Post by Deleted on Feb 18, 2016 8:17:35 GMT -5
Early Leaf-bare
It was getting late. The air grew colder, and a stiff wind ruffled her fur. Where was he? The ginger tabby shifted her paws. He had gone out before sundown, leading a hunting patrol. She looked up, watching as the last rays of sun faded out. She rose from her seated position, slightly wobbly. She moved closer to the camp entrance, waiting for him. The kits in her belly stirred, and she let out a slow breath. “Just a little longer, loves. Daddy’s coming home first,” she whispered. She hoped he wouldn’t be out too much longer.
She was at the end of her pregnancy. It was perhaps taking a little longer than normal, and she was anxious to see her kits. But she wanted her mate to be there with her. A tremor ran along her belly, and she grimaced and held her breath. The contractions had started after Thornstrike left, and though still mild, they were getting stronger. She sat down again, her tail twitching in impatience and worry. He usually didn’t stay out hunting this long, not with the kits due any minute. So where was he?
The faint sound of pawsteps reached her ears, and her entire being perked up. Was it him? She rose again as the steps got closer, another shiver running through her body. Cats were approaching the camp, and she shuffled her paws impatiently. Three cats came through, all carrying a piece or two of prey. She wasn’t concerned about them, though. Where was Thornstrike?
He came through a moment later, carrying only one piece of prey. Her stomach lurched in a combination of relief, hunger, and a contraction. “Thornstrike!” She called out to him, causing him to turn and look at her. She gave him a smile, and he closed the distance between them, his catch still hanging from his jaws. He dropped it at their paws before rubbing his face against hers.
“Emberstorm.” She couldn’t help herself; she smiled like an over-excited kit. He stepped back, matching her smile. Then, he looked down, and Emberstorm’s eyes followed. Lying at their paws was the prey he had brought back. “I spent a long time tracking it for you. I know it’s your favorite.” He nudged the chipmunk closer to her, and she looked up at him, smiling broadly. So that’s what had taken him so long.
“Thornstrike, I–” her words were cut short as a contraction rippled through her belly. Her face contorted, and her breath caught in her throat. Thornstrike’s eyes grew impossibly wide. “Emberstorm?” When the pain subsided, she looked up at him. “I think…it’s time.”
Somehow, Thornstrike’s eyes grew even wider. “Okay, okay. Wait here; I’ll go get Littletimber. Don’t—don’t move.” The brown tabby raced off toward the medicine cat’s den. It didn't take long before he was back, pressing his side against hers. “Come on, let’s get you to the nursery.” He nudged her forward, and her paws willingly moved. She let him guide her back toward her nest, stopping and leaning on him as another contraction gripped her. She panted and nodded, and they set forward again.
He helped her settle into her nest, and Littletimber appeared in the den soon after with a bundle of herbs in his jaws. Thornstrike positioned himself near Emberstorm’s head, close enough to be of comfort, yet still out of the medicine cat’s way.
It was a long, painful process, but finally, with the night half over, Emberstorm lay peacefully in her nest, three healthy kittens nestled against her belly. She let out a deep sigh and smiled sleepily up at Thornstrike. “We need to name them,” she breathed. Thornstrike purred and licked the top of her head. “Naming them can wait. You should sleep now.”
Surprisingly, the ginger warrior-turned-queen didn’t protest. She just let out a weak ‘okay’ and let her head drop onto the moss. Thornstrike smiled, and then settled down as well, laying his head near to hers. He watched his mate and kittens sleep until he too fell into slumber.
Morning came and found the young family still asleep. None of the five stirred much until a silver head peeked into the den. “Emberstorm.” Emberstorm’s ears flicked, but it was Thornstrike’s eyes that opened. Recognizing the she-cat, he smiled and lifted his head.
