private left me with soft kisses ࿐࿔ surprise?

[lichenstar]

✦˚.✦˚✦˚✦˚ ✧ ˚✧˚✦˚✦.˚✧

CLAIM THE BURIAL I SEEK IN DREAMS FLOWING RIVER CEMETARY ✧

• While it had never been outside of the realm of possibility... Lichenstar had never considered herself particularly gifted when it came to life and love. And yet... in her nest lay evening skies and sunrise shores.... They were the first glimpses of light to her mornings and the somber clouds of night. They completed the set, in some amusing way... Between the glimmering horizon of the dawn... the twinkling stars of midnight... and the beauty of colorful evening paintings. The moon of comfortable sleep... and the warmth of the sun. It just left her, a scattered cloud left at the whims of the passage of time.
  
  But... it would be unfair to abstain for the truth... for all her blessings, she needed to maintain the honesty of her family. She had so many children to concern herself with updates and finding a moment they could all share proved difficult... and awkward potentially for Salmonshade to stand trial for. 'Surprise you have a new mom now,' wasn't exactly a simple or typical conversation to have... But most of her children could remember the presence of the autumn dusted molly from their earliest days... Hopefully it would not surprise them... or anger them. Hopefully they would not have a barrage of questions to follow it either.
  
  "I didn't think... we would all... comfortably fit... in my den," she explains as they draw towards the riverside, beckoning with a crooked tail that they could now sit, settle. Her eyes flick from the painfully obvious new addition to their cohort, hoping she is not as anxious as Lichenstar already is. Why? Did she really suspect her hatchlings to be adverse to their mothers' compounding happiness?
  
  "So... uhm... I- We-," already she stumbles over herself, looking towards Hazecloud like a cornered animal, begging for her confidence, "Wanted to... Tell you all that... your mother and... and I..." Dragging it out felt like pulling teeth but the nervousness in her belly made it hard to just rush through. "Love Salmonshade... very much... and so we've... invited her to be... our mate." She offers the aforementioned she-cat a strained smile, a promise that she was sincere. That they did still love her very much.. even if it was like swallowing down fish scales to admit it to their children. "We don't expect... you to think of her... as your mother-"
  
  Or... did they? Had Hazecloud hoped for a blind leap into her arms? Or did Salmonshade secretly yearn for such quick acceptance? "Or.. I don't.. at least... not immediately. With time.... maybe you'll... choose that... You're all... so grown now." The seasons have escaped her so quickly. Had she missed it? She'd blinked and they were nearly warriors... and Pebbletail already was one. It felt like negligence on her part... Did they still think of her as someone they could run to? Or was she just Lichenstar?
  
  The insecurity festers, forgetting the purpose of this gathering for several moments.... She blinks herself from her fears with a jolt. "Sorry-.... Do you... have... any questions or...?" She looks towards her partners, one after the other, wondering if maybe they had anything to add either.
• about
  
  speech hex code ✧ #6368A5
  
  ooc notes ✦
  tagging ✶ @pebbletail @shellpaw @horizonpaw @Twinklepaw! @EVENINGPAW @hazecloud @salmonshade
  penned by tieirlys
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[hazecloud]

—————————————————————⊰✿⊱————————————————————
Having them all clustered into the willow den with their elbows hardly a claws length away from one another was certainly one concern, but Hazecloud intended to leave the ogling eyes of curiosity behind. She could only imagine what might be said at the sight of them all filtering into their den, and stars above if any reactions were unfavorable and loud, what it might follow with.

The riverside was a pleasantry for them all. The riverlands had made them all strong swimmers, naturally drawn to the waters and crave for what lurked beneath. A scene far more serene than the shadows beneath the roots, where the walls clung to the stress and apprehension of anyone who stepped in.

Hazecloud is not worried about the reaction of their kittens, however. These kits spent most of their life in the nursery with just her and their three older siblings to follow after. Even then, Pebbletail and Shellpaw had picked up on the way she regarded well-mannered behaviors and politeness, even in the face of adversity. Horizonpaw she felt would be the most likely to say something if he disagreed, seeing as Salmonshade is his mentor, she wouldn't be surprised if he felt a bit awkward about it.

Lichenstar's methods of explanation are excruciating and not even because each struggling breath is another agonizing moment to get on what she wanted to say, but how she said it. Every glance her way was met with a nod of encouragement, to just spit it out with confidence, without room to question. This isn't something they were making their children vote on if they approved, after all.

