Jayfeather darted across the clearing with a bundle of leaves clenched in his jaws. He slipped into the nursery, shouldering past his clanmates who stood anxiously around a dark ginger she-cat. Her eyes were filled with pain and she let out a low moan. Beside her, a powerful dark brown tabby tom, Bramblestar, licked her face soothingly, casting a worried look at Jayfeather.
"Every cat, out!" Jayfeather snapped, glaring sightlessly at his clanmates. The den cleared out quickly, leaving Jayfeather in blissful silence.
He concentrated on the ginger she-cat in front of him. She let out another moan, clenching her teeth. Jayfeather carefully unwrapped his bundle of leaves.
"Here, Squirrelflight, eat these raspberry leaves", he meowed. Squirrelflight obediently licked up the leaves, wrinkling her nose at their awful taste. Her expression of disgust morphed into one of pain as another contraction gripped her body.
Jayfeather pressed his ear to the she-cat's belly as the contraction hit. He heard four tiny heartbeats, and he knew that Squirrelflight's kits were on their way. Quickly, he grabbed a stick out of his bundle.
"Here", he said, nudging the stick towards Squirrelflight. "Bite down on this when the pain comes. It shouldn't be long now."
The ginger she-cat gratefully glanced over at Jayfeather, before gripping the stick between her teeth as a powerful contraction seized her. A small bundle slipped into the nest. Jayfeather leaned over and nipped at the birthing sac. He placed the small tortoiseshell bundle next to it's mothers belly, and it immediately began suckling.
"It's a she-cat", he murmured. Squirrelflight's gaze shone with happiness for a moment before she gripped the stick again, moaning in pain. A second bundle slid into the nest. Jayfeather repeated the process of removing the birth sac and placed the kit, a dark tabby she-cat, next to it's sibling. Before he could say anything, another bundle slipped into the nest. Jayfeather placed the pale gray kit next to sisters. All three kits began suckling ravenously.
Squirrelflight began to pant, and Jayfeather knew something was wrong. He placed his ear to her belly, and he could faintly catch the sound of a weak heartbeat. He frowned and licked Squirrelflight's ears comfortingly. The she-cat was losing strength and blood, and Jayfeather prayed to StarClan that the last kit would come soon. Squirrelflight couldn't hold out for much longer.
Finally, Squirrelflight gave a massive heave, and a small wet bundle slid into the nest. Jayfeather nipped away the sac, and a tiny ginger kit tumbled into the world. It didn't move, and for a heartbeat, Jayfeather feared it was dead. Only after hearing a faint heartbeat did he conclude that it was still alive. He placed the feeble bundle next to it's siblings.
Squirrelflight glanced lovingly at the four kits nestled in the curve of her belly.
"Squirrelflight, you have three she-cats and a tom", he announced. She purred.
"Welcome to the world, my precious kits", she meowed softly. Jayfeather turned and stuck his head out of the nest.
A cream colored she-cat stood in front of the nursery like a sentry.
"Psst! Daisy! Can you fetch Bramblestar? Tell him Squirrelflight has had four kits", he meowed. Daisy purred in delight.
"Really? That's great! I'll go tell him now!", she meowed, haring away across the clearing.
Jayfeather ducked back into the nursery. A heartbeat later, Bramblestar forced his way into the nursery. His amber gaze filled with love and affection as it settled on the four kits. He sat beside his mate, licking her face proudly. Squirrelflight purred, and looked up at her mate.
"I want to name them. Now", she meowed. Her mate dipped his head. He flicked his tail towards the tortoiseshell she-cat suckling ravenously at her mother's belly.
"How about Emberkit? " He suggested. His mate nodded. She flicked her tail to the dark brown tabby she-cat.
"Skykit", she murmured, purring loudly. Bramblestar nodded. He nodded towards the gray tom.
"What about Stonekit for this one?" He asked. Squirrelflight nodded in consent. Both cat's turned their gazes to the last kit, a tiny ginger she-cat.
"She looks like…" Bramblestar trailed off.
"Firestar." Squirrelflight finished for him. She stared at the kit. "This one will be Firekit."
Jayfeather purred. "Those are lovely names", he meowed. "Congratulations." The gray tom slipped out of the den with his herbs. He hoped Firekit's fierce name would give her all the strength she would need to survive.
Beware Jayfeather. There will be one, named after the one, who the blood of good and evil has intertwined. Beware this cat. Beware the fire that holds the key.
The voice echoed inside Jayfeather's head. His mind whirled, and he faintly sensed the presence of Yellowfang, her scent encircling him like a cocoon. The scent disappeared, leaving Jayfeather at a total loss for words.