The crescent moon illuminated the forest in a dull light. In the heart of a lush forest was a clearing with rocky dens. Cats resided there. Inside the nursery was a beautiful black and white she-cat with green eyes. Her belly was swollen with kits that would come any day now. She sighed in sadness as she remembered that her mate, Greenbush, was going to miss the birth of his kits since he was now in StarClan.
Don't worry, he'll be watching from the stars, the she-cat reminded herself as she looked out of the entrance of the nursery and into the night sky. Right now, the moon was just a thin crescent. However, it will soon become fuller and fuller until it was a full moon, when the Gathering always was held. Then the moon would shrink again and disappear. Finally, the cycle would begin again.
"What's wrong, Spottedstream?" asked Oliveshadow, the other queen in the den. Next to her belly were her two kits that were fast asleep.
"I miss Greenbush," Spottedstream sighed as she lowered her head to look at her belly.
"Well, I miss my mate too, but they're both in StarClan now and they're watching over us always," Oliveshadow said in an attempt to cheer up her friend. A smile creeped on Spottedstream's face.
"I understand. I hope he's happy up there..."
Suddenly, a yowl broke the peace as HateClan cats leaped into the camp! Everyone screamed!
"Darkstar! What business do you have in JoyClan?!" Cloudedstar questioned a black tom.
"It's simple," Darkstar meowed, his voice menacing enough to make little kits cry. "Give us the river or die."
"Never!" Cloudedstar yowled as he leaped into battle. "JoyClan! ATTACK!" Every cat in the clearing joined in and they began to fight!
Suddenly, Spottedstream felt a pain in her stomach! She yowled!
"Oh no..." was all that managed to come out of her mouth as another pain hit her.
"Don't worry!" Oliveshadow shouted as she rushed over to her friend, "I gave birth once so I can help! Here, bite down on this stick!"
So, Spottedstream did as she said. As the battle raged on, a beautiful birth was happening. Suddenly, two kits slid out of Spottedstream! One was black with a white spot and one was white with a black spot!
"Congrats!" Oliveshadow exclaimed. Spottedstream purred.
"I'll name the she-cat Yinkit and the other one Yangkit," Spottedstream said as she rasped her tongue on her kits' heads.
Suddenly, a black she-cat came in!
"Well, well, well," she snarled, "Looks like some kits I need to kill are here."
"NO!" Spottedstream screeched as she leaped to her paws, "Don't lay a paw on them!"
"Spottedstream, you just gave birth!" Oliveshadow said, "You're in no condition to fight!"
"I would rather die than have by kits be killed," Spottedstream hissed as she unsheathed her claws.
"Very well," the black she-cat said. Then the two leaped into battle! Spottedstream dug her claw's into the she-cat's eye while the black she-cat bit into her throat. Spottedstream was then thrown to the ground. Blood oozed out of her throat and her eyes rolled back. She was dead!
"NOOOOO!" Oliveshadow screeched. She rushed over toward the body and began to sob. The black she-cat now had a scar on her eye. However, she was going to attack but she was soon thrown into battle with another warrior. Throughout the whole battle, there was nothing but the yowling of cats and the soft sobs of Oliveshadow.
Why, StarClan? she thought to herself. Why did you take her instead of me?
Suddenly, the sounds of battle stopped and all the cats of JoyClan cheered. However, the scent of death was still heavy in the air. Oliveshadow got to her paws and poked her head out of the den to see several bodies lying in pools of blood, some twisted in weird positions and others having their insides show. Some where JoyClan cats and some were HateClan. Both clans had suffered great loss. As if by StarClan, a heavy rain began to start and washed the blood away.
"Cats of JoyClan, we have won this battle!" Cloudedstar yowled. Everyone cheered except Oliveshadow. She just padded back into the nursery and looked down at the two newborns, who were shivering. The dark gray she-cat lied down and guided the two toward her stomach. Yangkit began to suckle greedily while Yinkit just crawled over toward Oliveshadow and let out a purr. It was as if she knew that the queen was trying to help her. Oliveshadow let out a purr in reply and licked the she-kit's head.
"I know you'll be a wonderful warrior one day, and so will your brother," Oliveshadow meowed before turning her head to look out of the entrance of the den. In the night sky, she thought she saw another star form and begin to light up the sky.
Spottedstream...I hope you and your mate are happy, Oliveshadow thought with a tear in her eye before looking down at the two kits, who were fast asleep. Her two own kits then came over and stared at the kits in awe.
"Can we play with them? Please?" Blossomkit asked. Yawnkit just lied down and fell asleep.
"No, they are too young," Oliveshadow said before licking her daughter's head. "Why don't you go and sleep?"
"Okay," Blossomkit meowed before curling up with her brother and falling fast asleep. Oliveshadow then returned her attention to her adopted kits.
"Little ones, I will raise you as my own," Oliveshadow meowed. "I will always take care of you and teach you not to step onto the path of evil because that would be very bad. I will make sure of it, I promise."