TW: Sensitive Content TW: Death Private Shipyard Backwritten ripples in the water // adder [ kitting ]

[Wavesong]

{$title} just two newly parents with their new kits

Wave of RiverClan

Pregnancy was, without a doubt, a hassle, at least, that was Wave's conclusion. She had grown moodier, snappier, and far quicker to feel emotional than she cared to admit. It wasn't something she was used to, nor something she particularly enjoyed. But she had pushed through it, as was her way. And, thank the Seas, Adder had stayed by her side through it all, no matter how trying it must have been to deal with her moods.

Now, though, her journey was nearing its end. She lay there, puffing shallow breaths, a scowl etched across her face as pain rippled through her. Her mother had done this before her, and her mother before that... Seafaring queens who had birthed their kits under harsher conditions. Wave would do the same. She would endure.

Closing her eyes briefly, she drew in a steadying breath before turning her gaze to Adder. Despite everything, she managed a crooked grin, her usual fire flickering through the discomfort. " Aye, don't ye worry yer lil' head, Adder. Yer mate's doin' just fine! " she declared with forced cheer, though her voice tightened as another pang struck her.

" These wee tikes've been kickin' and squabblin' in their mama's belly long enough now! " she muttered, her tone both wry and strained. Her ears twitched as the storm raged outside, thunder rumbling over the sea. The familiar sound of waves crashing against the shore brought her a surprising sense of calm, a purr rumbling deep in her throat despite herself. It wasn't the deck of a ship, but the sea was still near. That was enough.

" Come on, ye've given yer mama plenty of trouble already... " she murmured, dipping her head as another ripple of pain coursed through her. She gasped softly, her body tensing and then, finally, relief. A tiny, squalling kit was brought into the world, its cries piercing the air like the first notes of a shanty.

Wave let out a soft laugh, her exhaustion momentarily forgotten. " Well, there ye are, my little scamp. " she whispered, her voice thick with love and triumph before another ripple coursed through her body and she gave a soft gasp.

HOLD ONTO ME AS WE GO ——･ﾟ✦​

･ﾟ✦ —— As we roll down this unfamiliar road

 

[Adderfang]

The tom paced back and forth, restless and unable to settle. His tail flowed behind him like a brown ribbon, snapping with every sharp turn. He knew it wasn't helping but he couldn't stop. His body was torn, caught between wanting to support and needing to protect. Every crash of thunder sent his fur bristling, claws unsheathing instinctively, ready for a fight that wasn't there.

But there was nothing out there except the sea, thrashing and raging, drenching the world in its fury. They had found shelter—a warm, dry place, spared from the worst of the storm. A place where their kits could be born in safety.

But what if it doesn't get that far? What if it goes wrong?

The thought stung like a fresh wound. A nervous rumble revibrated in his throat. He couldn't lose her, not here and not now. Not when their life together had only just begun.

He had been patient all these moons. Tried his best to comfort and ease her worries, no matter how small. Never complained—not even when she snapped, not even when her sharp wit cut deep. He couldn't understand what she was going through. How could he? He had never taken a mate before her. Never even imagined himself in this place, waiting for this.

But he knew that he loved her more than anything.

"Aye—"

His ears flicked, finally refocusing on Wave—where his attention should have been all along. "I'm sorry, my tempest. You're the one in labor and I'm fussing like an old molly." Even now she swept him up in her ocean, filling his world with color and beauty after what had felt like an eternity of grey.

Long as he had her, Adder knew they would always make it through somehow.

His eyes softened, paws steadying as he padded over to her. "Can you blame them? I would want to meet you too." A smile broke through the nerves as he curled around her, enveloping her trembling frame.

A tangle of emotions prickled beneath his pelt, but he bottled them. Adder grounded himself, though he watched on restlessly. He wished he could do more for the pain, but his knowledge of herbs ended at cobwebs and bindweed.

So he did what he could—he stayed by her side. And then the first squalls of life sounded in the darkness. His heart skipped, breath catching as he craned forward. He marveled at what they had created.

But there wasn't time to idle, the rest were eager for their turn. "I'm here, love. You're doing so good." He comforted, rasping a gentle tongue over her head before nudging the first of their litter against Wave's stomach. The storm wasn't over yet.

