Ask to Join Whispers Beneath the Willow

rise from the smoldering pyre of wormwood and weeds
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Nettleplume ducked his head beneath the nursery’s bramble curtain, the scent of moss, milk, and dust brushing against his nose. He was already speaking before his full form was inside. An ear flicked, the type of flick that one could assume one could have been speaking ill of someone else. He set down a neatly bundled collection of herbs beside the nest.

"Lilyriver." His tone was clipped, but not unkind. Brisk out of necessity, not annoyance. The medicine cat’s pale cream pelt was slightly wind ruffled, and his blue eyes were sharp with attention as he swept his gaze over the queen. There was a curiosity there, an excitement at the first time something like this was happening under his water. Frosteyes had drilled him front and back on the event, and procedure if necessary...

"Breathing good, that's a start." He circled her once, giving her flank a careful, practiced glance before resting one paw against the edge of her nest. "Tell me exactly what you’re feeling. Pressure? Pain? Any tightness yet?" His tail flicked lightly, the very tip twitching with focus as he nosed through the herbs. "We’ll be here a while, so I hope you like the sound of my voice."

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

✧✦✧༄༅:･ﾟ🕊️･ﾟ:༅༅༄✧✦✧

Lilyriver’s gaze flicked over to Nettleplume, she didn’t really say much of anything at first, but her mouth hung open with heavy but steady breaths. “Exactly what I’m feeling? A lot of discomfort, my belly has been having little spasms every now and again, I feel them moving. That has happened rather recently however, the most recent one was just before you came in” she explained. She didn’t intend to waste the medicine cat’s time as he was going to be for a while anyway. And what was small talk going to do for a moment like this?

Her hind paws gave a slight twitch as she lay with them splayed out to her side, the muscles tense, yet she didn’t seem at all stressed or worried. If Nettleplume had concerns he would have said something beforehand. But he didn’t mention any danger that Lilyriver wasn’t already aware of, so she continued to simply let her body work this out.

“No urge to push just yet, assuming that will come along later on though” she added her tongue lolled out for a brief pant before she drew it over her whiskers and shut her mouth again. She had trust in Nettleplume, whatever he did as a medicine cat wouldn’t be incorrect, especially when it mattered most “just some pressure for now. And for your information” she drew on, a tingling sensation rolled down her back then caused the tip of her tail to flick.

“I’ve gotten quite used to your voice over the past moon or so”

rise from the smoldering pyre of wormwood and weeds
↫ ⭒ ☽ ⭒ 〄 ⭒ ☾ ⭒ ↬

Nettleplume listened with a measured stillness, the faintest narrowing of his eyes showing he was processing every word. His ears flicked again, the same quiet, analytical gesture that had marked him since kithood like he was cataloguing symptoms instead of feelings.

"Spasms and pressure… movement recent…" He murmured to himself, voice barely audible as he adjusted one of the herb bundles with a paw. "Sounds like you’re early in the process. No urge to push yet."

He turned back toward her with a focused look, eyes searching hers not for fear, but to confirm what he already suspected. She was calm, at ease with what her body was doing. That would make things easier for both of them.

At her final comment, his whiskers twitched faintly with amusement. "Then you’ll be pleased to know you may be in for several uninterrupted hours of my company."

He reached again for the herbs, carefully separating a few dried raspberry leaves while side glancing at the soon to be kitting she-cat. "I have plenty to help with the kitting itself - herbs to encourage contractions, or herbs to keep you strong...You’re doing fine, Lilyriver. They’ll be here soon."