&forever and ever.

[.::Umberwings]

All was silent in the world.

Well, that wasn’t necessarily correct. The gentle murmur of background noise, of the clan going about its natural routine, slowly pierced through the gentle fog that seemed to muffle the world in the furthest back of the medicine cat den.

Maybe it was merely her own muted perceptions, focused as she was on the tiny little bundles at her side. It hadn’t taken long at all, an easy birth indeed, for the five tiny creatures to struggle their way in the world. The two firstborns were strong; a small black and faintly rust-marked little tom and a black and gold-marked female mewed loudly, seeking eagerly that life giving milk. The fourth-born, a somewhat larger golden tabby tom, was just as exuberant as Umberwings too tucked his fragile form to her side.

But sadness became early overwhelming, as she brought in her two other kits. The third born, a black female like herself, took feeble little breaths, and refused to but her head against the she-cat’s stomach in the same eager search as her siblings. The runt, a soot grey rust patched tom, was much the same, weak…so very weak.

Ignoring the plaintive cries of her healthy kits for a moment, the small cat rose to her paws and rummaged through the herb piles that she had neatly stored in the den, looking for just what she needed. Borage leaves for herself, just to make sure there would be enough for the larger litter then she expected, as well as chewed up feverfew dripped in the ill kits’ mouths to bring down their fevers. Picking out what she needed, Umberwings turned back to her litter and went to work, eating the borage leaves as well chewing the feverfew leaves into a soft pulp.

Was it her fault? Was this her punishment for breaking the Code, and bringing such kits into the world? But why was it so wrong; when she loved her dear mate so much, to help her clan in such a time by increasing its numbers and…

Umberwings felt her heart break when the sick little female took a small breath, almost like a tiny little sigh, and then there was no more.

Now nearly desperate, she went to work on the male, nudging him so that she could drizzle the juice from the tom’s mouth, muting his protests from her mind as she did so. Thankfully it only took a scattering of minutes for him to settled down, his breathing evening out as he tried to nurse along with his siblings.

But he was still sick, so sick, Umberwings could feel his body feel like fire beside her as she moved back to curl up around then, gentle fondness and pure loves joining the worried and sad look in those fierce yellow eyes. But he was a fighter, and she would fight just as furiously for his life so that his path would not join his sister’s in Starclan. A paw flicked out, drawing the still she-kit to her chest, as a low purr escaped the exhausted medicine cat…covering a sob which threatened to break the peace. “My poor Wispkit, I’m sorry…I’m sorry, you didn’t deserve have to go like that.” The only one she named, dared to name now without her mate beside her, and she lowered her muzzle to breath in her daughter’s scent.

There, it joined the other scents in her memory of cats gone from these lands – whether in Starclan or by other means. Whisperstar, Trillium, Wishclaw, Hawkeye, Honeymist, Oddeye, Icepaw, Timescar and so many others. “Uncle Demonjade will guide you in Starclan, I know he will…I’ll always love you.” Even as she whispered those last words into ears that would never hear them, the touch of a smile crossed her face at the thought of her beloved brother, lost all those moons and moons and moons ago, even as a tear over took her and trickled down her face. Taking a breath, Umberwings released her young daughter into the unknown, into Starclan where she knew one day they would see one another again, and focused on the living beside her.

“Oh, you fluffbutts are going to be wild ones.” Nuzzling each of the four surviving kits lovingly, Umberwings yawned a bit and settled back – knowing that Rustshade would be along to see what’s up sometime soon. He was certainly going to be in for the surprise for his life, however.

Until then…a little catnap with the kids was in store for the worn mother.

[Goldenblaze]

<sub>Even as the season got colder, and clanlife came along at a lethargic pace, Rustshade still somehow managed to lead a hectic life. Taking up most of his time was his keen and diligent [and sometimes overbearing] vigilance over his mate. The kits were coming along slowly but surely, and the anxious father spent his time fussing over Umberwings. Any breath of gossip from the others, or stern look, and he was battle-ready, furiously yowling at any who crossed him.

