#lilywind

[residents-of-the-darkforest]

New Names (short story)

Lilywind was overwhelmed, love swelling in her chest and choking her as she gazed down at her newly born kits. Any movement they made, yawns and rolls and little paws twitching, sent a fresh wave of affection through her body, rocking her even as she lay in the red-tinged nest.

But as heartbeats passed and she watched her kits and took them in, she finally noticed a horrible problem. The warm swell quickly turned to ice. No…no…no..

“They’re here! Oh dear, I’m sorry I missed it!” 

Lilywind jumped at her mate’s voice. The sudden movement made one of the kits cry out, and she was quick to lick between his ears until he settled back down. She used the time to decide what to tell Lightburn, but when she lifted her head and Lightburn purred, lowering himself down to see his kits, all thoughts flew away in panic when he stiffened. 

Lightburn’s pupils constricted to slits. He rose slow and tensely, and when he spoke, his voice was taut with anger. “How long have you known they wouldn’t be mine?”

Lilywind flinched. “They are yours!” she insisted, but she knew it couldn’t be true. Two of the kits were dark brown, a very clear difference from Lightburn’s white-and-ginger pelt. They were different from Lilywind’s as well, and she bit her lip when they curled closer to her belly, the contrast only more clearer when directly against her.

“Do not–! Haven’t you lied to me enough?” Lightburn shouted. Lilywind flattened her ears against the noise, and wrapped her tail around the kits as they began to wail. 

Lilywind dipped her head low. “I’m–I’m so sorry, my love…I wasn’t thinking…I–”

“Don’t give me excuses,” Lightburn growled. “Face the truth like an adult, for StarClan’s sake! You cheated on me, didn’t you?”

Lilywind looked away.

“Answer me!” Lilywind could hear the burning scratches in Lightburn’s throat left by the shout. She began licking the kits as they continued to cry even harder. 

“Yes…”

Lightburn forced her muzzle away from the kits. She tasted the small drip of blood that welled on her tongue. “Don’t bother with those….those things!” Lightburn shook his head, his muzzle wrinkled. “I loved you!” Lightburn’s voice was suddenly despairing. “I was everything I could be for you, and this is how you repay me? You went behind my back and lied to me. What if they all looked like you, huh? Would you have let me believe they were mine forever?”

Lilywind gulped. “I wasn’t sure until I saw them myself. I thought they were yours, I really did!” She couldn’t help but wonder if he was right. Would she have continued to  lie if she had known? She knew that Lightburn had every right to be angry, deserved to send her directly over a cliff for what she had done. But even so, the kits were innocent, and she curled deeper around them. “Please….I love you more than anyone else. You’re the perfect mate, and I know that you can be a perfect father. Just..just give them a chance, please. They’re innocent.”

Lightburn blinked at her for a few long, painful heartbeats. Then he sneered. “If I was so perfect, why did you mate with someone else? Now you expect me to just forgive you, and accept these things like nothing ever happened? I didn’t think even you could be so stupid.”

Lilywind trembled. Maybe if he heard their names, he could see how real they really were. Not just kits, but they’re kits. “They’re not things. I named them. Berrykit for the ginger one, Flightkit for the–” For the dark one–”for the one with the white belly, and Lightkit for the last tom, after you.”

Lightburn shook his head and began to storm away. “No. Not after me. They’re not my kits.”

“Please!” Lilywind begged. “You can hate me forever, but I know you can love these kits. Please don’t leave us–them. I’ll make up for what I’ve done, I will!”

Lightburn paused. He stood for a long breath, then turned his head to glare at her. “I’ll give you a second chance on one condition.”

Lilywind’s heart melted with relief. “Anything.”

“You let me name the kits.”

Lilywind nodded fervently. “Of course you can.”

Lightburn padded slowly back. He stared down at the three bundles of fur with undisguised disgust. “Blisterkit,” he decided, one long claw pointing at Berrykit. “Puskit.” He gestured to Flightkit. “Blainkit,” he chose for Lightkit.

Lilywind froze. “You can’t name them such things!” 

Lightburn shrugged, though his muscles were still stiff. “Accept those as their names, and I will help you raise them. Don’t, and it’s over.”

Lilywind stared at him, ready to argue. She couldn’t let her kits grow up with such names….but could they grow up at all if she didn’t have any help? Wasn’t it better to grow up with an awful name than to not grow up at all? She felt utter revulsion at herself for considering this. Maybe she was weak. Maybe that’s the real reason she agreed. 

“Okay,” she sighed, choking. “Those will be their names.”

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@starfalcon555 came up with the name for the mom

The kits' original names came from @wills-woodland-warriors and @kittycats-and-dragon 's suggestions for momma

--Base: FTU Family Base (Redraw) by FireFlight1 on DeviantArt

--Both Light and Lily are very new to the Dark Forest, and live far from the Daycare. Neither (or at least Lily doesn't) know of its existence or that it could've greatly helped Lily.

--Lily is probably 24 in human years.

--If you want to know something gross:

Blister is a small bubble on the skin filled with serum and caused by friction, burning, or other damage

Pus is a thick yellowish or greenish opaque liquid produced in infected tissue, consisting of dead white blood cells and bacteria with tissue debris and serum.

Bain is an inflamed swelling or sore on the skin

[residents-of-the-darkforest]

Lightburn chose the names he did not only because they are things that are disgusting, but because they represent what Lily did to their relationship, so that she can't easily forget.

Blisters are caused by damage--Lily damaged their relationship, and now there was an ugly mark.

Pus is produced when there is an infection--Lily caused an 'infection' in their happy relationship when she cheated. Could also refer to the three kits themselves.

Blain is an inflamed swelling or sore--Lily's actions turned their relationship into a sickness, and now she has to deal with the consequences a sickness brings