[williams]

dewkit,

The heat that had settled over the valley was lifting, the clan slowly returning to its normal level of energy. For a little kit such as Dewkit, her energy felt limitless. She had tumbled around camp with her sister, careful to not get under any paws, but it still wasn't enough. Their mother had kept a watchful eye of course, keeping the pair within sight and within a reasonable patch of clearing that the warriors could skirt around. While her sister grew tired and had gone to rest with Echoshade, Dewkit still felt her energy leak out from her paws. She wasn't sure where it came from to be honest. She knew she should be tired too, but something was prickling in her brain and she needed to get it out.  Her brothers had left recently, though being so small, she could not remember where they went to. Dewkit hadn't thought to ask where, but now it was bothering her. Where had they gone? Why couldn't she play with them anymore? 
Making her way back to the nursery entrance, Dewkit clambered through. "Momma?" She called, eyes slow to adjust to the dim light. With her mother found, Dewkit climbed onto her side, nuzzling her cheek with affection. "Momma, where'd my brothers go?" The she-kit asked, tactless as kits are. She knew her mother missed them too, but the understanding did not translate to her speech. She was curious.

notes

236

Justice

[Justice]

Echoshade had always kept a watchful gaze over her kits, be there two or four of them. She was protective and attentive and affectionate. And then four became two again and her heart shattered. But she couldn't let herself be too upset, not in front of her kits. So she watched them play, kept them safe, and gently cuddled them when they got tired. Fernkit tired out first and came back for a little snuggle and a brief nurse even though she pretty much didn't have to anymore. It was something she did when she needed comfort, nothing more. And Echoshade understood the need for comforting.

When Dewkit finally made her way back in her mother leaned over to pick her up at the scruff and relocate her into their nest before she answered her. "My sweet kit." She gave her a nuzzle and a little lick of affection. "TreeClan came and took them away." That was how she felt, and the slight hitch in her voice probably gave away how sad she was.

She laid her head over her two remaining kits and felt a tremble run through her fluffy body. She refused to cry in front of her kits, but it was hard.

williams

[williams]

dewkit,

Dewkit let herself be picked up with no complaint, enjoying the affection she received. She purred and nuzzled in closer as she became protected by her mother’s sides and tail. There was no safer place to be, she knew this and would cherish it as long as she could. "TreeClan came and took them away." Came her answer, leaving the she-kit puzzled. “Why would Treeclan want them? They were here first. Weren’t they?” Her words were muffled under her mother’s head, not even the protective shell that filled her heart with love stopping the questions that her mind had. She could feel the sadness her mother felt seep through her head, and knew an action should be taken. She may only be a kit, but surely, she could do something to make her mom feel better.
“We should rescue them mom!” She wriggled until she could see her mother’s face. “They belong to you, don’t they? They’re my brothers.”

notes

160

Justice

[BlooRey DVD]

Tear the whole world down,

tear the whole world down

WARRIOR OF RAINCLAN || 25 MOONS || TOM

Pale green eyes watched as Dewkit, one of Echoshade's two kits, disappeared back into the nursery. The large, long furred tom stood near the freshkill pile, having just returned from a hunting patrol with his brother Brookfall. His paler brother had already departed on some other task, but Gorgeleap found himself somewhat distracted by something his poly-dactyl sibling had mentioned. With a twitch of his ear, the RainClan warrior glanced back toward the heap of mostly fish piled up next to him with a frown more pronounced than usual. Brookfall had seemed to think the departure of the two TreeClan kits had affected Echoshade in some way.

The mottled brown tabby couldn't fathom why that might be, not in his mind. But he didn't dismiss the possibility either. Logically speaking, Echoshade had been tasked with raising the two kits in place of their TreeClan mother, until they were old enough to no longer depend on her milk. It seemed that time had come, for his kithood friend had gone from raising a litter of four to her original litter of two. He could still recall the afternoon she'd mercilessly sicked her two kits upon his pelt, where they'd contentedly buried themselves for quite some time.

The memory caused a twitch in his tail, whether from fondness or phantom kit-claw pains was to be determined. Still, something did seem different about her. He'd grown accustomed to her never-ceasing teasing, for she could poke and prod him all she liked without setting him off, yet... She'd not cast even the slightest of quips his way since the TreeClan kits had returned home. Large paws flexed, pushing his claws into the ground as his impassive gaze narrowed thoughtfully, before he stooped to pick up one of the trout he'd caught while hunting.

