camp YOU WOULD NOT BELIEVE YOUR EYES [fireflies]

[willowroot]

( ☾ ) there are only so many things one can do when one is a queen awaiting their kits. reorganizing the nursery, helping out in the medicine den, fixing up the nursery again... the list is only so long. when willowroot has exhausted their options for the day, they collapse beside the meager river and stare out towards the horizon. their stomach has swollen exponentially in the past few weeks and they feel the familiar exhaustion that comes with pregnancy. as the sun lingers low in the sky, the feline gazes across the expanse of territory, eyes focusing sharply on a softly blinking light some few feet away. the sky alights in soft fiery hues as the fireflies come out to play.

she hasn't caught fireflies for fun since she was young, living along the coast with her family. watching the bugs now, she feels a spark of delight in her chest. as she glances around to see if anyone is watching, willowroot raises to her paws and approaches the blinking insects. her paw whips through the air, narrowly missing the bug. huffing in frustration, the warrior turns around, following the light with her gaze. lashing her tail as her hunt becomes more intense. after a few more near misses, she finally slaps her paw down, bringing one of the insects to the ground where it glows beneath her outstretched claws. a grin alights on her maw and she bends to crouch on the ground again, watching the firefly intently. its blinking begins to slow, and she gently releases it, watching it flutter up and away from her, joining its fellows along the riverbank. ​

 

[salmonshade]

Salmon doesn't exactly care much about fireflies, but she does like to try to soak up the remaining rays of the sun. She lounges peacefully, blue eyes shut in slight content- until theres a shuffling against the earth below and she peeks, her head tilting. Willowroot misses the first one, which causes Salmon to flick her ear, but she catches the next one. A slap, and shes slightly convinced the glowbug is nothing but mush beneath the queens paw. Willowroot seems to be staring intently at it, and she squints. Lo and behold, however, the bug flutters upwards. "Are you taking them as prisoners?" comes her attempt at a joke which sounds a little more like question.

Salmon hauls herself to her paws, keeping a polite distance from Willowroot but sitting close. She does not remember the last time she had exactly payed any mind to them. A fuzzy memory of a tiny dappled kitten against her mother, watching as they danced within the marshes for just a split second before its lost in the depths. She wrinkles her nose. "The apprentices and kits will like this." she nods, thinking of Ratpaw. Speaking of... She turns her head to look around camp, trying to catch a glimpse of her snow-pelted apprentice before she returns her attention back upon the fluttering bugs.

₊˚.༄ info

• 
  -> salmon ,, salmonshade
  -> cis female ,, she/her ,, 30 months
  -> warrior of riverclan ,, former marsh grouper
  -> fluffy & dainty chocolate tortie smoke with low white and blue eyes
  -> “speech, ff91a4” ,, thoughts
  -> lesbian ,, single
  -> smells like warm flowers & freshly cut grass
  -> image by @wrendoings [ disc ]
  

​

 

[Petalnose]

The glowing bugs weren't really something she cared for as well. The creatures were harmless, normally stayed out of her way and intelligent enough to not crawl all over her. On sleepless nights, she did find them peaceful. She found them as a metaphor; light in the midst of the darkness. It was hope to herself, encouragement. Cicadastar did tell her once that it was told they were the souls of passed loved ones guiding your way. Even if she didn't particularly believe it, it was a nice way to look at them.

Petalnose watched Willowroot catch one of the bugs, wondering if one perhaps crawled upon their pelt. Salmonshade mentioned the youngers, humming softly in agreement. "Maybe it'll encourage them to leave our tails alone." She joked through a roll of her eyes and stoic tone, directing her attention to the kits whom played from afar. "Gotta sharpen those skills early."

