sensitive topics WHAT A PRIVILEGE TO LOVE YOU ✧ arrival

[Orangestar]

// cw for childbirth, blood & death

The leader has been pacing since the evening of the meeting, wincing periodically as early cramps wrack her form. She snaps at nearly anyone who gets close. In a moment of lucidity, she thanks StarClan she doesn't have an apprentice to train at the moment. That's the last thing she needs. The glances of her Clanmates are enough to send her crazy without the training of a 'paw at stake.

In the end, Orangestar chooses to hunker down in the relative privacy of her own den to have her kits. Short of leaving camp entirely, which she knows Fireflyglow would be furious about, it's the best she'll get. The nursery would be crowded enough with Oddgleam's delivery, and Orangestar wants as few eyes on her as possible when she becomes a mother for the second time.

In the cosmic game of chance, and perhaps for the wicked delight of something beyond StarClan's influence, something goes wrong. Orangestar cries as her second kit slips free (when had the first arrived?), heavy breaths stuttering at the sudden awareness of how much blood lines her nest. What? When had she ... the gaps in her memory puzzle her, almost as much as the spots of black in her vision.

Thank StarClan there's two, she notes dimly as her legs give out, noting the uncoordinated movements of both as she licks new pelts clean. A tom and a she-cat, neither the spitting image of their parents. Good. She should rest now.

Her attention strays to the wall of the den, a gleaming shape of curly fur and saddened eyes barely visible among the foliage.

"Good idea, Sheepcurl ..." She whispers, so quiet that Orangestar thinks she hasn't said it aloud. "I should name one for you."

Exhausted and bloodied, brown eyes close as Orangestar's spirit drifts free for the third time.

ooc ✧ 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘮𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘢 𝘨𝘳𝘶𝘥𝘨𝘦

• 
  // takes place at the same time as oddgleam's delivery<3 she has also not actively gone to get anyone, like a fool, but blood is smell-able and her cry was audible. anyway! babies!
  @Fireflyglow @SLATESNARL @LAMBKIT @UNNAMED KIT ♡
• 
  
  [ art by pin ]
• ORANGESTAR ✧ she/her, leader of skyclan | six lives
  
  
  — "a scarred white-and-ginger she-cat with brown eyes."
  — (undisclosed) mate to slate ; curled gently around two newborns
  — speech is in #D2977D
  — tags | penned by mercibun, contact on discord for plots.
  
  
  
  

​

 

[LAMBKIT]

His entry to this world is not one of peace. It is a violent eruption amidst death throes, the screams of his mother falling upon deaf ears and the scene hidden behind tightly sealed eyes. A newborn mind that cannot comprehend what that iron coated smell could be, why hid paws were so sticky. Blindly, he reaches out with uncoordinated kitten paws, and starts at the vast emptiness he finds. It frightens him, that sudden, open nothingness and so he open his tiny mouth and he cries out.

For a time, nothing answers, he is alone in this terrifying new world. His tiny body convulses violently with his shaking. Long moments that feel like lifetimes to him pass and then finally, finally there is change. A familiar presence brushes against his still damp fur and though it does not quiet him he does draw comfort in knowing he’s no longer alone.

The only thing that finally gets him to quiet is the sudden hot air rustling the hair on his forehead, the soothing rhythms of a tongue rasping against his golden pelt. Just as suddenly as it appears, it’s gone again and he is back to crying out, this time in confusion and desperation. Warmth, it’s so cold… food, he’s so hungry. He cries out his wants in the only way he knows how "MEW! MEW! MEW! MEW!"

-ˋˏ ༻❁✿❀༺ ˎˊ- but I’d stand in the garden with you

• 
  
  
• 
  LAMBKIT SKYCLAN KITTEN ; HE / HIM
  SLATE X ORANGESTAR LITTERMATE TO TBNKIT ; HALF BROTHER TO CHERRYBLOSSOM, OWLHEART, GLIMMERSUN, TAWNYCLAW & EGGBOUNCE
  

  A fluffy cream coated tom with mismatched white socked toes, a white marking blazing a trail down his face, and striking blue eyes.

