A/N Hohoho. ^^ My second Warriors fic and first multi-chapter Warriors fic! :D This story is written as a reply to the guest comment (which was actually from my friend :P) which stated that there was not enough background info for my previous fic "Cherryfeather Speaks: The Death of Hollykit". So... here it is! The extra info, put into a story! Please R&R! :D
Chapter 1 – The Kitting
~Stormflower's POV~
"Come on, Stormflower, you're doing very well! Just a while more!" I heard the gentle and encouraging voice of Maplenose, the medicine cat, ringing in my ears. Panting and straining, I tried to push the second kit out. My firstborn, a little dark ginger she-cat, was suckling contentedly, unaware of the pain her mother was going through to bring her littermates into this world. Her tiny paws churned impatiently at my belly, trying to bring more milk to her mouth. I clamped my jaws together, determination rippling through me, as the second kit, a gray tom, slid out into the moss of my nest. Maplenose hooked a paw around him and brought him towards her, bending down to lick my kit's fur roughly, ruffling it the wrong way to warm him up like what she did to my daughter.
The ferns at the entrance of the nursery quivered and my mate, Tigerstripe, stepped into the nursery. I glanced up at him, thankful that he was here to support me through this hard time. When I knew I was going to have his kits, I was filled with immense joy, not knowing how hard the birth would be. He weaved around my nest before settling down beside me, grooming my ears with soothing licks. I raised my muzzle wearily and touched his cheek, when suddenly, a spasm shocked me and I gasped in pain.
Maplenose ran her paw down my flank and said, "Only two more, Stormflower. You can do this!" Well, you don't know how hard it is to be kitting,you being a medicine cat and all! I huffed mutinously, thinking that she had it the easy way. As Maplenose was a medicine cat, she was forbidden to fall in love, let alone have kits. A contraction gripped me and another kit, this time a dappled golden tabby tom, was born. However, it was now Tigerstripe who took over the ritual of licking and warming up a newborn kit. His eyes glowed with pride and love as he washed the kit with strong, even strokes of his tongue.
I panted, my tongue flopping out of my mouth unknowingly. "Water," I gasped, suddenly feeling a pang of extreme thirst. Tigerstripe pricked his ears and stood up, dashing over to the pool in the medicine cat's den to wet a bit of moss. I smiled weakly; Tigerstripe was so helpful. I lapped at the water gratefully, quenching my thirst. I never realised how much I'd perspired throughout this kitting. Maplenose smoothed her paw over my flank once more to check again if I had any more kits on the way. "One more," she confirmed, turning to me. I flinched, pain slicing through me again as the last kit, a tiny dark gray she-cat, was brought into the world.
I flopped back down into my nest, turning over to take a good, long look at my kits, whom I kitted with much difficulty. They were all sucking at my belly, each of them competing for milk with their littermates. I scarcely noticed when Maplenose pushed a few leaves with slightly jagged edges towards me and told me, "Eat these borage leaves, it'll help your milk come." I obediently ate them, the taste of the leaves washing over my tongue. Tigerstripe padded over to admire the kits, pride evident in his voice as he asked me, "What should we name them?"
"I'm thinking Cherrykit for the dark ginger she-cat, and Cinderkit for the gray tom. These names suit them, don't you think?" Tigerstripe nodded, and continued, "How about Emberkit for the golden one, and Hollykit for the youngest?" "Those names sound perfect," I sighed, and gazed down at my kits. Cherrykit, Cinderkit, Emberkit and Hollykit. Our kits. Pride swelled in my chest as I looked at my kits, thinking that they were the best thing that happened to me. Maplenose sat beside my nest, her tail wrapped over her paws. Her eyes shone with happiness as she overlooked our little naming ceremony.
I never remembered sleeping that well at night, I was so tired from my kitting. Tigerstripe, instead of returning to the warrior's den, chose to stay behind with his family in the nursery. I let my mind wander as I slept, dreaming of my kits, and what they might become in the near future.