new kid in town — intro

[DOEBLAZE]

❝ SUNFLOWER, CAN'T LET YOU GO ✿°.✦ ————————————
Bobbie laid outside the nursery, curled into a neatly graceful sprawl with her legs folded. The warm sunlight of greenleaf dappled her shaggy lilac fur, and the queen stretched her forelegs slightly to ease tension in her shoulders; feeling the soft press of her small, but visible expectant stomach. If she was honest with herself, SkyClan still felt too good to be true to Bobbie, and the soft needling pain of her scars reminded her when she stretched. Life had gone from airily easy to difficult over and over in the past couple moons, for her; from absolute joy to miserable to here, which still felt too fresh to place. Growing up in the big house, joy; figuring out she was expecting, joy; and then from there—him vanishing, forcing herself to leave her Twoleg behind, lost in the wild, the dog—misery. And now she was here.

Bobbie shook her head; it wouldn't do to keep lingering on that, no matter how much her mind seemed to insist on wearing the old wounds down to the bone, like a circle of pawsteps. She curled her hind legs protectively about her stomach; she had to keep her head up, for her kits to come if for nothing else; her last reminder of life before. The sharp smell of the nursery holly-bush dragged her back to reality, and the queen cast her gaze about camp; hopefully finding someone to talk to would distract her from her own head. Bobbie felt a little too hesitant to go looking for conversation, though; she'd seen cats with kittypet origins be snapped at before and she still felt new to the Clan, regardless of the other queens' efforts to welcome her.

[penned by dejavu - ☀]

———————————— ✦.°✿ HOW DID YOU GET SO COLD? ❞ ​

​

 

[Dandelionwish]

"Evenin' Miss Bobbie! How're them kits treat'n ye?"
Dandelionwish paused in his prancing along, his brief stint to the freshkill pile interupted as he met the queen's wandering gaze and he pivoted about with his tail raised to wander over and greet her properly.

Similar to the ex-kittypet, SkyClan was a dream he hoped to never wake from. His old home, in WindClan had been senselessly cruel, he had felt as though everyday was a struggle to simply breath without spiraling into a panic in face of the weight of his duties and his oppressive overseers. Perhaps being condemned, in the end, had been the best fate for him; even StarClan itself had warned him that if he remained he would die, that he ended up here was purely his own folly but maybe not. Maybe fate still had a paw in his life, guiding him forward, directing him with a kindness. Or maybe he just got lucky. Could be that too! It was hard to tell either way, harder still to determine if he was on the right path; but thus far he loved it here. After his rocky start, he eventually adapted, his clanmates came to view him less as the WindClan exile and more as just Dandelionwish and he had even made several friends, cats he could genuinely look forward to seeing when he rose every morning.
"Bout to have'em any day now innit?"
The ex-medicine cat grinned gingerly as he tapped his right forepaw on the ground in rhythmic idleness as he waited a reply, the wheat stem between his teeth twirling as he rolled it about in his mouth.
​

 

[HEATHERPAW]

જ➶ The branches overhead shook and shifted, leaves falling and dropping to the ground as the young molly shifts about the limb. Her eyes are settled on a small bird that she thinks will make a good meal and with a huff she is trying her best to get close, as close as possible. Her maw parts and she lowers herself for a moment before suddenly she rushes forward. Yet she is clumsy and her paws slip, she almost falls from the branch. Hanging on she her eyes wide she struggled to grapple back on with her back legs and she twists, grunts, and strains before managing to heave herself back up. Taking in a deep breath she looks around and to her dismay the bird is gone. "Oh, mouse-dung!" She shouts before pouting and making her way carefully down the tree. Finally on the safety of the ground she sees Dandelionwish talking to a queen. That bird would have been perfect for her. A pout fixes on her muzzle as she draws up closer, tail lashing back and forth.

Admittedly she has no misgivings toward Dandelionwish. He has proven himself in the eyes of the young apprentice. She is more keen on staying away from Mallowlark now. "Hi, um, sorry about all the noise. I was tryin to catch that bird. I slipped but don't worry I'll do better next time!" The queens needed to eat and that went without saying so she needs to try her hardest.​

 

[DOEBLAZE]

❝ SUNFLOWER, CAN'T LET YOU GO ✿°.✦ ————————————
Bobbie looked up as a chocolate-and-cream cat with a manner of speaking the queen found charming she'd seen around camp padded up; she dug through her somewhat foggy brain to remember his name—she was trying to do her best with that, and she'd feel just plain terrible if she couldn't—Dandelionwish! That was it; Bobbie mentally sighed in relief, recalling that the dual-eyed cat had origins outside of SkyClan as well. Bobbie smiled cheerily at Dandelionwish, mewing softly, "Hi, Dandelionwish; it certainly fe-feels like I am," The queen purred amusedly, grateful for the tom's interest in her health and his courteous conversation interrupting her overcast mind; Bobbie spoke her complimentary thoughts into words, as she often did, "I, uh, I hope this doesn't come off odd, but I simply adore your way of speaking."