“Silvercloud. Come on in.” The silver and black tabby smiled and stepped into the nursery. Thornstrike nuzzled Emberstorm’s head gently, and she stirred. She opened her maw in a massive yawn and stretched slightly before finally opening her eyes. When she saw Silvercloud, she smiled. “Came to see your grandkits?” Silvercloud let out a soft laugh, and Emberstorm shifted so her mother could see the three kittens better.
The silver tabby came closer and sniffed at the kits, giving each one a few comforting licks. “They’re beautiful. Just like you.” Emberstorm ducked her head and gave a shy smile, which made Thornstrike laugh. She shot him a glare, then relaxed into a smile.
“Did I miss anything?” The den entrance was drenched in shadow as another cat squeezed in. The flame-colored tom carried something in his maw, but Emberstorm couldn’t get a good look at it. “Only everything, Daddy!” Emberstorm giggled. Flamedance crowded closer, dropping the fresh-kill at the edge of the nest. “I found this in the middle of camp this morning. I figured something important must have happened for it to be abandoned.”
Thornstrike smiled. It was the chipmunk he had brought home last night, before Emberstorm went into labor. “Thank you, Flamedance.” Flamedance dipped his head to Thornstrike before leaning down to look at the kits. He repeated the actions that Silvercloud had taken, and Emberstorm marveled at just how alike her parents were sometimes.
“Have you named them yet?” Silvercloud asked. Emberstorm looked at her, before looking down at her kits. “No, we haven’t yet. I wanted to last night, but Thornstrike told me to go to sleep instead.” She flashed a smile at the memory.
Flamedance leaned over and whispered in Silvercloud’s ear, quietly enough that the new parents couldn’t hear. Thornstrike looked at Emberstorm, who simply shrugged. Once her parents had finished their near-silent conversation, they both looked at Emberstorm. “If you don’t mind our suggestion,” Flamedance started, “this one looks highly familiar.” He gently indicated with his paw the dark-furred male sleeping on top of his ginger sister.
Emberstorm tilted her head to look at her kit, not seeing what her father was talking about. Silvercloud leaned a little closer and spoke softly, “He looks just like Stonepaw when he was a kit.” The ginger queen’s head shot up and she looked at her parents, green eyes wide. They simply nodded, and she turned to Thornstrike. He tilted his head in a gesture that meant ‘whatever you want’, and she looked down at her kit again. Now that she knew who they meant, she began to see a slight resemblance to the brother she had lost. “Very well then.” She licked him gently. “Stonekit it is.” She smiled at him, and Thornstrike spoke.
“The ginger one should have a fire-esque name. Like her mother and grandfather.” Flamedance chuckled softly at that. “Starting a tradition?” Thornstrike shrugged. “Why not?”
“So…Firekit, then?” Silvercloud suggested.
“Stonekit and Firekit. That just leaves one,” Emberstorm said. She looked up suddenly, a thought popping into her head. “Where’s Dustfall? Maybe he can name the other one.”
“He was sent on the dawn patrol. However, when he comes back, I’ll let him know you want to see him.” It was Silvercloud who spoke, a gentle smile on her face. “Until then, however, I think we ought to take our leave. It’s gotten crowded in here, and you need your rest. And,” she flicked her tail to the forgotten chipmunk, “you need to eat.” Silvercloud and Flamedance took turns nuzzling the kits and Emberstorm, and Silvercloud bumped her head against Thornstrike’s as well. Emberstorm watched them leave with a smile on her face.
Thornstrike clearing his throat brought her attention back to her immediate area. She smiled at him, and he nudged the chipmunk closer to her. Her stomach growled, and her eyes widened in surprise before she let out a laugh. With the stress of kitting and the excitement of having her family around her, she had completely forgotten that she hadn’t eaten since the morning before. Giving her mate a grateful smile, she shifted so she was lying more on her belly, and settled down to eat. The kits at her side readjusted themselves when she moved, but otherwise remained content to lay on top of each other against her side. As she ate, she couldn’t help the purr that rumbled through her entire being. When her meal was finished, she settled back with a soft sigh. Her mate rose and lowered his head to nuzzle against her.
