Closed Thread Seeds of the Lily

rise from the smoldering pyre of wormwood and weeds
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Nettleplume had been carefully sorting through the last of his dried garlic, his sharp blue gaze flicking over each bundle with a critical eye. He had detected some mold earlier, and had done his best to sift through what remained.The shifting light at the entrance of his den pulled his attention, and at the familiar voice, he flicked an ear before setting the herbs aside with a practiced motion.

"Lilyriver." He turned toward her, pale tail flicking once before curling in thought. "If it could wait, you wouldn’t be here." His tone was dry, but there was no real bite to it...just his usual way of cutting through unnecessary formalities. He gestured with his nose for her to step inside, already assessing her with the sharp gaze of a cat who made it his business to notice the small things.

His attention landed on the subtle changes in her frame - he slight shift in her stance. His mind may have had an idea or two, but he preferred to hear things from the cat’s own mouth before assuming. "Tell me what’s wrong." The cream ticked and white tom mewed simply, settling back on his haunches. "Start from the beginning."

I am shaped by the trials I refuse to surrender to.

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Lilyriver always took to appreciating and honouring the medicine cat, so she was in no position to argue with him, especially when he meant no ill intent in his words. “Points be made you've figured me out pretty well” Lilyriver stated before sitting down, as awkwardly as it be, in front of Nettleplume. “It’s respectable if anything, but after all that is what you’re supposed to do as a medicine cat” she added before flicking a tufted ear

“From the beginning eh? Well, I’ve only really taken real notice of change recently” Lilyriver explained honestly with a respectful nod before turning to lick her chest fur. “But I’ll list symptoms I’ve noticed. Since nothing notable happened recently” she explained, wrapping her silky, wavy tail over her paws.

Lilyriver let the silence settle before she spoke again, something she did often to let her words settle in the air before saying more, mostly to make sure she was heard, and she assumed Nettleplume was obviously listening if she had come to him. “I’ve mostly noticed that my nipples have changed, as well as my belly getting larger, but I’ve grown more of an appetite if that’s anything to go by” she explained twitching her tail absently, she wondered if this had anything to do with her little plan to bring life into RiverClan, but she would just have to wait and see.

rise from the smoldering pyre of wormwood and weeds
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Nettleplume listened in measured silence, his expression unreadable as Lilyriver spoke. His sharp gaze flickered briefly to her midsection, noting the way she held herself, the way her tail twitched absently. The symptoms she described were clear enough - if not for his experience to seeing it before, in practice.

"Mm." He exhaled, tap, tap tapping a duo of unsheathed claws as he mulled it over. "Increased appetite, belly growth, changes in your - " He waved his free paw vaguely, " - physique. If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were expecting." His voice was wry, but his tone lacked surprise. If anything, there was a hint of dry curiosity about it.

Rising to his paws, he stepped closer, eyes narrowing slightly in concentration. "I can check for you...Could you lay on your back for me?" His murmur was more gentle, perhaps a bit distracted. He hadn't much practical experience at all in the matter, but there was a glimmer of excitement from the sheer novelty of it.

I am shaped by the trials I refuse to surrender to.

✧✦✧༄༅:･ﾟ🕊️･ﾟ:༅༅༄✧✦✧

The news wasn't surprising, Lilyriver had planned for this, and it was good news for the most part, but her face did not show either dislike nor enjoyment, just as equally unreadable as Nettleplume's. But she did nod for a positive response to the news at least. To ensure that Nettleplume wouldn't have to do any unnecessary convincing to keep the kits in the case it was unplanned.

"On my back? I don't see why not" Lilyriver agreed, moving deliberately to her side before rolling onto her back, it felt rather... vulnerable if anything, but she trusted that Nettleplume wouldn't harm her. She supposed it was just the instinctual urge to protect her belly that she resisted for the purpose of her own health. And for Nettleplume's convenience.

Lilyriver moved her icy gaze towards Nettleplume, there was a part of having her belly exposed in such a way that felt a little humiliating, but the nests were comfortable at least, and this wouldn't last too long, at least she hoped it wouldn't.

rise from the smoldering pyre of wormwood and weeds
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Nettleplume dipped his head slightly in acknowledgment as Lilyriver settled onto her back, his sharp blue gaze flicking over her belly with a mix of curiosity and calculation. He had studied this, knew the process in theory, but that was entirely different from actually doing it.

He hesitated only for a breath before stepping forward, placing a careful paw against the soft fur of her abdomen. His touch was light, almost uncertain at first - this wasn’t like treating a wound or checking for illness. He pressed with slow, deliberate motions, feeling for the small, firm shapes that Willowfrost had instructed him on detecting in an expecting queen.

