a daisy for you... [stagheart & daisykit bonding time!]

[squidz]

— STAGHEART —

very large, muscular, & scarred light brown tabby tom with stark blue eyes and a torn ear; beefed up tier 3 | just a scratch

[ riverclan warrior | tomcat | 52 moons | gruff & battle-hardened, yet thoughtful; loyal to a fault ]

—

Stagheart paused at the entrance of the makeshift healing den, hesitating. He'd just sent off Willowpaw to get some rest, his heart aching for the poor young cat. She'd just lost her mother in the midst of the hellish 3v1, and on top of that, all of the kits Brightnight had delivered had died...

...Except one. Daisykit, as named by her sister.

Stagheart was far from the fatherly type... he knew how to mentor young cats, sure, but that wasn't the same as raising a kit. He'd struggled like crazy with Berrypaw, but no one else had wanted to take care of her whenever he'd first brought the mewling, helpless kit back to the Clan... so it had fallen to him. He'd made plenty of mistakes, no doubt, and even more mishaps... but he'd done his best. She turned out pretty good, all things considered, though it was a miracle to him.

Yet now, Willowpaw had earnestly asked Stagheart to visit Daisykit... he'd told her he couldn't be a real father, and yet Willow had still asked him to go, just wanting somebody there for Daisy... and how could he say no? After all their little family had endured...? He was practically the only stable presence in his apprentice's life outside of her brother, and she so dearly looked up to him... even his gruff, stone-cold exterior couldn't reject her pleas. Not that he'd ever admit it, but... there was a heart of gold under that scarred, burly flank. And it had a soft spot in particular for both Willowpaw and Berrypaw...

He finally gathered the courage to duck inside the den. Berrypaw was awake, her green eyes flitting to him with a soft, surprised smile. Poor kid... she looked exhausted, having tended to cats constantly, hardly getting a rest. But she was doing alright... after a few words with her, he quietly asked where Daisykit might be. Berrypaw silently pointed with her tail to a small, fluffy, little puffball in the corner, sleeping away on a soft moss nest that was just barely bigger than her...

Stagheart nodded in thanks, keeping his steps as light as possible as he cautiously approached, not wanting to startle the kit... she looked healthy enough, all things considered, though his heart ached to think of what she'd endured during her chaotic birth and rush up the mountains. Maybe she wouldn't remember any of it from how young she is... and perhaps that'd be best, for now.

He silently sat down near the nest, wrapping his tail over his paws, simply waiting and watching for now... not wanting to disturb the little one's rest.

[ @DdeongJoongie_Tanghulu ]

[DdeongJoongie_Tanghulu]

Originally Posted by squidz

— STAGHEART —

very large, muscular, & scarred light brown tabby tom with stark blue eyes and a torn ear; beefed up tier 3 | just a scratch

[ riverclan warrior | tomcat | 52 moons | gruff & battle-hardened, yet thoughtful; loyal to a fault ]

—

Stagheart paused at the entrance of the makeshift healing den, hesitating. He'd just sent off Willowpaw to get some rest, his heart aching for the poor young cat. She'd just lost her mother in the midst of the hellish 3v1, and on top of that, all of the kits Brightnight had delivered had died...

...Except one. Daisykit, as named by her sister.

Stagheart was far from the fatherly type... he knew how to mentor young cats, sure, but that wasn't the same as raising a kit. He'd struggled like crazy with Berrypaw, but no one else had wanted to take care of her whenever he'd first brought the mewling, helpless kit back to the Clan... so it had fallen to him. He'd made plenty of mistakes, no doubt, and even more mishaps... but he'd done his best. She turned out pretty good, all things considered, though it was a miracle to him.

Yet now, Willowpaw had earnestly asked Stagheart to visit Daisykit... he'd told her he couldn't be a real father, and yet Willow had still asked him to go, just wanting somebody there for Daisy... and how could he say no? After all their little family had endured...? He was practically the only stable presence in his apprentice's life outside of her brother, and she so dearly looked up to him... even his gruff, stone-cold exterior couldn't reject her pleas. Not that he'd ever admit it, but... there was a heart of gold under that scarred, burly flank. And it had a soft spot in particular for both Willowpaw and Berrypaw...

