Shipyard Rising with the waves / family

[Wave]

{$title} Mama Wave is teaching one of her kits to swim, the family is probably nearby to watch too.

Wave of RiverClan

Wave watched her young one with a glimmer of pride and amusement in her pale blue eyes, her fluffy tail flicking in measured intervals. " Careful, wee one! Paddle those strong legs, no, not like that! " she called out, barely holding back a laugh. Crescent was trying, bless him, but his flailing movements were far from the smooth strokes she'd taught him. If he kept this up, she feared she'd be hauling him out by the scruff in no time.

" Careful there, Cres, 'fore I start callin' ye a bird instead of a water rat. " she teased, the warmth of her humor never leaving her voice. With a graceful leap, she slid into the water beside him, her body cutting through the waves like it was second nature. " Watch now. " she instructed, demonstrating the steady, purposeful strokes that carried her through the water.

The recent whispers of tragedy weighed lightly at the back of her mind, a mother losing a kit to the merciless pull of the waters. That would not be her story. Not if she had anything to say about it. She would see her kits strong, resilient, and ready for whatever the seas threw their way.

" Come now, child. Mama gave ye a good pair o' legs, didn' she? Kicked me like thunder when ye were still in my belly, let's put 'em to proper use, eh? " she encouraged, her tone firm yet brimming with affection. She circled back to him, nudging his small body upright in the water with a gentle but determined paw. " That's it, lad. You've got it now! Show the waves who's boss! "

HOLD ONTO ME AS WE GO ——･ﾟ✦​

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

 

[Adderfang]

The sounds of splashing paws and humored instructions rang across the shipyard. Adder sat sprawled out across the sand, content to observe, more than willing to entrust such a crucial lesson to his very capable mate. He remained attentive but gave Wave the space she needed to teach. If sea legs were a thing, she had the sturdiest pair he'd ever seen. Sure, he was a fine swimmer himself, but compared to her? He might as well have been dog paddling in a puddle.

As he watched, the icy layer that often encased him seemed to melt away, like an iced-up creek bleeding blue at the first signs of spring. He savored these fleeting moments, knowing all too well that they wouldn't last forever. The little ones wouldn't stay small for long. Even now, he could picture the fine cats they would grow into—as if kits born of Wave and himself could amount to anything else.

"Come now, child. Mama gave ye a good pair o' legs, didn' she?" Wave's voice rang out, encouraging their kit in a way that was unique to her. Salt and spit, he loved that she-cat. Adder loved them all, more than he thought his hardened heart could bear.

The corners of Adder's eyes creased, a crackly chuckle vibrating in his throat. By now, Cres was huffing and puffing, paddling like a wave of seafoam caught on the shoreline. But the kit was determined, egged on by his mother. He was shaping up to be a quick learner.

Pride bubbled up in Adder's chest. That' a boy.

"Enough practice and he'll be cutting currents like a bream," He called out from the shore, the faintest smile settling on his scarred maw. "Good to see he takes after his sea-farin' mother."

___________________ 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.
  @Wave @Crescent @RUSH
  
  
  penned by Scarlet​

 

[RUSH]

𓆝 . ° ✦

The auburn and chocolate bundle of fur that is Rush was practically vibrating from excitement while watching his mother and his littermate swim; he was pretty much bouncing where he sat, a giddy expression adorning his features. It was funny, to watch Crescent flail in the water — Rush was sure he would do much better when it was his turn to swim.

After what seemed like forever to the young kit, his brother was finally getting the hang of it. His movements were more. . . fluid in comparison to before, and Rush could no longer contain himself. He surges forward, letting the waves lap at his fur on the shore.

"Me next!"

Sunspark eyes flash gleefully at his mother.

"I wanna swim too!"

✧ ° . ✶ . ° ✧

ooc Information

• ooc:
• 

  RUSH — HE/HIM ･ 4 MOONS ･ SHIPYARD KITTEN ･ PENNED BY NOCTHYMIA!

  Chocolate ticked tabby sepia kit with low white. Rush has well-defined muscles and long cheek fur. His eyes are a blazing orange, akin to the sun itself.
  
  
  "speech"
  thoughts

 

[Crescent]

"It's cold!" A shrill cry is ripped from Crescent as he tries to splice through the waves like he has seen her mama do countless times before. White paws flail uselessly in the water, a vague attempt of swimming but one aimless and weak. Tendrils of white fur float uselessly against the sea as paws go in and out of the water, he pants from effort and sighs in frustration. Both over the act of not being able to swim well but from the fact that this was going to be a nightmare to clean. There is a certain smell that she is used to due to where they live but being actively dipped into the salt water like this, ugh he hates the thought of how it will cling to his pelt. Wave is trying, she appreciates that, his mother is encouraging and strong and he wants to emulate that but it's just so hard.

