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Post by Justice on Nov 4, 2017 20:26:58 GMT -5
It was early morning. The sun hadn't even made an appearance in the sky yet, and yet she was awake. Startled from slumber by a sharp pain in her sides. She thought perhaps one of the kits was in a bad position and rolled her largely pregnant body to lie on her opposite side. For a little while that helped and so she started to doze again. But the pain came again, sharp and insistant. The lilac colored she-cat took in short panting breaths and realized suddenly what had to be happening. The kits were coming. She was in labor! She needed to get up, to have someone fetch her mate and get to the medicine den so Falconstorm could be there to help her in case anything went wrong. When she found she was unable to get up on her own she yowled like she was dying until one of the warriors came in to see what the racket was about. She quickly barked at him to take her to Falconstorm before she gave birth unassisted. Of course she didn't have to go to the medicine den, but with her being at such high risk from a previous miscarriage and her age she wanted to be where it would be easiest to get to the herbs Falconstorm would need. He took her. As soon as he saw the tension in her sides, the tautness in her belly as the contractions started Falconstorm rushed her into his den and made her comfortable before popping his head out the den and doing something she didn't think was very becoming of a medicine cat. He didn't question why she'd come to him instead of sending for him, just made sure she was comfortable. "LIONSTAR! Get your StarClan forsaken fluffy rump over here! Now!" Honeysong would have scolded him for bellowing at their leader if she didn't desperately want her mate nearby while this was happening. The camp was starting to come alive, and several of those in the early patrol had stopped at the loud summons of their medicine cat. "Just breathe, Honeysong, everything is going to be fine. He'll be here soon and I'll be with you through this entire thing. Soon there will be new kits for you to dote on and love." He licked the top of her head and butted his head gently to hers with a low purr, soothing. She was in the capable paws of their medicine cat, and Lionstar was likely on his way. Rather or not the irritable Falconstorm let him into the den with them was another matter. FawnNotes : Yes, Falconstorm bellows. |
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Post by Fawn on Nov 9, 2017 17:17:12 GMT -5
Lionstar The crown is getting heavy
But they've written my name in the stars The night before had been long; Honeysong had been in the nursery for a pawful of days, and it wasn't getting any easier to sleep without her. After waiting moons for the right she-cat to walk into his life, Lionstar felt that she-cat's absence strongly now that the nest he curled up in each night was empty of her presence. The nightmares did not help, either.
Rather than try to get more sleep, Lionstar awoke before dawn, stretching each limb until the fatigue dissipated and giving his thick coat a hearty shake. Gorsetail would organize the dawn patrol soon enough; Lionstar tiptoed to the nursery, hearing the quiet, peaceful breathing of the den's occupants. A soft smile touched his muzzle. It took restraint not to tiptoe further into the nursery on his too-large paws so he could nuzzle Honeysong's cheek, and whisper a good-morning she wouldn't hear. Instead, he moved away as quietly as he'd come, and let his day begin in earnest.
"LIONSTAR! Get your StarClan forsaken fluffy rump over here! Now!"
The bellowed-for tom had walked a protective circle around TreeClan's camp, paw steps carrying him near the brook for a drink and back again. That restlessness paid off, however, as Falconstorm's voice shook through the forest like a thunder-crack. Lionstar sprinted back to camp, ignoring the startled faces of a few sleepy Clanmates making their way out of the warriors and apprentices' dens. He slowed enough to say "take Thornpaw with you," to Gorsetail organizing patrols, and completed his journey to the medicine cat's den.
Honeysong's scent and Falconstorm's soothing words took him out of a frantic mindset, jolting the golden tom into a softer state of being. His steps naturally quieted down, and he entered the den with a sense of respect and admiration for them both, a sigh of relief that nothing was wrong (that he could see) making his whiskers twitch. "I'm here, Honeysong. Right here." With a cautious glance at Falconstorm—was he going to get his ears clawed off if he curled up beside her?—Lionstar decided to risk it.
He wanted her to know he was here through it all. For good or for bad. With StarClan's blessing, today would be a good one, marked by the birth of a new litter of kits he had almost given up hope of having. With love and anxiety pulsing through his heart in equal measure, TreeClan's leader settled his body beside her, making sure she had the majority of the nest. She needed it more than he did. If the choice had been offer her the softest moss and sleep on a bed of thistles as a result, he would have taken it. What devoted mate wouldn't? Anticipation made Lionstar's tail twitch, so he spoke again, adding his own soothing tones to the expectant air of the medicine den. "They're going to have an incredible, smart, sweet mother. These are going to be the luckiest kits in the forest, Honeysong. I can't wait to meet them."
With a little prayer sent to their ancestors, Lionstar played spectator to the event about to take place. I've been building up all these kingdoms for so long
It's good to be king |
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Post by Justice on Nov 17, 2017 0:17:27 GMT -5
Honeysong We'll forget the sun in his jealous sky
As we lie in fields of gold70 Moons, Senior Warrior of TreeClan Honeysong's sides heaved, her swollen belly a hard knot as another contraction hit her. She just prayed they'd stay inside her until Lionstar made it. She took the herbs Falconstorm was pushing at her, chewing them diligently. Her eyes lit up when her mate arrived, and gave the medicine cat a dirty look for his bellowing, just daring him to send her beloved from the nest.