He finally gathered the courage to duck inside the den. Berrypaw was awake, her green eyes flitting to him with a soft, surprised smile. Poor kid... she looked exhausted, having tended to cats constantly, hardly getting a rest. But she was doing alright... after a few words with her, he quietly asked where Daisykit might be. Berrypaw silently pointed with her tail to a small, fluffy, little puffball in the corner, sleeping away on a soft moss nest that was just barely bigger than her...

Stagheart nodded in thanks, keeping his steps as light as possible as he cautiously approached, not wanting to startle the kit... she looked healthy enough, all things considered, though his heart ached to think of what she'd endured during her chaotic birth and rush up the mountains. Maybe she wouldn't remember any of it from how young she is... and perhaps that'd be best, for now.

He silently sat down near the nest, wrapping his tail over his paws, simply waiting and watching for now... not wanting to disturb the little one's rest.

[ @DdeongJoongie_Tanghulu ]

Daisykit was asleep. Her soft white fur curled up into a small ball, her little black stripes barely visiable. Daisykit shifted as a new scent flooded her nostrils. Who was this? The little kit decided to sleep for a few more moments. Soon waking up, her blue eyes, painfully identical to her mothers and Willowpaw's, gazed up sleepily at Stagheart, she sat up warily and sniffed. Shaking out her fluff. Due to her being born so early she was born with defects, her bones were brittle and her body was weak, bumping against things left brusies on her hips. Daisykit looked up at Stagheart, yawning her little dreams away and coming to a sad reality of another morning in the den. Coughing lightly Daisykit looked at Berrypaw. After Berrypaw had always been there for her, and Willowpaw talking fondly about how Berrypaw was basically like a real sister, Daisykit had started up an adorable habit of calling her, "Sissy?" Daisykit mewed in her small voice. Stretching to the point where it hurt, which unfortunately didn't take much. Daisykit's forever, sick like state remained. A normal cats allergies were like a bad cold to Daisykit, her normal cold was like white cough which she'd only had once. Only Starclans knows what'll happen when she gets whitecough or greencough.

Daisykit looked up to Berrypaw and Stagheart, she remembered him! He was a big cuddly Tom in the little feline's eyes. Willowpaw only talk good about him. Stagheart yes, that was his name. Daisykit switched her innocent blue eyes to Stagheart and meowed, "Good morning Stagheart!" Daisykit stuck up her little tail, it was long, not nearly as long as Willowpaw's clearly but, it was decently long. Daisykit attempted to stand up, giving a small whimper at the brusises on her hips. Coughing once more she scooted a bit over, inviting Stagheart to lay down with her, it was easier for Daisykit to focus on a conversation if she was face to face with the cat, able to read there lips and only focus on their words rather than the birds chirping or the tired sighs and slow movement of the tired Berrypaw.

[squidz]

 

Originally Posted by DdeongJoongie_Tanghulu

Daisykit was asleep. Her soft white fur curled up into a small ball, her little black stripes barely visiable. Daisykit shifted as a new scent flooded her nostrils. Who was this? The little kit decided to sleep for a few more moments. Soon waking up, her blue eyes, painfully identical to her mothers and Willowpaw's, gazed up sleepily at Stagheart, she sat up warily and sniffed. Shaking out her fluff. Due to her being born so early she was born with defects, her bones were brittle and her body was weak, bumping against things left brusies on her hips. Daisykit looked up at Stagheart, yawning her little dreams away and coming to a sad reality of another morning in the den. Coughing lightly Daisykit looked at Berrypaw. After Berrypaw had always been there for her, and Willowpaw talking fondly about how Berrypaw was basically like a real sister, Daisykit had started up an adorable habit of calling her, "Sissy?" Daisykit mewed in her small voice. Stretching to the point where it hurt, which unfortunately didn't take much. Daisykit's forever, sick like state remained. A normal cats allergies were like a bad cold to Daisykit, her normal cold was like white cough which she'd only had once. Only Starclans knows what'll happen when she gets whitecough or greencough.

Daisykit looked up to Berrypaw and Stagheart, she remembered him! He was a big cuddly Tom in the little feline's eyes. Willowpaw only talk good about him. Stagheart yes, that was his name. Daisykit switched her innocent blue eyes to Stagheart and meowed, "Good morning Stagheart!" Daisykit stuck up her little tail, it was long, not nearly as long as Willowpaw's clearly but, it was decently long. Daisykit attempted to stand up, giving a small whimper at the brusises on her hips. Coughing once more she scooted a bit over, inviting Stagheart to lay down with her, it was easier for Daisykit to focus on a conversation if she was face to face with the cat, able to read there lips and only focus on their words rather than the birds chirping or the tired sighs and slow movement of the tired Berrypaw.

