#jackdawfern

[residences-of-the-darkforest]

More Tunnel Grandbabies

The four on the left are kits to Haretuft, who is bio GorseXBirch

The two on the right are Larksnow's kits (also bio GorseXBirch). He became mates with one of Rooklight's kits and they reproduced with the help of a surrogate. (light kit is bio Lark's, dark kit is bio Rookbaby).

Unfortunately, the surrogate died in childbirth. Luckily, Haretuft was still nursing her kits at the time, and so the six here were raised more like littermates, at least for the first part of their lives. But guilt still weighs heavily on the family. After all, if they haven't asked their mother to be a surrogate, she never would have died.

That's why MrGrumpy over there is always in a bitter mood, because someone--his mother, even if she was only meant to be a surrogate--had to die for him to be here. And maybe that's why he's more distant, because he resents his cousins for still having their parents.

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Haretuft's mate looks like this:

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Base: Base cat f2u by JUCZEK3000 on DeviantArt

(I know there's no tail on the other cat's head and it's meant to be hair tufts, but I thought this was fun).

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@starfalcon555

[residents-of-the-darkforest]

My tablet didn't charge even though it was plugged in, so couldn't draw--so here's the JackdawFern family while I try another outlet!

--

Crow's design was a grey-bluish, but I switched it to brown so that more kits looked like Jackdawboy!

The kits are also in order of when they were born (left to right). Kestral is the oldest in her litter and oldest bio kit overall (younger than Blackheart and Mudpatch*, who were adopted prior to Fern's pregnancy). Ravencall was the first of his litter and very much acts like the responsible one.

Rooklight's birth was a very complicated one, as he was very big and got stuck in the birth canal. Due to this, he got cerebral palsy, and JackdawFern agreed not to have any bio kits after that, as it was too close a call for both Rook and Fern.

But in spite of that scare, they're a very happy family!

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*Black and Mud are very much part of the family and Jackdawfoot and Ferndoe's kits, they're just not here because I wanted to show what colours passed down and what JackdawFern's appearances mixed.

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Base: Cat Family Base (F2U) by googaoo on DeviantArt

[residences-of-the-darkforest]

Shadows of Guilt: The Final Gift (part 2)

Previous

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“Surrogate?” Leafcurl repeated, astonished.

Larksnow and Tawnyshriek were facing her, paws shifting on the ground. “If you don’t want to, that’s alright,” Larksnow began. “We’re not in a rush.”

After the couple had moved into their new home and Larksnow confessed to wanting kits, the couple had had a long discussion. Once some things were decided–where the safest place for the kits would be, what great fathers they would make, the names they would pick–they knew that they had to pick a she-cat to carry the kits for them.

Leafcurl and her sisters had come to mind quickly. She and Larksnow had talked many times in the past before, but that was more due to their families' closeness than their own. They were more acquaintances than anything, and that was just fine with him–being less close with whoever would be their surrogate would in his mind make the…process…less awkward.

However, their weak bond could also mean that Leafcurl wouldn’t be willing to go through the trouble of carrying and birthing kits just to give them up. He didn’t blame her for that, but it did make him worry that they would be spending a long time searching for the right cat. They had sought out Leafcurl in particular because of how kind she could be. Personalities are, for the most part, taken from those who raise you, but if there was even the slimmest chance that their kits would take after their mother, they wanted that mother to be a good cat.

“I…never thought I would be asked this,” Leafcurl admitted, feeling numb and dumb. “I’ll…” She had to be smart, even if right now she was too stunned to think clearly. Her mate. Right. She had a right to the decision. “I’ll need to speak with Bloodlamb.”

Tawnyshriek dipped his head. “Of course. Take all the time you need, we understand it’s a big ask.”

“Okay.” Leafcurl nodded, though there was no real reason to. “Okay, I’ll talk to her. We’ll give you our answer in…uhm…”

“Just come and find us,” Tawnyshriek suggested helpfully. “Whenever you’re ready, if you ever are. Just…don’t feel pressured into this.”

Leafcurl nodded, this time in response. “I won’t.” Then she smiled. “Thank you for considering me. It’s an honour to be chosen for such a big step.” And it was. The surprise was fading now, melting into a warm, soothing joy. Saying her farewells to the toms and walking home, she realized, more sure with every step, that she wanted to say yes.

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--We are now introduced to the to-be surrogate! It's Leafcurl, a SmalljumpXBasiltooth baby! She was named after Smalljump's mother, Curlear, and is the closest to Small (she's a daddy's girl).

Leafcurl herself was a surrogate baby. Her bio mother was @elementaldeityoffood 's Sparktail!

[residences-of-the-darkforest]

Tear Apart The Family (short story)

“I’m sorry–” Rooklight began.

