PAFP Camp TC exhausted, close our eyelids [nursery]

Public after first post! This means you must wait until the designated posters tagged in the thread post before you may.
This thread takes place inside the clan's camp.

Urchinspine Urchinspine

Now that you're gone
ThunderClan
Caregiver
Elder
4
0
Freshkill
15
Nickname
don't try it
Pronouns
she/her
Profile
TAGS
Played by
Asteiri
URCHINSPINE ── .✷

Now I can realize,
So many kits, so few mothers.

She was cursing the dead under her breath. Serpentberry taking in foundlings and then going off and dying, it was cruel to the kits. Loonstar had also taken it upon herself to bring in that little fourtrees kit, and now those parents had left their children without parents? It was all too much and it was making the caregiver's head spin. It was overcrowded, and it felt like she was the only one doing anything about it. Not to mention some of these kits were a handful and a half. She could at least have a moment of peace knowing her living children were much better behaved.

She could feel the ache in her aging bones from attempting to keep up with the little hellions, a deep ache that spread through her entire spine. She gritted her teeth at the feeling, looking at all the kits with their boundless energy. She wished she was younger, the kind of caregiver that could keep up with these kits. It wasn't their fault that her body was failing her after all, it was her own --- the rogues. She grimaced thinking about who her life was changed that day, her mate and one of her children taken from her in one shift motion. Her pride taken from her. Not only did she lose her better half that day, she lost some of herself.

The road to healing had been long, another molly stepping in to raise her youngest litter while she recovered. She could tell it had an impact. The way Lupinepaw, Comfreypaw, and Primrosepaw looked at her was like looking at a stranger, a stranger they were obligated to call mother.

It felt like someone ripping another hole in her throat every time they looked at her like that.

She adjusted her position again as another kit bounded over her frame, feeling the sting of her bones, the ache that radiated. Maybe she was too old for this, she muttered to herself as the kits kept playing, giggles coming from their tiny frames as small paws flew. She moved her neck to get a look at another group, and then it all went black.

The nursery erupted into scared yowls from the kits, one calling out for someone to help 'grandma urchie' to anyone that was passing by.

@Seafoambelly open after Seafoambelly posts!

when I close my eyes that all I need is to be with you
.

URCHINSPINE

she/her, thunderclan, 84 moons

a long furred grey speckled molly with black patches and blue eyes
sister to seafoambelly, wavepaw
greywing x morningmist
mother to daturablossom, tulipmask, moonflowerheart, dandelionpaw, lupinepaw, primrosepaw, comfreypaw / mate to oleanderwish
"speech" // "thoughts"

penned by asteiri ↛ asteiri on discord, dm or post in #asteiris-astronomy for plots!
 

SEAFOAMBELLY
, 84 moons / THUNDERCLAN RANGER
A long-furred blue-gray she-cat with blue-green eyes.
Sister to URCHINSPINE
Solemn and distant. She doesn't talk much.

SPEECH || THOUGHTS
Tagging person here


Seafoambelly padded back into camp, prey in her jaws, and dropped it at the fresh-kill pile without much thought. ThunderClan had been doing well with prey, which was certainly a relief. There was enough going on in the Clan besides needing to worry over a lack of food.

As if fate could hear her thoughts, she suddenly heard the calls of the Clan's kits for "Grandma Urchie" to wake up.

Her stomach dropped.

"Go fetch Rowanpaw, alright?" she told the nearest kitten before padding closer to the nursery.

It felt wrong to do so. That was her sister's domain - and Urchinspine had made it perfectly clear how welcome she would be in there. Still, if something was wrong with her sister, she needed to be there. To protect her, or help her, or... something!

With quiet and deliberate pawsteps, she crossed the threshold to see her sister sprawled on the moss, head lolled back. A pit grew in her gut, and she shifted closer, nosing at Urchinspine's cheek.

How long has it been since we've been this close? she wondered.

"Urchinspine? C'mon, Urchin, wake up..."