Stagheart found a tug in his heart — more of a feeling than usual, elicited from the tom by his begrudging endearment of the little kit. She looked so frail, and those blue eyes of hers so starkly like that of her sister and mother... he followed her direction, calmly and slowly (as if moving too fast might scare her; he was almost like a giant compared to her, after all). He lay down across from her, getting just a tad more eye level with the tiny fluffball.

"Hey there, Daisykit... how you holdin' up?" He asked, his gruff voice perhaps sounding a bit funny as he attempted for it to be soft, as if speaking too loud might startle the young kit. Besides that, he wasn't exactly the best at coming off... friendly. So he was trying here; you could give him that.

Berrypaw heard Daisykit's call and smiled weakly at her in response, her face still lighthearted despite the impact that the 3v1 and all of the dire healings had had on her. She purred a hello to the little kit, endeared by the idea of being called 'sissy'... Berry had never had an actual family, but was more grateful than ever that she seemed to be accepted into one — starting with Stagheart, who'd brought her in, and now becoming the official-unofficial sister of Willowpaw's little family. She stayed in her nest, watching with a soft smile as Stagheart did his best to speak softly to the kit.

It was a bit amusing to her, too — now that she was older, she could recognize his mannerisms, and could tell that he was trying to soften his gruffness so he didn't scare the kit, using the same voice he'd used on Berry all the time when she was young.

[DdeongJoongie_Tanghulu]

 

Originally Posted by squidz

 

Stagheart found a tug in his heart — more of a feeling than usual, elicited from the tom by his begrudging endearment of the little kit. She looked so frail, and those blue eyes of hers so starkly like that of her sister and mother... he followed her direction, calmly and slowly (as if moving too fast might scare her; he was almost like a giant compared to her, after all). He lay down across from her, getting just a tad more eye level with the tiny fluffball.

"Hey there, Daisykit... how you holdin' up?" He asked, his gruff voice perhaps sounding a bit funny as he attempted for it to be soft, as if speaking too loud might startle the young kit. Besides that, he wasn't exactly the best at coming off... friendly. So he was trying here; you could give him that.

Berrypaw heard Daisykit's call and smiled weakly at her in response, her face still lighthearted despite the impact that the 3v1 and all of the dire healings had had on her. She purred a hello to the little kit, endeared by the idea of being called 'sissy'... Berry had never had an actual family, but was more grateful than ever that she seemed to be accepted into one — starting with Stagheart, who'd brought her in, and now becoming the official-unofficial sister of Willowpaw's little family. She stayed in her nest, watching with a soft smile as Stagheart did his best to speak softly to the kit.

It was a bit amusing to her, too — now that she was older, she could recognize his mannerisms, and could tell that he was trying to soften his gruffness so he didn't scare the kit, using the same voice he'd used on Berry all the time when she was young.

Daisykit smiled gently at Berrypaw, watching her watch Stagheart. Focusing back on Stagheart she watched his slow movements and twitched her whiskers curiously. "I'm doing better..... my dumb cough never goes away." Daisykit grumbled. As she heard a sound outside her ears flicked, once again distracted. Swiveling back to Stagheart once again. "And I uhh..... my hips hurt." Daisykit meowed, "But I don't want to tell sissy..... I can tell she works a loooooot! And she needs to sleep......" Daisykit said, her meow was still a bit loud though her attempt to whisper was cute. Daisykit gently stood, her body thin as she turned to show Stagheart, the small bruises on her hips. "Whenever I........' Daisykit trailed off, staring at Stagheart for a moment. "

I uhh...... oh yeah! Bump into things..... which I do a lot, big sissy says I have bad..... bal.....balants? Balanche.... (balance)" Daisykit attempted to meow, "So I get bruised..... and it hurts.....but I see so many cool warriors come in here. They bump into the walls and stuff being clumsy and stuff. But they never get big bruises like me!' Daisykit exclaimed, hitting her bedding with a tiny paw, her anger and stress causing her coughing to act up. Daisykit got into a fit of coughing once more, using the manners Willowpaw taught her and looking away with her tiny tail over her jaws. "And they..... the other kits sometimes come in here...... and they like..... y'know there playing and they ask me to play. But then I can't play because if I fall down to hard I can't breath and it hurts. A-and there so mean they even laughed at me once!' Daisykit blabbed on, very similar to Willowpaw in this was as well. Coughing a few times again as the stress returned. "I can't even feel emotion....... my dumb coughing causes me to feel icky whenever I get mad or sad." Daisykit grumbled, she looked at Stagheart, easily distracted again as she put her itty bitty muzzle against his. "Your muzzles way bigger than mine! Big sissy said I'm going to be small like her......"

