RiverClan Nursery

[Brilliance]

For a kit like Jaguar, he was certainly something special. A special case indeed. For as all this had been going on, he stayed remotely silent. Staring into space. Blinking his icy gaze for a moment, but not uttering a word. The kittens came to be that age where they could see, hear, and speak. All the moons that Jaguarkit nursed, he never talked. He was like a statue. A stoned aged one that seemed to have his living soul taken out of his growing body. Was...was this normal? Had his siblings saw what he seen? The color...black. Gloom. Darkness. The color of his entire world. When Jaguarkit was lifted by his father, he fought back - at first. Under the impression that someone was attacking him. It made him jump, move quickly as he didn't see, nor hear the movement. Though, this "attack" was not a vicious one. In fact, it was a gentle loft, where a mother would carry their little ones. So, instinctively Jaguarkit relaxed. He known fondly the scent of his parents. His mother and his father. He didn't know why his father picked him up - oh, were they moving? And, if so, to where? All the while, questions unanswered, the tom hung limply in the jaws of Sproutwhisker. His ears folded, having no use to perk anyway with the disabilities he had. Since he had been born blind and deaf, the Tom took a lot of effort sniffing out certain scents. Like the ones of his family members, whom held the scent of salty fish. It wasn't his favorite scent, he would admit, but it was a loving scent that washed upon him, making him realize that he was in safe paws.
In a sudden flash, everything came so quickly. Jaguarkit let out a screech of dismay. What was with the sudden rush? Why had everyone went bonkers? Jaguarkit found that he was put down in the midst of all this. Though, he stayed silent through it all. Unmoving. Blinking his gaze. He didn't know of the rash death of his mother, nor the horrible situation that his other siblings witnessed. He stayed still. Like a rock. His paw tapped the tough surface, taking note that he was in the nursery still. Same place? Same spot? Certainly not. Maybe, his mother was near. Jaguarkit lifted his muzzle, closing his lids to inhale her scent. In a flush, he was in the embrace of his father. Sproutwhisker's scent flooded his nostrils heavily, no sign of his mother. Just because he couldn't see or hear, didn't mean he had no clue what was going on. Certainly he found everything irrational. But this? Something serious happened. As in something bad. Something not for the faint-hearted. Desperately he wished to utter his words. Can't they read his mind? Just once...just please. But, based on the heavy mourning of the occasion, and the fact that his father held them frighteningly close, Jaguarkit found himself whimpering.

@The Little Robin || @Mystical || @Boulder || @Foggy22 || @starfall

[Foggy22]

@The Little Robin | @Mystical | @Constellation | @Boulder | @starfall

Spottedkit gave a wail of grief as the truth dawned upon her. Tears rolled down her face. She looked at her father, as grief stricken as her, and all her siblings. No. He was even sadder than all her siblings combined. She went closer to her mother, nuzzling her sadly. "I wish you could have lived longer." she whispered softly into Talonfang's fur. She stepped back, and sat down next to her sister. When Sproutwhisker gathered her and her siblings into a big embrace, she cuddled up to him, still crying. Then there was a question stuck in her mind. Why did she die? She had always seemed so strong, so loving. Why would she be taken from them at such an early stage?

[Barnabas]

Originally Posted by FadingEchoes

BrightRain purred in amusement, nosing Brackenkit off of Fallenleaf gently.

Brackenkit let out a mock snarl, leaping on to her mother, "For RiverClan!" She yowled again.

Fallenleaf looked at Brakenkit as he jumped on top of her mother in amusement. "Whats the best clan ever!?" yowled Fallenleaf.

