And then there were five

[Onyxdart]

It wasn't exactly that Pinedark had been in denial that she and Loveless were going to be parents. But she hadn't precisely been keeping track of how big she'd gotten, even though she really couldn't hunt very well, and going out to the border for the past week or so had been some kind of feat.

So it wasn't exactly like she was in denial. Denial would have implied she didn't want the kits, which would have been a heinous lie. The idea of kits gave her a warm fuzzy feeling, kind of like thinking about Loveless gave her warm fuzzies, but not quite the same. It was more like she was in denial that an inevitable side effect of kits was getting big as a house and having to slow down. Perhaps it was because she was still relatively young and used to being in almost perpetual motion. But for whatever reason, having to slow down was making her a little crazy. Plus, she was a little uneasy with the whole idea of bringing kits into the world. So, she ignored thinking about it mostly.

But quite frankly, it was hard to ignore it anymore when that sudden flash of pain went through her side. It was completely unexpected, but she disappeared down the entrance to the nursery den in record time and curled up in a tight little ball. She didn't make a sound, but she dug her front claws into the moss and waited, perhaps a little too patiently and quietly for her own good, for it to just stop.

And then it did stop. It stopped eventually, and she cracked one eye open hesitantly and sheathed her claws before turning in place so that she could more easily nuzzle at her kits. Cue warm fuzzies. There were, in fact, five warm fuzzies, helpless but squirmy anyway. She nuzzled them each in turn, eyes closed as she memorized their scents, and licked them until they were clean. Then she flopped over on her side, worn out, eyes half closed, as if she were half asleep, completely not noticing any soul but the kits, if indeed there was anyone else in the nursing den.

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[Loveless]

Dum de dum de dum.

Loveless practically bumbled into camp, tail waving high over his head as he toodled over to the freshkill pile, deposited the rabbit he had been lucky enough to nab during his little patrol. There was a stillness about the camp that the tuxedo tom didn’t understand, as he lifted his head up and looked around with wide yellow eyes, tail flicking uncertainly.

Where was Pinedark?

Since she had gotten bigger, he had tried to double up his patrols and shoulder two sets of duties so she wouldn’t be expected to meander anywhere near out of camp. While the she-cat probably had been bored out of her mind – Loveless just didn’t know what he would have done if something had happened to her.

“Pinedark?” He called out, his kindly, easy-going tones echoing about the still camp, and sniffed the air. She…wait. Her scent; it was leading to the nursery. Did that mean…? The tom’s mind racing just too fast to process the thoughts in order, he after all wasn’t the sharpest cat to ever exist, he charged forward and blundered into the nursery full force, halting immediately at the sight of Pinedark…and her precious bundles beside her. “A-already?” Padding a slow step forward, and followed by another, ears pricked forward as he stared at the little fluff balls inquisitively.

These kits…they were his kits.

His and Pinedark’s. A slow smile suddenly bloomed on the tom’s face, and he purred full force as he padded the remaining distance over to rub his head against his love’s. “I love them…I love you! They're amazing little warriors-to-be!”

Then, “What’re we gonna naaaame them?” Three little girls and two little boys; lots of names needed to be thought up. Oh! And he so had to show them off! "Chainless and Snowstar and Dragonpelt and Honor…is it still paw?...and and and! Everyone! Totally! They gotta see!"

[Snowstar]

<sub>Snowstar padded in shortly after Loveless, having caught the end of his tail as he entered the camp. It took her a brief few seconds to leap up the remaining rocks and enter camp as well, mice in hand. Or, mouth.

She had only just set the mice down when Loveless dashed out of the Nursery, crying out triumphantly to the entire valley of his new kits. The original silence had escaped her notice, as the she-cat had grown used to the quiet. But the sudden noise made her look up in alarm, ears flattening, only to realize it was only Loveless.

It took her a few moments to register, and when it finally clicked, she brightened with a smile. It seemed the Nursery was becoming popular these past few months. Pinedark's sudden 'house size' hadn't escaped notice either by the Leader, but it was easy to know why. Either way, she was only Leader, and not one to get into other's affairs.

So as she heard that Pinedark had finally given birth, she padded after Loveless with a chuckle and entered the dark, warm tunnel. Her eyes adjusted to the 5 bundles along Pinedark's side, and she smiled warmly. It seemed like only yesterday she was in here herself.

Congrats, Pinedark, Loveless. You've much to be joyed about She said with a purr.</sub>

[Onyxdart]

The she-cat grinned and purred back at Loveless as he came charging into the nursery. Her purr was just as rattly and broken sounding as ever, and surprised one of the kits. She was sure they couldn't hear, and wondered if maybe it felt funny when she purred.

Anyway, the kit wasn't distracted for long. Pinedark stopped purring just long enough to reach up and put a paw on Loveless's head as he came to say hello. Then he was dashing off again, clearly way too excited to stay still. Pinedark flicked her tail and grinned after him as he left and then came back, with Snowstar in tow.

"Thank you, Snowstar," she said happily, and then looked at Loveless. He was so enthusiastic about the whole thing, it made her worry a little less. She couldn't screw up too badly with him around, surely. And his sister, and the rest of the clan.

"I dunno what we're gonna name them!" she said to Loveless, sitting up and nuzzling at the tiny kittens, as if they'd tell her their names. One, a little tom, was trying to make a great escape, prowling across and over his siblings towards his father. A little white one made a disgruntled mew as she was stepped on, which disturbed the other tom, who was next to her.

"He should be Prowlkit," Pinedark laughed as the kit stopped for a moment and then realized he was no longer nestled with his siblings, "And the white one... Wingkit? Snowkit? But we already have a Snow," she said with a grin at Snowstar, "Flightkit? I don't know! Loveless?" she asked, clearly inviting ideas. She was, for the moment, clean out of them. Except the one little one, with the chocolate brown stripes on a light tan coat. That one reminded her of sparrow feathers.

"Featherkit," she purred, burying her nose in the little kit's side for a moment. Then she looked up at Loveless, all bright-eyed and expectant.

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[whitewhisker]

The tabby and white she-cat purred happily as she saw the scene unfold, the mother, father, leader and the newborns. Twonose didn't want to intrude too much on the family moment, but living in the nursery meant she couldn't much help it.

She watched the little tom stumbling over his siblings and smiled at the thought that she would soon have some little bundles of joy too, even if she had no mate to share the moment with.
'Congratulations!' she purred, mother to-be to mother, 'They're adorable!'

She watched the kits for a few seconds more, before setting to work grooming her own house-sized frame.