(Sissy is Berrypaw and Big sissy is Willowpaw btw lol.)

[squidz]

 

Originally Posted by DdeongJoongie_Tanghulu

 

Daisykit smiled gently at Berrypaw, watching her watch Stagheart. Focusing back on Stagheart she watched his slow movements and twitched her whiskers curiously. "I'm doing better..... my dumb cough never goes away." Daisykit grumbled. As she heard a sound outside her ears flicked, once again distracted. Swiveling back to Stagheart once again. "And I uhh..... my hips hurt." Daisykit meowed, "But I don't want to tell sissy..... I can tell she works a loooooot! And she needs to sleep......" Daisykit said, her meow was still a bit loud though her attempt to whisper was cute. Daisykit gently stood, her body thin as she turned to show Stagheart, the small bruises on her hips. "Whenever I........' Daisykit trailed off, staring at Stagheart for a moment. "

I uhh...... oh yeah! Bump into things..... which I do a lot, big sissy says I have bad..... bal.....balants? Balanche.... (balance)" Daisykit attempted to meow, "So I get bruised..... and it hurts.....but I see so many cool warriors come in here. They bump into the walls and stuff being clumsy and stuff. But they never get big bruises like me!' Daisykit exclaimed, hitting her bedding with a tiny paw, her anger and stress causing her coughing to act up. Daisykit got into a fit of coughing once more, using the manners Willowpaw taught her and looking away with her tiny tail over her jaws. "And they..... the other kits sometimes come in here...... and they like..... y'know there playing and they ask me to play. But then I can't play because if I fall down to hard I can't breath and it hurts. A-and there so mean they even laughed at me once!' Daisykit blabbed on, very similar to Willowpaw in this was as well. Coughing a few times again as the stress returned. "I can't even feel emotion....... my dumb coughing causes me to feel icky whenever I get mad or sad." Daisykit grumbled, she looked at Stagheart, easily distracted again as she put her itty bitty muzzle against his. "Your muzzles way bigger than mine! Big sissy said I'm going to be small like her......"

(Sissy is Berrypaw and Big sissy is Willowpaw btw lol.)

Stagheart frowned as Daisykit went on, all of her bruising, her pain... it wrenched his heart unpleasantly to hear of such plights suffered by someone so young. He found himself glancing over at Berrypaw a few times as the kit spoke. Berrypaw sighed somberly and nodded, her eyes betraying the fact that she was pretty much aware of Daisykit's pains, although concern flashed in her green eyes at the mention of the hip pain that hadn't been spoken aloud.

Berrypaw also smiled softly in emotion, clearly endeared when Daisykit mentioned that she needed to sleep... with a purr, Berry piped up quietly, "You never need to worry about bothering me, Daisykit... this is my job, remember?" She mewed with a slight, somber laugh behind her tone. "Now, about that hip pain... I can't give you poppy seeds for it, because those are dangerous for little kits. Let me talk to Mistyshard and see what we can do, yeah?"

She lightly reached out with her tail to brush it over Daisykit's flank before padding away, giving Stagheart a nod and a smile before briefly disappearing, presumably to ask about it. When she was gone, Stagheart swiveled his gaze back to Daisykit, letting out a sigh and almost awkwardly shuffling his paws as he struggled to find proper sympathetic words.

"Ah, I'm... I'm real sorry to hear that, kid. You don't deserve none of that," he mused, shaking his head. "You'll just... have to take it easy, alright? Don't go throwin' yourself around 'n all that... you got some growin' to do, 'n then you should be able to handle things a little better, I'd reckon."

Of course he was no medicine cat, but he supposed the kit growing more would only make her stronger, and less susceptible to injuries, right...? Well, maybe. Maybe not. But anything he could offer to make her feel a little better, that was what he should say, right?

He... wasn't the best at this sort of thing. But he was trying.