Open Camp I Live To Let You Shine // A New Litter

[HoneyflowerHoneyflower's icon]

Slow Down, Just Breathe

Owlbear had been right- it does hurt. It's the first thing that comes to mind when it begins, a barely noticeable discomfort quickly racing towards near unbearable pain with each contraction. Some instinctual shift in her own body that Honeyflower did not care to try and understand in the heat of the moment bid her to ride along with each wave of pain. To let it take her wherever it was going, and the Gale Guard closed her eyes so tightly against it that she saw stars.

The sounds of her own pained panting is interrupted suddenly by mewling that she vaguely recognizes as what must be them. Her kits. Hers and Sweet's. She's exhausted, but she shakily raises her head all the same to look. How many? Were they all ok? What if something's wrong?
"Look at them, Sweet," Honeyflower murmurs, briefly forgetting in her tired delirium. Her tail curls around them. Protective. "Three of them... What do we name them?"

She has her own name ideas, of course, but she wanted to hear her mate's opinions first. One of them, a brown little bundle of fur, vaguely reminds her of the rabbits on the moors they now called home. She finds herself reaching to gently nose the tiny thing towards her father's paws.

"Bunnykit..."

xxx

All We Have Is All We Need

Tags

Honey

✿—Moor Runner Of WindClan
✿—She/Her
✿—"SPEECH", 'THOUGHTS', ATTACK
✿—Dilute Calico Shecat With Green Eyes And A Floppy Ear
#a4e1ba

@Sweetnose @sassafraschill @bunnykit @lotuskit @HONEYCOMBKIT

 

[lotuskit lotuskit]

The greenleaf warmth is now all she knows. While still colder than what she was used to, the unnamed child does not detest the gentle breeze. Not while she lies in beside her mother and siblings, safe and secure. Her pale furred paws knead into Honeyflower's soft underbelly, an equally as soft purr rumbling from in her chest. Despite not being named yet, the young daughter of Honeyflower and Sweetnose falls fast asleep, easily comforted by her new surroundings.

 

[HONEYCOMBKIT HONEYCOMBKIT]

What once was warm and soft and all enveloping turns cold and harsh and unwelcoming in just a matter of a few seconds. Already, they've made themself known to be a chatty kit, a squeak leaving their mouth when they're cleaned. This... This sucks! Despite not knowing what that is, what it means, despite not being fully aware of anything around them, they've already decided that this cold was horrible. They begin their crawl towards their mother, towards warmth.

Unnamed, for now, she could only part her jaws and let the whole universe know her utmost displeasure (especially as a breeze blows through) with the worlds loudest mew she could muster, for as long as they possible can. Eventually they settle, trying to clamber over their siblings, trying to be first to the milk. Whether they are or not, they quiet for the short future, tired from their endeavors and hungry.

SO WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO ♡ WHEN THE WORLD DON'T ORBIT AROUND YOU

• 
  
•  
• 
  HONEYCOMBKIT ♡
  
  ( kitten of windclan )​
  ❥ small but stocky ticked chocolate tabby mink w/high white
  ❥ sweetnose x honeyflower; sibling to lotuskit & bunnykit
  ❥ peaceful powerplay allowed & welcomed
  ❥ penned by chuff
  
  "speech"

 

[Cricketkit Cricketkit]

'Cause I'd get a thousand hugs from ten thousand lightning bugs
As they tried to teach me how to dance
A foxtrot above my head, a sock hop beneath my bed
A disco ball is just hanging by a thread

.

Cricketkit had been hovering just outside the nursery, nose twitching, ears perked, and paws jittery with barely-contained energy. She knew something was happening. She had felt it. The kind of thing that makes your chest thrum and your whiskers tingle! So the moment the mewling started, those tiny, new sounds of life, she darted in, carefully, of course, carefully! And when she saw them, her whole body froze. Three little kits. Three actual kits, small and soft and kind of squishy-looking. One was already making a racket, and the others... just tiny stars fallen from the sky, nestled against her mama's belly.

Her heart burst. Not in a bad way, like when you break something, but in the warm, fizzy way. She stepped quietly closer, her one good eye wide with awe, and crouched beside Honeyflower. " Mama.. " she whispered, voice trembling with excitement. " They're perfect. " Carefully, she leaned in to press her nose ever so gently against Bunnykit's head, and then toward the loud little wriggler and their sleepy sibling. She didn't care that they looked kind of slimy and weird right now, they were hers. Her siblings.

