camp JUST TO HEAR THEM SAY // kit intro

[splashdance]

Splashdance feels the rabbit kick of her heart as unsteady as ever, the warmth of the newleaf sun doing little to soothe her discomforts. The moons of time eagerly slip away from her. Her sons - her rambunctious, demanding, beautiful, unique sons - have since grown so much in the nursery. She can recall mornings where she lugged their tiny bodies into the sunshine and moonlight, just to edge away from the willow-built den. The time spent inside was often storyfilled, chatter about what the cats of RiverClan was like and how the Clans worked (it's beyond her whether they understand or not.) Her lover visits often, as do kin of her children. They are loved, they are cared for. It's all that resonates in her mind as she helps guide four sets of paws out of the nursery once more - taking a slight turn to show them the river.

"The shallows will be safest for each of you. At least while you get used to the water..." Will they be like minnows? Pebbletail hadn't been at first, and Splashdance can't say if she would've been, given her different start. There's trepidation that one of her babies will refuse to like water at all - the outcast they would become... She hopes that she wouldn't let them feel different, yet her pelt twitches with the concern that she won't have that power. The fear and desperation makes home in her throat and the young mother clenches her jaw, smiling towards the boys, "I'll be right with you - along with your father, and Joykit... and all of RiverClan." It's a grand moment when a queen introduces her litter to the water for the first time. She hopes others can share their glee with her.

Stepping into the lapping waves, Splashdance flexes her toes. While her body still feels entirely not like her own, the dark furred molly takes a breath of relief. Her tail coils around her nearest child, coaxing them to join her. "Maybe someone will catch something, and you will be able to try fish for the first time!" She grins, though internally, she cries. How did you all grow up so fast?

[ pls wait for at least two to reply!
@Bogkit @Chatterkit @Riverkit @₊˚.༄ pearlkit @pebbletail @Joykit ]
​

 

[Joykit]

Joykit stood already ankle-deep in the shallows, the water cool against her legs but warmed a little by the sun that glowed down from above. She tilted her head back, soaking it in for a moment—just long enough to pretend she hadn't been watching for Splashdance and her kits this whole time.

When she spotted them making their way down toward the riverbank, her ears perked, and a flicker of warmth tugged at her chest. Riverkit, Pearlkit, Bogkit, Chatterkit… They were bigger now. Bolder. And today, they were about to try the river for the first time. Just like she had not too long ago.

She turned halfway to face them, paws shifting in the sand, her tail flicking behind her. "Took you long enough," she teased lightly, but there was no bite to her words—just a flicker of excitement behind her blue-green eyes.

As they drew closer, she added a bit more gently, "It's not as scary as it looks." Her voice was quieter now, honest in the way only a kit could be. "Shellpool told me… you have to brace yourself like you would against a strong wind. Even if it feels weird." She shrugged, as if pretending it wasn't a big deal—even though she still remembered how her own paws had trembled the first time, how her heart had leapt when the river pulled at her fur. But she'd made it. She'd learned. And now she got to be here for them.

Her gaze flicked briefly toward Splashdance, her expression unreadable for a moment—but something about seeing her there, still strong even though she looked so tired now, stirred a strange warmth in Joy's chest. There was something quietly special about being trusted to be part of this.

She stepped aside in the water a little, curling her tail. "I'll be right here," And with that, she sat down in the shallows—half in, half out—watching them with something oddly close to pride and trepidation in equal measure as the little paws began to edge closer to the water.

( °❀.ೃ࿔* ) just miss what it was

• 
• 
  JOYKIT KIT; SHE / HER ; RUE X UNKNOWN ; SIBLING TO LIGHT & HOPE
  

  Joykit is a fierce and proud cinnamon marbled tabby kit with a sharp mind and a fire in her heart. Independent to a fault and stubbornly self-reliant, she carries herself with boldness far beyond her size, refusing to be seen as weak or helpless. Competitive, energetic, and cunning, she meets the world with a challenging glare and a guarded heart, shaped by the hardship and loss of her early life as a loner. Beneath her bristled edges lies a deep resilience and a drive to prove she belongs—on her terms and no one else's.

