Chapter Ten
Jayfeather's P.O.V.:
"Dovewing's kits are coming early!" I screeched before turning tail and dashing back to the medicine cat den. Dovewing was panting scathingly. Without hesitation, I threw myself to the stash of herbs and collected all the medicine used for regular kitting mothers, adding feverfew and borage to fight her fever. I knew it might not be enough. Dovewing wasn't just kitting. She had a case of green cough that had been worsening steadily over the past few days. Giving birth in this condition could easily turn deadly. We need catmint, I thought desperately.
"What can I do to help?" breathed Leafpool, who was suddenly beside me.
"Give these herbs to Dovewing," I instructed, pushing the herbs over to her frantically. "Then go tell Brightheart to check again in the abandoned twoleg nest for catmint."
"Okay," she responded briskly. We both knew that any hope of finding the precious herb would be in vain, but we had to try. It was our only option. We padded back to Dovewing's side quickly. I put my paw on her belly and felt her body writhe in pain.
"Here, eat as much as you can," Leafpool meowed softly to Dovewing.
As I heard Dovewing's tongue lap unwillingly at the herbs, I turned to face Brackenfur. "I'm sorry," I meowed, "but you're going to have to stay here for the kitting." I felt Brackenfur's panic and fear for his Clan mate.
"It's fine, Jayfeather," he wheezed weakly. I whipped back around towards Dovewing. She was moaning quietly, exhaustion already tugging at her.
"Stay strong," I murmured to the she-cat.
"I'll fetch Brightheart and give her your instructions," Leafpool called. I heard her rushing out of the den.
"I'm already so tired," Dovewing admitted hoarsely. "How am I going to do this? Will I be strong enough?"
"You will," I meowed firmly. "Think of the kits. They're depending on you. Eat the rest of your herbs; they will give you strength and bring down your fever. We're going to get you through this, Dovewing."
"Thank you," she murmured faintly. She gasped in a sudden bout of pain and I listened as her claws dug into the soft earth.
"Do you want a stick for when the pain comes?" I offered.
"I doubt I'll have the strength to even bite down," she coughed. Heat was radiating from her, the fever obviously rising. I snatched some moss and dampened it in the pool next to her nest before gently settling it on her forehead. I then sat down, holding my forepaw on her stomach for what felt like hours, just listening to her ragged breathing. Doubt and fear flooded through my mind for a moment. What if we lost her? What about the prophecy? What would happen to the Clan without her? I pushed the thoughts away stubbornly. This was no time to think. There was only time to act.
I sat patiently until at last Leafpool returned with Brightheart. I waited grimly for the news. "There is no catmint," Brightheart said, sounding defeated. I sighed.
"We'll have to ask another Clan," I decided firmly.
"We can't leave Dovewing, though," Leafpool objected. "Only a medicine cat would be greeted into other Clans without claws, and we both know you're not going to leave her like this."
I clawed the ground in frustration. "What will we do then?" I hissed.
"We can do nothing but wait," she replied. "Once Dovewing's has her kits, we'll go fetch some catmint. Perhaps RiverClan would be willing to share, if we explain the situation."
I sighed. "I suppose that's all we can do," I admitted, turning my blind eyes back to Dovewing. We sat in silence, except for the moans and harsh breathing of the sick cats. I stood up only to check on Brackenfur.
"It's moonhigh," Brightheart meowed at last. Dovewing had been in labor since dusk.
Dovewing's breath suddenly became quicker. Her stomach trembled under my paws. "The first kit is coming!" I announced, both relieved and fearful. Please, StarClan let this be quick. Dovewing can't take much longer.
The queen's body shook and I could feel that she was in immense pain, but she had no energy left to yowl. "Just a bit longer," I encouraged. "They'll be out soon."
The first cat soon slipped out, a tom. I cut the sac and pushed him gently towards Leafpool. "Lick," I commanded. Shortly after the first, came the second and third kits. One was another tom and the other a she-kit.
We were all licking madly, trying to keep the kits alive. "Let me see, them," Dovewing murmured at last, as I went to check on her. I was surprised to find she was still conscious, but I knew that would only last so long.
"Have you eaten all your herbs?" I asked first.
"Yes," she answered feebly. "I ate every leaf. I'm so tired, Jayfeather, so very tired. I don't know how I held on so long. I don't know how much longer I will hold on. Just please, let me see my kits."
"Alright," I agreed. I grabbed the she-kit by her scruff and set her down by the queen. Leafpool and Brightheart did the same for the two toms.
"The kits aren't strong enough to move to Dovewing," Leafpool whispered fearfully so only I could hear. My heart missed a beat. I nodded to show I had heard before nosing each kit towards their mother's stomach.
Dovewing began to purr weakly. "Oh, my kits, you are so beautiful," she managed to meow. "I will name you Lakekit, little she-kit." Her voice was becoming more and more quiet. "And you, little tom, I will call you Stripedkit for your tabby pelt. As for you, my youngest kit, I will name you Marshkit." I felt the memories of Tigerheart that were flashing through her mind as she proudly named her kits. She purred feebly once more before I felt her consciousness fade away into dreams. I breathed a sigh of relief. She was still alive…for now.