[Boulder]

@The Ghostly Robin| @Mystical| @Constellation| @Foggy22| @starfall

Beechkit perked his ears as his father walked towards the five of them. Now, he was used to him coming to visit them and their mother, and the kit was happy that his father could visit them sometimes. He was always amazed by how he crossed the wall, by how he could trespass it without hurting his nose. Beechkit always thought that that wall was special, somehow. It was full of light, and he had to blink to keep looking. It felt warmth sometimes, others it was cold and the young kit didn't like it at all.
However, Beechkit looked confused as he saw his father bringing one of his littermates through the wall.
"What are you doing?"The kit mumbled, joining the duo. At least, that was what he wanted to do.
A sudden squeak broke his eye contact with his father's back, and brought his head to turn sharply towards his mother. She lied still, as always. When she slept, Beechkit remembered he used to cudde next to her, wondering if she was having some kind of dream. But this time, there was something different... something his paws cannot reach for his number of moons is too small. There's something blood-curdling (?) from the way the she-cat is sleeping. But Beechkit did not dare to get closer, to find comfort in the already gone warmth of his mother.
The kit just sat back down, uneasy, looking warily at his mother's fur. His paws prickled as a shiver ran down his spine. But he did not want to admit it.
Pitchkit's words stabbed his small and young heart for several seconds, as he stiffened. He just stared blankly at the amount of fur in the nursery.

All those memories... where they gone? All that time... was it wasted? The kit didn't know an answer suitable for him. His mother was gone. She was really gone. And it wasn't a game, they weren't playing. That wasn't a "fake". That was life. The second later it's soul had been clawed out by StarClan. He just kept staring in horror, before he could make a move. He uncertainly got closer, touching her mother's paw with his nose. He shivered. It was cold.

The warmth that had welcomed him to life was now gone forever.

[FadingEchoes]

Originally Posted by Ennard

Fallenleaf looked at Brakenkit as he jumped on top of her mother in amusement. "Whats the best clan ever!?" yowled Fallenleaf.

Brackenkit's whiskers twitched in amusement, "RiverClan of course!" She yelped back, her tail tip twitching.

[graves]

Originally Posted by TheLittleRobin

@Constellation | @starfall | @Boulder | @Foggy22 | @woly

Sproutwhisker didn’t know what to do, what to think, what to even feel at this point. His body was shaking like he was cold and out in the snow, feeling his heartbeat slowly soften as the tomcat’s painful yowling had faded away from the ringing in his ears. He buried his face into Talonfang’s neck, his claws digging into the moss underneath his paws as he regained himself ever so slowly with an endless ache in his chest and head. Was this really how the tomcat’s life would go? After he had lost Ripplewhisker to sickness so many moons ago, the black-furred warrior thought that Talonfang was his savior from this endless pain. She was supposed to live for so many more moons with him, they were going to watch their kittens grow to become noble warriors of Riverclan together as they aged in the Elder’s den and then they would go to Starclan together. Sproutwhisker didn’t know if he would be able to take this pain for much longer, this endless torture that he seemed to receive since he opened his eyes as a youth. The tomcat drew away from his emotional blur once his daughter’s whispering words stirred in his ears, making him remember once again that he was a father. He had five little ones to take care of all on his own now. He lifted his head to peer at Pitchkit for a moment. “She is with the stars now.” Sproutwhisker murmured, hating to just say that she was merely dead, “With my father, Ripplewhisker, your grandfather, safe from pain and harm.” He managed to actually heaved himself to his paws and shakingly lay down with his children, pulling them close to him and away from their lifeless mother. “I will take care of you, I promise. I will make sure all of you grow up to make your mother proud.” He was saying these words without much thought, almost to get him through this time, to help himself, though he was breaking inside now.

he couldnt help it. he couldnt let a cat break down only fox lengths away from him, feeling probably the worse pain you could ever feel in life. loss. the feeling of a loved one being ripped away from you without a goodbye, not being able to hold them close anymore, to see their smiling face everyday. to be blessed with their presence. whisperblaze had felt this to many times. with his first love, tumbledrop. his kits, shiverkit, risingkit and settingkit. it hurt. it stung, to have them be so close one moment and gone. the feeling that you couldve done something, the ever lasting feeling of regret. it was something he felt with every living breath he took he could understand somewhat of what the warrior was going through. he stepped over his own kits, who were pressed close to his belly, slowly walking over to where sproutwhisker was. he stood next to him,crouching down to lay next to the mourning warrior. he pressed somewhat close to him, using his thick and soft fur hopefully as a comforting feeling. there was nothing he could say that could truly comfort the warrior, but it was better then mourning here alone, to feel alone. ¨im sorry for your loss,¨he spoke softly, blue eyes sincere, voice soft.

