CAMP//VC

[coelecanth]

Buzzardspite could only walk away. The manner in which he did this was his choice though, but he certainly wasn't an optimistic warrior. He padded away quietly, head low, his face like a blank slate as he walked towards the nursery. Kits were coming, and it forced a smile onto his face, as this was a joyous moment. He had gotten an answer from his leader that yes, there was a possibility that she would mentor one of the kits. At least more kits were on their way, giving a better chance that a lucky kit would be picked out by the leader to be taught by Lynxstar. Already there were Abyssbird's kits, and soon there would be more to come.

A shout rang in his ears and he bounded away. Flamingarrow's kits were on their way, and someone would have to fetch Humblecharm to help see the queen and her kits through the birth. He weaved past all the other cats around him, a blur in the camp. Buzzardspite made a screeching stop at the medicine cat's den, ready to call out. Luckily Littlepaw was already there, from Abyssbird's birth, and he could help Flamingarrow until Humblecharm arrived. Now at the den, peeking in, the brown tabby called out, "Flamingarrow's kits are coming!" Now he had done his deed and would run back over to the nursery, to see the happy sight of the kits' arrival.

[LYNX ♥]

The heavily built leader snorted, tossing her head and eyeing the mischievious Cloudstreak, and his supposedly fine line between seriousness and humor. Though obviously, this silly request was said in a joking, friendly manner, obvious because of his frilly manners substituting normally blunt statements. If she had a tail, she massive she-cat would have cuffed him in the ear with it, but to make due with her lack of apendages, Lynxstar allowed a playful spark to enter her dull-colored gaze, and spun her long ivory whiskers amusedly. "Dont talk to me like I'm a queen, you rascal!" She snorted, half-heartedly pawing at him. Of course, she was acting like a kit. It was such a rare, happy occasion to see a leader with the dignity and sulleness as she to act in such a way, but her playful motions were weighed down with a curtain of grief and worry. Something was lurking and dangerous for the clans, and it with slowling her powerful steps. Though she couldnt let this completely weigh her down, and so she obeyed the ruffian tom, stooping to gently pick up the carcass between strong jaws and take a meager bite, surprisingly small though, as she wasnt as hungry as she had first thought. Sliding to the ground to relax, Lynxstar popped straight back up at a sharp yowl. Of course, another queen! Flamingarrow. Purring, the tawny she-cat glanced over at the troubled queen, and noticed a fliock of toms rushing over to aid her, though perhaps more of a pair than a flock. Her won assistance wasnt needed there, so let Littlepaw have a touch more of practice. Slipping serenely back to the ground, Lynxstar pushed the fresh-kill back towards Cloudstreak and dipped her head, attempting to drown out Flamingarrow's wails.

[cedarclaw]

Dont talk to me like I'm a queen, you rascal! Cloudstreak supposed Lynxstar was joking. If she wasn't, he was certainly fooled. She swiped him over the ears, and he chuckled, shaking his head. "Rascal, eh?" meowed Cloudstreak, with a purr. "I wouldn't go th-" his meowed was cut off by a wail coming from the nursery, and the tom looked at the others, rushing toward the nursery. He wasn't interested, of course. Cloudstreak's ears swiveled the slightest bit, raising his head. He sighed, snorting. "Loud enough, that she is," he mumbled, grinning sheepishly. "But I shouldn't say that, and for all you know, I didn't say that. I may end up getting my ears clawed off by another she-cat sometime soon," he meowed. "I won't be any part of it, for a while, at least," meowed the tom. Chuckling, he thought about he hadn't found that perfect she-cat yet, and he doubted he ever would. The tom twined his head lower, and took a inconsequential bite of the prey, savoring the flavor that seeped into his mouth. His eyes twinkled, as he nosed the prey back toward his leader, shifting his position, so he felt a tad less stiff, more comfortable.

[lily ♫]

f l a m i n g a r r o w

Even through all the pain, she could hear the words of all the cats around her. "Loud enough, that she is," she heard Cloudstreak say. "But I shouldn't say that, and for all you know, I didn't say that. I may end up getting my ears clawed off by another she-cat sometime soon." Her whiskers twitched with an edge of laughter, but instead of the joyous sound she let out a loud wail. She bit back further cries only so she could respond to the tom. "Oh, I'd GLADLY claw your ears off if I wasn't IN THE MIDDLE OF CAMP GIVING BIRTH TO MY KITS!" she hadn't meant for the angry edge on her words, but the pain was entirely excrutiating. She had Buzzardspite and Horsetear yelling left and right for Humblecharm. She won't answer, you mouse-brained, idiotic toms. she thought to herself. "LITTLEPAW!" she called out to the apprentice herself, because quite frankly, they weren't going to.