Falconstorm sighed. "Try and keep calm, both of you. Lionstar, of course you can stay, so long as you don't upset Honeysong. Honeysong, the kits are coming, it won't be too much longer. Be strong and put your trust in me. I won't fail you."
The lilac queen's head bobbed for both the toms, acknowledging the support she was being given. "Everything will be okay now." She looked at her mate, smiling despite the pain. "You're here now, nothing bad can happen." She grimaced as another contraction hit, and she realized there was no longer time for words.
"Breathe, Honeysong, remember to breathe." Falconstorm went to her tail and gently nudged it so he could see what was going on. "The first kit is coming. Lionstar massage her belly, gently. It'll help." He'd given her what herbs he could, his task now was more to keep their leader from getting to anxious with what was going on.
His primary concern was the attack she'd suffered not so long ago, and rather or not any of these kits would come stillborn because of it. He prayed hard that StarClan would protect them, that they'd all be healthy and squawling the entire way into the world. Then the first kit arrived in his medicine den and the tom immediately set to clean it up and harass the tiny creature until it started squalling and mewling in protest. "One." He muttered and scruffed the tiny thing to move it carefully over to Honeysong's belly where it belonged. He thought it was a female, but the next kit was coming so he didn't check immediately.
"You're doing well." He purred quietly at her, watching for signs of the second kit coming out. "Here's the next one." He prayed for this one as he had for the first, and sighed in relief when it came out squalling even before he started cleaning and poking it. A male this time, he checked. "Two."
Honeysong was getting tired, panting heavily as her body continued to heave. But she had two healthy kits already, and her body was telling her there was at least one more waiting to come. She was exhausted but happy and wanting this to be over. "I can...do this..." She told Lionstar between panting breaths, bracing against him for strength.
Her body convulsed then and something warm came from the lower half of her body. "Stop! Don't push, don't push!"
Something had gone wrong, but she didn't have much choice at this point. Falconstorm pushed another herb at her and was barking orders, but she couldn't hear what he was saying. She felt strange, weak even. What had happened?
"Stay awake!" She snapped back to the present, looking blankly at Lionstar as if he'd been the one to yell at her.
Falconstorm was doing something, and she hurt, but the two kits at her belly seemed to be fine. What was wrong?
The final kit left her body in a rush, with their medicine cat cursing the entire time as he scooted the kit into a different nest and did something where she couldn't see.
"Lionstar, keep her awake, talk to her. This kit needs my attention now." He was growling, and she could see his fluffy tail lashing back and forth.
"What's going on? Lionstar?"
Word Count // Fawn @poptart @zen // Notes Notes : So the birth order is Ivykit, Brackenkit, and Lilykit. Lilykit has been born in the breach position [that is backwards] with permission of Smokey. This is in order to explain her blindness. |
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Post by Fawn on Nov 17, 2017 22:33:34 GMT -5
Lionstar The crown is getting heavy
But they've written my name in the stars Lionstar's big paws rested gently on his mate's belly, and he kneaded the queen's lilac fur, trying to keep the worry off his face. She needed his strength, his support - not his fears and his doubts. So he buried them deep, and concentrated all his heart on presenting Honeysong with a dependable, invincible wall she could rely on. His golden ears pricked forward, the kneading momentarily halting as he was distracted by the first kit's loud mewl. We have a son, or daughter. The urge to ask about the kit's gender struck him, but Falconstorm was preoccupied - and it was a question that could wait until later.
Fatigue was starting to plague Honeysong, and Lionstar spoke words of adoration and praise, encouraging her even as Falconstorm brought the second kit to the queen's belly. Two beautiful, healthy kits. He purred so loudly it almost drowned out the rapid beating of his heart. The way she panted and seemed to tire was beginning to set him on edge.
All the negative emotions he'd tried his best to suppress rose up with a vengeance, as Falconstorm's sharp commands pierced the air. He snapped at Honeysong to stay awake, and was carrying away what looked to be the third, final kit to a second nest. "Falconstorm what's going on?" Lionstar demanded, fear putting a hard edge to his voice. He snapped out of it, and quickly nuzzled Honeysong, putting on a kinder tone. "You've been incredible, Honeysong. You have all the strength of TigerClan, my love. Three healthy kits," he paused as if daring Falconstorm to contradict him. "Falconstorm's making sure they're alright." And that she would be alright.
He could smell blood, and the conscious awareness that it was Honeysong's made him want to growl and pace, as if waiting for an invisible enemy to come out and take credit for it. But fate was not something he could sink his claws into. StarClan, if you're listening, keep her here. Keep her here with me. She deserves to see her own kits. To be a mother to her own litter. Please, StarClan. He called upon his relatives, even little Lavenderkit and Cherrykit, his littermates who had not survived their first moon, to watch over the remainder of the kitting.
