A screech rang through the air. Birds flew into the night sky, startled by the sudden cry of panic. A tom was pacing anxiously outside a den, pain in his gaze. What would he do? His mate was in that den, giving birth, and all he did was pace. But he couldn't just walk in on such an even. His mind whirled with the possibilities. He was so engrossed in his own thoughts, he couldn't even hear the medicine cat as she shouted for him.
Claws sank into his head as his sister slammed her paw against his scalp, smiling crookedly. "Featherflight has given birth, furball," she hissed, but the grin never left her melancholy face. "You have four beautiful kits, Rabbitleap."
Rabbitleap's delight was expressed all along his face; his nose wasn't crinkled in distaste, his mouth wasn't turned down in anger, his ears were pricked, not flopping down uselessly. He turned and vanished into the half-empty den.
Featherflight's gaze snapped up, and pure dread filled her face, but disappeared instantly. "We have two toms and two she-cats. I named one she-kit Firekit, because of her beautiful ginger pelt." She purred as Firekit squirmed at her belly. "You name one tom."
"Okay," Rabbitleap meowed, blinking calmly. "Hmm . . . Snowkit, because of his solid white tail and paws." He nudged the silver and white kit, the ghost of a smile flitting across his face. He didn't care that neither kit looked anything like him; he was a pale brown tom with light green eyes.
"This tom will be Flamekit, for his dark ginger fur." Featherflight rasped her tongue across the tiny tom's forehead, causing him to squirm in discomfort. She let out a hearty chuckle before raising her head to look gingerly at Rabbitleap, who watched forlornly.
"And the remaining she-kit will be Dustkit, for her pale brown pelt." Finally, one looks like me! A foreboding thought crossed is mind, but he shook his head; half of this litter could not be another tom's. Featherflight wouldn't do that to him. Would she?
"Beautiful names," purred the other queen, Dovefur, licking her own kits instinctively and smiling fondly at the new arrivals. Featherflight purred in response at the light silver she-cat, warm blue eyes alight with joy and delight.
"Okay, lovebirds, enough is enough. Rabbitleap, Featherflight is probably exhausted from the birth, and I still haven't given her the correct herbs." The medicine cat wasn't lying; the only herb administered were a few poppy seeds and some dock leaves to sop up the blood.
Flicking his tail in farewell, Rabbitleap padded out of the nursery. Featherflight looked uneasily at the medicine cat, whose gaze hardened as she observed the kits. "They're not his, are they?" she asked in a hushed voice, pain latching onto each syllable. Luckily, after speaking, Dovefur had fallen asleep, leaving the two she-cats to converse.
Instantly, pain filled Featherflight's gaze as she nodded slightly. "Some are from a ThunderClan tom," she whispered sheepishly. "I'm sorry, Eaglefeather, it's just that-" The medicine cat hushed her with a hard look.
"Don't apologize to me. Say sorry to my brother, who expects all these kits to be his. He's having doubts, too," she warned. "Do you want my advice? Give his kits to him, and keep Rabbitleap's kits."
Featherflight sighed in defeat, knowing what Eaglefeather was meowing was correct. Sadly, she stood and picked up Firekit and Flamekit. They squirmed in her grasp, and she whimpered quietly.
"Go," meowed Eaglefeather threateningly. Featherflight sighed once more and vanished into camp. The cats were scattered around, leaving a perfect trail for her to get through. She padded noiselessly through the crowds. No one turned to look at the escaping queen.
As she reached the exit, she began running. Her paws hit the ground rapidly, occasionally stepping on burrs and thorns, causing her to wince pathetically. After what seemed like an eternity, she reached the border. It didn't take long for a patrol to come by.
Featherflight waited until they spotted her, before smiling panicked. "Could you take care of my kits, Firekit and Flamekit? I used to be a Clan cat but I left my Clan, so I need them to have a healthy home. Please?" Fortunately, the ThunderClanners agreed.
Featherflight made a big show of thanking them; she sobbed, whimpered, cried, and let out sharp whines as they left. Then, she turned away and padded back toward ShadowClan camp, sadness brimming her eyes.