#daisyshadow

It's a certain statement. Finchstar had suspected as such during the last moon, but for Daisyshadow to come up and say it...

"I suppose you digging out that nursery from that little dip in this area was handy, huh?" Finchstar chuckled. "Congrats."

Daisyshadow smiled, ears flicking. "Thank you, Finchstar." A pause, and the cream cat lifted a darker cream tail. "Oh, hang on. The kits are named with how we would normally name cats, with a kit at the end?"

Finchstar nodded. "Like Riverkit and Currentkit."

"So I'm not gonna be the one thinking of the last parts of their names."

"Nope!" Finchstar meowed, whiskers twitching with amusement. She got up and walked towards the entrance of her den, where Daisyshadow was standing. "That is entirely my job, I think."

"Naming cats?" Daisyshadow frowned. "Nobody gets to name themselves?"

Finchstar paused at the entrance of the den, the twisting roots. Speckleback had checked them recently, even though Finchstar had insisted it had held her for many moons. The dark brown unusually spotted cat put a tail to her chin. "Hmm, I mean, I could take suggestions... but I'm the one looking over how training is being done, so I'm the one judging what they're like in general."

Finchstar pulled her tail away from her chin. "You planning on recommending names for your kits?"

Daisyshadow glanced away, rolling her eyes. She, notably, didn't reply to that question. "At least Riverkit and Currentkit won't be alone."

"They are getting bigger. Almost six moons." Finchstar laughed. Daisyshadow walked up to sit beside her, watching their little clan. Hollypaw was sitting at the entrance of the apprentice den, moss dropped at his feet. 

Daisyshadow got to her paws at the sight of him panting. Lichenpaw, with her stocky form starting to fill out and long fur brushing against the ground, walked to his side and pushed her head against him. Hollypaw stumbled a bit, still panting.

Finchstar frowned. "... Looks like Hollypaw's come down with whatever Speckleback has." Speckleback had gotten away from the others, sticking to the den. He said he wasn't sick, but the way he was acting about it sure was weird.

Daisyshadow sighed. "Speckleback and his lack of action is pathetic."

Hey. Finchstar rolled her eyes. "We only know the territory so well because we're not looking for herbs while we're moving." Finchstar got to her paws. "Speaking of, we should go-"

"You."

Finchstar paused, a paw in the air. She placed it back down, glancing back at Daisyshadow. "Huh?"

"I'm not going out with you." Daisyshadow's tail curled near her stomach, which was starting to round out a little. "I do not want to endanger my kits."

"I-" Finchstar started, stopped. Daisyshadow's eyes narrowed, and her paws dug into the forest floor. Finchstar paused for a few moments, glancing back to their small clan. Hollypaw, being checked out by a just-as-woozy Speckleback. Whiskershadow, breathing nasally. Lichenpaw, standing apart from them, paws nervously scratching at the ground.

It would just be her and Lichenpaw. Just like when it was just the two of them.

"... I understand." Finchstar bowed her head. She padded forward towards Lichenpaw, who snapped to attention. "Lichen. We're going to go hunting."

Lichenpaw's eyes widened. "It's... um, Lichenpaw."

Finchstar nodded. "Lichenpaw. Let's go hunting." A smile, a tilt of her head. "Like old times?"

Lichenpaw stared for a few moments. Her tail swished from side to side, and she looked away. After a few more moments, she nodded and looked back to Finchstar. "Lead the way."

"... I had those dreams, before you joined me." He mumbled. "But- ancestors interacting with our every move? I don't know if I like that." Speckle glanced up to Finchstar, and his fur caught the sun for a moment. "But I do have... some knowledge of herbs." Speckle frowned, once again out of the light. "Not sure if I quite have enough, though..."

"You'll learn." Finchstar said, brushing past a bush. With that, they were near her den- and near the camp. Finchstar could see why this was once used in the past, even with some of the dens no longer being there. She smiled, hopping up the tree that made up her den. "Alright, clan cats! Come and gather!"

Daisy, the cream she-cat with a single darker stripe down her back, who had taken the kits from Finchstar when informed of what their parents had done, pulled the kits along with her. The black and white kit with mismatched eyes, Riverkit, cuddled up to Daisy, and the speckled pale tom with copper eyes, Currentkit, stared up at where Finchstar was.

