#timberclaw

[mourninglamby]

last few things for my Bitter Berries wc ocs. i have more designs by my friends and other shit we’re workin on so keep ur eyes peeld cuz i wanna post art that makes me happy and i am having a lot of fun with this tbh :J (click alt text for some extra info)

feel free 2 ask abt them btw!

to summarize, the story is about a Stagclan medicine cat named yewblossom who has a vendetta against weak cats due to a bad experience in her apprenticeship, which leads to her loosing a few too many cats for comfort. It follows the point of view of her and her new apprentice, Deerpaw, who has to traverse the treacherous path yewblossom is trying to set them on, alongside the deputy, Patchleap, and their friends.

all of this takes place after Troutclan takes advantage of Stagclan during a particularly ruthless greencough outbreak and attacks them to claim some territory that sadly results in many casualties, due to injuries or sickness, including Yewblossom’s beloved mentor, Hickoryshade. This sets her on her warpath and instills within her a dangerous principle: the weak should not get in the way of the strong.  so basically if warrior cats took eugenics in the clans more seriously and addressed how fucked up it is

[lupinenight]

TIMBERCLAW — warrior of the Forest Order.

> a spotted brown and white tom with black ears and amber eyes.

A wonderful warrior, by many standards. Loyal and dutiful, as well as a stern, but conducive mentor– Timberclaw is very well-respected. He tends to be somewhat paternal towards younger generations, aided by his gruff demeanor and sage advice, which makes him even more liked to the parents of the Order. He’s definitely in favor of war; although he doesn’t enjoy violence for violence’s sake, he sees it as fully necessary to defend his home against a barbaric and unpredictable enemy.

RELATIONSHIPS:

Adopted son of Chestnutcatcher with no other known relatives.

Maple’s mentor.

Friends with Rosebriar and the late Locustmask, as well as a god-father to her kids Creekshadow and Shallowlily.

Was friends with Autumnfrost and Darkfinch, until it all fell apart…

Born outside of the Forest Order, though his circumstances are largely unknown. Chestnutcatcher, the Herbalist before Rosebriar, found and adopted him. He was still raised somewhat communally due to Chestnut being the only healer in a time of war, which greatly influenced his view of the world outside Forest. He was friends with everyone in the nursery alongside him, most notably Rosebriar. Chestnut’s more benevolent outlook failed to rub off on him due to his relative absence, but Brightbane and Cloudstreak’s more hostile stance certainly took root in all the kits of his generation.

Timber, Rose, Locust, Autumn, and Finch were a formidable group of apprentices, all ambitious and tight-knit. They grew into capable warriors when the time came, but Timberclaw and Rosebriar pulled ahead and fostered a friendly rivalry. At one point, Darkfinch began spending less and less time with the group, something part of Timberclaw would blame himself for never confronting him with earlier. Instead, it took Darkfinch gathering all of them and admitting his treachery— his relationship with a River tom that he did not name— and none of them reacted well, especially not when Dafi also confessed his plan to elope. Timberclaw denounced their long-time friendship then and there, though he would always regret it somewhere deep down in his heart.

Perhaps it was Darkfinch’s influence that made Rosebriar second-guess herself, because she began training under Chestnutcatcher only a few moons later– abandoning her fostered dynamic with Timberclaw. He felt betrayed by this, albeit more mildly than with Darkfinch; it continued to unsettle him every battle that she wasn’t fighting by his side, but Locustmask grew to take that empty space and he similarly grew past it.

His experience allowed him to recognize the signs before Autumnfrost announced her departure, mere years after Darkfinch. She refused to disclose the reason and that almost made the interaction feel more bitter. Locustmask was the angriest this time, perhaps her brother’s abandonment was an even fresher wound on her mind, but Timberclaw couldn’t find the same energy inside of him to loudly depose her— especially when Rosebriar was still so silent. He made his opinion known when he refused to defend her, or even look her in the eyes as she said her final goodbye between Locustmask’s enraged berating. Timberclaw wonders where she is now, though he’s not sure she deserves him ever knowing.

As a result of his friendship with Locustmask, Timberclaw was involved in her kits’ lives as soon as they were born. Especially because they had no living relatives outside of their mother, Locust leaned on Timber and Rose quite a lot to offer them connection. He loved both like they were his own and would never admit that Creek was his personal favorite, reminding him much of himself when he was her age. He continued to help raise them into apprenticeship, something of a secondary mentor to Creek in particular. He loves to go on outings with them now that they’re warriors and can make a small patrol by themselves.

