Redefine [Dovebeech kits]

Giving birth was never easy, Beechfang had learned that, both helping the queens while she was medicine cat, and with her first litter. The second time around it seemed, was no different. Words like 'you did this to me' hurled at Dovefrost, and lots of swearing had ensued, but the harshness had vanished when their kits were laid at her belly. Beechfang had been more exhausted than she'd ever felt, but had stubbornly forced herself to remain awake. There was a fear that if she closed her eyes, they would disappear as if in a dream.

Five moons had passed in the blink of an eye since, and Beechfang stretched, yawning. The nest she kept in the nursery was growing cramped as the kits grew, and she carefully stepped around them as she headed for the nursery's entrance. It... Was nearly sunhigh. When on earth did she ever sleep that late?? And how had the kits, for that matter? Had the typical bickering of siblings exhausted them so?

---

Apparently not. Wolfkit swiped at her mother's retreating tail in agitation at being so rudely deprived of the comfortable pillow Beechfang's side had made. She rolled to her paws with the clumsy, ungainly movements of a fast-growing kit, doubtlessly waking some of her siblings in the process as she clambered from the nest... And not caring one bit. Sunlight filtered into the den, mom was awake, and so she had slept more than enough. So had her siblings, Wolfkit had evidently decided... Even if they hadn't.

Beechfang glanced down at her, whiskers twitching in amusement. "Come outside rather than bothering your siblings, then. It's too nice to stay cooped up in here." And that was all the invitation Wolfkit needed as she bounced from the den, not bothering to wait to see if any of her siblings would join her or complain about being woken up at such an unreasonable time.

Lichenkit blinked awake- though helped somewhat by Wolfkit's loud scrambling around the den. He frowned, it was so bright already! Quickly, he jumped to his paws, trying to shake his fur of the nest's moss. Evidently failing, as bits of green clung to his coat. He shrugged, far more interested in what his sister was doing. The short tom shot out (and almost tripped out) the nursery, and breathed in the fresh air outside the den.

Camp was huge; there was almost always something to do or something to find! Plus, there was so much space to just run; camp went on for so many tail-lengths. He turned to his sister, still bouncing from paw-to-paw in his seemingly endless energy; "Race you to the fresh-kill pile!" he mewed, tail waving in excitement.

Trufflekit opened up her eyes and peered at her mother sleepily. Almost instantly they sprung open. Beechmother! Her favorite cat ever. Quickly she scuttled up and raced to be next to her mother. Her large-for-a-kit body slammed into Wolfkit, knocking her out of the way. "Hi mother!" She chirped, sliding Wolfkit a quick glare.

Fogkit liked the morning; or at least, a lot more than his siblings did. With them still asleep, the kit could finally enjoy some quiet and privacy-- something he often hailed as a luxury. He had been awake for a while when his mother and siblings came to, just sitting by the entrance of the nursery and watching the clouds float on. He was a tiny Beechfang, both in looks and personality. Only five moons old, he already had a distaste for other cats and a biting attitude.

At least he was polite.

"Good morning Mother. Do you want me to go after Wolfkit? I'll make sure she doesn't get into any trouble." Fogkit stretched and raised himself onto his paws, long fluffy fur still reaching the dirt. Having to go "play" didn't interest Fogkit one bit, but he felt obligated to make sure no one got hurt and nothing terrible happened. His siblings joked he was like a sentry or a guard, never playing with them, but Fogkit would rather spend time by himself and in his head.

Sleep was a tempting idea, especially when it was hot outside but comfortable in the nursery, wedged between littermates and Beechfang's side. Little Birdkit, though, was determined to stay awake. Even when her eyes fluttered, or her head bobbed downwards for a second. She was going to stay awake, and then she'd be the first of her family up and out to explore camp. But then she blinked, and the next time she opened her eyes half her family had disappeared outside. "Hey!" A sniffle rose from inside as the kit scrambled to stand, tripping over her own legs. "You all left me. Rude!" Another sniffle, and painfully exaggerated hurt in Birdkit's mew. Shoving forward, she bumped up against Trufflekit, knocking her head against her sister's shoulder. "Mom, tell Lichenkit not to run off. He's going to get under everyone's paws and get us all in trouble. And tell Trufflekit no pushing!" Which, of course, came with another playful shove against her sister.

Plumkit squeezed her eyes shut, snuggling deeper into the moss and trying to block out the voices of her littermates. She had no interest in "exploring", or whatever it was they were so excited about, especially not if it interfered with her sleep. However, it seemed like every time she fell asleep, a paw or a tail would crash into her, and she knew she would eventually have to get up or risk being trampled by the clumsy kits she shared a nest with.

Blinking her eyes open, she yawned as she watched her family head toward the nursery entrance, illuminated by the bright daylight. The sun was bearing down on the camp, creating a stuffy, almost uncomfortable heat. It didn't look appealing to Plumkit at all.

"S'too hot to go outside, mum." She mumbled, eyes half-closed as she retreated further into the cool darkness of the nursery. "Can we go back to sleep?"