[LYNX ♥]

Moving slowly, Lynxstar bend forward, delcining her head to take another dainty bite of the carcass, from which she now recognized and savored the savory, metallic scent of prey-blood radiating from like an aura. A pleasant one at that. In fact, Lynxstar herself held an aura, though not quite the same. There was an air of tranquility around the tawny she-cat, even in all the chaos surrounding her and her odd clan. Smiling slightly, she swallowed the bite and pushed the prey back to Cloudstreak with a slightly extended forepaw, then turned her head to gaze upon Flamingarrow, in all her screaming and hollering. "Just breathe and push. Cats have been doing this for eternities without herbs or guidance. In fact, in the old clans when a she-cat was pregnant, she would live by herself, birth by herself, and then her mate might come and bring her food and visit the kits once in a while, but for two days, she would stay, and bond with them in the wild. You dont need some apprentice to tell you to push and eat a couple leaves, Flamingarrow." Lynxstar meowed, lowering her voice to a slow, soothing tone, eyes motherly and concerned, though she still lay beside Cloudstreak, helpless to do anything but attempt to guide, and watch the young queen. If only foolish Chasmriver was there to support the mother of his children, but Lynxstar knew better than to falsly hope. Chasmriver was careless and arrogent as before, not even acknowledging that he had mated with this poor she-cat, and caused her to go through this pain and agony. Lynxstar could only hope that Flamingarrow, at least, would have learned something from this, and keep that tom away from her children.

[cedarclaw]

Oh, I'd GLADLY claw your ears off if I wasn't IN THE MIDDLE OF CAMP GIVING BIRTH TO MY KITS!

This response to his words, made Cloudstreak snort once, his whiskers twitching. He smirked, but mumbled an audible apology to the she-cat, not wanting to aggravate Lynxstar. She took a bite, and passed it back to him, where he bent down, and took a slightly larger bite of the meal. He savored the taste of the meat, and he chewed slowly, allowing everything seep onto his tongue. Swiping his tongue over his teeth, he cleaned out any of the remaining bits of fur that had been left there from earlier.

Just breathe and push. Cats have been doing this for eternities without herbs or guidance. In fact, in the old clans when a she-cat was pregnant, she would live by herself, birth by herself, and then her mate might come and bring her food and visit the kits once in a while, but for two days, she would stay, and bond with them in the wild. You dont need some apprentice to tell you to push and eat a couple leaves, Flamingarrow.

A questioned pulsated through his mind. "Lynxstar," Cloustreak asked calmly, while occasionally casting a glance in Falmingarrow's direction, "How do you know so much of this?" he asked, quite intrigued by her knowledge of kitting from centuries ago. Maybe she had been told the story as a kit. In a way, his heart went out to the leader, she looked so concerned, and it didn't seem to look fake at all, which make Cloudstreak want to smile, but of course, he was a tom, and he tended to conceal his emotions. He realized maybe he asked too much, and he didn't want to upset the leader, but she knew what to do, she instructed Flamingarrow.

[lily ♫]

Her cries quieted down a little as she listened to Lynxstar. She was right. Cats had birthed kits many seasons and numerous moons before medicine cats had discovered herbs for healing. With one more piercing cry, she let out a monstrous push and felt movement inside of her. The pain was inbearable, but she felt them slipping out one by one. Her eyes had been clenched shut the entire time, but they opened up. She tried to stand, but her legs were made of jelly. She fell back down, and was careful not to crush the kits. She counted three total, and then she felt pain once more. There were still more kits. Two more came out, and she lie thee paralyzed in pain. "Lynx...star..." she moaned in deep pain and exhaustion.


ooc: yeah. um. not my forte?