  ✿ easy in battle + no formal training
  ✿ difficult to befriend
  ✿ Peaceful + healing power-play allowed, anything else with permission only
  

​

 

[SLATESNARL]

// cw for descriptions of post-birth

After gaining mobility in his hip ( enough to allow him to travel to and from camp, anyway ) Slatesnarl had escaped the hustle and bustle of camp to retreat to a refuge by the riverside. The babbling of the waters cascading down rocks and around the curves of the natural pathway never failed to lull the irritable warrior to sleep, to provide him a temporary moment of peace.

Stars, how long had he been asleep? The Maine Coon groggily makes way for camp, hobbling awkwardly with the hopes that no one else ran into him. Slatesnarl could maneuver just fine, at least that was what he told himself, but he was slower than usual. His hip, still tender and weak from lack of use, took extra care to move.

It just so happened that, as he approached the entrance of camp, a cry erupted from labored lungs — it was eerily recognizable, so much so that Slatesnarl's heart instantly sank into his stomach upon hearing it.

There are a few bystanders lingering near the leader's den, whom Slatesnarl stumbles past as he ducks into the private quarters. "Ora?" The former lead warrior winces momentarily as he exerts too much pressure upon his newly healed joint. The Maine Coon shifts his stance, eyes adjusting to the dim scene set before him. Blood stench hits his nostrils, accompanied by the foreign scent of new little forms. Orangestar had given birth.

"Shit," Slatesnarl curses under his breath, jogging hurriedly to his mate's side. He had known that the kits were coming, but not this soon. I'm such an idiot. I should've been here. What was I thinking? There is little time for cursing himself for his absence.

The mewls of his newborn children both distract and lure him, drawing him closer to his mate's side. Slatesnarl had always kept his distance from the arrival of kits, never seeing a reason to be present for such occasions, so to see the sight of helpless and squirming little ones slicked and new to the world was awe-inspiring for Slatesnarl. They were his.

One of the two—a cream tabby tom—was crying so much. "Are they...?" Slatesnarl trails off, his gaze now fully studying the disheveled features of Orangestar. The longer his amber gaze lingers, the longer she lies still. "Ora?" The charcoal-pelted male frowns, his initial assumption that she was exhausted from effort now morphing into one far worse.

"Ora," Slatesnarl tries again, flattening his torn ears back as a response does not come. The former lead warrior ignores the pain that pricks his hip as he crouches down to press his ear against her side. Nothing. There was so much blood; she was practically lying in a pool of it. Reality dawns upon the Maine Coon now, his pupils narrowing into slits and the blood in his veins freezing over. "No... No, no no-"

The tom stumbles backward, nearly tripping over himself, before yowling toward the mouth of the den, "Someone get Fireflyglow!" One cat begins to reply, "He's with Oddgleam—" before Slatesnarl abruptly cuts them off with a gravelly snap, "I don't care. Get him now!"

Whatever was happening with Oddgleam, they could wait. Orangestar had lost a life and had not revived. The stories of leaders losing multiple lives at once—in some cases all of them—inspire a raw horror within the stone-faced warrior. For a moment, Slatesnarl is terrified. The tom settles again next to Orangestar, broad muzzle burying into her fur as he can do nothing but wait. "Please wake up... you gotta wake up..." The Maine Coon pleads shakily under his breath, to her or to StarClan if they were even listening. They need you. The pang in his chest grows as the kits continue to cry. I need you. Slatesnarl needed more time with her. She couldn't go, not when their love was so new and they still had so much to experience together. He didn't want to raise their children without her.

𝟒𝟐𝐍𝐃 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐄𝐄𝐓 𝐆𝐎𝐓 𝐁𝐈𝐆 𝐉𝐈𝐌 𝐖𝐀𝐋𝐊𝐄𝐑 ✰ 𝐇𝐄𝐒 𝐀 𝐏𝐎𝐎𝐋-𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐎𝐓𝐈𝐍 𝐒𝐎𝐍 𝐎𝐅 𝐀 𝐆𝐔𝐍

• 

• 

  — slatesnarl / 43 moons / he/him
  — skyclan warrior & former lead warrior
  — mate to orangestar / father to tba
  — lh solid black maine coon w/ rusting, amber eyes. scars litter his form but are prominently present on his face.
  — click for tags

​

 

[RAMKIT]

Memories are infallible. They are molded by one's surroundings, by the constants in figures, by the persuasion of others. Many do not believe that memories persist beyond infancy, that the moments between there and consciousness are forgotten by youths. But her birth, her brother's birth - it is a tale as old as time. A queen confident in her ability, torn in two by her hubris. Her children being bestowed that same callous trust in self, that same terrible fearlessness.

