Welcome to an Empire

Wisteriabloom had been growing more and more restless with each passing day, now with her few trips out of camp blinking into nothingness. Her belly was so swollen with kits that it took a great deal of effort to even get to her feet, let alone walk to the fresh-kill pile. With Asylum controlling Riverclan (and all the other clans, apparently), everything had been strangely... normal? Patrols had to be supervised by at least one member of their group, but she had been on so few patrols recently that she barely noticed it. However, there was always eyes watching from the shadows. It made her pelt prickle, making her seem seem even larger than usual and, combined with her abnormally large belly, she was a mass of fur and body. It was unsurprising really, since she had been eating so much food to feed the kits inside her - she was just always hungry. Thornpaw had predicted two kits, but she felt as if she were eating for an entire clan.

She lay in her comfortable nest in the nursery, unable to really do anything other than think. Cloverfrost had been nice company, but after being stuck in the same den as her almost non-stop for a moon... she was merely just tolerate of the older she-cat. But she did follow the experienced queen's advice, since she didn't really have any idea what she was meant to do.

It was around sun-high when the first sharp pain hit her. She had been drifting into a light sleep, but all thoughts of a nap were quickly abandoned. There was no way that she could sleep now. "Shrikefrost! Someone!" She called, only realising now that Cloverfrost had left her alone in the den. "The ki-" Her words were cut off by another burst of pain, this one twice as aggressive as the last. 

OCC: yay! Moonkit is going to be born soon!

ooc; khamosa will be posting with wisteria one more time and then the kits can post!

It was clear that the kits were coming soon. Shrikefrost didn't know how to be a father, but he hardly had time to lament on that. He'd been pacing outside the nursery all day, getting Wisteriabloom whatever she needed. He wouldn't let her go near any Asylum cat. The memory of claws drawing blood from his throat was all too recent. How the kits could even be nurtured with the rogues around, he didn't know, but he would do what he could to help.

It was easy to tell when the kits started to come. Shrikefrost ducked his head inside. "I know you're in pain but be as quiet as you can, don't want any dirtfaced rogue to pretend they know how to help. I'll fetch Spiderquill or Thornpaw."

- - -

It was over. Some asylum cats had given the nursery looks of annoyance if Wisteriabloom made too loud a noise, but thankfully no one went inside. Shrikefrost was at his mate's side for the majority of the birth, doing whatever he was instructed by Spiderquill, who had left quickly after. He licked his mate's cheek and looked at the three kits they had, two male and one female. The she-kit had a ghost pattern a little like his, and was his dark gray. One of the toms had his short fur but Wisteriabloom's light fur. The other was nearly a copy of her, with the same long fur and pattern. Their eyes weren't yet open, and they were little more than small balls of fur, but he felt a fierce love towards them already.

"...They need names," he murmured. "The she-kit, the one that looks like me, I think Hollykit fits." There was little reason for the name, but he liked the prefix, and it felt right. "What do you want to name the toms? They both look more like you, so you can choose."

With Shrikefrost by her side, Wisteriabloom managed to relax a little between her bursts of pain. She had had doubts about how reliable he was in the past, but now, when she really needed him, he was right there. Hopefully that would be how it always was.

---

The pain finally ended, the queen took as many deep breaths as she could, trying to regain enough air. It had been difficult, but now it was all over. Three little bundles of joy lay at her belly, having their first ever feed in the world. Two toms and a she-kit, she thought, each one so special in their own adorable, tiny way. These were her kits. Her and Shrikefrost's. She was sure of one thing - she would always protect them. Never leave their side whilst they were still young. She refused to let the same thing happen to them as what had happened to her dear Snakekit.

"Hollykit..." she repeated, feeling her daughter's name on her tongue. "It's a lovely name," Shrikefrost had definitely chosen well. Looking down at the two still unnamed toms, she thought for a moment. Then, gesturing the one that looked identical to her, decided on a name. "I think Moonkit. Even though his eyes aren't open yet, I imagine they'll be beautiful, just like the moon." This was harder than it looked. Her mate had chosen with such ease. Now she looked at the other tom. He was probably the smallest, but not by very much. "Echokit for him." She didn't have any reasoning for it this time, it just felt right.

After licking each one in turn, her eyes lifted to meet Shrikefrost's. "They're all perfect," she said her voice still a little raspy, "And they're ours. We brought them into the world, and I think that they will all make fine warriors, just like their parents." She loved these kits with everything she had, but memories of Snakekit clung to her mind. She wouldn't forget her oldest daughter, even if she never returned.

Moonkit was comfertable before him and his siblings were suddenly pushed around. He tried to open his eyes, but found that there was only a bright light that was cold and distant. He heard meows around his ears, but couldn't make any sense of them. Only then did he smell his mothers milk and start to crawl towrads it, sensing it was food.