[Captain]

@Constellation | @starfall | @Boulder | @Foggy22 | @woly | @Mystical

Sproutwhisker had experienced so much loss throughout his life and sometimes he could only wonder if it was some kind of punishment, but what had he even done wrong? He was not sure of anything anymore and right now, all he could do was mourn the death of his beloved Talonfang while comforting his five kittens that now lacked a mother to snuggle up to when the nights were cold. He was a widower and there was no question about it, a single father as well and all he could do was lay there in utter silence as his children whimpered and mewed with dismay, realizing that she was gone and would never be coming back. The black-furred warrior spat at Starclan for doing this to them, taking away the light of his life, the mate that he loved so dearly and the mother to his kittens. While Spottedkit cried into his fur and Jaguarkit whimpered quietly, the young tomcat watched as Beechkit pressed his small muzzle into his mother and her stiffened paw that lacked the comforting warmth that they had known since birth. He didn’t know what to do, what to say right now. His heart ached as much as it did the day that he had lost his father to sickness - perhaps even more because he wasn’t even there with her when she passed away. Sproutwhisker choose to just be there for his kittens as they all mourned the loss of Talonfang. He gently laid down in the moss nest that was supposed to be for new life, kittens, but now it was a death bed it seemed. It was a dark thought that he hated to dwell on right now. He made sure to hold Wavekit, Spottedkit, Pitchkit and Jaguarkit close to him as he nuzzled Beechkit softly as he shivered due to the coldness that came from the shecat. The male pressed his nose into his mate’s side, smelling her faded sweet scent that had brought him joy so long ago, but now it just made tears drip from the corners of his eyes. Before, he had yowled out in distress for everyone to hear the pain and loss within him, but now, he just silently wept with little to no noise coming from him. After a few moments or so, he felt the form of another cat lay down beside him, pelts touching. He did not move his head to see who it was, wanting to relish in the scent of his love for as long as it would linger. The other tomcat beside him, Whisperblaze, spoke words of sympathy and comfort to him, the tone soft and sincere. Sproutwhisker did not know him personally, but he had seen him around and knew his name since they had both shared the nursery with their families. “Thank you..” The male whispered to him, not knowing what else to say, “It all just happened so fast.. I don’t know what happened.” His tone showed hints of whimpering, "She seemed so fine earlier this morning, I wish I.. I could've gotten the medicine cat to tend to her, I just didn't know..."

[Boulder]

@Constellation | @starfall | @TheLittleRobin| @Foggy22 | @woly | @Mystical

The kit could do nothing as the tears formed(?) in his eyes. He was confused - he just experienced life for few moons. Still, his mother was dead. And no one could do nothing to bring her back. Beechkit swallowed hardly a sigh as he felt his father nuzzling him. He had to be strong, he had to hold on. For his family, for those who were even more broken than him. Beechkit looked thoughtful at Sproutwhisker, sadness clouding his eyes. The kit closed his eyes for several seconds, wondering how he could make things better, if there was any way he could help his lonely father. The young tom was way too young to do something useful, so he padded silently towards his father, emotionless. He couldn't smile at all, but he couldn't let himself, a black-and-white fluff ball sitting next to a warrior. Beechkit exhaled slowly, looking at his siblings with his eyes narrowed. Why, StarClan? Why them? Why Talonfang?

The kit looked at his mother's closed eyes, wondering where she was now, if she was okay at all. He looked through the nursery, towards the clearing. During daytime, he couldn't see any star shining above them. Still, they were there, weren't they?