  ✦ Unskilled kit

 

[pearlkit 𓇼⋆｡˚𓆝]

Pearlkit doesn't hesitate. The moment the river comes into view, his paws move faster, his steps lighter, as if drawn forward by something deep and instinctual. The scent of the water, the way it shimmers under the sun—it calls to him. His mother's voice washes over him, words of caution and encouragement, but he barely registers them. The river isn't something to fear. It isn't something to brace against. It's something to become a part of. He feels the cool earth shift beneath his paws as he reaches the edge, the gentle lap of the shallows teasing against his toes. The water is alive, moving, speaking in its own language of ripples and currents. It makes something in him spark. A challenge, a promise.

Joykit's words reach him, soft but sure. Not as scary as it looks. He huffs a light laugh, shooting her a glance that carries a glint of mischief. "Wasn't worried." He steps forward without another thought, wading in until the water swirls around his legs, creeping up his chest. It's cold. It's exhilarating. He moves without hesitation, paws finding purchase beneath the water as he pushes forward, deeper, farther. His muscles adjust instinctively, his body buoyant, his heartbeat quick with something more like exhilaration than fear. The river is not an enemy to fight, not something to conquer—it's a game, a dance, something wild and free, just like him.​

 

[Bogkit]

Bogkit is an explosion outside of the nursery, some days it seems he learnt how to run before he figured out walking given his habit of just bolting everywhere. Today is no different, practically leaping out of the den and rolling onto the ground. "I'm gonna be th' BEST" he rambles away faster than his skills in speaking seem capable of reaching. Scrambling after his siblings and mother he lets Splashdance's words wash over him, nodding enthusiastically. The river is something he's dreamed about splashing in, all the warriors do it, so that must mean that Splashdance and Pebbletail do it and he wants to be just like them. Approaching the lapping waves he looks towards Pearlkit, waiting to follow his lead. It's maybe the most content the chimera seems, one daring for someone else to make the first move.

It wasn't that he was nervous, no. He ignored the way his heart stammered at the sight of it, it's just so... expansive isn't it? Fangs click against once another in quick succession as he reaches out to dip a paw in the water. "It's not scary!" He declares with a puff of his chest, pouting at Joykit's words only to burst into a fit of chuckles. She meant well, he was wary around her but he could understand that at least. There's trepidation within him but he continues to wade further into the water, expecting everything to click into place but he found disappointingly it just didn't. There's no grand bubbling hatred, no deep fear, maybe things would be better if there was. It's just dissapointment and it's written all over his face.

Bogkit makes no further effort to wade deeper in the water, happy to stand with it just reaching a quatre up his tiny legs. "I don't like it!" He declares turning his nose up to his mother. "Can we do something else?" He doesn't really understand that this is meant to be a big deal, in his childish mind he just simply didn't want to swim. It seemed so much more boring than anything else he could be doing right now.​

​

​

 

[Riverkit]

RIVERKIT

HE/THEY RIVERCLAN KIT

He cannot say that he enjoys this. Being out in the sun, his half-lidded eyes squinting even further beneath the blinding glow. His head hurts, pulses, and he feels nausea creeping in the longer he stays out. The talking doesn't help, either; but he pushes through, because today is special. Today, they are to be introduced to the river, to take their first steps into the water. He sticks closely to Splashdance ( or rather, her shadow ) while his older brothers take the first steps. Pearlkit does not hesitate in his movements, and Bogkit is the way he always is. It's his turn, now.

Riverkit pads towards the water with certainty, though the grimace on his face caused by the migranes pain may be confused for fear. He stops just short of touching it, watching his reflection in the stream. That is what I must become. The river. The tomkit thinks before stepping into the water, Joykit's words echoing. It's not as scary as it looks.. No, there was nothing scary about this at all.

