~ okay surprising everyone I actually got this done on time- But yesss have some good Ripplespirit parents because I love them. Also Songbird is in this!!! I decided that she's Burningsun's cousin lol ~
~ Small TW for mentions of d3ath ~ ~ Burningsun stared down at the small kit nestled into her belly fur, blue eyes unfocused. The colorpoint hadn't really been able to take her eyes of of it- well, her- since she had been born a day ago. At least the tiny scrap was sleeping now. If the new mother was going to be honest, she had not appreciated how she was constantly mewling and squirming, always incredibly loud for such a young kitten. But for once, the kit was still, and Burningsun could look at her, really and truly look at her. For the most part, she looked like her, tabico markings splotched on a white base. A shorter, narrow muzzle and pointy ears. Her ears... they were folded over, a phenomenon that the elder queens had said happened to every newborn kit. Secretly, Burningsun hoped that they would stay folded over through adulthood. Because that, save for the silvery patches mirroring rosey ones, were the only things left of /her/. If not in this world, then at least in this clan. Burningsun closed her eyes to prevent a tear from falling, giving her head a firm shake. She wasn't going to cry over this now. She had given up crying about this a half moon ago. A quiet, shy 'hello' drifted through the air to reach Burningsun's long ears, and the queen opened her eyes and looked to the entrance to the den, were a similarly patterned cat stood, shuffling her paws anxiously. "May I come in?" Songbird asked tentatively, blue eyes seeming to glow in the low light. All it took was a simple nod from Burningsun and she came rushing in to stand next to her kin. Songbird towered over her cousin normally, and with Burningsun lying down, the comparison was even more dramatic. The brown colorpoint glanced over Burningsun's side, her eyes finding the kit quickly. For a moment, she studied her, one ear flicking. "She's Olmpaw's, isn't she." Though Songbird's voice was calm and quiet, the statement made Burningsun flinch. Her head swiveled, and blue eyes met blue eyes. For a moment, the den was silent again, but then Burningsun ducked her head with a sigh. "Yes. Of course she is." She didn't look up. "You won't tell, right?" "Of course not," Songbird murmured, letting her tail trail comfortingly along Burningsun's flank. "Olmpaw was one of my best friends, you know. I'd never want anything to happen to her kit." A few heartbeats later, Songbird broke the comfortable silence the two had fallen into. "Do you have a name yet?" Burningsun shook her head slowly. "No. It doesn't even seem real yet, not really. But, since you brought it up... any suggestions?" "Well, we both know you can't name her Olmkit. That's too obvious, and besides, we don't even know what an olm is." She thought for a moment. "Well, maybe you do. Did Olmpaw ever tell you?" "Oh, she didn't know either," Burningsun admitted with a chuckle. "I believe she heard it was an amphibian of some sort? But she had never seen one before." "Well, then maybe Frogkit? Or some other amphibian?" But Burningsun shook her head, long fur swishing with the movement. "If my mother had named me after a frog, I'd have been livid. No, I'm not doing that to her." Songbird rolled her eyes. "Fine then. But I'll assume you don't want to name her after someone in our family." The calico snorted. "And have her cursed to d!e in some random LavaClan skirmish like the rest of us? No way." The two she-cats fell silent again, watching the tiny kit shift in her sleep, her clean fur gleaming as she moved. "What about... Ripplekit?" Songbird gave the queen a dubious glance. "Ripplekit? That doesn't seem like it holds any meaning at all. I mean, I sure don't remember some great cat name Ripplesomthing." "Well, why does she have to be named after someone?" Burningsun retorted defensively. "Why can't it be the other way around? Why can't she have kits named after /her/?" "Fair point, little cousin," the warrior relented after a moment of thought. Burningsun reached out a paw, giving her a light whack on the shoulder. "Well, officially welcome to the clan, little Ripplekit." Songbird cast a warm smile down on the newborn before flicking Burningsun's ear with her tail. "Now, I should be going." "Bye, Songbird," Burningsun mewed as the other colorpoint left the den. Once she was alone, she laid her head down, her nose inhaling her kit's scent. /Her/ kit. And Olmpaw's. "Oh, Olmpaw..." she whispered, closing her eyes. "I hope you're proud of me. I hope you're happy, wherever you are. I promise, I'll love our kit enough for the both of us." Unseen to the cats of RiverClan, a large white and gray tabby sat by her former mate, her pelt sparkling with stars. As she watched Burningsun fall asleep, she leaned down, her eyes glimmering warmly as she spoke words she knew no one else would be able to hear. "Oh, my love, I know you will." ~
