#cottonkit

[forestclan-clangen]

MOON 11 (Part 1)

<< FIRST | < PREVIOUS |

Barleywave recovered from frostbite, but it left scars on his tail and nose.

(Shiverpaw, medicine cat apprentice, female, 11 moons. Loving.) (Barleywave, warrior, male, 40 moons. Playful.)

Morningpaw is made a warrior, given the name Morningspot. Morningspot knows that Barleywave was a great mentor, helping her feel more at ease and better at resolving her inner anxieties. She may still be afraid of the Woods - but she truly, deeply, loves her Clanmates. She will help them however she can.

(Morningspot, warrior, female, 13 moons. Nervous.) (Barleywave, warrior, male, 40 moons. Playful.) (Redstar, leader, female, 69 moons. Strict.)

Olive's kits are finally made apprentices, now Branchpaw and Perchpaw. Redstar isn't too friendly with Tree, but she can't deny their impressive skills regarding the Woodcrawlers, and assigns them to train Branchpaw. Redstar also believes that Hopechase is overdue for another apprentice, and assigns Perchpaw to her.

(Branchpaw, apprentice, female, 6 moons. Ambitious.) (Perchpaw, apprentice, female, 6 moons. Adventurous.) (Tree, warrior, non-binary, 42 moons. Ambitious.) (Hopechase, warrior, female, 93 moons. Playful.) (Redstar, leader, female, 69 moons. Strict.)

Riversnow very sheepishly announces that she thinks, she's not sure, she may have to wait a bit, she...might be expecting kits? Several cats offer congratulations, and ask if Barleywave's the sire. Despite Cloudthunder's intervention, Riversnow is, regrettably, a terrible liar. Barleywave's mortified expression across the clearing also doesn't help.

(Iciclepool, deputy, female, 67 moons. Ambitious.) (Riversnow, warrior, female, 60 moons. Adventurous.) (Barleywave, warrior, male, 40 moons. Playful.) (Cloudthunder, warrior, female, 44 moons. Adventurous.)

Riversnow didn't want to take any of the weird herbs Shiverpaw was telling her to take for her pregnancy. She would be just fine, thank you very much. Despite Shiverpaw's appeal, she rejects them, much to the apprentice's frustration.

(Shiverpaw, medicine cat apprentice, female, 11 moons. Loving.) (Riversnow, warrior, female, 60 moons. Adventurous.)

Talontooth, Iciclepool and Morningspot hunt and catch prey, but there's one rabbit that seems...off. But it's leafbare, and they need food. Talontooth catches it, but later, those who eat it get stomach aches. Tree in particular becomes shocked and poisoned.

(Iciclepool, deputy, female, 67 moons. Ambitious.) (Tree, warrior, non-binary, 42 moons. Ambitious.) (Talontooth, warrior, male, 15 moons. Adventurous.)

Tree trusts Shiverpaw to provide them with the best possible care. As Tree expresses relief, Shiverpaw reads a little too far into their kindness.

(Shiverpaw, medicine cat apprentice, female, 11 moons. Loving.) (Tree, warrior, non-binary, 42 moons. Ambitious.)

Hopechase told Barleywave a hard truth he needed to hear. They speak as they watch Cloudthunder's kits figure out snow for the first time.

(Barleywave, warrior, male, 40 moons. Playful.) (Hopechase, warrior, female, 93 moons. Playful.) (Deerkit, kitten, female, 1 moon. Noisy) (Airkit, kitten, male, 1 moon. Polite.) (Cottonkit, kitten, female, 1 moon. Fearless)

---

"Barleywave."

Hopechase approached the dark tom in a moment of privacy, under the branch of a sagging pine tree, weighed down by snow. She made sure that most of the Clan was either having their afternoon nap, or out patrolling. It was probably the least she could do to make him comfortable, given the circumstances.

Barleywave turned to look at Hopechase, and gave a deceptively pleasant smile. He waved his tail in greeting. "Hey Hope."

Hopechase returned the gesture before sitting candidly in front of him. Her blue eyes simmered with intent. She knew that he knew what she was here for. She could tell because despite the tom's straight face, she could read his nervous tick anywhere. His entire body freezing wasn't exactly subtle.

The dark grey molly decided to rip the pine sap off. "So. Riversnow's pregnancy."

"Yup! Uhh, good for her," he blurted. Despite his lighthearted expression, Hopechase's eyes narrowed.

The tom's eyes had a thin layer of terror. Great StarClan, he was really bad at this.

Hopechase sighed. She knew Barleywave since he was a kit. He was never the type to know how to deal with his emotions. Back when Lakestar was alive, fine, it was a method of survival. Not letting a cruel cat know how you really feel about them was vital. But she was dead now, and this wasn't helping him. The Clan wasn't stupid - they saw how Riversnow often padded after him when she felt nervous around Clanmates. They also saw how Barleywave pushed himself to at least be somewhat vulnerable, if it meant that Riversnow would feel less distressed. Their affections weren't a secret.

