Visiting :: The New Babies :: Open

[--|Sootie|--]

So lately, I've been wondering

Rowanpaw had been out with her mentor on the Dawn Patrol, so she'd only just heard the news. Racing back through the glacier scattered plains towards the camp, she was trying to imagine what her new siblings looked like. Would they be as pretty as Willowwhisper? Or like her, would they take after the looks of their father, Panthershadow? Maybe they would break the mold and look competley different. As she ran, Rowanpaws dark brown tail flew out behind her, the movement in graceful correlation to her bodys movements. She looked like a cheetah chasing her prey through the desert, but instead, she was pounding the ice with her paws to visit her new family.

Who'll be there to take my place

In the nursery for the last moon, a rapidly expanding tabby had been the only resident. Now she was not alone. There were two mouse-sized bundles beside her. And they were georgeous. Another daughter, and the son who she'd waited so long for. Willowwhisper couldn't wait until her two apprentice-aged daughters returned from their patrols to see their new family. They'd visited her everyday, told her all about their duties and brought her the best fresh-kill they could find; which was rather difficult considering it was the height of leaf-bare. She loved them all so much. And Panthershadow would have too, but he would enjoy them just as much from Silverpelt.

When I'm gone, you'll need love to light the shadows on your face

Ashkit had been born at dusk that night, and so far he'd learnt where to find milk. But now dawn was breaking and he'd had enough of the wasm milk. The pale grey kit unsheathed his tiny, but maliciously sharp claws and bean to drag himself towards the warmth of his mother. He felt her turn her head to look at him, but he never saw her reach down and take him in her teeth to gently lift him away from her belly which he was ecsaping from. Ashkit found himself being place down on the soft feather-and-moss ground. He raised his wobbly, oversized head, trying to smell where Willowwhisper had gone. He found the answer when he felt the soothing massage of her slightly roungh tongue on the back of his head. Before long, Ashkit was falling asleep again. In his few hours, he'd slept more that anything else.

If a great wave shall fall and fall upon us all

Rowanpaw's dark blue eyes were narrowed against the wind rushing past her, but she could see easily enough the other clan members milling about outside the camp entrance. That gave her extra energy and she was soon through the thin gap into camp. Inside, there was a buzz in the air. Willowwhisper's new kits were the first to be born to Ice Clan since the Great Move, and almost everyone had been anticipatin their arrival. She could hear voices around her, but the sounds all mingled togeter as the crowd parted for her to reach the Nursery. There were already plenty of visitors, but Rowanpaw squeezed inside and just stood there, gawping at her tiny brother and sister. They were tiny, and noisy, but the most beautiful creatures she had ever seen. And she knew that the whole clan felt the same.

Then between the sand and stone could you make it on your own?

_{Music by The Calling, Wherever You Will Go}

[[Ridge] of [Sapphire] light]

Her eyes were still closed, and her pelt was still stuck close to her body. Her ears also were stuck fast to the top of her head and she couldn't hear or see a thing. But her sense of smell was excedingly sensitive. She could smell her mother, her brother, and many others she had never met. One she liked instantly, it was a familiar but different smell. She knew she should know her but she didn't she let out a pittiful mew, and dragged herself toward the smell of her brother and mother. She found her mothers side and the smell of milk was over powering, and she realized she was hungry again. She plased her moluth on her mothers side and began to eat, not caring who was around, they could all stare at her all they wanted... it was all about her anyway

Pheonixfeathers bounded through the clearing, her orange fur flowing in the wind. She was excited as a warrior in the middle of a clearing filled with prey. She smirked at the thought and moved forward through the entrance right behind Rowanpaw. She had taken the young apparentice under her wing after the move. She flicked her tail and slipped into the nursery. She dipped her head to Willowwhisper and smiled. "They are beautiful kits Willowwhisper, do they have names yet?" She asked moving forward to nudge the small brown one toward her mother.