“My fire.” Thornstrike looked down on his mate and kits with such love in his eyes that Emberstorm’s heart was fit to burst. He nuzzled the kits, then swiped his tongue over Emberstorm’s forehead a few times. Her purr matched his in intensity, and she smiled warmly at him with half-closed eyes.
“Go,” she said. “Go get some food and rest. A little fresh air will do you good.” She stretched herself up enough to gently bump her head against his jaw. Thornstrike remained for a moment longer, savouring the peace and joy of his new little family. Then his own stomach gurgled. He grimaced, and Emberstorm giggled. “Go, love. Eat. Rest. You deserve it, too, you know.” She smirked at him, and he returned the smile and gave her ear a swift lick. “I love you.”
Emberstorm purred. “I love you, too.” Thornstrike turned and exited the nursery, and Emberstorm settled back onto her side. Her newborn kits tumbled over one another, huddling in close to her warmth in their search for their own nourishment. As they fed, Emberstorm slowly drifted in to sleep.
When Emberstorm woke next, she startled at the unfamiliar den. Slightly panicked, she flipped onto her stomach, claws digging into the moss. A tiny squeak had her eyes wide, and she looked around for the source. It only took a few heartbeats to realise where she was and remember why she was there, and it took another two heartbeats for her to look down sharply to see which kit she had inadvertently squished. She rolled over slightly, giving Stonekit a gentle nudge away from where she wanted to lay. She flopped back to her belly once she was sure all three were out of the way and waited.
A familiar tabby head poked its way into the den, and Emberstorm’s heart soared. Thornstrike crawled into the nursery, moving toward Emberstorm’s nest. He bumped his head against hers, and their purrs filled the small space before he drew back with a smile. He looked over his shoulder, and Emberstorm smiled brightly when she saw a dusty cream tom standing in the entry. “Dustfall!” She waved her tail in happiness as her brother stepped closer. Her purr rumbled loudly as she reached up to touch her nose to his, before settling back and sweeping her tail in a display gesture. “Meet your very first nieces and nephew.” Dustfall peered down into the nest, a thoughtful smile on his face. “What are their names?”
It was Thornstrike who answered. “The dark ginger one is Firekit, and the tom is Stonekit.” Dustfall lifted his blue eyes to Thornstrike at the mention of Stonekit, before flicking to Emberstorm, then to the kit. Emberstorm merely nodded, and watched as Dustfall stared at the kit a tad differently.
“He does resemble him, doesn’t he…” His voice was little more than a whisper, and Emberstorm touched her tailtip to her brother gently. “Flamedance pointed it out,” Thornstrike said. After a few more moments of silence, Thornstrike spoke again. “We haven’t named the third one yet. Would you like to name her?” Dustfall’s head snapped up and he looked at Thornstrike in surprise. “M-me?” Thornstrike nodded. “Silvercloud and Flamedance named Stonekit, and I named Firekit. Emberstorm’s next reaction? ‘Where’s Dustfall?’”
Dustfall turned to Emberstorm, eyes still wide. “Really?”
Emberstorm purred. “Really.”
He looked down at the pale ginger kitten. He remained silent for a while, just watching her sleep. When he spoke, his voice was soft as usual. “She looks a bit like a lion…maybe Lionkit?” He looked up at Emberstorm, then Thornstrike. Emberstorm looked to her mate, who had been watching Dustfall with his eyes partially closed. There was silence for a few heartbeats before Thornstrike finally spoke. “Lionkit…is a wonderful name.” Thornstrike smiled, and Dustfall’s face filled with happiness.
“Stonekit, Firekit, and Lionkit. They have some big names to fill.” Emberstorm smiled down at her kits, then up at her mate and her brother. The sheer joy on her face could have lit and warmed the entire valley. Dustfall smiled, and Thornstrike purred. And for the moment, all the world was at peace.