Which is why they were quite surprised that ever since Riversnow announced her pregnancy, both of them were avoiding each other like the plague.

Yes, technically Riversnow didn't have to declare the sire. But both of them were terrible at hiding secrets.

"Did you congratulate her?"

"Err…no, haven't had the time yet," he answered sheepishly.

"Are you going to?"

Silence.

Hopechase's pale blue eyes narrowed, then softened. She allowed her brief moment of frustration to pass through her, then replaced it with empathy.

Warblerkit. She had a feeling this was about Warblerkit.

Barleywave didn't like talking about his lost son. He and Riversnow came out and were honest with the Clan about his origins. But nothing else.

Now that Riversnow was pregnant - both parents, in theory, had the chance to try again. Maybe have a happier ending than the one they had with Warblerkit.

Or not.

Of course. Of course he'd be afraid of that.

“Barleywave," Hopechase said softly. She placed a gentle tail on his shoulder. The tom glanced at it. "Look. I'm not going to make any assumptions. Maybe we have it all wrong, and that's possible. But I'm going to offer you some wisdom, if you're willing to listen."

Barleywave didn't look at Hopechase in the eye, but his ear twitched towards her attentively. His gaze was focused on empty space in the distance.

"If you DID sire Riversnow’s kits – then don’t hold back on loving them like you did with Warblerkit."

"What?" Barleywave sputtered, his voice tightened. He laughed nervously, his hazel eyes wide with bewilderment. "I'm - I swear I'm not - "

"If you're not the sire, that's fine. You can ignore everything that I'm about to tell you," Hopechase interjected. "But just in case you may enjoy Riversnow's company and wish to bond with her and her children at some point in time…" Hopechase's whiskers twitched knowingly. "You need to understand that you are allowed to grieve. But if you fear every risk of death and every crisis that will come, you’ll lose sight of appreciating those you love when you're here. Any time spent with people we care about matters in this place.”

The world fell silent around them. Hopechase removed her tail from the tom's shoulder and simply waited. She looked out into the snowy clearing, watching Cloudthunder's kits emerge from the nursery with curious eyes.

Cottonkit, the chocolate tabby with a white underbelly, bravely took a step forward and put both of her paws into the snow. Her hazel eyes were wide with shock, but she didn't pull back.

"...Well?" Airkit asked, the tom's copper eyes sniffed at the snow with curiosity. But he didn't seem eager to take the first step until his siblings confirmed it first.

Deerkit stared at her sister, who still refused to move. She tentatively placed a paw into the snow, then immediately pulled it back and hissed. "Nope! No, nuh uh! I don't wanna! Cold!" Deerkit protested and retreated back into the den. Airkit wordlessly decided that was enough for him, and followed after his sibling.

Hopechase's whiskers twitched in amusement. Then, Cottonkit just threw her head back and started yelling for seemingly no reason, before slamming her face into the snow. Hopechase let out a mrrow of amusement. Ah, small kits.

Barleywave was watching this bizarre interaction with a hint of weight in his eyes. “...But it hurts when they’re gone," he whispered.

Hopechase turned to face him, then let out a sympathetic purr. “I know. I’ve been there. But the thing we always regret the most, is not spending enough time with them when they were here. Trust me. I'm the oldest cat here. I would know.”

There was a silence again as Barleywave stared at the kits again. He watched as Cloudthunder emerged from the den, groggy and tired, her eyes raised in confusion as she watched her very strange kit burrowing herself into the snow. He closed his eyes, then sighed. “...You really refuse to let people mope, don’t you?”

---

<PREVIOUS | NEXT>

[antlerclan-dogkit]

After the poll, here is the illustrated allegiance for the start of the story!

Please note they are more detailed here but I'll maybe simplify the design as the comic takes time.

I ALSO JUST NOTICED I FORGOT BUT THE UNLISTED CAT IS CATERPILLARSPOTS! She's as of now a warrior, 73 moons.

For relationships context:

* Pikestar is the father of Weedkit.

* Flightblaze is the mate of Caterpillarspots and they adopted Bonepaw, but she's also mate with Rivershine and they adopted Rainkit.

* Crookedflick is the mother of Coyotedapple and Dogkit but they don't have the same father.

[song-of-hollow-hearts]

- The clan takes in Olivestem and her kits (Woodkit, Cottenkit, Rowankit and Barkkit). -

Next tbd.

Alright, I got sucked into DA:Veilguard but we've begun. I'm probably going to also only do relatively small updates, even if it isn't the whole moon in one to two pages or so? I also just wanted to actually start dropping this lol. Probably not everything will have these full bgs, either, so enjoy these while they last. Also a lazy overview of the clan below the cut!