 
SO WITH THIS BLADE TURNED TO SCYTHE, I RID A MIRACLE-
SLICE YOUR HEART, AND CALLUS YOUR LOVE

Echokit
, He/Him / 4 moons /
Thunderclan - Kit

Long hair chocolate point cinnamon tortie with low white and vitiligo, has ice coloured eyes
Younger Sibling to SNOWCAP, GRACEPAW & BRIARPAW, Littermate to FRECKLEKIT & VICTORYKIT
A closed off and angry individual, not very talkative but generally snarky, jealous of those who are truly happy
Tagging
[@]



While Echokit was no stranger to playing around, he had essentially been forced to grow up faster than he really should have. So, it was more often than not that he was an observer to the rest of the kittens in the nursery as they bothered the caregivers near constantly with their roughhousing and games. Echokit much preferred overhearing the stories the caregivers told- even when he was directly being told any stories he felt as though he was only ever overhearing, often put to the side or forgotten, however true or false that may have actually been.

Therefore it would come as no surprise that as a veritable swarm of denmates of the nursery kept Urchinspine's attention. She didn't seem happy given her grumbles, but she just... Did it anyway. Maybe she wanted to be here, to be doing this. It was more than could be said for some, and silently Echokit respected this about Urchinspine much like how he did the rest of the Thunderclan caretakers. Even if he was, from his perspective, often overlooked, he knew honest work when he saw it- it probably wasn't easy looking after everyone here so perhaps in some subtle way, Echokit took up looking after himself to ease the burden. Echokit figured Urchinspine was tough, but even she had her limits, right?

To his shock, right he was. Echokit stood suddenly from where he was lounging and jumped over. His brow furrowed at the kits that had been playing with each other around Urchinspine with a bit of a glare as if to ask 'what the hell did you all do?', He almost said it too hadn't one of them called for help. If there was anyone that could really help if someone suddenly fell and stopped moving it was a medicine cat!

Seafoambelly popped in and spoke what Echokit was thinking- Rowanpaw would be able to help here.
"I got it."
Echokit glanced up to Seafoambelly and immediately hurried off to find Rowanpaw. Echokit spotted her as quickly as he could and once again, like the last time, spoke bluntly.
"Hey, Rowanpaw! You're needed in the nursery, Urchinspine suddenly fell and isn't waking up..."


YOU PESTS WERE GIFTED FREE MINDS, BUT NO...
IT WAS NEVER ENOUGH
 
SUNKIT

HE / HIM
4 MOONS
THUNDERCLAN KIT
PENNED BY SATURNID

Unlike Echokit, it seemed Sunkit might never grow up. He carried himself with all the lightness of youth, bright and uncaring. It seemed second nature that the world would bend itself to his paws, that the caretakers would entertain his whims no matter how tired. It was a fun game, when they would grumble like badgers and push his smaller body away until he rolled across the ground and laughed, laughed, laughed.

His paws clambered up Urchinspine's back carelessly, some fantasy of a badger half-hanging in the air and lacing with triumphant giggles. There was no malice in it - he had simply never fathomed that something which brought him joy could be painful to her. His world was small and singular, too blinded by brightness to look to those around him. She does not stop him. He might have hesitated, if she did. Now, he does not stop laughing until she falls.

A giggle turns choking in his throat as it comes to a sudden halt. "...Grandma Urchie?" His voice comes steady now, still. She does not respond, and he comes closer. Pokes her with a paw. "C'mon, that's not - you're not supposed to just fall over, silly. Get up, um, please." Another poke. A few rapid blinks. "This isn't fun," he protests, voice dovetailing into a whiny sort of warble. She does not move, and he feels the tears threaten to rise. It is do sudden - one moment they were playing, and the next, she is crumpled on the ground. He feels something twist in his gut.

