UNWANTED: A Blossom of Hope
Chapter 1- Runt
This is the new and edited version of Chapter 1. Enjoy!
Kestrelwing's POV
"Kestrelwing! Kestrelwing! Wake up!" A small voice cried, waking me from my slumber. In an instant I was awake and saw the small form of Mistkit in front of my nest. Her smoky blue eyes were concerned but also excited.
"What is it Mistkit? Is everything okay?" I asked, getting to my feet and shaking off the remnants of sleep.
"Brownfeather, she's says the kits are coming!" Mistkit replies, her paws kneading the ground. Excitement courses through me, my sister was finally having her kits.
"Whitepaw! Grab some borage leaves and meet me in the nursery quickly!" I order my apprentice then follow the tiny slender form of Mistkit back to the nursery.
Slipping into the nursery, I head for my sister and crouch beside her as her brown sides heave, her paws clawing at the ground in front of her. She looks up at me with desperate eyes and I give her a soft smile of reassurance. Looking over at the expecting queen, Shiningdawn, I beckon her forward.
"Soothe her please," I instruct her as I place a paw gently on Brownfeather's swollen belly. Whitepaw drops the borage beside me and stares at Brownfeather, green eyes wide. It was my apprentices first birthing and he didn't look too excited which made me laugh.
"Get me some soaked moss and then you can try and keep Stormshadow busy," I tell him and he quickly runs off, ready to get away from the screaming queen.
"Okay Brownfeather, this is going to hurt but I need you to push," I murmur softly, then look to Mistkit, "Get me a stick for her to bite down on please."
Brownfeather screams as she pushes and her stomach ripples, Mistkit drops a stick beside her mouth and Brownfeather gratefully grabs it and pushes again, biting hard on the stick. Finally the first wet bundle slips into the nest, I nip the sac and lick the small kits fur. It gives a loud mew and I push it to Brownfeather's stomach. After a few minutes there's two more kits beside the first kit. Brownfeather looks up, eyes pained.
"Why... Why is there still pain?" She hisses, her eyes full of pain.
"There's one more kit to go," I tell her, eyes widening as some blood spills to the ground.
Finally after a few seconds a very small, maybe too small bundle falls to the ground. I quickly nip the sac and start licking the kit, at first there's no sound, then a very faint mewl. Thankful it wasn't a stillborn, I push the kit to my sister's belly next to her other kits. I look back up to see my sister's face, expecting to see happiness and adoration, instead I see anger. I glance back down at he kits, wondering what would have upset her. At first I don't notice anything until my eyes land on the last kit and I freeze. The kit is... a runt. I glance back up at Brownfeather to see unease in her eyes as she looks between the three other kits and the runt. I pray to Starclan that she'll treat this kit like she'd treat the others.
"Stormshadow, you can come in now," I call out and Stormshadow races in, his eyes staring lovingly at Brownfeather, then at his kits.
"Oh Brownfeather, they're beautiful, just like you," He purrs, licking her ear. Brownfeather purrs back, eyes lighting up in delight.
"Congratulations Brownfeather, you have four beautiful kits, one tom and three she-cats," I tell my sister, smiling, but I don't look at her, my eyes won't pull away from the tiny runt. Her fur is a beautiful dark brown with black dapples across her fur and one cream paw, she lays at the far end of Brownfeather's belly, her small head fighting to get milk. She reminds me of a fawn, the way her coat looks. Brownfeather purrs softly, staring down at her kits.
"Oh Brownfeather! Your kits look beautiful! Congratulations." Shiningdawn purrs, looking down at the newborn kits nestled in Brownfeather's belly.
"Thank you Shiningdawn. Just think, you're next!" Brownfeather purrs, smiling tiredly from her nest. Shiningdawn chuckles in response and heads back to her own nest.
"You name the tom," Brownfeather tells Stormshadow, flicking her tail to a gray tom with black paws and one brown ear.
"Windkit," He says, pride glowing in his blue eyes.
"This one will be Featherkit and then Heatherkit," Brownfeather murmurs, pointing to a long-haired brown she-kit with cream flecks and a feathery tail and then to a brown she-kit with cream flecks.
"Beautiful names for beautiful kits," Stormshadow agrees, licking the three kits heads and staring uneasily at the fourth.
"What about the last one?" I meow, my voice steady, tearing my eyes from the kit to look at her.
"I'll name it if it survives through the night," She replies, disgust laced in her voice. Small gasps echoed around the nursery.
"Momma, why is she being mean?" a small voice asked from the far corner of the nursery. Cheetahblaze quickly quiets her kit, ears flattened in embarrassment.