" I'm your big sister. " she whispered to them, purring so hard her paws vibrated on the nursery floor. " I'm Cricketkit! And I'm gonna protect you forever and ever and ever, okay? I've got shinies, and I know how to use 'em! They're magic, I promise, and I'll place them around your nest every night so you have the best dreams and the safest sleep! " She blinked down at them, eyes full of stardust and softness. Then, with a bright giggle and the fondest look in the world, she looked to Honeyflower and Sweetnose.

" Oh mama, papa, they look like little worms, I love them! "

Speech, thoughts/emphasis

5 MOONS

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WINDCLANNER

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SONG

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bio

 

[sassafraschill]

SASSAFRASCHILL, 31 moons / windclan moor-runner
a pale blue tabby with scraggly fur and a large shoulder scar
sister to honey, mate and parent to none
a scrappy cowboy who feels he has something to prove. stupidly stubborn with hotheaded tendencies.
Tagging person here

---

When Honeyflower had learned the news of her pregnancy and began to make room for the family about to bloom, Sassafraschill could only feel pride for his sister. She would always be his little sister, the small calico that ran to him when she scraped her paw pads when they were kits. She grew rounder and rounder until the nursery called for her, and the pale tabby who never wasted a second of the day put in double the work to ensure she was even fatter with prey, too. Sweetnose was a lucky tom to have someone so kind and loving like his own soul to pair, and as he looked at the kits beneath the new parents his heart swelled.

"Careful what y'say, Crick. A bird'll overhear ya'." Sassafras mewed in his typical dry humor. "Y'gonna fend'em off, though, right?" And to the couple, his tone marginally fell softer. "I'm sure Maw would be proud. Y'know she'd be fixin' to face a river if she could see."

 

[Sweetnose]

･ﾟ :｡･･Tomorrow holds no promises ･ﾟ·:｡･ ✦ except the ones we've made.

Sweetnose is there the moment he realizes whats happening and when the kits finally arrive he is curled next to the dilute tortie pelt of his mate and eagerly assisting in cleaning them before nudging them closer to her belly. His heart is still pounding, he can not see the kittens but he can feel their little hearts beating with each rasp of his tongue and while the blood and fear scent in the air has his fur bristling in a mild panic he manages to hold himself together until he's sure everything is fine. Look at them. Honeyflower slurs sleepily and he resists the impulse to chuckle through the tears welling up in both sightless golden eyes. He wishes he could. There was not a time more than now that he wished he could see, could look upon his newborns and marvel at them, to compare them to himself and his mate and see all the tiny details that made them - that were formed from their love. Did they have his eyes? He worried briefly one might be blind but at this age one would not know. Did any of them have his dark fur? Honeyflower's dappled pelt? Did any of them have the tabby markings that ran in his side of the family though not through him? Sweetnose is drawn from his thoughts as a warm body is pushed to his paws and he flexes them, shifting them apart to gentle curl around the kit and gather them close, his muzzle finding the top of a small head, twin ears like flower petals and a rich scent like the prairie fields.

"Bunnykit is perfect...they all are."

He turns to the entrance to their nesting area at the sound of Cricketkit's voice, shrill and curious and ever eager as always and he smiles as he fights the lump in his throat to speak without sounding as though he is choking on a mouthful of rabbit, "Worms eh? I recall worms feeling more slick, less fuzzy. I think they might be closer to caterpillars instead?" He recalls a time as a young kit himself where he would ask Hornet to help guide caterpillars to his paws so he could feel them inch along, she would begrudgingly agree after much pestering and he would marvel at the strange sensation of them inching through his fur before climbing down onto the wooden slats of the barn floor. His head raises at another voice, Sassafras - teasing and sincere, the dark tom offers a light smile to his brother-in-law before turning his full attention back down to the kits.
He noses gently at the remaining two, they smell of the same milk and fresh grass scent as the newly named Bunnykit, their fur thick and warm like Honeyflower's own but he notes a distinct difference in texture - one might have shorter fur, one might have a curlier pelt, it is hard to say at this age.
Still, the scent of flowers he associates with his mate is there, his nose touching the forehead of a the leaner kitten - unbeknownst to him she was a little tortie like Honeyflower was so the choice of name he whispered was a coincidence, "Lotuskit."

Ooc- ooc info here, @Rai tags work too!

