sensitive topics I SEE SPARK FLY [ BIRTH ] WHENEVER YOU SMILE

[Flamewhisker]

BORN TO FIND THAT GREAT UNKNOWN ⋆⁺₊⋆
Pain. A yowl cried out from the nursery, ringing through the camp…a cry for help. The moon was high in the sky by now…would Berryheart hear her cry? Wide eyes searched for Little Wolf, suddenly feeling more alone than ever. She knew this day was coming…but she was terrified. Was this much pain normal? So many questions….another pained cry erupted from her jaws. “S-Sunfreckle? Flycatcher!” If they heard her cries, she had no doubt they would be in here soon. She wanted her best friend, and even more so, she wanted her mate.

Maybe she should have told somebody sooner…but it was too late now. With everyone still grieving over their lost leader, and the dogs still on the loose, she had thought that maybe it would be better to wait until morning for them to make their arrival, but they were coming and there was no stopping it now. Tonight they would be welcoming their kits into the clan.

She could hear movement and voices outside the den, but everything hurt too bad to pinpoint who was out there. The blood was roaring in her ears, and her heart felt like it was going to burst out of her chest. Another spasm exploded through her body, and she cried out in pain again. Someone pushed a stick towards her, and somehow she managed to clench it with her jaws. Tiny splinters split from the pressure of her teeth digging into it, but the stick managed to keep its form. She felt fur brush her side, and Flycatcher’s scent flooded the den.

Tears formed at the corners of her eyes, and she leaned her head against him. She had never felt so weak before. The den around her seemed to be closing around her. She felt like she was going to pass out…this pain…it was unlike anything she could have assumed.

With a push, the first kit arrived. A large, cream tom-kit with white back paws. Tiny mackerel tabby patterns flecked his pelt, and his tail tip appeared to be dipped in snow. She could hardly take a moment to take in his beauty of life, before another jolt of pain tore through her body. This time Flamewhisker let out a whimper instead of a yowl. Her head rose for a moment, then fell limply against Flycatcher’s side. “I can’t…do this..” she cried, before grasping the stick once more.

Next was a small, blue torbie she-kit. Her feet were dipped in white, and she bore the same white face and chest as her mother. Her pelt was riddled with blue and red markings, like a combination of her parents. Flamewhisker heard one of her clanmates make a sound. Fear pulsed through her body, giving her reborn strength. “My kit, what’s wrong wi-” as she craned her head to look at her newborn daughter, a grief filled cry pierced the den. “Why isn’t she moving… Berryheart…fix her….please..” Tears fell down her cheeks and she turned to bury her face in her mate’s chest fur.

She wouldn’t have time to grieve for long. The contractions were coming quickly now…and before she knew it another wet bundle was at her side, a she-kit. Her fur was light blue like her fathers, and she had speckled hues of fire dotted along her pelt. Her toes were dipped in white, and she shared the same fluffy tail as her mother, and the white locket that her father wore. She felt Flycatcher stiffen beside her, and she knew from the lack of words being spoken that their daughter was also stillborn. The queen let out another cry of anguish. Had Starclan cursed her? Why were they taking their daughters? It wasn’t fair…She spotted one of her clanmates trying to move their stillborn kits, and she would let out a ferocious snarl. Even with exhaustion radiating off of her, she bared her teeth at whoever was trying to take the kits away. “Don’t touch them.” the tigress would warn with tear soaked cheeks, before sliding them against her belly to join their sole brother.

Pain began to tug her belly once more, but how was she supposed to go on? She couldn’t live with herself if Starclan claimed another of their children.

[₊⋆]​

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[Flycatcher]

Although Flycatcher had taken to sleeping with Flamewhisker in the nursery as of late, on the night she actually finds herself kitting, he is sleeping in his nest. Since Emberstar’s death, his sleep has been a little disturbed, so when a clanmate bursts into the den yelling that Flamewhisker is in labour, it doesn’t take much prompting to rouse him. Ignoring the slight fatigue that haunts his movements, he quickly rises to his paws and bolts to the nursery, the sound of his mate’s cries hastening his steps.

And then he is there, brushing past any cat that might have been in his way and pressing close to Flamewhisker’s side. Flycatcher tries his best to ignore the obvious pain his mate was in. Although he would have done nothing more than to take the pain from her or share it if he could, he had to make do with sitting with her and whispering comforting words into her ear. “I’m here, Flame,” He said softly. “Lean into me if you need me.”

