[Hellion]

the moments when you're in so deep

FEELS EASIER TO JUST SWIM DOWN

Bolting upright in her nest, Firestar panted slightly having woken from a deep sleep. The fading fear of her nightmare was gone completely before the aging calico she-cat was able to understand it. Willing her heart rate to settle, the leader of LightingClan rose fully out of her nest, letting her legs extend behind her in a full body stretch.

Knowing full well she wouldn't be going to sleep anytime soon, she left the loneliness of her den and found her pawsteps leading toward the nursery. Stopping just before the well-protected den, Firestar felt her attention shift toward the moonless sky. The stars shone brightly, prompting her to wonder about her eldest daughter and where she was in the stars. Feeling the emotions tighten her chest, Firestar did not push it away and instead offered a quiet prayer to StarClan, a wish to know her daughter was happy in the stars.

Refocusing on the nursery, Firestar pressed forward and entered the den with practiced silence. Despite her multitude of duties and the role she had within the Clan, Firestar had made it routine to watch her youngest kits sleep beside their well-aged father. She rarely stayed long, she spent just enough time to check that they were deep in slumber and kept warm. While she trusted her mate to tend to them better than she ever could, Firestar's maternal instinct was still strong.

Finding her mate and kits in their nests, Firestar was forced to accept the truth. They were indeed grown enough to be named apprentices, a ceremony she was both dreading and excited for. Kindleflare had recently informed her of Tigerkit's choice, Firestar was proud that her son found such a noble calling. Lynxkit's fate was to be shaped by Firestar's second most trusted ally, Redscar, the Clan's deputy. She had high hopes for her daughter and would not be surprised if many moons from her own departure Lynxkit would be renamed Lnyxstar.

Realizing she had been caught up in a mind daydream, Firestar settled down to sit and watch them. Russetfall and kept Tigerkit close to him while Lynxkit was sprawled out slightly but upon closer inspection, Firestar was able to tell something was amiss with her daughter. The she-kits breathing wasn't slow and steady, similar to her father's light snoring, but instead sounding like she pretending to sleep. For a brief moment, Firestar wondered if Lnyxkit had any plans for the evening that had been spoiled by her mother's surprise nighttime arrival.

"Lynxkit are you awake?" She asked, her tone half scolding. Technically Firestar had no reason to scold Lnyxkit simply because her daughter's ceremony was going to be a surprise but that didn't stop the slip. She did not wait for a reply and prodded her daughter with a few soft nudges. "Since you are faking it, I want you to come with me," She whispered before turning to leave the nursery, expecting her daughter to follow.

FIRESTAR

background image | its quiet uptown | table by phoenix

tag: Taxx @poptart -Redscar mention @zen - Tigerkit mention Justice - Russetfall mention

[Taxx]

L Y N X K I T

I've got the eye of a fighter
Dancing through the fire

She had slept, but some noise in the night had woken her and she hadn’t been able to shut her mind off again. For a moment she lay awake, listening to the sounds of her Clanmates snoring and shuffling in their nests, some more noisily than others, and to the sounds of the creatures beyond the camp walls. An owl hooted, a mouse screeched as something caught it, the grass rustled in the wind.

Her paws flicked restlessly and Lynxkit sat up, peering out through the nursery entrance. It sounded like the entire Clan was asleep- would anyone miss her if she went out for a short night-time stroll? Excitement prickled her fur and she rose to all fours, taking a few steps toward the entrance and then pausing as the brush of paws through grass caught her attention. It was growing louder, and a shadow appeared, approaching the nursery. Haredung!

Whipping around, Lynxkit crashed back into the nest, curling up at Russetfall and Tigerkit’s side, squeezing her eyes shut and pretending once more to be asleep. She heard the paws approach, heard fur catch on the gorse walls, and smelled her mother’s scent as the she-cat came to a halt next to their nest. Keeping her eyes shut, Lynxkit couldn’t help a surge of irritation. Why now, in the middle of the night?