Leader

Littlestar: Female, 67 moons. Childish.

Deputy

Riftsight: Female, 42 moons. Ambitious.

Lead Healer

Lowbreak: Male, 111 moons. Responsible.

Warriors and Apprentices

Dashwave: Male, 78 moons. Rebellious.

Adderpaw: Female, 9 moons. Lonesome (Not Pictured).

Larkfur: Male, 82 moons. Compassionate.

Mousespots: Male, 114 moons. Vengeful.

Splotchpaw: Female, 10 moons. Vengeful. (Not Pictured).

Splashspots: Female, 91 moons. Righteous.

Vinetoe: Male, 97 moons. Charismatic.

Queens and Kits

Olivestem: Female, 105 moons. Righteous.

Barkkit: Female, 0 moons. Daydreamer.

Cherrykit: Male, 0 moons. (Not Pictured).

Cottonkit: Male, 0 moons. Bullying.

Rowankit: Male, 0 moons. Know-it-all.

Woodkit: Male, 0 moons. Skittish.

[sallyeclipse]

Cotton'kit - Oc

Swedish name: Bomulls'unge

[sysiheart]

Been really into clangen lately and wanted to draw the clan! This is one of those "leaders have heirs" clans and oh boy the drama

-Butterflymuzzle (probably my fav. He is a lady but uses he/him cause i had too many amab cats and changes him in the code but forgot to change his pronouns) is an adopted daughter of the previous leader Ruestar. He would have been his heir if he didnt have biological kittens.

-But Ruestar did just that and had Shatterkit

-And Butterfly wasnt happy about that and this one healer Batseeker who had a crush on him just. Killed the child for him and Butterfly was BROKEN

-Bat got exiled and killed for that (and later Butterfly named his daugher after her lmao)

-Ruestar had Cottonkit and Butterfly was like "ok i need to make things right" and was sure to get close to Cotton and support her when Ruestar died and she became a leader

-But Cotton didnt get to be a leader long when another healer (Smokeleg, can be found in the first pic) FUCKING FED HER TO DOGS

-At this point Ruestar also had 2 other younger biological kittens but Butterfly was done with this bullshit and since he is the (grand)mother to literally huge part of the clan and Ruestars adopted child it was pretty easy for him to go "yeah these cats are too young to lead it should be me"

-so he is a leader now and the only other living child of Ruestar Cinderpool (Cinderpaw in the second pic) is not happy about it

[chasingclans]

MOON 0:

"MOMMA?!" BONEPAW yelled as they ran through the paths that been carefully carved by cats long deceased. Cats whos names lingered on the tongue of SloeFace through the threads of stories.

It had taken BONEPAW until moonhigh to trudge her aching body back into the camp, the two kits sleeping soundly within the nursery, it wasn't long until the apprentice settled to curling up onto the soft moss and resting her eyes in hopes that she was stuck in a horrid nightmare. That her mom would gently lick the tears from her eyes once she startled awake as she always did.

BONEPAW woke to the strained streams of sunlight that broke through the trees into the grotto's weathered cave, she pulled herself onto her paws to make sure MULBERRYKIT and COTTONKIT were still asleep. BONEPAW strengthened her resolve before heading back out, only to return to camp a few hours later with a gnawing feeling of dread forming within her gut.

[FIRST] - [NEXT]

[cheerclaw]

Meet the OCs: Ospreycatcher (she/her) - @booksofstars

Ospreycatcher was a RidgeClan cat, ranked as a birdspotter (cats that monitor and plan large bird hunts). She was especially skilled in taking down raptors, and had a mate from BrookClan named Widowgaze. Her clan went to hell when her childhood friend, Skunkstar, ended up as ruler. She tried fleeing with her apprentice, Peachpaw, but only Peachpaw initially got away. Ospreycatcher ended up severely injured while fighting to make sure Peachpaw could make it, helped along by her friend Falconstep. Upon being dragged back to camp, Ratcatcher and Dogwood decided to make a break for it with her. They leave, guided by the defecting deputy. The gang go to stay with Ospreycatcher‘s friend, Freyja. They are eventually joined by Falconstep, Rockskip, and Cottonkit. Osprey and Rat end up getting together, and the gang works with BrookClan and defectors from RidgeClan to take down Skunkstar. She‘s a very cool strong butch lesbian who takes down raptor birds and tyrants alike. She’s blessed by a fey cat. What more could you want?

Renata (she/her) - @lightleapfan

Renata is a homunculus baby without a rank, and is the Main Character of Corpse Girl, (Trample The Moorland Part 2) a four-season television series that ran on NBC from 1999-2008. Just kidding. She lives in my head. From "Windclan". she's her own mother incarnate and has a fake blood disease i made up. nobody even knows where she came from. she likes girls. she constantly dreams of snow despite having never seen it. she got decapitated and survived. She is constantly on the verge of ego death. she is seven months old.