--- ---
It was getting late. The air grew colder, and a stiff wind ruffled her fur. Where was he? The ginger tabby shifted her paws. He had gone out before sundown, leading a hunting patrol. She looked up, watching as the last rays of sun faded out. She rose from her seated position, slightly wobbly. She moved closer to the camp entrance, waiting for him. The kits in her belly stirred, and she let out a slow breath. “Just a little longer, loves. Daddy’s coming home first,” she whispered. She hoped he wouldn’t be out too much longer.
She was at the end of her pregnancy. It was perhaps taking a little longer than normal, and she was anxious to see her kits. But she wanted her mate to be there with her. A tremor ran along her belly, and she grimaced and held her breath. The contractions had started after Thornstrike left, and though still mild, they were getting stronger. She sat down again, her tail twitching in impatience and worry. He usually didn’t stay out hunting this long, not with the kits due any minute. So where was he?
The faint sound of pawsteps reached her ears, and her entire being perked up. Was it him? She rose again as the steps got closer, another shiver running through her body. Cats were approaching the camp, and she shuffled her paws impatiently. Three cats came through, all carrying a piece or two of prey. She wasn’t concerned about them, though. Where was Thornstrike?
He came through a moment later, carrying only one piece of prey. Her stomach lurched in a combination of relief, hunger, and a contraction. “Thornstrike!” She called out to him, causing him to turn and look at her. She gave him a smile, and he closed the distance between them, his catch still hanging from his jaws. He dropped it at their paws before rubbing his face against hers.
“Emberstorm.” She couldn’t help herself; she smiled like an over-excited kit. He stepped back, matching her smile. Then, he looked down, and Emberstorm’s eyes followed. Lying at their paws was the prey he had brought back. “I spent a long time tracking it for you. I know it’s your favorite.” He nudged the chipmunk closer to her, and she looked up at him, smiling broadly. So that’s what had taken him so long.
“Thornstrike, I–” her words were cut short as a contraction rippled through her belly. Her face contorted, and her breath caught in her throat. Thornstrike’s eyes grew impossibly wide. “Emberstorm?” When the pain subsided, she looked up at him. “I think…it’s time.”
Somehow, Thornstrike’s eyes grew even wider. “Okay, okay. Wait here; I’ll go get Littletimber. Don’t—don’t move.” The brown tabby raced off toward the medicine cat’s den. It didn't take long before he was back, pressing his side against hers. “Come on, let’s get you to the nursery.” He nudged her forward, and her paws willingly moved. She let him guide her back toward her nest, stopping and leaning on him as another contraction gripped her. She panted and nodded, and they set forward again.
He helped her settle into her nest, and Littletimber appeared in the den soon after with a bundle of herbs in his jaws. Thornstrike positioned himself near Emberstorm’s head, close enough to be of comfort, yet still out of the medicine cat’s way.
--- ---
It was a long, painful process, but finally, with the night half over, Emberstorm lay peacefully in her nest, three healthy kittens nestled against her belly. She let out a deep sigh and smiled sleepily up at Thornstrike. “We need to name them,” she breathed. Thornstrike purred and licked the top of her head. “Naming them can wait. You should sleep now.”
Surprisingly, the ginger warrior-turned-queen didn’t protest. She just let out a weak ‘okay’ and let her head drop onto the moss. Thornstrike smiled, and then settled down as well, laying his head near to hers. He watched his mate and kittens sleep until he too fell into slumber.
--- ---
Morning came and found the young family still asleep. None of the five stirred much until a silver head peeked into the den. “Emberstorm.” Emberstorm’s ears flicked, but it was Thornstrike’s eyes that opened. Recognizing the she-cat, he smiled and lifted his head.