Setting course for the nursery, the big tom's ear flicked uncertainly as he moved, though his facial features betrayed none of his indecisiveness. Perhaps if I'm lucky, the kits will be asleep. All that will remain is a quick check in conversation with Echoshade. He thought to himself dully, his frame soon eclipsing the entrance to the nursery as he ducked inside. Pausing to allow his eyes a moment to adjust to the shift in lighting, lest he squash someone's kits under paw, the big tom eventually found the small family in question. It would seem luck was not on his side, for at least one of the two kits was awake.

Dewkit. He thought to himself, pale eyes taking in the she-kit's features as she spoke with her mother. With only a brief thought on what he might be interrupting, the thick-furred tom stepped forward to deposit the trout just on the outskirts of Echoshade's nest. As it landed on the ground before her, he stepped back to take a seat in case she wished to finish whatever she and Dewkit had been discussing. Gorgeleap wasn't entirely sure why he didn't just leave. Perhaps it was Brookfall's imagined and exasperated voice in the back of his mind, scolding him for leaving without actually speaking to the queen. Perhaps it was something else.

Whatever it was had him lowering his haunches to a sit, thick-furred tail collecting over his paws. His stone-faced features glanced over his shoulder slightly, attempting to give the mother-daughter pair some semblance of privacy, ears focusing on anything but their voices until he was directly addressed. Why are you here. Came the sardonic voice in his head. You're likely the last RainClanner she wants to see right now.

~570 Words || Justice williams ||Gorgeleap has arrived~

[Justice]

Echoshade choked at the kit's innocent question, ducking her head so that she covered the little one with it for a long moment. She didn't even notice the tom come into the nursery with his offer of prey. Her heart was breaking. How to explain this to her beloved kit? Worse, was that the two little toms had asked her much the same question. She could still remember Pantherkit asking her why they had to leave with the TreeClan cats, why she wasn't going with them.

"My love..." She trailed off as tears clogged her vision. "We can't go get them. They belong to TreeClan now." Magpiewing had made sure they knew of the clan of their birth, but she'd kept putting off telling them they would never be apprentices of RainClan. "Sometimes bad things happen in other clans. Sometimes those things mean we have to leave our clanmates in the care of others so that they can get strong again. StarClan gave two beautiful kits to TreeClan just after you and your sister were born to me. But they took their parents at the same time, so they needed a new mother. So they came to me, became part of our family." She leaned over to give the now sleeping Fernkit a quick groom and covering the she-kit with her fluffy tail.

She didn't want to go into how she'd cried to Silverfrost, had begged Stormstar not to let this happen, to not let TreeClan take away her kits when they were suffering from the fire still. She had terrible nightmares of them starving to death, of their little bodies growing thin and heard them crying for her to come and get them, to bring them home and feed them and keep them warm and fat and happy.

She looked away then, and it was at that moment that she noticed the large tom that had settled himself near her nest by an offered fish. "Gorgeleap?" She rubbed at her face against one of her paws, giving him a weak smile.

"I didn't think you'd ever step paw in the nursery." She sniffled and shifted where she lay, scooting so that she could see him without bothering her sleeping kit. "Thank you for the fish." Though she had no appetite.

williams
BlooRey DVD
@zen for Magpie mention

[williams]

dewkit,

The reasoning made sense, sort of. For a kit of her age, it made sense that the clans would take care of one another in such a way. She had already felt that urge to be helpful and care for her clan fully. But Dewkit still felt her mother’s sorrow on top of the family like a heavy blanket. It wasn’t fair! Both her brothers could've been great warriors here. Dewkit nuzzled her head against Echoshade’s chest, purring loudly with sympathy. She wanted her brothers back too, to grow up and train with them. But that wasn't the real story, they were just visiting. I’ll just have to visit them instead, she thought determinedly as another scent filled the nursery.
“Gorgeleap!” She mewed, wagging her tail in a greeting. Carefully extracting herself from her mother’s lap, Dewkit scrambled over to her uncle. With a wiggle, she leaped the last bit of distance to the tom, falling at his paws. “Is this fish for us? Thank you!!” Dewkit looked up at Gorgeleap, eyes silently asking his help with making her mom feel better.

notes

185

Justice BlooRey DVD

[BlooRey DVD]

Tear the whole world down,

tear the whole world down

WARRIOR OF RAINCLAN || 25 MOONS || TOM

The large tom tore his pale green gaze from the nursery wall as an outcry of his name alerted him to the approach of a smaller bundle of fur. He watched passively and wordlessly as Dewkit all but collided with the ground at his paws, the warrior unsure as to the purpose of her flurry of movement. Blinking slowly, Gorgeleap shifted his attention to the queen not far behind as she mewed shortly following her kit's apparent failed tackle. Careful not to move one of his paws lest he step on Dewkit, who was still sprawled before him, he took a moment to skirt his gaze over Echoshade.

