Sparks of a Fire

Chapter 38

"May all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath Highrock for a Clan meeting!"

Kestrelstar's yowl echoed across the camp. Cloverpaw perked her ears up. After a busy day of hunting practice (because even medicine cats need to learn how to hunt) and gathering herbs for their leafbare stores, Cloverpaw was ready to relax.

But often Kestrelstar's meetings were interesting, so Cloverpaw dropped the robin she was sharing with her sister, Softpaw, and padded over to Highrock. Kestrelstar's yellow gaze swept the Clan.

Kestrelstar waited until every cat was gathered, then started to speak.

"Cinderfire," Kestrelstar began, staring down at the smokey-gray she-cat. "Is Dawnpaw ready to become a warrior?"

"She is," Cinderfire replied.

Kestrelstar then turned to Rainfeather.

"Rainfeather, is Duskpaw ready to become a warrior?"

Rainfeather dipped her head. "She is."

Kestrelstar sighed and spoke. "I, Kestrelstar, leader of SkyClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn."

"Dawnpaw, Duskpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?"

Both apprentices spoke loud and clear. "I do."

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names. Dawnpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Dawnfall. StarClan honors your kindness and loyalty, and we welcome you as a full warrior of SkyClan. Duskpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Dusksong. StarClan honors your optimism and creativity, and we welcome you as a full warrior of SkyClan."

Kestrelstar rested her muzzle on Dawnfall's shoulder and she licked her shoulder in return. Dusksong repeated the same thing.

Dawnfall! Dusksong! Dawnfall! Dusksong!" the Clan cheered.

"I'm so proud of you my kits!" Hollywhisker yowled.

Once the noise had finally died down enough for Kestrelstar to speak, the white-and-orange she-cat leader yowled loudly to get her Clan's attention.

"As of tradition, Dawnfall and Dusksong will sit in silent vigil all night and guard the camp while the rest of us sleep. You are all dismissed." When Kestrelstar was finished a few cats went to the prey pile to get something to eat before going to sleep for the night.

As cats were heading toward their dens to sleep for the night, Cloverpaw saw Dawnfall and Dusksong being congratulated by their mentors, Cinderfire and Rainfeather respectively.

•••

The next morning, Cloverpaw was awoken by her mentor gently pawing at her face. Groaning softly, Cloverpaw slowly opened her eyes and stared up at her mentor, wondering what was so important.

"What's wrong?" she inquired as she slowly stood to her paws with a small yawn. "Is everything alright?"

Ghostwish sighed softly and flicked her tail from left to right. "Snowheart is having her kits!" her mentor exclaimed with a hint of worry in her meow.

Cloverpaw blinked and cocked her head to the side in confusion. "But they're not due for another week!" Cloverpaw yowled to Ghostwish, who was already gathering the necessary herbs to help the kitting queen.

"I know! But she's having them now, so we gotta hurry!" she exclaimed.

Ghostwish and Cloverpaw dashed into the nursery as fast as they could, and Cloverpaw set the herbs down next to the white-furred queen. "Ok Snowheart, you need to start pushing for me. Can you do that?" the medicine cat apprentice mewed urgently as Ghostwish started dabbing Snowheart's head with some cool water.

She leaned forward, massaging Snowheart's convulsing belly. The white-furred queen nodded at her encouragingly through half-closed eyes, but it dissolved into a grimace as another contraction moved down her abdomen.

Cloverpaw let a few drops of water trickle into Snowheart's mouth, holding the wet moss above the queen's head. She then placed the stick near her head as well. "Bite down on this. It helps with the pain," she instructed.

Snowheart nodded, grasping the stick with her jaws. She then bit down hard, eyes widening as her abdomen contracted.

Cloverpaw's ears flattened against her skull as Snowheart's pain-filled yowls pierced her ears. The dark-furred medicine cat apprentice tried to stay calm as she watched the first wet bundle of fur tumbled into the nest.

Thinking quickly, the medicine cat apprentice quickly began licking the small she-kit's fur, warming it up and placing her beside Snowheart's belly.

A few moments later, Snowheart grimaced as another contraction pulsed through her body. "I think there's another one coming!" she moaned, gritting her teeth and once again biting down on the stick.

Two more kits tumbled into the nest and Cloverpaw began licking them furiously, letting out a relieved sigh when the two kits started to breath.

"Congratulations Snowheart," Ghostwish meowed proudly. "You have three healthy she-kits!"

Snowheart smiled tiredly and gently licked each one behind the ears. "I think I'll call the white one Cloudkit," she meowed while pointing with her tail at the white she-kit, who was trying to grab her mother's tail.

Cloverpaw and Ghostwish both smiled and nodded in agreement.

"What about the other two?" Ghostwish meowed questioningly. "What are you going to name them?"

Snowheart looked deep in thought as she looked down at her two other kits. One was black-and-white with splotches of gold and her yellow eyes gleamed like amber in the light. And finally, the last kit was a small tortoiseshell-and-white she-kit with bright blue eyes.

"I'll call the spotted she-kit Leopardkit and the tortoiseshell one Stormkit." Snowheart meowed softly, purring and curling her tail protectively around her three newborn kits.