The queen yelped softly, distracted by a yell from above and then embarrassedly lapped at her chest fur, somewhat ashamed of her immediate reaction; Bobbie's ears burned with internal humiliation at her jumpy nature. Way to make a good impression, Bobbie—it's just an apprentice. And it was; a young cat she remembered as Heatherpaw is descending to the ground, mewing something that forces the queen to drag herself from her dismayed thoughts. Bobbie's deerish eyes crinkle in a smile despite herself as her jumpy heart settles, and she mews with her head down, "Ah, no worries, Heatherpaw—it's not like I'm doing much for the Clan myself right now!"

The phrase is tossed off with casual, self-deprecating humour, but it reverbates in Bobbie's heart. What has she done since she got here? Much as she tries to dodge it, the answer is absolutely nothing, and so far she hasn't shown a lick of talent for any warrior duties. The queen wouldn't blame the Clan if they tossed her out once she's had her litter, she thinks dismayedly; Bobbie is once again half-submerged in the fogs of her mind as she's become so prone to lately, but her face wouldn't show it unless a cat was particularly astute.

[penned by dejavu - ✿]

———————————— ✦.°✿ HOW DID YOU GET SO COLD? ❞ ​

​

 

[Orangestar]

"You don't have to." Orangeblossom pauses on her way out of the nursery, stern ochre gaze tilted towards the lilac tabby sprawled out nearby the entrance of their shared den. She flicks her ear in greeting towards Dandelionwish and Heatherpaw, acknowledging the two younger SkyClanners before her attention turns fully back towards the expectant mother.

"Listen. You're carrying kits in the best possible season to do so. All you have to do for the Clan right now is stay h-ealthy-" She exhales a surprised breath, winded, as one of her own kittens kicks something up near her chest in protest to what, walking? StarClan above, the end of newleaf couldn't come quick enough. After a heartbeat, she continues in a slightly more clipped meow, "You'll have your paws full of brats to run around after, but I'm sure your guts will thank you."

— info

•  
• 
  orangeblossom. tags.
  — she/her, skyclan deputy.
  — mentor to eveningpaw.
  — attack in #e08550. uses trees as an integral part of her fighting style.
  — mean enough to note that her thoughts don't reflect my opinions as a writer haha.
  — penned by mercibun; @ me in any official tabbytales discord for plots. :]
  — art by merc!<3
  

​

 

[Ashenclaw]

"You'll Never Be Unloved By Me"​

Large paws moved across the compacted dirt flooring of camp as a squirrel dangled from blue tabby jaws. Ever since being told about becoming a father Ashenclaw had taken the whole thing to heart. He did have a slight limp in his gait from whatever the twolegs had done to him as the wound still tried to heal, but it didn't seem to hinder him too much. The large tabby cat had been out hunting by himself for a moment, some peace after everything, and now he was entirely going to bring the catch right to Orangeblossom. At the rate he brought prey it was a wonder that the queen could eat it all, but he just wanted to make sure she was fed and happy.

As he neared the nursery, a queen was sprawled outside of it and it seemed like Dandelionwish was there too. Oh what was her name..Bobbie? That didn't seem quite right but it was the best guess he had. Ashenclaw felt bad about not knowing her name and he looked at Heatherpaw as the young cat apologized for her little slip up. There was a twitch of an ear as the tom cat closer to the group of cats before setting down the squirrel he had in his jaws.

"I'm sure the bladder would be very happy too once its over," He mused to the deputy as he nuzzled into her shoulder for a brief moment before nudging the squirrel over, "I brought this for you and Bobbie, its not much but," He gave a small shrug even though he had brought over three mice this morning.