His tail tip flicked as he concentrated, his ears angled slightly back. He could sense some change beneath the surface, a subtle firmness, then a rolling movement... but it was difficult to be certain on the amount... After a moment, he exhaled through his nose, drawing back. "I can’t say with absolute certainty..." He admitted, his voice even, though a glint of dissatisfaction lingered behind his eyes as he couldn't give her a definite answer. "But from what I can feel, there is one...maybe two kits."

Stepping back to give her space, he made sure to add. "You’ll need to eat well, rest when you can. And come to me if anything feels off. That includes any pain, dizziness, anything unusual, even if it's only slight or passing." His tone remained professional, but his gaze lingered on her face for a moment, reading her reaction. An older she-cat could have complications in the affair. "I assume this is… welcome news?"

I am shaped by the trials I refuse to surrender to.

✧✦✧༄༅:･ﾟ🕊️･ﾟ:༅༅༄✧✦✧

Lilyriver tried her best to resist the urge to shift uncomfortably under Nettleplume's paws, it was nothing to do with Nettleplume, it was mostly Lilyriver's instinct to protect her belly and it was nothing against the medicine cat that was just doing his job. Though the white she-cat did take notice of the curiosity and glint of fascination that flickered in his eyes, she knew that this would be the first litter of many that Nettleplume would be handling without Willowfrost to help him or even take over herself, Lilyriver didn't want to make this difficult for him at least.

"One or two? A pretty small litter." Lilyriver replied finally, though her voice held no disappointment to it, just a rare fondness as she gave a twitch of her tail to try and assist the cooling of her discomfort. "Eat well and rest, nothing less then what I was doing before really" Lilyriver replied with a light joking tone to her voice, though it didn't really linger long before she spoke again "Is there any time you'd recommend I move to the nursery?" the white she-cat asked.

Lilyriver gave an affirming nod at the tom directing her to come to him for anything, even of the slightest, trivial discomfort. While she thought the stress of being so thorough was hardly necessary, she understood where the cream tom was coming from and didn't argue with him on it. "Yes, it's welcome news. You shouldn't have concern in that, I planned on this" she ended with a nod, keeping this short and simple, since she noticed Nettleplume was no cat for pleasantries so she didn't want to bore him with them. 

rise from the smoldering pyre of wormwood and weeds
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Small litter or not, it didn’t seem to trouble Lilyriver, which meant less for him to worry about in terms of stress or hesitation. That was something, at least.

At her question, he settled back onto his haunches, considering. "No immediate rush...But I’d say once you start feeling the weight of them more - when moving around becomes a hassle. That’ll probably be in the next couple of weeks, give or take."

An ear flicked to his abandoned, but not forgotten stashe of herbs. Both blue eyes were neutrally considering the queen's internal preference of what she might do. So he encouraged her. "The warren hasn't been used since Boldstar's kits became apprentices. You could investigate it for yourself. The nursery will be warmer, more comfortable for you and the kits when they come. Better to get settled before you need to." It wasn't like she had warrior duties to consider.

Her admission that this was planned earned a slow blink from him. He had suspected as much, given her lack of surprise or distress, but hearing it confirmed made him reassess his expression. "Hmph. At least that saves me from the usual awkward nonsense otherwise." His whiskers twitched, amused in his own dry way.

"Congratulations, Lilyriver."

I am shaped by the trials I refuse to surrender to.

✧✦✧༄༅:･ﾟ🕊️･ﾟ:༅༅༄✧✦✧

Lilyriver gave a nod, she stretched out her limbs for a moment before rolling back onto her side, then hoisting herself to her paws. "Thank you Nettleplume, I'd like Boldstar to be aware" Lilyriver stated coolly before taking a brief glance at the herb stash then glancing back at Nettleplume. She flicked one of her tufted ears and her icy gaze continued to bore onto Nettleplume, though it was no more than she would keep eye contact with any other cat.

"I'll scope it out" She replied with a nod of agreement to the medicine cat, the white she-cat contemplated how Nettleplume felt without Willowfrost there, after all he was still young and when she was young, while not spoken aloud, she had felt a little unsure of her abilities as a warrior, and even when she moved into the elder's den, albeit she wasn't alone in there, she had to get used to the lack of duties, but she was fairly used to it now at least.

Before turning to leave the medicine den, she glanced over her shoulder at the medicine cat "Thank you Nettleplume, it's appreciated" she mewed, showing a rare softness before leaving the medicine den, heading to the main clearing to have some time to relax, exactly what Nettleplume instructed.