Was absolutely ecstatic to get an apprentice, though his enthusiasm only showed in his glinting eyes and smile as he touched noses to Maple. He wasn’t super familiar with him or even LichenBadger’s litter, considering them to be a bit too after Creekshadow and Shallowlily’s time. Dunechaser’s defection had stung on a personal level and was not something that Timberclaw easily forgave nor forgot, especially when she left a sick kit behind; his heart stung on Maple’s behalf as he became acquainted with the apprentice, resentment towards Dunechaser and all others who had abandoned their families only growing. They don’t always get along, but Maple does tend to allow Timberclaw closer than most in his life.

[sunriseclan-dali]

Timberclaw Profile

Timberclaw - Female - Confident

Overview Timberclaw was a founding member and first deputy of SunriseClan. At moon 0 she is 33 moons (over 2 years) old. She's admired most for her good fighting skills. She has long tortoiseshell fur (brown-and-grey) and cobalt-blue eyes.

Begins mentoring Dogpaw in moon 5.

Read more for overly detailed documentation about Timberclaw.

History/Relationships

Moon 0: - Starts with respect for Emberstar as well as the apprentice Mulberrypaw (who does not hold the same respect for her). - Scares off a fox on hunting patrol with Emberstar.

Moon 1: (the moon Indigo joins) - Meets the kittypet Indigo on patrol with Emberstar, and she joins the clan. - Surprised that Mulberrypaw’s life isn’t as easy as she thought it was. - Worried about Dogkit.

Moon 2: - Emberclaw finds a bit of fluff that smells like her, and she adds it to her nest (platonic). - Chats with Almondwish over food. - A bit cross with Dogkit. - Recap: She has a bit more fondness for Emberstar and Almondwish.

Moon 3: (the moon Pigeonkit & Scarletkit are apprenticed) - Has a wonderful time discussing clan news with Emberstar. - Comes up with a plan to sneak out of camp with Mulberrypaw. - Is wondering what it would be like to be a leader.

Moon 4: - Talks with Smokekit. - Has a difficult conversation with Emberstar where they end up with a better understanding of each other. - Dogkit thinks she’s very helpful. - Has a wonderful time discussing clan news with Riversplash. -Indigo gives her a gift, but she turns up her nose at the offering. -Wonders if StarClan has given Almondwish any prophecies recently -Being eavesdropped on by Scarletpaw.

Moon 5: (the moon Smokekit & Dogkit are apprenticed, and Mulberrypaw is made warrior) - Starts mentoring Dogpaw. - Emberstar can recognize her just by the sound of her pawsteps. - Has a wonderful time discussing clan news with Scarletpaw. - Recap: She has strong platonic love for Emberstar, has become slightly more fond of Riversplash Smokepaw and Scarletpaw, and dislikes Indigo a bit.

[obscure-entity]

snapjaw, meekwind, timberclaw

[canon-notcanon-warriorcats]

please help i'm at a loss, do you have any possible ideas for a rename for Tigerclawstar? I had decided that in my rewrite these cats don't know what lions, tigers, and leopards are anymore but that came with having to rename all the cats with those prefixes. Most of them I've figured out (Leopardstar is Dappledstar, Leopardfoot is Shadefoot, Tigerheart is Spruceheart, and so on) but I just can't seem to find anything good for Tigerstar. Originally I had thought of Timberclaw/star as his rename...before realizing that by the definition of timber, these cats wouldn't actually know what that is either. help

i mean if you named tigerheart spruceheart, his whole thing is that tawnypelt named him after tigerclaw so i'd go with spruceclaw for tigerclaw

[strabbyshortcake]

the gramb-boots-pie kids find a frog

[clavicuss-vile]

tiny little reachfolk hc but its one incredibly specific clan:

(@reachfolk thought you'd like this Cozy, this is Anaelle's clan btw!)

members of the timberclaw tribe will always eat their meals together, usually sat in a rough circle in the communal hub of the clan. as primary worshippers of Hircine and Dibella, their meals almost always include fresh game and veggies, with foraged plants too. a incredibly common meal is a massive pot of stew, that is updated with fresh game and veggies, and folk will take however much they want into smaller bowls.

the key point, is they always let their druadach mountain dogs have the first bite. the dogs often help with hunting or foraging, and it's only fair to repay that. many folk will share their meal with their dog as a way to consolidate bonds.

physical affection is very very prevalent in this clan, and after meal times, if there are no other jobs to do, the entire tribe will effectively form a cuddle pile with all their dogs, grooming them, braiding eachother's hair, or just being in close contact with eachother. it's a very important part of their daily routines!

