Under the Weather? Over the Moon! {AppleSky} DONE
Dec 20, 2018 10:33:39 GMT -5
BlooRey DVD and williams like this
Post by Fawn on Dec 20, 2018 10:33:39 GMT -5
Appleshade
Her sister's death had affected Appleshade greatly. Not a day went by that she did not think of Lichenfrost, her grief often exacerbated by the appearance of Silverfern - a she-cat of similar coloring to her deceased littermate - but Appleshade was becoming a master at suppressing her feelings.
Or so she'd thought.
"You should speak to Falconstorm," Sprucefur mewed, using that stern tone of lecture he always pulled whenever he thought she was being silly. They were littermates, but Sprucefur had taken on the role of big brother to both of them over the years, and now more than ever did he have reason to shepherd his remaining sibling.
Appleshade sighed from the nest she shared with Skyfall, unwilling to move quite yet. She felt sluggish; tired, as if the weight of all her moons were finally catching up with her. This is it. it's happened. I'm an old lady now. She was only 76 moons (and quite spry if you asked her), but her body seemed to have other plans. Her body didn't seem to like food as much as it had before. Nowadays, when she took a bite from fresh kill, nausea swept in like winter's chill and she could scarcely choke it down.
Maybe her sister was haunting her? Or maybe she just couldn't quite get over a loss so near and dear to her heart.
"Appleshade," Sprucefur's voice cut through her melodramatic musings. "I'm giving you the option of going to see him yourself. The other option is I tell Skyfall you're not feeling well."
It was an effective threat. As much as Appleshade enjoyed a bit of fuss and attention on her behalf, worrying her mate was not something she enjoyed.
Appleshade let out an indignant noise and shook off a few bits of moss clinging to her belly. "You win, Sprucefur. Really, you worry too much. I'm just a little... under the weather, is all." Appleshade waved her tail, as if to dismiss her symptoms as little more than a common cold.
Sprucefur looked unconvinced.
So unconvinced that he walked her to Falconstorm's den, and it was only the command of a sunhigh patrol that kept him from hovering at the entrance like an overgrown badger. Though she adored her brother to the stars and back, his overprotective behavior tended to grate against her already overly-sensitive nerves.
Falconstorm greeted her with his usual polite professionalism. The fluffy tom was hardly a social butterfly, but something about the medicine cat's den - maybe it was the herbs? maybe it was the promise of recovery? - prompted Appleshade to talk.
"It's as if I've lost all my energy. Leaf-fall was... Leaf-fall was so hard, without Lichenfrost around." Appleshade's throat tightened. "I thought I was alright for a little while but lately I've just been... I get nauseous when I eat, and sometimes I toss and turn in my sleep." Appleshade worked her silvery-sorrel paws into the wooden floor, tail flicking with worry. "There's something terribly wrong with me, isn't there?"
Contrary to her expectations, Falconstorm didn't seem surprised. Or even all that grim. After following his instructions to lie down, Appleshade sullenly mused on how she'd break the news to Skyfall that she'd be retiring early. Falconstorm's nose poked against her belly and she squirmed from the ticklishness.
He mentioned grief still having an effect upon her - Appleshade sighed - but then he gave an additional diagnosis.
"You're pregnant, Appleshade."
The pretty she-cat gasped. "I'm what?"
"The signs are all there. Be careful to keep your weight up so the kits grow up healthy."
Appleshade's jaw dropped. She wasn't dying. She wasn't even becoming a worn-out old lady. She was pregnant.
Pregnant. With kits. A whole litter.
Oh goodness gracious, I'm a queen! Falconstorm mentioned something else but Appleshade hadn't heard him; instead, she had hopped onto her paws and fluttered through the entrance of the medicine cat's den. Her heart was pounding so hard, her skin flushed beneath her pelt with delight and fear and shock all at the same time. Her heartbeat was in her ears, and she imagined some of those beats were the hearts of her yet-to-be-born kits.
Their yet to be born kits.
"Skyfall!" Appleshade's voice, normally melifluous and sweet, carried a higher pitch than normal. She didn't care if the whole camp heard her. She had to tell him!
Appleshade darted through camp and out by the ancient stump. "Skyfall!" Oh StarClan, where was he? Of all the times to make himself scarce! The new queen bumped into Zephyrfang, who raised his brows at her and then directed her to the sparkling brook.
Appleshade didn't even blurt out a thank-you, simply took off in the direction Zephyrfang had indicated. As soon as her mate's stark white fur came into view, the breathless she-cat pounced on him, trying to purr and breathe and tell him all at the same time.
