|☾ ☼ ϟ ≈ Skyclan: The Resilient and Tough |☾ ☼ ϟ ≈ ☁| ☼

The closer they got to camp, the more relief Flarestorm felt. All four of the kits were making noise, and moving, so long as he could hear and see them, he knew there was still plenty of hope. He perked his ears up as he heard the sound of quickly approaching pawsteps coming to meet them near the camp entrance.

Spiritstar padded quickly out of the camp entrance, voice thick with worry and relief as she saw the group of cats, the kits, and Briarpatch all alive. She gasped. "Oh, Thank Starclan! Come, we'll have everything ready." She promised, knowing that the apprentices had kindly made Briarpatch's nest comfortable.

Briarpatch felt an overwhelming wave of fatigue hit her as they trudged into camp. She stumbled as she broke away from Spiderbite and Flarestorm to get through the entrance of the nursery, but managed to stay upright. Her eyes scanned the nests, guessing that the fresh one was hers. She settled herself with a deep sigh, they had made it. Their kits were safe.

Spiderbite brought the last kit in and carefully tucked it by Briarpatch's belly. He lingered to make sure each kit was nursing.

(Bloop! I got all my cats open. Want me to post a starter?)

Withermist tapped his tail slowly against the ground as he seemed to look distractedly at the camp wall. He turned slowly to Frostlight as she approached, before he admitted. “Doesn’t hurt anymore… I think… it will be okay.” He hummed. “I am sorry, I am… strange. I know I probably unnerve you.” He apologized softly.

“Luckykit! That’s a perfect name. He’s got all the luck in the world, I can feel it.” Flarestorm chuckled, looking down at their son with bright eyes. He didn’t care one bit if he had a leg missing, Luckykit was perfect to him. He nosed the tiny she-kit, the last born.

“I liked Birdkit, as a name. Maybe for her?”

Frostlight sat down next to Withermist, her fur brushing his lightly, "First of all, you're not strange, and you don't unnerve me. So don't go and start thinking that I'll just go and turn my back on you." She said firmly, giving a flick of her tail. Frostlight looked over at him, her eyes looking over him carefully, "But I'm glad you're feeling better now. And besides, if we hadn't been there to help carry the kits, I doubt Briarpatch and her kits would have made it all the way back to camp."

Withermist listened to her for a moment, soothed by her words, but feeling that she didn’t know exactly what he was meaning. He smiled softly. “I am glad that their fate was not set in a darker path…” He flicked his ear and mewed suddenly, quietly, in a whisper of a voice. “Frostlight… I think there is… something different, about me. I…” He hesitated, unable to form the words quickly. Instead, he rasped. “Sometimes, I think… I came from nothing…”

“I’m glad that you’re all here. You’re all…” Flarestorm choked lightly, before he offered his flashing smile, and pressed his muzzle to her head gently. “You’re the toughest she-cat I’ve ever known. I really love you, a whole lot. And our kits! I’ll watch them, you can rest.” He assured.

“Yes.” Withermist murmured. “I was found… but I remember my first sight. The trees, the sky. But… it was as if there was nothing before that. No warmth. No milk, nothing. I… just… woke up. Here.” He rasped, looking thoughtful and almost lost. “Medicine cats see special things, but… I think it’s different. I feel things. Uhm…” He trailed off, tapping his paws awkwardly against the ground. “I don’t have dreams. It’s dark. But. Peaceful.” He admitted.

Flarestorm watched Briarpatch fall asleep, his eyes softening before he closed them, releasing a shaky exhale. He opened them quickly though as Tricklefrost stood from her nest, approaching with a supportive look before she whispered an instruction.

“Groom them often at this age. It takes a while until they can warm themselves up without your help. Admittedly, I never imagined either of you would ever want or have kits, but. Life has a way of going in brand new directions. You will be just fine.” She assured, calming the anxious new father.

Plumwillow leaped down from the ledge she was on, eyes training on Spiderbite when he left the nursery. She gave a bright look, mewing to the medicine cat apprentice. “They all made it back! Spiderbite, you’re really a wonder, huh?” She giggled. He clearly had earned his full name, certainly moons before he actually got it.

Spiderbite lightly jumped when Plumwillow plopped down, but her pinned his ears back realizing it was her. "I'm not a wonder. It's thanks to StarClan that everyone made it back safely." He shook his head. "We're sure being tested, though. First the prey shortage, then the incident with the apprentices, now Briarpatch kitting early." He briefly glanced up toward the sky, a knot in his stomach as he remembered the words StarClan spoke to him. "I can't help but wonder what's next."

Silvercloud lightly flicked Quickwing in the back of the head with her tail. "You don't look your normal self. What's going on?"

"Herbs in twoleggedplace?" Spiderbite couldn't help a rude laugh. "I doubt they exist on that side of the border. Tell you what, if you happen to see one of my herbs growing there, then maybe I'll think about venturing that far. Right now, I'm needed here." He glanced at the nursery. "After Briarpatch, any of the queens could pop any second." He flicked his ear and couldn't help but trail his gaze to the medicine den. He would be the best one to go to the twoleggedplace, and he couldn't deny he was curious what other kinds of remedies he could come up with the plant life there, but he also didn't trust it. The twoleggedplace was filthy. There would be no telling what kind of gunk he'd have to wash off the herbs before feeding to one of his patients. I could talk to Lavendersky about it. He couldn't take his eyes off the medicine den. His mentor was moving much slower lately. She hadn't even gotten up to help with Briarpatch. She'd say if something was wrong, he told himself. He had no right to go diagnosing his mentor.