Molefur nodded his head to his mate and agreed to go off and grab her some food. "I'll do just that; I could do with something to ea ttoo"He purred. He bent down and, thoughtfully, pressed his nose into the belly of Lilackit as she flailed her paws in the air.
"Don't be too much trouble while I'm gone." He purred mirthfully, and strode from the den. Pausing only momentarily at the door to see, well, his family.
"I won't be long." He said, turned, and exited the den - and later the camp.
Glorykit stretched her paws out in front of her, kneeding against her mother's belly with sharp little kitten claws in an effort to get more of the milk into her mouth quicker - she wanted to be fed quick and fast - and now. She was content only as she was being fed, honestly - a healthy appetite, she had, as a little one. Then again as a kit, life wasn't all that exciting yet, as there wasn't much she'd be able to do for quite some time.
When his sister had stepped ontop of him, he couldn't help but mew loudly in protest. But, once he got some free space again, he started suckling again, until he had his fill, laying back down.
She looked down at her little ones, and smiled. "Don't worry, little ones, your father will probably be back soon~" However, she started to feel /very/ hungry. Standing up, she looked back at them. "Don't worry, I'll be right back~" She headed out of the nursery real quick to the center of camp.
Arriving back in the nursery after having eaten part of her woodchuck, she laid back down next to her kits, and smiled. "Don't worry, I shouldn't have to do that again for a while. Drink up, you adorable little things~"
Lilackit was apparently one of the first kits to notice the absence of her mother, and it worried her. Sure, she came back soon enough, but Lilackit knew she was gone, and worried.
Even with the presence of so many brothers and sisters, it worried her. Seeing her mother there, Lilackit crawled forward and actually buried herself against her mother. Satisfying her own tummy, and then continuing onwards, making a laborious climb to come and perch on her mother's back, clinging to her soft fur.
Protesting loudly, Glorykit was not at all happy that her mother had left. She cried at the top of her lungs even past her mother returning, and then forced herself right up against her side again.
Of course, Glorykit didn't so much miss her mother as she missed the food she provided. She quickly buried herself against her mother, drinking as deeply as she could, and pushing out with her paws to get more room, And not particularly bothered who got shoved out of the way.
Cosmoskit felt her mother leave and froze. She stayed very still, only making a few whimpers of confusion as she struggled to comprehend what had happened. The warmth she had provided was suddenly... not there anymore. Cosmoskit lifted her nose in the air and wiggled it around as if trying to pick up the sweet smell again.
Suddenly, she was enveloped by warmth again. Cosmoskit stiffened again. She gave out a questioning squeak. Things were changing far too fast around here! She just couldn't keep up. After awhile, she relaxed and began to fumble around her mother's belly, nosing along her soft fur until latching on and drinking deeply.
And then something hit her. Cosmoskit, stunned, could only lie motionless as she was shoved in the side by something a little larger than herself. The she-kit made a worried whimper, but then felt intrigued by this belligerent force. Rather than cower away, she wiggled closer to investigate.
This thing was soft too. Cosmoskit somewhat understood this thing was like herself, but different. They were connected, somehow, though Cosmoskit only knew this by the strong feeling in her chest. She extended her head and nosed along the form, until she came across a curious appendage. She touched her nose to it. It felt a little thin -- it bent to her touch.
Cosmoskit experimentally licked it.
Yuck.
Whatever this was, it was not good for tasting. Cosmoskit kneaded at its soft form. This didn't give the sweet liquid too, did it? Probably not. Still, Cosmoskit was fascinated by exploring this other presence that was so much like her own. She mewed happily and huddled closer to it.
(This is Cosmoskit nudging Glorykit and licking her ear, if you couldn't tell.)
Acornkit wasn't too happy that his mother left, but, she did return after not too long, so, he just start nursing from her again. Mmmmmmmmm, that was some pretty good stuff.
When Cuckookit had first gotten out into this world, he was not happy. Not happy at all. But, as he drank down some milk, he started to feel better. He was drinking milk once more, surrounded by his mother and siblings, when he noticed that one of those siblings was awfully still. Pulling his head away, he went over, and nosed the little she-cat, mewing for her to wake up. But, she didn't. He nosed her again, his mewing starting to become more frantic. He looked over at their mother, and mewed loudly and pitifully for her to see what was wrong with his sister.
Shadestorm couldn't help but giggle at her kits' confusion. "It's alright, I'm here now, everything's going to be alright~" She let them nurse again. She felt like something was off, but, didn't realize anything at first. As she saw Cosmoskit curious about her sister, she giggled, and smiled warmly at the sight. However, then she noticed Cuckookit go over to Barkkit, and start nudging her. Well, he seemed equally curious about his siblings. However, as his mews became frantic, she frowned. "Barkkit...?" She gently nuzzled the small kit, but, Barkkit didn't react. "Barkkit, pleas wake up." However, as she kept at it, she realized it was no use.
Barkkit was gone.
Her eyes widened heavily, an expression of shock and horror on her face. How could this be? Was she not paying enough attention? Should she have made sure Barkkit got enough to drink? How had she gone wrong?! Finally, Shadestorm looked down, a sad sigh coming from her mouth. "Your sister has gone to Starclan...I need to make sure she's buried with respect." Picking up the corpse of her dead kit in her mouth, eyes starting to heavily tear up, she headed outside.
Arriving back in the Nursery, she quickly went over to her kits, and began to pull them right close to her. "Shhhhhhh." She said, her face wet from crying, trying to comfort her kits incase they got sad as well. "It's alright." She had a sad smile on her face. "At least Starclan is watching over your sister now..." But inside, she was feeling furious at herself. Why hadn't she noticed sooner?! If she had realized something was wrong to her before, she wouldn't have died! She was starting to wish she was in Starclan with her. Well, at least Starclan was watching over her daughter now.
...But, that didn't make the emotional pain in her heart feel any less excruciating.
Lilackit, having clung to her mother for a moment, seemed the first to realize that something was wrong. She perked up and slid down her mother;s large back, still not letting out a cry as she flopped to the ground. Who knew what she recognized; her mother's words, perhaps - but she only let out the tiniest, saddest of mewls in response to her mother's pronouncement.
One of her sister's was gone; though she had no concept of death at such a young age. Once more her mother left, and once more Lilackit crawled closer only when her mother approached; burying her face in her side and drinking deeply, before making her way closer to her mother's face; wide eyed and seemingly intent on marking her face in her little mind.
Glorykit let out a yelp as someone, or something, horrible hit her ear. It was wet rough and she didn't like it at all. She pushed out with her paws to try and get it away from her, ignorant to the fact that it was, indeed, one of her own siblings. How would she like it if she nibbled her ear!? Not very much, likely.
Completely ignorant to the loss of another sister, Glorykit threw her head back and complained as loudly as her little lungs would allow her. But all the larger cat did was leave. She mewled fitfully until her return, then planted herself firmly against her side once more, drinking deeply and then scrambling upwards and over the she-cat's back; desperate to keep her from leaving again.
Someone MUST start listening to her, she determined.
Quiet little Lilackit stayed nestled as close to her mother as she could, nursing away; but rather than grow sleepy as some of her brothers and sisters would, the little cat's pale green eyes were wide open, staring around her in bewilderment at the world, until finally she pulled herself away from the nuzzling nipple and looked up with pale, bright eyes.
"Momma?" She chirruped in a tiny, questioning voice. Then, more firmly, as if answering her own question, repeated with a sigh.
"Momma." The little Lilackit, content with this assessment, immediately curled up closer. Clearly the little ones, steadily, were growing up.