[Fawn]

Roselight
41 Moons. She-Cat. RainClan. Warrior.

The pain had started at moonhigh. Roselight had, a week earlier, finally made the move to the nursery from the warriors' den. It had been an unwelcome change, at first; Roselight, who had always prided herself on her looks (she couldn't completely get rid of her haughtiness, there was only so much of her genetic makeup she could ignore), had grown somewhat self conscious the more swollen she'd become with the RainClan leader's kits. It had been two moons of emotional highs and lows; the sight of a dead frog Razorstar had brought her had actually upset her, then she'd gotten hungry and eaten it, then became upset again. She'd likely unnecessarily snapped at her mate and her cousin over the silliest things, and then promptly apologized; not surprisingly, it was the wise words of the other queens, a group of cats Roselight had admittedly not paid a great deal of attention to, that were able to reassure and make her more comfortable in her new surroundings.

They were at her side when the contractions started, and Roselight must have yowled loud enough to wake up half the camp, two of the she-cats dashing away into the night to get the medicine cat and leader both. Roselight wasn't so sure getting Razorstar was the best idea - he wouldn't want to see her in any pain, and she didn't want him getting in Swanfeather's way when the healer came in to help her, but Roselight was in no position to start barking orders. The kits were coming, and she was going to have to focus all her efforts into a safe delivery, no matter how long it took or how unbearable it felt. The entire endeavor took most of the night, and the outside of the nursery had gotten a little crowded - she could hear the voices of her parents, talking amongst themselves, as well as the impatient, excited sounds of Russethawk as he eagerly carried on both sides of a conversation with Razorstar. Their noble Clan leader appeared to be too nervous too do much talking; but it was not his voice she was listening for, however. It was the mewling of her kits she was most eager to hear.

Finally, an almost solid black tom-kitten was the first to enter the world, and his mewls brought a rush of warmth to the exhausted she-cat's body, Swanfeather informing her of the impending arrival of two more. The first born was always special, she'd thought; it was the first of their new family she had gotten the chance to meet, the first one who had braved the strangeness of the world outside of the one he had known for the past 60-something days. Hello, my little one. The next two, one after the other, were similar in appearance, two perfect little she-kittens of the same pale pelts as their mother and their grandfather; she would not have minded if all three of the litter had come out with Razorstar's appearance, but there was something pleasing about the two little sisters who shared her looks. It proved their connection to their parents, if their personalities didn't suggest as much. Glowing with pride, she expressed her gratitude for the experienced medicine cat who was able to talk her through this. "Thank you, Swanfeather. Please send in Razorstar when you go."

Amidst the admiring coos and congratulations of her fellow queens, Roselight gazed with a mother's love at the three little creatures squeaking and nuzzling into her belly, the dark tom standing out so much against the pale pink hue of her belly-fur, the she-kits would've been a little harder to spot if they hadn't been kneading and squirming, as all kittens did. As exhausted as she felt, Roselight couldn't suppress a laughing purr as the voice of Russethawk broke through from outside.

"You mean we can go in now? Finally! Roselight--oh, you can go first, Razorstar." She could practically picture her cousin's gleaming emerald eyes as he made to charge forward and see his new family members, before backing up and giving Razorstar his right to meet his children. Anticipating her mate's reaction, cerulean eyes were fixed tiredly upon the den entrance, looking for that familiar gray-green gaze and the distinctive brown fur along his jaw. She wanted him to be the first to see them, outside of the other queens and the medicine cat. Though Russethawk could certainly have his chance after Razorstar, of course.

And then Timberwing, she added as an afterthought. She'd like it if the old she-cat came to visit the leader's new family.

---

Word Count: 750ish
Tags: Insidious, @ghostlight

[Insidious]

R A Z O R S T A R
- - - - - -

When the call had come from outside of the leader’s den, a rushed voice he hadn’t the time or the care to pinpoint bringing him news of Roselight’s delivery being in progress, he had struggled to his suddenly numb paws and hurried to the nursery, not even pausing to thank the messenger who stood dumbfounded on the outskirts of the den, watching him as he made a path straight for Roselight’s side. He had been brought to a firm halt by a handful of cats insisting that she be alone with Swanfeather until the kittens were safely born, and though it was a reasonable request, it did little to soften the daggers in his eyes as he lowered himself into a begrudging sit, constantly shifting and trying to calm his breathing as the minutes passed him by.

