camp MY HEART’S IN ATROPHY ☾ Lilybloom’s Vigil

[LAKEMOON]

.·:*¨༺ ☾ ༻¨*:·. The evening swells with damp new-leaf warmth, the ghost of leaf-bares chill only seeping into the low breeze.
The scenery would be enchanting if not for the circumstances, the way camp was bathed in gold and pink under a crimson setting sun.
The beauty was fitting for the soul that they would mourn tonight, but even that bittersweet thought makes Lakemoon want to sink her claws into something, someone.
The tabby is angry, bitterness seeps into her downcasted gaze, stuck on large paws. Angry at the stars, fate, the kits that nestle ignorantly within the milk-scented safety of the nursery.
At her paws rests Lilybloom, the crimson cleaned from soft brindle fur, positioned to look as though she was only sleeping with bits of purple blossoms and mint woven along her still flank. Thanks to Iciclefang and the other queens, her mate’s outwardly beauty was intact, even in her death.
The silence is deafening, and Lakemoon forces herself to level her gaze and stare forwards, eyes drifting to meet Iciclefangs and Ferngills.
The molly had grieved with this family what only feels like yesterday over the death of their father, then she had promised to be involved- present, for Lilybloom and her younger siblings.
Now, she has never felt farther away.
Suddenly, Lakemoon cannot bare to speak to them- to anyone that had gathered, so she looks towards her mate, her flower.
“Lilybloom… oh, Lilybloom.” The looming tabby warrior murmurs, a paw reaching to touch her shoulder, “you showed me what it meant to love, to cherish. You saw me, and you perfected me.” Lakemoon sinks, eyes drifting from her beloveds closed eyes to the tops of her ears, running along the scar her kin’s claws had bestowed to her. Lakemoon would have killed for her, she still would- she would do anything if it meant only to rasp her tongue over the top of her head once more.
Narrowed optics shift to the dark entrance of the nursery, and her maw parts to expel a ragged exhale before her eyes find her way back to Lilybloom.
“You gave your life to expand our love, and our kits will grow up knowing your kindness, compassion, your unforgettable light.” The warrior's voice is forced to drop to a whisper half way through her words, and while tears would not spill in the presence of her clanmates, the agony that laced her cracked words felt crushing.
As though she could not bare the weight of her grief any longer, Lakemoon lets her forehead fall into unmoving, sharp-scented fur, eye’s screwing shut as she mourned for the love of her life.

‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎┌── SMELLING LIKE A BONFIRE ⋅ ࿏ ⋅ LOST IN A HAZE ──┐‎

• Tags — @iciclefang @FERNGILL @DARKWHISKER @Moonpaw but no need to wait !
  
  

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  LAKEMOON ☾ she/her, warrior of riverclan, 27 moons.
  ⭃ lanky blue tabby with low white and navy blue eyes and a slightly twisted right hind leg. A large facial scar stretches from her right brow to her left cheek, and another crosses at her chest and stretches down the length of her stomach.
  ⭃ daughter of Tempestmoon && Lilypad ࿏ sister to Wolfwind ࿏ mate to Lilybloom & mother to Snowkit, Graykit
  ⭃ peaceful and healing powerplay permitted / / underline and tag when attacking
  ⭃ penned by Noor ↛ @toyangel on discord, feel free to dm for plots.
  

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[HOUNDSTRIDE.]

Houndstride, too, felt too far distanced from every cat here. He stands in silent mourning away from the others, away from Lilybloom's still body. It's almost like she's taking a nap, surrounded by those who love her, were it not for the grief weighing down Lake's shoulders. Hadn't been all that long ago he trained her. Left her. Came back in the snow and buried himself away to freeze up solid. Untouchable. 'Cause at least then nobody could wake him from whatever strange dream this was. Even if it was half a nightmare, those he cared for long gone and unable to be mourned, he was back in RiverClan. Healing, eating, patrolling familiar borders. Never really talking to those he'd missed for so many moons. Never opening up. Now there's nothing left to say to either of them.