[warriors-reignited]

Hi!

I come bearing a potential design for the first arc’s first leader of The Timberclaws, Deepdrizzle! She’s(of course) meant to act as Bluestar in this rewrite, but I’m uncertain if I want to keep the spots or make any color adjustments! I do really enjoy doing this concept art, however and hope to produce more! :)

If anyone has any comments or ideas, please feel free to shoot a message or ask!

[uesp]

"These Reachfolk are curious. I wasn't originally happy with my assignment here, but to make the best of it, I'm recording the various clans and their alliances. To be blunt, these people are a mess. I redo my charts each day.

"As of yesterday, the Timberclaw clan made full peace with the Starsingers while moving to a more uncertain footing with the Skyweavers. I believe a pet chicken caused this change."

--Linwuuruben, documenting the clans of the Reach

[reachfolk]

💭 + animal husbandry or livestock?

ask game: send me a 💭 + an optional topic and i'll respond with a reachfolk headcanon

OOOHH I love this one!! so i do think they have animals that they domesticate and raise, but they're almost never livestock for food. the bear-heart and rageclaw clans have bears, the timberclaw clan has mountain dogs (@clavicuss-vile writes a lot abt them and they have some dope headcanons!), and others have wolves, etc. the vast majority of reach clans are hunter-gatherers for religious reasons RE hircine. they view the relationship between the hunter and their prey to be sacred, and they rely primarily on hunting for this reason.

having said that, there is this one in game book that mentions reachfolk raising sheep (drinks of the reach). they use it to make an alcoholic fermented milk called klef, and if that sounds horrible, that's because it canonically is. so there's definitely at least some clans that the previous point doesn't apply to.

i have a lot of headcanons on nomadic vs settled reach tribes if you'd like me to elaborate some more on that, but to keep this short, i think the more nomadic tribes tend to stick to raising predator species for hunting and the settled tribes (think: hag's end, lost valley redoubt, karthspire) are more likely to raise livestock that they use for food.

[emberlightstar]

Pinetail

Name: Pinekit ---> Pinepaw ---> Pinetail Pronouns: He/Him/His Clan Affiliation: Shadowclan Family: Bramblestrike (Father), Maplestreak (Mother), Timberclaw (Brother), Sunwhisker (Mate), Emberlight/star (Daughter), Hazelkit (Son), & Beekit (Daughter) Mentor: Stumptail Position: Warrior apprentice (Under Stagstar) ----> Warrior (Under Stagstar) Age: 5 years Breed: Domestic Longhair Pinetail is the devout mate to Sunwhisker and father to Emberlight/star, Hazelkit, & Beekit. He is a jovial guy always happy to lend a paw to his fellow clan mates.

[lupinenight]

ROSEBRIAR — herbalist of the Forest Order

> a large, shaggy tortoiseshell molly with green eyes.

RELATIONSHIPS:

Littermates with Darkfinch and Locustmask.

Parents were Starflicker and Antlerdew.

Nespring are Creekshadow and Shallowlily.

Long-term friends with Timberclaw.

Herbalist mentor was Chestnutcatcher.

Has a… complex relationship with both Autumnfrost and Dunechaser, for different reasons. She tries to be a role model for Dune’s remaining son, Maple.

Similarly, she is close with Fox and appreciates him greatly for tolerating Maple.

She decorates her pelt with smooth rose flowers and petals.

[sunriseclan-dali]

The Dawn of SunriseClan

Every clan must start somewhere. SunriseClan began in Greenleaf, with ten cats who came together on the beach and made their home in an abandoned shipwreck.

This is a new archive for my Clangen playthrough! I love this game, and I love recording down everything that happens, so I wanted to share the experience. Keep reading to meet the starting cats!

Emberstar - Female - Charismatic

The proficient she-cat chosen to be clan leader, with long deep brown fur and eyes that glow like fire. At the time SunriseClan was born, she was 90 moons (over 7 years) old. She's clever as well as a great kitsitter, which is a good thing since the clan has so many kits on their paws already! At the moment she is particularly fond of Scarletkit and Dogkit, but she is decently comfortable with most of the clan.

