alive. a jetthorn production

[jetfang ★]

jetfang stood beneath a towering pine and watched an orange leaf slowly spiral down to lay at his feet. it was an older leaf, flecked with marks of dark brown, crumbling at the edges, ragged at the stem. the black and white tom looked on calmly, studying it but making no moves. it was as if he was waiting for it to make the next move.

leaf-fall was well upon vertigoclan territory, and the trees above held insubstantial burdens of yellow, orange, red, and brown leaves, though more lay on the forest floor. a light rain had fallen throughout the morning, making the leaves damp and clingy, robbing them of their crackling sound underfoot. this made it the most perfect time to go out for a hunt, as it was far easier to prowl about on damp leaves than on dry ones, awaiting the dreaded crinkle that would send prey skittering off. 

jetfang had ventured out, but when the buzz of camp was left behind and only silence filled his ears, he couldn't help but let the tranquility overwhelm him. so he had taken a moment to pause beneath the great pine tree. the senior warrior considered the events of the day as midday drew nearer to its end, the sky as gray and clouded as it had been when he woke. 

flamingstar had called a clan meeting, as was expected. his three sons had joined the ranks of the apprentices as pallidpaw, blizzardpaw, and thunderpaw. he recalled their excitement as they were finally able to sleep in the apprentice's den with splashmist's sons, mottledpaw and scorchpaw, who had gone through their ceremonies just a moon prior. he had looked on with immense pride as the fire furred she-cat gave them their new names. 

yet it had also been a sad moment for himself, and for his mate lilythorn as well, he suspected. this was their first litter, already six moons old and bustling about with their big paws, growing more independent by the day. jetfang figured that lily was glad to be out of the nursery and back to her duties fully, but it was still sort of difficult for him to take in. 

[lilythorn **]

the sweetness of the nursery still clung to her skin, her pale ginger fur sweet with the milk of that her kits had slowly been weaned from. a pang of jealousy came suddenly, in the pit of the former deputy's stomach, as she thought of how young their kits happened to be. no, hers were growing up now, already six moons old and, though lilythorn never wanted it to end, their kithood was over, and they had become apprentices.

their mentors-to-be with good cats, ones that loved their clan and knew how to do well. it wouldn't do to continue doting upon them, as she recalled their whining and loving yet teasing remarks as she groomed them for the ceremony. a mother's heart was full, always, and as the scent of the pine woods rose about her, the musk of her mate accompanied it, taking her breath from her.

he was handsome, though they were now moons older than when they had first really gotten acquainted. his gaze, piercing and multicolored, brought the vertigoclan she-cat great joy. jetfang was her other half; there simply was no other way to put it. yes, she had been complete without him, but he brought her a happiness that no other cat could. he was the father of her kits, the love of her life, and her home.

the tom's eyes nor face were aimed at her now; he was gazing off into the distance. lilythorn sidled up next to him, a purr quietly erupting from her throat as she pressed her long-furred coat into his own short-haired one. her blue eyes closed as she nestled her head into his fur, dreamily. "hello, lover," was her deep yet soft coo as she leaned on him, her heart swelling. "we've done well, haven't we?"