A life she stole, all so that she could breathe for the first time. A story befitting of a strong soul, emboldened by unseen stars glittering in the depths of the den.

Nameless is the kitten, her experience of life being one, two swift licks to warm up her slick fur - and then nothing. Warmth permeates the body before her, spreads beneath them in a sticky, unseen ilk. Her mother is dead long before she can properly experience the world around her, and yet the child knows no difference.

She follows her brother's formidable step. He screams, shouts, and even against her folded ears, she hears him. Pathetically she mewls, black capped paws stretching into white and red stained fur. New claws gnarl into a chilling coat as Slatesnarl appears in the entranceway, as his gruff tones quiet to her muffled senses, then louder, louder, angrier - scared. The panic is not something she understands but she responds with a pointed wail, toppling away from her father and into her brother's side.​

 

[edenberry ?!]

These are good things, they remind themself in awkward pacing... The masses that push towards the nursery entrance to get a peek at Oddgleam and his mates' new litter does not include them, hanging back to sift through the tangles of envy and fear that wrap a tight knot in their chest. The clan's growth should be a gentle, reaffirming promise for the future... and still selfishly they wish it didn't have to be now. That it didn't have to be their friends. That it wasn't their leader (there was no reason to deny her pregnancy any longer, any cat with two eyes would've known by now but still it was a burden kept on split shoulders).

It may've been a blessing of some foul kind, that they linger away from the distracted piling of eager pelts... To notice the smell of blood as Slatesnarl marches past them in a hurry. That broken yowl- it hadn't been Oddgleam? They'd been so wrapped up in their own thoughts they hadn't noticed the direction so distinctly not from the nursery. They wander close, not daring to step foot inside.

Something sinks... some dawning realization of what's happened. Their paws shake empathetically, growing increasingly aware of just how easily orange could've been black... That a secluded leader's den could've been a quiet Twoleg nest. Their mouth goes dry as a hoarse demand calls for Fireflyglow, "He's with Oddgleam-" His bark is sharp as his bite, snapping a lack of care as paws shift behind the screen of leaves.

They stumble towards the last spot they'd seen the medicine cat, interrupting what aftercare was left to attend to with a warbling tone, "F-Fireflyglow, please hurry," they beckon with a point of their nose, "Something's wrong with Orangestar..."

They scramble out of his way as he hurries past, staring after him with mouth held agape in anxious shock. I could've died, runs feverishly and fearfully through their head, I didn't think.... Oh stars...

-- fetching @Fireflyglow

⟡₊ ⊹ i ll betray you like a man

• 
• -- edenberry / skyclan daylight warrior / any pronouns / 17 moons
  -- mostly white with black pinstripe and green eyes / scarred face and back
  -- color #728c69

​

 

[Fireflyglow]

It seems two birthings would happen on this day. The moment Edenberry rushes to find him, he's just leaving the nursery after delivering Oddgleam's kits. Normally, he'd walk at a brisk pace to get to whoever needed him, but the words that leaves Edenberry's lips has him darting. His auntie, the cat he looked up to most aside from Dawnglare, something had happened. Was a kitten trapped?

"Auntie- I'm here, I'm here." He gasps softly, wheezing in breaths of air as if he had been deprived for eons. His tail gently brushes against Slatesnarl's shoulder to comfort him, before he kneels down with his typical herbs that were shared with Oddgleam. His tail tapped against the ground. "Give me- give me some space! I can't friggin' think." Fireflyglow snaps impatiently, his voice deepening with worry. A momentary focus of his senses exposes him to the momentary flicker of a fragment, chipped away and falling into dust. Another life lost, and the bleeding wouldn't stop without help.

