The Cleaning Crew (Elmpaw, Queens)

The member 'kieer' has done the following action : Dice roll

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'Effect Dice' : 5

Clovermottle reared her head, the chatter of Featherpaw diverting her attention from the tiny kit before her. She smiled in greeting, but didn't say anything as Weepingwillow took charge of the tasks. The older queen was right about the moss, it was something she had noticed too. It seemed anyone who wasn't a queen didn't understand how important fresh nests were, and the difference they made to everyone that resided in the nursery. It wasn't necessarily the young apprentice's fault that their nests weren't replenished as often as required, but it could not continue. "I had mentioned to Rookflight that I felt we were being neglected, perhaps they were not the right cat to tell." she turned back to the kit in front of them, stroking their pointed tail over its back to soothe it to sleep. She had spent all afternoon coaxing this litter, and she was almost done. "It is nice to see you again Featherpaw and to tend to us, Elmpaw too. Though, I will be mentioning this to someone more senior next time so our plight is actually heard." Finally, the kit fell asleep and with a gentle lick, Clovermottle rose to finally greet Featherpaw. "All our nests need replenishing, but see to it that Weepingwillow has the freshest and most bouncy moss. If there are birds make use of thier feathers and add them to her nest as well, thank you."

The nursery was calm and quiet now with everyone, but the queens sleeping. The tortoiseshell was so tired, heavily exhausted from the hours spent tending to helpless kits. To think Weepingwilow would be adding more so soon, she felt for the queen and also for herself. This life in the nursery had not been what they were destined for yet... Their yellow eyes began to fall closed, just a small nap and then she would help the apprentices while she still had the strength. Her eyelashes had barely touched when a loud caterwaul shook the nursery. Clovermottle screwed her eyes shut, hoping if she didn't move the mewing wouldn't start, but of course it did. All of the kits she had finally gotten to sleep were screaming again, vying for attention. Truly, there was less rest in the nursery than the warrior's den.

Furiously, the queen returned to the bundles of joy, and shot a scathing glance in Elmpaw's direction. "You should be." she snapped "Use your eyes and ears, Elmpaw, StarClan gave you them for a reason." His blabbering questions, didn't make her any happier. The apprentice need a mossball shoved in his gob, no one was getting to sleep with him in here. "Elmpaw!" shouted Clovermottle jarringly "Enough with the yammering and questions, go and help Featherpaw. Weepingwillow is trying to rest. The kits are trying to rest. I will answer whatever it is you wish to know once the jobs are done and the kits are asleep. Not a moment before, now shoo so I can do my job. A heavy sigh punctuated their command, and she turned from Elmpaw to stare disdainfully at the crying future of RiverClan. The fact that they would one day be warriors seemed alien, but she would ensure they would get the best start possible. That meant getting their beauty sleep, without ditzy apprentices yapping in her ear, and nattering so much she couldn't hear herself think.

Clovermottle leaned into Weepingwillow's gentle gesture though she had no intention of getting rest at her expense. "You need it more." she mewed, but it seemed neither of them would get it. She could cope with Featherpaw's vixen-like attitude, but Elmpaw's yowling was what she couldn't handle. Her lip curled back as he raised his voice, uncaring of anything, but the chip in his shoulder that he had brought upon himself. "Aren't you lucky Elmpaw." she hissed "If you took your head from out of your own tail, maybe you would see with a clearer head." Her tail thumped against the nest she still laid in, and the strain of raising her voice at the insolent apprentice threatened to bring on a cough fit. The tortoiseshell gulped down air, before speaking again. "You are preventing us from doing our duty. Not the duty either of us dreamed of, but the only service we can provide to our beloved clan. Would you like to switch places? I'm sure Weepingwillow would be more than happy to have your pristine teeth, I'd certainly be happy to be able to hunt and fight again without my chest feeling like it is about to cave in. Would you like to be in constant pain Elmpaw, and then have some immature, brash and rude apprentice snapping at you and undoing all your work?" she hissed, her voice quiet, but as cold as the ice they had just emerged from. "I didn't think so. I will gladly forget your question, but I won't forget how you yelled at a heavily pregnant queen, nor your lack of respect for your seniors. I'll personally speak to Poopyshine about your punishment, We'll work out something more suitable for you."