Swallowpelt's kits

[Cloud of Diamonds]

The gray queen had just returned from a short walk in the forest she wished could've lasted longer. Being a queen wasn't all it was cracked up to be: how easily you got tired, all that extra weight to lug around every day, how little you could do, and don't forget the agony of giving birth. "I must look like a kittypet." grumbled Swallowpelt as she padded slowly back to her nest in the nursery. Bluestream had said she was going to have at least three kits; keeping track of them would just be another chore. It wasn't that the PineClanner didn't want kits; she just didn't like the territory that came with it. She awkwardly settled her large bulk in her nest, with her paws sitcking out at he edges. A yawn made its way out of her mouth. She decided to take a nap-what else could she do? Just when she was drifting off, she felt a small but unmistakable push in her body. A jolt of surprise ran like lightning through the large warrior's body. She yowled for Bluestream just as a larger push coursed its way through her body. Gritting her teeth, Swallowpelt prayed her kitting wouldn't be too long.

[roscoe]

Bluestream had managed to doze off, nose clogged with the soothing scents of herbs and berries which polluted the air of the Medicine Cat den. Ears twitching at a particularly fair dream, the gray she-cat almost missed the unmistakable sound of a cat yowling for her. Wearily she sat up, rasping a tongue down her whispy fur with soft noises, before her mind registered the voice. Instantly Bluestream was alert, rushing around and looking for the correct herbs needed for the moment. Whether or not Swallowpelt was kitting or just feeling the pains that came with pregnancy did matter right now – all that mattered was that the queen got help.

Dainty paws scattering across the ground, Bluestream hardly noticed the fallen leaves in dying colors. If she had, she might have worried a little more about how the kits would fare this leaf bare. In her rush, though, the fallen plants went unnoticed. Her green-blue eyes were given little time to adjust to the dim before she was bombarded by the scent of kits and Swallowpelt. And milk, oh yes. This was definitely the actual kitting. With a deep breath the she-cat bent down, giving the queen a quick lick to the forehead before switching to a calm disposition. “How is the pain, Swallowpelt? And how long has it lasted now?”

[Cloud of Diamonds]

It took a moment for the she-cat to gather her thoughts to respond, though the lick the medicine cat gave her helped her calm down. "I've..grunt..had them..for...ouch...about..ouch..a minute and...ow..they're getting....mph..stronger. And the pain...OWWW....is really...ouch...bad." The gray queen squirmed in her nest, tail lashing, as her stomach contracted again and again, muscles pushing. She hoped to goodness that Bluestream would be able to help her somehow. After all, that's what medicine cats were for. A yowl split the PineClanner's throat as a small bundle slid onto the floor of the nursery. She felt like her insides were being squeezed by a fox's jaws as she felt another spasm go through her. She nearly blacked out as another, larger kit was born. Nearly an agonizing minute later, her last kit also came into the world. Feeling the pain begin to lessen, Swallowpelt let out a sigh of relief and laid her head, which had been rigid with agony, back in her nest as she watched the medicine cat work.

[Crowzerplorodon]

ooc| k. Roscoe can't post as Bluestream, so we're just jumping to a little after Swallowpelt gave birth. PineClan cats can visit her now.

Otterfur, though usually clueless to life, had developed something of a sixth sense ever since Swallowpelt had gotten pregnant. It was just a soft prickly feeling at the base of his tail and it didn't go off that often, but the brown tom had learned that when it did, it was time to go visit Swallowpelt. Otterfur had never bothered questioning the strange feeling and chalked it up to "paternal intuition", just because he liked how the words sounded.

So, with a limp squirrel hanging from his jaws, Otterfur hurried back into the PineClan camp and wished that he could scratch at the pricks he felt. Dropping the squirrel with the other catches of the day, the warrior turned toward the nursery, approaching the den just as Bluestream slinked out of the shadows, heading back toward the medicine cat den. He picked up the pace, ducking his head as he slipped into the tight opening, scenting traces of blood and almost freaking out before catching sight of Swallowpelt in the dim light.

Needless to say, Otterfur had never been more at a loss for words than he was at this moment, gazing down at his mate and the three kits she had just given birth to. "Wow..." Was the only thing he could voice as he continued to stare, watching the small kits wiggle and squirm around, looking for milk from their mother. "Wow..."

[Cloud of Diamonds]

Swallowpelt had been dozing, but woke when the sound of a cat's pawsteps sounded in the nursery. She lifted her broad head and blinked, purring when she recognized the shape of her mate, looking down dumbfounded at his children. His expression reminded her of how she'd felt when she first joined PineClan. She mewed softly,"Hi, Otterfur. You have two sons, brown tabby and black, and a gray-furred daughter. All of them are healthy. What shall we call them? I have an idea for one, but I wanted you to be here when I named them."

OoC: Sorry it's short. xP

[Crowzerplorodon]

Otterfur barely recognized Swallowpelt speaking, the words going one ear and out the other. But quickly he shook himself out of his daze, grabbed the words, and shoved them back in, nodding slowly as he let his mind register exactly what had happened. He was a father now. Those three, small, wiggling bundles were his kits and that fact alone was too sweet to let go by in silence. He purred softly, rubbing his head against Swallowpelt's as he took a seat next to the queen.