It was Firetheory who saved the poor Medicine Cat; too keep the tom from harassing his mate or bothering the other clan members, he kindly suggested for Rustshade to go out for a hunt in the cold open. After all, with Leafbare upon them, prey had run scarce to scurry into warm hiding.

The fog closed around Rustshade as he depended upon his nose to guide him from the Camp, to his prey and back. Silently cursing the weather, he fell silent suddenly. A quick flicker, so quiet it was like snow falling. With born reflexes he launched into a thicket of grass not far from the camp and emerged carrying a mouse. He carried on like this for sometime, in fact, but was only successful two times. As the fog and darkness shrouded him, he shuddered and returned to camp, carrying his meager kills.

As the warmth greeted him, the tom looked around the camp, with clan life carrying on as it always had. Being in camp made him tense ever since Umberwings began expecting, but something was different. A new scent, or perhaps a new sound. Something new was about in camp, and Rustshade glanced his green eyes around camp curiously. A certain excitement? There was no clan meeting at present, and cats quietly talked or shared tongues. But wait...

Where was Umberwings?

The mice hit the ground with a pitiful thump as he dropped them and made his way quick as wind to the Medicine Cat's den, where his mate was sure to be. Umberwings? He inquired into the darkness. But he didn't require an answer to know it had happened. Curses, of all the times to have left the camp? He shouldered his way into the den, his tail jerking and twitching.

He was...
a father.

A father.

His fur had fluffed up as he entered the den, his body filled with excitement and anxiety as he approached his small family, green eyes shining the warm darkness as he sought out his mate and his kits.
Umberwings He greeted warmly, a purr threading his words as he rubbed his head against hers before he peered down with curiosity.</sub>

[.::Umberwings]

It had only taken the first sound of her name, the quiet inquiry from the entrance of the medicine cat den, to wake Umberwings from her small nap. It was Rustshade…of course, who else would it have been? “Yes?” Was that really her voice? So worn and tired, the weight of her loss not yet fully falling away from her shoulders, but there was hope. There always was so much hope.

Rustshade entered the den and butted his head against hers, the tired cat purring louder as well as nuzzling into her mate’s warm side as he moved to look at his new children beside her. But there was something that had to be done first, before they could tend to the living.

“I’m sorry, Rustshade, I wasn’t strong enough to save her.” The small she-cat gently nosed their daughter towards her mate, eyes bright with unshed tears. “Our little Wispkit, I just couldn’t…” Ears flattened back, Umberwings looked down with a shuddering sigh, before composing herself again. She was a strong cat. She always had to be, ever since the beginning. “The littlest one is not as strong as the others too; I think it’s the same thing Wispkit…passed from. But he’s a fighter. I can tell.” Perhaps it was just a new mother’s hope, that she wouldn’t lose another. “Could you….take her away in a little bit and bury her under the tall oak? I think she’d like that…”

But it was something.

“I haven’t named the other kits, not yet. I wanted you to see them first, and help if you’d like.” It wasn’t common, but in Umberwings’ eyes these were special kits [no different then any mother] and she wanted the tom she loved enough to break clan code for to have a true paw within his childrens’ lives.

[Goldenblaze]

<sub>He had hardly let his eyes rest on each kit when his heart caught in his throat. A place for life, and already the scent of death lingered. He listened patiently to his mate before nuzzling behind her ear. Hush, my Umberwings. Do not blame yourself. If any, blame me He said quietly. He pressed his flanks into her side before taking the kit, never having seen the life yet.

He arose from the Den and strode with grave, deliberate steps. As best as he could, he shielded the frail body with his own to avoid accusing stares, and before another word could be said to him, he slipped from Mistclan Camp and whisked the poor thing into the cold open. Despite the fact it had since passed away into Starclan, never having seen life, he felt protective of it, and kept it close to his warm fur. With an expert leap, he soared from the river bank to a cold, wet rock and bounded across the black river. He didn't need his sight to make his way through the dark, he had been this way several times before. Calmly, he approached the oak. He closed his eyes, gave a shuddering sigh before he placed her beneath the wise tree, giving it a grave lick along it's lifeless frame.

