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Post by tor on Apr 28, 2024 10:02:08 GMT -6
#s://i~ibb~co/HdkBJdc/silver~png It was impossible. Well - it wasn't impossible. They had the anatomy that meant it was very, very possible. The anatomy and an abundance of alone time, as Foxflight was still on light duty as he recovered, and Silverheart was only expected to take short patrols while he re-acclimated to his responsibilities. The warmer days of new-leaf made adjusting to his warrior status easier than leaf-bare, especially after the freeze that gripped the forest previously thawed away. Still, he wasn't adjusting that quickly, and so most of his time was spent with Foxflight. And they were mates now. Mates who... spent a lot of alone time together. So maybe he shouldn't have been surprised when he woke up in pain, his back seizing with cramps that reminded him of when his leg was first recovering, and his body lit up with nerve pain at every waking hour. And he certainly shouldn't have been surprised when that back pain turned to nausea. And he shouldn't have been surprised when he went to see Rainstorm, and she informed him, quite bluntly, that he was with kits. He was surprised anyway. Logic be damned. And now he was sitting at the entrance to camp, mostly recovered from his morning pain, waiting for Foxflight to return from his dawn patrol. Anxiety hummed under his pelt, only revealed by the incessant way his claws slid in and out of the earth under them. They would be fine. He'd insisted on taking it slow, and this was the opposite of slow, but... Foxflight wouldn't be upset. He wanted a family, right? They'd talked about it only briefly, but Silverheart remembered the many times in their youth when Foxflight said he would be just like his fathers one day. One day soon, now. Oh, StarClan help him, kits had never been something he expected to have. It wasn't the solution to his quiet days he was looking for, yet... He was allowed to be excited, wasn't he? Rustling at the entrance to camp caught his attention. He stood up straighter, greeting the dawn patrol with a smile, and then caught Foxflight's attention. "Do you have a moment?" Alone, he hoped Foxflight understood. |
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Post by adrian on May 4, 2024 10:45:59 GMT -6
#s://i~ibb~co/K7nBVTf/fox~png Much of RidgeClan was covered in evergreens, but the smaller deciduous trees that interspersed the dark green of the forest were what captured Foxflight that particular morning. They were budding. In the coming moon, those buds would blossom into little white flowers. He remembered, when he was still small enough not to break the branches, climbing up trees like this as six moon old apprentice."You're dallying," Rosewhisker said, ahead."Sorry," he responded. "Feeling nostalgic." He caught up with her as they reached the Kingdom border. He liked being on these patrols, because he thought he had enough sense not to cause an unnecessary fight. He loved his clan, to be sure, but he wasn't that confident that the rest of them could do the same. Besides, it was always quiet along this border. It didn't look like the Kingdom would be intentionally provoking trouble any time soon, aside from their initial departure from the clans."If we're quick," Rosewhisker said pointedly, pulling him out of his thoughts, "I can make the morning hunting patrol."Foxflight snorted and followed her lead. He knew when he was being told to hurry up.They reached the clan camp in no time after that, the sun now just above the tree line and the sounds within camp suggesting the other warriors and apprentices were waking up. When they left, it was only a handful of cats awake: Toadfeather, of course, assigning last minute tasks, and Shadowgaze, and he thought he saw Lavendergaze too right before they left. Now, everyone was up and getting ready for their daily chores.He beamed when he saw Silverheart. He was really, really trying to follow along with their taking things slow agreement, but it was hard not to let his heart on display every time he looked at him."Do you have a moment?"
"I do," Foxflight said, leaving Rosewhisker to report in with Toadfeather. He stepped aside, unsure if he should be worried. "Is everything okay?" |
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Post by tor on May 7, 2024 11:54:23 GMT -6
#s://i~ibb~co/HdkBJdc/silver~png Foxflight's bright expression when they locked eyes was all Silverheart needed to wash away the anxiety broiling under his pelt. He wasn't free from his worries - how could he be, when he was about to bring new life into the world? But at least he was able to shake the concern that Foxflight would be anything but thrilled at the news. "Everything's okay," he reassured, hoping the rest of the patrol would hear as they still stood in earshot. It wouldn't take long for gossip to start, but at least he could buy them some time. Slowly, Silverheart lead them to an empty corner of camp, where moss had flourished under the early season rains. The corner was dry now, though not yet warm under the still-rising sun. It would do. Silverheart wanted privacy more than he wanted to warm his bones, at least for now. "I was ill this morning," he said, once both he and Foxflight settled comfortably into the moss. "After you left for patrol. Back pain, and then nausea." He realized there was every chance Foxflight wouldn't know what that meant. It put a small smile on his face. "I visited Rainstorm."How to say it? He didn't want to be blunt, less he sound rude, or unexcited. But he... he wasn't the most expressive cat to begin with. It wasn't in his nature to jump with joy, or deliver the news in a frantic, stumbling way. So, simply, he said, "She confirmed I'm with kits." |
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Post by adrian on May 25, 2024 10:24:24 GMT -6
#s://i~ibb~co/K7nBVTf/fox~png Foxflight followed him to a more private corner of camp, now curious after being relieved that nothing was wrong. It still seemed like Silverheart had something to share, and he wasn't sure if he should be nervous or not. Though he wracked his brain, he didn't have any guesses at all. Luckily, Silverheart didn't leave him in the dark for long.
