from eden | moonbeam

[robinheart]

It has been a short time since Robinheart has found herself a permanent resident of the medicine den (permanent is a strong word, but over two moons spent away from her children sure feels that way) and though the pain in her leg eases slightly she finds discomfort blossoming elsewhere. A barren belly where kits of reds, blues, and whites once nursed. It hadn’t occurred to her that their separation would not immediately cease the production of milk - that her body has yet to realize she has no children to feed.

Her heart aches just as much, if not more, than her physical body as she glances around the medicine den. So many herbs and berries. Would one of them cure her of her discomfort? She wants to weep for even wishing for a cure. Robinheart shouldn’t want to stop nursing her kits - she put her life on the line for them and now she can’t even provide for them. It’s a cruel hand dealt by fate.

In her bittersweet scan of the walls and nooks laden with unknown leaves and roots she spots ivory fur, citrine eyes meeting with tangerine gaze for a long moment before she decides to speak. “Moonbeam, I-I need… I, uh, I can’t…” she struggles to find the right words as a defeated lump forms in her throat. Silently she curses the tears springing to her eyes.

With a deep breath she tries again to speak to the medicine cat without breaking down into sobs. “Is th-there anything I can take that will dry up my milk? It’s causing me a lot of discomfort,” the mottled queen confesses in warbled voice. She hopes there is something Moonbeam can offer her, even if that hope is wrapped in the despair of never again feeling the kneading of little paws at her belly, the satisfaction of seeing her children grow because she has provided them with nourishment.

@Moonbeam
​

[ penned by kerms ]​

 

[Moonbeam]

‧₊˚❀༉‧₊˚. It is with sadness within her that Robinheart had chosen to stay within the medicine den while her leg healed. It was truly the best option - Moonbeam knew this, Robinheart knew this - but to see her kits grow without her must have taken a toll on the other. They were too small to stay within the medicine den with their mother, a life so young spent within the confines of the medicine den surrounded by so many potential dangers in herbs and illness it just couldn't be done for it was all too possible in that instance that Robinheart would lose more family than just Brookstorm in that case.

She was doing her rounds, checking on patients and herb stock when eyes cast over the healing queen and eyes met for a moment before the speckled feline was speaking, words struggling to come out. She sat patiently, waiting for them to come out instead of ushering them out, letting her gather her thoughts and make sure the words would come before they finally did. Milk production... it was something Moonbeam hadn't thought of, the idea that the other would still try to nurse her kits still there, or that it would subside on it's own as the time came to naturally go away but usually kits were still nursing until supply began to dwindle as they began to eat more solids. For a moment she was going to open her maw, say that she had nothing, but then she remembered.

"I can't promise it'll taste good so I can get you a fish for after if you want, but you'll eat this." She spoke as she moved towards herb stock, pulling out a bundle of stems and small green leaves of parsley, moving back to the other to place it in front of her. It had been told to her as a use to stop milk production if kits died, if there was too much milk, and though Robinheart was likely producing the right amount for her kit's needs, it was useless to them now, stuck inside a den they weren't allowed in fully until more cats were gone, until their mother was a little better.

LET THE VALLEYS AWAKE ꕥ LET THEM RATTLE AND SHAKE

• --
• ꕥꕥꕥꕥꕥ flesh wounds
  ꕥꕥꕥꕥꕥ infections
  ꕥꕥꕥꕥꕥ aches & pains
  ꕥꕥꕥꕥꕥ illness
  ꕥꕥꕥꕥꕥ breathing
  ꕥꕥꕥꕥꕥ traveling
  ꕥꕥꕥꕥꕥ broken bones
  ꕥꕥꕥꕥꕥ kitting
  ꕥꕥꕥꕥꕥ poisons
• ꕥ SH white masking cinnamon torbie w/orange eyes & small ears
  ꕥ 13 moons old; ages the 17th every month
  ꕥ homosexual homoromantic ; interested in beepaw & redacted
  ꕥ currently mentoring none
  ꕥ "speech", thoughts, attacking
  ꕥ easy in combat unless in water, focuses on defensive tactics

​

 

[robinheart]

Moonbeam’s patience is admirable. Robinheart finds solace in being given the opportunity to regain her composure, to sort through words and emotions until she is able to speak coherence. Though heartache crests her brow she hopes her glistening gaze relates that admiration and gratitude towards the medicine cat.

