Brightmaple had gone and grabbed a chipmunk and a fledgeling blackbird from the fresh-kill pile, purring her thanks to Cloudflare for keeping Fallkit occupied and out of her fur while she went to see Barleyswipe in the elder's den. She knew Emberback had gone out to sunbathe and that was just fine with her. Brightmaple wanted to talk to Barleyswipe alone. At least for the time being.
The torbie and white she-cat made her way into the den with a bright trill of greeting before setting her mouthful down. "You're not napping, are you Barleyswipe?"
She glanced around, feeling a tad worried she might have woken her friend up. If they had been sleeping and she had just woken them up, she was going to feel bad, but curling up for a quick nap while Cloudflare was distracting her charge could also be on the menu, even if that meant she wasn't able to share her news right away.
"If not, join me in having a bite to eat? I brought a chipmunk or a blackbird."
10
Brightmaple and Barleyswipe
Time to share the good news with Barleyswipe!
Elder's den
If ignorance is bliss, you must be the happiest cat on the planet
✧ ⭒ ♦ ⭒ ❦ ⭒ ♦ ⭒ ✧
Barleyswipes muzzle wrinkled deep into her bedding, tussling the moss this way and that. Eyelids danced with motion, indicating that the she-cat was in the midst of a dream. Tumbling, as they were, down a rocky path where they found themselves scathed and bumping down. Down. Falling.
An eyeball peeked out from her position half curled in her nest, peering up at the voice that had mercifully awoken her from her nap. Tossing back their head, she let out a great sigh, rumbling with familiar discontent. Not at Brightmaple herself, per say, but at the unusual dreams she'd been having recently.
She shook the cobwebs from her head. "Napping? Who me-?" A toothy grin caught her stare, eyes softening a bit. Just a bit as they locked eyes with the other female. Stretching from her nest, she brought both front paws out of the rim of moss and excerised her claws into the earth, tilling it slightly. "Sure I'll join you. Worked myself into a bit of an appetite. Chipmunk or blackbird, huh..." She paused, pursing her kitty lips as her head tilted in the direction of the offered prey. Normally Barleyswipe would have swatted at any cat who brought back food for them, but in this case, she'd be gracious.
"Chipmunk." Immediately she reached out for the small creature, hooking it on a claw and dragged it closer between her paws. "So. What brings here you to visit an old friend? Emphasis on old."
FROM RIVERCLAN:
Cottonbright, ♀ Anxious Warrior
Nettleplume, ♂ Cynical Medicine Cat
Merrykit, ♀ Contented Kit
Otterwhisker, ♀ Adventurous Elder
FROM THUNDERCLAN:
Brindlepaw, ♀ Selfish Apprentice
Bravesong, ♂ Gracious Elder
Leopardrose, ♀ Striving Warrior
Wildcry, ♀ Fierce Elder
FROM WINDCLAN:
Cloudflare, ♂ Suave Warrior
Barleyswipe, ⚧ Ornery Elder
Heatherkit, ♀ Sweet Kit
FROM SHADOWCLAN:
Palestar, ♀ Stern Leader
Honeyglow, ♂ Reserved Elder
Emberdust, ♀ Artless Warrior
Murkkit, ♂ Opportunistic Kit
FROM WHITEHART & BEYOND:
Ahryndae, ♀ Princess of Camelot
Lelouch Von Noon, ♂ Marquess of Noon Cattery
Kosmo, ♂ Disturbed Rogue
Brightmaple knew from Barleyswipe's movement and, moments later, her appearance that the calico she-cat had, indeed, woken her friend up. She tried not to let her worry show as the apricot elder stretched and, thankfully, didn't seem too displeased at having been so. She did offer a purr as the other she-cat nabbed the chipmunk and pulled it close.
"Oh, don't start that nonsense about being old." Brightmaple couldn't keep the amusement from her voice. "It won't do with the news I'm bringing you. It maybe just make you want to prance around camp." She reached down and began to pluck the down and feathers from the young blackbird, putting said discards into a small pile beside her. It would make her nest in the nursery that much softer.
She waited to see if her friend would burst eagerly from the news as she prepared her lunch but honestly, she was so pleased with the news, she could barely hold it back herself. "I went and saw Rowanglade and Piperpaw yesterday after I left you with Fallkit."
