solyn wrote:Badgerstar came tearing into camp first, followed closely by Dustfang, with Stonepatch lumbering along at the rear. From the mouths of the first two toms dangled two mewling kits, weak and scrawny. The panic in Badgerstar's eyes was discernible as he spotted Goldleaf carrying herbs across the camp, and dashed toward her with an urgency in his step. The ginger molly swung from his mouth like a pendulum, her tabby brother less jostled by Dustfang's practiced care.
"Goldleaf!" The tom yowled, voice muffled by kit scruff. The she-cat startled, before ushering the two into the medicine cat den, where she instructed them to place the kits down together. Instantly, the weak kittens crawled for each other.
"Badgerstar, get out of here," Goldleaf said gruffly, "go and see Acornstream about taking care of the kits once I've got their strength up. Dustfang, get me something from the fresh-kill pile. Something soft, mind you, these kits won't be able to eat tough things just yet." Both toms nodded, before dashing from the den, leaving the she-cat to examine the kits carefully, turning them over with gentle paws to make sure neither were injured.
"What's the verdict?" Asked Dustfang, placing a mouse near the nest for Goldleaf to slice up with her claws, pushing it toward the smaller cats gently, before turning to check her stores. He watched the fluid movement of the fluffy she-cat. Lionheart seemed to hold her in high esteem, and Dustfang liked her spitfire spirit.
"They'll be fine," Goldleaf mewed, "they're just hungry and weak from travel. I think I have some herbs for that around here anyway, and after a meal they'll feel a lot better. A shame about their mother, though."
"Indeed," Dustfang rumbled in agreement, "it was hard on Boulderpaw and Burrpaw losing their mother, but I don't think these kits are old enough to fully comprehend." He curled his tail over his paws, before the corners of his flat mouth twitched upward in amusement. Goldleaf gave him a semi-withering look, her head cocking to the side.
"What's that for?"
"Nothing, just the kits. They look like they could be Ashenstrike and Lionheart's." Goldleaf's stare was flat and unamused, and Dustfang couldn't help a chuckle. She was even grumpier than he was, and even grumpier than he remembered Lionheart to be!
"Lionheart says you're a good cat, but you're as gossipy as the rest," she grumbled.
"Oh please, don't act like you haven't seen it, and aren't just waiting for it to happen like the rest of us," Dustfang snorted, "besides, knowing Lionheart, it's not like their kits are in the near future. I wonder if they're possible at all, considering Lionheart's condition and all that." Goldleaf looked startled, slowly placing down the herbs she'd been holding in her mouth. She shot Dustfang a puzzled expression, wondering what 'condition' he was referring to, and why her friend hadn't told her about it herself.
"Oh, you don't know," the flat-faced tom cleared his throat in embarrassment, "forget I said anything, then. She'll have her reasons for not telling you yet, and a time and a place to tell you, I'm sure of it." His attention wandered back to the kits. "So, what do you think their names are?"
★★★
"Well of course, Badgerstar," Acornstream laughed, "Hawkthorn and I would be happy to take them on as our own. They're old enough that it'd be viable for me to have had them before I have this litter. These kits will be none the wiser." She smiled at her pregnant belly, and Badgerstar purred with amusement, forgetting the kits in the medicine den for a moment.
"Have you thought of any names? I personally think you should call one Badgerkit," he joked, making the brown queen laugh as she batted at him with her paw. The molly hadn't had a lot to do with the black tom, but his excitable nature made him easy to get along with. Acornstream enjoyed the energy he brought to the den whenever he came to visit her and Hawkthorn, seemingly more invested in the birth of their kits than she was herself.
"Well, it depends on what they look like," Acornstream replied finally, "but we were thinking of making them bird-themed. Or naming them after trees you could find in the grove. Flowerpaw suggested naming them after flowers." Badgerstar's nose wrinkled as he thought back, before asking;
"Let me guess, Magnoliakit?"
"A mouthful," Acornstream confirmed with another chuckle, perking up as Hawkthorn ducked into the den, "oh, love! Badgerstar has some wonderful news to share with you." She purred as the brown tabby stepped closer to nuzzle her, before curling around his mate and glancing up at his leader with a curious expression. Badgerstar seemed almost bursting with excitement to tell the other tom what he'd just told Acornstream.
"We found some orphaned kits on patrol today," he started, "and although the death of their mother is very tragic, Goldleaf wanted me to ask if you and Acornstream would take them in and care for them as if they were your own kits." Hawkthorn's mouth dropped open in surprise, glancing curiously at his mate who simply nodded enthusiastically. The prospect of being a father sooner seemed to appeal to him.
"Of course, Badgerstar. We'd be happy to care for.... erm, what are their names?"
𝕥𝕠𝕕𝕒𝕪,
"Dawnkit! Duskkit! Come back to the nursery!" Acornstream lumbered from the nursery, swollen belly hindering her movement as she hissed her displeasure. Nimbly, her mate bounded ahead, snatching up their foster daughter by her scruff and used his body as a blockade to stop her brother from escaping. Dawnkit let out an annoyed groan, wiggling in Hawkthorn's mouth as he ushered them back toward his mother.
"But we wanna say goodbye to Flowerpaw before she goes on her warrior assessment!" Duskkit complained as his mother used her paw to scoop him closer, grooming his fur protectively. Hawkthorn placed the little ginger next to them, and seated himself next to Acornstream.