"Get.. Get some moss, Edenberry. Stars, auntie- I need some marigold- where.. is my.." Fireflyglow rumbles deep in his chest, shuffling through his herbs before lifting up the fragile flowers. "You," Fireflyglow grunts towards Slatesnarl. "You're a father now. So lick 'yer kits backwards, come on! Get the damn kits out of all of this blood and close to you so they're warm. They can nurse as soon as this blood is cleaned up. I don't need infections startin'." Fireflyglow tries to pull him out of his grief. There was no time to grieve his mate, when she was strong enough to pull through and avoid losing another life. He leans down, marigold in his maw, attempting to push the two buds into her mouth. If she didn't wake up enough to swallow them, he'd certainly force it down her throat with some water if he had to. She had to return from losing her life, didn't she?

"What you saw here today.. Keep your traps shut about her losing a life. D'you understand me? It's up to her to decide if she wants to tell her Clan." Fireflyglow grumbles to the cats present, his heart aching at the thought of some cats possibly taking advantage of the knowledge. With six lives remaining, she would have to tread carefully after this birthing. ​

SKYCLAN MEDICINE CAT ✦ 26 MOONS ✦ CHUNKY, BIG-FOOTED SEAL POINT ✦ TAGS​

 

[Cherryblossom]

Cherryblossom hardly bothers with Oddgleam's birth. After shuffling about for a few seconds in that crowd, nursery inhabitants and numerous kin alike, she gives up in search of a quieter corner to groom herself in.

As StarClan would have it, she's denied even that. A pained cry slips through the elderberry boughs and over the awed burbling of the nursery crowd. She's heard something of its nature only once: the split-second gush of life between the rain-soaked jaws of a fox. It's her mother, no doubt. Slate seems to have (ugh, -snarl) recognized this too, limping over as fast as his lameness allows him. "Hey, what's—?" Cherryblossom follows, freshly-groomed fur bristling once more into a tangle.

If Edenberry would have it, she'd exchange a consternated glance with them before they answer Slate—"I don't care. Get him now!" Her spine erupts in multicolored quills. While the daylight warrior retreats, Cherryblossom shoulders her way into the space.

Blood-scent spills into her parted maw, so thick it could coat her tongue in a layer of it. Slatesnarl is whimpering into her mother's crimson side; at his belly, at her paws, are two blood-slick bundles. "Huh?" escapes stupidly from her mouth. "Oh my—oh my stars, Slate, shut up," she spits hoarsely. He's not the only one that cares about her, and these, these, these things that just came out of her.

Fireflyglow bursts into without a heartbeat to spare. He kneels before her mother's unmoving flank, unpacking hastily-gathered supplies with unshakeable bulk. Auntie, he calls her. Auntie, auntie. For whatever reason, it's here she remembers her mother named Glimmersun after him. And now she's—again—in front of them—"I'll go," she rasps, even though it hadn't been her name in his command.

She lurches out of the den, repeating to the cat she pads after, "I'll go. I got it," like some half-assed mantra. Muffled by foliage, scarely discernable from the rushing blood in her ears, she hears, "You're a father now." The news registers in her chest with only a dull thud. The action of tearing off a thick pad of moss is far more visceral than that, the pound back to the leader's den greater too.

Cherryblossom throws the moss at Fireflyglow's black feet. She sidesteps a rivulet of blood across the floor, tripping back towards the safety of Edenberry's position out the den. "Uh, okay?" is all she says when the medicine cat finally pokes his head back out. Not like the whole clan won't be able to figure it out soon enough with Slate's reaction. She bites her tongue though. She can feel her heart pounding through it.​

 

[DOEBLAZE]

Blood. She's heading for the burbling stream that winds through camp with a wad of moss in her jaws when she smells it. Preoccupied as she is with the well-being of Oddgleam, for whom she's fetching the damp moss, it takes a moment to register. The thick coppery tang is fresh and shimmering new, emanating not from the direction of the nursery but closer, more oppressive. The leader's den. Anxiety slinks down her back as she pivots on her paws, uttering a silent apology to Oddgleam for the delay, and makes tracks for the sheltering branches of the elderberry bush. Voices, pawsteps, Edenberry lingering awkwardly ahead—the wind does not carry good things on its breath.