[x-Ginger-x]

Bursting from the camp entrance entered a pale tan she-cat with a squirrel in her jaws. She trotted to the fresh-kill pile, and dropped the squirrel. She lifted her head and sniffed around, recognizing Iceclan's normal scents. She allowed herself a small smile.

Picking up the squirrel again, in case it might tempt the nursery queens, Jadepaw trotted over to the nursery to visit her mother. When she burst into the entrance, she stopped cold. "Mom!" She cried in delight. She dropped the squirrel beside her and examined the little kits. "Wow," She breathed. "They're my new siblings?" She guessed, sniffing each. She'd memorize their scents, and visit them everyday. They were part of her family, and she was ecstatic. "Sorry I wasn't here earlier, I was hunting." She explained, tearing her eyes away from the kittens to focus on her mother.

[--|Sootie|--]

And she lit up a candle and she showed me the way

Willowshiper's toffee and chocolate striped tail was swaying with increasing speed for every cat who entered the nursery. Especially when her two oldest daughters came in. Jadepaw and Rowanpaw had both been so excited about the arival of their new siblings, and they'd all hoped for a tom. And now he was here, and Willowwhisper and her daughters thought him one of the most important cats in the clan. She smiled her enchanting smile as she licked her new son and daughter; and then looked at Phoenixfeathers to answer his question. 'Not yet. But now that my Roawnpaw and Jadepaw are here, I shall chose.' She glanced back to Jadepaw and Rowanpaw and then studied her new kits carefully. She could name them from their appearance, or from what she had so far seen from their personalities. Or one of each... 'The son of the clan has fluffy grey fur with speckles of black. Like the charred remains of a tree struck be lightning. So he shall be Ashkit.' As she said his name, shereached down to lick the top of his head, sniffing deeply to memorize his millky kit smell. 'My daughter has so far appeared fierce, strong willed and clever. Just like a kestral. Kestralkit.' She licked her daughters head now, drawing her scent too.

There were voices down the corridor

Roawnpaw would be grinning from ear to ear if she was as expressive as most apperntices her age, but instead, she knew that her mother would be content with a soft smile which lit up the whole of her face. Roawnpaw belived that to show emotion was weakness in the face of the enemy, so she tried to do so as little as posible, but right now, seeing her new brother and sister for the first time, even Rowanpaw couldn't help but leak her soft centre slightly. They were gorgeous after all. She brushed her head against Jadepaw's shoulder and the top of her mothers head, before reaching down to lick the topof Kestralkit and Ashkit's heads the way Willowwhisper had just done. While he was bent over them, she whispered 'I love you like the world and will protect you with my life if ever the need arise. You are so beautiful.'

I thought I heard them say...

_{Music by The Eagles, Hotel California}

[[Ridge] of [Sapphire] light]

Coralpaw carried the body of Cloverpaw into the clearing. Her body and spirit weak. She wasn't sure where she had lost the medicine cat apprentice, or where she had lost feeling in her whole body. She came to a painful stop beneath the Iceshard and took a deep breath slidding cloverpaw onto the ground. She lay her ear beside the young cats chest and heard the faint beat of a heart. She lifted her head and let out a mournful caterwal calling the clan. "Someone help me!" were the only words she could utter ebfore collapsing next to the younger apprentice. She began to shiver and shake, her body unable to carry on any longer. She closed her eyes trying to think of better times.Of warmer times, Green leaf, and a belly full of prey. She could smell new life not far from ehr but she couldn't bring herself to be excited. NOt when she had lost a good friend and might lose another soon.

Pheonixfeathers flicked her orange tail and dipped her head to the new mother and her family. She opened her mouth to speak, but her ears prcked at the sound of a mournful caterwaul coming from the clearing behind her. She glanced at Roawnpaw and spoke softly "Come, I may need your help, you too Jadepaw." She mewed and turned on her heel and bounded out into the clearing just intime to see Coralpaw collapse. She gasped and raced to her friends side sniffing her all over. She smelled of blood but it wasn't her own. she cocked her ehad and spoke. "What happened Coral?" She asked leaving of the clan given pare of her name. She was too stuned to remember formalities. She flicked her ears and turned to Rowanpaw and Jadepaw. "Run to the Medicine den and bring me Marigold, Juniper, Tansy, Cobwebs, and poppyseeds." She said before turnign to Cloverpaw. Starclan...help me...guide my paws. she prayed.