[Back to the grade]

[mistleclan-sideblog]

Alderwhimsy kits refs real quick 👍👍👍👍

(also I accidentally called Cottonkit Mallowkit in my reply to some one on the last post sorry--)

[pixxyofice]

MOON 11 - BURNCLAN

sorry i forgor im catchin up

OWLSPRING.... our original two babies grew up!! also our deputy got greencough or something

good on the torn ear healing though!

look at him!

kits interfering with splinterwing

the kits are being cool!

redfrost please let the leader do things. and don't make them do morning stretches after that what the hell

SLIGHTSTAR WHAT THE FUCK WHY ARE YOU BEEFING

yippee!! yay!!! what task are you assigning to a one moon old kit

willowcall and chikoritaclaw bonding let's go! also ignoring chikoritaclaw being grossed out its fine

honeydew yay yay :3

dreamkit and cottonkit please no fighting. and hawthornspot didn't you name her

the siblings. stop that

yay medicine cat

failure hunt

successful hunting!

LETS FUCKING GO MEDICINE CAT

spark... that name is BEGGING for a suffix.

sparkpetal! welcome to her! Now i don't gotta worry about medicine cat role being empty from bluebell dying.

thanks for the moss girl

more friendship....

[residents-of-the-darkforest]

RockClan's Origin (part 4)

Moon 40:

Void's mangled tail is swollen and hot to the touch. Tigerpaw does her best to heal it, as Duskheather is still lost in grief.

Tigerpaw had a very strange dream.

Strikespots's eyesight has now gone alltogether.

A patrol finds an abandoned kittypet on the border, and takes them in. Doodle has joined the Clan.

Bearstar questions their ability to lead.

Goldfox stumbled into mud and waited a while to wash. What was the point anyway?

Silversmoke gives advice to Goldfox.

Cavernblossom wants to compliment Doodle's fighting techniques.

Lionkit doesn't understand why they are always left out.

Moon 41:

Strikespots believes they're meant for something greater. She thinks that Silversmoke is doing a terrible job as deputy.

Goldfox gave a badger ride to Lionkit, and is now begged by Cottonkit for one as well.

Brindlesnap and Patchpelt both want to be chosen as the new deputy.

Moon 42:

Lionpaw is apprenticed to Strikespots.

Cottonpaw is apprenticed to Patchpelt, feeling nervous.

Tigerpaw is growing fond of Cottonpaw.

Doodle is working twice as hard to prove their worth.

Void wonders how Kisha is doing.

Patchpelt is sad that they couldn't spend more time with Bluebellkit.

Moon 43:

Though they still love each other, their grief took its toll. Duskheather and Kisha broke up.

Void's infection has gone.

Goldfox has a bellyache.

Cloverfreckle touched noses with a loner.

Cavernblossom is trans, now officially going by she/her.

Goldfox ignores the bellyache when Cloverfreckle offers to practise fighting moves with them.

Moon 44:

Everyone has healed!

Cloverfreckle was seen arguing, borderline fighting, with a loner.

While leading a patrol, Strikespots tells the younger cats for their petty dishonesty.

Moon 45:

Strikespots's tail is injured by a fox.

Cloverfreckle's pelt was torn by dense shrubs when they pushed themself after a vole.

Patchpelt has gotten greencough.

Brindlesnap got cold while out on patrol, and shivers for a while.

There was no better time to name her apprentice, besides, she already proved herself. Duskheather names Tigerpaw Tigercave, and gives him rye stalk as congratulations.

Tigercave was startled awake by a vivid dream.

Strikespots wonders how Brindlesnap is doing. Brindlesnap makes sure everyone is eating well.

Moon 46:

Everyone but Strikespots healed!....until Cottonpaw got whitecough.

Bearstar personally observes Cottonpaw's training, but when the apprentice won't stop coughing, she calls the training to a halt and makes Cottonpaw go to the medicine den.

Goldfox always seems to have petals in their fur.

Strikespots wants to critique Patchpelt's hunting techniques.

Moon 47:

Strikespots's injury is swelling.

Goldfox lies through their teeth.

As Tigercave is healing them, Strikespots wants to get to know her better.

Because Strikespots is out of commission, Patchpelt takes Lionpaw out to train. Apparently Strikespots's badmouthing has affected his apprentice, as Lionpaw starts an argument with Patchpelt about the technique. Patchpelt takes a deep breath and explains their method. Lionpaw apologizes for their outburst.

Moon 48:

Everyone actually recovered!

Doodle was seen calmly talking to a loner. Doodle also spends a considerable amount of time grooming (washing the scent away?).

Moon 49:

Cottonpaw is named Cottondart.

Strikespots's tail healed, though they'll always carry the scars.