He had hardly noticed when Russethawk appeared at his side, talking near constantly into an ear that wasn’t bothered to listen, far too consumed in his thoughts and his worries. This was taking too long. His patience was beginning to wear thin. There were a couple of occasions where the normally level-headed leader had managed to convince himself that something had went wrong, that the kittens weren’t okay, and that this was Swanfeather’s slow, albeit understandable way of taking her sweet time trying to decide how she was going to break the news to a Clan leader capable of unexpected aggression; a heart so brimming with love and adoration for his mate, curious, excited, and yet ready to upchuck at the thought of meeting their kittens, and thus incapable of being soothed by the calming, encouraging words of his Clanmates as they parted to make room.

His stride was surprisingly gentle, having almost failed to get to his paws and enter the den without making a fool of himself and outwardly portraying to his Clanmates the amount of anxiety that he truly felt. His heartbeat was soaring, his eyes, abnormally soft and unsure, seeking the familiar cerulean of Roselight’s, spotting the beautiful salmon of her fur and immediately adjusting his path. The first thing he did was lean forward, pressing his nose tenderly against the cheek of his mate, who although looked so incredibly fatigued he knew better than to comment upon. It was then that, for the first time, his eyes lingered upon the black shape that would come to be known as his son, taking a few moments to look away and realize that two more shapes, two amazing daughters, were snuggled into the fur of Roselight’s belly, almost identical to both each other and their mother.

The three bundles were mewling quietly, and a purr escaped his throat unannounced, wanting them to know that they were safe with their mother, and that their father was nearby to watch them - to begin taking care of them. “Roselight,” his gruff voice was barely above a whisper, “they’re . . . amazing.” There were far too many words that could have filled his momentary pause, and although he couldn’t be sure that the one he used was the best fit, it was the first thing that came to mind and so he had followed through with it. He was sure that the clear signs of affection in his eyes, on his face, in his body language, would be more than enough to express to Roselight how beautiful he thought each and every one of them were. “What would you like their names to be?” He had something in mind for his son, and maybe an idea or two for his daughters, but he wanted to hear what Roselight thought, too - what she wanted was important to him. “I like Pikekit.” He offered up one of his choices, eyes lingering upon the dominantly black kitten, him and his sisters now silent as they found the source of their mother’s milk.

- - - - - -

Tags: Fawn
Word Count: 643.

[Fawn]

Roselight
41 Moons. She-Cat. RainClan. Warrior.

It was with pride and love unrivaled that she basked in the glowing warmth of Razorstar's words, the tom having said what she'd been thinking all along. They were amazing, each tiny squirming kitten, a loyal member of the Clan their parents cared so much about; for all her fatigue, she still felt a small renewal of strength now that parenthood was upon them. Always, they would be safe. Always, they would be loved and taken care of. Always, they would have a father who would fight off anything wishing to harm them, and a mother who would give her life so that they could live theirs. There were no words to describe the rush of protectiveness she felt for these kits, and Roselight would come to understand her own mother a little more, in the coming moons. "Pikekit," she repeated Razorstar's suggestion aloud, letting her tongue get used to the name. "I like Pikekit as well, my father is Salmonfur and my uncle is Troutclaw, having a pike in the family will be a nice change." It wasn't at all unusual for a RainClan cat to draw their namesake from one of the many types of water-prey they caught, Pikekit was a nice, strong name for a RainClan warrior - anyone who met their fierce little son would know where he belonged.

As for the she-kits...
Roselight took her time thinking it over, gently grooming each one. "Minnowkit, to go with Pikekit." The tip of her nose touched the soft, damp fur of the she-cat on the right, contemplating a proper, respectable name for the second kitten on the left. It was a shame that none of their litter looked like a Coldkit, she would have had strong preference over naming one after Razorstar's fallen mentor, knowing how much it would have meant to have Coldgaze honored in such a way.