Just when he thought he had a handle of it a particularly strong wave splashes against his face, leaving the albino kit coughing and spluttering as he still paddled in an attempt to gather his bearings. It wasn't anything threatening rather than a common struggle of a kit trying to swim, there's nothing about this at least to him that spells danger. Papa Adder is nearby and he knows his Mama will be able to drag her out of this mess, even if it would be humiliating. Thankfully it felt like Wave was reading his mind, guiding paws keep her upright and an overworking mind takes the time to breathe.

With inherited grit and determination he paddles in the water once more, squinting in retaliation from the refracting light on the waves. This time it's much easier, it's still cold and it still smells awful but she finds her paws are actually cutting through the water. It's still sloppy but she can actually move instead of paddling in one place "Look! Papa! Rush!" He babbles excitedly as he creeps a little closer to the expanding horizon of the water. He can hear Rush call out in excitement over wanting to swim too, not wanting to have all the swimming time he manages to turn and paddle closer to Wave. "I can wait! Rush's turn now" He lacks the language to be as eloquent as he would like but she hopes that the plea is understood enough.

 

[Wave]

Wave of the Shipyard

Wave's laughter rang out, light and full of warmth as Crescent let out a little protest about the cold water. " O' course it's cold, ye wee one! It's leafbare! But fret not, aye? Once yer outta the water, yer pops will clean ya up nice an' warm. " she assured with a grin, her tail swaying proudly. She watched Crescent with a keen eye, her heart swelling with pride as he tried his best to navigate the waves. It wasn't perfect yet, a bit sloppy maybe, but it was a start, and that's all that mattered. No kit ever started perfect, not even her.

" Worry not over yer movements, wee Cres. " she called out with a soft smile. " Yer mama weren't no water rat at her first tries either! " Her voice was full of encouragement, her gaze tender as she watched the kit splash through the waves in their own clumsy but beautiful way.

She glanced toward the shore as the words reached her ears. " Aye, Adder! Soon ye'll have two kits pullin' ye under th' waves, then it won't just be THIS one ye need to worry about. " she teased, winking at him. She gestured lightly to herself, her grin widening. " I'm like a wave in the water, aye? The sea don't scare me, not even when I was a kit. " Her tail flicked, the thought of the waves never failing to bring her comfort. She'd always belonged to the sea.

But her attention was quickly drawn back to the sound of Rushing's voice. The kit was exactly as his name suggested... rushing in with the water lapping at his chest, just as Wave would do when grooming. She couldn't help but laugh, her heart full of affection. " Aye, Rush! Yer rushin' inta things again, ain't ye? " Her voice rang with warmth and pride.

Crescent's words brought her focus back to her, though, and as she carefully lifted herout of the water, she pressed a soft nose to his side. Then, with strong but gentle teeth, she gripped herscruff and brought him back to the shore. She knew Adder would be waiting to take him under his protective wing, to warm her and shield him from the cold, as she had done many times before.

She turned back to Rush, crouching down a bit playfully, her eyes sparkling with mischief. " So ye want to cut through the waves like yer mama, do ye? " she asked, her voice soft but full of affection. " Aye, ya wee tike, show yer mama what those legs are for! " She gave him a gentle pat on the back before stepping back into the water, keeping a watchful eye on her kit, ready to guide him as he grew.

HOLD ONTO ME AS WE GO ——･ﾟ✦​

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

 

[Adderfang]

Wave was in her element, her laughter ringing across the water like a melody Adder would never tire of. Their kits were a determined bunch, full of heart and spirit. His amber eyes flicked toward Rush, whose paws twitched with barely contained energy. A smirk tugged at Adder's maw, amused. "Hold yer tail, Rush. It'll be your turn soon enough," It made him proud to see their kit so eager to learn, even if patience wasn't yet his strong suit.

When Wave teased him, her voice lilting with that familiar charm, Adder chuckled. "Give 'em a few moons, and they can try," No doubt that they would grow to be big and strong. Adder cast a glance at Crescent's splashing paws, his gaze softening. Every father ought to aspire to see the day his kits could outpace him…

Because that meant they had survived the worst of it.

As Crescent flopped onto shore like a fresh catch, Adder was already waiting. "Come on over and warm your bones, little minnow," He lowered his head down to meet her, shifting his body to be a shield from the worst of the wind. "When it's cold like this—and even if it ain't—you always dry yourself quick," He warned, firm but not unkind. "You'll catch cold otherwise, and that's not somethin' you can afford out here. Got it?" He'd witnessed plenty of his siblings, and even his mother, succumb to sickness. Adder wasn't about to take chances with his kits, not ever.

The tom wrapped her in a hearty embrace and with a crackly purr, he planted the first many coarse licks atop his damp head. The chill would stick with him today, but in time, it would become easier to bear. There were plenty of lessons in both kits' future so they had time to adapt.

___________________ 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.
  @Wave @Crescent @RUSH
  
  
  penned by Scarlet​