Open to Join Two Sprouting Lillies

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

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Lilyriver had enough time alone in the nursery, with only the sounds of the outside camp to keep her company and the soft mewling of her kittens nuzzled up to her belly, she knew that they had certainly found their voices, at least Galekit had. 

As the covering of the nursery that kept it in the shade parted open, Lilyriver’s ears perked up. Her eyes darted to the entrance but her posture almost immediately relaxed at the sight of her former apprentice. “Clamsneeze, it’s only you?” she greeted him with a flick of her ears. Her tail was covering two little balls of fur, her kits, new RiverClan kits.

“Don’t act like I’ll bite you Clamsneeze, I assume you’re visiting them?” She started moving her tail to reveal two snow kits, one, Skykit, a little she-kit with medium length fur, her eyes were squinted, the neutral kitten-blue color could be faintly seen in her eyes. And there was then Galekit, a kit with fur that matched Lilyriver’s in length “have you been told their names?”

Not even the strongest warrior can save every cat

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He relaxed at the sight of his former mentor relaxed and calm “I don’t think there’s anyone behind me” he meowed. The Tom kept his distance the she-cat had seemed at bit surprised when he had first come, did she need more time to get comfortable with the two kits? He thought he had given her enough time to get to know the new kits but if she needed more time then he wouldn’t blame her.

“Just a small visit, how are they?” He spoke. He didn’t want to bother the she-cat he couldn’t even think of having kits let alone with everyone in Riverclan wanting to see them. He blinked his copper eyes falling on the small felines, they both looked like their mother the one with the longer fur looking the most “No not, yet I wanted to be surprised” he smiled. He wanted to wait till the mother could tell him the name of her kits though he could only wonder what they would be.

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

✧✦✧༄༅:･ﾟ🕊️･ﾟ:༅༅༄✧✦✧

Lilyriver's eyes held a familiar calm, rarer than usual, but still common enough to be known to at least most of the clans cats. Not that she was complaining about having visitors now, but she wanted Clamsneeze to be the first after the leader and medicine cat, he was the closest she'd been to a cat in a while... aside from her kits' sire of course, but even herself and Ebonyflare were not as close as they could be, but they were as close as they needed to be and it wasn't like they couldn't stand each other's company.

"They are well, haven't had any problems with milk and they have been growing stronger each day. Eyes and ears are slowly opening now" She explained calmly, taking a glance down at her kit, Skykit, of which, had rolled onto her side, full of milk for the moment and now asleep, sprawled against her mother's belly. Lilyriver let out a soft chuckle at the sight as she carefully nudged her a little closer to the warmth. "No need to stay for such a short time, you can be here for as long as you like you know" she added, her tone a little lighter than before, slightly softer.

When she found he hadn't heard the names around camp, a twitch left the end of her tail, good, she wanted to tell him the names herself anyway. "The she-kit that sprawled out like limp prey there it Skykit, and her brother is Galekit" she informed, giving Galekit a few loving rasps with her tongue.

Not even the strongest warrior can save every cat

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“That’s nice to know” he replied. Looking down at the small white pelts they looked like their mother with minor differences he walked into the nursery with the sight of the calm queen.

He was happy to see the feline again it had been long, but it had been a bit since he has seen her due to the kits at least his duties kept him busy while he waited for the she-cat to be ready to show her kits to the rest of Riverclan.

He nodded it was reassuring to know that he was welcomed to be in the nursery, his head turned slightly to the side with a small chuckle at the small white kit, Skykit she seemed to be full of personality even without being able to do a lot “They look a lot like someone” he laughed.

The two kits were essentially identical to their mother being that their ghostly fur made it a bit hard to see any features they’ve could have gotten from their sire, it didn’t bother him however Lilyriver didn’t share who he was anyway similar to his mother who it wasn’t his business anyway if she didn’t want to share then Clamsneeze had no reason to ask.

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

✧✦✧༄༅:･ﾟ🕊️･ﾟ:༅༅༄✧✦✧

Lilyriver twitched her ears with every word Clamsneeze spoke to show she was listening, especially since her gaze was unmoving on her kits. There was nothing in the nursery that could harm them, but she was a first time queen, and she didn't want anything to harm her kits, especially when they were this new to the world.

"Oh yes, I can't possibly imagine who they look like" Lilyriver rolled her eyes, but the smirk that made its way onto her face revealed that her voice was nothing more than a playful teasing as she adjusted the positions of her kits softly so that the two were more comfortable in the nest, and she was more than thankful that it had been changed by one of the apprentices, but she couldn't seem to recall who.

With a raising of her brows, Lilyriver tapped her tail invitingly beside her, Clamsneeze seemed so far, clinging to the entrance like it was a life source. "It's okay Clamsneeze, it won't hurt them for you to come a little closer" she reassured him, her voice had grown slightly softer while she had been in the nursery, soft, but still sharp and stern, still undeniably Lilyriver.

