War of the Five Clans: Book 1: Fiery Shelter

Chapter 8

     Hollyfreckle sat with her sort-of sister, Marshcloud, and her kits, Treekit, Owlkit, Fernkit. It was still new-leaf, and Hollyfreckle was due to have her kits in one moon. Eagleflight stopped by daily to see how she was doing, and Darkflower, her aunt, gave her tips on how to be ready.

     Hollyfreckle hadn't really noticed, but when she was two moons old, Darkflower had given birth to Whitekit, Thornkit, and Berrykit. Hollyfreckle hadn't played with them often because they were smaller and less fun to wrestle. They had become apprentices two moons after Hollyfreckle, and two moons after she became a warrior, Whitemoon, Thorntail, and Berrybush had become warriors.

     Darkflower had sworn she would never have more kits when her mate, Thistlefur, had died. But her face seemed longing to have kits to play and feed. Hollyfreckle wished she could find another mate and settle down with more kits. 

     The sun beat down on Hollyfreckle's black pelt, making it impossible to see. "Wow," Treekit mewed. "It's hot today."

     All of a sudden, a gripping pain startled Hollyfreckle. She let out a cry. "My kits! They're coming!"

     "They're not due for another moon!" Eagleflight shrieked.

     "Looks like they decided to come early," Hollyfreckle snarled. "Get Daisyleaf!"

     Eagleflight ran off to find the medicine cat, and Marshcloud helped Hollyfreckle to her nest. "What's happening, Momma?" Owlkit asked his mother.

     "Hollyfreckle's kits are coming early! Go play with your litter-mates, now," Marshcloud said gently. 

     "I'm-I'm so scared! What if it all goes wrong? What if they die? What if I die?" Hollyfreckle panted.

     Marshcloud snorted. "You and your what-ifs. Nothing is going to happen, other then your going to have kits!"

     Hollyfreckle wailed as a spasm gripped her. "The first kit is coming!" Marshcloud gasped. "We need Daisyleaf!"

     "Move over!" A voice said. It was Lakestar. Hollyfreckle gasped with relief.

     "Go outside and stay outside!" her mother yelled at Marshcloud. "I know how a queen delivers kits!"

     Marshcloud hesitated, then jumped outside.

     Pain jutted through Hollyfreckle's senses, and she nearly blacked out. "That's the first kit!" Lakestar mewed, and the pain disappeared. Hollyfreckle twisted to look at it, but another spasm rippled through her. 

     As soon as it had started, it ended. "Two kits, a tom and a she-kit," Lakestar mewed. "They are beautiful."

     Hollyfreckle turned and looked at her newborn babies. The tom was a light brown color with darker brown tabby stripes, and the little she-kit was black with white spots. "They're amazing...." Hollyfreckle said, licking their warm bodies.

     Sudden commotion made the kits mewl. Daisyleaf burst into the den. "I'm here-" She lost her sentence when she saw Hollyfreckle and her two kits. "Awww!" she purred. "Eagleflight, come in and meet your kits!"

     Eagleflight came in, panting from running, and looked at his kits. "They're...so beautiful. What do you want to call them?"

     Hollyfreckle sighed. "If it's okay with you, I'd like to call the black-and-white she-kit Spottedkit."

     "That's great!" Eagleflight purred. "And the tom, could we call him Birchkit? His fur looks like a birch tree!"

     "Birchkit and Spottedkit. Oh, Eagleflight, I love them." Hollyfreckle felt joy crowd her insides.

     A shriek suddenly erupted from the outside of the den. Eagleflight looked outside and gasped. "RiverClan is attacking!"

     "RiverClan? They don't share a border with us!" Hollyfreckle questioned.

     "I've got to go help our clan," Eagleflight mewed. "Sit tight. I'll be okay."

     Hollyfreckle wanted to protest, but she knew Eagleflight was right to go and fight. She just hoped he would really be okay.

     Hollyfreckle turned to her kits, licking them with a new sort of hope in her heart. But, when she licked Spottedkit's body, she found it wasn't warm like Birchkit's. It was freezing cold.

     Hollyfreckle gasped. She knew what a cold body meant. She had seen Speckleflower's two dead kits. She knew what had happened to Spottedkit, but she didn't want to accept it.