Ivyshadow woke up to the peaceful sounds of Snowfall’s kits playing. She rolled over to watch them play, trying to forget her dream.
Northkit, Shadekit and Icekit were playing pass the moss ball, a game Ivyshadow had never been included in. She watched Icekit launch the ball towards Northkit, who caught it in his mouth. Northkit turned back his neck to fling it towards Shadekit, who leapt at it but missed. The raggedy clump of moss rolled to a stop in front of Ivyshadow.
“Toss it to me!” Shadekit yelled excitedly.
“No, me!” Icekit shoved her sister over.
“Kits, Ivyshadow is resting,” Snowfall called, “please play on your own.”
“No, it's okay,” Ivyshadow meowed, getting to her paws. She picked up the moss and threw it clumsily towards Northkit.
“Yay! Ivyshadow's playing!” Icekit snatched the ball from Northkit and threw it back to Ivyshadow.
Ivyshadow attempted to catch it, but missed. She'd expected it to fly faster and had pounced too late.
“Ivyshadow missed, that means she has to stand in my spot,” Shadekit said, getting to her feet excitedly
Ivyshadow shrugged, moving over to stand in the kit's spot.
“If Ivyshadow is in the rotten spot, that means I get magic paws!” Icekit meowed, running to grab the ball.
“Aww, you got magic paws last time!” Shadekit complained.
Ivyshadow held back a laugh, trying and failing to understand the rules of the game. Soon the ball was in the air again, and Ivyshadow passed it to Northkit, who passed it to Icekit. Icekit whirled around, catching the ball with her back leg. “Yes! I caught it will the back leg while I have magic paws, that means I get to go wherever I want!”
“Not fair! You just made that rule up!” Shadekit protested.
Northkit sat calmly as his sisters argued over the ever changing rules of the game. Ivyshadow nudged him, “do you have any idea how to play?”
He shrugged, “I just throw the ball.”
Ivyshadow laughed, her heart feeling lighter than ever. She couldn't help but remember her own childhood, and the games she'd played with Violetfang. Games like let's push Ivykit into a river for no reason.
Just as Shadekit and Icekit had finally agreed on the rules, Acornstar's yowl echoed through the camp, “I call all cats of the Clan of Tall Trees to gather for a clan meeting!”
Ivyshadow glanced up, excitement building. Forestpaw's warrior ceremony!
“Awww, will you okay with us after the meeting, Ivyshadow?” Shadekit widened her eyes, clearly attempting to look cute but instead looking vaguely creepy.
Icekit did the same, quivering her lower jaw, “pleeeeeeease?”
Ivyshadow laughed, giving both the she-cat's a lick, “of course!”
The kits cheered, and Snowfall sighed, “don't feel like you have to, Ivy.”
Ivyshadow leaned down to nuclear her sister's cheek, “Don't worry, it's fun!”
She turned to pad out into the camp, blinking in the sunlight. She'd slept in again; it was already sunhigh.
Larktaik was adding last minute touches to Forestpaw's already glossy pelt, while Branchfall attempted to cheer up his daughter. Goldpaw, however, would not be cheered. She sat in the shadows, shooting looks of jealousy at Forestpaw.
Ivyshadow settled down near the front of the cats, next to Morningcloud.
“Forestpaw, set forward.” Acornstar's voice sounded slightly strained. Ivysahdow studied the she-cat, wondering if she was sick.
“I, Acornstar, leader of the Clan of Tall Trees, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend him to you as a warrior in his turn.”
Forestpaw stared up at Acornstar, nerves flowing off him in waves.
“Ivyshadow, has your apprentice, Forestpaw, learned the skills of a warrior? Does he understand the importance of the warrior code?” Acornstar turned to Ivyshadow.
Ivyshadow smiled at the dappled young warrior, her heart warm. She knew without a doubt that he was ready. “He does.”
“Forestpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend your Clan, even at the cost of your life?”
Forestpaw met Acornstar's eyes, and his back straightened. “I do.”
“Then by the powers of Rising Star, I give you your warrior name. Forestpaw, from this moment on you will be known as Forestdapple. Rising Star honors your determination and ambition, and we welcome you as a full warrior of the Clan Of Tall Trees.”
“Forestdapple, Forestdapple, Forestdapple!”
Ivysahdow called out loudly, the entire clan around her joining in the chant. Forestdapple's ears flushed with pride, and he was instantly tackled by Larktail, Branchfall, Daybreeze and Morningcloud. Ivyshadow managed to squeeze through the cats to give him a lick and quick congratulations before being unintentionally shoved aside by an excited Larktail.
Ivsyahdow noticed his ears turn a suspicious shade of scarlet when Morningcloud brushed her cheek against his, murmuring something nobody else could hear.