"You are so grown up now, all of you." Her eyes rest on Pebbletail, her smile growing a little more in pride. ""Which is why we're telling you this way. You're all going to be joining Pebbletail very shortly, and this won't be the first grown-up conversation you'll have, with us or anyone else." Hazecloud slowly curled her tail around Salmonshade's, and pulled Lichenstar closer by the paw.

"Your mother is right, though. Your relationship with Salmonshade doesn't have to change unless you want it to, she's just part of our family now. I feel like she always has been, in a way. Always helping me take care of you guys, keeping Lichenstar safe when we were in the nursery... And now she just stays with us instead of the warriors den." The molly tried to put herself in their place, but of course she is skewed by her own adoration for their new mate. What wasn't there to love about her?

✿ ———— I'll be your regular mama ✿ ————— And I'll put that gun away

•  
• 
  
  
  Hazecloud
  —⊰⋅ Deputy of RiverClan
  —⊰⋅ She/Her
  "SPEECH", 'THOUGHTS', ATTACK
  —⊰⋅ LH blue smoke with green eyes.
  

​

 

[Twinkleflight]

She's never been scared of either mother, even when caught doing something wrong she would convince herself that neither the leader or the deputy were scary. Intimidating she supposes, the authority either command when upset or mad can be scary (their reactions to Owlpaw and Sunpaw come to mind). So it's definitely not fear that she feels when herself and her siblings are shepherded towards the riverside. A private eye from the rest of camp without it being confided in the den. No, definitely not fear, surely not! She ignores the way her paw pads feel clammy and how her throat tightens, must just be a change in the weather.

Have any of them done something wrong? She isn't too sure, as far as she's aware no ones really stirred anything up. Surely they would have heard about it from the gossiping apprentices if so as she, herself, is a gossiping apprentice. Salmonshade is here too, so her thought is that Horizonpaw had done something wrong but if that's the case then why bring both his littermates and his older siblings here? Just to point and laugh? Lichenstar and Hazecloud aren't cruel so that mustn't be right either.

Lichenstar's nerves do not help her own, each stumble over their words spikes a bristling pelt and a shift of eyes to see what her siblings reactions are. Your mother and I... Are what? Are they breaking up!? Is Salmonshade just here to keep the peace for that announcement!? As her blue dusted muzzle parts to shout some kind of process like 'don't break up!' Lichenstar finishes what she sets out to say.

Oh.

Her tense body visibly relaxes, oh thank StarClan this isn't a break up. She wasn't sure how she would have deflected curious questions about that. Though, she's not sure how they can deflect questions about this either. Their mind immediately crafts into how they can avoid questions about this from curious friends, so wrapped in thought that for a second she misses half of what Lichenstar says next. Thankfully Hazecloud continues, their relationship with Salmonshade doesn't have to change.

Once again she not so subtly looks over at Horizonpaw at that, wait a second... This means that both of her littermates have mums for mentors! Now she's the odd one out, that would depend if he would consider her as a mum though, should she? They say they don't have to. She likes Salmonshade, always seemingly around for as long as Twinklepaw had remembered. So now this means that an unofficial mother figure is now an actual mother figure, how weird, but a good weird.

Am I supposed to say something? "How big is your nest now? It has to be big to fit three of you, right?" Not the question anyone wants to hear but she feels the need to diffuse any awkward lingering feelings. Hopefully if anyone's upset that may even help dissipate that too. "Congrats! Welcome... Officially? To the family? Can I say that?" she adds on quieter with a polite grin towards Salmonshade, there isn't really much she can say apart from the fact that she's happy for them.

‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ AIM YOUR ARROW ➹ AT THE SKY‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎

• 
  
• 
• TWINKLEPAW
  They/she, RiverClan apprentice, 10 moons
  ★ A sleek yet tufted short haired blue point with blue eyes
  ☆ Littermates w/ Eveningpaw, Horizonpaw and Snowflakekit †
  ★ peaceful and healing powerplay permitted / / underline and tag when attacking
  ☆ Speech (#C9BAF3), thoughts
  ★penned by Juice | ouijeejuice on discord
  

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[horizonpaw]

He feels sick. He thinks. He doesn't know why his parents have called him out here with all of his siblings, and he sticks near to Twinklepaw like something bad is going to happen. His anxiety bubbles anxiously, froths up like the crests on the roughest of rivers, and his tail twitches as he settles down not far from his littermates. Green eyes shift from each of them, then forward, a breathing leaving him as he tries to settle his nerves. And that's when Lichenstar starts to speak.

