DON'T KNOW WHERE TO TURN / private

[Orangestar]

It's almost time. Orangestar finds it difficult to roll over, huffing and heaving as she gets comfortable in her nest at night. She can't climb nearly as elegantly as she once had, barely in the trees at all anymore. As much as she is stubborn, Orangestar isn't stupid, and so her personal patrols circle ever-closer to camp. Soon she would be remaining there, prepared to have her kits at a heartbeat's notice (it would be much longer than that, she knows, but the hyperbole of it is the point).

However, with her conversation with Slate ringing in torn ears and her own decision making her heart clench, Orangestar needs to ensure something before her kits arrive.

The nursery is lively as ever, shrill kit-shrieks of delight and the chatter of adult residents making her ears hurt. Even though Orangestar has only poked her muzzle in, the experience reinforces everything the leader had decided: six moons in this den would be tantamount to torture. Nearby, she spies a familiar jingling toy, gleaming in the dappled light, and a soft look touches her maw: the gift she had passed on to Butterflytuft when the tortoiseshell queen had changed her path. It's out in the open, implying it's seen some use in the time since. Orangestar stares at it for a moment, a pawful of memories crashing over her, before she tears her eyes away with a ragged breath and turns her attention towards the queen in question.

"Butterflytuft. A word in my den." As much as it is an order rather than a request, Orangestar's rasp isn't quite as firm as normal.

ooc ✧ 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘮𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘢 𝘨𝘳𝘶𝘥𝘨𝘦

• // @butterflytuft
• 
  
  [ art by pin ]
• ORANGESTAR ✧ she/her, leader of skyclan | seven lives
  
  
  — "a scarred white-and-ginger she-cat with brown eyes."
  — (undisclosed) mate to slate ; currently expecting kits
  — speech is in #D2977D
  — tags | penned by mercibun, contact on discord for plots.
  
  
  
  

​

 

[butterflytuft]

Butterflytuft is lying in the nursery, her fur warm from the sun she’d been laying in only moments before. The soft jingling of the toy Orangestar once gave her drifts through the air, a now-familiar and comforting sound. She smiles fondly as the kits bat at it. Life is peaceful, even with the constant energy of the young ones around her.

Her ears prick up as she hears Orangestar's voice from the entrance, and Butterflytuft quickly turns to meet the leader's gaze. Orangestar seems... different. Her pregnancy is much further along and it’s obvious to anyone with eyes that she’s tired, weighed down. The rasp in her voice is softer than usual, and the command, though clear, lacks its usual edge. A chill runs down Butterflytuft's spine despite the warmth of the den. She stands up immediately, her heart quickening as she tries to keep her nerves steady. It's not often Orangestar calls her for a private word, and certainly not with such a look in her eyes. Butterflytuft gives a quick glance to the kits, ensuring they're entertained and that another queen is watching them, before padding to the leader. Her paws feel heavy, her stomach twisting slightly, but she keeps her voice calm and respectful.

"Of course, Orangestar," She murmurs, dipping her head as she follows the white and orange she-cat out of the nursery and towards her den. The queen walks in silence, her mind racing with possibilities. She doesn't yet know what Orangestar wants to discuss, but the weight in the leader's voice and the way she struggled to even make it into the nursery makes her worry. Could it be something about the unborn kits? About the clan? Has she decided she no longer wants Butterflytuft to have her role as a permanent queen? Oh stars, please don’t make me go back to being a warrior!

By the time they arrive at the den, the tortoiseshell has run through a million possibilities in her head. She waits semi-patiently, her ears flicking as she steels herself for whatever comes next. "What can I do for you?" She asks softly, her yellow eyes filled with concern.
​

 

[Orangestar]

Butterflytuft's nerves do little to soothe Orangestar's own, and her tail flicks in mild agitation as she turns to face the queen.

"This litter was ... a surprise." She admits, choosing her words carefully. It wouldn't do to imply they had been a mistake: Orangestar, even in all of her hesitation and unease surrounding the upcoming moons of motherhood once more, knew that she had room in her heart for her upcoming newborns. However, as much space as she had to love them, the heart of the matter was whether she would have time to care for them.

It was by the grace of StarClan that Blazestar and his council had coped in her absence when her first litter had been born, a deputy less essential to a Clan than its leader, but she does not have the luxury of a stars-blessed superior this time.

"When I am recovered from birth ... I will not be able to tend to the kits, and the Clan, as much as either deserve."

She pauses there for a moment, allowing the information to sink in before she continues:

"I would like to ask that you continue with the kits' nursing from then. I will be present as much as I can," she adds hurriedly, conveniently forgetting to mention that their surly sire would also likely be underpaw, "but you ... are skilled with kit-rearing, and I trust you."

ooc ✧ 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘮𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘢 𝘨𝘳𝘶𝘥𝘨𝘦

•  
• 
  
  [ art by pin ]
• ORANGESTAR ✧ she/her, leader of skyclan | seven lives
  
  
  — "a scarred white-and-ginger she-cat with brown eyes."
  — (undisclosed) mate to slate ; currently expecting kits
  — speech is in #D2977D
  — tags | penned by mercibun, contact on discord for plots.
  
  
  
  

​

 

[butterflytuft]

Butterflytuft's heart skips a beat as she listens to what eventually becomes a request. As she takes in what the leader is saying, her shuffling paws grow still, and the twist in her stomach tightens.

The implications of Orangestar's task are significant. Being entrusted with the leader's kits is both a tremendous honor and an immense responsibility. It is a testament to her experience and skill as a queen, but it also confirms that Orangestar won't be able to be there as much as she or the kits might need. The tortoiseshell’s thoughts swirl in her mind, each worry trying to surface, but she forces them down. She can’t let any of her doubt show on her face, or it may only make the pregnant she-cat even more stressed out. Instead, she keeps her expression as calm and composed as possible.

When Orangestar finishes, Butterflytuft takes a breath, her yellow eyes meeting the leader's with a mix of surprise, determination, and something softer - sympathy, perhaps. "I...I understand," She mews gently. "It would be an honor to care for your kits. I promise I'll do my best to keep them safe and happy." Her feathery tail sweeps across the ground as she pauses, a pang of concern settling deeper in her chest. "You've always done so much for our clan, Orangestar," She continues with a sincere effort to keep her voice steady, which is hard for the sensitive she-cat. "I'll make sure your kits are well-loved and cared for so that you don’t have to worry about even more.” The tortoiseshell queen's gaze holds nothing but genuine determination. Despite her lingering worries about her own abilities or how much this might change her life in the nursery, she will do everything she can. The trust Orangestar has placed in her is not something she takes lightly.
​