Cold grass and snow melt crunched under Cypresstail's paws. He was on his way to visit his mate Zephyr, but before he made it very far, he heard a twig snap near. Remembering he was a warrior and not a bleeding heart kittypet, he crouched down and snuck. He hoped his pale pelt would look like a snow patch out of focus.
The sound came from an area with no cover, but what was also there Cypresstail recognized.
"Willowgaze?"
The silvery tom cringed, looking like he suppressed a jump. Cypresstail's eyes widened when he saw two little gray, damp bundles in his jaws. Hesitantly, Willowgaze set them down on top of his plumey tail. The two tried to crawl between his now-sitting legs, craving his belly.
"Cy…" he gulped, "Cypresstail."
"What are you doing? And carrying kits?"
"Th… these are mine, Cypresstail," he admitted, the creamy tom stepping closer and pressing a shoulder to his watery-eyed friend. "I was just going to check on them and I found their mother dead in the yard. I had to get them before her Nofurs took them away."
Cypresstail nodded, "They look starved. Well, what are we waiting for, does Ivyclan have a nursing queen?"
"Yes."
"Thank Starclan," he muttered, picking up the thinner one as gently as he could, "Come on."
Willowgaze nodded and trotted after him, neither daring to pick up their pace encase they'd hurt the kits. Under the thorn tunnel, the two ducked their heads downward to protect the soft-skinned kittens. Sunfeather was on watch, and she noticed the two. She stepped closer but, upon noticing the kits, backed away to her spot, seemingly embarrassed. As if Willowgaze didn't have enough anxiety and embarrassment for both the clans and at least half of Starclan.
Outside the nursery, he heard Aspentail pur and assumed he was resting his head on Gullsong's paws, staring at their squirming kits. Willowgaze, letting out a scared sigh around his sweet little bundle, padded and stood at the nursery entrance, face dark and lit behind by moonlight.
He stepped in and placed a freezing cold bundle at Gullsong's belly. Cypresstail did the same. Gullsong didn't have time to question before her instincts took over and she curled around to lick the kits warm.
It took a long while, Cypresstail and Willowgaze watching on in uncertainty at what to do. The rounder kit let out a squeak before going right back to suckling, while the thinner one started to knead her stomach. She finally managed to look up at the young toms, Willowgaze looking between his paws and the kits. Aspentail seemed mortified and Cypresstail, unsurprisingly, looked emotionless with a touch of sympathy.
"What is this…?" she asked, monotoned, unsure if she should be cold or warm.
Willowgaze gulped. "Th-they're my kits."
Gullsong blinked, "You've not been a warrior for very long."
Willowgaze dipped his head guiltily. "I know. I never meant to have them so soon, I never-" no, he decided, his kits didn't need to know they were mi- accidents. They were happy little accidents.
Gullsong sighed and Willowgaze prayed to Ivystar she wouldn't kit them out. She nodded quietly, "Yes. Yes. Do they have names?"
Willowgaze shook his head, crouching down to look at his kits better through his watery eyes. He shook his head and closed his eyes to try and blink away the water. His kits were so beautiful and their mother would never be able to see them again- kittypets didn't go to Starclan.
"Cypresstail…?" he whimpered, "You're my best friend, you really helped, I love you… Would you like to name one…?"
Cypresstail smiled softly. "No, they're your kits. I'd like to suggest naming the skinner one Featherkit, though."
Willowgaze nodded and nuzzled his kittens. "Yes… the skinnier one will be Featherkit. The rounder one will be… Dovekit," he managed to tear his eyes away from his kits and up at Aspentail and Gullsong. "Will you nurse them…? You don't have to act like they're yours, your kits don't have to treat them like siblings, I'll always be around for them, but they're so weak, their mother died just a few minutes ago and they're already so weak-"
"Shh, shh," Gullsong mewed, sweeping her tail over Willowgaze's tense shoulders. "Yes, I'll nurse them, only on the account you don't go around bringing more kittens."
Willowgaze knew it was a joke and knew he should've laughed, but he couldn't find it in himself. He curled himself up into a ball, never taking his gaze from his babies, nodding.
"Thank you so much, Gullsong…"