___________________ There wasn't a wrong or a right he could choose 𓆟 He did what he had to do ________________

• "speech" - thoughts
  

• 

• Adderfang he/him & riverclan
  𓆟 Chocolate ticked tabby w/ amber eyes. Peppered with scars. Deep gash across the right side of his face exposing one canine slightly.
  𓆟 Deep gravelly voice that might unsettle others.
  𓆟 Would and will kill a man.
  𓆟 Peaceful and healing powerplay permitted For other powerplays, DM.
  𓆟 Fur smells faintly of river reeds and damp earth.
  
  
  penned by Scarlet​

 

[Wavesong]

Wave of RiverClan

A deep, contented purr rumbled in Wave's chest as she watched Adder fuss over her, his stoic expression barely masking the care in his every move. Despite the strain of birthing, warmth flooded her heart. Adder was her anchor, her rock. She couldn't have dreamed of a better partner to share this moment with.

" Yer amazin', Adder... I'm so grateful to have ye next t'me... " she spoke in a voice that was filled with nothing but the utmost love.

As the tiny bundle was nudged to her side, Wave immediately turned, rasping her tongue lovingly over the kit. Her purr grew louder, resonating in her throat like the waves of the sea. " Rushin'... " she murmured softly, her pale blue eyes bright as she gazed down at the little one. The name rolled from her tongue like a declaration, her pride unmistakable.

A sharp ripple of pain pulled her focus back, and she winced, her body tensing as another contraction coursed through her. Adder's steady presence beside her was a comfort, and she leaned into him briefly for support, drawing strength from his closeness.

" Don't ye think... " she managed between breaths, her voice tinged with a faint grin. " He looks like a Rushin'? " Her fanged smile wavered as the pain intensified, her eyes squeezing shut as she braced herself.

Moments later, a second kit entered the world, its tiny cries breaking through the tension of the moment. Wave panted softly, her exhaustion clear, but the love in her eyes remained as unwavering as the tide.

HOLD ONTO ME AS WE GO ——･ﾟ✦​

･ﾟ✦ —— As we roll down this unfamiliar road

 

[Adderfang]

A soft smile dappled his maw, mirroring the endless love in kind. He could imagine no life without her, the depth of his devotion plain in the way he cradled her as if she were the most precious thing in the world.

Because to him—she was.

In truth, he would have thought any name she picked was perfect. But now, hearing it aloud—it truly fit the boy. Rushing—Rush. He had rushed ahead of all his siblings to greet them. "He does. Fits well, eager thing he is." Adder rumbled, overflowing with warmth. He could only hope the kit didn't make it a habit of rushing through life. There was so much Adder wanted to teach him.

He waited patiently, comforting her as best he could, murmuring reassurances. She was strong, steady, bearing the strain like the sea bearing a clutch of glimmering pearls. "Steady, darlin'." He soothed as another kit emerged, healthy and squealing. A pale shape, soft as moonlight, writhing against his mother's fur.

"Don't they look like a little piece of the moon?" Like a shard of it fell down from the sky. "Crescent?" He looked to Wave, searching for her approval.

Then Adder did the same as before, bringing the wriggling shape to her mother's stomach.

How many more would join their crew? Surely, this wouldn't be the last. His ears flicked toward the entrance, taking in the distant whistle of wind and rain. Adder set his gaze back on Wave, watching for the warning signs of another. "Has the storm passed? Any more?" He asked, planting a few gentle licks along her pelt. The sooner the clouds parted, the sooner he could properly admire the new additions to their family.

___________________ There wasn't a wrong or a right he could choose 𓆟 He did what he had to do ________________

• "speech" - thoughts
  

• 

• Adderfang he/him & riverclan
  𓆟 Chocolate ticked tabby w/ amber eyes. Peppered with scars. Deep gash across the right side of his face exposing one canine slightly. Missing left ear.
  𓆟 Deep gravelly voice that might unsettle others.
  𓆟 Would and will kill a man.
  𓆟 Peaceful and healing powerplay permitted. For other powerplays, DM.
  𓆟 Fur smells faintly of river reeds and damp earth.
  
  
  penned by Scarlet​

 

[Wavesong]

Wave of RiverClan

Foreheads touched momentarily as Adder spoke, his steady presence grounding her in the chaos of the moment. A rumbling purr escaped her throat, though it trembled slightly—wavering with exhaustion, love, and determination. She was filled with a fierce hope for the tiny lives they had brought into the world. Rushing, their eager, lively little one, already seemed to embody his name. He would rush forward in life, and she believed in him. They would both be there, guiding him, protecting him, ensuring his every step was safe.