After a push, the first of their kits is born. A large cream tom-kit with white rear paws, the same mackerel patterning as his father, and a tail tip that looked as though it had been dipped in white. A son. Flycatcher had a son. As much as he wanted to marvel at the birth of their first child, Flycatcher could not before another contraction ripped through Flamewhisker and her head fell limply against him, telling him that she couldn’t do it. “You can,” Flycatcher assured her, giving a gentle lick. “You can, my love. It’s not much longer now and I’m here with you.” What little joy had begun to form at the birth of their son was quickly dashed when the second child arrived, a blue torbie she-kit with paws dipped in white. Oh. Flycatcher thinks with a pang of grief. She looks like Cricket. But unlike the older brother, there is something wrong with this kit. And Flycatcher knows this but doesn’t seem to quite grasp what is wrong until another clanmate gasps and Flamewhisker asks what is wrong.

Their first child…was gone. Dead. Her life cruelly snuffed out before she had a chance to live it.

“No…” Flycatcher’s voice trembled, heavy with grief. He barely had a chance to process or grieve this loss before Flamewhisker’s contractions start again and another she-kit is brought into the world. Another torbie like her sister. Another kit who did not move and did not breathe. This time, Flycatcher did not need the reaction of his clanmate to tell him what was wrong. He feels numb for a moment, struck with grief for the daughters they had lost. His head spins and his heart feels as though it might burst through his chest and shatter into pieces on the ground. Flamewhisker growls at their clanmates to stay away before pulling all of their kits close to her belly. Flycatcher also gives the same glare to his clanmates, but it is not as cold as his mate’s. Merely a warning for the others to stay away. He continues to press close to his mate, another lick to the ear to encourage her to keep going and give one final push. Please StarClan don’t take another kit, he begs silently in his mind. I don’t think we could bare to lose another.
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[Sunfreckle]

He had been heading out. Seconds from slipping through the brambles to go hunting before he and Shallowpaw had training later. He could have very well not been there when the frantic yowling from the nursery sounded and both green eyes widened as he whipped around in startled bewilderment to see Flycatcher vanishing into the den. Was it time already? It had seemed as though mere days prior Flamewhisker was still roaming the camp unburdened by the kittens she carried, complaining about missing patrols and not being there when the dogs took Emberstar from them. He still felt the prickle of dried blood on his back, a weight that would never leave his mind for moons to come; while kitting was nowhere near as dangerous as fighting dogs he still hurried over with an urgency and fretful frown for his friends wellbeing. While never a witness to it, he had heard of queens passing during the process and the fresh wound their leader's passing had left made him all the more paranoid.
"You're fine-it's fine-it'll be fine-"
Sunfreckle's red tabby head dipped into the den, stick he'd grabbed from the ground promptly dropped and slid forward and he shifted back some so that Berryheart had room to breath and that Flycatcher could be closest, he remembered how Rabbitnose had to be forced out of the nursery because his foolish tail had been a little too much in everyone's face during the ordeal-the other lead warrior was a touch more collected than his mate had been thankfully, that was until the second kit was born. He glance to the medicine cat briefly, horrified, before looking back to the two and flattening his ears. It only got worse, two of them, as though to make a mockery of the already grieving clan and parents-a cruel joke no one laughed at. Sunfreckle tried to imagine having lost kits so soon, carrying them for so long only to for them to leave before even being properly welcomed into the world, at least he had time with Dovekit before she passed. Flamewhisker would not get that moment, however fleeting.
"Flames...I'm so sorry." Though he spoke directly to his friend it was also for Flycatcher, a good cat and also undeserving of this. He raises that lone paw in a wave to the cat attempting to retrieve the stillborn kits, shakes his head with a frown. Give them a moment to at least say goodbye, give them proper names to send them off.

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[LITTLE WOLF]

Little Wolf is sleeping peacefully, curled tightly in her nest with her tail tucked over her nose, when the wails start. Her denamte was kitting. The black she cats green eyes fly open and she watches quietly from her place in the moss. She would go to Flamewhisker, offer words of strength and help her through it but she hesitates. She only just started to get to know the red tabby she cat and she’s not sure if her help would be welcomed anyways. So she bites her tongue.