" What—? " Her hoarse mew cuts cleanly off when she rounds the den's entrance. Blood, far too much of it, lining the leader's nest and muddying the paws of the clump of cats gathered in the small space. A mess it makes, the lot of them—Slatesnarl is clutching at her limp body, Cherryblossom's tortoiseshell pelt and girlish voice flashing in and out with clumps of moss and sharp words, Fireflyglow ruling tempestuously over it all. Doeblaze surveys it all in a flash of green and decides immediately that there's no use in her lingering in what's rapidly becoming a situation. Unhelpfully, she finds herself muttering, " Stars, this is a mess. "

" Here—here, it was supposed to be for Oddgleam. " She adds her clump of moss to Cherryblossom's and nods sharply in reply to Fireflyglow's missive. Losing a life could be personal for leaders, she knew that well. Getting the information out of Blazestar had felt like pulling claws at times. The thought sends a fresh wave of chills down her back—she can only pray Orangestar plans to be more careful with her lives than her predecessor. How can I help? her mind trills instinctively, how can I make this better? An answer reveals itself quickly. Swallowing thickly, Doeblaze sidesteps out of the den, mrrowing raspily, " I'll try to keep anyone else from coming in. "

The warrior slips out past the den's entrance, where Cherryblossom and Edenberry convene in an uneasy two-cat council. Trying to summon some nonexistent authority, Doeblaze lifts her head higher on her neck and stands with her forepaws close together. If any more Clanmates venture close, she'll caution them, " Give Orangestar some space, please. " The tabby's not willing to raise her paws against a Clanmate, though, so stopping inquisitive visitors is no guarantee.

OOC : Doeblaze is currently "guarding" the entrance to Orangestar's den, but will not use physical force/can be pushed past!

✦

​

 

[Orangestar]

Orangestar stirs to commotion around her, a ragged gasp and cough and the fluttering of eyelids signifying her return. Her flank rises and falls as bloodflow stems at StarClan's will, though everything aches far worse than she ever remembers feeling prior to slipping away. Orangestar stays very still, just focusing on being back.

In this moment, she is born anew. Like the newborns beside her she is disorientated by the commotion, by the cries of her kits and the taste of bitter herbs in her maw. For a moment, she is scared. She hasn't felt it so keenly in a long time, claustrophobic moments paling in comparison to the terror that pierces her. Her heart pounds in her ears and she begins to tremble, shaking like a leaf in the wind. She can sense Slatesnarl's presence, his scent comforting but not enough to overpower it all.

"What-" she manages between exhausted sobs, spitting yellow petals with her words- "happened?"

ooc ✧ 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘮𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘢 𝘨𝘳𝘶𝘥𝘨𝘦

•  
• 
  
  [ art by pin ]
• ORANGESTAR ✧ she/her, leader of skyclan | six lives
  
  
  — "a scarred white-and-ginger she-cat with brown eyes."
  — (undisclosed) mate to slate ; curled gently around two newborns
  — speech is in #D2977D
  — tags | penned by mercibun, contact on discord for plots.
  
  
  
  

​

 

[Tawnyclaw]

*+:｡.｡ He wasn't there when Ashenclaw took his last breath, nor when Orangestar lost her first life. The trend continues.
While his sister's mate gives birth to the new family she deserves, Tawnyclaw takes his chance to play hooky again while the attention is elsewhere. What can he say? It's what he's good at! And while the nursery is cramped to capacity with baby burps and obnoxious cooing, it's more useful to avoid hogging a spot from someone who won't try and crack a joke or two at a brother-in-law's expense. Still, as Tawnyclaw heads towards the camp entrance, watching from that safe distance of his as cats scramble for the nursery for a peek and a chance to compliment, he can't help but think about Orangestar. She's not yet among Owlheart's adoring fans, perhaps she hasn't been made aware?

When she screams, he admits his eyes had still been locked on the foliage of Skyclan's camp entrance. Does he stutter to a stop because he recognizes the pain behind the wail as his mother's, or because, as if on cue, Slatesnarl tears free of the isolating unknown Tawnyclaw persues like a badger charging for its prey? Tawnyclaw steps aside before he's knocked off his feet, watching Slatesnarl as he runs as fast as his injury will allow into Orangestar's den.
He watches. He waits. He stares. He does not breathe.
He smells blood.

Slatesnarl suddenly screams.