She dipped her head briefly, a sharp breath escaping her as Adder's soothing voice brought her back to the moment. His words about the next kit being like a piece of the moon from above struck her deeply. Crescent.

Her tired blue eyes softened as she gazed at the small, squealing kit. " Crescent. " she murmured, her voice filled with quiet awe and love as she rasped her tongue gently over the tiny fur. She grunted softly as Adder nudged the wiggling newborn closer to her, watching with relief as the kit latched on for its first meal.

" I think... Not... nay, there's one more- " she managed through gritted teeth, her body tensing as another contraction rippled through her. This one came faster, sharper, and with less warning.

Her breath came in shallow pants as she turned her gaze to the third kit, blinking away the haze of exhaustion. The silence weighed on her heavily, and her heart clenched. Blinking a few times, she gave a soft, worried mewl, her voice trembling as she broke the silence.

" Adder... Is... Is the kit okay? " she asked hesitantly, her words laced with fear and hope. The kit was smaller than its siblings, far smaller... But it moved. That movement was a spark of hope, wasn't it? A mother's heart clung desperately to that flicker, even as the whisper of doubt gnawed at the edges of her thoughts.

HOLD ONTO ME AS WE GO ——･ﾟ✦​

･ﾟ✦ —— As we roll down this unfamiliar road

 

[Adderfang]

tw - kit death

The silence that enveloped them was louder than anything he ever felt. Adder strained against it, ears swiveling, searching for what should've been lively cries. He craned over Wave, nudging the kit as he had the others. It—she—wriggled at his touch, but still, no sound came.

A flicker of unease sparked in his chest. He pinched her gently, nudging with his nose, rougher this time. Still, she did not cry.

The others had come just fine, squirming and squealing. So why wasn't she?

No…

Dread sloshed around in his gut, heavy and burdening. He went from nudging to fervent, desperate licks, ruffling her soft fur against the grain, trying to stir warmth and life into her tiny, unmoving form. "Please…" He whispered, a desperate plea spoken only for her.

Wave said something, but he barely heard her, ears occupied with the awful quiet. "I—I don't know," He said in a breath. Adder wanted to put her concerns to rest, but what was he to do?

Their daughter wasn't breathing.

Worry seeped into his face, cracking like ice under the weight of his fears come true. The longer the silence drew on the higher panic clawed up his throat. He forced it down, jaw clenched so tightly it ached. But still, he kept trying.

Breathe. Please, breathe.

He could feel how much smaller she was, how much weaker she seemed compared to her siblings. His strokes became firmer, more insistent, as if sheer will alone keep her with them.

He finally had a family again. He could call them that now. A family. And he wanted more than anything—for their little daughter to be a part of it.

___________________ There wasn't a wrong or a right he could choose 𓆟 He did what he had to do ________________

• "speech" - thoughts
  

• 

• Adderfang he/him & riverclan
  𓆟 Chocolate ticked tabby w/ amber eyes. Peppered with scars. Deep gash across the right side of his face exposing one canine slightly. Missing left ear.
  𓆟 Deep gravelly voice that might unsettle others.
  𓆟 Would and will kill a man.
  𓆟 Peaceful and healing powerplay permitted. For other powerplays, DM.
  𓆟 Fur smells faintly of river reeds and damp earth.
  
  
  penned by Scarlet​

 

[Wavesong]

Wave of RiverClan

Tide had warned her. She had told Wave that kitting didn't always go as planned. That sometimes, it hurt. That sometimes, you lost. But never, not for a single moment... Had Wave thought her first kitting would begin with loss. Swallowing hard, she found Adder's eyes just as he murmured a quiet plea to the tiny, wriggling kit. But the movements were slow, sluggish, a struggle.