"Are you there?" he couldn't help but question to himself. Could it be that her soul was still among them, trying to be seen? Trying to come back? So many questions kept their answers secret as Beechkit looked back at his littermates and his father, Sproutwhisker. He couldn't help but think how their life will change from that day onwards. Will they still sleep in that nest? Will they experience again the warmth of a mother's belly? Well, they certainly couldn't feel their mother's warmth again. Beechkit looked down at his paws.

As another warrior approached, he greeted him with a sad expression. What else could he have done? He was only a kit without a mother, now. He looked at the other cats in the nursery. He couldn't help but notice other kits, and envying them. Envying them for what he lost, because they could still sleep next to their mother, they could still experience the warmth on their fur while playing in the clearing under their mother's gaze, or the comforting licks, the tips their mother never gave them. Beechkit shook his head: he'd miss so much good things in life.

Deep down, he knew a tiny scar ran down his heart, changing his life forever.


(don't ask me why it's underlined, I have no idea.)

[graves]

Originally Posted by TheLittleRobin

@Constellation | @starfall | @Boulder | @Foggy22 | @woly | @Mystical

Sproutwhisker had experienced so much loss throughout his life and sometimes he could only wonder if it was some kind of punishment, but what had he even done wrong? He was not sure of anything anymore and right now, all he could do was mourn the death of his beloved Talonfang while comforting his five kittens that now lacked a mother to snuggle up to when the nights were cold. He was a widower and there was no question about it, a single father as well and all he could do was lay there in utter silence as his children whimpered and mewed with dismay, realizing that she was gone and would never be coming back. The black-furred warrior spat at Starclan for doing this to them, taking away the light of his life, the mate that he loved so dearly and the mother to his kittens. While Spottedkit cried into his fur and Jaguarkit whimpered quietly, the young tomcat watched as Beechkit pressed his small muzzle into his mother and her stiffened paw that lacked the comforting warmth that they had known since birth. He didn’t know what to do, what to say right now. His heart ached as much as it did the day that he had lost his father to sickness - perhaps even more because he wasn’t even there with her when she passed away. Sproutwhisker choose to just be there for his kittens as they all mourned the loss of Talonfang. He gently laid down in the moss nest that was supposed to be for new life, kittens, but now it was a death bed it seemed. It was a dark thought that he hated to dwell on right now. He made sure to hold Wavekit, Spottedkit, Pitchkit and Jaguarkit close to him as he nuzzled Beechkit softly as he shivered due to the coldness that came from the shecat. The male pressed his nose into his mate’s side, smelling her faded sweet scent that had brought him joy so long ago, but now it just made tears drip from the corners of his eyes. Before, he had yowled out in distress for everyone to hear the pain and loss within him, but now, he just silently wept with little to no noise coming from him. After a few moments or so, he felt the form of another cat lay down beside him, pelts touching. He did not move his head to see who it was, wanting to relish in the scent of his love for as long as it would linger. The other tomcat beside him, Whisperblaze, spoke words of sympathy and comfort to him, the tone soft and sincere. Sproutwhisker did not know him personally, but he had seen him around and knew his name since they had both shared the nursery with their families. “Thank you..” The male whispered to him, not knowing what else to say, “It all just happened so fast.. I don’t know what happened.” His tone showed hints of whimpering, "She seemed so fine earlier this morning, I wish I.. I could've gotten the medicine cat to tend to her, I just didn't know..."

whisperblaze settled next to him,blue hues starring at the unconscious shecat ahead of him. he remembered what it was like when he lost tumbledrop. she had been so young, so full of life one moment and then she was gone in a moment. she lived in thunderclan,still,he did care for her.what her fur felt like pressed against his own, quiet chatter of their laughing as they watched their kits play in the clearing. a lot of different now. he was now the father of russetstars kits, raising them in a nursery. hes happy, but there was some moments where he would still feel that longing. ¨dont blame yourself. im positive shes happy where ever she is,¨ referencing to the stars above. he had more cats in starclan then infront of him, the stars almost seemed comforting at this point. they felt like home, like family, something hed never be stripped of-the sky. where he could look above and feel his loved ones staring back at him. he looked around at the kits. he didnt know them, barely knew their names, so he decided to let sproutwhisker to the comforting regarding them. to bring a more..positive side to this, he spoke again,¨tell me a good story about her.¨