Lionpaw ignores their mentor's orders.

Lionpaw and Cloverfreckle caught whitecough.

Patchpelt keeps making bad jokes, and everyone rolls their eyes.

Strikespots thinks that the younger cats are making fools of themselves.

Moon 50:

Rootskitter is visibly stressed about something.

Lionpaw feels underappreciated.

While patrolling with Silversmoke, Strikespots opens up and asks if Silversmoke thinks their doing a good job as a mentor. The two have a good talk.

While patrolling, Rootskitter and Cottondart have a disagreement and look to Patchpelt to settle it, but Patchpelt can only respond with stutters. Maybe they're not the best suited to leading patrols.

[shadowedwoods]

MothClan Moon 3. PEPPERSPOTS brought COTTONKIT and GENTLEKIT to the Clan.

[forestclan-clangen]

MOON 10 (Final)

<< FIRST | < PREVIOUS |

Despite ForestClan's best efforts - the Living Tendrils appear when Cloudthunder gives birth. The tendrils steal two of Cloudthunder's five kits. Redstar latches onto a tendril and tried to sacrifice herself to save one of the kits. She can only return to camp with a body. Redstar now has 7 lives left.

(Redstar, leader, female, 68 moons. Strict.) (Cloudthunder, warrior, female, 43 moons. Adventurous) (Shiverpaw, medicine cat apprentice, female, 10 moons. Loving) (Windfur, medicine cat, male, 24 moons. Lonesome) (Living Tendrils. Gnashing, shifting roots. Without age. Cruelty incarnate.) (Warblerkit, male, 3 moons. StarClan cat.)

---

ForestClan tried. They really, really did. It's why it hurt so much when they failed.

They piled cold snow around their walls. They lit fires, and preserved them with pine resin. They even gave a crash course to the former outsiders on how to use half-burned sticks that were still white with ash and flashing red with the heat of cinders. Windfur had given Shiverpaw detailed instructions on how to assist a queen's delivery, and even used a dummy made of deer hide, dried straw and newborn-sized stones to let her practice. They were prepared, and ready to be quick and efficient with repelling the dangers.

It hurt so, so badly when it was not enough.

Cloudthunder thought she had mentally prepared herself for this. For three moons, she desperately tried to pretend she wasn’t pregnant. If she could pretend she was never going to be a mother, then she wouldn’t get attached. After all, it was true. It was fully possible that she was never going to be a mother, and that was alright. This was an accident, anyway. She expected nothing, and if she ended up with something - well, that was a pleasant surprise. She talked to Iciclepool, and Olive, and even Riversnow offered a few words of support. Sure, she had to ignore the shards of worry that scattered their expressions every now and again, but that was alright. Of course they'd be worried - she was their Clanmate. But it would be alright, no matter what happened.

This was a complete failure.

She gave birth to five kits. Five. It took everything in her to not grow attached to every single wriggling kit that Shiverpaw and Windfur helped her deliver. She saw the mounting dread in their eyes as she gave birth to her third kit, and yet she wasn't done. Cloudthunder felt terror surge through her as she heard violent yowling and the crackling of roots snapping the ice off of their ends.

She yowled in despair when Windfur and Shiverpaw were assaulted and thrown to the back of the nursery, and then she found herself with two less kits.

Her heart was carved in half. She wailed, and wailed, and wailed.

*******

Redstar's jaw was locked on one of the tendrils like a bear trap.

She refused to let go.

Not even when she knew it was too late. Not even when she felt her leg shatter again. Not even as the tendrils started retreating, and the vine in her jaws writhed and hissed and pulled her with the strength of rabid dogs. She barely heard the cries of Iciclepool and Hopechase as her body was dragged over the camp walls and through the cold woods. She was filled with indomitable fury. Her claws flailed as she sought to grasp anything to stop its movement.

She grasped on a tree's trunk, and felt her claws rake across the bark uselessly as the tendrils pulled her. She snarled as she felt twigs and snow pelt her eyes. The tendrils wrapped tightly around her muzzle, and grasped for a way to wrench her mouth open to free itself.

It would never find a way. Its disgusting attempt reminded her of Lakestar begging for her life before her death. Ruthless murderer, pleading for mercy. Redstar bit down harder until her gums went numb.

It had no right to demand mercy.

She felt pain surge through her as her broken leg was now mangled thanks to the forest floor. She wouldn't be able to use her body to slow herself down - she had to trap it. Force its hand. Her eyes darted as she saw other tendrils retreating in the distance, coiled around the stolen kits. She could do it. She could force them to choose her. She just needed -

She grunted as her head hit a branch. She hissed, then felt her body moving…at an incline. Her eyes widened. She frantically tried to readjust her eyes. She was being dragged down a hill, down a center path, towards a Woodcrawler den she was all too familiar with.