I don't hear any mewling. Lionstar's heart shuddered to a painful stop. Was the third kit...
I've been building up all these kingdoms for so long
It's good to be king 81 Moons || TreeClan || 389 Words || Justice |
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Post by Justice on Nov 18, 2017 1:11:59 GMT -5
Falconstorm stopped cursing. He stopped speaking for a long time as he worked with the kit, but he knew he had to do something. He slashed his tail then motioned to a small pile of herbs he'd situated close to Honeysong. "Have her chew those. Slowly. It'll help with the weakness and the bleeding." Some of those he usually only used when he was heading to Moon Tree, but needs must. He was multitasking, and coming to the horrifying realization that he needed an extra set of paws. Honeysong was bleeding heavily, but the herbs would help with that, and it had almost stopped now. She'd need to be cleaned up later. "Move her to the last clean nest, I'll be with you both momentarily." Had she lost consciousness? He hoped not. The kit lain out before him was blue, her tiny body unresponsive as he rapidly poked, licked, and flipped her every direction, even applying light pressure with his paws to stimulate her heart. StarClan please, don't let this happen. Not to Honeysong. Not again. His mother wanted only one thing in her life; a family. She was so close, just this one last kit. He prayed with all his might and kept harrassing the unresponsive kitten. "Where's...the last kit?" She was awake, but he didn't like how weak she sounded. She needed his attention, but he didn't want to give up on this kit. He prayed one last time, prayed that StarClan not punish Honeysong like this, that if some slight had been made against them that they punish him instead, since he deserved it more. He prayed, and he fussed, and he did everything he could. For a long few minutes nothing happened, and then the third kit suddenly shuddered under his administrations and let out a strangled cough followed by weak little mewls of protest. "That's it!" He cheered, his whole body shaking as he scooped up the final kit in the litter and laid her next to her two siblings, circling around to help Honeysong finally. "Everything's fine." His voice was steady even as his body shook from relief, and he felt tears sting his eyes. StarClan had heard their prayers, they let the littlest kit in the litter stay. "Three. There's three, they'll be fine, and you'll be wonderful parents." He gave her more herbs in small doses so that it wouldn't effect the kits, and started cleaning her up. She had no strength left, even with the herbs, but the bleeding had stopped. They were out of the danger zone. He'd done it. He'd successfully delivered kits by himself. Bluejay, are you proud of me?"I want to see...." She was trying to lift her head, but barely moved before plopping back down. "Lionstar, are they okay? Are they perfect?" Her voice was slowly getting fainter, feeling like it was now okay to rest since her part in this was over. She felt the strength of her mate, and the gentle affection of her adoptive son, and knew that all would be well. Between these two toms, everything would be fine. "Can I rest? Is everything okay?" FawnNotes : Whoo that was hard! |
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Post by Fawn on Nov 18, 2017 13:00:18 GMT -5
Lionstar The crown is getting heavy
But they've written my name in the stars This had become the longest day of Lionstar's life, and also the most terrifying. Battles were nothing. Dying - permanently or just losing a life - was nothing compared to the emotional unheaval in his heart. It made his chest tight and his body ache from the conscious effort it took not to tremble. He did everything Falconstorm instructed him to, barely aware of the faint noises of curiosity and concern coming in from outside the medicine cat's den.
StarClan, please. Lionstar held his breath, until a weak coughing mewl broke the tide of grief threatening to surge over him. The kit's alive! Lionstar shakily purred, as much to reassure Honeysong as to reassure himself, and when the pale kitten was brought over to its mother's belly, Lionstar's tongue rasped gently over each one. "Yes," he whispered, throat raw and husky from the ordeal. "They are perfect. Each one. You can rest now, Honeysong. Our kits are here, and I'll protect them." The purring was stronger this time, and he rubbed his cheek against hers, before burying his muzzle into Honeysong's neck for a few quiet seconds.
They had made it through this. And the hero of the hour was Falconstorm.
Without moving from Honeysong's side, his body wrapped protectively around her and their three kits, Lionstar tried to catch the medicine cat's eye. "I'm sorry if I ever made it seem like I doubted you, Falconstorm. I pushed you, before, and I am sorry. I didn't have any right to. You're an incredible medicine cat. Bluejay would be proud." Lionstar's expression softened, and he looked lovingly to the soft, tiny lives nestled in to nurse. "I am proud of you, too. You've saved my kit's life, and my mate's. Thank you."
It was Falconstorm's duty, but that didn't mean he was any less deserving of gratitude. The younger tom had frightened him with his hurrying, but Lionstar realized now that it was his attentiveness that had been on display before, not uncertainty. Lionstar made a weak chuckle, lightheaded from the adrenaline crashing back down.
"You're very lucky they can't hear anything," the golden tom rumbled. "Or else Honeysong would scold you for making 'Foxdung' the first word in their little ears." I've been building up all these kingdoms for so long
It's good to be king 81 Moons || TreeClan || 355 Words || Tags |
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