A small, broken sound left her as she turned, pressing her nose gently against the little kit while Adder worked feverishly, urging her, coaxing her, willing her to fight. To breathe. To squeal. To cry. By the Sea, just breathe. " Come, Coral… Come ye wee tike… " she pleaded, her voice cracking as desperation clawed its way up her throat. " Yer mam and da 'ave waited so long fer ye… " But the tiny movements slowed. Then slowed further.

Blue eyes snapped up to Adder, watching, hoping, begging. But he couldn't fix this. She wasn't breathing. She wasn't… Tears blurred her vision as she looked down at the still, unmoving body. Pain erupted in her chest, sharp and unrelenting. " Adder… " Her voice was barely a whisper, a whine thick with grief. " Adder… Adder, she's… " She couldn't say it. Couldn't bear to speak the words.

Their daughter hadn't made it.

HOLD ONTO ME AS WE GO ——･ﾟ✦​

･ﾟ✦ —— As we roll down this unfamiliar road

 

[Adderfang]

It took a long while for Adder to finally stop. He knew that once he did, it would be over—he would have to accept that she was gone, that it was beyond his control. He leaned back with an uneasy breath, his heart pounding against his ribcage so hard he thought it might crack. There had to be something more—maybe—if he tried…

No.

A hard lump gathered in his throat, making it difficult to breathe. Knowing there was little he could do to soothe her pain made his stomach wretch. The tears in her eyes were like the first peaceful droplets to a vicious storm.

Why did it have to happen to them? He had dreamed of something like this, and now it was real. Somehow, he had to place the blame. It was cruel—could he blame the blasted storm? Or the cold? Who or what could he hold responsible? If Wave needed to be angry, for the unfairness of it all, let it be at him, and not herself. He simply was unable to accept that it was simply was, and nothing more. "I'm sorry, my love. I'm so sorry," His voice cracked as he pressed tightly against her, his forehead to hers.

The saliva in his mouth felt thick. He could barely swallow. A familiar sting in his eyes, the kind he hadn't felt since the last loss. It cut through him. He wanted to tell her it would be okay, but he hurt so terribly. He knew. Wave tried to tell him. He didn't want to hear it, but it needed to be said, and Adder wouldn't let her be the one. "She's gone," But even coming from his mouth the words still didn't sound real.

___________________ There wasn't a wrong or a right he could choose 𓆟 He did what he had to do ________________

• "speech" - thoughts
  

• 

• Adderfang he/him & riverclan
  𓆟 Chocolate ticked tabby w/ amber eyes. Peppered with scars. Deep gash across the right side of his face exposing one canine slightly. Missing left ear.
  𓆟 Deep gravelly voice that might unsettle others.
  𓆟 Would and will kill a man.
  𓆟 Peaceful and healing powerplay permitted. For other powerplays, DM.
  𓆟 Fur smells faintly of river reeds and damp earth.
  
  
  penned by Scarlet​

 

[Wavesong]

Wave's body shook, her breaths coming in shallow, ragged gasps as she stared down at her stillborn daughter. The kit's tiny form lay motionless, so small, so fragile, and Wave's heart fractured under the weight of it all. She should have made it. She was supposed to have made it. The thoughts clawed at her, relentless and unforgiving. Had I been too reckless? The question stabbed at her like a thorn. Had I taken too many risks? Should I have been calmer, gentler, more careful? Guilt flooded her mind, suffocating and cruel. Every decision she had made, every step she had taken, now felt like a mistake. The tears came in waves, unstoppable and overwhelming, as Adder's voice broke through the storm within her. He was apologizing... Why was he apologizing? She didn't even have the strength to look up, to respond. She only felt his presence as he pressed close, their foreheads touching in a gesture of shared grief. His warmth anchored her, but it wasn't enough to stop the torrent inside. The sea gives, and the sea takes. The truth was as old as time itself, one she had grown up knowing, one she had tried to accept. But knowing didn't make it hurt any less. Knowing didn't make it fair. Knowing didn't stop her from wanting to scream at the unfairness of it all.

She wasn't ready. Not for this. Not for the pain that tore through her, raw and unrelenting.