Activity had already ramped up in camp when Oddgleam had begun to birth, but this was different. Instead of paws fluttering excitedly from one place or another towards the nursery, now they pounded, rushing with a desperate frenzy as coos were replaced with whimpers and cries. Tawnyclaw isn't among them, as he'd vowed not to be, but his throat strains just the same. Casting his gaze toward the camp entrance, he looks into the yawning maw of blissful ignorance like a coward but remains stiff where his path had been interrupted like...well, still no less of a mouse-heart. But what is he supposed to do? Edenberry's voice has already called out for Fireflyglow, Cherryblossom's in turn is distraught yet again with grief - Starclan, how many times must his sister bear witness to death's clawing grip? All that can be done, then, has been, so his only option is to bear witness alongside his sibling.

But he can't.

What color do the eyes of corpses take?

Suddenly, a new sound breaks through the cacophony. A gasping, pained sob, wracked with coughs. And it's the most beautiful sound Tawnyclaw had ever heard. But the chill of death remains freezing still, relief warming the air just enough for Tawnyclaw to move his paws.

He uses them to leave camp without a word.

*+:｡.｡ Updated 10/8/24

• //out </3
  
  
• 
  
  
  
  GENERAL:
  ♔ Tawnyclaw
  ♔ DFAB— He/Him — Unsure
  ♔ 18 moons — Ages 1 moon every month 28th
  ♔ Skyclan — Warrior
  ♔ Son of Orangestar and Ashenclaw
  ♔ Brother to Cherryblossom, Eggbounce, Glimmersun and Owlheart
  ♔ Mentoring Dogwoodpaw
  
  
  
  COMBAT:
  ♔Physically hard | mentally medium
  ♔ Attack in bold #bf8924
  injuries: None currently

​

 

[SLATESNARL]

Fireflyglow arrives with swift urgency; Slatesnarl legitimately relieved for his presence for once. It seemed that he had always been his patient before, but this time Orangestar was the one that needed assistance. With Dawnglare gone, SkyClan only had one medicine cat to rely on. He knew that the point tom had been in training for a long time but fear still twinges in his chest — would he be able to help Ora?

Even a battle-hardened warrior like Slatesnarl flinches backward as Fireflyglow demands his space; if that was what he required in order to work quickly, then so be it. His faux brows raise as he is suddenly called upon to lick his kits backwards, which he supposed was a specific action that was taken after birth. What would happen to them if they weren't licked? Stars, he doesn't even have time to think as he hurriedly abides by Fireflyglow's instructions, taking the two tiny bundles into his maw one by one out of the blood-soaked nest.

The presence of Doeblaze and Cherryblossom is hardly able to be acknowledged as he descends from panic. He curls around his kits now, the feeling of having two squirming newborns at his side strange and unfamiliar, and proceeds to rasp his tongue up their backs repeatedly until they're mostly clean of blood. He pauses for a moment to admire them; they were both cream-colored like paler versions of their mother, though one had black markings littering their form as well. They were... amazing. He could hardly fathom their existence; they reminded Slatesnarl that he had so much more to lose now. Not only his mate, but the two innocent beings they had brought into the world together.

Speaking of his mate, it isn't long until she returns to the world of the living. Slatesnarl looks up at her, relieved, paying no mind to how worn she appears at the moment. "You..." Died. It doesn't feel right to say. "You're back, now." He purrs throatily. She was alive and she was beautiful and that was all that mattered.

He offers a weary grin, a rarity in itself, and meows, "They're here," The Maine Coon looks down at the wriggling kittens with gentle amber hues, leaning over to nudge one with his nose as they attempted to crawl away. He would keep them warm at his side until Orangestar was able to recuperate and take them herself. "They're healthy, right? Are they okay?" Slatesnarl inquires toward Fireflyglow, a sudden sense of worry washing over him as he realizes that the medicine cat hadn't properly looked them over yet. He can't tell anything from observing them, but then again, he knew nothing about kittens.