“Don’t!” Brindleshade snapped. Her claws worked in and out of the ground, and her body–laying in her nest–shook. Rooklight couldn’t tell if it was from rage or sorrow. He wasn’t sure which he preferred.

“I don’t mean to hurt you,” he tried.

Brindleshade hissed, biting her lip hard. “I don’t care what you meant!” The kits, who had been sleeping next to her belly, began to wail. Rooklight reached down, instinctively trying to soothe them. But Brindleshade batted his paws away. “Don’t touch them, and don’t touch me!”

“I wasn’t going to–”

“Just stop!” Brindleshade shut her eyes tightly. “I need to think.”

Rooklight obeyed, and they stayed in awkward silence for what felt like an eternity. In that time, the kits calmed down and began to suckle. Brindleshade watched them with a scornful eye. But it wasn’t them she was disgusted with, it was their father. 

“You told me you wanted to be a father.”

“That was true!” Rooklight insisted.

“You told me you love me. Was that true too?”

“Of course! I–”

“But you were never in love with me,” Brindleshade cut off harshly. Her words were whispered, quiet as to not scare the kits again, but her tone was ice and her eyes burned with enough fire that screaming was simply not needed, though Rooklight was sure she was struggling to hold back. “You let me live a lie. You told me you wanted kits, and now that we have them, you tell me that you want to leave?”

Rooklight shook his head vigorously. “I never said that. And I never lied, I swear! I thought that I was in love with you, I really did! If I was lying, then I was lying to myself, or maybe I’m just an idiot who couldn’t realize how I really felt until the ‘perfect life’ was here.” He sighed, wanting to knock his head against a rock. “I don’t know how to describe it.”

“Don’t give me that maggot-dirt!” Brindleshade barred her fangs. “I don’t care that you prefer toms, and I wouldn’t have cared if you had just told me earlier. I might have been upset for a day or two, sure, but I would've lived.” She rose to her paws–the kits had stopped suckling now and continued to sleep–and stared Rooklight down like a predator watching prey. “But it was you who told me we should have kits. Yes, I agreed, but then you decided to tell me that you don’t love me, that you never could love me, when I had your kits after two moons of carrying. Do you think I’m not going to question your motives? Your feelings? Skies, my reality?”

Rooklight resisted the incredibly strong urge to drag his claws across his own pelt. He would deserve the pain. It was bad enough seeing how hurt his mate–ex-mate, was because of him. But he couldn’t even find a way to explain things to her in a way that would make sense. How could he, when they didn’t even make sense to him?

“It was never a lie,” he said again. “I did love you, and I still do as much as I can without being in love. And…I guess–I thought that that feeling was romantic love. There was always something off, but I never thought that it was you or how I feel about you. It...it was–it’s like–it was like something was missing, so I thought that we should have kits, because surely that was the missing piece. In those two moons, I realized how I felt, about toms, about you….I tried to keep it away, to just be your mate and their father, but I…I couldn’t do it anymore. I couldn’t keep living a lie, not now that I know what I need.”

Brindleshade paused, then sneered. “Of course I would get caught up in the middle of this mess. Why couldn’t I have gotten with a mate that truly loved me?”

“I don’t want to leave,” Rooklight assured her. “You’re right. The kits were my idea, and I won’t just leave you with them now that they’re here. I’ll keep getting minnows for you, I will make up your nest every day, I'll tell them stories and teach them how to fight when you’re too tired. I’ll help you raise them, whether we’re together or not.”

“Not,” Brindleshade grunted. “You will keep bringing us minnows. As much as I hate you right now, I can’t forbid you from seeing your kits, and I can’t keep them from knowing their father. But when you meet them, it will be on my terms, got that? From now on, we are no longer mates. We are not friends, either. You are just the father of my kits, and that’s all you’ll ever be to me.”

Rooklight nodded, fighting against the lump that was growing in his throat. He took a few long breaths, trying to calm himself enough so that he could speak without a sob choking his words. “I understand. Thank you, and I’m sorry for everything….Can I..Can I say good-bye?”

Brindleshade hesitated, then gave him a curt nod.

Breathe…Just breathe..Rooklight told himself, but it was hard to hide the fact that he was tearing his own family apart. He crouched low, belly touching the ground, and pressed his muzzle against every kit, drinking in their sweet, milky scent. “I’m so sorry, little ones. I promise, I will always be here to look after you, even when you can’t see me. Be good to each other, and to your mother.” 

He stayed like that for several long heart-beats that felt far too short, before rising numbly and blinking farewell to Brindleshade. Then he padded away, fighting not to turn back and wondering if confessing was worth it.

===========================

--Both of them are partially in the right!

Rooklight genuinely didn't realize that he was gay until his mate was pregnant. He tried to keep it away and to himself, but it was tearing him apart, and he had to tell Brindleshade the truth.