"I hope you weren't too worried when you were told I started kitting, I wanted you to be focused on more important things"

Not even the strongest warrior can save every cat

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He let out a breath happy to be welcome to come a bit more in to the nursery where his former mentor and her small kits rested.

The tortie walked his paws soft to not wake the sleeping kits finding a spot to sit not to far from the queen ”When I was first told I was a bit shocked” he spoke “though I was a bit busy with duties then.”

He was still processing it a bit, it had been a while ago where she told him that she was going to have kits though he was happy that the white feline was able to have her kits without any difficulties. Thank starclan that he had duties to complete that distracted him

”So how’s being a queen everything you wanted?” He joked. He did actually wanted to know how she was doing while she was alone in the nursery based on how most queens described it seemed tiring.

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

✧✦✧༄༅:･ﾟ🕊️･ﾟ:༅༅༄✧✦✧

Lilyriver flicked an ear as Clamsneeze padded further into the nursery, her sharp gaze briefly softening as she watched him settle. The kits at her belly stirred but didn't wake. "I figured you'd get the news eventually" she murmured, voice low but edged with that familiar confidence. "Didn't think you'd keep me waiting this long, though. I could've used your fussing on day three, these little ones have claws when they're hungry I'll tell you that" 

She shifted a bit, curling her tail around her kits protectively. "StarClan must've taken the day off, because I was ready to claw someone's ears off the moment my contractions started. But no complications. I handled it, like I do with everything else. Not that I expected any less" A small, proud smirk tugged at her muzzle. Regardless of what she went through, these kits were safe and healthy, that's what mattered. 

Her icy eyes narrowed just slightly as they settled on him. "Being a queen? It's loud, messy, and I've never slept lighter in my life. But I'd tear a fox apart with my teeth for any of these two, so I guess that says something" She let the moment sit before playfully flicking him with her tail.

"You missed a chace to see me at my most terrifying, Clamsneeze. Maybe StarClan was protecting you" She paused, paused long enough to soften the already light jab before she added, "But... it's not so bad having you visit. Don't make it a one-time thing"

Not even the strongest warrior can save every cat

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The tom sat listening to the white feline letting out small chuckles as the cat went on about her experiences of her new-found motherhood. He let out a small laugh hearing the queens words about her contractions, perhaps he should check to see if riverclans dear medicine cat still had his ear hopefully so “happy you’re doing fine” he meowed. The tortie moved his tail the long and slender black tail curling around his body.

“Ahh so you did get everything you wanted” he vocalized. He would give up his fresh kill to watch Lilyriver beat a fox for her kits would be the most entertaining thing he had seen in moons. He blinked at the cat looking up and saying “Oh, thank you starclan” he paused for a moment before he returned to laugh. He looked across from him to the ghostly furred feline “It won’t be, promise” he voiced.

He was also happy to visit it gave him something to do after the bicolor tom had finished his warrior duties it was hard work, but it was always worth it to come back to the clan to visit and relax. He would be happy to see the two kits reach their apprenticeship and hopefully watch them earn their warrior names

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

✧✦✧༄༅:･ﾟ🕊️･ﾟ:༅༅༄✧✦✧

Lilyriver let out a throaty chuckle, tail flicking as she leaned back against the nursery wall with an unmistakable glint in her eye. "Clamsneeze, if I didn't get everything I wanted, the stars themselves would've heard about it. Not that I want very often" Her voice carried that familiar, self assured lilt, but softened just slightly as she glanced towards the tiny white shapes nestled at her belly, the little white she-cat opening a half-lidded eye and glancing over at Clamsneeze. "Still doesn't feel real sometimes" she spoke, twitching one of her ears. "One moment I'm growling at Nettleplume, the next I'm nuzzling kits like some gentle, glowing she-cat from a story."

She gave him a sly look at his laughter. "You'd better hope StarClan didn't curse you with the job of dragging me off a fox, because I will win and I will gloat. I've had enough birth pains to put me in the right mood for a fight." But then, her whiskers twitched warmly. "Still... it means something, seeing you here. You've got your own duties, and you still make time fore me and the kits. You were always the best apprentice I knew, even when you acted like a half-frozen trout"

With a stretch and a grunt, she shifted her weight to nudge a piece of moss closer to her side. "You're not just visiting, though, are you?" she asked, her voice dropping into something more thoughtful, more familiar. "You miss this. All of it. The noise, the chaos, the warmth. Don't lie" her sharp gaze landed on him, but not to challenge, just to see. She softened ever so slightly and her tone followed suit. "They'll be warriors one day. You'll see it. And StarClan help whatever squirrel-hearted fool underestimates them." Lilyriver grinned "Especially if they get my temper" she ended with a soft chuckle and a quick clean of her kits' fur, still soft and fluffy and still white as snow.