"How about Quietkit? And great StarClan, Roselight. They're beautiful!" Exclaimed Russethawk, the young warrior having finally nosed his way into the den. The joy he shared for the both of them was apparent in the glow of his eyes and the large grin all over his face, her cousin glancing between her and Razorstar as if he didn't know which one to congratulate first.

Quietkit? She supposed Quietkit could mean more than just the little she-cat's vocalizations, quiet as in muted, the she-kitten's soft salmon fur was very pale, much less distinctive than her brother's bold dark patterns. Pikekit, Minnowkit and Quietkit. Slowly, a soft cerulean gaze sought the greenish-gray of the RainClan leader's, silently asking what he thought of Russethawk's suggestion. Despite how much she appreciated having him here, Russethawk's presence in the nursery was one too many, and the young tom spent the next couple of heartbeats apologizing for his disturbances when the queens politely asked him to leave.

Roselight let out a soft sigh, feeling peaceful despite everything. So far, the other queens in the nursery had been kind to her, had welcomed her; a pawful were reserved, but no-cat had been outright rude about her arrival, and there was none here who hadn't congratulated her on her litter already. They're going to be just fine... Our little warriors.

[Deleted]

Mallowleaf's stomach had been in knots all night, her heart pounding in her ears. She lay perfectly still, listening to the commotion going on in camp, straining to hear Roselight's own pained mews. The kits were coming. She found herself paralyzed any time she tried to will herself to go and join the cats waiting outside the nursery. Finally, unable to stand herself anymore, she darted out of the camp as quickly and silently as she could, hoping Razorstar wouldn't notice her cream-colored pelt fleeing from the scene.

Her paws landed nimbly on the unstable, rounded rocks that lined the shores of the river, not lingering long enough to slip between them. She crashed in to the river, dark and cold, and swam across to the sandbank that rose from the middle. There weren't many fish within her reach, but tonight she was especially patient. Waiting on a fish to stray in to her anxious claws wasn't nearly as bad as waiting for... for the young of her favorite cats to come in to the world.

Without fully registering it, her paw struck for the water, hitting home in a sizable fish. Her claws hooked through its silvery scales, she hauled it up on to the shore. The long-furred warrioress ended its flailing running purely on instinct, her thoughts still tangled with the arrival of Roselight and Razorstar's kits. She stared at her catch for a few heartbeats, slowly deciding that it would do. Absently, she bent and picked it up, securing it in her jaws before wading back in to the river and swimming to the outer bank.

Her pawsteps were slower, burdened not with the weight of her catch but with the weight of what likely awaited her there. Reluctantly, she re-entered RainClan's camp, passing the fresh-kill pile with no second thoughts. This would be for Roselight. Razorstar and Russethawk were already inside. It's over, she realized, relief and trepidation swirling within her as she approached the nursery, unable to still her paws.

The she-cat paused outside of the nursery, peeking in cautiously. She could see them from here, between the bulk of Russethawk and Razorstar. She heard Roselight mew their names. "Minnowkit, to go with Pikekit." Her tail twitched. They were good names. Russethawk fully entered the den, offering his suggestion enthusiastically. Quietkit. She was privately glad that no one had asked her suggestion; she wouldn't have had the slightest idea what to name them. Realizing that her presence was yet unknown, and that she may be lingering too long, she slipped past Russethawk, her pelt brushing Razorstar's in her attempt to stay as far away from the younger warrior as she could, and halted before the nest.

"This is for you." Her mew was muffled by the fish, and she wasn't sure if anyone had been able to understand her. Mallowleaf stood awkwardly, frozen with unsureness, suddenly regretting her decision to enter. Oh StarClan, what if Roselight didn't want me here? She gulped, very slowly moving to lay the fish down at the edge of the nest, as if she were trying not to startle a butterfly. In all reality, though, she was the flighty one.