Wave's body trembled as the sound of her surviving kits nursing reached her ears. Their tiny, fragile lives were a reminder of what she still had, a small glimmer of hope amidst the darkness. But even their presence couldn't fill the hollow ache in her chest. One was gone. One she had dreamed of, carried, loved with all her heart before even meeting her. She's gone. The words repeated in her mind, each time cutting deeper than the last. A strangled cry escaped her as she curled inward, pulling the lifeless form of her daughter close to her chest. Her paws trembled as she held her, as if by sheer will she could breathe life back into her. But the kit remained still, and Wave's heart shattered anew.

Her sobs came freely, unrestrained, as she buried her face in her daughter's soft fur. She damned the sea for taking what she wasn't ready to give. She damned fate, life, everything that had conspired to bring her to this moment. And yet, amidst the grief, a small, trembling resolve began to take root. Her kits needed her. The sea had taken, but it had also given. Wave clung to her daughter for just a little longer, pressing her close as if she could somehow absorb her spirit, her memory, her love. She would carry this pain, this loss, for the rest of her life. But she would carry it for them, for the kits who still lived, for the family that remained.

Through her tears, she finally managed to find the words that tumbled out of her. " I'll never forget ye, my wee one. Never. "

___________________ We sail the seas of life and believe, ☆ The tides will lead us home ___________________

• "speech"
  

• 

• WAVE she/her, RiverClanner, thirty-three moons.
  ☆ a black and white lh cat with light blue eyes
  ☆ mentored by who / mentoring no one
  ☆ whichever relations / want listed
  ☆ peaceful and healing powerplay permitted / / underline and tag when attacking
  ☆ penned by lion ↛ lionheartedphoenix on discord, feel free to dm for plots.

 

[Adderfang]

He felt powerless, there was nothing he could do—nothing he could have done. All that was left was to hold her as she wept.

Adder draped himself over his mate, pressing close, though no warmth could stay the cold creeping into his chest. He set his jaw to steel himself against the pain, but the effort did nothing to stop the tears from falling down his cheeks or lungs from demanding air when he withheld. At some point, it felt as if he were watching it happen from outside his own body. A ghost to his own pain, as if keeping it at arm's length would make it easier to bear and so that he would not have to feel it all at once.

His eyes were dull, softened with grief, their intensity now no more than a dim reflection in a foggy mirror. He turned his head away, staring above, unable to look at the sight before him. They would have to lay her to rest soon, but he could not bear to see the waves take his daughter… their little Coral. At least, not yet.

He wondered then if there was something after. If souls flickered out like dying embers or if, somewhere, his daughter still existed, a flickering light in the dark—lost—confused—afraid. The thought pulled a trembling breath from him. He couldn't let his mind linger there. He had to focus on what was in front of him, on what he could hold in his own two paws.
There was no comfort in dwelling on what he could not control.

His gaze fell on his remaining kits, their tiny bodies curled against Wave's belly, oblivious to the weight of their sister's absence. A gentle warmth stirred in his chest. He would not let them suffer beneath the loss. Wave would want to tell them, surely—but they were new to the world, too young to remember.

Death was not something could not fight for them, but he would do his best to keep their family whole. If he had any say in it, be it as seldom they ever do, he would not let them lose him, or Wave, or each other. Not until time itself took them apart.

When Wave spoke again, clinging to Coral's memory, he closed his eyes, listening to the wind howling outside. He had no words now, none that could dampen this suffering, but silently, he begged for their daughter's peace. Their memory of her would not be any less, even despite knowing her for only a few short moments.

Know that you were loved, and will continue to be loved still, sweet Coral.

___________________ There wasn't a wrong or a right he could choose 𓆟 He did what he had to do ________________

• "speech" - thoughts
  

• 

• Adderfang he/him & riverclan
  𓆟 Chocolate ticked tabby w/ amber eyes. Peppered with scars. Deep gash across the right side of his face exposing one canine slightly. Missing left ear.
  𓆟 Deep gravelly voice that might unsettle others.
  𓆟 Would and will kill a man.
  𓆟 Peaceful and healing powerplay permitted. For other powerplays, DM.
  𓆟 Fur smells faintly of river reeds and damp earth.
  
  
  penned by Scarlet​