[Captain]

Originally Posted by woly

whisperblaze settled next to him,blue hues starring at the unconscious shecat ahead of him. he remembered what it was like when he lost tumbledrop. she had been so young, so full of life one moment and then she was gone in a moment. she lived in thunderclan,still,he did care for her.what her fur felt like pressed against his own, quiet chatter of their laughing as they watched their kits play in the clearing. a lot of different now. he was now the father of russetstars kits, raising them in a nursery. hes happy, but there was some moments where he would still feel that longing. ¨dont blame yourself. im positive shes happy where ever she is,¨ referencing to the stars above. he had more cats in starclan then infront of him, the stars almost seemed comforting at this point. they felt like home, like family, something hed never be stripped of-the sky. where he could look above and feel his loved ones staring back at him. he looked around at the kits. he didnt know them, barely knew their names, so he decided to let sproutwhisker to the comforting regarding them. to bring a more..positive side to this, he spoke again,¨tell me a good story about her.¨

Despite the other tomcat’s words, Sproutwhisker would let his mind wander from time to time about the chance of him being able to save his loved ones from their end. Would he have been able to save his father, Ripplewhisker, from dying of sickness if he had just become a medicine cat instead of a warrior? Or would have he been able to save Talonfang in time if he had stayed with her instead of offering to take their kittens outside to play for the moment? These thoughts troubled his mind constantly and made the warrior blame himself partially to even fully when it came to the death of his family. It scared him now that Talonfang was gone, could he actually manage to raise all five of their kittens on his own without her help? The motherly bond between a queen and her children was a powerful thing and surprisingly, he knew that despite being rejected by his birth mother. Instead of a mother, he had grown attached to his adopted father and his death affected his deeply, still to this current day at certain points. Sproutwhisker was still getting used to being a father and took Ripplewhisker as an example when it came to raising his children ever since they had opened their eyes and had begun to walk. Some of his children had special needs as well and he did not know how to handle such things, he was just a kittypet that had become a warrior in the clans many many moons ago. He lifted his head from the shecat’s softened, yet stiff fur to look at Whisperblaze, the sunken, broken look within his blue-hued eyes showing how empty and dead inside that he felt already from losing his first and only love that he had ever known. He had done this when he had heard the other male mention to him about telling a story about her, Talonfang, most likely to bring him to a happier mood. The young warrior thought for a moment or two about his past with his mate and how many moons they had shared together. “When I was still recovering from the loss of my father, many moons ago after I had just become a warrior, Talonfang was the first cat to ever approach me and treat me like a friend, right from the very beginning. She was so kind and friendly to me, sitting down beside me as I was eating a piece of prey. She didn’t feel weird around me because of my bloodline or because I was going through a rough time.” He murmured, thinking back now to that time, “We went out hunting together on a warm, sunny day in the middle of Greenleaf, wanting to get to know each other more and such. I remember when we had approached the river that runs through the territory, she took no hesitation to leap right in and swim around. I was a bit cautious at first, not really familiar with swimming since I was trained as an apprentice. She eventually managed to get me to jump in as well and we swam around underneath the water’s surface. She looked so beautiful, the way her fur glistened in the sunbeams that shown through the water. I think that was when I fell in love with her, despite not even knowing it yet. I was mesmerized by her ever since that day, even though in the back of my head, I was afraid that Riverclan would look down upon her for being around me because I was not clanborn. She never cared about what they thought though, only wanting to be with me and be happy. We always kept each other afloat, even when life got difficult.”