Safe and Sound by GwentheCatify on DeviantArt (original) (raw)

Theeeeeeey're heeeeeeeeere!

The WanderInklettes have been born, and you may now roleplay with them! Lookit Inkblaze cradling Vixenkit. LOOKIT.

...

Inkblaze glanced at the pile of guppies that was slowly growing beside him. He sighed softly and took his paw out of the small pool; there weren't many left in there, anyway. He had been out of camp all day distracting himself, since the sounds of Wanderstep's pained yowls were making him unbearably anxious. He didn't want to be seen in this state.. and all of Wanderstep's siblings had told him to stay out of the nursery anyway. He had been a complete nuisance, constantly popping his head into the cave, asking if she was alright. If he was honest, Inkblaze was terrified for her. She had been the smallest of her siblings, and Mapleblossom had been worried that kitting would put a real strain on her.

However, the dark-furred tom was ripped from his thoughts when Shallowpaw came toddling up to him, meowing, "I-Inkblaze.. the kits have arrived." Inkblaze flattened his ears. His first thoughts were of his mate. "Is Wanderstep alright?" He demanded to know. "Er.." The dark blue apprentice stammered, making Inkblaze's tail fluff up. "Well?!" "C-Come and see for yourself." He ducked down and led the warrior back to camp, then crouched and disappeared into the nursery. Inkblaze abandoned his guppy pile in a heartbeat and followed Shallowpaw into the camp, kicking up sand as he went.

Inkblaze was quite worried about what he might see. However, he swallowed his anxiety, flattened his ears, and squeezed into the nursery after Shallowpaw.

What he saw gave him a reaction he never could have prepared himself for. A mixture of pride, fear, joy, and anxiety swelled up in his chest and all that came out when Inkblaze opened his muzzle was a choked half-sob and half-meow of pride. "H-Hey.." He managed to get out as he saw Wanderstep open one grey eye, lifting her feathery tail and revealing a considerable pile of damp bundles of fur.

Inkblaze cautiously padded over to his mate and licked her forehead; this was an action he was gradually getting used to performing. "Hi.." Wanderstep mewed hoarsely back, dark circles under her eyes. He assumed this was from a lack of sleep, since she had been kitting for what seemed like a moon. "How are you feeling?" He mewed, grooming her unkempt fur around her neck and shoulders. "How do you think I'm feeling?" The dark she-cat replied with a friendly chuckle. Inkblaze chuckled nervously back and then his gaze lowered to her belly, where he found three kits suckling, one trying to find its mother's belly, and another asleep. "Five kits?" He said breathlessly, his azure eyes widening. "Six.." Wanderstep corrected him with a grin, lifting her chin to reveal that she was cradling another tabby kit between her forearms.

"It sure seems like large litters run in the family." Mapleblossom said teasingly, giving Wanderstep's head a friendly lick. The dark she-cat giggled softly and nodded. "It does seem that way.." Inkblaze was still in shock at how many kits he now fathered. "S-Six.." He repeated, simply staring down at them.

The dark tom sensed that his staring was starting to bother his mate, so he cleared his throat and asked, "So.. er.. what are their names?" Wanderstep blinked up at him. "I wouldn't name them without you here, Inkblaze.. we have to name them together." She smiled softly and nuzzled his chin gently. Inkblaze blushed faintly and smiled warmly, his heart thudding in his chest. "I-I see.." He gazed down at them. Inkblaze inwardly wanted to give them all awesome-sounding names, like Sharkkit or Venomkit, but he doubted his mate would approve of that. "So.. where would you like to start?" He asked, wondering if Wanderstep already had some names in mind.

