Flametail awoke to the sound of Sunwhisker's meow, rough with anxiety, in his ear.

"Olivegaze is having the kits!"

He opened one eye slowly. "The sun isn't even up yet." he complained.

"Now!" Sunwhisker nudged him.

Flametail got up, noticing that Littlecloud's nest was empty.

By the time he got there, Olivegaze had already had one kit. It looked weak and small.

Flametail nudged the kit to Ivytail, who was watching. "Lick it." he ordered, and the tortoiseshell did as he said.

"It's okay. You only have-" he paused. "Two more kits. Only two more."

Olivegaze nodded and gritted her teeth as another contraction hit her. A ripple went across her flank, and another kit dropped onto the moss beside her, even smaller then the first.

Olivegaze sighed and laid back in her nest. The last kit came the easiest- it was a little stronger then it's siblings.

Flametail licked the last kit and set him beside his mother. "Two she-cats and a tom."

Sunwhisker pushed past Ivytail and leaned beside Olivegaze. "They're beautiful." he whispered. "What shall he name them?"

"I want this one to be Toadkit." Olivegaze touched her nose to the largest tom kit.

"A wonderful name."

"And this one should be Redkit." Olivegaze flicked her tail towards the tortoiseshell female.

"And the last one- if you want- should be Foxkit."

Olivegaze closed her eyes. "No… it reminds me of Toadfoot. How about Ashkit?"

"Perfect. They're completely perfect."

I wonder how Tigerheart feels. He'll never have this- he'll never have this perfect little happy family. What would he give to have it….?

Flametail nearly jumped at the sound of Littlecloud. The tabby tom stumbled in, his face in a frown.

He glared at Olivegaze's kits. "Them! Can't you see? The dark spirits wait!"

He drew his face up to Olivegaze's. "These kits shall not die tonight. They can't. They'll just give them-" he looked towards the empty corner of the nursery. "More soldiers!"

Sunwhisker drew his hackles, and Flametail nudged Littecloud away. "He's just- just been in the sun too long." he suggested.

Littlecloud reluctantly followed Flametail out of the nursery.

"What do you think you're doing?" Flametail growled as soon as Olivegaze was out of earshot.

"Can't you see them? The dark spirits? They lie in waiting, ready to swoop down and snap us up like easy prey, turning those dead to the dark-"

"Stop it! Every cat in the Clan will think you're as barmy as a loon. Now, you're going to keep quiet and start acting like yourself- or I'm taking over full medicine cat!"

Littlecloud drew back his jaws in a growl. "You wouldn't dare."

"Oh yes I would." Flametail whispered.

Then Brokenpaw ran up to Flametail.

"Have you seen Tigerheart?"

"No, I haven't. He's probably out for a night hunt." Or maybe with Dovefeather again.

"I'm going to look for him." Before Flametail could protest, Brokenpaw was gone.

XXX

Something tells me this is going to end badly… just a hunch. Wow, I've did a lot of updates tonight!

~Lukos