That's it! Redstar knew where a large oak was - that was how she'd do it. She held her breath and shifted her entire weight towards the right, forcing the tendril's path with her. Her eyes narrowed and her body tensed as they approached the tree, and she braced herself. The tendril hooked itself around the oak tree, and Redstar's weight prevented it from untangling itself, pulling taut. Redstar raked her claws around the tree's trunk, anchoring herself to it. The tendrils thrashed as something from the den was desperately trying to retrieve its appendage. Its writhing became more and more desperate, like a fox bleeding out in a fox trap, and Redstar had no mercy.

She glanced to see one of the coiled tendrils in the distance buckling and writhing in the snow. It twitched like an insect's dying throes.

Come on, she thought. Kill me. Let it go and kill me. Do it!

The last thing she remembers is the coiled tendril releasing its former prey, and diving towards her. She felt the tendrils wrap around her neck, and she wanted to gasp as the air was stolen from her lungs. But no. She would not. She could not release it. She would die. She had to die. She allowed her heart to beat with overwhelming terror, and she felt her vision leave her as nothing could enter her body. Then, she felt surprised when the pain was instantly gone, replaced with blackness.

Redstar gasped and felt air return to her lungs. She swallowed the oxygen around her as relief and life coursed through her again, and she found herself lying on pale, blue grass, painted over an endless sky of stars. He allowed her heart and lungs to slow, and she slowly turned her head around.

Her eyes fell on a grey and white kit, his hazel eyes twinkling with starlight.

"Warblerkit," she rasped.

"Hi Redstar," he meowed. "Icypaw told me that you're losing a life. I, um…I didn't know you could do that." Warblerkit's eyes beamed excited awe. "That's really cool."

If Redstar hadn't been filled with adrenaline, she might've laughed. But instead, she just swallowed.

"How…is my body right now?"

"Um…" Warblerkit stared out into the distance, and his starry eyes glowed. He winced. "Well…the tendrils slowed down. I think you made them really tired."

"Good," she huffed. "But my body, Warblerkit, please."

"I think it's trying to heal your leg. I can't really tell. And your eyes."

"Eyes?"

"Um…tendrils went in it," Warblerkit winced again. "I-It's out now, but…"

"That's alright. Thank you, Warblerkit," Redstar sighed. So that's why she didn't suffocate to death.

"Oh, hello!" Warblerkit chirped. He pranced behind Redstar suddenly, and when she followed him with her gaze, her heart dropped as she saw the truth. Two small, newborn kits, the center of their lucid bodies bright and compact like dense, forming stars. They let out confused mews, and yet their cries went quiet as they found each other and huddled together with security and comfort. Wablerkit pressed his nose against their pelts, and said cheerfully, "It's okay, you'll be safe here. You can try again some other day, okay?"

"Warblerkit," Redstar breathed, confusion and grief filling her.

"There's this really nice molly named Whiteflower that said newborns haven't fully lived, so sometimes, their stars go in other kits when they're born." Warblerkit looked up at Redstar, his hazel eyes flickering. "...I, um…I know you wanted to save one of them." His ears folded sadly. "I'm sorry."

Redstar felt her heart sink. She knew that it was too late. Deep in her heart, she knew.

She hated that she hoped she was wrong.

"You're waking up, Redstar," Warblerkit mewed. "Good luck!"

Redstar's vision turned black, and the next moment, her eyes flew open.

Warblerkit was right. The tendrils were dragging her body very slowly towards the den, like a snake trying to constrict its prey. But the speed it had while trying to escape their camp was spent. Redstar remained still, playing dead to not alert the tendrils. Her gaze darted around. She saw that they were wrapped around her active legs…and they left her broken one alone. A mistake, as it had now healed.

Redstar took a deep breath, and slowly dragged her back paw to her other, and unsheathed her claws.

She yanked the tendrils off the back and scrambled up, pulling her front legs out of the wrappings before dashing up the hill, and looking back.

Just like that time last newleaf, she watched as the tendrils grasped more firmly around a fading, grey echo of her former self, and dragged it more aggressively into the den, until it was wrapped in roots.

Redstar let her heart beat rapidly. She stood, and waited, until everything fell quiet, and only the leaf-bare gale remained.

She stood still for a short while, until she jumped back down the hill and rushed towards the direction of the bundle that the tendril released. Her pawsteps slowed as she found what she knew she would, and she felt tears well as she saw the limp, suffocated form of a white and silver kit.

Redstar stared up at the stars and released an angry caterwaul, then buried her nose in the pelt of the tiny kit.

"I'm sorry," she whimpered. "I'm so, so sorry. I failed you. Please forgive me."

******

It didn't take long for Tree and Hopechase to find Redstar. When Hopechase saw the limp body of the newborn being carried by her leader, she glanced at Redstar's now-healed leg, and her gaze softened.