Her paws fly to her mouth when she sees not one but two kits fade away into nothing. Her heart breaks for the couple. To say she could imagine the pain they are feeling is an understatement. It’s a messed up thought but a voice in her mind says at least they didn’t get a chance to know them, to love them, like she had with Moonpaw. She thinks maybe the sting of loss would be lessened this way. Maybe. Still, her heart twists in her chest.

She comes to stand next to her dear friend now, knowing similar thoughts of his own losses are probably running through his head and she presses herself against his side for a moment in a gesture of comfort before turning to the other two kits. They are alive and healthy. A small miracle. "Breathe Flamewhisker, breathe. It’ll be over soon" she says quietly, hoping her advice is welcomed.
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[Sunnyday]

☀ - WHILST MY HEART STILL BEATS
The yowls had been hard to ignore, even from the warriors den. The situation made Sunnyday naturally uneasy, nervous even, and it was those feelings that had him straying out into the middle of the camp with his eyes fixated on the nursery. It took him a while to actually reach the nursery's entrance due to him taking only a few pawsteps before pausing, listening, then taking a few further strides. Over and over he repeated the cautious actions until he was at last close enough to gauge the events taking place within. However, he did not dare to head inside. A haunting warning lingered in the back of his mind and it spurred him to actually back away a pace.

Although difficult to see the full affair inside, he had unfortunately caught a glimpse of the stillborn kits. It made him fear the worst and he drew in a shuddering intake of air, a wordless prayer to StarClan to cease it's cruel onslaught. How many more would the ethereal clan take from them before it was done?

He folded his ears down low whilst his lip trembled with the beginnings of grief. In the end he decided to post himself outside the den, giving what respectful distance that he could offer whilst remaining on standby if extra paws were needed. He just hoped that none of the apprentices came out to see, he didn't want them witnessing the lost lives.
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[Flamewhisker]

BORN TO FIND THAT GREAT UNKNOWN ⋆⁺₊⋆
Salty tears streamed down her cheeks. It wasn't fair...Starclan had enough members in their ranks, they didn't need their kits as well. This was the exact pain she had been so terrified of feeling...the exact reason she had been so afraid when she had found out that she was expecting. Their two daughters would never know the feeling of sunlight on their pelts...they would never know the thrill of their first hunt, or have the taste of the forest on their tongue. She leaned her head against Flycatcher's shoulder, finding it hard to conjure the strength to continue. Flamewhisker let out a whimper, afraid to find out if their next kit had been stillborn as well. There was no way she could handle it if that were the case...

Her side heaved with one final push, and one last kit was born. Flamewhisker refused to look, until she heard mewling. More tears came, but this time they were tears of joy. "We have a son and a daughter." she would say quietly, scooting the new kitten closer towards her. She was another perfect mixture of her and Flycatcher. She took more after her father, but there were splashes of red, and lots of white. The kit was notably smaller than her brother, and that worried Flamewhisker. But she refused to let anything happen to her...she would die before having another kit die.

She would move her head down to nuzzle their kits, wishing dearly that maybe with some love she could bring their other two daughters back...but it was hopeless. They were similar in size to the newest kit, and that worried her intensely. She turned her exhausted gaze to the third born, one of their stillborn daughters. "I want to name her Lilykit..." her voice grew weaker as her throat tightened, "she looks just like my mother." What a beautiful cat she would have grown into..."Emberstar...if you can hear me...please take care of our kits until we can be up there with you.." The words brought fresh tears to her eyes.

Flamewhisker then nuzzled their newest kitten. Their only surviving daughter..."Stormkit." Her voice was firmer now, clearly decided on the torbie's name. "She is small...but she will be brave and strong." She was their little survivor...she will have a worthy name.

Clearly tired now, she rested her head along her front paws, and flicked her large tail protectively around their kits. "What would you like to name them?" her voice was heavy with grief, and she wanted Flycatcher to name the other half, it was only fair. She was too tired to think of more names anyways...

[₊⋆]​

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[STORMFEATHER]

A tiny shaky breath was taken, stolen, perhaps from the lungs of her sisters. The final she-kit was tiny, but there was a movement in her tiny paws, twitching and clawing at the big new world she was forced to adapt to. She opened her mouth and her lungs and cried. The warmth, the security, the bliss—all of it was gone. She moved at the pace of a snail to the scent of milk and the promise of heat. She would learn soon it was her mother. Wrapped up in her tail and feathery belly alongside siblings, the newly named Stormkit fought to live. And she won.​

 

[BERRYHEART]

The frigid season was a cruel one, rending them to pieces with ice-coated slashes. It seemed every moment there was one possibility of levity, the leaf-bare brought frozen hell upon them once again. Deaths, left and right- and where was he in the face of it? Standing- failing. Ever failing, even when he was there. Today seemed no exception.