There was a sparkly presence at her side. Finchstar focused in front of her, ignoring it. "We are gathered here, in our future Clan's camp. Thank you for sticking with me through... all of that." A few laughs from the small crowd. "Today, we become a part of a whole. Today... I'm granting you your new names."

"Shouldn't we name the clan?" Lightning said, loudly. Lichen's tail stuck straight up.

"Maybe. But what I want to do is to name ourselves first, then name our clan, making our first step as a clan as our new selves. Yeah?" Finchstar nodded. "Yeah. So... first off... our kits."

Daisy used her tail to nudge the kits forward a little. "Their mothers should be ashamed of themselves." She spat. "Leaving River and Current behind?"

"They will be Riverkit and Currentkit. Our young will have those names." Finchstar nodded to Lichen next. "Those of..."

A whisper. Six moons.

"Six moons and older, and training under another are our Apprentices. Apprentices..." Finchstar met eyes with Lichen. "Have the second part of their names be paw. Lichen, you are Lichenpaw, and you will still be training under me."

Lichenpaw nodded, smiling.

Finchstar glanced at the other two cats who were young, but not kit age young. Lightning, the orange cat with a striped tail, and Holly, a pale gray dappled tom who stared up with amber eyes.

"Lightning, you are now Lightningpaw. You will train under..." Her eyes met with Whisker, the white and gray spotted tom. "Whisker.

Lightningpaw blinked, then padded over to Whisker. The two of them stared for a bit, before Whisker touched noses with him. Whisker purred. "A pleasure, Finchstar."

"Holly. You are Hollypaw." Hollypaw stood to attention. "You will train under Daisy."

She seemed reliable and caring. Hollypaw, taking from Lightningpaw's lead, stumbled over to Daisy and touched noses with her. He then moved to sit beside the kits. 

"Now, our fighters." Finchstar lashed her tail. "You will be more complicated." She stood up. "After all, I just met some of you last moon!" She laughed. Whisker and Petunia both laughed as well. Daisy just tilted her head. Speckle sighed. "But I will try my best to name all of you."

"Petunia. You will be Petuniaclaw." Finchstar hopped down from one branch. "Whisker, you will be Whiskershadow. Daisy, Daisyshadow."

"Why are we sharing names." Daisyshadow said, curt.

"Both of you surprised me when we met." Finchstar said, and Whiskershadow snorted. Daisyshadow rolled her eyes. "Besides, it's only a part of your name. The whole is different." Another hop down a branch. "Speckle... You will be Speckleback."

Speckleback glanced at his back. Then back to Finchstar. "Clever...?"

"I know, I am." Finchstar responded, back down on even ground with the others. "Everyone can rest for today. Tomorrow, we wake up a new clan... and we can think of what we're named."

The clan had slowly started to figure out where everyone would go. The kits even had their own den, even if Finchstar could clearly see the two of them playing outside of the logs that formed the bridge between the apprentice and warrior dens.

Petuniaclaw. Finchstar's ears twitched, and she got to her paws. "Is there something you need?"

"I'm about to send out the next patrols, and I can't find Daisyshadow in camp." Petuniaclaw asked, frowning. "Any idea where she could possibly be?"

Daisyshadow, a gleeful look on her face, leaning in close. "I've got a date with a handsome loner. I know I'm not supposed to, but... you can let it slide for a moon, right?"

"She's out training." Finchstar lied, and Petuniaclaw nodded. "You know how she gets sometimes."

"Oh, I do. A shame." Petuniaclaw sighed. "I guess Hollypaw is going to go hunting with Whiskershadow, then."

"Has Speckleback gotten back from looking for herbs?"

"Not ye-"

"Whatcha talkin' about?" Currentkit popped up from behind Petuniaclaw, surprising the both of them. The dark gray tom's ears were pinned to his head, and Finchstar's fur was spiked up. Currentkit didn't seem to care that much.

"Boring clan things." Finchstar said, and Petuniaclaw sighed, but he was smiling. The small pale spotted kit continued to sit there. Riverkit was still nowhere in sight.

"Please tell me? How does one do deputy things! Tell me!"

Petuniaclaw laughed, shifting to face the small kit. "Okay, okay. I'm about as new to this as you are to life."