Tree was solemn, and somewhat wary at Redstar's now-healed form. Their tail flicked once, and that was enough for Hopechase to quietly explain.

"Redstar has nine lives, blessed by StarClan. We spoke of it before."

"...And StarClan can heal injuries like this?" Tree's voice was trembling.

"If she dies…yes."

"...Can they…" Tree trailed off, staring at the small body. Hopechase's ears folded back, and she shook her head sadly.

Redstar's gaze remained distant and exhausted. She gently put down the body, and kept her head bowed. "...I tried. I tried to save them. I'm sorry."

Hopechase sighed deeply and brought her nose to Redstar's head. "No one expected you to, Red."

"But I should have. I should have done better."

"Redstar." Hopechase's tone forced the calico tabby to look up. Hopechase's blue eyes were firm, then softened with kindness. "You did more than any cat could've ever done. You retrieved a body. Denied the woods another catch. I know it'll never be enough, in your eyes." Hopechase placed her tail on her leader's shoulder. "But I promise that it means something."

Tree nodded slowly. "...The roots take everything. But Cloudthunder can grieve this kit, at least."

Hopechase purred in approval. She paused, then asked, "It's only this one you retrieved, yes?"

Redstar nodded weakly.

"Let's not be here for longer than needed," Tree meowed.

When the three returned back to camp, Redstar felt her stomach turn to stone again as she saw Cloudthunder's eyes widen with hope from the nursery, until she looked closer, and her heart broke all over again. Windfur trotted across camp, prepared to treat Redstar, only to stop and his expression faltered when he saw her walking. He looked down at the dead kit, then sighed.

"...I'm sorry, Redstar," he said glumly. "I thought…I thought I could work faster…"

Redstar merely shook her head. The world around her moved as Iciclepool gently took the weight from her. Shiverpaw tended to Cloudthunder, sympathetically pressing her head against the queen's. Windfur quickly treated everyone's injuries. Barleywave and Hopechase started gathering larger branches, preparing a small funeral pyre.

Redstar went through the motions as her clanmates gathered around the pyre. Cloudthunder forced herself to walk out of the nursery and sit vigil for the body of one of her two kits. Redstar recited the Rite of the Lost, partook in the ritual meal, and allowed cats to grieve in silence. Branchkit seemed distraught, and Perchkit was staring vacantly at the fire, her pupils mere slits. Redstar felt her heart sink for the two kits. Was this...their first experience with death? Yes. It had to be. This would've been so hard for them both, especially after the noise and the chaos.

Riversnow's cream pelt was grey with mud and soot. She must've tried to grab the hot cinders when her stake broke in the battle. A heavy emptiness rested in her eyes. She didn't touch the funerary food before her. It was only when Barleywave quietly sat beside her and whispered something, did she reluctantly bite off a corner of the jerky.

Iciclepool's expression was distant. Hopechase sat next to her gently. The white molly let out a sigh, and pressed her head against Hopechase's shoulder. Hopechase rested her chin on her head in response, her blue eyes filled with sympathy.

When the ritual was done and the body was burned, Redstar helped Windfur gather the ashes, and carry it to the graveyard. The process was heavy on her heart. But she bore it. It was the least she could do.

By the time she returned to camp and cautiously approached the nursery, she heard Shiverpaw and Cloudthunder speaking.

"...The other was a white and light grey one. It…it had a white patch over its ears and eyes," Shiverpaw said quietly.

"...Like flower petals?" Cloudthunder's meow was small.

"Yes…I would say so." Shiverpaw's voice tightened.

"Magnoliakit." Cloudthunder said, wavering. "Thank you, Shiverpaw. It hurts. But…" Her voice tapered into a sob. "I can't forget. I just can't. Never, ever, ever…"

Redstar closed her eyes tightly as she fought back her own lump in her throat. She named her lost kits. Oh, StarClan, she named them. How she wished she brought them back alive. She wished she was stronger, more powerful. Why? Why this?

"Redstar?"

Shiverpaw must've seen her. Redstar swallowed down her sorrow and gently peered into the nursery. Cloudthunder and Redstar's eyes met, and there was a shared understanding of pain between them.

"I'm sorry," Redstar said.

The gray and white molly shook her head sadly, wordlessly grooming her still-living kits. After a long moment of silence, she said, "...At least, I'm still a mother…right?"

"You always would've been one."

"...I understand that now." Cloudthunder looked back up at her leader. "...Thank you for trying. Thank you for bringing…for bringing Bearkit back," she whispered. "So I could say goodbye."

"He should've been with you," Redstar retorted. The words held no teeth.

Shiverpaw stared at the floor during this exchange, until finally, she uttered, "I'm sorry that I didn't work faster. I learned as much from Windfur as I could. I didn't know it would be…"

"No, Shiverpaw," Redstar interjected. She rested her tail on the apprentice's shoulder. "No. This isn't your fault. You did what you could."

