TW: Sensitive Content Camp WindClan honey in your mouth when you gave me my name // birth of windclans first litter

Please review the more detailed TW summary at the top of the post.
This thread takes place inside the clan's camp.

owlbear

you can't go home again
11
3
Freshkill
15
Pronouns
she/they
Profile
TAGS
Rank
warrior
Played by
teddy
tw // this thread contains descriptions of child birth, talk of parental death, and grief. reader discretion is advised.



It hurts. Everything hurts. Owl feels like she's been trampled by a horse, like she hadn't escaped the fire at all, but was still in that barn, buried in the rubble somewhere next to her father. Their father… a contraction rips through her, making her whole body shudder. Her father should be here. Why did he have to be good, to be kind– why couldn't Hoot have been selfish, why couldn't he have just– another contraction, this one more painful than the last.

They grit their teeth. They shouldn't be thinking like this… Hoot had saved poor little Comet… but in the pain and desperation of birth, all she can think is that if Hoot hadn't saved Comet he would be here to meet his grandchildren, and in this moment Owl would sacrifice all of Windclan for that to be true, for her family to be whole again.

Pain again, enough to make her feel delirious, and she lets out a strangled meow that sounds vaguely like the name of her lover, Daz, as if asking for something for which she does not know the words. To bring their father back, perhaps, or to turn back time. Things Daz cannot do, even if he might want to.

Winding and twisting pain, ripping through their body like fire over the moor. It's too much, too much, and then quite suddenly– it's over. She feels hot, still, but the pain subsides gentler than it came, like rain after the fire. Panting, she lifts her head and shakily turns to look at her kits– three perfect little kits, wet and wriggling, unaware of their mother's grief and the pain they had caused simply by demanding to exist and to live. When she speaks, her voice is raw both with grief and exhaustion.

"Hoot," she says weakly, pressing her nose to one– one who's little brown body was speckled, just as it's grandfather had been. "Hootkit, that will be your name…" She doesn't have it in her to name the rest, not now at least– the only thing she can think of is her dad and how he isn't here and never will be again.

They seek out the presence of Daz, warm orange eyes looking to meet her lover's green ones, to be reminded that she is not alone. Her sister should be around too, somewhere– Owl had lost track of time and place in her pain.



  • ooc: looking for @DAZ and @Chickenscratch but no need to wait:3
  • 96249167_xWenMIlSTGoHman.png
    Owlbear, - 50 moons / windclan warrior
    peaceful powerplay allowed

 
—————————————— Dreaming along in a pace you'll understand. ✦


In spite of instructions to rest, keep off his paws, and stay in one place, Merry refused to sit by. He'd heard Owl had gone into labour and like Hell he was going to stand by the wayside when his friend was going through such an important time after such a heartwrenching loss. Goldy and Harefoot had been trying to keep him resting, but his paws would heal in time, Owl needed support more than anything. He slipped away, wincing with every step when the other cats were busying themselves with other tasks. Many a she-cat had given birth in the barn, and while he'd not been able to help much then, he knew it was an exhausting experience afterwards. Merry knew better than to intrude during her labour, that wasn't his place but he just as well couldn't sit around after the fact.

The tom had found some fresh moss and soaked it in some nearby water they'd all passed coming to the camp, plenty of it too as his aching paws would need some respite after walking, but that pain was probably nothing compared to poor Owl. That much was evident as he approached Owl and Daz, his face softened seeing the molly so exhausted, his heart ached for her. Hoot was a kind tom, one he respected, he mourned the loss of such an admirable cat, but even more so for the hole that would be left in his friend's life for good.

He approached, almost tentatively, not wanting to feel as if he was intruding at a bad time, placing the soaked moss near Owl for her to drink. Though a smile crossed his face seeing the kittens, three of them, curled up to her side. "Oh look at them..." He spoke, softly not to overwhelm anyone.