Leaves and stems the color of a happier memory, of eyes she once gazed lovingly upon, are presented to her. Grassy in hue and mild in scent, the mottled queen studies the herb for a long while. She knows it would be better to eat it quickly rather than ruminate on what eating it will mean for her and her kits. However, sentiment rules her life. “Has anyone treated herbs like prey before?” Her citrine eyes flick back up to Moonbeam and she continues on, clarifying her train of thought. “Giving thanks to StarClan for it, to be specific. Like would it be weird if I thanked StarClan for this… this,” she doesn’t know the herb’s name, ears flicking back in slight embarrassment at the pause in her explanation. “For providing me an end to a journey I found a lot of fulfillment in.”​

[ penned by kerms ]​

 

[Moonbeam]

‧₊˚❀༉‧₊˚. She watches as small leaves of green are studied, as Robinheart looks to the herb in thought - both for what it was, what it looked like, what it meant, as well as waiting for the words to come that she seemed so desperately to want to speak. She asks if herbs had been treated like prey before, and for a moment she's confused, thinking of the way prey was hunted and stalked upon rather than the true meaning of her question. Luckily before she can ask for clarification the queen is doing so already and it catches the medicine cat off guard for just a moment.

"I don't think anyone ever has, no." She'd answer after a pause, giving her time to think before she had done so. "I don't think it'd be weird though." Though her kits were not dead, Robinheart was grieving. She had lost her mate and in protecting the last things Brookstorm had left behind Robinheart had also lost them in the biggest way a queen could connect with their kits. She had to do what was best for her, had to grieve in the way that benefit her and if it meant giving thanks for the herb that would end her discomfort in the moment then so be it. "I think that if that's what your heart is telling you to do, to give thanks, then it's a good idea." If the speckled feline were to do such a thing, Moonbeam would be there alongside her to silently help her in her journey of thanks if that was what she needed.

LET THE VALLEYS AWAKE ꕥ LET THEM RATTLE AND SHAKE

• --
• ꕥꕥꕥꕥꕥ flesh wounds
  ꕥꕥꕥꕥꕥ infections
  ꕥꕥꕥꕥꕥ aches & pains
  ꕥꕥꕥꕥꕥ illness
  ꕥꕥꕥꕥꕥ breathing
  ꕥꕥꕥꕥꕥ traveling
  ꕥꕥꕥꕥꕥ broken bones
  ꕥꕥꕥꕥꕥ kitting
  ꕥꕥꕥꕥꕥ poisons
• ꕥ SH white masking cinnamon torbie w/orange eyes & small ears
  ꕥ 14 moons old; ages the 17th every month
  ꕥ homosexual homoromantic ; mated to beefang
  ꕥ currently mentoring none
  ꕥ "speech", thoughts, attacking
  ꕥ easy in combat unless in water, focuses on defensive tactics

​

 

[robinheart]

The queen hums a soft thoughtful noise at Moonbeam’s words, taking them in good faith and tucking them close to her heart. Robinheart truly feels compelled to thank these herbs for easing her discomfort - just as anyone would thank StarClan for a piece of prey to ease the discomfort of hunger. In her mind it makes sense; grief has a funny way of making uncanny things make sense. With the medicine cat’s approval she nods with gratitude and looks back to the herbs.

“Thank you StarClan for providing this herb. I am taking it with sorrow and gratitude in my heart, knowing fully the end it will provide. No longer will I get to nurse my children and provide them with comfort and nourishment… but I can bask in the memories of having that connection with them and knowing one day, once I am healed, I can make new connections with my kits.” It is simple and fairly straightforward, Robinheart deciding that that would be the best course of action. Certainly StarClan would appreciate any kind of gratitude - even from a queen ending her time as a nursing mother. She glances at Moonbeam to see if the medicine cat also approved of her gently spoken words. This would be a first for the ivory moggy and as such Robinheart hoped she had done well.

Allowing another moment to pass, either in silence or in soft acceptance of the StarClan blessed medicine cat, Robinheart finally decides to partake of the herb. It bitters her tongue in a subtle peppery way and she chews carefully, making sure not to grimace. Once swallowed, Robinheart relinquishes a soft sigh and blinks away a misting of mournful tears. “I’ll take that fish you spoke of earlier… please…” she whispers, ready to wash the herb’s flavor from her mouth as it begins its work within her body.​

[ penned by kerms ]​