The queen's shrieks cut deeply into the stormy night. Lightning flashed and thunder roared. Rain pelted the large hollow where ThunderClan's camp was located.
A dark cream she-cat rushed out of the nursery to the medicine den. "Robinflight!" she cried, but the medicine cat was already on her paws, sorting through her herbs.
"Sedgetail, Palenose is kitting, isn't she?" Robinflight asked. Her paws quickly gathered up the herbs: fennel, raspberry leaves, and borage.
"Yes."
The pale brown tabby sped out of the den, heading for the nursery.
In a nest made of moss, a pale gray she-cat lay panting. Her body convulsed every once in a while, and she let out a wail.
Robinflight set the herbs down and tentatively placed a paw on Palenose's stomach. "Two, maybe three, are coming out."
Then Robinflight spotted the blood. "There's too much blood," she gasped, her eyes widening in dismay. The medicine cat pawed the raspberry leaves toward the kitting queen, trying not to show her panic. "Eat these. They will help stop the blood."
But Palenose convulsed again. A kit slid out. Then two more followed, and the rippling on her belly stopped.
Robinflight was horrified. More blood kept pouring out. What had gone wrong? Palenose weakened still, not even strong enough to lick her kits.
"Please," the queen rasped. "I need to see their father."
The medicine cat quickly turned and left the nursery. Sorrow, like a heavy stone, rested heavily in her stomach.
It wasn't hard to find Larchtail. The golden tabby tom rushed to Robinflight as soon as she left the den.
"How is she?" he gasped, concern clearly showing in his eyes. "Did she finish kitting?" Then the concern changed to panic when Robinflight met his eyes.
"I'm sorry," Robinflight whispered. "I couldn't do anything for her. There was too much blood." She added quickly, "But she wants to see you."
Before she had finished, Larchtail was already disappearing into the nusery.
"Palenose," Larchtail cried. "Don't leave me. Please don't leave me."
His dying mate looked up. "It's not like I want to die!" she snapped. Then her voice grew calm. "Before I join StarClan, I want to name our kits. Will you help me?"
"Yes. Of course." Larchtail meowed, his voice thick with grief. He pawed at the pale gray she-kit. "She looks just like you. I want to name her Lightkit."
"Lightkit," his mate purred. "A good name." She stared at the dark brown tabby tom-kit. "Let's name this one Tigerkit." Palenose's voice faltered as she lowered her head, resting it on the soft blood-soaked moss. Her eyes started to close.
Larchtail closed his eyes. "And we will call the silver tabby she-kit, Stormkit." He opened his eyes slowly. Palenose's flank was still. "I will raise these kit for you, for both of us, and I will protect them with my life."
Outside, Robinflight was waiting for Larchtail to come out of the nursery when darkness closed over her sight. "What's happening?" she cried.
"A great darkness is approaching." a voice boomed in her ears. "The Clans must be ready."
"To defeat the coming darkness, a storm must strike the sky. For beneath destruction, there is always new life. Stream, Breeze, Shade, and Lightning will journey with the storm and bring forth the light."
With that prophecy, the vision ended, and Robinflight was standing in front of the nursery again.