The words finally came out in a giddy tumble. "Oh Skyfall! We're having kits! I'm pregnant! We're having kits! We're having kits!"
Or so she'd thought.
"You should speak to Falconstorm," Sprucefur mewed, using that stern tone of lecture he always pulled whenever he thought she was being silly. They were littermates, but Sprucefur had taken on the role of big brother to both of them over the years, and now more than ever did he have reason to shepherd his remaining sibling.
Appleshade sighed from the nest she shared with Skyfall, unwilling to move quite yet. She felt sluggish; tired, as if the weight of all her moons were finally catching up with her. This is it. it's happened. I'm an old lady now. She was only 76 moons (and quite spry if you asked her), but her body seemed to have other plans. Her body didn't seem to like food as much as it had before. Nowadays, when she took a bite from fresh kill, nausea swept in like winter's chill and she could scarcely choke it down.
Maybe her sister was haunting her? Or maybe she just couldn't quite get over a loss so near and dear to her heart.
"Appleshade," Sprucefur's voice cut through her melodramatic musings. "I'm giving you the option of going to see him yourself. The other option is I tell Skyfall you're not feeling well."
It was an effective threat. As much as Appleshade enjoyed a bit of fuss and attention on her behalf, worrying her mate was not something she enjoyed.
Appleshade let out an indignant noise and shook off a few bits of moss clinging to her belly. "You win, Sprucefur. Really, you worry too much. I'm just a little... under the weather, is all." Appleshade waved her tail, as if to dismiss her symptoms as little more than a common cold.
Sprucefur looked unconvinced.
So unconvinced that he walked her to Falconstorm's den, and it was only the command of a sunhigh patrol that kept him from hovering at the entrance like an overgrown badger. Though she adored her brother to the stars and back, his overprotective behavior tended to grate against her already overly-sensitive nerves.
Falconstorm greeted her with his usual polite professionalism. The fluffy tom was hardly a social butterfly, but something about the medicine cat's den - maybe it was the herbs? maybe it was the promise of recovery? - prompted Appleshade to talk.
"It's as if I've lost all my energy. Leaf-fall was... Leaf-fall was so hard, without Lichenfrost around." Appleshade's throat tightened. "I thought I was alright for a little while but lately I've just been... I get nauseous when I eat, and sometimes I toss and turn in my sleep." Appleshade worked her silvery-sorrel paws into the wooden floor, tail flicking with worry. "There's something terribly wrong with me, isn't there?"
Contrary to her expectations, Falconstorm didn't seem surprised. Or even all that grim. After following his instructions to lie down, Appleshade sullenly mused on how she'd break the news to Skyfall that she'd be retiring early. Falconstorm's nose poked against her belly and she squirmed from the ticklishness.
He mentioned grief still having an effect upon her - Appleshade sighed - but then he gave an additional diagnosis.
"You're pregnant, Appleshade."
The pretty she-cat gasped. "I'm what?"
"The signs are all there. Be careful to keep your weight up so the kits grow up healthy."
Appleshade's jaw dropped. She wasn't dying. She wasn't even becoming a worn-out old lady. She was pregnant.
Pregnant. With kits. A whole litter.
Oh goodness gracious, I'm a queen! Falconstorm mentioned something else but Appleshade hadn't heard him; instead, she had hopped onto her paws and fluttered through the entrance of the medicine cat's den. Her heart was pounding so hard, her skin flushed beneath her pelt with delight and fear and shock all at the same time. Her heartbeat was in her ears, and she imagined some of those beats were the hearts of her yet-to-be-born kits.
Their yet to be born kits.
"Skyfall!" Appleshade's voice, normally melifluous and sweet, carried a higher pitch than normal. She didn't care if the whole camp heard her. She had to tell him!
Appleshade darted through camp and out by the ancient stump. "Skyfall!" Oh StarClan, where was he? Of all the times to make himself scarce! The new queen bumped into Zephyrfang, who raised his brows at her and then directed her to the sparkling brook.
Appleshade didn't even blurt out a thank-you, simply took off in the direction Zephyrfang had indicated. As soon as her mate's stark white fur came into view, the breathless she-cat pounced on him, trying to purr and breathe and tell him all at the same time.
The words finally came out in a giddy tumble. "Oh Skyfall! We're having kits! I'm pregnant! We're having kits! We're having kits!"
76 Moons | Warrior-Queen | TreeClan
[smear:d67db2]A little party never killed nobody[/smear:ffffff]
williams Taxx
(The kit countdown begins! <3)
Justice
(Falconstorm mention! Let me know if this post is okay or if I should change or remove anything!)