[--|Sootie|--]

So what, you learn to live with your regrets?

Willowwhisper closed her eyes. She felt so warm inside, even though the leaf-bare snow was as high as the nursery walls, and there were delicate icicles suspended from various branches which were woven to make the ceiling. Leaf-bear was certainly the pale taby's favouite month. If not for all the surreal beauty which accopanied the colder weather, then because all four of her miracles had been given to her from the paws of Star Clan during this season. It was still painful for her to think of green-leaf, the time when Panthershadow had been taken so cruelly from her...Willowwhiper's eyes shot open. The drowning feeling which she had suffered for moons following her mates death was rising again, and also a piercing shriek shattered the soft silence following the arrival of the clans first kits since the more. She saw Phoenixfeather's tail disapearing through the tight hole which was hte entry point, and nodded her head to her apprentice daughters, pleading them to help any clan-mate who may be hurt.

No need to fear what hasn't happened yet

Rowanpaw's faint smile slid from her face, and the warmth in her eyes froze as she heard the cry of a familiar voice. Coralpaw was back in camp; she'd been gone since early the previous night, and she was screaming for help. For the briefest moment, Rowanpaw's pale green eyes made contact with Willowwhisper's dark blue ones, and then she was gone, desperate to help in any way which she could.
Lying beneath the IceShard were two figures. One's chest was pounding and the other barely moving. The scent of blood was almost overwhelming, but through it, Rowanpaw recongised the smell of Cloverpaw and Coralpaw. She was beside them in moments, her eyes darting across them both, already starting to work which she still calculated the reason and extend of the injuries, and also tretments. The most obvious injury was Cloverpaw's tail, and Rowanpaw was already licking the partially oozing, partially congealed stump. Cloverpaw was out, and Coralpaw wasn't much better, panting exhausted and in a different kind of pain. Questions would have to wait. Instead, Rowanpaw set to healing as efficiently as she could without the help of medicine cat or apprentice.

Life will get you but youu can't forget

_{Music by Bon Jovi, Brokenpromiseland}

[[Ridge] of [Sapphire] light]

Coralpaw couldn't answer, her heart was all but broken for the loss of the clan. She wanted to wail like a kit for Wingedpaw. She didn't know where she had lost the younger apprentice, but she knew she was gone to be with starclan. She looked up her eyes staring into the blue warmth of Pheonixfeathers. She shook her head lightly, barely able to lift it above her shoulders. She let it fall again to the snow laden ground and she closed ehr eyes ber breath still coming in short gasps, full of pain and anguish. She looked over at Rowanpaw and flicked her ears toward her denmate in thanks. she closed her eyes and drifted into a painful wail filled sleep. She could hear Cloverpaws screams as she fell back over the edge of the cliff, and she could hear her shriek of pain as her tail was ripped form her body by rocks. She saw the blood flashing across her eyes, and the pain in her friends face. She felt the weight of her friend on her back carrying her back to camp, but she couldn't rememebr where Wingedpaw was or how she had been lost.


Pheonixfeathers flicked her ears in dismay. She couldn't imagine something worse. She didn't know where Wingedpaw was or where Wolfstar was. She flicked her tail in fear and sighed. "grab some Mouse bile while you are at it." She flicked her tail and turned her eyes toward the sky. She was begging her ancestors for guidance, but she found no comfort in the cloud covered afternoon sky. She turned to the nursery and called to Jadepaw, "Get me some water soaked moss from the medicine cat's den, and hurry!!" she yowled fearfully. She remembered her herbs from being a loner and knew which ones would stop the bleeding, but she didn't know what to do with Coralpaw. she was at her wits end.