“Silvercloud. Come on in.” The silver and black tabby smiled and stepped into the nursery. Thornstrike nuzzled Emberstorm’s head gently, and she stirred. She opened her maw in a massive yawn and stretched slightly before finally opening her eyes. When she saw Silvercloud, she smiled. “Came to see your grandkits?” Silvercloud let out a soft laugh, and Emberstorm shifted so her mother could see the three kittens better.
The silver tabby came closer and sniffed at the kits, giving each one a few comforting licks. “They’re beautiful. Just like you.” Emberstorm ducked her head and gave a shy smile, which made Thornstrike laugh. She shot him a glare, then relaxed into a smile.
“Did I miss anything?” The den entrance was drenched in shadow as another cat squeezed in. The flame-colored tom carried something in his maw, but Emberstorm couldn’t get a good look at it. “Only everything, Daddy!” Emberstorm giggled. Flamedance crowded closer, dropping the fresh-kill at the edge of the nest. “I found this in the middle of camp this morning. I figured something important must have happened for it to be abandoned.”
Thornstrike smiled. It was the chipmunk he had brought home last night, before Emberstorm went into labor. “Thank you, Flamedance.” Flamedance dipped his head to Thornstrike before leaning down to look at the kits. He repeated the actions that Silvercloud had taken, and Emberstorm marveled at just how alike her parents were sometimes.
“Have you named them yet?” Silvercloud asked. Emberstorm looked at her, before looking down at her kits. “No, we haven’t yet. I wanted to last night, but Thornstrike told me to go to sleep instead.” She flashed a smile at the memory.
Flamedance leaned over and whispered in Silvercloud’s ear, quietly enough that the new parents couldn’t hear. Thornstrike looked at Emberstorm, who simply shrugged. Once her parents had finished their near-silent conversation, they both looked at Emberstorm. “If you don’t mind our suggestion,” Flamedance started, “this one looks highly familiar.” He gently indicated with his paw the dark-furred male sleeping on top of his ginger sister.
Emberstorm tilted her head to look at her kit, not seeing what her father was talking about. Silvercloud leaned a little closer and spoke softly, “He looks just like Stonepaw when he was a kit.” The ginger queen’s head shot up and she looked at her parents, green eyes wide. They simply nodded, and she turned to Thornstrike. He tilted his head in a gesture that meant ‘whatever you want’, and she looked down at her kit again. Now that she knew who they meant, she began to see a slight resemblance to the brother she had lost. “Very well then.” She licked him gently. “Stonekit it is.” She smiled at him, and Thornstrike spoke.
“The ginger one should have a fire-esque name. Like her mother and grandfather.” Flamedance chuckled softly at that. “Starting a tradition?” Thornstrike shrugged. “Why not?”
“So…Firekit, then?” Silvercloud suggested.
“Stonekit and Firekit. That just leaves one,” Emberstorm said. She looked up suddenly, a thought popping into her head. “Where’s Dustfall? Maybe he can name the other one.”
“He was sent on the dawn patrol. However, when he comes back, I’ll let him know you want to see him.” It was Silvercloud who spoke, a gentle smile on her face. “Until then, however, I think we ought to take our leave. It’s gotten crowded in here, and you need your rest. And,” she flicked her tail to the forgotten chipmunk, “you need to eat.” Silvercloud and Flamedance took turns nuzzling the kits and Emberstorm, and Silvercloud bumped her head against Thornstrike’s as well. Emberstorm watched them leave with a smile on her face.
Thornstrike clearing his throat brought her attention back to her immediate area. She smiled at him, and he nudged the chipmunk closer to her. Her stomach growled, and her eyes widened in surprise before she let out a laugh. With the stress of kitting and the excitement of having her family around her, she had completely forgotten that she hadn’t eaten since the morning before. Giving her mate a grateful smile, she shifted so she was lying more on her belly, and settled down to eat. The kits at her side readjusted themselves when she moved, but otherwise remained content to lay on top of each other against her side. As she ate, she couldn’t help the purr that rumbled through her entire being. When her meal was finished, she settled back with a soft sigh. Her mate rose and lowered his head to nuzzle against her.
