private WHAT COULD HAPPEN IN A YEAR \ butterflytuft

[FLUFFYPAW]

"Hi, Mama." Fluffypaw's purr precedes her; she has the mouthful of feathers she'd secured for the nursery residents in her jaws, and she had been quick to make a beeline back to SkyClan's camp so she could share what she'd found. It feels good, to contribute to the Clan in a meaningful way, even if she hadn't been able to bring home any prey. The tortoiseshell-and-cream she-cat drops her jawful of feathers near her mother's nest, blinking fondly up at the queen. "I figured you could use these, since you're nursing Lambkit and Ramkit now, and since it got so cold so fast."

The kits in question are fast asleep now, curled into tiny ginger fragments against Butterflytuft's flank. Budkit isn't far, almost too-large for the nursery now. Fluffypaw eyes them all, her jade gaze soft. "Remember when we were that small? It's been a full cycle of seasons, now, hasn't it?" She smiles. It's almost wistful for those days — for the days when nothing had been expected of her but to grow, to be strong and plump and healthy, for the days when Dandelionwish had been here.

She swallows against an unexpected lump in her throat. "I, uh... I still haven't caught any prey," she admits. "Greeneyes works with me, but he's busy, too. So I started training with Candorpaw, too..." Her smile is soft, even through the unwelcome glaze of tears. "It's so nice, that he wants to help me get better."

Fluffypaw descends, brushing her fur close to the lip of her mother's nest. She has not taken time to sit with her mother for many moons, it seems, and she misses their closeness. "How are the newest little ones coming along? Do Orangestar and Slatesnarl come see them often?"

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

• ooc: @butterflytuft
• 
• Fluffykit . Fluffypaw, she/her w/ feminine terms.
  — “speech”, thoughts, attack
  — 12 moons old, ages realistically on the 8th.
  — mentored by Greeneyes ; mentoring n/a ; previously mentored n/a.
  — skyclan apprentice. butterflytuft x dandelionwish, gen 3.
  — penned by Marquette.
  
  lh chocolate tortie/cream chimera with jade eyes. frightened, clingy, anxious, gentle.
  
  

​

 

[butterflytuft]

Butterflytuft's eyes soften as she lifts her head from where it had rested protectively over Lambkit and Ramkit. The gentle rise and fall of their tiny bodies brings a small, tender smile to her muzzle. Fluffypaw's familiar voice is a warmth in itself, carrying her own usual sweetness. "Hello, Fluffypaw," She purrs, a glimmer of pride and affection lighting her gaze. The feathers her daughter had brought gleam softly in the filtered light of the nursery, their downy texture promising warmth and comfort for not only herself but the several kits in her care. Leaning forward to nose them, she purrs, "These are perfect! Thank you, sweetheart." Her tail flicks out, brushing the multicolored she-cat’s flank in a gentle sweep.

The queen glances at the sleeping kits nestled against her side and then back to her daughter, noting the flicker of emotion in Fluffypaw's eyes as she spoke of the early days. “I still can’t believe it,” She admits with a breathless shake of her head and a smile. “It feels like only yesterday you and your brothers were in here with me. I can’t believe how big you’ve grown.” Her eyes flicker over her daughter’s pretty form, where kitten fat has long been replaced by gorgeous fur and a slender figure. She’s all grown up. The mention of Candorpaw makes Butterflytuft's smile widen, her heart swelling with gratitude for the support Fluffypaw has found. “What a nice tom. That’s wonderful he’s helping you.” She holds fond memories of the apprentice herself, having been one of Doeblaze’s she’d helped care for.

She then fixes her daughter with a more serious, but reassuring, look. “You're doing well," She mews encouragingly, no joking in her tone. "Training takes time, and learning from different cats will only make you better. I'm proud of you for seeking out help and not giving up….your father would be proud of you, too." The mention of her late mate comes with a pang, but it’s cushioned. Time has made things easier.

As Fluffypaw nestles closer, Butterflytuft leans forward to begin grooming behind her ears, just like she always used to do. When she asks about Lambkit and Ramkit, she purrs. "They’re thriving," She trills, glancing fondly at the kits. "Lambkit is just full of wonder, and Ramkit's spirit is as strong as the winds outside." Her expression shifts slightly at her next question, a shadow of worry crossing her dandelion eyes. "Orangestar has come by a few times, but her duties pull her in many directions," She admits. "Slatesnarl…" Her voice falters, an uncertainty there that she can’t quite hide. "He visits when he can, though it's always brief." She pauses, studying her daughter's face for a reaction.
​

 

[FLUFFYPAW]

Butterflytuft greets her softly, with all the warmth a mother bears for her eldest daughter. The queen receives her with nurturing affection. She thanks Fluffypaw for the feathers, and the apprentice beams around her mouthful before she lays them aside and settles close to her mother. She can't fight the purr emanating in her chest — it's always nice to be near her, even though their duties take them very different directions sometimes.

When Fluffypaw mentions how time had flown, Butterflytuft agrees readily. Her mother's gaze is soft as she recalls her first litter's missteps, their tiny, puffy pelts. "I can't believe how big you've grown." The apprentice smiles almost bashfully, especially as Butterflytuft mentions how wonderful it is that Candorpaw is helping her. "He really is great, isn't he? I'm so lucky to have a best friend like him." She smiles, her whiskers trembling around the motion. Beneath her fur, she feels a little warm, despite the chill in the air that had followed her into the nursery.

Butterflytuft reassures Fluffypaw that no matter what, she is proud of her. The pale tortoiseshell's gaze grows soft. "I'll never stop trying, Mama," she vows, her voice low, so as not to disturb the slumbering kits. "With Greeneyes and Candorpaw's help, I can do it, I bet."

The mention of Dandelionwish leaves her a touch melancholy; would her father be proud of her? Was he watching her from StarClan, just like Candorpaw's father watches him? Do Blazestar and Dandelionwish sit side-by-side, their gazes gentle, their pelts cloaked in stars?

Fluffypaw tears her gaze away from her mother's, letting it settle once more on the babies. Butterflytuft tells her Orangestar does her best to visit, but her duties often pull her away; she thinks that's understandable, with all the ginger-splotched leader has to do. But Slatesnarl not visiting causes the young molly to frown. "I'm sure they're both just busy... and the babies can't do much, yet, right? Maybe when they get bigger, Orangestar and Slatesnarl will be by all the time to play with them."

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

• ooc: —
• 
• Fluffykit . Fluffypaw, she/her w/ feminine terms.
  — “speech”, thoughts, attack
  — 12 moons old, ages realistically on the 8th.
  — mentored by Greeneyes ; mentoring n/a ; previously mentored n/a.
  — skyclan apprentice. butterflytuft x dandelionwish, gen 3.
  — penned by Marquette.
  
  lh chocolate tortie/cream chimera with jade eyes. frightened, clingy, anxious, gentle.
  
  

​