[--|Sootie|--]

And as we lie beneath the stars

Willowwhiper tensed as the bitter metalic scent of blood floated into the nursery. That was one of the drawbacks of having a new litter of tiny angels; she never knew what was happening, and she couldn't be in the thick of the action like she always was during her time as a warrior. To calm herself, she began to lick her dry rasping tongue over Ashkit and Kestralkit's heads. Distractions had always worked wel for the pale tabby. While she was mad with grief after the loss of her mate Panthershadow, she had taken to helping in the Medicine Cat's den. It eased her mind if there was something else for her to think about. But even now, she could tell that Wingedpaw wasn't with the other two young apprentices, and she knew that there was currently no medicine cat either. That probably meant that there were very few cats with knowldge of herbs, and she was one of that few.

We realise how small we are

Roawnpaw accepted the herbs she was being passed and began to use them in any way she knew that she could. Phoenixfeathers knew some herbs and her mother had helped medicine cats and knew how to heal. She was chewing up the leaves, her face scrunched against the tangy bitter taste, and she spat them on to her paw as son as she could. Cloverpaw was still in the paw of Star Clan, so she wouldn't be able to eat the poppy seeds, and therefore there was no pain relief for the young orphaned apprentice. Roawnpaw rubbed the juices into the bleeding stump of her friends tail, never once wincing at the sight of blood or bone. She used the cobwebs, wrapping them tightly around the remains of Clvoerpaw' tail, taking advantage of the fact that she couldn't feel anwthing by maing the so tight that they staunched the flow of blood. The tortie she-cat had already lost a dangerous amount of blood and she couldn't afford to waste any more of it. It seemed as if there was nothing and nobody around her as she worked, except the one other cat who would need help, Coralpaw. She was a cat on a mission and nothing would get in the way of her saving a clan-mate.

If everyone loved like you and me
Imagine what the world could be

_{Music by Nickleback, If Everyone Cared}

[[Ridge] of [Sapphire] light]

((And enter meddie cat))

Wingerpaw's legs moved like stones carrying her the last few paces toward the camp, but her nose told her than Cloverpaw, and Coralpaw had already made it back. Her jaws were laden with herbs she had picked earlier before their little adventure in the cliffs. She flicked her ears and forced her aching legs to respond. she picked up the pace, and was soon bounding into the camp. She saw Rowanpaw had already bandaged up the tail, but Coralpaw was unconscious. She flicked her tail and with seemingly renewed strength she raced to her den. She knew that falling from the cliff after clover should have killed her but she had merely landed and strained her back, which made it hard for her to race back to camp with Coralpaw. She flicked her ears grabbing some mouse bile in soaked moss and trotting over to her clanmates. "How long have they been out?" She asked setting the moss down. She lay it under Cloverpaws nose and then sniffed aroudn Coralpaw for scratches. As Cloverpaw began to wake she mooed the moss to Coralpaw. She swept the Poppy seeds from Pheonixfeathers with her tail and placed one in front of Coralpaw and one before Cloverpaw. Coralpaw awoke slowly and lapped up the Poppyseed with satisfaction. Wingedpaw spoke quickly. "To my den with you! Rowan Pheonixfeathers, help Cloverpaw there as well." she mewed and moved aroudn to sniff the she-cat's tail. "Good work Rowanpaw," She mewed and flicked her tail once. She took a deep breath and thats when the scent of new life hit her. She blinked thinking who had been pregnant in the last few days and then turned abruptly and raced back to her den. Her pain was virtually gone because like Willowwhisper, distractions worked well for her. She paaused long enough to make up two small nests in her quarters out of the moss she kept stocked nearby, before she grabbed Borage and trotted quickly to the nursurey. She slipped inside a smile lighting her face, fake as it was. "Two healthy kits I see!" She mewed calmly sniffing the two young kits. She lay the borage down in front of the queen and spoke. "I'm sorry i wasn't here to help you with the kitting Willowwhisper. I trust it went well? This will help you produce milk for your kits, I'll bring you some every morning for the next couple of weeks." She mewed pressing the borage leaf forward.