It is cold. The sunlight has yet to warm the water in any way, but it's pleasant regardless. It's relaxing. Riverkit exhales, a short wheeze coming from his lungs — he'd gotten used to them, by now. The weird noises he just makes when he breathes. "I'm fine." He makes sure to tell his parents before they worry, before they take him to Moonbeam and Robinheart as usual. He does not need herbs right now, not when he's at peace. The migraine is ignored to the best of his abilities as he slowly lowers his body into the stream, making sure to keep his head abovewater.

ooc:

—

accordion

Riverkit is a long-legged but graceful silvery-blue tabby kit with feathery fur and heterochromatic blue-amber eyes.
"speech" thoughts
pebbletail x splashdance / sibling to pearlkit, bogkit, chatterkit
2 moons old as of 03/21/2025

penned by nocthymia

 

[claythorn]

She watches from not far away. Ears twitch in thought, as a gaggle of kits and Splashdance herself, find themselves at the edge of the water by Joykit. She, Joykit, had made point to speak to Claythorn once, despite her neutral, if not off-putting expression, with bravery in her tone. Claythorn thinks that she will do well, spotting the excitement in her face and tone, the light smiling on her face. Mismatched goldens blinked, shifting towards Splashdance and her young, now.

Claythorn has not taken time to approach her directly- she never had a point to. But she had done her share of ferrying prey to the pregnant queen, to ensure that she was fed and her kits were taken care of. That, she thinks, is an instinct that will never leave her body. The former queen pushes to her paws as the kits begin to filter into the water, slowly stepping to the water's edge and settling there. Her paws don't touch where the water meets the sand, hovering a few inches away from it.

She knows those shallows to be warm- far warmer then the rest of the river, especially during this time of year. She dreads remembering falling into it during her warrior's assessment, the secret that Lichenstar has kept guarded from most, even if it shows in the way she acts about the water. She thinks these kits lucky, to be stepping into sun-warmed pools instead of ice-bitten currents, and as such, takes joy in the fact they will all have pleasant experiences. Her head turns towards Joykit, offering a small dip of her head as greeting, before doing the same towards Splashdance.

"They're getting so big, Splashdance." She compliments, her voice soft and with just the barest hints of warmth. For most, they know this is just how Claythorn is. The warmer tones saved for her own kits, her deceased mate, are just for them- her tone now is the closest she gives to her clanmates that's akin to a kindness. "How are you?" She says, vision shifting towards Splashdance. While the kits needed attention, she knows the queen needs just as much- their clan or their mate to serve as a rock amidst a tide of emotions.

‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ┌── LIKE LOVERS ENTWINED ⋅❁⋅ I KNOW YOU FOR THE LAST TIME ──┐‎

• "speech"

• 

• CLAYTHORN she/her, drypaw warrior of riverclan, twenty-three moons.
  ⭃ LH chocolate torbie with mismatched golden eyes, scars across her right cheek and over her left ear. cold exterior and threatening glares, built for stamina/battle and not swimming (tall/muscled)
  ⭃ mentored by darkbranch (npc) / / mentoring no one
  ⭃ mated to otterbite / / mother to darkpaw onyxpaw, sparrowpaw, eelpaw, dropletpaw
  ⭃ peaceful and healing powerplay permitted / / underline and tag when attacking
  ⭃ penned by dallas ↛ dallasofnines on discord, feel free to dm for plots.

​

 

[lichenstar]

✦˚.✧˚✧˚✧˚ ✧ ˚✧˚✧˚✧.˚✧

CLAIM THE BURIAL I SEEK IN DREAMS FLOWING RIVER CEMETARY ✧

• Tiny blossoms grown strong and sturdy through every spring breeze they stand against. A beacon for new beginnings, bouncing around the open space like it was made for them to romp in. In a way... was that so wrong? Blood had been spilled on these dusty shores for their sake... war waged and won and lost. Pale eyes rest upon their cat-tail tails... fluffy and rounded with all the curiosity in the world keeping them aloft.
  
