The Bearer Of Bad News {Open}

Morningfog's paws were numb, she carried the four brightly colored kits with a heavy heart. Smokeface had bid her farewell, everyone farewell and disappeared. She stumbled into camp and rushed into the nursery to place them down in the nest she had filled with downy feathers for her kits, now crowded with Fogheart's own. With that, she hesitated, should she tell everyone that Smokeface was gone? What if they found out about the horrible situation she had caused with her selfishness? She hung her head as she stepped out and filled her lungs with the burning icy air. "Smokeface is gone!" she yowled. This was the second time she would be the one bringing the worst news. "And it's all my fault.." she whispered to herself, tears welling in her eyes, at last, being able to fall.

Shinnykit's heart broke into a million pieces.

She looked up at her mom. She had just hurried, with her usual excited smile, to greet her and ask about the new kits sbe had just brought. So close to opening her mouth, Morningfog cut her words short with her own. "W-what?! Mom, where is Smokeface...?" she asked, tears pooling in ber eyes. And so close, she hear her murmur and gasped. "Y-Your fault...?" she trembled from her whole body, breathing fast and sharp, before running away from the spot, shielding herself away by the leader's den.

And the pieces broke into more pieces.

And more pieces.

And more pieces.

And more.

Morningfog froze as Shinykit spoke, she turned to explain but the she-kit was already running off towards the leader's den. The queen quickly followed the kit before things got even more out of hand. "Shinykit, please. I'll explain but go back in the nursery. It's too cold out here and I have to keep the younger one warm." she meowed, extending a paw to her daughter to nudge her back towards the nursery. Dark lines in her fur revealed that she had been crying and her pelt was a mess. 

"No! It's your fault daddy is gone, you said it!" she spat, the fur on her back rising as her mother got closer. How did she dare take away my fatner, then try and call me back to her!? she thought, her pupils enlargening in fury.

Yellowkit was totally scared. One of bigger kits was shouting in his mother and blamed her, that she killed someone. He went closer to his mother and looked at Shinnxykit with anger.

Morningfog shook her head and gave Shinykit tired look, there was no hope in saving face now. "I made a horrible mistake, okay?" she said weakly. Then with a sterner tone, she continued. "Now, I'm going to take you back into the nursery, you shouldn't be out here." before there could be any protest, she picked up her oldest kit by the scruff and gave the clearing a wary look. Was anyone going to question this? She flattened her ears against her head and brought Shinykit back into the warmth of the nursery, flicking her tail for Yellowkit to follow and sitting in the small entrance to block Shinykit from running off again.  

Yellowkit was satisfied, because his mother showed great authority and other kit must respect her. He followed Morningfog with slow steps, because outside of a nursery was so interesting and full of different adventures. But at last, he must got in nursery.

Ospreykit lifted his head.His adoptive father was gone and all because of Morningfog?That couldn't be true."Are you serious?Is Smokeface really gone,Morningfog?"he meowed.Ospreykit's small eyes stared intently at Morningfog.

The kits. There were yelps and cries and a heightened tension as Sleetfang burst out of his den, two kits at Morningfog's paws. Smokeface...? Gone?! Did that mean—...?!

Instantly, he pieced it all together in his head, running forward to nose against the queen, and then glancing toward the kits. He held himself back from saying all the words he wanted to say. It'd be better if RiverClan... didn't know. "It's okay," he mewed, as if to take the edge off, but her words still pierced through his ears. Mistake. Her fault. There was a chance he was the last cat in the forest she wanted to see right now. "Who abandons their Clan? Where did he go?"

He didn't ask why. He knew why, but it still made his fur bristle. The whole Clan doesn't need to know, his eyes pleaded, blazing wide and bright, but he kept his mouth shut.

There's four of em, error on my part!)

Morningfog didn't bother answering Ospreykit, he'd get his answer soon enough. She gave Sleetfang a grateful look before beginning to answer his questions. "I-I have no idea where he went! He just to me to say g-goodbye for him and then he... took off." she looked hopeless, tear tracks darkened her fur and she either hung her head when she spoke or stammered. She had most likely made Shinykit hate her, sent Smokeface to his evident death, dragged Sleetfang into a complication he definitely didn't want to be in and she was going to have to raise more kits than she could manage, alone.

Shellwater stuck her head out of the nursery after hearing all the commotion. Her burnished orange eyes widened when she heard the news- her mentor was gone. And when she saw the way Sleetfang looked at Morningfog, it all made sense. Well, now the tom had two batches of kits, and he was obviously not going to provide for either one. The queen padded out of the nursery, temporarily leaving her kits curled up in her nest. She pressed comfortingly against the she-cat. "You'd better get your kits in the nursery where they'll be warm, Morningfog. I have a nice warm nest you can sleep in, and I'll keep you company." She guided the she-cat into the nursery, shooting a discreet glare at Sleetfang, the real father of her kits.

Morningfog nodded, leaning into the younger queen. She used a paw to guide them blindly deeper into the nursery. She groomed them to keep herself busy, there were four of them now, four newborns that she needed to take care of by herself. Her nest would need to be added onto if she had any hope of sleeping in it when they grew. The queen's tail dragged in the snow as she sat down. "I'll try not to dabble too much into your time, Shellwater...." she said quietly, not wanting to be a burden anymore.

Ewe mobile)

At the sound of the commotion, Tawnystorm came rushing out from her den, a look of panic in her eyes. "What happened? Another apprentice attacked? A fox or badger? A...death?" She cast her gaze around the clearing, searching for anyone who might not be there. It didn't take her long to notice a missing gray pelt - and then Morningfog's words only confirmed her greatest fears. "Smokeface? He's gone? Where? What happened to him? Oh, dear StarClan..." the warrior choked. First her father, then her siblings, her mate, now her best friend?
"We'll find him. I'll go on a patrol, anyone else coming?" Tawnystorm stood up straighter, trying to show the others she was still in control of her emotions. The last thing anyone, including herself, wanted to see was her weakness. No. I'll find him. I won't spend time wallowing in my own sadness, I'll find him no matter what.
Then, one last thing caught her ear. "Wait- your fault, Morningfog? But-but isn't he your mate? Did something happen?" Though she hid it behind a calm tone, anger bubbled inside. She could see the queen was distraught - maybe it hadn't been intentional, but the outcome was the same. Her best friend was gone.

"My time?" Shellwater laughed, scooting a feather-lined nest closer to her own with a black-and-orange calico paw and arranging it for Morningfog. "My time? Oh, Morningfog, they are my time." She gestured towards her nest, four calico and tortoiseshell she-kits curled up together. "Blossomkit, Featherkit, Mosskit and Turtlekit. Otterleap. My kits and my mate are all the time I have. I live in the nursery now. I have plenty of time to help you, and I am sure that my kits and yours will be good friends. I hope we can be too, Morningfog."

Shellwater's knowing glare felt like spears of ice through his coat, but he didn't meet her gaze, stepping aside to let the queen steer Morningfog toward the nursery. Relief. Yes, relief, but the guilt that tugged at his pelt, for his old mentor somewhere out alone...

He shook the weak thought away. Never in a hundred moons could he imagine fleeing RiverClan with his tail tucked between his legs, no matter what happened. Sleetfang just let his eyes linger on the kits before turning away, clicking his tongue in simmering irritation. A patrol to find him... Smokeface knew his way back to camp. If he wanted to come back, he would. But he'd run away. He dug his claws into the earth.