[--|Sootie|--]

Am I in too deep?

Cloverpaw knew that she'd been returned from Star Clan, but after thet'd told her it wans't her time, thre'd been nothing but blackness. But now she knew. During that brief time in Star Clan, she'd felt nothing, but now there was this absolutley crippling pain, more agony than she'd ever felt. It made her feel dizzy and sick. She just wanted to sleep, make the pain disappear.
The small white apprentice opened her deep brown eyes, imediatley closing them again, then squinting because the sun reflecting off the snow was blinding. She could smell the other cats arounf her, and also the familiar medicinal smell of herbs. Her eyes focused, and she recognised the deputy and medicine cat apprentice, but everyone else was just a blur. She remembered Coralpaw dragging her unconsious body throguh the perilous needles of ice, so she must be here somewhere too. And the most important thing was the tiny black ball infront of her, which she knew would help to take the pain away. Reaching a scarlet-stained paw out, she pulled the poppy-seed closer and licked it up and swallowed it, sighing with relief as she did.

Have I lost my mind?

Rowanpaw breathed a sigh of relief as Wingedpaw staggered into camp. She hadn't trained as a medicine cat, she just had good memory recall of when she'd seen clan-mates being treated. What Coralpaw and Cloverpaw needed was proper medical attention, and Rowanpaw would be mad to think that she dould provide that care. It was a good thing she didn't, but she was a cat who saw what needed to be done and did it. But even now that Wingedpaw was here, Rowanpaw could still be of use. At Wingedpaw's command, Rowanpaw nudged Cloverpaw into a standing positon, and made the weak apprentice lean against her as she guided her into the Meidicne Cat's den. Rowanpaw looked over to Wingedpaw and started to say 'In the nursery, my mother--', but Wingedpaw was already squeezing into the nursery with a muothful of herbs, probably borage.Wingedpaw was obviously injured herself, and weak from her journey back from whereever th three apprentices had been, but she was rushing about with so much energy and seeing to her every responsibility. It was something Rowanpaw would never be able to do herself.

I don't care you're here tonight

Willowwhisper was edging closer to the mouth of the nursery when the scent of Wingedpaw entered the scene. She knew now that her faint knowledge wouildn't be necessary, and so lay back down and pushed her two tiniest kits closer against her belly. She could hear that the two young apprentices were being cared for, and that there was action happening. It must be Wingedpaw taking control of the scene. Before long, the young medicine cat was in the nursery. 'I delivered them fine, with the help of previous queens. I called them Ashkit, and Kestralkit. Ashkit is my first son, but I have three perfect daughters too, of course. They will be fine warriors.' Willowwhisper could sense Wingedpaw's pain, and her trying to conceal it. There was no use in the medicine cat wearing herself out, no matter how much she wanted to care for the others. 'Thank you for the borage, I'm sure it will help me. Wingedpaw, make sure you take some herbs for your weariness and fatigue, you have injuries too. You need rest and care. Let Rowanpaw help you, she's hard-working and a quick learner, or Jadepaw, she is fantastic at caring for others. Don't overdo it.' Willowwhisper flicked her cream and tan tail and brushed it over Wingedpaw's shoulder, then wrapped it around Ashkit and Kestralkit. She took her role as a queen very seriously, and she included every kit and apprentice in it. Everyone needed care just the same, Wingedpaw included.

