galekit closed his jaws quickly. That was not his most favorite scent in the world. They reminded him of the bitter taste that came with a stubborn cough or a runny nose.

As his sharp gaze caught ahold of Juniperpaw pushing her way inside, he slowly made his way to his paws. What was she doing here? Though he didn't know it for sure, he assumed she was somehow involved with something to do with herbs and remedies. Maybe someone was sick. He could recognize the scent of leaves that was carried on her pelt and knew that this was what the cat's who went to the medicine den came back smelling of. When Juniperpaw stared at Galekit, meeting his own green gaze, his pelt prickled self-consciously. He flexed his claws in and out, toes wiggling, until she broke the silence between them.

Rainpelt's kit, yeah? Juniperpaw. Galekit nodded in confirmation and blinked once. "Y-yup." He meowed, voice high-pitched due to his youth; it was rather sulky tone, as he wasn't overly fond of Rainpelt. She never seemed to pay him much attention, and he often grew worried that maybe she wanted a different kit. After all, none of the other queens gave their kits impish glares of dislike. Shaking off his worries for now, the tom kit watched her, waiting for the cat infront of him to say something. He wasn't much of a talker himself, but like dot listen to others. Conversations never really lasted long when they included Galekit, though that may be contributed to the facts that he made others uneasy with his calculating stare and tendency for silence.

[ponyapan]

Nightwhisker slid over the nursery, as though walking on clouds.
Silverkit sprinted unsteadily towards him, stopping just right before crushing into him. She then licked her pelt self consciously a few times, waiting for her fathers reaction. Nightwhisker purred in amusement, and then nudged her affectionately with his nose. Her eyes shone. "Nightwhisker, can we go out to the clearing? Pleeease?" Nightwhisker shot an questioning glance towards Stormlily, but seeing her so hesitant expression made him decide to let them wait. "Sorry," he began. "You're a little to young for that yet. Maybe another day." Stormlily wore an grateful expression on her face.
Pebblekit and Sootkit didn't seem to mind, but Silverkit sulked in the corner.
Nightwhisker thought for a moment, then said. "But maybe Rainpaw can come after training and tell you some stories?" He suggested with a meow.
"Really?! Yes please!" Silverkit purred. "I would like that, too." Meowed sootkit.
Pebblekit gave a shrill mew. "Great, then i'll have to go now, Rainpaw is wating. We're going battle training." He said, then skiddled unsurely out of the nursery.

[ponyapan]

Silverkit sheathed and unsheathed her claws in eagerness.
Wouldn't Rainpaw come and tell her some stories soon?
Sootkit was no fun to play with, she was just silently watching and listening to everyone else. Pebblekit was even worse, he didn't even move from their mothers side and gave a shrill mew when you talked to him.
Silverkit suddenly stopped, she had an idea. She nudged her mother.
"What is it, Silverkit?" Stormlily meowed.
"Rainpaw is here now, I can see her in the clearing! Can I go see her, please?"
She begged. Stormlily shifted her paws. "I don't know. It would be better to wait until he comes here himself. Pebblekit is still a little weak on his paws and I can't leave him, so I wouldn't be able to keep an eye on you."She explained.
Sootkit looked down from the sky. "I don't want to leave yet. This cloud is pretty." Silverkit sent Sootkit an angry stare, and then meowed.
"But please! Both Rainpaw and Nightwhisker would be looking after me."She tried. Stormlily looked at her eyes. "Okay then. I remember wanting to go out of the nursery too. Just don't stray away from Nightwhisker or Rainpaw, it's too cold to be a kit alone outside." Silverkit thanked her happily, and then rushed out of the nursery to the clearing, where there was no Nightwhisker or Rainpaw. A purr of satisfaction rose in her throat, they had believed her lie.

[Charmer]

@Deranged Llama @Suspiciousmindz

Rainpelt winced as she lay motionless in the nursery. Everything hurt. The kits had started coming in the dead of night, and her body had been wrought with violent pain the whole time through. She knew that kitting hurt, but she never imagined it would be that bad. There had been only two. The first had been born dead. The other, she could feel now pawing at her belly for milk, pressing on her still tender insides. This was her life now...a queen. The little suckling kit wouldn't even let her rest long enough to forget that long enough to sink into the abyss of sleep. She had known just what to call the kit the instant she saw it: Gailkit, because like a fierce and deadly wind, it had blown away the last of her delusional hopes. She was a shecat, not a tom. She would be that way forever, and the proof ate at her as well as from her.

[SuspiciousMindz]

Originally Posted by Lonestar23

”I would like that,” Jasperpelt smiled back, before bashfully ducking his head and returning his gaze to his paws. He’d liked being a father-figure for Lotusheart’s previous litter - he was glad he was Quailpaw’s mentor, too. He could look out for the she cat’s kit and get to train them into an amazing warrior. She’d taken care of them as a kit, raised them, and they were going to be a great cat - Jasperpelt knew it. ”Are the kits already showing signs of their personalities? I mean, like… like can you tell what they’re going to be like, sort of?” He questioned, glancing back up at Lotusheart. She was very good with kits - if anyone could tell that sort of thing, it would be her. Jasperpelt was glad she was getting the chance to be a Mother again, even if it was a foster Mother… and these kits couldn’t be luckier, either. If he did get to be a sort of second father-figure in their lives, Jasperpelt would make sure to be around - just like their biological father would, no doubt.

Lotusheart gave him a small shrug. She wasn't really sure, honestly. She personally hadn't noticed anything that made the kits stand out from other kits personality wise. They were playful and sleepy. The typical. "Well if I raise them right, they'll be wonderful kits no matter how they end up!" she spoke enthusiastically. She believed in herself like that.

Suddenly, their conversation was broken off by a large yawn leaving her body. Now that she was settled comfortably in the nursery, she was growing tired. It was warm and dark and the kittens at her side didn't help her suddenly drowsy feeling. Her green hues lifted up to look at Jasperpelt again, her tail tip twitching a little. What would he do if she fell asleep? She enjoyed his company and didn't want him to leave yet. It was a weird feeling she was somewhat familiar with, but hadn't felt in a while.



@Charmer @Deranged Llama
[duplicating her here]
Lotusheart was awoken from her dreams due to a rather uncomfortable feline. As she blinked the sleep from her eyes and allowed them to adjust the lighting, she found herself staring at a she-cat in labor. Hues widening a little, she sprung into action. Her motherly instincts just took over. She rose to her paws quickly and with ease, she made her way around the nests until she found herself crouched right by the stranger. "You're going to do fine through this..." she murmured.

It felt like forever, but Lotusheart found herself staring at a now -- assuming -- exhausted queen with a single live kitten at her belly. It was a sad birth. Next to the suckling kitten was a stillborn kitten. The sight made her heart ache. She couldn't imagine what Rainpelt must be feeling -- although she didn't know that Rainpelt didn't want the kit. "He's beautiful," she spoke softly, her tail mostly hiding the stillborn kitten as she spoke about the little kit.