“My fire.” Thornstrike looked down on his mate and kits with such love in his eyes that Emberstorm’s heart was fit to burst. He nuzzled the kits, then swiped his tongue over Emberstorm’s forehead a few times. Her purr matched his in intensity, and she smiled warmly at him with half-closed eyes.
“Go,” she said. “Go get some food and rest. A little fresh air will do you good.” She stretched herself up enough to gently bump her head against his jaw. Thornstrike remained for a moment longer, savouring the peace and joy of his new little family. Then his own stomach gurgled. He grimaced, and Emberstorm giggled. “Go, love. Eat. Rest. You deserve it, too, you know.” She smirked at him, and he returned the smile and gave her ear a swift lick. “I love you.”
Emberstorm purred. “I love you, too.” Thornstrike turned and exited the nursery, and Emberstorm settled back onto her side. Her newborn kits tumbled over one another, huddling in close to her warmth in their search for their own nourishment. As they fed, Emberstorm slowly drifted in to sleep.
--- ---
When Emberstorm woke next, she startled at the unfamiliar den. Slightly panicked, she flipped onto her stomach, claws digging into the moss. A tiny squeak had her eyes wide, and she looked around for the source. It only took a few heartbeats to realise where she was and remember why she was there, and it took another two heartbeats for her to look down sharply to see which kit she had inadvertently squished. She rolled over slightly, giving Stonekit a gentle nudge away from where she wanted to lay. She flopped back to her belly once she was sure all three were out of the way and waited.
A familiar tabby head poked its way into the den, and Emberstorm’s heart soared. Thornstrike crawled into the nursery, moving toward Emberstorm’s nest. He bumped his head against hers, and their purrs filled the small space before he drew back with a smile. He looked over his shoulder, and Emberstorm smiled brightly when she saw a dusty cream tom standing in the entry. “Dustfall!” She waved her tail in happiness as her brother stepped closer. Her purr rumbled loudly as she reached up to touch her nose to his, before settling back and sweeping her tail in a display gesture. “Meet your very first nieces and nephew.” Dustfall peered down into the nest, a thoughtful smile on his face. “What are their names?”
It was Thornstrike who answered. “The dark ginger one is Firekit, and the tom is Stonekit.” Dustfall lifted his blue eyes to Thornstrike at the mention of Stonekit, before flicking to Emberstorm, then to the kit. Emberstorm merely nodded, and watched as Dustfall stared at the kit a tad differently.
“He does resemble him, doesn’t he…” His voice was little more than a whisper, and Emberstorm touched her tailtip to her brother gently. “Flamedance pointed it out,” Thornstrike said. After a few more moments of silence, Thornstrike spoke again. “We haven’t named the third one yet. Would you like to name her?” Dustfall’s head snapped up and he looked at Thornstrike in surprise. “M-me?” Thornstrike nodded. “Silvercloud and Flamedance named Stonekit, and I named Firekit. Emberstorm’s next reaction? ‘Where’s Dustfall?’”
Dustfall turned to Emberstorm, eyes still wide. “Really?”
Emberstorm purred. “Really.”
He looked down at the pale ginger kitten. He remained silent for a while, just watching her sleep. When he spoke, his voice was soft as usual. “She looks a bit like a lion…maybe Lionkit?” He looked up at Emberstorm, then Thornstrike. Emberstorm looked to her mate, who had been watching Dustfall with his eyes partially closed. There was silence for a few heartbeats before Thornstrike finally spoke. “Lionkit…is a wonderful name.” Thornstrike smiled, and Dustfall’s face filled with happiness.
“Stonekit, Firekit, and Lionkit. They have some big names to fill.” Emberstorm smiled down at her kits, then up at her mate and her brother. The sheer joy on her face could have lit and warmed the entire valley. Dustfall smiled, and Thornstrike purred. And for the moment, all the world was at peace.