The other kits begin to wail. Someone calls for Rowanpaw, someone goes to get her. Sunkit does not move, frozen as he stares at the unmoving queen. "You can get up now," he laughs out nervously, swallowing around the shape of a sob. "This isn't fun anymore," he pleads again, more softly, and begins to back away.
OOC:
 
URCHINSPINE ── .✷

Now I can realize,
A haze, her vision still not there as light flickered in her eyes. Was this the end? Was this Oleander finally coming back for her? She swore she could see his stark white fur, standing next to their son that looked so much like his father. She reached a paw out, she had never been sure she was ready... but in this moment seeing them here, it was almost peaceful. As her eyes fluttered open, she expected whatever came next, death --- perhaps that Starclan that others spoke of.

Instead, she was still here. The thump of her heart against the cold Earth a reminder that she was still alive, and her paw was touching the fur of her sister: Seafoambelly. Her eyes immediately adjusted, pupils narrowing in anger, seeing her sister there. She pulls her paw away like she just touched something sharp, a pointed stare towards her sister.

"What have I told you about being here?" Her voice is sharp, barbed, harsh. Her blue eyes fixated on her sister, she still felt a haze over her --- the ache of her bones, her vision threatening to blur once more, "You dirty mouse-brained killer!" She snarls, before she sees the concerned eyes of kits on her. She immediately shifts, her expression softening as she looks at the kits.

"I apologize little ones, I'm... just a bit tired." She mumbles, turning away from her sister once more. She can feel the heaviness of her being, but she doesn't need her sister's pity.


when I close my eyes that all I need is to be with you
.

URCHINSPINE

she/her, thunderclan, 84 moons

a long furred grey speckled molly with black patches and blue eyes
sister to seafoambelly, wavepaw
greywing x morningmist
mother to daturablossom, tulipmask, moonflowerheart, dandelionpaw, lupinepaw, primrosepaw, comfreypaw / mate to oleanderwish
"speech" // "thoughts"

penned by asteiri ↛ asteiri on discord, dm or post in #asteiris-astronomy for plots!
 

SEAFOAMBELLY
, 84 moons / THUNDERCLAN RANGER
A long-furred blue-gray she-cat with blue-green eyes.
Sister to URCHINSPINE
Solemn and distant. She doesn't talk much.

SPEECH || THOUGHTS
Tagging person here


Seafoambelly felt her stomach roil at the touch of her sister's paw, even mostly unconscious, against her fur. How long had it been since they'd shared any sort of friendly touch?

How long had it been since anyone had given her an affectionate touch?

However, when Urchinspine opened her eyes, the Ranger shrank back as if burned. The venom in her sister's eyes couldn't be faced, and she turned her eyes away.

Killer.

"I'm- I apologize. I didn't mean- I only came in because the kits were worried over you-"

 
victorykit;
if you're gonna hit me, hit me harder


x
x



Victorykit watched the scene unfolding in front of her with wide, watchful eyes. She'd been trying to explain a very elaborate game of Border Patrol Attacked By Rouges to some of the younger kits, but they weren't paying attention. They didn't seem to understand that some games also doubled as training sessions - it was like they didn't even care about being good warriors! Sunkit in particular had abandoned her instruction in favor of clambering all over Urchinspine. The poor, old caretaker had collapsed, prompting the entrance of Seafoambelly and the exit of her annoying brother.

Victorykit lowered herself into her nest and watched. She watched Sunkit beg for Urchinspine to get up, watched Seafoambelly try to nudge her awake, watched Urchinespine suddenly come to and snap at her sister. Killer? Victorykit thought, ears perking up. Who had Seafoambelly killed? And why was Urchinspine so upset about it? She'd never known the old caretaker to be especially kind or loving, but she'd never seen her so angry, either. Seafoambelly recoiled as if Urchinspine had bitten her. This was much more interesting than Border Patrol Attacked By Rogues.

Climbing from her nest, Victorykit padded over to Seafoambelly's side and peered up at the Ranger.
"She's okay now, right?"
She mewed, doing her best impression of sweet and innocent.


you better knock me out the first time
Victorykit

— thunderclan, 4 moons
— she/her
— chocolate tortie, white paws, green eyes
"speech"
, 'thoughts', action