[LYNX ♥]

Turning, she gave Cloudstreak her mild, gray-eyed glance, and shrugged, before turning attentively back to the birthing queen. "Logic I guess Cloudstreak. I mean, there have been cats long before there were ones who mastered herbs I figure. Plus, I was probably quite a lonely kit, as I remember many elder's tales." She purred amusedly, and began to stroke Flamingarrow's brow with her forepaw as she went into labor. "Humblecharm must be missing." She murmured quietly to herself sadly. Where could he have gone to? Dead? No, StarClan would have told her. Blinking away the thought, the massive tawny she-cat patted Flamingarrow's belly as each kit came, she took two by the scruff and turned to plop them before Cloudstreak. "Don't complain, just lick their fur the wrong way and when they're dry put them near her belly please?" She asked, though it wasn't really a question. At this point, the silver tom hardly had a choice. Turning, she gasped. "Holy StarClan!" She meowed in surprise, "Sheesh Flamingarrow, you've got a big litter on your paws!" Lynxstar purred. Two bad there isn't a father to take care of them. She added in her mind. Picking up two and setting them at her own paws and licking them each vigorously, ignoring their wild squeals. "Looks like they're all well and healthy, good job." The leader added with a kind, encouraging smile. "Except for that little tortoiseshell. She looks a bit runty, so keep an eye on her." She placed each kit carefully at the ginger queen's belly to suckle.

//Sorry raid, I decided not to do the time skip. =\ Sorry.

The ominous land of dreams, as it seemed, had swallowed her up whole with it's gaping, void-like mouth and gnashing teeth of little imaginings, so inviting after the sudden onslaught of white-hot pain that life had suddenly brought lacing through her delicate body. No, she finally decided, labor wasn't as violent as that exposion had been, well not under normal circumstances. Maybe hers had been so terrible because of the way it was laced with thick betrayal, and, honestly, who was she kidding? Darkfog wasn't her mate. He was supposed to be her emotional tom-friend who she kicked around with a doe-like gentleness to get him out of his gray, depressed state. He was most certainly not supposed to father her children, and after that, her dreams of becoming a nursery queen were shattered, because Darkfog now thought that he loved her, and he would want to be her mate forever and beyond, but somewhere deep in her normally kind heart, she hated him for it. No, she still loved him, but she didn't want to be his mate, she didn't want these kits to be his, and she never, never wanted to mate with him again, because, as if by a spell, the guilt of ever becoming close to him began to knaw at her again. Serenewinter, by now, was supposed to be fat with his sweet children, and Abyssbird was supposed to be happily appluading their relationship, so why had it all become so tumbled about and screwed up in such a vulgar way that it made her sick? And why, praise StarClan, were these horrid thoughts kicking her in the tail now? Serenewinter was long gone, maybe she had found another mate and way happy. Maybe she had forgotten everything, and maybe, maybe this was ment to be.
Ha!
No, it wasn't, this was never meant to be. Yes, all of this disgusting affair was the cause of her exhausting birthing, because StarClan now hated her, she was more than sure, and she just wanted to wake up and cry herself a river to drown in. How ridiculous. But now consciousness gripped her in this most unpleasant way, and shook her until her eyes flew open, revealing sky-blue lights clouded with grief. As so she proceeded to blink rapidly to rid them of this silly emotion, and cringed as the pain, once again, threw her on her back. Why! Frustrated with this, all, she sat up again, ignoring the squeals of the kits and resituating them gently with her tail. Kits. They needed names still! Poor, nameless, unknown little lumps of squirming obsidian fur! Abyssbird resituated herself once more so she could see them properly, and the rhythmic suckling became more of a comofrt than an odd sensation. Yes, this wasn't that bad, really, excrusiating pain aside, this was really nice, and Abyssbird loved her kits with such compassion that she felt she would even give her life, with ease, to save theirs. Smiling down at their wriggling little selves, she moved her tail to pat the tiny she-cat upon the head. "Spellkit." She murmured, wishing she could move nimbly enough to lap at her head. She couldn't though, and glanced at the tom, black with silver-white flecks upon his haunches. Trancekit. She thought, having always thought matching names were cute, but there was a father. It wasn't fair of her to name both, so she turned, glancing around to seek him out and summon him to name his son.