CLICK FOR TAGS

Sweetnose

— Warrior [Moor Runner] of WindClan
He/Him
Solid black tom w/yellow eyes. (Is Blind)
"SPEECH", 'THOUGHTS', ATTACK
#edc11a

 

[GOLDENROAR]

The commotion about the nursery, as it's been called since their arrival to this camp, is.. exciting. Even as someone who's not in the family, the rush of new life brings something to the air. Excitement, sure, happiness, hope.. there was a lot of words that Goldenroar could label to this situation, but he isn't sure that he wants to right now. He is afraid of breaking the silence first, as he approaches with a jaw full of mouse and water-soaked moss, but Cricketkit does that for him. A tiny smile finds his face as he stops a small distance away, allowing the family to discuss and chatter amongst themselves.

It's hard to feel the pressure of survival when new life is quite literally laying in front of them, Honeyflower's exhausted countenance telling a story. He settles the food and water down a meager distance away from Honeyflower, so she didn't have to get up to retrieve it and instead could crane her neck towards it. "Three of them." He echoes the caretaker unknowingly, aqua eyes blinking softly. He's quieter then normal, more reflective then carefree, his bushed tail held close to him as not to disturb other nursery-members. "They look, and sound, healthy. Well done, Honeyflower." He dips his head gently. "Don't be afraid to ask for anything if you need something. I'll make sure it's retrieved." He urges them both.

Just as he arrives, he takes a quick second to look at the kits once more, before bowing his head and retreating to give the family some space.

_______________________ I KEEP RUNNIN' BUT ☼ I'M STANDING STILL _______________________

• "speech"
  // in and out unless stopped!
  

• 

• GOLDENROAR he/him, windclan deputy, thirty nine moons.
  ☆ a lh golden red marbled tabby with low white and glimmering aqua eyes. often seen with a smirk, confidence oozing from him in heaps, but always the ever-helpful guy.
  ☆ mentored by who / mentoring dandelionpaw
  ☆ older brother to merry
  ☆ peaceful and healing powerplay permitted / / underline and tag when attacking
  ☆ penned by dallas ↛ dallasofnines on discord, feel free to dm for plots.
  
  ☆ mini by tasmagoric, ref image by dallas (yours truly!)

 

[Weaselchirp Weaselchirp]

I'm a young soul in this very strange world
Hoping I could learn a bit 'bout what is true and fake
But why all this hate? Try to communicate
Finding trust and love is not always easy to make

.

Weaselchirp stepped into the nursery with her usual wide-eyed stare, orange hues catching on the small family curled together in the soft bedding. She said nothing at first, just padded forward on light paws and lowered her head slightly, eyes fixated on the three wriggling kits at the center of it all. She listened as Sweetnose spoke, his voice soft and fond, comparing the kits to caterpillars. Weaselchirp gave a slow nod of agreement, in motion, maybe, but not in shape. She'd seen enough worms to know the difference. These weren't worms. It was good Cricketkit was corrected.

Not unless worms had fur... Which, thankfully, they didn't. Usually. Her gaze lingered on one kit in particular, watching it squirm with half-lidded interest. A furless kit... now that would be strange. But not impossible. She had seen one once, when she was much younger, behind a see-through wall in a place full of strange smells. The poor creature had been trapped behind that smooth barrier, blinking slow and lonely. She blinked, too. Let the memory drift.

Turning her head, she looked up at Sweetnose and Honeyflower, her expression soft with something like quiet approval, or curiosity, or something unnamed. " They're very natural. " she said finally, voice calm and sincere. " And welcome to WindClan. I can't wait to see which one grows fond of the tunnels. Or the worms. " A pause. Then she added, with a small smile. " You two did beautifully. " With no further comment, Weaselchirp gave the kits one last thoughtful glance, then turned and toddled out of the nursery, odd as ever, here and gone like a passing shadow. There was dirt waiting, after all. The tunnels missed her.

Speech, thoughts/emphasis

66 MOONS

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WINDCLANNER

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SONG

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bio

 

[Swiftwatcher]

SWIFTWATCHER OF WINDCLAN

Surprise flickered across Swiftwatcher's face as he watched Weaselchirp retreat, blinking after the odd little molly with something between confusion and amusement. She was... strange. But harmless. With a soft chuckle under his breath, he shook his head and turned his focus to the den, gently nosing his way inside. " Sweet... Honey... " he whispered, his voice low and warm, like a sunbeam through bramble-thatch. His eyes found Honeyflower first, then Sweetnose, Goldenroar, Sassafraschill, and finally, with a spark of mischief, he gave a wink to Cricketkit, now a big sister in all but blood. The little one hadn't been born of Honeyflower, but love didn't ask about bloodlines. It was clear: she was part of this family.