"No way! You took to it like... like..." Currentkit frowned. "Like... a bird to wings?"

"Wingclan would be better."

"Let it rest, Finchstar." Petuniaclaw deadpanned, and Finchstar giggled. Currentkit tilted his head. "So, what deputies do..."

At the entrance of the den, behind a root, sat Riverkit. She was still, listening in.

"What, because they happened to explore a little bit?" Daisyshadow rolled her eyes. Her kits watched from the entrance of the nursery, glancing between each other. 

"You can't keep being defensive over them forever, you know! They'll grow, they'll have time later to explore- but right now, it's a danger. And they sparred!" Speckleback threw a paw out towards Graykit and Larkkit, who pulled back a bit once they were spotted.

Daisyshadow hissed, before glancing back to her kits and inhaling deeply. Speckleback met her gaze.

"I'll allow you to inspect them... only if you can find something in the territory." Daisyshadow grinned, and Speckleback's ears bent down on his head. Always about his own failures. How was he on the losing side of the argument here?

"Fine." Speckleback spat, getting up. "I have plenty, but I will grab some more."

"Go, then." 

Daisyshadow padded back towards her kits, and Speckleback turned to head out into the forest.

Jokes on her, he knew where some herbs were. And it was only a short jog away from camp! 

He brushed past some trees, watching as a mouse skittered away. Someone would find it, he was sure. Hollypaw was out on his own right now- he would. Speckleback walked by the small spot for their dead cats, only sparing it a glance- no rosemary there. He would have to go out further.

Fine. A bit further than he expected. He padded out past a clump of trees with moss on them, and further and further...

"Hey..."

Someone whispering. It felt like it was right in his ears. Speckleback's fur raised, and he spun around. Nobody was that close to him.

What. 

He felt something leave his back, and an urge to walk in the direction it left to. He followed it, eyes narrowed as he tried to figure out-

He stepped down a ledge, looking around and Oh.

Hidden under the natural ledge was a cat. He... knew this cat once. She had been at the first two gatherings. Spruceshadow? She got exiled. Her body was lying cold on the ground, not moving. Three small shapes pressed against her belly, trying to feed from a body that would never move again.

That feeling again. "Tricklekit." His eyes, directed at the red and black kit. "Boughkit." The light brown kit with white patches. "Rindlekit." The pale kit with a white lower body.

The presence suddenly faded, and Speckleback let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. 

Some rosemary was growing nearby. He plucked it and laid it out on top of Spruceshadow's body. He would come back with some warriors later to bury her body.

Right now... he had to take these kits back. He leaned down and grouped them together, pulling them away from the cold body. Tricklekit let out a small meow, paws swiping the air.

Maybe it was a lucky thing Daisyshadow was still nursing her kits. These three would be able to be nursed by her, too.

He made the trek back, jaws growing a bit more tired the more Tricklekit and Boughkit shook around. Even Rindlekit let out a weak meow. How did Daisyshadow do it so much? Over a few branches, past the graves...

"Oh, you're... b...ack." Daisyshadow paused. "What is that."

Speckleback placed the kits at his paws. They tumbled over, mewing. Speckleback's eyes remained on the three kits. "...Do you remember Spruceshadow?"

"Did you mate with her?"

Speckleback glanced up to Daisyshadow. "What? Absolutely not. Her body was found in the territory. Already dead." He glanced down to the kits, pushing them forward. "...These kits were with her. She gave birth alone, and was not as lucky as you."

Daisyshadow's expression changed, though Speckleback didn't see it. She padded forward, lowering her nose to the three kits. "... I see. I'll care for them, then." She pointed a dark cream tail towards the leader's den. "Finchstar just got back from hunting. Tell her about them."

With that, Daisyshadow pulled the kits toward the nursery, and Speckleback approached the tree that made up Finchstar's home.

Events Referenced: Speckleback and Daisyshadow argue over kits. Speckleback collected some Rosemary (between moons). While Speckleback is out in the territory, he hears whispers on the wind. Following them, he comes across the body of a dead queen and her three kits, who are still alive. Tricklekit, Boughkit, and Rindlekit.

When she opened her eyes, she was once again alongside the other three leaders. Beestar flinched awake, and Quickstar simply stayed sitting, staring out. They did not fall asleep here. Stars danced along their paws.

