Nightbreeze liked Nursery life a lot more than sleeping with Froststar. He left her alone, all she had for company was Grayleaf, who was due to have her kits any day now, and was a great conversationalist. Nightbreeze got fed a lot of prey, mostly brought to her by Squirrelstorm to share with Grayleaf, and it was wonderful. Nightbreeze's stomach was now rather swollen, one and a half moons in herself. She could feel the kits stir inside of her. She could count at least three in there, although she thought there might be more.
She was very nervous for her kitting. Many kits, especially for a new queen, usually meant trouble. Would Goldensong have enough herbs and medicines for her when the kits came? She didn't know. Grayleaf always seemed to know what was on Nightbreeze's mind, and assured her that Goldensong knew what she was doing.
The next day, Nightbreeze witnessed firsthand a birth. Grayleaf gave birth to three healthy kits. There was a calico tom named Leafkit, a calico she-cat named Fallenkit, and a ginger she-cat named Maplekit. The first few days, they were rather noisy and annoying, unable to talk or open their eyes or do anything besides nurse. Squirrelstorm visited the Nursery almost twice a day to see his kits, and it left the Nursery rather cramped. Still, she tolerated it.
Soon enough, they were up on their paws, and since Grayleaf couldn't play with all of them, Nightbreeze was deemed the official fort to crawl on. She didn't mind all that much, although it left her awful tired at the end of the day. After a day of letting Fallenkit and Leafkit play tug of war with her tail, she was exhausted.
When she fell asleep, she opened her eyes to a place she wasn't sure she knew about. She looked up, and there were no stars, just dense trees whose dead branches blocked out the sky, if there even was one. Where was she? She worriedly padded through this forest, hoping to find the sky soon.
"Nightbreeze, CliffClan warrior." There was a voice behind her. She turned, and her eyes widened in horror. It was the very same cat that ruined her first apprentice ceremony. The scars looked even more horrible close up.
"Who are you?" Nightbreeze asked cautiously, staring at her defensively.
"My name is Oaksong. You don't know me. I was a CliffClan queen a long, long time ago. Before your mother's mothers were in their own mother's bellies." She said.
"What do you want with me? Why do you keep following me?" She asked.
"I am here, because I can give you what you want. And, you have what I want." Oaksong said, walking around her. Nightbreeze stood in place, keeping an eye on her, her ears flattened and her fur rising.
"What do you want?" Nightbreeze asked.
"Your mate's kits." Oaksong said plainly. "I never got the chance to be a mother, and I have learned how to have them, even beyond death. In return...Froststar will die."
Nightbreeze wanted nothing more than Froststar's death. He was the cause of her pain, he didn't love her, he was evil. She looked at her stomach.
"They're your mate's kits." Oaksong said. "I know these things."
Nightbreeze looked at her, and then at her stomach. She closed her eyes. She didn't want these kits anyway. Why should she hesitate?
"Okay." She finally said, looking back at Oaksong. "You can have them."
Oaksong smiled at her.
"Good, dear. I knew you would come around." She said. Oaksong walked over and touched her nose to Nightbreeze's side. Pain racked her entire body and she felt horrible cramps in her lower body.
"What's happening?" She asked, falling to her paws.
"Well, I can't just remove them. You'll have to give birth to them, yourself." She said. Nightbreeze panted, gasping at another wave of pain through her body. Oaksong sat next to her, setting a paw on her stomach.
"I'll guide you through this." She promised. Nightbreeze flattened her ears. All she had was this shady she-cat to help her through birth.
"I've done it myself, dear. Trust me." Oaksong murmured. Nightbreeze ignored her as she shuddered again.
"Push." Oaksong's voice rasped in her ear. She did as she was asked, and she pushed something out of her. There was a second cat there, a second set of paws that took the first kit from her and began licking it clean. She gasped and shuddered.
"Push." The second one came out. Alright, one more….Nightbreeze looked up at the tree branches, gasping for air, tears streaming down her face.
But there was more than one more. There were three more. Three kits that Nightbreeze got to briefly look at before she woke up. There was a silver tabby she-cat, a black tom, a grey she-cat, a dark gray tom, and a white she-cat.
She looked just like her father.
Nightbreeze woke up to the sound of Grayleaf's frantic voice.
"Someone get Goldensong! Nightbreeze's kits are gone!" Nightbreeze was exhausted. She looked behind herself. Her nest was bloody. She wanted to tell Grayleaf everything was fine, but she held her tongue. No one needed to know what she did. This would be her secret, and hers alone.
The medicine cat came running and examined Nightbreeze. She pushed and prodded and Nightbreeze bit her tongue so she wouldn't yelp in pain.
"Her kits...they're gone." Goldensong finally said softly. "I'm so sorry, Nightbreeze."
Nightbreeze knew she had to play the mourning mother and let out a soft sob.
"My kits...my poor kits…" She cried into her paws, playing rather well. Goldensong comforted her and brought her poppy seeds. Nightbreeze ate them gratefully, knowing they would bring her sleep. She only hoped she did not go back to that forest with no stars.
She woke up to Froststar licking her pelt clean. He seemed distressed. Fox-dung on him. He would have his fate coming.
"How are you feeling?" He fretted. "Do you need more prey?"
"I'm fine." She said. "Although, I am quite hungry." She yawned, licking her lips a little. Her stomach felt empty, but she wasn't sure if it was the birthing or if it was because she was hungry. However, it seemed to be the right thing to say, for he was gone and she was able to nap in peace.
Grayleaf doted over her and made sure she was comfortable. Nightbreeze was grateful for her newfound friend, and shared her prey with her as much as the calico queen would let her. Eventually, Froststar came back and made sure she was comfortable. He changed her nest himself and made her comfortable. She didn't mind. She didn't want to move nests back to the warrior's den quite yet.
Still, she wondered what Oaksong would do with the kits. What would a dead cat want with kits? Are the kits now dead, too? What had Nightbreeze done?