#bugsplash

“Good catch!” Nightdrift spoke, muffled, around the young rabbit in his jaws as he rounded the hill with Kestralspot and Flydapple. 

Snowstripe’s eyes shone brightly, her chin raised high, or as high as she could raise it with the weight of her own large rabbit. 

“The Clan will eat well today,” Kestralspot observed, licking her lips. 

“Hawksplash will be happy,” Nightdrift put in. “She has been craving–” 

A yowl broke the air, cutting him off. Nightdrift recognized the voice instantly, and his fur stood on end as his heart leaped into his throat. Forgetting the prey entirely, he set off in the direction of the camp, Kestralspot, Flydapple, and Snowstripe hard on his paws. 

When he neared the entrance, he burst through without slowing, and didn’t bother to pick the thorns from his pelt. He ran straight for the nursery, blinded by fear, until at last Rabbitshade stepped into his path and he had to skid to a halt. 

“Is she okay?” He panted, trying to see past the deputy.

Rabbitshade chuckled. “She’s doing just fine. Stars, and I thought I was worried!”

Nightdrift looked around. “Where’s Mintripple? Where’s Coldpaw?”

“In there with her. Coldpaw’s just gathered freshly soaked moss and a stick.”

“A stick? What does she need a stick for?”

Another yowl split the air, making the toms flinch. 

“She needs it for that,” Bugsplash commented from where she sat near. 

“I-is that normal?” Nightdrift didn’t take his eyes off of the nursery, but it was dark inside, and he couldn’t see anything. 

Rabbitshade nudged him. “I’d be more worried if she wasn’t making noise. This is natural, almost every she-cat goes through it, and…most make it through.”

Nightdrift couldn’t hold back the whimper that escaped from his lips. 

“She’ll be fine,” Bugsplash cut in. “Don’t listen to Rabbitshade, he’s as skittish on the inside as you, just better at hiding it.”

“Mother!” Rabbitshade huffed. “Excuse me if I’m worried about my sister.”

….

“You’ll lose your paws if you keep pacing,” Bugsplash broke into Nightdrift’s thoughts. He blinked at her, then behind him, surprised to find a small dent in the earth where he had been walking. 

He sighed, sinking into the ground. But he realized quickly that he was too impatient and worked up to rest, and he stood up again and began to pace in a circle. “How long is this supposed to take?” He growled in frustration. The sun was beginning to sink behind the hills, its orange light casting long shadows across the camp. Mintripple hadn’t moved from inside the den. Coldpaw had emerged only to collect more moss, but didn’t say anything more than “I’m busy” and “she’s fine so long as you let me work on her.”

Nightdrift slid out his claws and tore up the grass. 

“It can take time,” Bugsplash replied. “In fact, I’m fairly sure your deputy here–” she gestured to Rabbitshade sleeping against her shoulder– “and mate took longer. I was exhausted by the end of it, so don’t overwhelm Hawksplash when you can finally go in there, got it? Just lay with her and take in the sight of your kits.”

Kits….Nightdrift had been so worried about his mate, he hadn’t given himself room to truly think about becoming a father. Of course, he had thought about it every second in the two moons leading up to this moment, but he was going to be a father now. Any second, little lives would enter the world…his blood..his little ones…

“Hey.”

Nightdrift nearly jumped out of his fur. He spun around, facing Mintripple. She smiled at him, and he felt an instant wave of relief. She nodded inside. “Come meet your kits.”

Kits…His kits…

Slowly and suddenly dazed, Nightdrift stepped into the den. He was so in awe he was almost numb, and began to worry that he was too out of it to properly take in the sight of his little ones, but the second his gaze met Hawksplash’s–exhausted and pained, but delighted--the numbness dissipated into the air as if it had never existed to begin with. 

“Two kits,” Hawksplash told him as he neared. “One handsome tom, one beautiful she-kit.”

He settled against her back and looked at her belly, where two little kits–two little, precious kits–suckled. They were black just like their mother. Little tiny fur over their little tiny bodies…that had their little tiny paws that wriggled directionless and little snouts that sniffed and little mouths that mewled. 

Nightdrift was so happy, he trembled, and buried his muzzle against Hawksplash’s cheek to steady himself. “They’re so precious!”

“They better be, I worked hard to get them here!” Hawksplash joked. “What should we name them?”

“I…” Nightdrift shook his head. “StarClan, I don’t know. I can hardly think…”

“Me neither,” Hawksplash agreed. 

They continued to watch their kits drink and then sleep for a while longer before Nightdrift decided, “Sheepkit.”

“I..” Hawksplash blinked, eyes shining with grief. 

“She was your sister, and my best friend. It’d be nice to honour her.”

Hawksplash smiled sadly. “I'd love that.” She reached out a paw and brushed it softly against the tom, who was nosing his way under her leg. “For this one, then. The tom.”

Nightdrift nodded, feeling a little light-headed. “What about the she-kit?”

Hawksplash thought for a moment, then shrugged. “StarClan, how do cats do this so quickly? I just want to sleep.”

“Then sleep,” Nightdrift responded, licking her cheek. “We can pick something tomorrow. Heh, it’s not like they’re gonna talk back for a while yet.”

Hawksplash chuckled, a half-hearted giggle that was weakened by her exhaustion. Her eyelids fluttered for a moment longer before she rested her chin on the edge of the nest.

Nightdrift licked the top of her head, gently so as not to wake her. Then, eyes wide with wonder, he leaned over his mate’s side to touch his nose to both little bodies. “Welcome to the world, my kits.”

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

NEXT

--EDIT: forgot that because Nightfly is trans, he would be born as a gal. Fixed!

--FINALLY got to these stories after the poll!

--Nightdrift's best friend as an apprentice was Hawksplash's sister, Sheeppaw. She died before she could finish their training. Though they were already friends, their grief made them grow especially close, eventually leading to Night and Hawk's romance. He's also good friends with Rabbitshade.

--Bugsplash and Rabbitshade have similarities to how Hawk looks, so I decided that they're related! I also like the idea of brothers-in-law being buddies.

--Can you see where Nightfly gets his anxious behaviour from?

--Rabbitshade (deputy) also gets very anxious, but is much better at hiding it and keeping a calm composure, something that helps him with diplomatic stuff and Clan debates. BUT if you give him enough stress, he gets very tired, which is why he fell asleep.

His design was also made before! You can see him HERE.

--I'm very tired so please excuse any spelling stuff.