Couldn't congratulate her on her beautiful kits, or apologize for how staunchly he'd avoided her nest to chat. His eyes turn downwards. Away from the tears he can see startin' to spill off Lakemoon's face. He should comfort her. Remind her there's still a clan that'll love her, and remember her, and move forward without her, that's where his heart snags up. They'll move on. They'll keep going. And there's nothing else he can do about it. He keeps his eyes away. Doesn't manage a word.

𝐇𝐀𝐌𝐋𝐄𝐓: 𝐎 𝐅𝐔𝐂𝐊.  ╱ ( 𝑬𝑿𝑰𝑻 𝑯𝑨𝑴𝑳𝑬𝑻 ) 〚 03.11.2024 〛 𓆟༝ ˚ ｡ ⋆｡˚ ༝ • .𓆝

• OOC. —
• 𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐃𝐄. HE - HIM - HIS. PRODIGAL WARRIOR OF RIVERCLAN. ————— mauled by a fox moons ago and has the scars to prove it. though his wounds are healed, nothing can rid him of that pain.  ╱ PENNED BY REVELATIONS
  
  a lean chocolate tabby with lime green eyes. the scars that had once been limited to the bridge of his nose now shatter and expand across that entire side of his face, up to a ripped ear and down to his shoulder and front right leg. it is somewhat difficult for him to put his weight on that paw at odd angles, and he gets grumpy after a long while of walking, but it does not inhibit him terribly.

• "speech"

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[FERNGILL]

Shock and regret wracked Ferngill's body more than outright sadness did, though he was sure the sorrow would come in waves over the next few days. Mudpelt's death had been sudden, a freak accident, yeah- but he'd gotten to say goodbye. Lilybloom had met StarClan before Ferngill had even entered the nursery. And why, why hadn't he? Why'd he fretted over Iciclefang so much, and not Lilybloom? If he'd been watching as close... maybe he'd have been able to be there...

Within, Ferngill cursed what had made him hold back. What part of him had been convinced that he did not need to keep as close of an eye. Regret bubbled within him, made him sick. And it was horrible how bad he felt looking at her now- how he was almost disgusted that she was dressed in flowers, because of how wrong it was. How unnatural. She should have seen her kits grow up- she should have gotten to play with them, groom them, present them to the clan with pride. She and Lakemoon would have laughed over their antics together, he was sure.

A single green eye met dark blue, if only for a few moments. Sorrow glimmered between him and Lakemoon, and her words struck him deep, rang like a death toll. Even with her body sat before them, it was Lakemoon's bidding of farewell that truly cemented the fact Lilybloom was gone.

"I'll always look out for them," Ferngill sobbed softly, each word feeling like spitting out a rock. "The way you always looked out for me." An ugly sniff preceded the bowing of his head, a pink nose pressng softly to her shoulder before he backed away. Grief-wracked, his single green eye sought Sablemist in the growing crowd, wanting nothing more than her comfort.​

✦ penned by pin ✦​

 

[FOXTAIL]

Foxtail sits a distance away, his ears flattened to his skull. Death has been too frequent here in RiverClan... life as a clan cat is expected to be dangerous, but he had always thought in terms of battle, and illness. How foolish he was not to think of the dangers of a kitting; how not only it can bring life into this world, but take it too. But can you blame him, really? He's young; doesn't have a mate and will personally never experience what it's like to bear kits. But despite this, he hangs his head low in sorrow.

...He never got to know Lilybloom, regrettably. It's too late for him to congratulate her on her two kits, Graykit and Snowkit. Too late to offer to clean the nursery up for her as she takes care of her kits... too late to get to know her. He looks up from his paws and looks at her body ahead of him. She lies peacefully, covered in lavender and woven mint. She looks free of the pain she must've endured in her final moments, but his heart aches at the thought. She should be alive and well; celebrating the new life of her kits with Lakemoon. A silent tear rolls down his cheek, looking up at silverpelt— she's among them now. I'm sorry I never took the chance to know you, He wishes to say this out loud, but the words don't leave his mouth. He stays quiet and unmoving, looking back down at his paws as clanmates begin to say their final goodbyes to Lilybloom.​