Timberclaw - Female - Confident

The young tortoiseshell deputy of the clan, admired for her good fighting skills. She has long brown-and-grey fur and cobalt-blue eyes. At the time SunriseClan was born, she was 33 moons (over 2 years) old. She holds admiration and respect for her leader, Emberstar, as well as the apprentice Mulberrypaw (though Mulberrypaw does not hold the same respect for her).

Almondwish - Male - Adventurous

The young bronze-eyed medicine cat who has always had strange dreams. He has an unusually spotted brown pelt with a white muzzle, chest, and paws. He's a good teacher at 34 moons old, but hasn't had much chance to prove it yet. He's fond of nearly everybody, except Cloudyfur who he respects well enough but just doesn't know very well.

Cloudyfur - Male - Childish

The tom-cat chosen to be mediator, as he's known to be a great speaker and great mediator. He has a pale bengal coat with a white dash on his forehead. At the time SunriseClan was born, he was 73 moons (6 years) old. He likes Almondwish most, though Almondwish has hardly paid him a thought in return. He also really likes Smokekit, who he's got his eye on as a potential apprentice.

Riversplash - Trans Female - Calm

A senior warrior who's a good teacher with a keen eye. She has long spotted fur with white tips and emerald eyes. At the time SunriseClan was born she was 110 moons (over 9 years) old. She is fond of her apprentice Mulberrypaw, as well as Emberstar (though Emberstar isn't quite as close with her).

Mulberrypaw - Female - Cold

A recently apprenticed she-cat at 7 moons, being mentored by Riversplash. She has blue eyes and long calico fur. She may not be the friendliest but she's quick to help. She dislikes the deputy Timberclaw and the mediator Cloudyfur, but likes Emberstar well enough. She gets along with all the kits, and likes Scarletkit most.

Pigeonkit - Male - Bullying

A 3 moon old kit at the time SunriseClan was born. Riversplash is like a parental figure to him, and he considers Scarletkit a brother. He has long grey-and-white fur and pale green eyes. Despite being a bully, he doesn't currently dislike anyone. However, he likes Dogkit least. As a kit he's interested in clan history.

Scarletkit - Male - Attention-seeking

Just like Pigeonkit, he's a 3 moon old kit who considers him a brother, and Riversplash a parental figure. He has ginger-and-white fur and pale yellow eyes. Somehow, he's interested in the Dark Forest. He's fond of Emberstar, but isn't much interested in the other young cats.

Smokekit - Female - Know-It-All

A 1 moon old kit at the time SunriseClan was born. She has dark grey speckled fur and pale yellow eyes. She's oddly observant, especially for her age. Dogkit is her favourite cat, but doesn't know if she has anything she could call family.

Dogkit - Female - Quiet

A 1 moon old kit like Smokekit, but she dislikes her significantly, regardless of how much Smokekit likes her. She likes Scarletkit most, and also likes Mulberrypaw and the deputy Timberclaw. Apparently no one can stop her from her habit of constantly climbing around the shipwreck. She has copper-coloured eyes and speckled black-and-white fur with thick white doglike eyebrows.

And those are all of the founding cats of SunriseClan. The other clans occupying the territory are MidnightClan who are notoriously stoic, TwilightClan who are relatively amiable, and DawnClan who are known to be wary. Only StarClan knows how things will go from here.

Next

[obscure-entity]

concepts

sorry for another warriors post but i have been thinkign a lot about my ocs =]

i dont know if this type of thing has been done yet! the story in this was that yolkdrop had attempted to kill harepelt twice, the first attempt getting her exiled with the second attempt being successful. though, meekwind was accused of harepelt's murder (mostly because of an incriminating dream foxstar had), and exiled in the same way. she would meet timberclaw and snapjaw only to find out that she *far* prefers roaming as a rogue over clan life.

i would like some feedback on that barebones summary as im kinda thinking about presenting it in some way like a webcomic if i could dedicate myself to it

[berrym00n]

Allegiance lists for canon clans!

under the cut

THUNDERCLAN

LEADER: Birchstar– pale tabby she-cat with dark stripes and amber eyesDEPUTY: Scorchfeather– dark ginger tabby tom with white paws and chest and green eyes

MEDICINE CAT(S): Sweetdapple– pretty calico she-cat with green eyes

WARRIORS:

Woodleap– brown tabby tom with yellow eyes

Thornheart– gray tabby tom with pointed stripes and gray eyes

Redwing– dark ginger tom with yellow eyes. Apprentice, Logpaw

Newtwhisker– black tom with white paws and dark amber eyes

Gooseflight– mottled gray she-cat with strange black spots and amber eyes. Apprentice, Squirrelpaw