" Has it happened? " he murmured, stepping carefully. He didn't want to be loud, didn't want to intrude. His chest tightened with memory, Bumblebee, so full of life and joy, belly round and glowing with hope. He remembered the last time he saw her like that. He swallowed. The ache never truly left. He pushed it down. A soft breath escaped him as he moved closer to the nest, and there-- oh. His breath caught in his throat. " O-oh... " he whispered, eyes wide, tears threatening at the corners. Nestled in down and fur were the smallest of lives, tiny and warm and breathing in the world for the very first time. His heart swelled, brimmed over.

He bent his head low, voice gentle, filled with love. " Hello, little ones... Welcome to the world. " He lingered a moment, just breathing in their scent, before lifting his head to nuzzle gently against Sweetnose's temple. " They're beautiful. Perfect, each one of them. " His purr rumbled deep in his chest, quiet but steady. " I'm proud of you. You'll be an amazing father. " Then, his eyes turned back to Honeyflower, and with the lightest rasp of his tongue, he groomed her ear. " And you, my dear... You've done so amazing. " His voice was soft, trembling slightly now. " They could have no better mother than yourself. "

He sat back slightly, eyes flicking between them with the urgency of someone who knew too well how quickly joy could turn. " Do you need anything? Water? Fresh prey? Rest? " he asked, the words tumbling a little faster now. " How are you feeling, Honey? I... I assume tired? " There was a tremor in his voice. The joy was real, but so was the fear, still stitched into his bones from seasons past. " Are you... Are you okay? " he asked, more quietly now, almost pleading. " There weren't any complications, were there...? With the birth...? " His voice trailed off, the unspoken memory pressing at the edges: the loss of Sweet and Hornet's mother, the way Bumblebee's joy was stolen too soon. But here, now, this moment was different.

And yet... he needed to hear it. He needed to be told this time, everything was alright.

I'll be your light, your match, your burning sun ——･ﾟ✦​

･ﾟ✦ —— I'll be the bright, in black that's making you run

 

[HoneyflowerHoneyflower's icon]

Slow Down, Just Breathe

Cricketkit's voice pipes up, excitedly babbling about her new siblings and Honeyflower finds herself purring in response.

"And they love you too, little bee." She was sure they would, Cricketkit was such a gentle soul. Sassafraschill makes some quip about the kit protecting them and she can't help but chuckle at her brother, before giving a faint nod. "I'm sure she'd be bawling if she was here, Sass."

Her mate leans forward, giving another of their kits their name. Lotuskit. Honeyflower's chest swells with pride and love at the name. She couldn't imagine a more fitting one. The nursery quickly feels crowded as Goldenroar and then Weaselchirp drop in, giving their own words of congratulations to them all before just as quickly leaving.

An ear twitches at the sound of someone new entering the nursery and her tired eyes glance up in time to see her father in law freeze upon seeing his grandchildren. Joy was plain on his face, but she did not miss the faint trembling of the corners of his lips. What must he be feeling right now? Right this moment? Did he see his mate in her place? Alive and well like Bumblebee should have been all that time ago?

"I've never been more tired in my life," The new mother confesses softly, dragging her gaze from the older tom to the kits at her belly. Quiet and nursing. "Come meet your grandchildren, Bunnykit, Lotuskit, and-" She squints at the last one, unnamed for now and who just moments ago seemed to be almost protesting being named last with a shrill mew. Perhaps it was her own exhaustion, or a trick of the light in the dimness of the nursery...But she was almost certain her daughter's fur had a spot that nearly looked like a bee itself.

"Honeycombkit." The name comes to mind immediately, they had been unsure of whether or not to continue Sweet's family name but it seemed like the most obvious answer. Honeyflower leans against her mate, the urge to sleep alongside her kits slowly winning. "I'm ok, Swift," Even as she reassures the tom her eyelids grow heavier with exhaustion. "I'm not going anywhere... Sweet and Gladebloom and Meadowpaw have taken good care of me."

She shifts, then, finally giving into sleep with a small sigh with the reassurance that she was alive. Her kits were alive and healthy. And all of her family were nearby. She could not be happier, she thought.

xxx

All We Have Is All We Need

Tags

Honeyflower

✿—Moor Runner Of WindClan
✿—She/Her
✿—"SPEECH", 'THOUGHTS', ATTACK
✿—Dilute Calico Shecat With Green Eyes And A Floppy Ear
#a4e1ba