Brightmaple began tearing into the flesh of the blackbird now, wanting to open it up to get at the more tasty viscera underneath first. She peered up over her meal with a caring but mischievous expression. "It seems I won't be returning to the elder's den for quite a few moons yet- even after Fallkit is apprenticed."
If ignorance is bliss, you must be the happiest cat on the planet
✧ ⭒ ♦ ⭒ ❦ ⭒ ♦ ⭒ ✧
As pleasing as it was to share in a visit with Brightmaple, her manner of phrase caught his attention, face half poised to shred into the chipmunk. Whatever it may be, Barleyswipe wasn't the type of cat to prance about camp, but they were intrigued nonetheless. She stilled whatever sarcastic bite roused in her throat and muffled it with chipmunk flesh, purring contentedly as she was pleased with the meal.
Fallkit, that little fourtree foundling, had been pleasant enough - but bumbling over kits wasn't her forte especially when her aches gnawed at her like an old bone. Cute little fella, though, about as mousebrained as she suspected - although kits were supposed to lack forethought, right?
"Ya' alright?" She mouthed into her prey, swallowing a decent chunk. If Brightmaple wasn't herself it would be best to check with the medicine cats. Yet the implication wasn't turned towards sickness, but something else. She peered at Brightmaple dubiously, eyes swipping back and forth as she snuffled closer. A well kept secret, she was sure!
"It took? You're with kits?... That's great news. Maybe even prace worthy. Maybe." Barleyswipe wouldn't prace, but their tail twitched with excitement, eyes swimming with a glint of something preciously gleened. "Have you told anyone else?"
FROM RIVERCLAN:
Cottonbright, ♀ Anxious Warrior
Nettleplume, ♂ Cynical Medicine Cat
Merrykit, ♀ Contented Kit
Otterwhisker, ♀ Adventurous Elder
FROM THUNDERCLAN:
Brindlepaw, ♀ Selfish Apprentice
Bravesong, ♂ Gracious Elder
Leopardrose, ♀ Striving Warrior
Wildcry, ♀ Fierce Elder
FROM WINDCLAN:
Cloudflare, ♂ Suave Warrior
Barleyswipe, ⚧ Ornery Elder
Heatherkit, ♀ Sweet Kit
FROM SHADOWCLAN:
Palestar, ♀ Stern Leader
Honeyglow, ♂ Reserved Elder
Emberdust, ♀ Artless Warrior
Murkkit, ♂ Opportunistic Kit
FROM WHITEHART & BEYOND:
Ahryndae, ♀ Princess of Camelot
Lelouch Von Noon, ♂ Marquess of Noon Cattery
Kosmo, ♂ Disturbed Rogue
Brightmaple purred as the other elder questioned how she was doing before snuffling her way closer. Glancing sideways at her friend, the long-furred tortie's eyes glowed as the other began to figure out the puzzle she had hinted at.
"Yes." With a dip of her head, she confirmed Barleyswipe's questions and began to purr harder. "I'm going to be having our litter- probably within the next moon. I thought I was right but they confirmed it for me." The apricot she-cat's tail twitched in excitement and her eyes were glowing- Brightmaple was pretty sure it was with pride- and felt pleased she could make her friend happy. Brightmaple herself was certainly pleased with the news.
"No. I decided to tell you first and make your day. I didn't want you hearing it through gossip. I'll probably tell Fallkit when I get back to the nursery but feel free to boast to everyone you wish." Her gold eyes twinkled teasingly. "It won't be long before most will know anyway. I'm probably getting to the point I won't be able to hide I'm getting heavy."
If ignorance is bliss, you must be the happiest cat on the planet
✧ ⭒ ♦ ⭒ ❦ ⭒ ♦ ⭒ ✧
Barleyswipe puffed out her chest, just a tad. The corners of her pelt was a bit ragged from just awakening from sleep, but she didn't care much if her bossom companion glimpsed her in her less than perfect shape. "Thanks for telling me. First I mean." Gossip could be a mean banter, and she wouldn't have certainly had hurt feelings over hearing it from someone else, even if that cat was Rowanglade. "Our litter...I wonder how many little fluffballs we'll have. Four? Five?" Tickled by the idea of gossiping a bit with her made the she-cats smile creased in a grin as she aimed a half hearted prod at her shoulder. Barleyswipe wanted answers! - or at least amusing guesses!