For a moment it was quiet, and Lynxkit peeked her eyes open just a slit, trying to see if Firestar was still there; as she did so, her name was spoken. Quickly giving up the act, the young kit opened her eyes fully just as she was told to follow and Firestar turned to exit the nursery. A refusal lay heavy on her tongue, but in the end the kit simply scowled and did as told, scrambling from the nest once more and trailing after Firestar into the clearing. “What do you want?” she muttered, plunking her bottom down and lifting her head to stare at her mother. “I was sleeping, but you woke me up when you came in.”

And you're gonna hear me roar

Hellion Notes

[Hellion]

the moments when you're in so deep

FEELS EASIER TO JUST SWIM DOWN

Firestar returned her attention to Lynxkit once she realized that her daughter had plopped down to sit just outside of the nursery. "I want to talk to you, but not here," She answered her daughter's question but ignored her lie about being asleep. Firestar didn't care at the moment to point it out that she had caught her fair and square.

Nudging Lynxkit with her muzzle, Firestar pushed the she-kit toward the camp entrance and took the lead out of camp.

Lynxkit was apprentice age and in the coming days, once Firestar finished making plans and talking with the two chosen mentors, she would be named Lynxpaw and make it official. Thus Firestar found it acceptable to break a rule for the time being.

Leading a future apprentice, Firestar walked with a steady stride toward a nearby hill. One she often went to when needing a few minutes away from camp but still wanted to be close.

"Lynxkit, you are brave and perhaps a little too headstrong but I blame myself for that," She started, settling down to sit and pointing with her short tail for her daughter to do the same. "Your father won't be around for much longer and in truth, I don't know if I can live without him," Firestar admitted, her eyes tilting upward to the sky and the shining stars.

"You never knew her but I'm sure you know of her. Your elder sister, Mapleheart, she is in StarClan and there are days that I wished I could have taken her place," Her confession was heavy as her eyes shifted down to focus fully on Lynxkit.

"So when Russetfall finally joins her I will do my best to stay here for you and Tigerkit but there are certain connections that no matter how strong you are they can't be broken," Sadness was heavy in Firestar's voice in the way it cracked. Lynxkit was seeing a rare part of her mother, the burden of her extra lives was finally showing.

"Wildcall will be around but he is flighty and as much as I love your older brother I've made peace with his nature and his willingness to go where ever his heart takes him," Her dry attempt to shift her swirling emotions was not missed.

"You and Tigerkit are my legacy and I want you to promise me something. Promise me that no matter paths you take you will always protect Tigerkit. Put him before the Clan," A pause in her words, Firestar used the moment to nuzzle Lynxkit's cheek."Can you promise me that?"

FIRESTAR

background image | its quiet uptown | table by phoenix

Taxx Justice, russetfall mention

[Taxx]

L Y N X K I T

I've got the eye of a fighter
Dancing through the fire

Excitement fizzed in Lynxkit’s paws as she realized Firestar was actually letting her out of camp, and she needed no further encouragement; she scurried ahead, bursting from the tunnel and instantly diving into grass that was nearly taller than she was. Rearing up on her hind legs, she glanced back for Firestar and bounded toward her again, sneezing at the soft tips of the grass stalks tickled her nose. She followed, too thrilled at being out to sedately follow Firestar toward the hill, though she stayed within sight of her as she bounded through the thick grass.

It was hard to calm enough when Firestar sat down, and while she managed it, the kit continued to fidget, her gaze caught by a hundred things, her ears constantly twisting to pick up night sounds. These were drowned out when Firestar began to talk, and Lynxkit turned her bright green eyes on her mother.

From the first word, Lynxkit knew that this was not going to be a lighthearted conversation. Her twitching stilled, her eyes narrowed as she fixed them on Firestar’s face, taking in each word and yet hardly grasping the meaning behind why she was being told any of this. Fear crawled up her spine, making her fur prickle at the thought of Russetfall not being there- she knew that he was old, which was why he no longer hunted or joined border patrols but stayed with her and Tigerkit in the nursery; she hadn’t really thought that one day, he would be simply… gone.

And Firestar would follow him, leaving her, Tigerkit and their older, not as well known brother, Wildcall, on their own. Lynxkit frowned. She knew she would miss Russetfall; he had been there as long as she could remember, firm but not too strict, loving and attentive, and the thought of him not being there when she might need him made her shiver all over. Her feelings about her mother were more complicated, as they usually were. She had not relied on Firestar for anything in moons, since she had grown old enough to eat fresh-kill, and she had watched and simmered in annoyance as the calico she-cat went about her duties instead of paying attention to her kits. And yet, she was everything Lynxkit wanted to be. Strong, determined, respected. A leader.