𝟒𝟐𝐍𝐃 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐄𝐄𝐓 𝐆𝐎𝐓 𝐁𝐈𝐆 𝐉𝐈𝐌 𝐖𝐀𝐋𝐊𝐄𝐑 ✰ 𝐇𝐄𝐒 𝐀 𝐏𝐎𝐎𝐋-𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐎𝐓𝐈𝐍 𝐒𝐎𝐍 𝐎𝐅 𝐀 𝐆𝐔𝐍

• 

• 

  — slatesnarl / 43 moons / he/him
  — skyclan warrior & former lead warrior
  — mate to orangestar / father to tba
  — lh solid black maine coon w/ rusting, amber eyes. scars litter his form but are prominently present on his face.
  — click for tags

​

 

[RAMKIT]

The first minutes of life drag on - time is so infinitely long when you've experienced so little of it. Another scratchy mewl wretches from her maw as shouting rumbles the world around her, different tones blending together as one continuous noise. The kitten makes attempts to wriggle through the ichor and waste, to press further into the warmth that slowly disappears - but pricks of teeth find her scruff and for a moment, she is... flying.

It is short, and the pelt she lays against is scruffier, the texture not as soft as the one she had been born next to. A raspy, scratchy thing pulls and tugs on her fur, shlicking the wetness from her and warming her up. She mewls defiantly, louder now that the air has made room in her lungs, and wobbly does she send a paw upwards, as if to push away the suffocatibg efforts. Claws unsheathed press against the dark muzzle of her father, briefly, though thankfully in her infancy they are soft and dull. No score is taken from his skin, though it seems the kitten has aimed to.

Nevertheless, the chaos seems to die, as does the fervent need to wail and wriggle. At least this body is warm and holds her close... Her stomach feels uncomfortable (hunger, its called. She doesn't know this.) But fatigue reigns as she presses her face firmly into Slatesnarl's side.
​

 

[LUPINESONG]

❀‿ Lupinesong thinks perhaps she should have run after Drowsynose to go hunting immediately after meeting their brother’s kits. She hardly has time to pensively groom herself in the moonlight when camp once again is interrupted by a sudden commotion. She sits around somewhat uselessly, waffling about whether the offense of intruding would be greater than her perceived heedlessness.

Someone’s yelling, she tells herself, but the visceral way it pierces her ears makes the blood drain out of her face. Edenberry stumbles out toward the nursery and returns with Fireflyglow in tow. She recognizes the flash of tri-colored fur lingering near the entrance and she rises to her paws on instinct. They’re standing close together, and camp is feeling cramped again. She walks closer, annoyed by the crowd she imagines gathered around the nursery still, and knows that something awful has happened again and she had no paws to help.

Tawnyclaw rushes out of camp and she squints sympathetically as he disappears behind the bramble wall. Perhaps Cherryblossom will have the same sentiments, and she imagines Edenberry will chase after her. And perhaps it’ll all be too much and so they’ll go to Edenberry’s twoleg’s den and they’ll stay there for the night and then maybe the day after too and then maybe they’ll take an extended stay there because they’ve gotten so comfortable and then they’ll stay there forever twining tails and they won’t bother to tell Lupinesong goodbye because it’s not like she matters and she’ll just sit in camp all alone forever and ever and-

Someone might be dying, Lu… Right. Guilt creeps in like it always does, and she’s barely placated with the knowledge that luckily Orangestar has the benefit of that star-blessed life-buffer so she probably wasn’t dying-dying. A praying-cat would have found a moment now to do so, perhaps casting a wish up into the starred-sky. Lupinesong only winces, and shuffles onward.

She sits on Doeblaze’s other side, ducking her head to fall in line beneath her authority with ease, using the small cat as a half-buffer between her and them. "Is there anything, uhm, I can do to help?" she murmurs to Doeblaze, flicking her ear to the sound of kitten-mewling and low voices in the darkness within.

LOVE ME MORE, ⊹₊°❀‿ LOVE ENOUGH TO DROWN ME OUT.

• OOC:
• 
• 
  — lupinekit . lupinepaw . lupinesong
  — trans she/her. 18mo warrior of skyclan. formerly mentored by dandelionwish, mentoring stormpaw, it’s complicated
  — doeblaze x duke. littermate to crowsight & drowsynose. older half-sister of hollykit, lionkit, and candorkit
  — a tall, pretty, long-haired black smoke with low white and green eyes
  — smells like sweet lupine flowers and young pine needles
  — "speech", thoughts, attack
  — fullbody by pikaihao and funnyguy by pin
  — penned by eezy

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