Ivyshadow smiled, pride warming her chest. The bratty kit she'd started with was now a respected and loved warrior.
A movement caught Ivyshadow's attention, and she turned to look. Acornstar was walking clumsily off the stump, her eyes watering.
Ivyshadow started towards the she-cat then paused, not sure what to do. She'd never seen Acornstar weak before. Ivyshadow glanced around the camp, quickly spotting the cat she was looking for. She bounded over to him, lowering her voice, “Birchtail, look at Acornstar.”
Birchtail glanced up, then his eyes widened. Acornstar was attempting to stumble towards the nursery. Blood was beginning to stain her fur near her abdomen, driving onto the camp floor.
Ivyshadow and Birchtail both leapt into action, Ivyshadow running to assist Acornstar to the den and Birchtail running to his herb stores.
Acornstar hesitated as Ivyshadow approached, but allowed Ivyshadow to lead her into the Nursery.
Acornstar had been sleeping there for a while, and her nest was well stocked with moss. Snowfall jumped up as they entered, helping lower Acornstar down. Acornstar was clearly in immense pain, but she didn't cry out, instead breathing in deeply and rhythmically.
“Northkit, Icekit, Shadekit go find your father!” Snowfall commanded, and the gawking kits dispersed, leaving the den quiet.
Ivyshadow crouched over her leader, unsure what to do. Pebbleclaw had been the only cat close enough to her to be comfortable with licking her or offering any affection at all.
Birchtail burst into the den, shoving Snowfall and Ivyshadow aside. He crouched over his mother, undoing bundles of herbs for her to chew on. “Snowfall -”
“A stick? I'm on it,” Snowfall finished for him, sprinting out of the den.
Birchtail turned back to the queen, feeling her stomach with his paw. “How long have you been in labor?” He asked quietly.
“A couple hours now,” Acornstar's meow came out in a whisper.
Birchtail shook his head, “Mother, I told you to come see me as soon as-”
“Just get them out.” Acornstar interrupted, her face pinched with pain.
Ivyshadow stared at the she-cat in shock, wondering how any cat could be so strong all the time. Ivyshadow glanced down at her belly, knowing that she would not be silent right now if she was Acornstar.
Snowfall ran back into the den, setting two sticks in front of Acornstar's nose. Acornstar took one and snapped it in half easily before picking up a bigger stick.
They waited for a tense ten minutes in which Acornstar went through two more sticks, her gums bleeding from the effort. Finally Birchtail spoke. “They're stuck. I don't know how we-”
“Cut them out,” Acornstar said. A drop of blood fell from her mouth to the ground, “I have 8 more lives. I can lose this one.”
Birchtail shook his head, “If I'm able to pull the kit out -”
“It will kill the kit. Last time-” she let out a snarl of pain before gaining back her calm voice, “-last time she died. Not this time.”
“We always prioritize the mother. I'm sorry, Acornstar, but I can't do it.”
Acornstar stared up at him through red rimmed eyes, then bent over quick as a snake. Her claws slid out and sunk into her own flesh. Ivyshadow's head jerked away, unable to watch. She felt her breath quicken and her heart stop. Acornstar did not scream.
Ivyshadow huddled down, shoved her ears down like a kit. Runningmouse flashed into her mind again, his neck broken, the blood… no no no no. Ivyshadow saw Violetfang in her mind, Violetfang ripping apart Ivyshadow's stomach, killing Sparrowkit, killing….
A thin squeal of a kit's cry reached her ears. Ivyshadow turned slowly, afraid of what she would see.
Acornstar lay, unbreathing. The wound at her stomach was sealing itself shut rapidly, just in time for the two mewling kits to squirm closer to her fur.
Ivyshadow had never seen what happened when a leader lost her life, but she hadn't been expecting this. Acornstar’s chest slowly began to move up and down again, and she lifted her head from the blood stained moss.
Birchtail, who had been cleaning the kits, looked relieved. “You're okay.”
“I have eight more lives to lose,” Acornstar meowed. Her voice sounded strong now, her eyes bright. She leaned down to begin to clean her kits, lapping the blood and birth sac off of them.
Their pelts weren't indistinguishable yet, but Ivyshadow saw that it was a tom and a she-cat. Acornstar's first daughter.
Ivyshadow glanced down at her own swelling belly, and felt a pang of fear. I only have one life to lose. For the first time, Ivyshadow didn't want to die to join Runningmouse. She watched the kits latch on to their mother, and felt a need arise within her. The need to see her own kits, to watch them grow and care for them. She wanted to be there for her kits until the end.
Ivyshadow glanced up, closing her eyes. You'll have to wait a little longer until I join you, my love.