He looked to Daz with a warmth, his smile even more evident on his face. "Congradulations-". Merry turned again to Owl, voice still hushed but it was hard to hide the pride on his friend's behalves for their new family. "-both of ya'. But how 're ya' fairin' Owl?" A gentle purr in his throat, that caught for just a moment as his gaze fell longer to the three newest additions to Windclan, realising just how uncannily one of them resembled Hoot. It wasn't something he was going to point out, if he noticed as much Owl would have the moment she laid eyes on them.

  • Merry
    ✦—Windclan moor-runner | 25 Moons
    ✦—He/Him
    ✦—"SPEECH", 'THOUGHTS', ATTACK
    ✦—A skinny, tortoiseshell cat with bright green eyes and pelt speckled with hay.
    #9D6E46
 
Sitting in the dark waiting on the stars
Thinking through all the places that you've been

.

Times like these reminded Meadow just how little she truly knew about the world. Before the fire, the barn had been lively—packed tight with families and kits of all ages. She'd been sheltered, shielded from so many of life's harsher faces. She hadn't known real pain—not until their home went up in flames and burned her happiness right along with it.

But life went on, even in the wake of loss. For her, time felt frozen, like she was still trapped in that moment of devastation. But all around her, new things were beginning.

Meadow poked her nose through the leaves, soft green eyes watching in silence. She didn't want to make things harder for Owl than they already were, but her heart tugged at the sight of the molly's pain. All she could do was linger—curiosity and worry churning into a bitter soup.

Her ears prick to attention. Hoot... Hearing that name again made her hurt—a sharp jab that traveled up her throat and made it tighten. Would he have been proud, knowing one of his grandkits would carry his name? A soft pained smile tugged at her muzzle. Meadow thought so.

Noticing Merry move in gave her the courage to push forward too. She crept tentatively behind him, head lowered and eyes watery as they darted from Merry to Owl and then to the tiny kits writhing at her side. It wasn't her place to intrude on this moment—but she couldn't help but feel curious.

They lay there, eyes closed, curled up like a fluffle of baby rabbits. How could anything be so… so small? New to the world, they didn't know sadness or ache, they didn't know what their Mama went through to have them here. They would never know kind Hoot or be able to hear his stories. A seed of determination sprouted in her chest, bud unfurling at this realization. Somehow... she had to help protect them. Meadow never wanted something like the fire to ever steal their happiness like it did for so many of them.

She was not family and maybe it wasn't proper to think such things. Her Mama would've scolded her, but the molly wasn't around to tell Meadow she was being naive. Mama hadn't even so much as looked at her since the fire.

Meadow crouched down and made herself small. "Are you gonna be okay, Owl?" She could smell blood and Owl looked so very tired... At the very least there had to be something they could do to soothe her pain, right? "If you need anything, I can get it for you."

Speech, thoughts/emphasis

8 MOONS
WINDCLAN
SONG
bio
 
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My broken wings dream of the sky
and they'll never be able to fly,


CHICKENSCRATCH, She/Her / 50 moons / Future Skyclan Warrior
Long hair Amber 'blue' molly with flame point / short hair cream tabby chimera with golden eyes
Daughter of HOOT, Sibling of OWL(BEAR)
Super chill and a good listener, tends to look on the bright side wherever possible (maybe even a bit too much), almost always gives other cats silly nicknames so prepare yourself
Tagging [@]

Chickenscratch had done her best to care for the other barn cats, it was lucky that her own injuries weren't nearly as serious as some others. As soon as she had healed, she wanted to be a beacon of comfort for anyone she could... Even though the loss of her father Hoot weighed heavily on her, not even she could hide it with her usual boundless positivity, she was fooling noone. To be honest, she wasn't trying to either, it felt dishonest to do that, but she also knew what her father would say and do to give her the boost that she needed just as he had always done ever since she was born. Hoot loved his family, it was what they were built around, it was their foundation, and that foundation was strong. It was strong enough to keep going.

So, that was what Chickenscratch had devoted herself to doing, keep going, and keep the story of her father alive by doing what he raised her to do— to love.

Knowing that her sister Owl was close to kitting, Chickenscratch wanted to be there for her.There was another thing she had to do, she thought it was important to bring one of the younger cats, another that had risked everything, risked his own life for the sake of the same kind of love Chickenscratch was raised to be a champion of...