He met her gaze blankly, before blinking at the fish and back at her, giving something akin to a shrug of one shoulder. "Neither did I." He said simply, his tail flicking slightly atop his paws. "Not an overly welcoming place to be when you barely fit through the entryway." He continued, his eyes drifting back to Dewkit as she piped up once more. His purpose had been to answer her inquiry surrounding the fish, but he was momentarily stunned into skeptical silence when he noticed the intensity with which she regarded him.

This wasn't the first time Gorgeleap experienced this particular kit's trademark stare; it didn't make the likeness to her father any less apparent or any less alarming. Examining Dewkit a moment longer, the big tom silently mulled over what in StarClan's name she could be asking of him with those eyes of hers. And then he glanced back at Echoshade, understanding beginning to trickle into his head. What am I supposed to do about it. Came the cynical voice in the back of his mind. He wasn't exactly known to be RainClan's most social, nor was he exactly Clanmate or friend of the season.

Even so, the mottled brown warrior's mouth turned downward thoughtfully. He reached back into their kithood years, searching for the times his sister Stormfeather had sought comfort. For a reason he'd never quite understood, his sister used to curl up against Brookfall, Silverfrost, or himself, as if the physical proximity to someone familiar carried with it a barrier against her troubles. Gorgeleap bore not even an inkling surrounding whether it would work for Echoshade, considering he failed to grasp the mechanics himself. But, weighing Echoshade's obvious grief with the potential awkwardness that might be generated if his actions failed?

What is there to lose. He thought flatly. His reputation wasn't spotless to begin, anyway. "Yes." He stated, turning his attention back on Dewkit. "The fish is for you and your family. A proper diet is a necessity for growing minds." His voice was, unsurprisingly, just as impassive as usual. He tom stooped to collect the fish, carrying it a little closer to the small family. He was careful to step around Dewkit, using his thick-furred tail to gather her up and guide her back toward her mother in the process.

Continuing around the other side of the nest, Gorgeleap paused only to identify where Fernkit was in relation to Echoshade to avoid crushing the other kit, before slipping into the nest himself. His big frame easily circled Echoshade's back, the thick-furred tom tucking one forepaw beneath him, leaving the other free to support him as well as offer the kits a place to tuck in against him should they decide to repeat their previous encounter. Shifting so that his shoulder brushed hers, in case she sought out physical support, Gorgeleap cast Echoshade a sideways glance.

"A proper diet is just as important to a troubled mind supporting growing minds." He mewed simply.

~600 Words || Justice williams || Points for trying? XD

[Justice]

She watched him quietly as he interacted with her fully energized she-kit, smiling distractedly even as she fought through her own issues. She had two beautiful kits here that needed her, and she could barely think through the sadness that clung to her heart and mind. They weren't neglected, she just wasn't as focused on them as normal.

He'd brought them fish, and that was very sweet of him. Rather he thought so or not, Gorgeleap was a good tom. He moved it closer and herded her little one back to her while Fernkit was sound asleep nestled against her belly. She watched him, eyes widening slightly as he came into her nest with her.

It had been a very long time since she'd had a tom curl up with her like this, at least one that was full grown as Gorgeleap was. And he was massive, filling the nest and settling into it. She lifted her head to look up at him, then felt her heart constrict.

"A proper diet is just as important to a troubled mind supporting growing minds."

She pushed up with her fore-paws, leaving her lower body down so as not to disturb her sleeping kit and give Dewkit a proper place to curl up too if she so chose. But his shoulder touched hers and she tucked her head under his chin and wedged her body closer before she shook and started crying. Hiding her face against his fur so the kits wouldn't see, and letting herself get out the feelings that had been hurting her so much. "Thank you." She mewed softly at him, voice thick with tears.

"Could you...could you stay like this with me for a minute? Please? It helps me feel safe, having you here."

williams BlooRey DVD

[williams]

dewkit,

"A proper diet is just as important to a troubled mind supporting growing minds." Dewkit's focus returned to the fish, her ears tilting back after listening to her uncle speak. He had a handle on the situation, her heart said, finally loosening in her chest. The little kit knew she couldn't do anything but give her mom love and make her proud. But she couldn't do either of those things with her mom so sad. Instead, she latched onto the growing part of Gorgeleap's words, finding her favorite section of the fish to munch on. 

After her belly was full, only a couple bites had done that, Dewkit returned to her mom. The tom had settled in behind her, curling up close as family should. She cleaned her whiskers quickly, looking up at Gorgeleap with thankful eyes. Then, she trotted over to her curled up mom, finding the spot left for her to burrow into. She mumbled, love you, into her mom's fur as sleep overtook her mind, unable to feel the shaking from her angle.

so sorry for the delay, feel free to continue w/out dew

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Justice BlooRey DVD