The news of Willowroot expecting made her wonder if she would further be abused by their tiny paws, sharp teeth and snarky remarks once more. Although she had hoped the former lead warrior would raise them up to be respectful to their elders. Despite the healthy dread she held, she did have excitement for the next generation to bring life to their clan.
Tags​

 

[hazecloud]

Was it a bit odd, how this lacked the presence of their younger, more childlike Clanmates? If Hazecloud had understood the mere boredom that came with retiring to the nursery she may not have questioned it for even a moment. She would have thought to see their leader's brood leaping across the inlet for even the smallest opportunity to catch the glinting bugs. Instead she found herself witnessing their newest queen batting them down.

The misty cat padded up to join the other warriors with their former Lead, politely nodding her head in greeting to them. Petalnose's vain hope drew a gentle laugh. Nothing mocking or malicious, but finding humor in the impossible wish.

"For as long as we have our claws and teeth, kittens will find our tails a much better form of entertainment." Hazecloud hummed, sweeping her own over her paws for good measure.

"I hope the nursery's been treating you well, Willowroot? You must be glad you won't have to stress about kitting in leafbare again." Her little scraps would experience it as apprentice's, though she wasn't sure which felt easier as a mother. Fearful they may succumb to the cold or sickness, but ensure they are fed? Or comforted that their bodies will be better fitting for survival, but will have to endure the hunger?​

 

[BEEFANG]

( ) The dark furred molly had been occupied by a moss ball that she had been flinging around the willow den, tiny needle-like claws digging into it before using her back legs to kick it against the wall of the hollow tree. She pounces upon it and uses a stark paw to bat it away, she watches it tumble out from the safety of her family's den only briefly peering over her shoulder to her father and littermates. The eldest of the river king's children taking the opportunity to go outside and she's ready to leap on the moss ball once more but halts realizing that there's flying lights around her.

Her previous game left alone and she wanders forward following these little insects that glowed under the night sky, she crouches with a wiggle of her hindquarters and springs forward into the air with bicolored paws reaching for the fireflies. "Aw... I didn't get it," She mumbles to herself seeing a few other warriors gathered around a very, very plump queen and Beekit can't help but draw near still using a small paw to try slapping one of the bugs out of the air.

She leaps into the air (it was hardly a leap, more like a hop) once more before landing on the ground with wobbly legs and frowned as she checked underneath her paws for any of the glowy bugs. She had wanted to catch one to show her littermates and glanced over at Willowroot with a small smile "Hi! How do you catch those?" Her mismatched gaze turning upwards to the fireflies before glancing over at the other warriors, thankfully for Petalnose, her tail was safe from Beekit's teeth and claws. Her papa had told her to respect warriors and she's sure that biting or pouncing on someone's tail was likely seen as rude. ​

( KILL EM WITH THE MOJO ; CINEMATIC SLO-MO )

 

[FERNGILL]

In feverish efforts to not let his training slip, to not lose sight of his slowly-developing actual abilities, Fernpaw didn't often find himself out near the end of the day. Training was exhausting, and though his father didn't push him to the point of breaking, Fernpaw didn't want to make his life any harder. To keep himself up would probably impede his progress in the morning, and if he was to ever prove that he could be a true asset to RiverClan... well, he couldn't be seen playing with kittens or fooling around when he should be resting for the following day, could he? Everyone would think he wasn't trying. Would think that, even after all he'd been through, he still wasn't getting it.

Today was a bit of an exception though. Fireflies were uncommon in the colder months, and now that the leaves were beginning to colour Fernpaw knew he wouldn't have many more chances to see them before next greenleaf. What really caught his attention above simply admiring the beauty was the manner in which Willowroot, surely soon to kit, still held enough dexterity to be able to snag a flickering light beneath her paws. It looked like a sunspot on the river, impossible in darkness, dancing beneath her claw... before they let go, and it flittered to join its kin. Beekit seemed immediately fixated on the how- but Fernpaw's wide, green eye displayed a different sort of awe. "I didn't even know you could catch them," he admitted to Beekit, a light layer of humour in his voice.​

✦ penned by pin ✦​