Tallpine– long-legged dark brown tabby she-cat with pale green eyes. Apprentice, Volepaw

Cranberrypelt– dark ginger tom with pale yellow eyes

Tinytail– small black and white tom with blue eyes and a stumpy tail 

Mousepelt– brown tom with a white tail tip and amber eyes. Apprentice, Shimmerpaw

Orchidfoot– pale gray she-cat with white splotches and blue eyes

Shrewnose– dusty brown she-cat with white splotches and yellow eyes

Stormbelly– gray she-cat with a mottled underbelly and blue eyesAPPRENTICES:Logpaw– brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Squirrelpaw– gray she-cat with feathered ears and blue eyes

Volepaw– black tom with green eyes and white paws

Shimmerpaw– tortoiseshell she-cat with yellow eyes

QUEENS:

Amberfreckle– white she-cat with ginger patches and yellow eyes. Mother to Marigoldkit (pale ginger she-kit) and Bluebellkit (pale gray she-kit)

Whitetooth– black and white she-cat with yellow eyes and long fangs. Mother to Pearkit (black tom-kit), Plumkit (white tom-kit with black patches), and Heatherkit (black and white she-kit)ELDERS:Ivystripe– hard-of-hearing tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes

Juniperleaf– black tom with a white chin, torn ears, and amber eyes

SHADOWCLAN

LEADER: Nettlestar– dark brown spotted tabby she-cat with torn ears and amber eyesDEPUTY: Smokeface– dark gray tom with smoky fur and blue eyes

MEDICINE CAT(S): Applescar– cream-colored tom with a long scar on his belly and amber eyesWARRIORS:

Mosspelt– dark tortoiseshell she-cat with pale yellow eyes

Pinefur– brown tabby she-cat with green eyes

Runningbrook– pale tabby tom with a white underbelly and blue eyes. Apprentice, Dirtpaw

Hawktalon– brown and white tabby tom with amber eyes. Apprentice, Crimsonpaw

Toadleap– brown tabby tom with white paws and dark amber eyes. Apprentice, Branchpaw

Hollowpoppy– ginger tabby tom with a bushy tail and blue eyes. Apprentice, Mothpaw

Fireface– black she-cat with a ginger face and yellow eyes. Apprentice, Falconpaw

Frozenleaf– calico she-cat with pretty amber eyes

Pidgeonclaw– pale tortoiseshell she-cat with blue eyes

Darkcloud– mottled dark brown she-cat with amber eyes

Mintfur– pale gray tom with green eyesAPPRENTICES:Dirtpaw– shaggy brown tom with green eyes

Crimsonpaw– dark ginger tabby she-cat with amber eyes and a white chest

Branchpaw– brown tom with a white belly and green eyes

Mothpaw– tortoiseshell she-cat with yellow eyes

Falconpaw– golden brown tabby tom with amber eyes

QUEENS:

Snakeshade– dark brown tabby she-cat with unusual spots and green eyes. Mother to Ivykit (pale brown tom-kit) and Oakkit (brown tabby she-kit)

Violetstorm– blueish gray she-cat with blue eyes. Mother to Hazelkit (gray tabby tom-kit)ELDERS:Twistedoak– brown tabby tom with a white chest and belly and green eyes

RIVERCLAN

LEADER: Troutstar– tortoiseshell and white tabby tom with folded ears and green eyesDEPUTY: Morningfrost– white she-cat with pale gray patches and yellow eyes

MEDICINE CAT(S):

Widgeonfur– pale brown and white she-cat with darker flecks and green eyes

Claypaw– gray tom with dull blue eyes

WARRIORS:

Foampelt– longhaired white tom with pale green eyes. Apprentice, Graypaw

Willowtail– tortoiseshell she-cat with yellow eyes and a long, wispy tail. Apprentice, Brookpaw

Lilystream– pale tortoiseshell she-cat with blue eyes

Storkfeather– deaf white tom with blue eyes

Ottertail– brown tabby she-cat with white paws and amber eyes. Apprentice, Vixenpaw

Mistleleaf– black and white tom with amber eyes. Apprentice, Wavepaw

Pebblefrost– tortoiseshell tabby and white she-cat with green eyes

Swanface– white tom with a black marking on his face like a swan and blue eyes

Eelcall– dark ginger tabby and white tom with amber eyes

Yellowberry– pale ginger tabby tom with green eyes

Bumbleflight– black tom with a lighter underbelly and amber eyes

Sleetshadow– pretty black tabby she-cat with amber eyes

APPRENTICES:Graypaw– pale gray she-cat with green eyes

Brookpaw– tortoiseshell tabby she-cat with green eyes

Vixenpaw– bright ginger tom with dark amber eyes and big ears

Wavepaw– longhaired calico tom with blue eyes

QUEENS:

Tansyclaw– pale ginger she-cat with white paws and pale amber eyes. Mother to Figkit (bright ginger she-kit) and Acornkit (pale brown tom-kit)

Fernpelt– pale brown tabby and white she-cat with blue eyes. Mother to Snowkit (black and white tom-kit) and Frogkit (brown tabby tom-kit)ELDERS:Pondnose– pale calico she-cat with green eyes

Brightmoon– longhaired white she-cat with blue eyes

Russetstream– reddish brown tom with green eyes

WINDCLAN

LEADER: Wheatstar– tall pale ginger she-cat with heather-like blue eyes

DEPUTY: Rabbitfoot– dark brown she-cat with green eyes

MEDICINE CAT(S): Dandeliontail– white she-cat with green eyes and a yellow tailWARRIORS:

Honeystep– pale ginger she-cat with darker patches and blue eyes. Apprentice, Turtlepaw

Nighteyes– black tom with amber eyes

Wasptail– pale ginger tabby tom with dark stripes and amber eyes. Apprentice, Wrenpaw

Foxjaw– mostly red tortoiseshell she-cat with a dark face and yellow eyes

Eaglefur– brown tabby tom with green eyes

Sunspots– gray she-cat with small pale ginger patches and yellow eyes

Whisperthroat– white she-cat with pale green eyes

Oatshine– lean brown tom with dark amber eyes

Cherryfrost– ginger tabby and white tom with blue eyes. Apprentice, Dawnpaw

Owlmoon– white she-cat with pale yellow eyes

Palestripe– pale brown tabby and white she-cat with yellow eyes

Tawnyleg– pale calico she-cat with light amber eyes

APPRENTICES:Turtlepaw– pale gray tabby she-cat with white spots and yellow eyes

Wrenpaw– brown and white tom with dark amber eyes

Dawnpaw– pale ginger she-cat with yellow eyes

QUEENS:

Raindrop– small gray she-cat with white paws and green eyes. Mother to Yewkit (tortoiseshell she-kit), Badgerkit (black and white tom-kit), and Dustkit (brownish gray tom-kit)

ELDERS:Podtail– white tom with green eyes and a black tail

Dogear– brown tabby tom with amber eyes and folded ears

Lightfoot– lean pale brown she-cat with a long tail and blue eyes

SKYCLAN

LEADER: Magpiestar– small black tom with bits of white and hazel eyesDEPUTY: Lynxtail– brown spotted tabby tom with a stumpy tail and green eyes

MEDICINE CAT(S):

Briardream– pale ginger tabby she-cat with dream-like blue eyes

Whitepaw– white she-cat with a few dark gray patches and blue eyes

MEDIATOR: Woolywhisker– dark gray and white she-cat with long curly fur and pale green eyes

WARRIORS:

Timberclaw– pale brown tabby tom with yellow eyes

Shiningfern– black tom with white ear tips and green eyes. Apprentice, Hoppaw

Valleystorm– gray and white she-cat with green eyes

Antfang– black tom with amber eyes

Hayspring– pale ginger tabby she-cat with blue eyes. Apprentice, Sproutpaw

Adderpounce– dark brown tom with amber eyes

Snailshell– brown tabby and white tom with a side swirl and amber eyes. Apprentice, Echopaw

Flightfeather– pale brown pointed tom with a long tail and brown eyes

Poppyskip– tortoiseshell she-cat with white paws and amber eyes

Blueflower– gray she-cat with blue-green eyesAPPRENTICES:Hoppaw– pale ginger tabby tom with amber eyes

Sproutpaw– sandy-colored tom with green eyes

Echopaw– white she-cat with crystal-blue eyes

QUEENS:

Cedarsoot– gray pointed she-cat with bright blue eyes. Mother to Hollykit (gray and white she-kit)

Dappledawn– brown spotted tabby and white she-cat with green eyes. Mother to Moosekit (brown tabby tom-kit), Puddlekit (pale tortoiseshell she-kit), and Carrotkit (ginger tom-kit)

ELDERS:

Raggedear– scraggly brown tom with small torn ears and amber eyes

Slighteye– half-blind brown pointed she-cat with one blue eye

Pricklytail– longhaired tortoiseshell tabby she-cat with a short tail and green eyes

[strabbyshortcake]

Some folks on discord were writing egg-hatching fics and it made me want to write my own, this time about Cardi’s egg.

warning for brief mentions of miscarriage/worrying about things happening to babies/eggs, nothing graphic.