𝐨𝐨𝐜 𓆝 𓆟 𓆞 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭

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  credit to skaicraft (via insta) for the artwork <3
  
• Foxtail

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  warrior
  warmhearted
  timid
  experience: trained
  backstory: tbd
  biography: [HYPERLINK]
  credit to sixbane for the minis & tropics for the icon <3
  

  cisgender male [he / him]
  eyes: green
  pelt: cinnamon/chocolate
  fur length: long
  parents: dawnflower and redfur (riverclan npcs)
  18 moons
  

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[paleroot]

⊹ ︶⏝⭒˚‧ ︵‿⭒ཐིཋྀ ཐིཋྀ⭒‿︵ ‧˚⭒⏝︶ ⊹

"The waterways welcome'er," a blessing murmured on aged lips; cracked with time, experience written there where each mark makes a memory of eulogy spoken. Death didn't change... but it's weight didn't either, no matter how many moons you'd spent with the rivers of your heart run dry. Paleroot ached for young love dashed, for new beginnings soured by abrupt ends.

Bones that count themselves aged like a trees rings ache to rise, to draw closer to the branches of a family fractured by the loss of one of its boughs. She smells so sweet, like the rested smile on her face... and Paleroot knows she felt love in those last moments. That she regretted to leave but did not fear for their lives without her- Lilybloom. Just as beautiful as the petals she was named for... and just as fleeting. Everyone knows the flowers never make it through winter.

And in some twisted kind of way... it really had been the Snow that had stolen her away.

She turns to glance towards the other elders, nodding in silent acknowledgement that they'd have work to do this dismal night. To lay that wilted blossom to rest. To return her to the earth, where she'd sprouted alike the bulb that marked her namesake. "Drown in'er scent, love. Drink deep so you'll never forget it." How sorely she wished she could say she remembered her mate's, time had worn that memory away too long ago. "We'll take good care of 'er." Just like they had a hundred times... for a hundred claw-dug graves.


//soba cries bye lilybloom sweet angel​

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[iciclefang]

Iciclefang’s family has ruptured once more. Her sister lies at Lakemoon’s paws, blossoms bursting from brindled fur, her single green eye closed in what seems only to be slumber. But she had been there to see the life drain from that eye—she had smelled the blood, witnessed the fire flicker and fade inside of her kin. Her sibling’s mate delivers a touching eulogy, one that she knows she will not be able to replicate. Grief has numbed her jaw; it hangs, slack, as she bends to touch her nose to mint-scented fur.

She closes her eyes, cursing the stars against her better judgment. Mudpelt is gone, Steepsnout is with him, and now Lilybloom has departed RiverClan to be with their starry kin, leaving two innocent kits in her wake. Kits who would know her name, would know the sacrifice she’d made to bring them into the world, to bestow them with life, with fire. Lakemoon avows she will ensure they know, and Iciclefang closes her eyes, acceptance washing over her like a newleaf shower of rain.

“I will not let your sacrifice be in vain. Your kits will be remarkable cats. I will do everything I can to make sure of that.” Her voice feels thick, slow as sap gurgling from split bark. Ferngill sobs beside her, and she reaches with her tail to twine with his. Again, she and her brother are left abandoned by the stars.

She sees Houndstride and Foxtail, honoring her sister in quiet solitude, and then Paleroot speaks up. Iciclefang meets the old molly’s gaze and dips her head. The elders would see to Lilybloom now… but stars, must she relinquish what hold she has left on this splintering family?

『 out of character. 』 ✧･ﾟ:* 『 about. 』

• ooc: —
• 
• Iciclekit . Iciclepaw . Iciclefang, she/her w/ feminine terms.
  — “speech”, thoughts, attack
  — 22 moons old, ages realistically on the 17th.
  — mentored by Smokestar ; mentoring Cicadapaw ; previously mentored n/a
  — riverclan lead warrior & queen. mudpelt x icesparkle, gen 2.
  — former mate to Stormywing ; current mate to no one.
  — penned by Marquette.
  
  
  sh tortoiseshell and white she-cat with ice-blue eyes. confident, capable, proud, dry, conceited, condescending, distrustful.
  
  

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