He had heeded Sunset's cries- aided her birthing best he could, with what limited knowledge he had been able to gather regarding kitting- but now, in the aftermath, two of her and Blue's offspring lay dead. Dead before a mere breath was taken. Placing blame would do him no good, and yet... exhaustion weakened his resolve, leading him down a cruel path of shame. Hearing her sob-wrought speech, how could he dare to look at her? And as Nifty and Shady closed in, offering low and disquieted condolence, he looked only to the ground. Off somewhere else. There was apology in his eyes, sorrow that had left his lips when he had tried to revive the unmoving kits with licks.

When would this end? This winding path of failure- it seemed to grow endless as the days scraped by. What had Boss Guy said, in that sapphire-soaked dream? You are the cobweb to staunch that bleeding. Some cobweb he was. The blood seeped through the surface, and did not stop. Their family was fractured, incomplete- and though he was sure the icy claws of winter had their doing, he was reluctant to claim that he had been powerless. ​

[ PENNED BY PIN ]​

 

[Flycatcher]

He waits with bated breath for their last child to be born. With a final push, their fourth kit was brought into the world. Small but alive. She is another tortie like her sisters before her. Flycatcher's heart is heavy with grief as he looks down at their little kits, even the daughters who were now lost to them. Flamewhisker names two of the kits. She first names one of their stillborn daughters, the she-kit with white paws and a white locket like he had.

When he hears the name she picks out Flycatcher swears his heart breaks a little more. Lilykit. After her mother.

Flamewhisker also elects to name their surviving daughter. Stormkit she calls her and Flycatcher nods his head approvingly. It was a fine name. Good and strong, stirring up emotions and memories of the home her parents had found here in ThunderClan. With two kits named, Flamewhisker offers Flycatcher the opportunity and he nods his head stiffly. When they spoke of naming kits before it was always with a happier note, but now it was tinged with sadness, especially knowing two of their daughters would not get to live their lives with the rest of the family.

"Butterflykit," He says softly, lowering his head to gently touch the first of their daughters with his nose. "As a nod to my sisters." It was mostly Cricket he was thinking of as he said that, but he supposed there was a bit of all of them in her. He wondered if they would find her and Lilykit up in the stars. Would they look after them? Would they even walk the same starry paths?

And finally, his attention is drawn to their firstborn, their only son. He was much larger than any of his sisters, and appears healthier too. Flycatcher is stuck on a name for a moment before he nods to himself. "Falconkit," He says, moving to touch his nose against his son. Flycatcher had always been fond of bird names and saw no reason why his son should not carry such a name. And he could think of no finer name than the one bestowed, imbued with the hope his son would be strong like his namesake.​

 

[FALCONPAW]

A new life, a first breath. He knew not what world he is emerging into but the coldness of it is chilling. And he is screaming. Yelling and calling with all his might so that something will hear him. Anything at all that will take cold's chilling touch away. It takes a small moment for his cries to be answered and he is pulled towards a warmth that he instinctively nestles into. Without so much as a wait he starts to feed, a strange hunger gnawing at his belly. He is the healthiest of the kits, and something that will help him along the way. He may never know what happened to his siblings but that is not his concern currently. Just eating and complaining at any movement that jostles him is. And his name. Spoken by his father. Falconkit. What stories will he weave?​

 

[Hollow Tree]

Hollow Tree wakes up to the commotion happening inside the nursery. Her tired paws quicken when she hears mummers of sorrow. Had Flamewhisker died during the birth of their kits? Fear coursed through her as she came to a stop near Sunnyday. She doesn’t ask any questions. The warrior could hear both Flycatcher and Flamewhisker inside. That was all the answer she needed. Sitting next to the older feline she looks up at the sky. Morningpaw, Blackmoon, Emberstar, they would all be there to welcome whoever didn’t make it. But the sorrow was still painful. She remains silent as she waits for the final news from whoever would be the first to leave the nursery. Surely, at least one kit made it. ""​

[ you fall through the trees . tags ]​