"Very well, but Brownfeather remember, she is still your kit," I remind her, giving her a disapproving look.
Brownfeather just lets out a small growl in response and curls around her kits. Narrowing my eyes at her, I decided to leave it alone for now but I wouldn't let her abandon a kit.
"Eat the borage and get some rest," I order her, flicking her affectionately with my tail before leaving her with her mate and kits. I headed back to the medicine cat den, hoping to get some sleep before the sun rose in a few hours. Whitepaw met me at the entrance, his green eyes tired.
"You did good Whitepaw, maybe you can help me more when Shiningdawn has her kits," I praise him.
"Thanks Kestrelwing! Goodnight," He yawns, heading to his nest and curling up. I head back to my nest and try to sleep but images of the small runt swirl in mind. Worry settles in the pit of my stomach when I think of Brownfeather's reaction. If the kit makes it through the night, I hope she can get over her size and love her.
~Next Morning~
"Are you okay Kestrelwing?" Whitepaw asked me. We were both sitting near the Tallrock, sharing a vole but I couldn't take my eyes off the gorse bush that was the nursery.
"Yeah I'm okay, I'm just anxious to go check up on Brownfeather," I replied, tearing my eyes away from the den to look at my apprentice. He was wise for his age and I know he would make a good medicine cat one day.
"Well go ahead, I' sure you're just excited to see your sister's kits again," Whitepaw assures me, nudging me with his shoulder. I nod at him and stand up. He wasn't completely accurate, I wanted to see her kits and make sure they were okay but my mind was more on the runt. I hope that when I walk in there, she is still breathing and has a name. I walk in that direction with my hopes high. Slipping into the nursery, I head straight for Brownfeather. Stormshadow is curled up next to her, admiring his kits. I come up beside them and search for the small kit. I let out a sigh of relief when I see the dark brown kit fighting for milk alongside her brother and sisters.
"Goodmorning Brownfeather and Stormshadow, how are you feeling?" I ask, smiling down at them.
"Good! I didn't want to sleep I was so excited but I was more exhausted," She said softly, nudging one of her kits towards her belly softly.
"That's good to hear. Have you named your other kit yet?" I asked, looking back down at small bundle of fur.
"No. No I haven't. I don't want a runt," She replied, her voice steady as she waited for my reaction. I looked back up at her with narrowed eyes, her eyes were filled with despise. I knew she was stubborn but she just wasn't allowed to pick and choose what kits she wanted.
"Brownfeather. It's a little too late, you already gave birth to her. She's your daughter whether you like it or not," I told her, trying to keep the anger out of my voice.
"I don't want anything to do with it," she growls, staring at the un-named runt with hate. I stare at her shocked, how could she do this? I look around the den to see the other queens also wearing masks of shock on their face.
"You don't have a choice. I am your medicine cat and I demand that you take care of this kit, I don't care if you like it or not," I growl back at her, my hair standing up in anger.
"I'll never love it," She declares and I hiss.
"Are you going to name her at least?" I ask, pitying the kit for having to feel so much hate this early in life.
"No, it doesn't deserve a name," Brownfeather huffs, giving her other three kits affectionate licks.
"She deserves a name Brownfeather, and if you won't give it to her then I will," I growl, and look down at the kit. She was so small compared to the other kits, and yet I knew not to underestimate her. I know she's going to survive and prove everyone wrong, and I would make sure of it.
"Her name is Fawnkit," I declare, my voice softer. Brownfeather growls and I turn my gaze back to her.
"Remember what I said Brownfeather, you will take care of her," I hiss and stalk out of the nursery my fur bristling.
I was still angry about the situation and I started pacing the clearing, swiping at the ground with unsheathed claws.
"Kestrelwing..." A soft voice shook me out of my fury. I looked up at Streamflower, her blue eyes worried.
"You were right!" I sighed, my shoulders slumping.
"Come on, and tell me what happened," She whispered to me, nudging me towards the medicine cat den.
I explained what happened with little Fawnkit, my heart breaking as I thought of the poor little kit that would grow up with a family that hated her.
"Thats horrible," Streamflower whispered to me, her silver fur bristling. I laid down in my nest, shutting my eyes.
"Streamflower?" I asked the elder, opening my eyes.
"Yes Kestrelwing?" She replied, her eyes gentle and understanding.
"Fawnkit... she... she looked like me" I told her, tears forming in my eyes.
There you go! The new and much longer Chapter 1! R&R please!
~Fawnstream