nothing short of a miracle [open]

Pineblossom

Everyone knew that the time for her litter was approaching. Pineblossom was very hesitant to move into the nursery, but she knew that she had to, as much as that place felt cursed. She took up a new spot in the nursery than where she had occupied herself the last time she was pregnant, and also kept far away from where Meadowlark had been when she cared for Silverkit. Those two places, in Pineblossom’s heart, were cursed and she wanted nothing to do with those spots.

The day was estimated by Heatherberry, and she proved to be excellent at prediction because it was that same day that Pineblossom felt a familiar pain strike her at one point in the night. It felt different from before; painful, but not a deep-set pain that felt like a piece of her soul was being torn from her. A bright, nearly-full moon shone high above ShadowClan in silent vigil over the birth to take place that night.

Pineblossom was more aware of the process this time around. She could focus in on what her medicine cats were saying to her. In fact, she was painfully aware of every second that passed, and she keenly paid attention to her kits as they were born, fearing that they would be the same as the stillborn kits she had had half a year ago. Instead, she had five kits, and every single one of them were breathing and squirming around. She hadn’t lost a single one. It made her breath catch and tears fell from her eyes in relief.

“Come, my children,” Pineblossom said breathlessly when it was all done. She nuzzled each of them close to her belly so they could get their fill of milk after taking their first breaths. It was overwhelming to see them all; they were her children, hers and Forestbreeze’s, and Silverpaw’s siblings, as well as Honeylight’s though he resided in StarClan. They were new members of her family.

They need names, Pineblossom thought to herself. Paranoia had made her half-certain that these kits would meet the same fate as the previous, and so she had not even considered what kind of name she wanted to use with her new set of kits. It was time that she decided.

The first kit looked almost identical to Pineblossom in her youth: beautiful dark brown fur with stark white paws that looked as though she just stepped in snow. Pineblossom briefly considered passing the same name her mother had given her, Ice, for her pretty white paws, but the memory of the name she was given later in life to accompany her mother’s kind prefix made her abstain. Her next thought went to Snow, but the pain of Snowfoot’s passing was still fresh, and Pineblossom had never been one for legacy names. No, it would have to be something else…Perhaps a name similar to her father, since she looked so much like Pineblossom herself.

“Hedge,” Pineblossom decided and she tucked Hedgekit against her belly with a gentle paw. A hedge was a smaller shrub than the whole of a forest, but it would be protected beneath the pines of the forest. It felt appropriate in her mind.

The second kit looked more similar to Forestbreeze, but as though he had been doused in some dark dirt, leaving his pelt a much darker grey than the light pelt that Forestbreeze carried. He squirmed around a bit before biting down on Pineblossom to get milk, which earned a small yelp from the mother. She pushed the kit slightly in silent scolding until he settled down.

“You’re like a predator with teeth like those,” Pineblossom sighed. “I hope you have the fierceness of one to survive in this forest…I’ll name you Wolf.” Her paw returned to him, gentler now, and she licked the top of his head.

The third kit was calm and gentle without even making a sound. His pelt was gray like Forestbreeze’s too, but far paler. In the gentle cast of the moonlight entering the den, it almost glowed with a blue glow. It was such a mesmerizing sight that Pineblossom could not think of any other appropriate name.

“Blue,” she settled and helped him against the warmth of her belly.

The fourth kit had a similar darker pelt like Wolfkit does, but with less patterning like the predator he was named after. This new kit did have some white speckling on his fur like Pineblossom had at his age. It made her smile. Like how Hedgekit had a look much like her with tiny signs of Forestbreeze, this one was like Forestbreeze with tiny signs of her; a similar naming convention felt appropriate.

“Fern,” Pineblossom decided. A hedge and a fern; she hoped they would be close siblings, if nothing than for just how cute their names would be to be said together.

That left the fifth and final kit. He was like a perfect blend of them both; he had brown fur but its hue was closer to the lighter grey that Forestbreeze had. He also had vitiligo that was more prominent than his brother and covered half of his face already and climbed up his paws. The fur was long and beautiful. He snuggled against her and her heart swelled. What was she going to name him? No specific idea came to her. He was a bit larger than the others and well built; healthy and strong but also gentle. There was an almost grace to him as she pushed him up with his siblings against her belly.

Stag. The idea came to mind out of nowhere and it immediately made her heart spike. She wanted to choose any other name; Deer would be nice, but she thought of Deerleap and did not want a legacy name. Fawn, but she thought of Fawnpatch and how she had tormented Honeylight, and that would feel cruel to give to her new son. But Stag…Stagshade had tormented Pineblossom as she grew up. He had been a nightmare in her dreams. Could she really look at her new beautiful son and give her such a name?

Do I still need to associate a powerful name with a terrible cat? her own mind challenged her. Stag fit him perfectly; he was strong and gentle just like a deer, and naming him after the male counterpart of a deer simply made sense. Pineblossom still hesitated, wondering if she was setting him up for failure by giving him such a name…But…She did not like to do legacy names because she did not want to erase the legacy of the cat that had come before the cat that was given their new name. Stagshade, though? He did not deserve a legacy; not in the Clan and not in her own mind. His name should hold no weight to her. He was a pathetic ghost of the Dark Forest and nothing like the beautiful young boy she held against her stomach this evening.

“…Stag,” Pineblossom finally said, cementing the name. She hoped she was right. Even something like using the wrong name felt superstitious to her…Pineblossom wanted all of her children to live long, happy lives. Hopefully they would.

Now that all of her kits were named, she curled around them, keeping them warm and safe against her belly. She wished that many cats could be here to see them; Nightstalker who had disappeared in the swarm of rats, Honeylight who had been killed, Ratrunner who resided in StarClan too…Her kits would meet them one day, she knew, if nothing else than in StarClan after their long lives. In the meantime, their lives would be filled with as much love as Pineblossom could provide.

ShadowClan • Tier 5 • She/Her • 70 | 160 • #6699ff

Credits: code inspiration - 1 2 |  image 1 | image 2 | image 3