"What in the..." Stonestar mumbled, shaking his paw and watching the stars scattered. He glanced up, and watched as his stars landed in a large pool of water, one with no end in sight. His ears perked upwards. "This is..."

Finchstar padded forward, letting her paws hit starry sand. "... The beach?"

She had only been here a few times. It was a fair bit away from the forest she was calling home. Beestar nodded, shifting her paws nervously. "Why are we here?"

Something moved, and the leaders all moved their attention to the water again. Shapes, coming to the surface.

Emerging from the water... were their guides. Hazelstreak grinned upon seeing Finchstar, water falling off her pelt like it was nothing. She curled up around Finchstar, before backing away. "Welcome, leaders!"

Lightkite, the light brown cat, held his head up high. "We forgot to tell you how to connect to us!" He tilted his head. "Well, technically, mostly the medicine cats, your healers, but leaders have to connect to us too to gain lives! That was what we did, by the way."

"And... every leader must have someone to succeed them." Poolwish, the cat with brown tabby patches, opened her eyes and shook out her fur. Stars flung everywhere, not water. Her eyes were clear. "And that is decided by having a deputy, a second in command, at your side."

The last of the quartet, with a speckled gray tail, lifted it. "You must decide it soon, when the moon first rises after you name your clan." He narrowed his eyes. "Choose carefully."

With that, the pool of stars swept up the cats, and they vanished. The star-filled sea continued licking the shore. Quickstar backed away from it slowly.

"... Has anyone decided what their clan is called yet? Me and my clan debated on it, and we... still haven't decided it." Beestar said, being the first to break the silence. "We have a few names in mind, though."

"I just named everyone and said we would name ourselves tomorrow." Finchstar said, before looking to the other two leaders. "How about you guys?"

Stonestar went silent. He shifted his claws. "... We just spent the rest of our day digging dens." Indeed, under his claws was a lot of dirt. He shook out his front paws a bit, growling. "'Course, not gonna come out in a dream."

"... Downclan." Quickstar mumbled. The other cats looked to them immediately. Quickstar pointed a tail up to the sky, which was dotted with some stars, as well. "Like the feathers of birds. The comfortable ones. Birds like to hang out near the mountain cliffs."

They nodded. 

Stonestar looked thoughtful. "Do you have any tips for naming cats?"

Finchstar shrugged. "Some of the cats in my group left after the ordeal with us getting.. Our..." Finchstar paused at the next words that would've left her lips. Lives. Like the old tale about the cat who got back up again after getting killed multiple times.

Lives?

Beestar's fur was standing on end. "... our lives?"

Stonestar was staring at his wounded leg.

"...I guess that's what I was about to say, yeah." Finchstar said, pushing her paws together. "Lives. Would've... been nice to know that before whatever they did to us."

Stonestar scoffed. "Yeah. I've lived my life, don't need to live nine more." The scar over one of his eyes seemed to shimmer, as well as the one on his leg. Finchstar did not comment. "But... deputies. Do any of you have your choice in mind already?"

Finchstar thought about the collection of cats she had. Petuniaclaw, Whiskershadow, Daisyshadow... 

"I do, actually." Finchstar nodded. She grinned. "Granted, I only have three choices, compared to your... five...?"

"Have a feeling cats in the forest didn't like you approaching." Stonestar said. "But yes. I... think I have an idea for who should be my deputy."

Beestar hummed. "Dunno."

"Same. I'll figure it out." Quickstar paused. "Also, you're fading, Finchstar."

"What do you-"

---

Finchstar had her stomach landed on by Currentkit. She spat out air, and Currentkit laughed. Riverkit whined wordlessly, and Currentkit glanced back to Riverkit. The two of them ran out of the den, and Finchstar let herself start breathing, sitting up.

Petuniaclaw ducked his head into the entrance of her den, head tilted. "I assume the kits got to you before I did."

"Got that right." Finchstar got to her paws, wincing. "Ouch. Rambunctious little guys."

"Speckleback went out to explore the forest a little." Petuniaclaw informed, walking alongside Finchstar as they exited the den. "The fighters and apprentices were talking about what to do about the den situation. Lichenpaw said she'd like it better being apart from the fighters, but Lightningpaw argued against it."

"Thanks for informing me, Petuniaclaw." Finchstar stared out into the empty camp space, where a few bushes were starting to be carved out. 

