A small brown tom with gray paws and one gray ear approached a large tortoiseshell and white she-cat from behind.
"Goldenstar?" the tiny tom queried, flicking his gray tail uncertainly.
"Yes?" the she-cat turned to face him, her golden eyes glittering in the moonlight. "What is it, Bumblenose?"
"It's the prophecy; I've had another dream from Starclan."
"Another one? It must be important then." Goldenstar recalled the first phrase; 'The sacred moon hears nothing; and everything. Shield her and be at peace.'
"Indeed," Bumblenose paused, then continued. "'The one who walks in moonlight's grasp is destined to save the clans; keep her on the right path, or all the clans shall be doomed.'"
"All the clans…" the golden-eyed she-cat murmured thoughtfully. "Did—"
Her question was cut off by a screech tearing through the night. Cats dashed from their dens, thinking the clan was under attack. A light gray she-cat fled from the nursery and towards the medicine cat.
"Bumblenose, Roseflight is having her kits, b-but, they're coming out all wrong!" the trembling queen cried.
"Flowingspirit, you need to stay composed. Show me," Bumblenose said calmly before racing towards the nursery.
When he entered, he was met with a gruesome sight. One kit had been born, but it was drenched in blood, as was Roseflight.
"Flowingspirit, clean up that kit. You may also have to get herbs for me," the medicine cat jumped into action.
"I can fetch herbs. What do you need?" came a worried voice from the doorway. Blackstorm, a she-cat round with kits, was standing there awaiting orders. Bumblenose glanced at her thankfully.
"From what I can tell, all I need are some cobwebs. And perhaps some poppy seeds," although he hoped he wouldn't have to use them, because that would mean they were joining Starclan…
Another hair-raising scream was ripped from Roseflight as she had a new contraction. Bumblenose couldn't see the exact problem, only that there was still one more kit, and it was not being born correctly.
He worked and worked, but the kit's struggles and the mother's breathing were becoming weaker. Now, Roseflight couldn't even manage a scream and the kit had stopped fighting altogether.
Bumblenose regretfully gave Roseflight some poppy seeds. Now that she and the kit were relaxed, he was able to gently pull it out. It wasn't breathing. Flowingspirit and Blackstorm whimpered in grief.
"My, my kit…" Roseflight began weakly. "Is it al-alright?"
"One of your kits is fine," Bumblenose said kindly. He was surprised she could even speak at all. But Roseflight, as close to Starclan as she was, noticed the singular term. She opened one eye tiredly.
"So, it's—it's, with Starclan now?"
"I…yes. I'm sorry I couldn't save him." Bumblenose looked down at the body of the tom and winced.
"Well, at-at least I'll be with him…soon," Roseflight stammered weakly. This made Flowingspirit yowl sadly and Bumblenose sigh in defeat. It looked as if she could not be saved, and even she knew it. Roseflight looked directly into his eyes.
"My other kit, wh-where is i-it?" she questioned determinedly.
Bumblenose pushed the small mewing she-cat towards her mother.
"Right here. What will you name her?"
Roseflight took one look at her kit's strange fur coloring and smiled.
"She looks as if she's bathed in the light of the full moon," she began softly. "Moonkit. Her name is Moonkit."
Roseflight nuzzled her surviving kit, licked it on the head, and then laid down her own head. She closed her eyes, smiled, and let out a long, shaking breath. Roseflight did not move again, and her kit started mewling for milk. Blackstorm stepped over to Moonkit and wrapped her tail comfortingly around it. She looked up.
"My kits are due very soon; I have milk. I will care for her." Blackstorm gave the small kit a look of loving sadness before taking Moonkit aside to feed her.
Bumblenose just sat in shock. It was not because of the bloody scene before him; he'd seen worse. It was not because he had just failed to save two lives; although he did feel awful, one of the first rules a medicine cat apprentice learns is that you can't save everyone. No, what shocked him was the last sentence Roseflight had said:
"Moonkit. Her name is Moonkit."
Bumblenose bowed his head knowingly.
The sacred moon hears nothing; and everything. Shield her and be at peace.
The one who walks in moonlight's grasp is destined to save the clans; keep her on the right path, or all the clans shall be doomed.