He's only half listening at first, vision flickering nervously to his mentor then back- and he all but freezes as what she says comes to fruition. His mentor was now his.. parent's mate? His mentor was technically in a position that could be akin to that of what his parents were to him? Green eyes are wide and wordless as it shifts back and forth, ears twitching as he takes all speech in. Salmonshade hasn't said anything yet, but Hazecloud speaks softly. And while his mother almost reassures them, Horizonpaw has retreated to his mind to sort all of this out.

Salmonshade, his mentor, has fallen in love with his parents and decided to move in with them. Love. A curious thing, but more alike to what Lichenstar and Hazecloud have, not like what he has for his parents. Twinklepaw seems to take right to it, and it tugs him out of the treacherous circle in his mind. His face has been mostly impassive, but as his sister accepts with a tumble of questions, his ears lower and his eyes shift to find Salmonshade's briefly. And, with all he can muster, he dips his head. "Okay." And that's all he says for a long, long moment. Horizonpaw was never one for tons of words, but then...

"Welcome." He says. It takes a few more heartbeats of mustering courage but he stands, moving to press his forehead to Salmonshade's leg. He should be happy, he thinks, and it isn't like he isn't.. he just knows that things might change, and he doesn't like change. So he searches for comfort instead, does what he knows best to do.

‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ┌── YEAH YOU KNOW I LOVE ⋅❁⋅ TO GET HIGH ON MY LOWS ──┐‎

• "speech"
  

• 

• HORIZONPAW he/him, apprentice of riverclan, nine moons.
  ⭃ SH blue tabby with low white and deep green eyes. he is gangly, with long limbs and a longer tail that give him the illusion of being tall despite being average height otherwise. looks on with slightly anxious but normally happy expressions
  ⭃ mentored by salmonshade / / mentoring no one
  ⭃ padding after no one / / littermate to twinklepaw, eveningpaw, and snowflakekit
  ⭃ peaceful and healing powerplay permitted / / underline and tag when attacking
  ⭃ penned by dallas ↛ dallasofnines on discord, feel free to dm for plots.
  

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[eveningpaw]

Eveningpaw does not know what to make of the invitation — well, less like an invitation, when neither Lichenstar or Hazecloud gives them the chance to really refuse... and Salmonshade is there too, for some reason. Her parents' faces do not suggest that any of the five have done something wrong, nor does Eveningpaw recall any recent events that may warrant a serious discussion. There is nothing to do but follow and wait.

Famously, waiting has never been one of her strong suits.

The little family — and Salmonshade — reach a secluded spot in the territory, and Eveningpaw forces herself not to make eye contact with Twinklepaw and Horizonpaw specifically, as the three so often do to have quiet conversations. Lichenstar already looks on edge as they begin... Eveningpaw does not want to add more to that.

And then she says that they both love Salmonshade.

Eveningpaw's eyes widen at the revelation, and even more as Lichenstar goes on. Think of her as a mother? She is glad that this is not a requirement. Salmonshade is a good cat, and Eveningpaw fondly remembers those days of the warrior being glued to the nursery against her own will... but Eveningpaw's parents are Hazecloud and Lichenstar. Two is enough! Does she really need any more?

There is a whirlpool of emotions that catches her, all the while her littermates welcome Salmonshade into the family. Eveningpaw can't bring herself to do the same. It's not that she is against this... not really, when she can tell that this she-cat really does make her mothers happier. It's just weird — and now there will always be a third cat in the den that had been decorated specifically for Lichenstar, orchestrated specifically by Hazecloud.

"So... you do love each other still, right?" Eveningpaw asks, because it weighs on her mind, even after the opposite has been suggested. "That won't change?"

Change does not sit right with her lately. It is a constant reminder that she is far from the mewling kitten many, many moons ago.

But... for what it's worth, Eveningpaw does not want to be such a downer. It would be uncharacteristic of her! She sees Horizonpaw's reluctance, and knows they need a talk after this, but she ultimately copies Twinklepaw's way of handling a frankly awkward situation. Innocent questions. "Is this why you've been spending more time together lately?"

I AM SO LATE I'M SO SORRY !! STRANGLES XENFORO WITH MY BARE HANDS

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