"They're beautiful," he muttered, well aware of the cliche, as he sniffed each one. Swallowpelt was right (though he hadn't doubted her), there were two toms and a she-cat. "Go ahead and tell me your ideas. I wanna hear them." Already he was forming name ideas, but Otterfur would let his mate go first.

[/size]

[Cloud of Diamonds]

The large she-cat eyes closed for a moment, but then opened wide as the brown PineClanner came over to her nest. Swallowpelt sighed in pleasure as her mate's familiar scent wafted over her and his fur brushed her. She watched as he settled beside her. "Well, I really want to call the black one Crowkit. The name just seems to suit him. And the brown one reminds me of tree bark, but I can't think of what kind. Anyway, what do you think?" Swallowpelt yawned. She was a bit weary, but she could stay awake to name her children. It was very important, after all, and it was her job as a mother. Mother. The former ForestClan she-cat remembered when she had thought she would never have a mate, let alone kits. But now look where she was. Things weren't perfect and they never would be, but they were pretty good right now.

[Crowzerplorodon]

He nodded, suddenly feeling like they had to rush this. Swallowpelt was looking extremely tired, after all. Otterfur was sure the she-cat would want to sleep now. But naming the kits was important and there's no way they'd go any longer without names. "Crowkit sounds nice," he agreed, looking at the black kit with a fond twinkle in his eye. The comment about the bark sparked an agreement from Otterfur as well. "Elmkit," he purred. The brown kit look a lot like the rough brown color of the elm trees that scattered the edge of PineClan territory.

But what about the she-kit? She was such a nice shade of silvery-gray, a bright light among her two brothers. Otterfur could already imagine what the little girl would look like when she was older. The thought amused him before he ran through some name ideas, but nothing seemed to fit. "Maybe... er..." Great, who knew picking a name for a little gray she-cat would be so hard? Maybe he should go ask Sandpaw, she seemed like that type that would know. Or maybe No-ears, because he was wise like that.

[Whiskers]

Shrikewhisker was late. For a very, very important date.

He had sped through the forest the instant word had traveled to his ears that his beloved sister, Swallowpelt, had finally given birth to his very own kin. Ha, he couldn't believe it! Finally, he was an uncle! A very proud, handsome uncle at that, and one that should be there when the darling creatures first meowed and cried and got named.

He burst into the nursery without a second thought, though he should have considered the possibilility that maybe Swallowpelt wanted alone time with the kits first. After all, Shrikewhisker knew that, though he was her brother, they weren't as close as they should be. Nope-- Swallowpelt actually found him annoying and Shrikewhisker sometimes couldn't stand how grumpy that she-cat got. He had been so thankful to Otterfur for somehow taming the beast inside Swallowpelt and bringing out her sweet nature.

Well he wouldn't call it sweet, but it was an improvement.

"And I'm here! Sorry I'm late, Swallowpelt, darling, I was out hunting a very elusive squirrel. Smart little bugger, but I caught him, of course. Always manage too. But, anyway! Oh look at them!" Shrikewhisker instantly switched gears, his eyes landing on the kits. His features softened with adoration.

"They're all so-- if I may say so myself-- as beautiful as their mother. But who could doubt that," The tom moved closer to the kits and gave Swallowpelt a brotherly lick on her ear. He had never felt more close to her as he gazed down at those...well, miracles. Pineclan cats would probably claw his face off if he spoke such a word aloud. "Miracles? Shrikewhisker, there are no such thing as miracles! That's as bad as saying they're gifts from Starclan!"

Shrikewhisker's just shrugged at his own made-up conversation and went back to the miracles themselves. His eyes grew wide when he focused on a little gray she-cat. "Swallowpelt, that she-cat LOOKS JUST LIKE ME. I think "Shrikekit" would fit her just fine. Yes?" he beamed at his sister, though he doubted that she'd let something so horrendous happen to the she-cat. Shrikekit, after all, wasn't the most attractive name in the world.

[/size]

[Cloud of Diamonds]

Swallowpelt was about to tell Otterfur she thought Elmkit was a fine name when a gray-and-white tom came bursting in. Oh boy, here was her silly brother. But it was his right to be here, she supposed. The kits were his kin. She was a bit shocked for a moment, but then found the words to reply to what he'd said. "Well, I'm glad you caught the squirrel, maybe you could bring it here for me, as I'm a bit hungry." She purred slightly in amusement at his second comment. "Well, you might be insulting them then, because I'm not the most pretty cat out there. But I do think they're as handsome as their father and perhaps even their uncle, eh?" She smiled slightly as he licked her. Goodness, he really was fizzing with energy. But his last suggestion was simply ridiculous in more ways than one. She raised an eyebrow, looked right at his orange eyes, and said, "No, brother, my daughter is only gray, and not gray-and-white, as you may notice. I'll tell you what we've named the other ones. The black one is Crowkit, and the brown one is Elmkit. We're trying to decide on the last one's name, but we are certainly not calling her Shrikekit, I'm sorry."