Lichenpaw's old den was probably too small to host a group of cats, though Lichenpaw was sitting there still. The light brown cat with a dark brown stripe had her head in her paws, watching the others. She lifted her head up when she saw Finchstar walk by, and waved a tail. Finchstar waved a tail back.

"Hello, clan." The current clan members looked to Finchstar with attention. Finchstar nodded, then pointed a tail to the tree her den was made from. "I think it is wiser for me to announce from up there for official meetings. But... I am going to wait for Speckleback to get back."

Hollypaw stuck his tongue out. "Boo. Start the meeting now. His fault for going out without checking in on you."

Daisyshadow placed a paw on Hollypaw's head. "No, he is simply getting his bearings in how herbs are here." Her lips curled and revealed teeth. "Or would you like to be left without herbs in a timely manner?"

Hollypaw's almost retreated into his body. "O-Oh. Okay."

Daisyshadow's teeth grew more friendly. "Good."

Finchstar chuckled. "Why shouldn't he be around for the naming of our clan?"

"Ohhh." Lightningpaw nodded. "Imagine coming back and the clan is named without you."

Pawsteps. A scent. Lightningpaw's head swiveled in that direction, only to reveal Speckleback. He looked irritated. When he noticed Finchstar, though, he paused. He padded forward, tilting his head. "You're meeting with us here?"

Daisyshadow's snide comment from earlier that day settled under his pelt, making it feel like he was burning. He cared for the kits! He cared for Currentpaw and Riverpaw as little kits, and they were turning out fine.

He opened his mouth, only for some new scent to hit it. 

He whirled towards the new scent, towards the break in the new wall they were building. There was a cat with a strange and unfamiliar scent, a mixture of different environments that Speckleback probably couldn't imagine. When the cat noticed that she was noticed, she shifted to the side and pushed two small forms forward-

They were almost apprentice aged. They shared her speckled coat, though they were different in color. The brown speckled kit huddled into the silver speckled kit's side, and the silver speckled kit stared up at their mother.

"I can't... I can't care for them." The rogue muttered. She pushed them forward again, and the brown speckled kit fell forward. The silver one pushed himself beneath the brown one and lifted him up. "Brown one is Gold, gray one is Bat. I heard about you all from a friend." She turned around. "Care for them, for me."

She started to leave.

There was a whirlwind of a form, and Hollyspike was out of his nest.

Speckleback hissed at Hollyspike, but one of the kits walked up to him and pressed against his side. Speckleback, distracted, glanced down to Gold.

Gold sighed, golden eyes staring at his mother as she turned back to talk to Hollyspike. "... Why do we have to leave her...?"

"She's stupid." Bat replied, walking up to Gold's side. "That's why."

Speckleback stared at the little forms, still ignoring whatever conversation Hollyspike and the rogue were having. He leaned down. "Hey. We care for others here, no matter what. I'll care for you, as it's my job as the healer."

"A healer?" Bat glanced up. "You can be that?"

"Or fight. Most of us fight here." Speckleback shrugged. "I used to fight, but I know my herbs better than anyone else."

Finally, the rogue left, and Hollyspike limped back towards the medicine den. Speckleback turned towards Hollyspike, hissing, "Stop moving, you'll aggravate your wound!"

"I do what I want," Hollyspike grumbled, pushing back into the medicine cat den. Speckleback heard the faint voice of Daisyshadow as she started to move out of the den, as well.

Speckleback sighed. "Just stick to me if you need anything, Goldkit and Batkit."

"Oooo, new names! Thank you!" Batkit meowed, hopping in place. "Now, can we go?"

"No, you have to go to the nursery." Speckleback meowed. "At least, until you're old enough to start training." Batkit started to complain, but Goldkit shook his head. 

Daisyshadow sat down in front of him. "... What is with you and kits?" Daisyshadow meowed, tilting her head. Goldkit hid behind Speckleback's leg. "They look older, though."

Bogkit bounded towards Speckleback, and Speckleback watched as Bogkit shimmied next to Goldkit beneath him. Goldkit stared at Bogkit, nodding along as she asked him some questions- about if he liked food or not.

Speckleback glanced back to Daisyshadow. "My kits now. They latched onto me."