  Just a few months too many for her to say that Pebbletail and Shellpool were that size a year ago... With big, hopeful eyes and shivering limbs eager to act. Shellkit especially... raspy breath and eager-heart... Pebblekit, her valiant and sensitive protector. The corners of lips lift a worn face into a smile... They're so much the product of their love... all its quirks. All their learned nature concentrated into the measured stare of Riverkit. In Bogkit's quick decision that the water isn't his favorite. Pearlkit's sturdy nature, confident and certain. Chatterkit too... for all their hurdles these kits would be resilient and brave like their parents.
  
  She sits forward on achy limbs drawing closer but not close enough to touch... not close enough to hold. Just enough to admire with a loving gaze, to purr softly at the sound of their shrill, baby voices. Claythorn chitters with the new queen about their size, about herself... a comradery between two who'd wandered down a journey that frightened them... and still brought them so much joy despite it.
  
  She settles at the shoreside, listening for Bogkit's pleading- she can't remember any of her children being so adverse to the water... but RiverClan would probably never see a moon without at least one drypaw. "Can you... see... the bottom," she asks in a hoarse question to distract him. "Anything... pretty... under there?"
• about
  
  speech hex code ✧ #6368A5
  
  ooc notes ✦
  tagging ✶
  penned by tieirlys
• ˚ ★⋆. ࿐࿔ ✦ . . ˚ . . ✦ ˚ .
  
  . ˚ * ✦ . . ✦ ˚ ˚ .˚ ✦ . . ˚ . ✦ . . ˚ ੈ✧˳·˖✶ ✦ ˚ ✦ . . ˚ ★⋆. ࿐࿔
  
  . ˚ * ✦ . . ✦ ˚ ˚ .˚ ✦ . . ˚ . ✦ ​

 

[Chatterkit]

Chatterkit

Status: Tired, Fascinated

---

Chatterkit follows at a more sedate pace behind his brothers and parents. He hadn't slept well the night before, or…really any night before, and he just wanted to go back to sleep. He couldn't muster the energy to feel excited or joyful or anything that the others could feel. He basked in the happiness in the air but he didn't himself feel those emotions. Maybe that made him weird or wrong but he didn't care, the apathy he had felt since he left the warm void is a constant companion. He is perfectly content just basking in the other's emotions, seeing them happy. It fills the cold with warmth.

When they first reach the water's edge he doesn't rush in like Pearlkit or Bogkit. He just sits at the edge and watches. He'll step in in a moment. He wants to rest. The last to be born, the last to try the water. That is the way of things. Pearlkit is first, he is last. He is content with this. Chatterkit reaches out a paw and taps the water, watching the ripples spread out from his touch. He hears the others talk but he doesn't pay attention, thoughts on other things. Though he does notice that Bogkit doesn't like the water. He tilts his head almost curiously, of the siblings Chatterkit had assumed Bogkit would take to the water and he himself would shun it. Was it opposite then? Face scrunching in concentration he makes a decision. He stands slowly before striding into the water, no hesitation.

Stick to the shallows. Mama says they are the safest. Where do the shallows end though? How is he to know? He finds out quickly when he nearly falls headfirst off the end of a ledge. He catches himself before anyone notices though. Instead he stares down into the endless depths, the darkness below the water. He is entranced by the spiraling and swirls of the water, the darkness below. He does notice when a new cat appears, wheezing breathes like Riverkit. He turns, the question of if they could see the bottom tumbling in his head. There is a bottom? He does not ask it aloud, for he does not know this cat, they are a stranger to him and he will not speak to strangers unless needed. He can ask Mama later. Instead he stares, his duo-toned eyes unblinkingly watching the older cat, the long tuft of hair waves in the gentle breeze so he has an easier time seeing at the moment.

