Open Camp there's nothing left to fear // born time

[hazecloud]

𓆝 . ° ✦

The kicks at her ribs and aching muscles would hardly compare to what lanced through her entire body now. Panic had her heart rush to her throat, struggling to calm herself down as her body trembled. Smokewreath is a weapon of knowledge and experience, his words as calm as the gentle streams that wind through their home. Lichentuft is a comforting presence and Hazecloud felt safe surrounded by so much love in her vulnerability.

The mother doesn't remember much beyond the euphoria of seeing so many kittens at her side, healthy and squirming with life. Four, quite a large litter for a first-timer, she's told. How lucky they are to have such a big family right away! "Aren't they amazing?" Hazecloud's nose twitched as she nudged it against the soft fuzzy ears of her kits. They aren't doing much other than squeal and roll about, but to her they were little miracles. "What do I do now? Should they keep eating, will they need to stop so they can sleep?"

It's all so new, Hazecloud's lack of experience with newborns shines in this moment especially. Little things came to her naturally- departing for the quiet safety of the nursery for one, cleaning the ick off her kittens faces to help them breath another. Nothing else seemed to click in a similar way after, though, except feeling her appetite return tenfold.

✧ ° . ✶ . ° ✧

ooc Information

• ooc: — wahoo babies time! @lichentuft @Smokewreath
• 

  HAZE— SHE/HER ･ 32 MOONS ･ RIVERCLAN CARETAKER ･ PENNED BY @gonkpilled!

  a smoky blue molly with warm green eyes. haze is a short and stout molly with a longhaired pelt that is beautifully kept. she is a highly skilled, agile swimmer and fisher with a surprising mischievous streak.

 

[lavenderkit]

First of the river's water, she is born.

A child of ashen grey and silver curls, the unnamed infant suckles greedily alongside her littermates. It is as much instinctual as it is purposeful, kitten claws and milk teeth scoring into anything they can each gain purpose on. It is infinitesimal, the moment where she is feverish to survive and eager to be perceived - to the moment where her tense shoulders relax and her form slumps, just so slightly, as the ever nagging exhaustion finally wears her down. She pays no true mind to her parents as they fuss over names and duties; the most she provides is a burp upon being prodded or cleaned. She sleeps, for that is all that is expected of her.

 

[lichentuft]

lichen

Hazecloud is lucky that her will to be a good partner is stronger than the itch to leave this to Smokewreath... It is an awkward affair to acknowledge her role in this and simultaneously know that if things were different, she might be in that nest caterwauling instead. She stays... because if she doesn't she may very well find her pelt scored off of her skin come daylight. Still, it is over far quicker than she expects and at the end of it there is only good news; a bounty for RiverClan in its infancy, new life to grow along the riverside just like it once had near the ocean's bay.

Lichentuft is just as lost as her mate is- the semantics of feeding them, knowing what to do, what they need... She'd been around when Smokewreath's litter was born but not so closely as to make note of these details. Instead, she favors just admiring them... so small, pale and wiry in their fur. It would surely grow in curled and soft like Hazecloud's, with any luck... "Hopefully they take after you," she murmurs softly, pressing her cheek against the queen's before glancing towards Smokewreath, "Think yours will want to meet them...?"

 

[MISTPAW]

Kittens were something that were personally out of their league, not that they minded them being around... But they're not quite used to them, sticking mainly to their brother in the Shipyard and focusing on survival for them two alone. However, when they hear Hazecloud has had her litter, paws itch to visit for some reason... Perhaps out of curtesy, being polite, or perhaps they just want to see how they look. They've never seen new kittens before, and its hard to imagine a cat that small like the adults would murmur. Their mouth clasps around their catch from earlier, and they make their way towards the nursery.

It's not hard to spot Hazecloud, with Lichentuft hovering around her and Smokewreath there, too. They hesitantly approach, giving a respectful dip of their head. "Congratulations... Fish, if you're hungry..." they set it down gently, close enough to the queen where she could hook it and drag it if she wanted it, but far enough that it wouldn't get in the way. Their eyes flit over each of the kits, four in total, and they keep themselves from frowning. They're... Small. And a little bit ugly, but in a... cute... way...? Their eyes are shut, and it doesn't seem like they want to open them. One of them burps and Mistpaws sharp features grow soft in surprise for just a second; can they do that? Is that normal? They've never seen cats this itty bitty... "Cute." its contradicting to their thoughts, but they'd never say them out loud. Besides, they were sure to grow like the other kits. They give the parents an extremely awkward encouraging nod, Smokewreath and Lichentuft included. "If you're thirsty, just call." Mistpaw rises to their paws and turns to leave, satisfied and wanting to leave the new parents alone with their new kits.

 

[Frostmoth]

Though there were kits living in and born at the shipyard, Frostmoth is almost certain that Hazecloud is the first to give birth within the bounds of RiverClan. And for whatever reason, a new brood of kittens means that the nursery is clamoring with more than kits and their parents today. After his patrol has returned, Frostmoth decides to pop by to pay Hazecloud and her kits a visit. It had been a successful patrol with multiple catches, so he figures he might as well bring something by for the molly to enjoy. He excuses himself from the disbanding patrol, carrying a fat chub along as he pushes his way into the nursery.

He stands close to the entrance, surprised by the number of visitors already present. Frostmoth drops the chub uselessly at his paws. He feels a bit stupid that Mistpaw has beaten him to bringing a fish to the nursery, and glances around for another queen to offer it to before resigning himself to leering awkwardly at his repeat gift. "Um... I also... Brought a fish..." he volunteers shakily.

The bicolor leans forward, trying to get a better look. He is only slightly peering over the shoulder of one of his crowded clanmates, trying not to lean too far forward or fall on them from where he is standing on tip-toes to see better. Frostmoth has forgotten his discomfort at bringing the same offering to Mistpaw, and is now sparkling with wonder at the sight of four newborn kits at Hazecloud's side. "Wow," he murmurs quietly "Oh, do they have names?"

OH, MY GOD ★ MAKE ME IN YOUR IMAGE

• "SPEECH"
• ★ FROST — he/him, riverclan deputy, 17 moons
  — penned by carat, feel free to ping or dm for plots!
  — longhair black and white bicolor with blue eyes
  — peaceful powerplay ok! all interactions ok!
  
• penned by carat!