[lily ♫]

She had been so engulfed in pain that she had not even noticed Lynxstar helping her. She let out a gasp as she saw her little kits. Five. She had to look after them all, and on top of that there was the runty tortoiseshell. "Lynxstar.. Thank you. You've helped me like no other cat has. Their father won't even get a glimpse of a single one. That basta-" Flamingarrow stopped mid-sentence because she did not wish to swear in front of her kits. She knew she used harsher than normal cats used only because it was what she had heard and been treated with by MaliceClan and on certain occasions, Chasmriver. That bastard! she thought in her mind. He would never even so much as speak to his kits. She wouldn't let him. "Will you help me get into the nursery before I see the Father of the Year?" the ginger she-cat asked. She could hardly stand, let alone carry kits to the nursery.

[MiNTY♥]

Serenewinter hobbled into camp in utter agony, the side of her face still stinging. Best not to dwell on her wounds it only made them worse. If only she could have seen herself, her fur glossy where tears had run across it and the best part of her normally perfectly snowy white pelt was now stained a crimson red color, with her own blood. Some of it has come from the gash that Reflectedpaw had inflicted, the other half had come form the would that ran along the side of her face, from Eclipseomen. She deeply hoped her kits had not been damaged...HER KITS! She had forgotten about them in all her pain and dismay, could Eclipseomen possibly be right about them? She had never noticed anything, neither had any cat until Eclipseomen had jabbed her belly, and Lavenderpaw knew! So no doubt it would be spread round the camp soon, and of course the dreaded question. Who was the father? She could answer that in a heartbeat. Shard. The answer, even though she knew it still stung her, and took her by surprise. She knew nobody would care, she had no friends anymore. It would just be her, and not even her kits, they would be taken to Delirium, maybe once she had done that she could forget about them, wrong. It would be impossible to forget she had kits out there somewhere, impossible to forget about her Delirium adventures. Just like it was impossible to forget about Darkfog, as much as she wanted to slaughter him right now, even if she was in no state to do so. By now her blood scent had washed through camp and Abyssbird was probably all worried about her kits in case they got hurt. How petty. She snorted and looked around. Didn't this clan have a medicine cat? What had happened to humble charm. As she brushed past a pine tree it ripped open the wound in her side once more and she gasped in agony. Not only with her own health in mind, but the kits too, if they died, Eclipseomen would come wondering why she had not brought them, and she would never believe the reason. Flopping to the ground she pressed her fangs against her kissers. She wanted it all to go away, her blood scent, her kits, Delirium, Darkfog and Abyssbird. She curled up trying to bear the pain while more blood stained her pelt.

[raid]

Ah he should of gone to his mate. Helped her name their kits. His kits. Was she even his mate? Nope. None of this way playing out the way it should. Starclan had fooled him. Fooled them all. Messed with their lives and now Starclan was sitting up in the sky laughing at the pitiful clan cats. Of course they were laughing. It was their job to laugh. Laugh at the mortal beings. Laugh at them. They were the freak show for today. Well for some moons they had been the freak show. Of course with Serenewinter popping her pretty little face back into the picture it wasn't helping at all. Lovely. Life was just grand. Speaking of the white she-cat, he watched as she came into camp. Bloodied. But he wasn't about to help. Noooooooo. Not possible. He had his own little thing to do.

--Darkfog to Terra--

[MiNTY♥]

I figured Abyss should know who is back.

The sooner I get seen too the better, and if there is a medicine cat they will probably be in the nursery right now. Raising her head she let out another soft whimper, before gingerly picking herself up off the ground and wobbling over to the nursery. She saw Darkfog fleeing out of the corner of her eye, she had tried not to look at him but she couldn't help it, where was he going? Stumbling in she looked around. She had been away for so long she probably didn't even know half of the cats in Vertgioclan anymore. She looked around but did not see any sign of a medicine cat. She looked down at Abyssbird as if they barley knew each other. She struggled with the option of attacking the queen and tried to keep calm. "Do you know if there is a medicine cat?" She asked softly. It was something one cat would ask another, any cat really, but not the way friends would greet after being apart for so long. She tried to keep control of her emotions while being so close to a cat she had a pure hatred for, especially after just returning from Delirium and what they had polluted her mind with. The space was already tight in the nursery, but it felt smaller, more confined like is was closing in, surrounding her so she could not move anymore. She flinched away from a wall that appeared to be moving closer and as she did her wounds began to flare up again, burning from the inside out, stinging like nothing before, well at least the one on her face.

