Prologue
"Push, Amberstripe, push!" Grayfeather, the medicine cat, placed her paws on Amberstripe's stomach.
"I'm trying!" Amberstripe snapped. "Just leave me alone!"
Amberstripe's mate, Thorntail, paced back and forth across the nursery. "Is she supposed to be so grumpy?" he fretted.
"I'm not grumpy," Amberstripe hissed.
Grayfeather sighed. "Of course you're not."
"Yes, that's right," agreed Amberstripe.
Grayfeather was rolling her eyes when the first kit came. A small, squirming bundle slid onto the soft moss. Grayfeather leaned forward, nipped open the sac and started licking warmth into the small brown she-kit.
Amberstripe gritted her teeth as a fresh wave of agony rolled over her. "If I'd known what kitting was going to be like-"
"Now, now, Amberstripe."
Another kit emerged. The large gray tom squirmed and cried out after Grayeather nipped at his sac.
"One more, Amberstripe. Only one more."
Amberstripe moaned. "I love my kits, but I hate kitting!"
The last kit was a small ginger tom who looked just like Amberstripe. He was kicking and howling.
Amberstripe sighed. "Is it over?"
"Yes."
"What are you going to name them?" Thorntail whispered.
Amberstripe touched the small brown she-cat, who was now suckling with her littermates.
"Dustkit."
Thorntail smiled. "Can the gray one be Owlkit?"
"Sure," beamed Amberstripe. "But I really want the last one to be Amberkit. I always wanted a kit named after me."
Thorntail sighed. "You're being self-centered, as usual."
"Amberkit is a good name!"
Thorntail purred, amused. "You're like a kit sometimes."
"And a kit always gets her way."
"I guess," laughed Thorntail.
Amberstripe smiled. "They're perfect."