_{Music by Enrique Iglesias, Hero}

[[Ridge] of [Sapphire] light]

Wingedpaw flicked her ears to the queen, and nodded slowly. "Thank you for your concern Willowwhisper." She mewed and smiled lightly concealing her tired face, and aching body behind a simple smile. "I may take Rowanpaw to help me for a while." She said and sighed. She needed to get to the pinnacle and get her Medicine cat name, so she could take an apprentice. She sighed thinking of all the things that needed done, but shook her head. She dipped her head to Willowwhisper and turned quickly to pad out of the nursery and bound across the clearing toward her den. She watched as Pheonixfeathers and Coralpaw made their way yo the den. she slipped in as the orange warrior was slipping out. "Let me know when they wake up." She mewed and flicked her ears. She wanted to know what happened as much as the others, but Wingedpaw was in no mood to talk right now. She slipped inside and slid beside Rowanpaw. "Thank you for your help." She mewed and brushed ehr muzzle against the she cats. "If you would be so kind to stay and stand watch over these two as they sleep, i need to rest, it's been a long day, and your mother has forced me into rest." She smiled lightly and flicked her ears waiting for the reply.

[x-Ginger-x]

Jadepaw grinned at her mother. "Hello, Ashkit and Kestralkit. I'll help protect you, I promise." She sniffed them to rcognie their scents, but froze at the sound of a wail. She nodded goodbye to her mother before turning and bolting out of the den, just after Rowanpaw. Once she reached the injured apprentices, she took off and collected the herbs needed. She followed Rowanpaw to the herbs, helped carry them, and raced back, dropping them in front of Pheonixfeathers. "I'll get the moss." She raced out of camp, stopped in front of the nearest tree, tore off some moss, and raced to a stream. She dipped the moss in the stream and raced back to camp. Once there, she dropped the moss in fron of Pheonixfeathers. "What else do you need?" She asked, anxiety making her tear the earth up in front of her.

[[Ridge] of [Sapphire] light]

Pheonixfeathers flicked her tail to WIngedpaw as she left the den, and almost toppled over Jadepaw. "Take that moss into Wingedpaw, and then meet me at the entrance. We ca go hunting." She said flicking her ears toward teh entrance. She knew she had just been out with Rowanpaw, but something told her, that with two apprentices out of commission, there was going to be extra work needing done. Plus she still had no idea what had happened. she would keep alert for signs of fox, or badger. Or worse twolegs. She moved forward passing Jadepaw and trotted toward the entrance. The freshkill pile looked awefujlly inviting after her long race back to the camp with Rowanpaw, but the clan had t be fed first. She sighed and went to sit at the entrance. She wrapped her tail around ehr paws and began to slowly groom her chest as she waited. What could have happened that Coralpaw was too devestated, or horrified to talk to her about it. Normally she couldn't get her to shut up...it wasn't like her to keep secrets. "I'll get to the bottom of this Coralpaw...I promise..." She whispered to herself.

[x-Ginger-x]

Jadepaw nodded to Pheonixfeathers, before rushing the moss over to Wingedpaw. "Do you think they will live?" She asked. She shook her head, knowing she probably wouldn't get an answer, and padded over to Pheonixfeathers. "I'm ready," She mewed in an unusually subdued voice. She dropped her head, thinking about the apprentices, while waiting for Pheonixfeathers to say they were hunting.

Jadepaw thoughts wandered over to her new siblings, and hoped that the anxiety from everyone wouldn't bug them too much. She wanted them to grow strong, without any worries right now. They could deal with that when they became apprentices. Then Jadepaw thought about how cool it would be if she got to train one of them. But that was silly thinking. She was still an apprentice.

"Are we going soon?" She asked, tring to get her mind off everything that was going on.

[[Ridge] of [Sapphire] light]

Pheonixfeathers flicked her tail when Jadepaw joined her. She could feel the anxiety pulsing off the apprentice in waves. She flicked her ears and smiled lightly. "I'm sure they will be fine." She mewed and with that she stood and slipped out of the entrance. "How does an assessment sound?" She asked trying to get the apprentice's mind off of the happenings in the clan of late. She had been training a lot of the apprentices and had taken a special interest in these two sisters.She smiled and flicked her tail. "WHy don't you go hunt, and I'll follow you. Be prepared for me to attack though, no matter where you are." She said and with that she slipped into the underbrush and disappeard to watch the apprentice.