He decides he likes the water, the mystery of what is below draws him in. One day he would know, he will find out. For now he will watch and he will learn. That is his plan.
​

---

I Don't Start Fights ⧖────⧖────⧖ But I'll Handle You Just Fine

• OOC:
• Chatterkit - Blue Ticked Tabby w/ Low White and Heterochromia Blue and Copper Eyes
  ⧖ He/They ⧖ Riverclan Kit ⧖ Penned by Snowy ⧖ 02 moons
  ⧖ Contact TimelordSnowy on Discord for plotting
  ⧖ "Speech"
  ⧖ Thoughts

​

 

[pebbletail]

PEBBLETAIL

HE/HIM RIVERCLAN LEAD WARRIOR

his own heartbeat matches her anxious one perfectly. two hearts in synch, the parents move together, wrestling their sons into the sunshine, wrangling the creatures towards the water. in the past moons, pebbletail has had to sleep more in the warrior den than before, something he loathes. his nest in the den is squished up against shellpool's and eveningcloud's, but still lonely, vacant of his sweet scented lover. on nights he is not scheduled for early patrol, he will settle himself in the nursery, taking burden from his mate as he is ambushed by constant clamors for attention. he loves these nights, keeps them close to him when he is made to be on his own.

bringing up the rear as his mate calls her ducklings to her, the tom gently taps riverkit with his tail, urging the child forward. "you've just gotta try it once, love," he tells his son, and watches as the blue striped boy pads confidently forward. a purr rumbles from the father's chest, and he will join his mate in the shallows. "they're doing so well, my snow," he murmurs, twining his tail with her own. he can almost see her heart racing, a rabbit's foot thump against her throat, but she is doing her best. it's all he will ever ask of her.

bogkit's young voice rings out, certain in its tone as he declares his dislike. "how come, sweetling?" his father asks, concern writing over the grin on his face. he chuckles as the mottled boy sighs. "that's alright, bogkit. perhaps another day you will feel differently." or perhaps his son will never grow into his river roots. he can live with this - he recalls his own first time swimming, recalls the chill that had rooted through his paws. frostbitten ears flick, a reminder of his own trauma surrounding the cold. he had grown to love the water. bogkit doesn't need to, if he'd rather not.

his mother approaches, and the tomcat will blink with a glowing gaze. she had indeed lived to see her grandkids grow, to learn their names and cherish them as she had once cherished pebblekit. he knows she sees his younger self in them, in the way pearlkit dances with the waves. she must see riverkit's namesake in his quiet, calm actions. though they are not blood related, horizonthroat's contemplative nature sings through chatterkit. bogkit reminisces of eveningcloud's adventurous nature, of twinkleflight's energy. glancing at his mate, pebbletail wonders if she sees her own siblings in their brood. pikesplash is here in riverclan, a grandfather to the babies, but ferndance remains in shadowclan. needledrift watches from the stars, never to know her grandchildren until they join her. a chill runs up pebbletail's spine, and he banishes the thought.

ember eyes find the small form of his youngest. chatterkit's dual-hued gaze seems entranced by the swirling of the water. parting himself from splashdance with a nuzzle to her cheek, pebbletail moves towards his inquisitive son. "what do you think, my minnow?" he asks, bending to the kitten's height. "your grandmother lichenstar wants to know if there are any pretty shells you can see. i think i spot one!" the white capped paw reaches out, pointing to a glimmering pink shell just a few pawlengths away. "would you like me to fetch it for you, kiddo? you can show your grandma."

// "#a2bfba"

⋆˙⟡𖤓⟡˙⋆

PEBBLETAIL TAGS / TOYHOUSE
✦ cis tom (he / him) / bisexual, taken by SPLASHDANCE
✦ 16 moons old ages realistically, every 15th of the month
✦ lead warrior of riverclan
✦ adopted by LICHENSTAR x HAZECLOUD
✦ brother to SHELLPOOL, RIVERPAW, HORIZONTHROAT, EVENINGCLOUD, TWINKLEFLIGHT
✦ father to PEARLKIT, BOGKIT, RIVERKIT, CHATTERKIT
✦ mentoring RYEPAW / mentored by FOXTAIL
✦ penned by lavs / message lavendes on discord for plots!

a large blue tabby with low white and vitiligo. pale blue fur covers the length of pebbletail's stocky body, sliced through with darker tabby stripes and spots. baleful orange eyes peer out of heavy set sockets, and his muzzle, paws, and tail tip are dashed with white.