...but in doing so, he basically told Brindle RIGHT AFTER SHE HAD THEIR KITS that he actually wasn't in love with her and never could be. Of course she's going to be upset, especially since she loved him romantically.

--Rooklight is a JackdawXFern kit. He has cerebral palsy!

--Feel free to design and create Brindle's story, since I don't know.

--Also feel free to suggest names for the kits + how much you think there should be.

[residents-of-the-darkforest]

They are born!

Jackdawfoot and Ferndoe’s litter, from left to right: Ratkit, Goldenkit, Kestralkit!

All are girls!

like her papa, one of Ratkit’s eyes never develop, and so it remains shut

names and designs by @starfalcon555

———————

Good eye if you recognize this! I retraced old artwork of mine for this. It was too perfect to just completely redo.

———————-

EDIT:

since it’s kind of hard to see, Goldenkit’s spots:

[residents-of-the-darkforest]

Concept: Jackdaw and Fern eventually have a second litter of three, named Ravenkit, Crowkit, and Rookkit (aka corvids like Jackdaw)

[residents-of-the-darkforest]

who was the youngest of JackdawFern's second litter? because whoever they are, congrats to them, because they are the sixty-ninth Dark Kit to be born ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

OH I FORGOT ABOUT THE THREE MORE TO GO JOKE

most likely Rookkit, since it took a LONG time to get him out and his brothers were probably already born at that point

(he's also the biggest, getting his size from Jackdawfoot, though unlike Raven, he has short fur)

[residents-of-the-darkforest]

Made their designs!

Had to change Rook a bunch because he kept turning out very blue. Crowkit is a bit too, but in a more natrual way.

Crowkit is based on a hooded crow, common across Europe!

Ravenkit is the fluffiest (after his dad), a difference between the raven and crow, so he gets that name. 

They all get details after their respective birds. Lighter snout on Raven for the beak, lighter or darker legs for the featherless legs, browner feathers around the snout for Rookkit, etc.

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Rookkit had a complicated birth, and for many days they were unsure if he was going to make it. With the help of medicine cats, Fadingstar, and Fleathistle, he was able to pull throw and eventually became as healthy as his littermates.

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While all are born males, Crowkit never really felt like it fit them. During their apprenticeship, they realized that a nonbinary identity fits them best.

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They were likely born when their sisters were close to warriors.

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Base by @/Cryptidclaw

[residents-of-the-darkforest]

Jackdawfern’s daughter, Ratkit/thorn, named by Blackpaw!

design by @starfalcon555​ , including the fact that her eye never developed and remains closed, like her father (his is the right). I added the grey mark on her face, a sort of ‘beauty mark’.

She may be mostly brown, but her other features (inner ears, pads, nose, tongue) come from her mama!

I imagine she’s the oldest (or at least the biggest)

[residents-of-the-darkforest]

@starfalcon555

Goldenkit! Fern’s darkest grey goes very well with Jackdaw’s brown!

they also have a brown mark on their lower back

[residents-of-the-darkforest]

the warrior names for JackdawFern's kits :3

-Kestrelkit -> Kestrelstorm

-Goldenkit -> Goldendusk

-Ratkit -> Ratthorn

Jackdawfoot and Ferndoe (especially the latter) seem like the kind of parents to give their kits tough, ominous, or sharp sounding suffixes as a means of protection

also yes Ratthorn's suffix is also in reference to Thornkit I just couldn't pass up the perfect angst opportunity

YES!!

[residents-of-the-darkforest]

Expanded on @starfalcon555 ‘s Kestralkit design!

her mother thought her blindness was punishment for having kits after what she did, but soon she came to accept that although being blessed saves Dark Kits from Dark affects, some things just happen

[residents-of-the-darkforest]

Kestrelkit, Goldenkit, and Ratkit (from top to bottom)

purposefully got rid of the eye on Ratkit's to show what her blind side looks like :3

oooh, I like this! might expand them further

maybe have them look more like their other kits for the angst..

[residences-of-the-darkforest]

Finally! The boy!

Base: [ F2U ] Cat Base by v-ndetta on DeviantArt

[residences-of-the-darkforest]

Shadows of Guilt: The Final Gift (main points so far)

Don't know how clear it is because I write one chapter and then don't write the next one until a couple days later so the flow and understanding of the chapters may not be as good as I want it to be, so here's a point-by-point:

--Larksnow surprised Tawnyshriek with a new home (which he found with Adderclaw and Jackdawfoot pre-story) and announced that he wanted kits. They agreed to look for a surrogate.

--The toms asked Leafcurl.

--Leafcurl talked about it with Bloodlamb. Bloodlamb expressed concern about how Leafcurl would feel when the kits are taken away, and reminded her how painful the birth would be. Leafcurl tells her that she wants to help someone have their miracle.