"You can say goodbye to Flowerpaw from here," he said evenly, "I'm sure she won't forget to come see you."
"Of course I wouldn't!" The apprentice laughed as Dawnkit and Duskkit rushed toward her in delight. She leaned down to lick both of their foreheads. Flowerpaw was always welcome in the nursery, keeping the kits entertained while she helped the other apprentices do their job re-bedding the nests and cleaning out any debris. Goldleaf was their next favourite, for some reason, neither of them being particularly afraid of the grouchy she-cat.
"Good luck!" Dawnkit chimed.
"Yeah, good luck!" Her brother added, nodding sagely. Flowerpaw gave them both a lick on the forehead, before bounding over to where Lionheart was waiting for her, near the entrance of camp. The ginger molly touched her nose to her apprentice's in greeting, chuckling as Flowerpaw let out an excited purr.
"This marks the start of a new tradition!" Badgerstar said excitedly from his place beside Lionheart, "first apprentice to become a warrior. Oh, Starclan, I have to pick out a warrior name! Why is this my job? I'm terrible at naming things! Lionheart how am I gonna pick a good name for Flowerpaw, I--"
"Relax!" Flowerpaw laughed, "you're more nervous than I am, and I'm the one going on the assessment! Starclan will guide you to the right name, isn't that right Lionheart?"
"That's right," she purred, "stop worrying, Badgerstar. Starclan will let you know the name that is right for Flowerpaw. It'll be especially easy for you, since you have such a good connection with them. Now, why don't you tell Flowerpaw what her warrior assessment actually is? Or the day will be over before she actually gets anywhere." Badgerstar nodded enthusiastically, before taking a deep breath.
"To pass the warrior assessment," Badgerstar mewed, "you will need to choose a rock from the camp, and carry it to a special place above the falls. Lionheart and I have spent the past moon preparing it, so you'll know it when you see it. That rock will represent you and your place in the clan. Then, you must hunt above the falls, and return with a peace of prey before nightfall." He beamed proudly at Lionheart, before looking at Flowerpaw expectantly. The white and gold she-cat nodded, and took a deep breath.
"Sounds easy enough," she mewed, casting a confident look at Lionheart, "I'm ready to become a warrior!"
★★★
"It's nice for it to just be the two of us again," Badgerstar said cheerfully, bounding over a large rock, before skittering back closer to Lionheart, "it feels like forever since we've hung out, just the two of us."
"It'll feel like even more time soon, you know. The clan is growing, and soon you'll have enough cats so that you won't have to go on border patrol. And you'll have more important things to attend to. A mate, kits, clan duties." She playfully nudged his shoulder and Badgerstar laughed, shaking out his fur before looking at her curiously.
"I don't know about a family just yet! I mean, I don't even know if there's a molly in the clan that I could start a family with, you know? Besides, I don't really know all that much about being a father. I'm kind of excited to see the clan grow though. Do you think we want more cats before leafbare or less? More warriors might be useful for hunting and border patrols but I guess it would also run the risk of there being more cats susceptible to greencough?"
"Look at you," Lionheart laughed, "you're thinking like a leader well and truly. There are pros and cons to having more cats, but I know you, and I know you want the clan to grow, so just wish your little kitty heart out, and I'm sure Starclan will bless us with more cats before the cold season. Besides, Goldleaf is a good medicine cat, I'm sure she'll be able to manage." Badgerstar beamed at Lionheart, before splashing some of the water of the lake at her, and watching her yowl, and jump away with a laugh.
"Okay then! Last one around the lake eats foxdung!"
★★★
"So, Acornstream's gonna have her kits pretty soon, huh?" Ashenstrike said, nudging Shadowtail. The brown tabby jumped, before grinning slightly and nodding with her usual enthusiasm. "Excited to be an aunt then, are you?"
"Oh, absolutely! I'm so excited for Hawkthorn, he's always wanted kits! And what about you, Ashenstrike?"
"Yeah, how's it going with your flame-furred wildfire?" A snicker passed around the group at Dustfang's teasing, even Stonepatch joining in with a rumbling purr. The green-eyed tom huffed indignantly, flicking the shaggy tabby with his tail and putting his nose in the air.
"I'm not going to answer that. I don't even know who you're talking about."
"Lionheart!" Shadowtail trilled. "You loooooove her!"
"How can you not?" The group laughed again as Ashenstrike sighed dramatically, "she's everything! She's smart, she's brave, she's so strong willed and decisive and awe-inspiring. And, naturally, she's not interested in me, as interested as I am in her. Hey, Dustfang aren't you and she old friends? You could always give me some tips." The flat-faced tom snorted and rolled his eyes.
"You could always start with the basics- you know, actually try talking to her?"
"Maybe without the terrible jokes?" Stonepatch suggested, and everyone laughed again at Ashenstrike's offended look. "Just saying, you need to update your material."
"Now, that's just rude." He huffed again, before grinning, "but thank you, maybe I will. You'll all be sorry. I'm going to charm the pelt right off that she-cat, even if I lose my ears for it!"
[ badgerstar and lionheart patrol the borders
maplefall and flintburr train their apprentices in stalking
ashenstrike, shadowtail, dustfang and stonepatch go hunting near the lake
flowerpaw passes her warrior assessment (flowershine)
goldleaf collects herbs [kitting priority]
the clan consumes two fish ]