"I was ill this morning," Silverheart said. Foxflight made a little sound of concern and scooted closer to him, but otherwise didn't interrupt. "After you left for patrol. Back pain, and then nausea. I visited Rainstorm." Was it something he ate? But he said nothing was wrong. It wasn't exactly good news to be ill... "She confirmed I'm with kits."
Oh! He froze, surprised, and then broke out into another grin, purring as he curled closer into his side. "Kits! Oh, I was worried you'd taken sick. Kits are wonderful, Silverheart." He was so happy he didn't think he'd be able to shake the smile from his face. Even if he tried. "Oh... we were taking it slow. I guess we could have been more careful..." |
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Post by tor on May 31, 2024 8:29:38 GMT -6
#s://i~ibb~co/HdkBJdc/silver~png Oh, that smile. For that smile alone, Silverheart thought he might endure the last cycle of the seasons a dozen times over again. He couldn't help the purr that rumbled out of him as Foxflight curled up closer, his voice light and lovely as he effortless soothed all of Silverheart's nerves. Wonderful. Yes, kits were wonderful. Even the unexpected, unplanned ones. "Oh... we were taking it slow." Fondly, Silverheart rolled his eyes. "I guess we could have been more careful..." "We could have been," he agreed, but there was no guilt in his words. Only for a brief moment this morning did he feel as though he betrayed the Silverheart of the last few moons, who wanted things to move slowly. Now, all he cared about was who he was now, the happiness he felt with a mate at his side, and the family they would soon usher into the world. "But... I won't fault us for our feelings."More than just feelings. Their love. Passion. They spent so many moons apart — they deserved to spend this time together now. Silverheart believed that with everything he had. "I haven't told anyone else," he said. "I thought we could together." They'd start with their parents, then Foxflight's grandmother. From there, their siblings, and then their friends. It would be a busy day and by the end of it, the whole clan would know. "I'll be moving into the nursery tonight," he continued. "Rainstorm insists I take it easy, because of my injury. It may complicate things." |
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Post by adrian on Jun 30, 2024 16:19:16 GMT -6
#s://i~ibb~co/K7nBVTf/fox~png "I won't fault us for our feelings." Impossibly, Foxflight purred louder. After so many moons of fearing he would never truly be happy again, and then moons of rebuilding and healing, he thought they deserved this. Something good. His heart was swelling with so much warmth and silly undeserved pride that he probably looked a little foolish, maybe.
"Neither will I," he responded, still smiling.
"I haven't told anyone else. I thought we could together." Foxflight wanted to tell everyone, immediately. His parents would be happy for them, he thought. And hopefully Silverheart's parents, too. Weaselsong would be Weaselsong about it, but hopefully also happy. And Shadowgaze would definitely be happy, he knew that. "I'll be moving into the nursery tonight. Rainstorm insists I take it easy, because of my injury. It may complicate things."
That made him a little worried. "Whatever Rainstorm suggests, right? I'd rather be safe. Promise me you'll take it easy, like she says?" He didn't want to think about what could go wrong. Not right now. He shook off the feeling and let himself smile again, saving anxieties for a later time. "We're going to be dads! I wonder who they'll most take after... Oh, who should we tell first? Your mothers?" |
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Post by tor on Jul 10, 2024 8:56:56 GMT -6
#s://i~ibb~co/HdkBJdc/silver~png Anxiety seemed to drip off Foxflight like he'd been out in the rain. Silverheart hadn't been anxious about the pregnancy before this. Perhaps anxious about telling his mate, his family, the clan, but not about the physical act of carrying children. Now, he could feel the thrum of nerves that radiated up his back leg. His abdomen ached. It would be a long, anxious moon of waiting for the kits to arrive. "Of course, I'll do as she says," he promised. "You know me to be stubborn with myself. But I won't put kits in danger by being foolish." Their kits. Their kits. Silverheart couldn't yet count the endless mistakes he might make in raising children, but he refused to make them before they were even born. He was used to being cooped up in the camp. He would happily suffer through another moon of it, if it meant his children were safe. "I wonder who they'll most take after... Oh, who should we tell first? Your mothers?""I hope they take after you." Silverheart couldn't imagine anything but a collection of small, fire-colored kits, nestled at his side. He wanted that, oh ancestors, he wanted that more than anything. "RidgeClan doesn't need more of my personality." Plenty of grim cats lived in their all-too-serious clan. What they needed now was Foxflight's optimism. His kindness. "We can tell my mothers or your fathers. Whoever we find first. I need to collect some moss to make my nest in the nursery. Would you see if either of our parents are in the warriors den?"
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