"Swiftkit, come here." Redstar ordered. The red leader stood in the middle of the clearing, the full moon shining down unto his pelt. Along with him stood other warriors to attend the Gathering tonight. Swiftkit just left the Elders' Den, and set down the stale moss and hurried to her father.
She was punished for two moons to take care of the elders ever since she snuck out of camp. It was her job to change the elders' beddings, rid of fleas, and bring fresh-kill. But Swiftkit didn't mind at all. Mousetail and Fogstorm were very nice to her, and most times told her stories back when they were younger.
As Swiftkit padded to Redstar, Fallowkit and Acornkit, or Fallowpaw and Acornpaw (since they were made apprentices a moon ago) spotted Swiftkit. Fallowpaw sneered, "Getting lectured this time, Wormkit?" Acornpaw only chuckled with her, but his mentor, Sparkclaw, shushed the two apprentices.
Redstar's green eyes were soft, and he meowed, "Your punishment is over. I'm sorry how I overreacted with you sneaking out of camp." Swiftkit's amber eyes beamed, and she meowed, "It's alright, Redstar." Although she accepted his apology, sometimes she would wonder how Stonekit was doing, the BoulderClan tom she met in his territory. I wonder if he is an apprentice! she thought, before Redstar gave her a reassuring lick on her forehead. Swiftkit purred, before Redstar turned away and bounded to Echoflower. They both were attending the Gathering.
"Let's move out!" he meowed proudly, and all the warriors, including Baydawn, hurried out of camp. In heartbeats, the camp was half empty.
Swiftkit picked up the stale moss and tossed it to the side of camp, as she had finished remaking the elders' beds. That was when Maplekit called over to her, "Come on, Swiftkit, let's rest for the night!" Her brother stood at the entrance of the nursery, and Swiftkit let out a small chuckle, before padding over to join her littermates. Pricklepelt, a brown tom, exited the nursery at the same time Swiftkit approached it, and he purred to Swiftkit, "Aren't you excited that Dapplefur will be bearing kits soon?"
"Of course, Pricklepelt!" Swiftkit meowed to the fellow warrior. Just recently, Pricklepelt has been visiting Dapplefur, always bringing the biggest fish he caught for his expecting mate. But the young mates would always allow Swiftkit and her littermates to join in on the prey. Just in that small time, Pricklepelt had befriended Swiftkit and her littermates, telling them short stories about his time as a kit.
Pricklepelt let out another purr, "Goodnight, Swiftkit and Maplekit." He lashed his tail in good-bye, before he padded towards one of the warrior dens to rest. Swiftkit looked over at Maplekit, who had already gone inside, and so she slid into the rock nursery.
Being three moons old, she and her littermates were a bit bigger now, yet they still remained sleeping with Echoflower. But tonight, they had to sleep with Dapplefur. The tortoiseshell she-cat was laying on her side, her swollen stomach too big for her to sleep regularly. Ripplekit and Webkit supported her back, while Maplekit laid in front of the queen's stomach, saving Swiftkit a spot beside him. "Goodnight, you four," Dapplefur murmured tiredly, and Webkit let out a soft purr. Swiftkit now laid down beside Maplekit, and rested her chin unto her paws. She then closed her eyes to rest.
"Wake up, Swiftkit!" Ripplekit's urgent meow jolted the calico she-kit awake. She lifted her head, before she heard Dapplefur's muffled moan of pain. Swiftkit now stood up and gently nudged the queen. "Dapplefur? What's wrong?"
"She's about to give birth!" Webkit meowed, and Swiftkit felt Maplekit's scent hit her nose. She turned her head to see her brother and Brookpaw emerge from the entrance. "Everyone, move to the side! Swiftkit and Ripplekit, I need you both to help me!" The medicine cat apprentice ordered quickly, her demand muffled by the herbs in her jaws. Maplekit and Webkit moved to the far side of the nursery as Ripplekit stepped aside, the big gray tom showing an expression of worry.
Swiftkit felt her heart pounding in her chest. She had never seen a queen give birth before! As Brookpaw set down the herbs, the brown apprentice began to examine Dapplefur. "Alright, Dapplefur, I need you to remain calm and steady..." Brookpaw meowed, as Dapplefur let out moans of pain. Swiftkit and Ripplekit felt utterly helpless.
Dapplefur reluctantly lapped up the herbs that Brookpaw provided for the queen, before the apprentice meowed, "Push, Dapplefur!" Swiftkit's pelt stuck up in fear as the queen began to yowl in pain. Ripplekit dug his cheek into Swiftkit's shoulder, a bit terrified as well as to what was going on.
"I need you both to lick the kit clean once it slides out, and carry it to her milk, alright?" Brookpaw meowed to the two kits, and Swiftkit nodded nervously. The tortoiseshell queen kept yowling in pain, her paws turning and her muscles flexing. Her fur was flat with sweat, and her tongue stuck out. Brookpaw kept examining the queen carefully, before the apprentice nudged a leaf to Dapplefur. But the queen did not comply.
Digging her claws into her moss nest, Dapplefur let out a final yowl before Swiftkit could see something slip out from under her tail. A kit! Swiftkit thought, but Ripplekit was the first to go over and lick the kit clean, a disgusted look on his face. She soon joined in, licking the sac off the kit, before grabbing his scruff and carrying him to Dapplefur's stomach. Proudly, Dapplefur stared down at her kit, a tom, before another kit slid out from under her tail. Swiftkit saw that the queen had leaked some blood.
Cleaning the second kit, Ripplekit now remained at Dapplefur's tail, while Swiftkit carried the second kit to its littermate. Brookpaw purred proudly at the helping kits, before she meowed to Dapplefur, "Almost done, now."
Ripplekit quickly cleaned the last kit, before Swiftkit carried it next to its littermates. Dapplefur was finally finished, the queen panting heavily but her eyes alive and proud. Three healthy kits suckled her milk, and she drew them close with her tail.
"Dapplefur!" Pricklepelt meowed, and the tom hurried over to his mate to see his kits. He opened his mouth to speak, but was met with abrupt silence. Swiftkit was a bit confused, but when her eyes rested unto the kits, she realized why.
None of them looked like Pricklepelt.
I'm super sorry that I was so late to update! School work is killing me! I hope that this chapter will entice you guys!
-Morgan