Character; Mallowleaf
Word count; 530
Notes; ~

[Deleted]

but all the stars that separate
disappear now when i'm dreaming of your face

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

For the past few weeks, Rippletail had not been feeling her normal self. Her cravings for squirrel had grown (she thanked Sunstride for this particular need), but she couldn't jump as well as normal. She felt off-balance, almost weighed down by something. Swimming was more difficult, too, as she found herself sinking just a little bit more than normal. In response to this, the silver warrior had tried to cut back on her food, but the cravings were just too much sometimes!

Squirrel one day. Fish the next. And then frogs? She didn't even like frogs! But Rippletail found herself out in the territory, hunting frogs to satisfy the latest thing her body had demanded before she turned into a cranky she-cat. Just yesterday she had snapped at Speckledleaf for moving too much in her sleep, then started to tear up during her apology because she didn't understand what was happening to her. Her friend had recommended a visit to Swanfeather, but Rippletail brushed it off as the season change (or something).

Frog caught successfully, Rippletail ate it by the river. She rinsed off in the water, but decided to catch a couple of fish to make up for eating the frog outside of camp. Those kills done (why did they make her nauseated?), she picked up her catch and trotted back into camp. Laying the two silver fish on the fresh-kill pile, she noticed a commotion going on by the nursery.

Was Roselight kitting? Sudden yowls from inside the den answered her question. When little mews pierced the din outside, it was almost as if Rippletail's heart was bursting with love (even though they weren't her kits). She shook her head to clear it, and prepared to enter the den briefly before Razorstar and Russethawk entered. Of course they should go in first.

Rippletail followed Mallowleaf in and sat near the entrance, waiting to say a brief word to Razorstar's mate. She nodded at Redsplash in a friendly greeting, and did the same to Tumblestep. I wonder if I will ever make my nest in the nursery? she wondered, daydreaming slightly. It was nice and cozy in here. She'd like kits one day, as well. But that couldn't really happen considering where her mate currently lived...

Sighing, Rippletail waited for Roselight to have a free moment.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

rippletail;; warrior ;; rainclan

fawn: roselight ;; tag
392 ;; wordcount
hormonal musings~ ;; notes
3 Doors Down - Here Without You [edited] ;; lyrics

[Deleted]

Timberwing

The Fox of Rainclan

Oh, mirror in the sky, what is love?
Can the child within my heart rise above?
Can I sail through the changing ocean tides?
Can I handle the seasons of my life?

---

The old fox colored she-cat had been curled up and sleeping when Roselight's yowls of pain and kitting slashed through her rather odd, yet soothingly peaceful slumber. Though she knew most of the clan would be gathered around the Nursery, worried for the safety of Roselight as well as awaiting the exciting news, the deputy decided to leave her nest and try to get some of the cats to back off until later.

The new queen wouldn't want to be crowded, as most new queens would prefer to only be with their mate after such an intense and intimate thing such as kitting and bringing new life into the clan. Though she, herself, had never bore a litter of kits, nor even taken a mate, she was still aware of the queens' feelings, even if they wouldn't say it.

Padding into the clearing of Rainclan's camp, she brushed past a rather worried Razorstar and started to nose other cats aside, if they wanted to be awake, they could go fetch some prey or get a water soaked moss ball for Roselight, otherwise it was back to bed for the lot of them. No need in having exhausted warriors tomorrow because they wanted to stay awake to see Roselight and her newborn kits.

Timberwing was aware of the fact that Mallowleaf had slipped out of the camp on her arrival to the gathered cats outside the Nursery, perhaps the younger warrior went out to hunt or to get away from all the yowling. Rippletail was among one of the cat who had decided to stay and help comfort Razorstar if she could.

The older she-cat narrowed her eyes on the silver-gray she-cat as she passed by, her scent had changed somewhat, only a little, but noticable to someone as old as she, she had been around a long time to be able to pinpoint the smallest of small details in any clanmate, she-cat especially.

Russethawk was the last cat, she knew, who wouldn't leave either Razorstar or Roselight's side as he had a deep connection to both cats who were about to be new parents. With the four of them left outside the Nursery, Timberwing curled her paws underneath her as she laid near the den wall, prepared to help, should she be needed, but also staying out of the way.