Shiverpaw took her blue eyes to her leader. There was an innocence and a level of wisdom that Redstar couldn't identify. "...So did you."

---

Redstar retrieving one of the bodies of Cloudthunder's kits provided her with some closure. She names her stolen kits Bearkit and Magnoliakit, to not forget them. Then, she names her living children, praying that they outlive her tenfold.

(Cloudthunder, warrior, female, 43 moons. Adventurous) (Deerkit, kitten, female, 0 moons. Brown and high white tabby. Know-it-all.) (Cottonkit, kitten, female, 0 moons. Chocolate tabby. Fearless.) (Airkit, kitten, male, 0 moons. Grey and white tabby. Polite.) (Bearkit, male, StarClan cat.) (Magnoliakit, male, StarClan cat.)

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[antlerclan-dogkit]

Welcome to Antlerclan!

Quick disclaimer, this is a clangen/lifegen sideblog I'm doing for fun so do not expect like a masterpiece or something consistent! I'm not actually sure how much time I'll have to upload things.

As of now the scenario is finished but will still be worked upon on the go! It may also stray a a bit away from the strict gameplay.

Context

Antlerclan is rather new clan set in a celtic forest, in stone buildings twolegs left behind them. Other clans near them are Dancingclan, Rueclan, Raggedclan, Sootclan and Songclan.

The story follows the path of Dogkit, son of CrookedFleck, who fled from Sootclan with her first daughter and a clanmate for mysterious reasons. Esoterism might be at play though when it's revealed a "spirit" followed them...

Content warning

Normally the usual clangen warnings, might have gore, violence, animal death. Might also contain abuse, manipulation, demonic interference and horror a bit. If anything in the future might be violent, it will get tagged normally. But be warned.

Tags

Art : normal art of the story

Comic: the run illustrated

Allegiances (will get updated!)

LEADER - Pikestar

DEPUTY - Honeyspots

MEDECINE CATS - Flightblaze

Pipitwind

WARRIORS - Caterpillarspots

Rivershine

Crookedflick

Rainsmoke

Coyotedapple

APPRENTICES - Bonepaw

KITS - Cottonkit

Weedkit

Rainkit

Dogkit

[pikaclan]

Moon 624

Season: Newleaf

Overarching Events

Not enough med cats

Ceremonies

Finally at 20 moons, Bansheeflood gives Sootpaw a friendly nudge when the leader calls their name. They watch in pride as Sootpaw steps froward to receive their new name, Sootghost, and are honored for their intensity.

Spikestar stands above the Clan and proclaims that Runnelpaw shall now be known as Runnelsting, honoring their commitment

Births

Ploverbone goes to visit Snowbuzz in the nursery with their new litter of 6 kits, on a completely innocent mission to deliver food to the new parent. Alas, neither survive the next event for Bleakbadger to learn the truth of his kits' birth, and neither do half of the kits . . . (those that died I cannot change their name due to challenge rules)

Cloudykit (male), Elmkit (female), Magpiekit (male), Lemonkit (male), Sycamorekit (female), Crestkit (female)

Deaths

Umbershade died of greencough

Dayholly grieves but is not stricken

Ploverbone, Freezequake, Laurelchirp, Marshkit, Foxglovekit, mountainkit, Snowbuzz, Russetfire, Driftsong, Floodtrot, Streakpaw, Raggedkestrel, Cherrywhisker, Cottonkit, Iciclemuzzle, Hollyhockpaw, Sorrelscratch, Hillseed, Sycamorekit, Sparknip, lemonkit, Crestkit, larkspurkit, Crocusfuzz, and Applekit are killed after a fire rages through camp, of which started in the nursery (hence the many kit deaths).

Flipfang, Runnelsting, Twilightpaw grieve Ploverbone but are not stricken

Bleakbadger is grief-stricken over Snowbuzz Fleckflit grieves but is not stricken

Wildmask is grief-stricken over Russetfire

Streakpaw is granted the name Streaksight in StarClan (not counting for challenge)

Hollyhockpaw is granted the medicine cat name Hollyhockspot in StarClan (not counting for challenge)

Sproutsour grieves but is not stricken over Sorrelscratch

Hillseed is sent to the dark forest for ignoring Hollyhockspot's visions as her mentor, which could have made the fire preventable. Instead, she succumbed to jealousy

Milkweedshine and Gravelmimic grieve Sparknip but are not stricken

Sableprance grieves his kits but is not stricken

Flybark grieves Crocusfuzz but is not stricken

only 30 images allowed, tbc . . .

[sunclangen]

Rustbloom’s kits Cottonkit and Fumblekit are half clan :eyes:

[bunfloras]

too bad look at him anyway

this is my oc cottonkit!

hi tumblr wanna see the warrior cat i drew