She knew of Mapleheart, of course. She’d heard the cats about camp murmuring the dead she-cat’s name, but she’d never got any answers about what had happened to her, just that she was gone, and that Lynxkit would have liked her if she’d known her. Except how did they know? Moons separated Mapleheart’s death and Lynxkit’s birth, and maybe she shared news with Kindleflare, but there was very little chance of Lynxkit ever meeting her.

Turning her gaze back on her mother, Lynxkit blinked, unsure of why she was being told any of this. Was it some sort of lesson- something she was supposed to be getting from hearing that both Russetfall and Firestar were old? Or was it just a reminder that soon, all she would have was her shy, timid brother- and all he would have was her?

“Duh,” she sniffed, reaching a paw out to bat at the waving stalks of grass around her, closing the eye over the cheek Firestar nuzzled. “I’d do that anyway. You didn’t have to tell me to. I’ll never let anything hurt Tigerkit.” Her chest puffed out as she swore, setting her paw down again and straightening as much as she could, sitting up as tall as possible beside her mother.

And you're gonna hear me roar

Hellion Notes

[Hellion]

the moments when you're in so deep

FEELS EASIER TO JUST SWIM DOWN

Lynxkit's reaction to her words with the informal duh had sparked a strange reaction in Firestar. She felt the urge to correct her child and insist she speak to her formally, as a young kit to the leader but caught herself before uttering the chide. Lynxkit was her daughter first and a kit of the Clan second. Further pushing the urge away, Firestar bent her head forward and licked Lynxkit's forehead. Purring slightly before backing off to listen to her daughter's empowered speech.

There was comfort easily found in Lynxkit's boldness and conviction to take care of her brother. Pride joined the comfort as she watched her fireball of a kit straighten up with her chest out. Clearly, a force to reckon with in the moons to come.

"I know I haven't been around enough but always remember I love you so much Lynxkit," Another nudge to Lynxkit's cheek as Firestar scooted, coaxing her kit to sit even closer, almost snuggled together. "And I pray to StarClan each night that you will have a long and happy life because you and Tigerkit deserve all the good left in this world," Pressing her nose into the back of Lynxkit's neck she nuzzled her kit, reminding herself of her nursery scent. The smell of milk and softness and something very Lynxkit. A call back to days past and a final goodbye to those easy days.

"We should head back, you must be tired and your ceremony is tomorrow, you need to sleep a little."

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FIRESTAR

[/div][/div]background image | its quiet uptown | table by phoenix[/div]

Taxx

[Taxx]

L Y N X K I T

I've got the eye of a fighter
Dancing through the fire

Firestar’s affections drew a nose-wrinkled grimace from Lynxkit and she eased away. A glance at her mother’s statement, a hint of disbelief at her words. If she loved her kits so much, then why had she stopped caring for them, leaving them under Russetfall’s watchful eyes as she returned to leadership. Almost, for a moment, Lynxkit began to tell herself that she would never do that to her own kits; her distaste at the sudden thought of being confined to the nursery, this time because of a litter of kits that needed her, made her realize the lie of that.

Was that how Firestar had felt? Well, her mother was the leader, so maybe there was something else to her decision. An eye-roll at the nudge of Firestar’s nose to her cheek, the warmth of her mother’s fur pressed to hers, and the purr that vibrated in her chest. Lynxkit sighed, but just for a moment leaned her weight back.

Only a moment. Then she was up again, on her own paws, as independent as ever. “I’m not little anymore,” she asserted, “After tomorrow I’ll be an apprentice, and you can’t cuddle me and treat me like a kit. Go curl up with Tigerkit, if you want to. Or Russetfall. He’d like that, I’m sure. But not me. We’ll have a long and happy life, mother, you can count on it!”

But now Firestar was heading back, and though a bit reluctant at returning so soon, Lynxkit scampered after her again, diving through the long grass and squeaking with excitement, keeping up with her mother as they padded back to the safety of the camp.

And you're gonna hear me roar

Hellion Notes