He bowed his head solemnly for several moments before he turned and slipped away, only giving a single look over his shoulder before he made his way back home.

The warmth seemed to welcome him home for the second time that night, and without looking at any of his clanmates he returned to his mate. He couldn't help but let the pride flicker into his cool green eyes, and he lay against Umberwings, looking fondly at the remaining kits.
Already, a single dark kit slid over the warm floor, tiny claws digging into ground as it let out a squeaky growl. Darekit. I can tell he'll be a pawfull He said with a soft chuckle. Now that the kits were here, his usual calm assurance had returned, and he let his pride linger.

Another kit, golden from the light color, had huddled into it's mother's fur, almost as if trying to hide from the world. Shykit. Perhaps he'll be the one to keep his siblings in line He said with a chuckle, looking over the kits individually.</sub>

[Shadow Spirit]

Flowers color her fur...

Quiet...it was so very quiet. Now that the ceremonies were over and the newly made apprentices and warrior at their tasks, the camp was eerily calm. Although MistClan's leader knew of course, that nothing was ever totally as it seemed. She sensed a change in the air, something was new. Realizing almost immediately what it was, she hurried to the medicine cat's den and slipped down the stone tunnel.

Arriving in the den, she announced her presence with a soft meow, wanting to maintain decorum even with this unorthodox event. Letting her eyes adjust to the dimness of her surroundings, she looked over the newest additions to her clan. A gentle warmth melted the gold of her eyes, turning them a moltent, shining amber.

"Lovely little ones, Umberwings..." she said, crouching to sniff at them earnestly. It did worry her, that these kits were born to a medicine cat which was expressly forbidden by StarClan. Even so, she had received no ill will or disturbing messages from their warrior ancestors and her medicine cat had not mentioned any. Perhaps, just perhaps...StarClan were reconsidering their old laws...

...justice rules her mind.

[Ripplemist]

Cautiously, Ripplemist stuck her head into the medicine cat's hollow. She had seen her best friend pad off after the numerous ceremonies, and assuming she was just tired from all the medicine cat duties she had to perform, she had left Umberwings alone to do whatever she had to do. But now, a nagging feeling had led her paws down the tunnel, and as her eyes adjusted to the darkness of the den, she felt her heartbeat skip for a moment and she gave a short gasp of amazement.

"They're beautiful," she breathed, her green eyes fixed on the kits, wide open with awe. The she-cat looked up at her two closest friends, her tail twitching with with happiness and excitement for the pair.

"Congratulations, Umberwings, Rustshade! You two will be amazing parents, that's for sure. Make sure they don't get into trouble when they're older, unlike us," she purred softly, and took a few tentative steps forward towards the kits nestled in the belly of their mother.

"Can I see them, Umberwings?"

[.::Umberwings]

He was quiet, and for that Umberwings’ gratitude could only grow, that her dear mate listened to her grieving words. “I would never blame you.” The medicine cat rose up to a sit, sweeping her kits in close to keep them warm yet not hiding them from their father’s view.

And then Rustshade gentle gathered little Wispkit in his mouth, and carried her away. Her last sight of her daughter was that of her mate carrying her away, and it was almost as if that huge burden had finally lifted a bit off her shoulders. By no means was it gone and, likely, for quite some time it would not leave…but she had to look forward for the little ones that mewed and squeaked and crawled about on the sweet grass covered floor of her den.

It wasn’t long before Rustshade returned, a note of pure pride in his gaze as he came forward to lay down; Umberwings following him and taking simple comfort in resting her weight against her beloved. If there was one further blessing this night, it was that the tom seemed to have returned to his previous calmer nature – a relief for the she-cat, who had to bear the brunt of her love’s anxiety throughout her pregnancy.

