all you gotta do is call me — robinheart

[FOXTAIL]

Foxtail lets out a deep, heavy sigh as he picks out a carp out of the fresh kill pile. Foxtail's stomach does not rumble, he can't possibly feel hungry with what's on his mind. Kittens are supposed to be a happy occasion. Rivuletkit, Redkit, and Algaekit should be growing up with both of their mothers, and his heart aches knowing they will be too young to remember Brookstorm. Death has been far too frequent in litters lately. First Snowflakekit.... then Lilybloom, and now, devastatingly, Brookstorm. He wasn't too close to the late warrior; she was far more rough on the edges, and felt a little.... intense to the timid warrior. But anyone could see how much his friend Robinheart and Brookstorm cared for each other. Their relationship might've not been perfect at some points, but at the end of it all— they loved each other deeply. His olive green eyes look over to the nursery, and he tries to calm himself with a simple breath, before he begins to pad over.

He dips his head into the den, his eyes scanning for his friend; but he doesn't have to look for very long. Robinheart lies in her nest made of soft moss and reeds, three young kits suckling to their mother for warmth, and for nurture. "R-Robinheart," He says through a muffled voice, still holding the carp in his maw. He steps into the den and places the carp down beside her nest, his tail slowly swishing behind him. "I... I-I thought you might be hungry," He murmurs before he sits down, wrapping his bushy tail around his paws. He looks over at her, and then his gaze moves onto her kits. The kits are so young... far too young to remember Brookstorm's voice, or even what she looked like. But they will know Brookstorm, through Robinheart's memories she'll pass down to them. He pulls his attention back onto his friend, an ear twitching. "....How are y-you doing?"​

𝐨𝐨𝐜 𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭

• @robinheart
  
• 
  
  

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  credit to skaicraft (via insta) for the artwork <3
  
• Foxtail

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  warrior
  warmhearted
  timid
  experience: trained
  backstory: [HYPERLINK]
  biography: [HYPERLINK]
  credit to clangen for sprite <3
  

  cisgender male [he / him]
  eyes: green
  pelt: cinnamon/chocolate
  fur length: long
  parents: dawnflower and redfur (riverclan npcs)
  19 moons
  

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[robinheart]

Robinheart breathes in… out… for she must. Despite the hollowness of her chest, a cavern mined and desolate, she breathes in the hopes of filling it with something. Anything. Love, purpose, anger, grief… she should feel something within herself. But she’s empty.

Brookstorm’s death drained her of herself.

The tortoiseshell does not believe the feeling to be permanent, for split seconds at a time she does feel love and purpose (primarily towards her kits). It’s just a matter of time until she fills the cavernous void once more, though it’ll never be quite as full. Just a matter of time is easier said than done. Each moment that passes moves at snail pace. Each day feeling just like the last.

Fortunately for the queen, Foxtail provides a spark of newness to her day. Weary citrine gaze focuses on the warrior as he enters the nursery. He brings with him a fish and already Robinheart’s eyes fill with bitter tears. It should be Brookstorm bringing her a freshly caught carp to eat. It should be her mate checking in on her, making sure she was surviving the newborn stage. But it’s not. It’s her friend ensuring she eats and checking in on her, making certain she is surviving not motherhood but widowhood. “I’m… here.”

Tears flow freely as she speaks warbled words. Her throat tightens and sobs choke the poor queen. “I-I don’t know how… t-to do this. To be a-anything more than their m-mother right now. Everyday I-I care for them but I’m j-just going through the motions.” It shows in her unkempt fur and lack of appearances outside of the nursery. “Why d-did it have to be her? All she w-was doing was taking care of us… it’s not fair.”​

[ penned by kerms ]​

 

[FOXTAIL]

The young warrior cannot even begin to imagine the grief his friend must be going through. He knows that it's hard to lose a loved one; Foxtail can't even begin to imagine what life would be like without Hawkcloud or Tigersplash.... he doesn't even want to think about them being among silverpelt one day. And Foxtail is only thinking of his kin— StarClan there must be a different kind of sorrow for losing a mate. A mate that checked in on Robinheart every day.... made sure she ate.... a mate whom Robinheart shared kits with. A mate who should've watched their children grow into apprentices..... and then future warriors. A mate who should've grown old with Robinheart in the elder's den. His heart aches as the queen opens her maw, he can hear the absolute sorrow in Robinheart's voice. "I'm... here." He sits down beside his friend, his bushy tail brushing against Robinheart's fur as tears begin to flow down her cheeks.

He keeps quiet as the queen sobs, his tail gently brushing against her unkempt fur. His ears flatten to his skull as Robinheart chokes out grief-stricken mews, and the words that leave her maw make his heart ache with more and more. "Everyday I-I care for them but I'm j-just going through the motions." Foxtail gently nudges the carp to Robinheart's paws, and his eyes meet her tearful gaze. Eat, my friend. His caring, warm eyes say, and the tom brushes his head against Robinheart's fur, hoping to bring her some comfort. "...It's o-okay to feel the way you are right n-now," Foxtail mews back after some thought, "What you're going through, while taking care of three newborn kits, is.... not easy." Grief is love that has nowhere to go. Robinheart has so much love for Brookstorm, losing her has been life changing. "...But I'm s-sure the other queens in the nursery are always h-happy to help you," He murmurs to his friend as his tail continues to brush against her fur, "You d-don't have to be alone through this... okay?"

"Why d-did it have to be her? All she w-was doing was taking care of us… it’s not fair." He wishes he knew why it had to be her. He really, really, wish he knew. ...Clan life is brutal. Even the simplest swim by an experienced swimmer can go south, and the illnesses that can arise after a near drowning isn't something to joke about. "Brookstorm will always be with you, R-Robinheart." He thinks of silverpelt that shines in the night sky, of their ancestors that watch them every day and night. Brookstorm is among those cats now.... while she won't be here physically ever again, she will always be watching over Robinheart and their kits. "She.... S-she watches over you and your kits now... and she lives through you.... through your kits," His eyes glance over at the three kits whom are nestled at Robinheart's belly. "H-Her memory will live on to t-them... through y-you."​

𝐨𝐨𝐜 𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭

• 
  
• 
  
  

  ---

  credit to raphaelion (via da) for the artwork <3
  
• Foxtail

  ​
  

  warrior
  20 moons
  warmhearted
  timid
  experience: trained
  backstory: [HYPERLINK]
  biography: [HYPERLINK]
  credit to meghan for the chibi <3
  

  cisgender male [he / him]
  eyes: green
  pelt: cinnamon/chocolate
  fur length: long
  parents: dawnflower and redfur (riverclan npcs)
  

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