She had dozed off only slightly when Swanfeather emerged from the Nursery, allowing Razorstar to go in and see his kits. Swirling an ear, the old she-cat caught the names of two of the three kits names as the mother and father came to a decision on each.

Pikekit and Minnowkit.

Perfect names for healthy, beautiful and strong Rainclan kits. Her green eyes narrowed as Timberwing attempted to stand and stop Russethawk from barging into the Nursery, yet she wasn't a quick as she once was and had only finished standing by the time the young russet tom had blurted out a name from inside the warm and quite den.

Quietkit.

Though it was a fine name, Timberwing flickered her tail, hearing all the other queens stern-fully, though politely, ask Russethawk to leave the den before he should tread on any cat's tails. "Russethawk," Timberwing called as the young tom's head peaked out of the den on his way out. "Why don't you go get Roselight some water." She flickered her feather tail, the white tip bright in the moonlight.

She watched as Mallowleaf returned with a fish in her jaws and stepped aside to let the she-cat slip into the Nursery to give her kill to Roselight. "Don't be too long Mallowleaf, Roselight needs her rest." She said after a few moments.

Timberwing would wait to see the kits later tomorrow, after their mother was well rested and ready for company, unless she requested the old deputy's presence. She turned her eyes to Rippletail flickering her ears before speaking, "After you see Roselight, you might want to get some rest as well, you look tired."

---

Well, I've been afraid of changing 'cause I built my life around you
But time makes you bolder
Children get older
I'm getting older, too

[Insidious]

R A Z O R S T A R
- - - - - -

The leader’s eyes brightened when Roselight affirmed his suggestion, glancing to the single tom-kitten and pairing the name to what little of his features could be discerned. Next, she offered up a name for one of the two females, similarly of fish origin to go nicely with her brother’s new name, and Razorstar smiled in the place of words, dipping his head to communicate to his mate that he thought it was a great idea. There was only one kitten left to be named, and he pursed his lip in contemplation, sorting through what seemed to be a million possibilities before the rather abrupt intrusion of Russethawk gathered what little of his attention was currently able to be dragged away from the three newborns.

Quietkit.

It wouldn’t have been his first choice, but looking back to the unnamed she-kitten, he considered the ways in which it seemed to suit her. He looked to his mate only to see that she had already been seeking out his eyes, broad shoulders lifting in a semi-awkward gesture of his uncertainty. He was okay with it if Roselight was okay with it; Russethawk was an important figure in his life, and he certainly wouldn’t mind allowing the young warrior to partake in the process of naming them. “Pikekit, Minnowkit, and Quietkit.” Saying them aloud, he found he rather liked the way they all sounded when together - he would, of course, permit any alterations from Roselight, but it seemed that the both of them were willing to settle on what had been given.

A satisfied purr reverberated in the back of his throat, laying down along Roselight’s side so that he could be closer to their kittens, watching them with a careful eye as they squirmed and squealed. He paid little attention to Mallowleaf as she arrived to offer Roselight something to eat, though he wasn’t trying to be rude to the uncomfortable she-cat, simply finding that it was harder than he thought it would be to avert his eyes. He was aware of Rippletail entering shortly afterwards, likely wishing to say something in congratulations to the new parents, Timberwing’s aged voice detectable from just beyond the indoors of the nursery, the leader grateful for her attempts at ensuring as much privacy as possible for them.

More than anything else, he was excited to see how the trio grew up - what they would idealize and what they would disagree with, the relationships that they would form, both bad and good, and the roles they would eventually fulfill: be it that they became warriors and remained as such, aspired to become leader someday, or even settled down and had kittens of their own. Razorstar was thinking a little too far into the future, and his head started to throb as a result, attempting to quell his excitement and his concerns.Their lives were changing for the better now, and he couldn’t wait to see what these three would have in store for them.

- - - - - -

Tags: Fawn , @lacihparg , @ghostlight , nimble
Word Count: 497.