The she-cat smiled as her mate chose two apt names for the little toms, giving the newly named Shykit a lick across his back soothingly while using a paw to herb the wanderlust-taken Darekit back over to the family. Already, the single surviving she-kit of the little was seeking to follow the oldest, blindly scrabbling her way away, so it was up to a now chuckling Umberwings to fish her back too. “Troublekit, you and your brother are going to give us grey hairs before our times, aren’t you?” Such independent youngsters, and not even a pawful of hours old yet! Finally, only one kit was left to name – the youngest. Her gaze fell with a bit of worry on the still, sleeping tom-kit before glancing up at her mate.

“Musekit. He’s going to have a long road ahead of him, but in the end he will be stronger because of it.” Faith, love, hope. Musekit would have everything he needed while growing up to give him that guiding strength to make it.

But then, another visitor?

Umberwings almost rose to her paws because of it, but instead chose to curl around her litter protectively until she knew for certain who it was. Oh…word certainly did go around quick, didn’t it? She smiled at her leader and moved so that the kits could clearly be seen…although this required her to fish back Darekit and Troublekit again with a quite exasperated look at having to do so. Guh. Why wouldn’t they stay still? All her experiences in life already, everything that she had learned hadn’t prepared her for motherhood – but she supposed she was going to make do somehow. “Thank you, Lillystar. They will be raised to be true warriors of Mistclan.”

Definitely pride rang in the young mother’s voice. It had been wrong, yes, and likely she was to never have any kits again. And Umberwings felt that Starclan had taken their price for this transgression in the form of Wispkit’s life, aside from that there had been no further signs in warning. She would have told Lillystar first thing should there have been so – and much like her half sister, Chainless, given up her kits.

However, whatever sign Chainless had seen did not echo in Mistclan, and Umberwings lay blissfully with her family, unable to stop the purr of contentment even if she wanted to….ahah, there she went again! Stifling a groan the medicine cat once more was forced to move Troublekit back amongst her littermates, this time making sure she was well between herself and Rustshade and unable to go wandering again. Oh Starclan, if this was just a prelude of what was in store….

Ripplemist’s voice entered the scene, with her best friend in close tow following it, and Umberwings had to chuckle. “Looks as if Troublekit wants to meet you personally.” Then, “Of course you can see them, Ripplemist.” Giving up trying to herd the wayward two, the medicine cat uncurled from her family – more then happy to show them off completely to the two cats’ whose opinions meant the most…aside from Rustshade himself, of course.

[Goldenblaze]

<sub>Rustshade chuckled as he let his tail curl around Umberwings, his sage eyes shining in the cozy darkness. He stretched out a forepaw to stop the feisty little Troublekit, but Umberwings was fully on it. He stretched out a backleg to drag Darekit closer to him, close enough to grab him by his scruff and keep him firmly between his parents next to his sister.

He glanced up and bowed his head respectfully to Lillystar, relief washing through him like water. She said nothing regarding the Medicine cat's kits. He would have gotten to his feet out of respect as soon as the leader had entered, but occupied he was currently acting as a living wall to the feisty siblings. Thank you, Lilystar. I hope you will not be disappointed with how our kits grow up to be.

... All though THESE two will certainly put gray fur on all of us by the time they get there He added to his mate's comment, laughing.

He flicked out his tail and nudged Darekit back as he squirmed out between his parents. He flicked his ears as another cat, and a happy warmth filled his heart as Ripplemist. He said nothing, as Umberwings had covered it all. At her comment, he chuckled. Hardly a few months old, we were. We survived that, but these young 'uns will be the death of me yet He murmured easily, nuzzling his mate before reaching for Troublekit once more, trusting Umberwings to cover for him for Darekit. He gave a gentle laugh, licking the kits fondly before laying his head on his paws, making room for Ripplemist to look at his sons and daughter.</sub>