FROM RIVERCLAN:
Cottonbright, ♀ Anxious Warrior
Nettleplume, ♂ Cynical Medicine Cat
Merrykit, ♀ Contented Kit
Otterwhisker, ♀ Adventurous Elder
FROM THUNDERCLAN:
Brindlepaw, ♀ Selfish Apprentice
Bravesong, ♂ Gracious Elder
Leopardrose, ♀ Striving Warrior
Wildcry, ♀ Fierce Elder
FROM WINDCLAN:
Cloudflare, ♂ Suave Warrior
Barleyswipe, ⚧ Ornery Elder
Heatherkit, ♀ Sweet Kit
FROM SHADOWCLAN:
Palestar, ♀ Stern Leader
Honeyglow, ♂ Reserved Elder
Emberdust, ♀ Artless Warrior
Murkkit, ♂ Opportunistic Kit
FROM WHITEHART & BEYOND:
Ahryndae, ♀ Princess of Camelot
Lelouch Von Noon, ♂ Marquess of Noon Cattery
Kosmo, ♂ Disturbed Rogue
Brightmaple enjoyed a few more mouthfuls of her blackbird as she listened to Barleyswipe's question and considered her answer. If she was honest, while she felt the heaviness of the kits' presence in her belly, she didn't feel quite as heavy as she remembered with Fawnbriar's litter.
Her tail twitched lightly before resettling around her paws. "Sadly, I don't think our genes together will be quite that prolific." She replied, though there was a hint of disappointment. She'd love to have a larger litter to offer the clan but she knew her line tended to have twos or threes in a litter. "To be honest, it'll be easier to guess as I get nearer to my kitting date, but I'm hoping for at least two in this litter. Kits learn and grow better when they have playmates."
She sighed softly, wistful for a larger litter but content with the fact she was going to have one. "Either way, I am pleased I was able to take and we can offer this litter to the clan. The nursery has been empty enough for long enough, even if Fallkit is in it right now. Even if we only have one, two kits on the nursery is better than none."
If ignorance is bliss, you must be the happiest cat on the planet
✧ ⭒ ♦ ⭒ ❦ ⭒ ♦ ⭒ ✧
Envious of her clanmate, Barleyswipe could only imagine the feeling of being with kit. Was it similar to the feeling of a full belly after a warm meal? Food didn't usually move about so in the gut, nor did the feeling cause her to purr... sometimes it was unsettling? Like a bowel movement? Surely it had to be more pleasant than that, and right now she relished in the feeling of being so close to Brightmaple as she described what the future could bring.
Barleyswipe frowned briefly as she seemed to deflect her assumption. Not that she really understood how this how kitting process worked... but still, it was nice to hope for the best. Even if it was just one kit she didn't think she'd seem ungrateful, maybe just a bit disappointed that they wouldn't be able to provide more. "Fallkit having some playmates will be good for the little one. You'll have to let me know about anything the medicine cats say - how exciting!" The old she-cat purred softly as she nabbed another mouthful. "Make sure you eat plenty and don't overwork yerself."
FROM RIVERCLAN:
Cottonbright, ♀ Anxious Warrior
Nettleplume, ♂ Cynical Medicine Cat
Merrykit, ♀ Contented Kit
Otterwhisker, ♀ Adventurous Elder
FROM THUNDERCLAN:
Brindlepaw, ♀ Selfish Apprentice
Bravesong, ♂ Gracious Elder
Leopardrose, ♀ Striving Warrior
Wildcry, ♀ Fierce Elder
FROM WINDCLAN:
Cloudflare, ♂ Suave Warrior
Barleyswipe, ⚧ Ornery Elder
Heatherkit, ♀ Sweet Kit
FROM SHADOWCLAN:
Palestar, ♀ Stern Leader
Honeyglow, ♂ Reserved Elder
Emberdust, ♀ Artless Warrior
Murkkit, ♂ Opportunistic Kit
FROM WHITEHART & BEYOND:
Ahryndae, ♀ Princess of Camelot
Lelouch Von Noon, ♂ Marquess of Noon Cattery
Kosmo, ♂ Disturbed Rogue