Gramble takes a chicken egg from the wire basket by the stovetop, cracking it against the rim of the mixing bowl. The windows are open, letting in the cool morning air, the sunlight sparkling off the dew promising another gorgeous late-spring day. Perfect for eating breakfast outside. He’d already chopped the tomatoes, onions and dill for omelets and grated the cheese, a block of cheddar he’d gotten from the farmer’s market earlier that week. As he takes another egg and goes to crack it, his fingers slip and he drops it on the floor with a wet crack.

“Oh, gosh darn it…” Grumbling, he goes to grab a paper towel. To his frustration, the roll is nearly empty. Must have forgotten to place a new one on deck. He sighs as he peels the last sheet from the cardboard tube.

“Morning, Gram.” Boots, up early for once, lays a heavy paw on his shoulder as she pads up behind him. “You feelin’ all right?”

Gramble leans back against her fluffy chest as she bends down to kiss the top of his head. “It’s nothing new.”

“You wanna get the flashlight again?”

“Nah, it’s okay.” They’d candled the egg just last night after all, and everything had seemed in order. It was getting hard to see much of anything at this point, though, when it was so close to hatching. Right now it was snug inside his pouch, nestled up against his warm belly beneath his apron. “Probably not much changed in the last eight hours…”

Boots nods, then plucks the paper towel from his fingers. “Lemme get that for you.”

As she cleans up the fallen egg, Gramble turns back to the counter to get another, holding it more carefully this time as he brings it to the bowl. Better to just focus on the task at hand. Checking and re-checking an egg that was due to hatch any day now wasn’t going to do him any good. If something was going to happen it would have happened already, he tells himself. If an egg wasn’t viable, it was much more likely to stop development earlier rather than later. Just like what had happened with the last one, a sad little dud that showed up much too early. Nothing inside, nothing to mourn, really. Perfectly normal, the doctor had told him. Most hopeful parents had a dud egg, or even several, and it didn’t mean anything in particular. Didn’t help him feeling like he’d somehow done something wrong.

Gramble whisks the yolks together, watching the liquid turn a creamy yellow. This egg had been such an uphill battle; Nollie had too, in her own way. He could have gone the same route with this one, but after the humiliation of being repeatedly rejected, the chilly tables at the clinic, and the financial cost of it all, especially if it didn’t work the first time…  He’d decided he and Boots would just do their best, and if it happened, it happened. He already had Nollie, and Dember was as much his child as Nollie was even if it wasn’t by blood, but it wasn’t selfish of him to want this. It wasn’t selfish to want to have a child with the woman he loved.

Nollie had only been six years ago, but it still felt like there was such a gulf between 28 and 34. He wasn’t old by any means, not even out of reasonable parenthood years, but his health had never been the best, not after a childhood of barely scraping by and nearly a year of starvation on that island. Every day that ticked by without anything to show for it just felt like his chances were slipping away. And even when they’d finally had success, he’d been so miserably ill for those three months, so nauseated and dizzy he could barely get out of bed. It hadn’t been like that with Nollie. He could only chalk it up to getting older, his body less able to handle such extreme hormonal fluctuations. He’d have happily had a dozen kids with Boots if that was what she wanted, but after this, it just didn’t seem like that was in the cards.

And now, here they were. He’d held the egg to his chest and felt the tiny movements of the grumpling inside, heard them peep in response to his and Boots’ voices. It felt simultaneously like a new beginning and a last chance. There was no reason to think that it wouldn’t hatch normally, and yet…

Gramble drizzles olive oil into the pan and pours the eggs in, followed by him scraping the chopped vegetables and cheese from the cutting board and folding them together. Boots washes her paws and steps up behind him, resting her arms around his shoulders and leaning on him just slightly. “You make enough for yourself, too?”

“I did, don’t worry.” He gives her a tired smile, tilting his head up as she rubs her cheek against it. She’d been so good to him while he was sick, doting on him, bringing him his meals and even carrying him around, but it was nice to be back on equal footing too. “I’ve been feelin’ a lot better lately. Think I’m almost back to normal…”

“Good.” She nuzzles him. “You’re sure lookin’ a lot better. Not that you ain’t cute even when you’re puking your guts out-”

“Aw, c’mon.” Gramble laughs. “I’m gonna burn the eggs.”