Regardless, Chickenscratch had arrived moments before her sister's kits were born alongside some others, she caught the sight of the three newborns, her gaze spotting one in particular, knowing precisely what they would be named in the same moment that Owl did. Chickenscratch looked to the sky above as she approached Owl to try and give her comfort and assist in any way that was needed. Was their father watching over them now? Was this his doing, perhaps? She wouldn't put it past him, he was clever like that, it was how his stories were so great.

Now it was time for the story these three little ones would create.


Only if we never try...
On my
LOOOOOOOVE
 
Well I'm still here...
They can't tell me who to be... Cuz I'm not what they see—

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COMET(TAIL), He/Him / 6 moons / Barn Cat (Future Windclan Apprentice)
Short fur black self tom with low white and fluffy tail + ginger somatic mutation in tail, bright yellow eyes
Son of ASTRO and NEBULA, Sibling to TWINKLE(TUFT), & ECLIPSE(SHADE)
Doesn't typically sit still, Quick on his paws and with his wits, Mischievous and a bit of a prankster but not unkind
Tagging [@]

Comet didn't have the strength to argue against Chickenscratch's insistence to follow her, he was still riddled with guilt for what he perceived as his fault. How could she look at him no different than she ever did despite what had happened? Did she not hate him? Was it not his fault she lost her father? He didn't understand but he couldn't talk back to her, Daz or Owl of all cats— and even the one cat he kind of blew up on, Dusty, he felt awful for that too just mere moments after he had done so. All in all, Comet just felt terrible, but he still moved, he still walked, but he did not run.

What use was running to him, anyway? The one thing he thought he was even remotely half decent at, useless in the end. He just wasn't fast enough, so why even bother anymore?

Walking would have to do. So walk close to Chickenscratch he did. Lead to where Owl and some others were gathered, Comet took a moment to catch on to what was happening. "... Wuh?"

He gently padded closer, confused. For a moment, the vice grip of grief loosened itself on his heart and some light returned to his eyes. Three kittens, they looked healthy and it was clear that they were more than loved, they were adored. Comet looked over to Chickenscratch, why did she want to show him this? He looked back over to Owl, Daz and the kits, his gaze settling on the one that looked almost exactly like Hoot, the old tom that sacrificed himself to save Comet. Was witnessing this moment part of what old Hoot meant when he told Comet to keep going, to light the way for others? Was this what he meant by the wind in ones fur, the gleam in ones eyes, and the endless sunsets? "Let the breeze take you who knows where... Everything life oughta be, know that it's waiting for you out there..." A phrase that Hoot had used in the past, one that Comet had been taught, the young cat said quietly, almost without thinking. He then realized that he spoke, and immediately shrunk into himself a bit, holding his tail in front of himself, anticipating that he would be yelled at.


Yeah the world is still sleepin' when I keep on dreamin' for me,
And their words are just whispers and lies that I'll never believe!
 
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HOOTKIT // 01 moons // WindClan Kit // She/They // #efc48c
A chocolate spotted tabby with pronounced countershading, long whiskers and golden eyes
Daughter of OWLBEAR and BUSHRUNNER, sibling to GOOSEKIT and FINCHKIT
A kitten haunted with being the spitting image of her deceased grandfather.

The small chocolate coloured bundle of fur would squeak feeling their mothers' nose gently pressed against their head, reaching their stubby little paws out towards where Owl's nose had been shortly after the fact. She had no way of knowing yet the importance her name held or how closely she resembled the father Owl and her kin had just lost so terribly and sudden. Surely as she grew in the seasons to come the resemblance would only grow... But for now little Hootkit was blissfully unaware and quite the contrast to her parents and the other older cats around her she seemed quite content whilst curled up next to her mother and litter-mates.

The kitten would raise their head for a few moments as more cats approached the nest their nose wiggling as though any attempt to scent these cats would explain to her who they were. She was still much too young to actually pick up on and remember many scents outside of her immediate family though and would eventually 'hoot' out a yawn during a big stretch "Hoooo!" Before cuddling up closer to Owl and her siblings as she steadily drifted off into sleep.