"Probably because you were the first clan cat they saw." Daisyshadow rolled her eyes. "But... fine. Yours."

"You're free to patrol again, by the way."

"Oh." Daisyshadow's ears rose up on her head, and she looked down at Bogkit. Goldkit was smiling a little bit at her, and Bogkit giggled, holding up a small leaf that she had somehow obtained. Daisyshadow smiled. "... Okay. Thank you."

"You are very welcome." Speckleback sighed. "Took long enough."

"I say thank you enough!" Daisyshadow walked towards Batkit and Goldkit, and lowered her head to meet their eyes. "Hello there."

"You look identical." Batkit meowed, head looking to Bogkit then back to Daisyshadow. "Same stripe, same color..."

Bogkit nodded. "Yep! Me and my brothers all have a stripe!" She stretched out. "Mom likes that!"

Goldkit licked at his pelt. "... I wonder if mom liked us resembling her."

Daisyshadow's expression twisted. She inhaled, exhaled. "Probably. But you have to make choices, and she made hers to leave you behind. Who cares what she thinks?"

"Daisyshadow's correct. If she left you here, it isn't worth thinking about anymore."

Goldkit glanced to Bogkit, who glanced to him. Bogkit shuffled her tail between her paws. Goldkit glanced back up to Speckleback. "... If... if you're sure."

"Of course!" Batkit pushed Goldkit forward. "Now, where are your siblings?"

"This way!"

With that, Bogkit bounded towards the nursery. She turned back to face the slightly older kits. "We also have some cats like you, who had nobody before we got them! Now, come on!"

Daisyshadow chuckled, then got up to follow after Bogkit, Goldkit, and Batkit.

Speckleback was once again going to be the one to break the news to Finchstar, huh. Couldn't be Daisyshadow for once.

"My kits aren't old enough to talk yet, so you will have to do." Daisyshadow laughed.

Hollypaw groaned. His amber eyes fell to meet with the four tiny pelts of Daisyshadow's kits. Three of them had the exact same back stripe that Daisyshadow did, yet only one of them shared her fur color. What were their names again? Not like he was going to ask that, that wasn't cool.

The one with a similar creamy coat let out a little mew, and Daisyshadow pushed her closer. 

Speckleback entered the nursery, and Daisyshadow stiffed up, though her kits were still suckling at her belly. "What? Still concerned about me?"

"No. Your kits." Speckleback leaned down closer to the kits. Daisyshadow sighed, but she moved her tail again anyway. Orange with a stripe, gray with a stripe, cream with a stripe, and a strange pale-gray orange spot mixture. "You basically had them in the middle of the night. It's dangerous to give birth, and I see you haven't fully recovered-"

Daisyshadow rolled her eyes. "You and what herbs?"

"I could've helped."

Hollypaw squirmed away from Daisyshadow, and suddenly he WAS interested in their names. "You named them, right? Apparently the other clans named their kits close to their birth, so you gotta, right?"

Daisyshadow still glared at Speckleback, but it softened when her gaze went to her kits. "... Larkkit," Her tail traced the back of the only kit without a stripe, "Graykit," The gray single striped kit, "Bogkit," The cream single striped kit, "And Buzzardkit." The orange single striped kit. "Their colors reminded me of those things. Yeah."

Speckleback nodded. He bent a little closer. "Two boys, two girls."

Daisyshadow's fur lifted from her back a little, but she didn't bite at him. "Yes. Now, please get out of the den. I will be fine."

Speckleback rolled his eyes, then turned to leave before he remembered something. "Ah, yes, Hollypaw. You're doing fine, so you're free to go."

Hollypaw jumped to his feet. He glanced to Daisyshadow, who flicked her ears towards the entrance of the den.

"Go be a warrior."

Hollypaw nodded, then stomped outside of the den. Speckleback, sighing, followed.

Events Referenced: Hollypaw recovers from Heat Exhaustion Daisyshadow 'secretly' had four kits: Larkkit, Graykit, Bogkit, and Buzzardkit. Speckleback STILL can't find SHIT. Daisyshadow picks the burrs out of Hollypaw's fur.

note: i took a picture of the kits at one moon. Looking back now, I should've taken a picture of their potato forms. My mistake. This... will be the case for any future kits, for a while. Remember, i took notes hella in advance.