With a snort, Boots steps back. “Alright, can’t have that. I’ll cut some fruit for us.”

Eating had been difficult the past few months, his appetite still not quite recovered, but Gramble had done his best to eat regular meals despite his lingering nausea. Even with all that, he hadn’t really lost any weight; Boots had confidently reassured him that he looked as much like a fuzzy pink beach ball as ever. Something about starvation changing how your body handled food, even when it happened years ago. And anyway, the nausea wasn’t nearly as bad as it had been post-Snaktooth, when he’d barely been able to keep anything down that wasn’t a meal-replacement shake. Maybe he was getting a little too ambitious with this omelet, but he was extremely tired of eating plain eggs and oatmeal for breakfast. He deserved something a little fancy now that he was feeling better.

“You want watermelon?” Boots asks, her head in the fridge.

Gramble glances up from where he was chopping the omelet into pieces with his spatula. “Sure, tha…” He trails off. Something feels odd, warmth blooming across his belly. The egg.

He steps back from the counter, yanking at his apron ties and pulling the whole thing off over his head. Sure enough, when he reaches into his pouch, his fingers come away sticky with albumen. “Boots!” he squeaks. “Boots, I think it’s happening-”

Boots whips around, shoving the fridge door shut as she sees him carefully fishing the egg out. “Oh, my god. Hang on, I’ll get Pie.” She disappears into the hall, her hurried steps shaking the entire double-wide. Even in her excitement, she’d recall that Piesha didn’t like having her name shouted unless it was an emergency.

Gramble sinks to the floor, cupping the egg in lap. “I got you…” he murmurs, as the egg emits squeaks and chirps, rocking a bit as the grumpling tries to find a way to escape. The soft, leathery shell bulges as they push against it, widening the small holes they’d already poked with their claws. He knows he shouldn’t help, as much as he wants to. They could manage on their own.  

Boots returns shortly, dragging Pie with her. “Shit, did I miss it?” Pie asks groggily as they both plop down beside him.

“No,” Gramble shakes his head, bent almost double over the egg. Boots gently takes his shoulders and pulls him back, then nestles close, her arm around his waist. Pie joins her, the two of them sitting shoulder to shoulder with him and watching the egg as it wobbles. They sit that way for about a minute, watching breathlessly before Gramble murmurs, “The… eggs are gonna get cold…”

“Don’t you worry about that,” Boots says gently, her gaze fixed on the egg as if afraid she’d miss it if she looked away for a second.

Piesha leans her head against Gramble’s. “You remember how fast Demby was? Busted right outta there. Maybe this one’ll have more patience…”

Gradually, the movement within the egg grows stronger. A little paw pokes out of one of the holes, followed quickly by a snout and then the hatchling’s entire head as they force it through. Gramble cradles them as they wiggle out of the opening and kick the rest of the shell aside, curling up against his warm palm. “Bootsie, look…” Gramble swallows, tears trickling freely down his cheeks. “Look at them…”

Boots lowers her massive paw, stroking the hatchling’s sticky back. They chirr contently and raise their blind little face to meet her. They’re bigger than Nollie was, but that was a given, with a fine dusting of minty fur on their chunky body and a tiny pink heart-shaped nose on their snout. “They know their mama already,” Boots sniffs, hugging him closer to her, her damp cheek pressed to his head. “You did it, Gram…”

“Aw, wasn’t all me.” He smiles through his tears. “Here, Pie-”

“Lemme see the little gummy bear.” Piesha holds her paws out, Gramble carefully placing the hatchling in her hands. They squeak quietly as they nose at her paw pads, and then sneeze. “We oughta get you cleaned up before you get cold, huh? Look at you…”

“I got it.” Boots pushes herself to her feet, helping Gramble up as well, his legs still shaky. As Pie hands him back the baby, Nollie comes running around the corner, throwing herself at Gramble and practically headbutting him directly in the stomach.

“Papa!” she squeals as he staggers back, clutching the baby to his chest. Boots quickly catches him with one hand and scoops Nollie up with the other.

“Woah, good morning kiddo. Little early to be tacklin’ your papa, isn’t it?” She laughs, but Gramble can feel her trembling a bit. “Guess what.”

“What?”

“What?” Dember echoes, toddling up to them.

Pie scoops him up as well, combing her claws through his curly mane. “You guys’ve got a new baby sibling.”