Speech
​

✦ ★ ✦​

 

[SILVERSMOKE]

On fluffy limbs, Silversmoke drifted closer to the small gathering of cats, his head dipped in greetings towards the Queen. "Bobbie." He hated her name after he spoke it, its origin thorn-like and a reminder of Twolegs he preferred not to have, but he mewed it with politeness only saved for SkyClan's most vulnerable. Childbirth required a strength he would never know, until that day, he found himself staring at those in the nursery as if they were as fragile as dead leaves. He hadn't yet decided how he felt about Orangeblossom being like that too, it was temporary, but he missed her Deputyship. "Kittens are SkyClan's future, it's just as important making sure nothing happens to them as it is hunting or fighting." It just wasn't a job for him, was all. Being a father was never a scenario that had played in the silver tabby's mind, what it entailed, and what it meant to be a good one. Warm neutrality best described the Lead Warrior's expression, settled among clanmates he tolerated (and Dandelionwish) and lost friends returned to them. It would've been enough to smile, had the fear of losing it all again not gripped his throat like a dog's jaws.

The smell of squirrel caused him to turn his nose in envy as he settled back on his haunches. "I feel like it is a different discomfort, looking after children." He chimed in after Ora and Ashen mentioned the struggle on the internal organs, curling his paws closer to himself as he realised he had no place to suggest such things. Still fond of digging his own graves, he continued. "I mean, they seem exhausting. All those questions and arguments and playing and.... ugh." Silversmoke shuddered. His own duties were no picnic, so often he took extra that he would almost immediately pass out once his head touched his next, yet it was a different type of fatigue. Physical was easy to deal with, but a commitment to social fatigue that one couldn't even get away from seemed overwhelming. "Good luck, is what I am trying to say."
​

 

[DOEBLAZE]

❝ SUNFLOWER, CAN'T LET YOU GO ✿°.✦ ————————————
It's a little overwhelming for Bobbie; all of a sudden there's a bunch of cats here, one of them her new(ish) denmate, Orangeblossom—the other queen is fierce for sure, and Bobbie admires it, to be honest. Orangeblossom always seemed so stern, so sure in her convictions; a skilled and respected warrior, with a mate who loved her and kits on the way. Pan to Bobbie; never sure of what she was even thinking, without a trace of skills, no mate. Nothing but the kits. The self-doubt that poisons the flow of her thoughts seeps into the complimentary idea, and Bobbie has to yank herself from them again, something she's frankly tired of doing. She's tired of everything, some days, but the conversation helps, and so does the tight-knit nature of SkyClan.

This is no time for her moping, she realizes, and she watches Orangeblossom's surprised exhale sympathetically—Bobbie is a little intimidated by the later stage of pregancy in which her denmate is residing, but excited to see the kits; they aren't going to be born too far apart from her own, if she's ballparking it correctly, so it will be nice to know her own kits will have playmates, maybe later friends, around their age. Orangeblossom's mate—she struggles for a bit on his name—is here. She has to admire his devotion; the tom shows up on a limp more than a pawful of times a day with prey or just to support the ginger-and-white queen. It was cute, but she'd rather not let loose that particular compliment; she doubted Orangeblossom, strong as she seemed, would appreciate it.

"Oh! Thank you, Ashenclaw," She mewed in soft surprise; " ... for you and Bobbie." It warms her heart a little to feel thought of like that, which feels a touch pathetic, but whatever. It's still nice, and she certainly appreciates the gesture. The way the Clan cats treat queens is so different from the cats she's met before, other 'kittypets' and loners—not just their mates, but about every cat in the Clan, is always bringing them prey or chatting, and everyone seems to have a lot of respect for them. It's really nice, actually, she thinks, mewing, "I guess so ... you'd certainly think I'm doing a lot the way cats treat us," Bobbie quickly tacks on, "not that I'm complaining!"

Right as she dwells on this, a silvery cat whose name she also manages to place pads up. She's found him rather intimidating in her time here; tall and just kind of intense, and one of the higher-ranking cats, whose hierarchy also continues to intimidate Bobbie. His tone is shockingly polite, and his words are both respectful and rather insightful, if you asked her. The whole conversation is scaring her just a tad—eek, poor Orangeblossom looks uncomfortable more often than not these days—but she's actually rather excited for her kits. Her last reminder of him, and she still hasn't decided if that's good or bad, but—she already loves them. As usual, she fishes herself out of her thoughts, thankful these cats are so patient with her foggy brain, and mews with a quiet laugh, "That's really insightful, Silversmoke," It still feels awkward to address these cats by name for some reason she can't place, but she continues, "Ah, I guess so ... I'm still excited about it, in a way. And thanks," she adds with a smile; she'll need it. Her remarks are conversational but surface-level; Bobbie may be quick to socialize, and she likes these cats, but ... she's not ready to tell anyone about him yet. Maybe ever. Thankfully, nobody had asked; it seemed that plenty of cats in SkyClan had their own secrets.

[penned by dejavu - ✿]

———————————— ✦.°✿ HOW DID YOU GET SO COLD? ❞ ​

​