--Bloodlamb and Leafcurl meet with Tawnyshriek and Larksnow to tell them that Leaf would be their surrogate. They agree to talk more about it, but then Bloodlamb pulls Leafcurl away after noticing that Leaf was getting anxious, under the guise of getting minnows to eat during their talk.

--Bloodlamb's concerns are more clear, this time on her own behalf as she explains that it feels that they are rushing into things, and that she likes how things are now. They agree to take things slow and steady, and that if Bloodlamb still feels weird, they can call it off. The talk ends with them laughing while running down a hill. They move in the direction of the Minnow Pool.

[residences-of-the-darkforest]

Shadows of Guilt: The Final Gift (part 4)

First

Previous

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Larksnow shuffled his paws, working them so hard that they pressed the grass beneath them flat against the ground. Beside him, Tawnyshriek stood, shoulders brushing, and holding Larksnow’s tail with his own.

They tried to appear calm and collected, but on the inside, they were both quacking with nerves–it was hard not to be. Leafcurl, along with her mate,  Bloodlamb,  found Larksnow earlier  and told him that they were ready to announce their decision. Larksnow left to get Tawnyshriek as quickly as he could, stumbling in his haste,  and now they both stood facing the she-cats, who by the looks of them, were as nervous as the toms.

“Bloodlamb and I talked about it,” Leafcurl informed them. “I would be honoured to be your surrogate.”

Larksnow let out the breath he didn’t realize he was holding, and felt Tawnyshriek relax beside him, tense shoulders melting like snow in New-leaf (or at least how his parents described it, as he had never experienced it for himself). “That’s wonderful!” He responded, smiling so wide that he was sure his jaws would ache later, but he didn’t care.  Even if he knew that his mouth would ache for days or even fall off, he doubted it would be enough to quell his joy at this moment. He wanted to leap in the air and dance around the trees, but he forced himself to give a simple dip of his head. 

“Thank you,” Tawnyshriek added, clearly just as happy. “Really, thank you. We can’t begin to express how much this means to us.”

Bloodlamb’s gaze was warm, but sharp. “We ‘ave a few conditions,” she told them. 

Tawnyshriek and Larksnow both nodded, flicking their ears forward to show that they were listening.

Leafcurl looked suddenly shy. “I was hoping that I could–I mean I know that they won’t be mine, not technically, and I’m alright with that! But I thought that maybe, if it’s okay with you, that I could be a part of their lives after they’re weaned? Maybe as a mentor or aunt…It’s okay if not, I don’t want to overstep…”

“It’s not okay if not,” Bloodlamb cut in. Her pupils were as thin as claws as she stared the toms down. “I hope ya realize what big of an ask ya’ll’re putting on my mate. She’s willin’ ta go through so much for yar benefit.”

“I understand,” Larksnow assured her, a bit nervously. 

"Alright then, ya see why she deserves some perks. She ain't gonna go through all that trouble of carryin' and birthin' them kitties just to give 'em up completely, ya hear? Y'all gonna be their daddies, and she won't be their mama, but she still deserves a spot in them kitties' lives. We all agree on that, right?" 

“Of course!” Larksnow and Tawnyshriek both answered in unison. Though he was intimidated, Larksnow couldn’t help but admire Bloodlamb’s protectiveness. Perhaps, in a sense, that meant for greater protection for the kits. He relayed Bloodlamb’s words in his head, internally repeating them to himself so that he understood properly–it was difficult to know with the strange way in which she spoke.

“Of course you can be in their lives!” He said emphatically. He looked to Tawnyshriek for agreement, and his mate nodded vigorously. 

“Yes,” Tawnyshriek affirmed. “Of course, there would need to be some set boundaries, but nothing that can’t be worked out before the kits come, right?”

Larksnow saw Leafcurl’s tail slump. “Nothing too strict, I’m sure.”

“Fer both of us,” Bloodlamb put in. “We got lines we don’t want y’all to be steppin over.”

“That sounds perfectly fair,” Tawnyshriek replied. “Now that we know your answer, we should discuss our next steps at length. It’ll probably take time to get everything out in the open,” he added. “Do you want to come to our den? There’s water and you can use our nest while you stay.”

Bloodlamb looked to Leafcurl.

“Okay,” Leafcurl answered, and tried not to tremble. This was happening. “Okay, let’s head over there now–”

“After we catch us some fish." Bloodlamb said loudly. "Talkin' just ain't as good without some grub in ya belly, right? Y'all can hang tight right here if ya want, just make sure we can track ya down later.” Then she whisked Leafcurl away before anyone could respond.

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Again, hope it reads well. Most of my writing effort goes to my book so other stuff might not seem as well as normal. Plus a tv is playing loudly nearby so it's a bit hard to hear my thoughts when I read it over.