"May all cats old enough to swim join beneath the moon tree for a Clan meeting!" Glimmerstar's yowl echoed throughout the whole RiverClan camp.
Waterlily and Mosspaw patted out of the medicine den to join their clanmates at the base of the moon tree where Glimmerstar sat. "Attention, noble cats of RiverClan!" Glimmerstar began, "last night our deputy, Swiftfoot, was found dead near the edge of the riverbank." Shocked and horrified meows rang out through the Clan.
"How could that have happened? Did someone from one of the other Clan's try to drown him?"
"Swiftfoot was the best swimmer in RiverClan, did someone force him underneath the water?"
"Glimmerstar, who will be the new deputy?"
"I bet it'll be either Raincloud, Eeltail, Pebbleheart, Aquaflower, Squidpelt, Reedfang, Willowsong, or Watershine."
"Well I think she'll choose either Mosspetel, Seedwhisker, Yarrowleaf, Riverpounce, Swimfur, or Stormcloud."
"Shut your trap and let Glimmerstar say her peace!"
"It's almost moonhigh, so shut your mouths so Glimmerstar can choose a new deputy!"
"And so, I say these words in front of the body of Swiftfoot so that he may approve of my choice. By the powers of StarClan, I now hear-by appoint Raincloud as the new deputy of RiverClan!" Glimmerstar yowled. "Clan meeting dismissed!"
"Wow! Can you believe that Raincloud is the new deputy of RiverClan?"
"He deserves it, he is a loyal warrior and he's a great swimmer too."
"Oh, my StarClan! Wasn't Swiftfoot the mate of Silvershell?"
"Yes, yes he was. And if I remember correctly... isn't Silvershell expecting kits?"
"Yes she is, but I'm not sure when her kits are due to arrive."
Waterlily blinked and perked her ears when she heard someone calling for her. "Waterlily, come quick! It's Silvershell! She's having her kits! Please hurry! I can't lose anyone else close to me!" Mapleshade cried, Mapleshade and Silvershell have been friends since kithood, and Mapleshade had just lost her mother, Seafoot, who was killed by a monster on the thunderpath about a moon ago. And her older sister, Mistywave, was killed by a ShadowClan warrior named Dustclaw. Mapleshade now only had Silvershell and her younger sister, Pearlbreeze.
"Mosspaw, can you get me some watermint please?" Mosspaw nodded and raced into the shadows of the medicine den to fetch what her mentor needed.
"What's going on, Waterlily? Is Mapleshade ok? What's wrong with Silvershell?"
"Silvershell is kitting."
"Wait, she's kitting write now?"
"Yes, Mosspaw! Now come on, follow me into the nursery, quickly!"
"Please hang in there Silvershell! Waterlily and Mosspaw are here! Please hold on!"
Waterlily and Mosspaw dashed into the den and Mosspaw set the herbs down next to the silver-and-white tabby queen. "Ok Silvershell, you need to start pushing for me, can you do that?" The blue-gray medicine cat meowed, dabbing the silver queen's head with some cool water.
"Ok, I'll push!" Silvershell yowled, her body convulsing as she began to push as hard as she could. "StarClan it hurts! Please make it stop!" The silver-and-white tabby queen screeched with another pain-filled yowl.
"You're almost there, Silvershell! Just one more push should do it." Waterlily meowed encouragingly. Her apprentice, Mosspaw, watched with nervous anticipation as Silvershell clenched her teeth and gave one final heave as ordered. A small, wet tortoiseshell bundle tumbled into the nest, and the blue-gray medicine cat quickly began licking it.
"It's a she-cat!" Waterlily declared, placing the tiny kit beside Silvershell's belly. In an instant, she snuggled up beside her mother and began to suckle.
"How many more?" Mosspaw asked, ready to move if she was called to duty again.
Waterlily felt along Silvershell's flank with her paw. "There's two mor coming!" She declared, and Silvershell's eyes widened in terror.
"C'mon, you can do it, Silvershell." Waterlily encouraged, and Silvershell did as the older medicine cat had instructed.
After what felt like hours of pushing and yowls of pain, Silvershell finally relaxed when the final two kittens were born.
"There you go, Silvershell. Have you decided on names yet?" Mosspaw mewed, tilting her head curiously at the two small kits.
Silvershell smiled and looked down at her three kits. "Starlingkit, Spottedkit, and... Swiftkit." She mewed, staring with sad eyes down at the black-and-white she-kit. "Oh, so Swiftfoot was your mate?" Mosspaw asked, her eyes shining with sympathy as she looked up at Silvershell then back down at Swiftkit.
"Yes, yes he was, Mosspaw." Silvershell meowed, looking down at her three kits. "I will never let you out of my sight," the silver-and-white tabby queen meowed with a small purr rising in the back of her throat. "I can't wait to train one of them!" Mosspaw mewed happily to Silvershell. "Yeah, I think Spottedkit seems really interested in what you're doing." Silvershell mewed with a knowing gleam in her eyes.