"Hmm.." She mused, sticking her tongue out just a bit as she thought. "Here.. how about we start with her?" Wanderstep asked, giving her smallest kit a nudge with her muzzle. The tiny she-kit mewled in what sounded like annoyance and batted her little paws at her mother's nose. "That little one is so small that she worries me a bit.." Mapleblossom said quietly, watching the kit like a hawk. Inkblaze narrowed his eyes at the medicine cat defiantly, as if to say, She's perfectly fine. She's one of my kits, after all. The tom decided that now would be a good time to give a kit a strong-sounding name.. to make up for its size. "How about.. Foxkit?" He suggested, since foxes were scary animals and the kit's dark leg markings reminded him of a fox's. "Oh.. I like that. But it's a she-kit.. so how about Vixenkit?" Wanderstep replied with a smile. Vixenkit.. perfect. Inkblaze thought to himself. "Vixenkit.. the oldest, but the smallest." Wanderstep teased.

"Okay.. well then, how about this one?" He gestured with his tail to a dark-grey tabby who was suckling at her belly. "Oh yes, that tom.. he's one of the stronger ones, but.. he doesn't seem to be very fond of his siblings yet." He does look like a strong one.. what's another awesome animal? Inkblaze began to list names as he thought of them. "Tigerkit.. Bearkit.. Jackalkit-" Wanderstep quickly interrupted, "Oh! Jackalkit, I love that." Inkblaze grinned proudly at having thought of yet another great name.

"I was thinking about names for this she-kit right here.." Wanderstep said softly, giving the dark-splotched kit beside Jackalkit an affectionate lick. "She looks quite a lot like you.. so I was thinking about a name that has to do with the ocean, like Ink. For example, Wavekit, Scalekit, or Saltkit." Inkblaze smiled and nuzzled his mate gently, saying "I'm honored. And.. I like the name Saltkit. It matches her white patches." Wanderstep gave a faint nod and replied, "Saltkit it is, then."

Inkblaze's gaze turned from the kits at Wanderstep's belly to the strangely ruddy she-kit who was curled up into a bundle near his mate's paw. He wondered where she had gotten the color from.. then again, Pippaw and Coconutsplash both had brown coloration. It probably came from Wanderstep's side of the family. "I'm not really sure what to call her.." Wanderstep said softly, leaning down to groom the red-brown kit. However, as she licked her, the she-kit mewled and one eye opened briefly, showing off a brilliant shade of azure, before quickly closing it tightly once more. "Ohh.." Inkblaze breathed, trying to think of names that might match that shade of blue. "Skykit?" He suggested. Wanderstep tilted her head and stuck her tongue out, meowing, "I-I actually kinda like flower names.. maybe Heatherkit?" Inkblaze sighed softly to himself but nodded and replied, "Heatherkit is an awesome name."

"Two more to go.." Mapleblossom said with a warm smile, watching the two. Wanderstep gave a faint nod and looked down at the kit she was holding gently. As she moved, the brown tom with dark tabby markings gave a faint mewl of protest. The dark she-cat smiled softly and licked his head, meowing jokingly, "How about Stingkit for this little one? He seems to complain about everything." Inkblaze's expression lit up and he mewed, "That's a great name! I actually love the name Stingkit!" Wanderstep blinked and then chuckled, saying, "Now that you mention it.. it does sound pretty cool."

There was now only one kit to name left, the blue-grey tabby tom who was trying to climb over his siblings to reach his mother's milk. Inkblaze smiled softly and said, "Now what about this one..?" Wanderstep gazed down at the tom and mewed, "He has such beautiful markings.. like a coral reef." The most obvious name came to Inkblaze's mind and he suggested, "Coralkit?" Wanderstep giggled softly and gave a short nod, before helping Coralkit join his siblings at her belly.

Inkblaze looked down at his kits, repeating each one's name in his mind as his gaze switched to them. Vixenkit, Jackalkit, Saltkit, Heatherkit, Stingkit, and Coralkit.. He watched as Vixenkit stopped suckling and began to crawl around the nest, whereupon he quickly grabbed her by the scruff and cradled her in his forearm. Wanderstep nuzzled her mate gently and whispered, "Here they are, safe and sound.. the new kits of Seaclan.."

....

MY BABIES

Anyways, thank you guys for being patient and have fun!~

Inkblaze/Saltkit/Art - Me!
Wanderstep/Vixenkit -
Jackalkit/Finchcloud's butt -
Stingkit -
Heatherkit -
Coralkit -
Mapleblossom -
Shallowpaw -
Blueivy -