[LYNX ♥]

Lost, utterly lost in her own mind, but soon, as the fresh spring air blustered into the den, creating squeals from the kits and a deep inhale from herself. Life was so crazy, but everything passed, until death, and then eternal bliss. It was an utterly insane roller coaster, but it would be so tirously boring without these wild twists and loops. Smiling at this thoughts, she sighed, wondering suddenly how long she had slept, if it was enough to Darkfog to leave her side. Maybe he was grabbing something for them to share. He'd come back any second and help name the little tom. He would. She just had to wait with her beautiful babies. Sighing contentedly, the onyx she-cat glanced up to a vaguely familiar voice, it didn't register right away, so she simply murmured, "Nah, neither have been around for a while," and kept her attention on her kits, but then it struck her. Who....? No. It wasn't possible. Serenewinter was long dead, beaten down by those horrible creeps of MaliceClan. But, looking up in a sort of double-take, she finally saw the familiar ivory pelt with her mind, not just her eyes. "Serenewinter!" She meant to sound estatic, but her words erupted from her suddenly trembling frame like the drop pf a stone, heavy with guilt and a sudden feeling of sorrow. It was so easy to see the hatred fueling her former friend's teal gaze. Yes. Now she really did want to die. Her only allies in life were her chidlren, and even those would grow up and hate her, for what she did. Just as the warrior before her, and perhaps everyone in the clan. How could she tell? All anyone did anyway was murmur behind your back, spreading dirty tales and hurtful words. Was Abyssbird the new clan slut? She shivered and averted her gaze, shifting to rest her head on her paws. Tears welled up, but didn't fall. She didn't even want Serenewinter to like her anymore. Crying would only make the other she-cat hate her more, as if she was some pathetic freak. Maybe she was.

[lily ♫]

Somehow she had mustered the strength to pick up three of the kits in her mouth and stumble into the nursery. Her strength had ebbed away long ago, but she managed to make it in all right. Eyes wandering up as she gasped and panted from exerting great effort in between the mouthful of downy fur, she dipped her head down at Abyssbird, and then stared at Serenewinter. What the hell is she doing in here? If she's going to have kits, who in the name of StarClan themselves would be the damned father? she asked herself mentally. "Sahreemwindoo." she mumbled out between gasps and fur. She made her way over to make a nest right next to Abyssbird. She planned on letting the cousins grow up together, and to befriend the obisidian she-cat. She set three of her darling little kits down, and noted that there was one exceptionally bright ginger one, a duller ginger one, and the sickly little tortoiseshell Her darling little girl that was so sick already. The other two that she had grabbed were obviously toms. She hadn't gotten a clear look at the other two little ones, but she knew that she had seen at least one entirely black kit. Her mind wandered for the moment, wondering if he would look like his aunt, with her beautiful blue eyes. She felt a little triumphant that none of them had any features - so far - of their father. They were either black, ginger, or a beautiful tortoiseshell. She couldn't hold back the tingle of excitement. Of course she should feel this as well as love. Flamingarrow realized that this love was good enough for her, and she didn't need some mindblowingly wonderful tom because there were no toms like that.

She blinked a few times, realizing that she had stood there dumbly for a few hours. Or had it only been moments? Either way, she could definitely feel the tension in the nursery. "Abyssbird, they have your black fur." she meowed stupidly, trying to break the eerie silence that had begun to make a shroud around them. It was unnerving, and Flamingarrow plopped down into her new nest and curled herself around her kits. She was facing Abyssbird, but her head was parallel to the onyx she-cat's rear, and that they formed a protective circle of nest, fur, and love. Suddenly nervous, the young queen glanced up near the enterance of the nursery

, hoping to see Lynxstar parading in her other two kits.

[MiNTY♥]

One thing was for sure, Abyssbird would have to leave the nursery soon if she was going to have her kits here, or maybe she didn't have to, maybe she could just go out and have them in the terra on her own, but what would Lynxstar think if she did not know the truth? She didn't even know her place in this world anymore. She wasn't even ivory anymore, she was half crimson, half ivory. No doubt when it began to was out she would look pink or something. Seeing the look the other queen gave her she hissed and bared her teeth for a moment. Then she realized that Flamingarrow had too been with Delirium, but she had returned and settled for being pathetic like the rest of her clan mates again. Were they even her clan mates? They clearly did not want her here anyway. Turning away and leaving the nursery she fell to her side in the clearing. Glaring at any cat who cast a carious glance at her she proceeded in the cleaning of her wounds, there was nothing else she could do.