A quarter moon was rising on a leaf-covered forest, turning the landscape silver. The silence was only broken by a sharp yowl coming from a marsh nearby. There were two cats crowding beside a fallen queen. A dark shape tried to move the fallen cat back into cover but was pushed aside.
"Move out Sprucepaw! Go and fetch me some sticks!" Hissed a dark grey shape.
"Yes Wolfnose!" The apprentice dashed out towards the territory. Wolfnose moved towards the she-cat and turned her to her side. 'This is all wrong. What is a loner even doing here? What is taking that apprentice so long?' Wolfnose lifted his head outside of the bush to find a black cat pestering Sprucepaw. It was the CreviceClan deputy, Condorwhisker.
"Sprucepaw! Bring those sticks here now!" Wolfstride snapped. "I am Wol-" he started but was stopped by the grey tom.
"What is going on? Why is this rogue here?" The warrior edged towards his fallen she-cat.
"Condorwhisker I need you to fetch Bumblestrike. We need an expert to deliver these kits." Wolfnose started pushing back the tom. The fallen cat started to hiss in pain, her white fur fluffing out. Wolfnose grabbed the sticks and started to assist the loner.
"Stay back, kittypet. I'll help her now." The white cat quickly grabbed the stick that was offered to her and bit down. Sprucepaw stood back and waited for more instructions.
"I'll need to help her push. Go to camp. I don't trust Condorwhisker." The brown tom nodded and took off into the underbrush. The dark grey tom went back to the she-cat's belly and started kneading.
"Come on, you can do thi-"
"Shut up! I'm trying!" The warrior stopped for a moment but continued silently. Soon enough three kits appeared. The white queen made no movements to lick or feed her kits. Wolfnose nudged her and put his head upon her chest. The loner was dead along with two of her kits.
"I got Bumblestrike, Wolfnose! She's right her-" The apprentice stopped in his tracks.
"Move out of the way Sprucepaw, time is not something i have much of." The old she-cat pushed him to the side but soon froze. "Wolfnose that's a lot of blood that queen. Is... She dead?"
Wolfnose looked up from the last kit. "Bumblestrike, the loner just… bled out. I couldn't..." Bumblestrike stopped him.
"You did all you could Wolfnose." She licked his cheek. "We have to make sure her kit lives. Sprucepaw you still have the herbs? Good, pass them here." The medicine cat went to work licking the white tom kitten. Sprucepaw looked up to his mentor.
"What are we going to do with him? We can't leave a kit out here."
"Waspleaf can take him in." Condorwhisker was back, striding into the bush.
"Your mate is fine with taking in another kit?" Bumblestrike asked stopping her licking and causing the kit to whine.
"We can handle it. It's the least i can do." The four cats stood over the small kit, eventually burying his mother and siblings. Condorwhisker grabbed the white kitten and the group strode back to CreviceClan.