[ti]Open[/ti]One last new tribe members joined the journey

[Deleted]

The tribe is settled for a bit, as to let the queens and kits rest. It was good for Smoke that Fills Night sky, as she is due to kit any time really now. Along with her friend Diamond as the friend had young kits to nurse. Smoke was due any day to kit her and Ruby's kits. Of course, if she had a choice she rather wait till they were settled to expect kits but nothing can be done for now. 

She enjoyed the chance to rest for the night, as her paws felt tired as well as her body. Now as the sun started to rise, in the morning, Smoke started to feel contractions through her body. "Ruby!, Lighting! it's time..." she called, she would call her friend Diamond but she wasn't able to call another name as she felt tight pain. Of course, she felt fear. She was though thankful that she felt the contractions before the tribe decided to move on again. As now the tribe would stay a bit longer. 

It seems to go on forever, to her. Until the first kit was born. The first kit is a female chocolate tabby she-kit. Smoke groomed the kit, not long after it was joined by a second female solid chocolate. Then by a third the only male kit. Smoke was glad it was over with three healthy kits two she-kits and one tom-kit. She knew they still had to think of names for these three young newborn kits.

[Dragon]

Lightning had been relieved when the tribe had settled down for the night. She set the little kit down next to Diamond who quickly began to nurse with its siblings. Purring softly she curled up near her sister and fell into a deep dreamless sleep. She didn't wake up once through the night. But as the sun began to rise she heard Smoke cry out her name jarring her awake. She quickly got up. "They're coming," she purred and ran her tail down her sisters back hoping to calm her down some. It wasn't long before her sister gave birth to three beautiful kits. The last one was a beautiful ginger and yellow that reminded her of the sunrise. "What about Sunrise for this one. I'm not sure about the rest of her name but her fur makes me think of the sun rising over the forest of our old home."


Diamond was so relieved to be able to finally rest with her kits. As others set them down beside them she quickly began to groom them and let them, nurse. She hated being apart from them all day. She always tried to keep her kits insight as they walked but it wasn't always easy. As she fell asleep her stomach gave a loud growl having only eaten a small mouse that morning. She hoped she'd get something better tomorrow or she wouldn't be able to feed her kits. Through the night she slept restlessly often waking up to check on her kits fearing all this constant travel would make them ill. It was so very cold and they were only about a moon and a half but they looked much younger because of hunger. She would groom them from time to time through the night mainly to make sure they were still all breathing. But sometime around morning when the sun was beginning to rise she heard Smoke That Fills Night Sky cry out for her mate and her sister. She stirred groggily than realized she had gone into labor. She quickly felt awake and wanted to run over and help her but knew she would just get in the way and she needed to keep her kits warm in the cold morning air. "You can do it Smoke, it will be over soon," she mewed from where she and her kits rested a few tail-lengths away.


The tiny kit gasped for air as she was born and began to cry and wriggle around. Her mouth was open wide searching for her mothers belly so she could nurse. Until she found it she continued to cry loudly but quickly quieted as she began to nurse.

[Broadwaykat]

Swan was bone-tired, but she found she could easily keep up the pace of their travels if she thought of a beautiful destination in front of them. Surely there was a good place for them to find, to live on. The others wouldn't drive them forwards if there was nothing for them to look forward to.

And there was always the children to think of. She had no little babes to carry herself - she was thankful for that. But she had taken to thinking herself as a sort of den-mother to the newer mothers. It gave her something to focus on rather than a constant, pounding worry about her own son, or the dread she felt for her adult children, two of whom were missing.

She didn't want to focus on the fact that the likelihood of Pheasant and Heron having survived the destruction of their home if they hadn't immediately fled with everyone else.

Smoke had been expecting for so many days, and she was worried that they would push forward until she would collapse. But it seemed like only hours since their pace had slowed that the she-cat had gone into labor; and now, she had three little kits nursing at her side. Or trying to take whatever sustenance they could, at least. 

A few of her younger cat friends were milling around, including the father, as Swan did her best to hang around in case she was needed. She had plenty experience with her own litters, after all. But finally her own curiosity got the better of her.

"How are you fairing, dear?" She asked, shouldering herself up beside the proud papa. "And the little ones. Can we get you anything?" Of course; what they all needed was a bit of food; which was few and far between. But still; she wanted to be nothing if not helpful.