Chapter 12
"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting!"
Cindercloud yawned, flicking her ears curiously at the sound of Bluestar's summons. Are Bramblekit and Tawnykit finally going to be apprenticed? She stood slowly, her belly very round with the kits she carried, and exited carefully through the re-growing brambles.
"Any day now, huh?" She was greeted by Swiftstep—who had been made a warrior the day after they returned to the camp from RiverClan's territory.
"I hope so." She huffed, sitting awkwardly due to her stomach. Another moon had come and gone, and leaf-fall was upon them. The clan had done well to recover, but traces of soot still dusted the forest, and the cats were skinny from a lack of prey. "If this goes on much longer," she added, "I'm going to die of boredom."
Swiftstep gave her a sympathetic look, and Bluestar began speaking.
"This morning's dawn patrol brought back some troubling news. Dustpelt told me that they've scented rogues on our territory. You did not see them, but you said there appeared to be a good number?"
Dustpelt stood and nodded. "Yes. There were a lot of scents mingled there, as if a large group had stayed there for a time."
Ashpaw, who sat beside his mentor, wrinkled his nose. "They smelled of crowfood and the Thunderpath." Longtail, the third cat on the patrol, nodded his own agreement.
Bluestar dipped her head gravely. "You are to keep your eyes and ears open for any signs of them. Rogues are not welcome on ThunderClan territory—especially not now."
"Which reminds me, Bluestar," Tigerclaw stepped forward his amber eyes sharp. "I've scented RiverClan across ThunderClan's border—multiple times now. What are we to do about this?"
Bluestar looked troubled. "You are not the first cat to speak of this, Tigerclaw. So keep that in mind as well. RiverClan are bound to be seeking payment for their help during the fire. We must let them know that while we are grateful, they are not welcome here."
Mews of consent and approval rippled through the Clan, and Cindercloud cast a curious glance at Fireheart, who was whispering urgently in Graystripe's ear.
"If anyone sees so much as a glimpse of rogues or enemy warriors on ThunderClan territory, you know what to do." With that, Bluestar slid off of the Highrock, and the clan dispersed. Tigerclaw gathered Whitestorm and Brightpaw for a sunhigh patrol, and Darkstripe pulled together a hunting patrol with Runningwind and Swiftstep. Fireheart joined Cindercloud when Swiftstep left.
"Fancy anything particular for supper tonight?"
Cindercloud's whiskers twitched in amusement. "And if I do? Are you going to stay out there hunting until you catch it?"
Fireheart purred. "Maybe."
"Blue squirrel."
Frieheart rolled his eyes, but his tail curled. "Nice try."
Cindercloud sighed. "A cat can dream, can't she?" The flame-pelted tom licked her ear, before calling to Graystripe and Brackenfur and leaving on a hunting patrol of his own. Cindercloud sighed. I'm definitely going to die of boredom.
By the time Fireheart and his patrol got back, the sun was slipping down behind the trees, taking most of the warmth with it. With a small shiver, Cindercloud realized that the leaf-fall chill was finally beginning hit.
Fireheart padded over to her, dropping a squirrel at her paws. "It's not blue, but…"
Cindercloud purred. "Thank-you, Fireheart." They ate together in a companionable silence, Cindercloud not having time to utter a word as she inhaled the squirrel. It wasn't the plumpest meal she'd eaten, and with a regretful sigh, she amended that with leaf-fall setting in, prey was bound to get thinner.
"Fireheart!" Tigerclaw stalked over to them, and Cindercloud felt Fireheart press closer against her swollen flank. "Evening patrol with Sandstorm and Fernpaw. Now."
"Yes, Tigerclaw." Fireheart muttered, standing up. "I'll see you later, Cindercloud." He sighed, licking her ear before turning and leaving to meet Sandstorm and her apprentice at the gorse tunnel.
Cindercloud sighed, getting up and stretching, careful as ever of her stomach. Feeling tired, she decided to go ahead and sleep, turning and pushing her way into the nursery. Willowpelt was already settled in her nest, and Goldenflower's kits were curled in their mother's nest, obediently sleeping (or pretending to do so) as their mother went to the dirt-place.
"Getting some sleep?" Willowpelt asked, sounding drowsy herself.
"Hopefully." Cindercloud answered, circling her nest slowly a few times before lying down. As she did so, a pang shot through her stomach, and the dark gray queen shifted uncomfortably. After a moment, another—this one much worse—followed the first. Willowpelt pricked her ears as Cindercloud whimpered softly, slowly getting up and joining her. After a moment's pause, she suddenly whispered, "The kits are coming…!"
Cindercloud felt her heart pounding in her chest. "They are?" She squeaked, blinking wide blue eyes as the older queen.
"Yes," Willowpelt breathed. "Stay here, I'll go get Yellowfang."
As soon as the older queen was gone, Bramblekit and Tawnykit were up, asking far too many questions, far too quickly. Cindercloud was trying her best to just keep breathing, and before she knew it, Yellowfang was beside her.
"Alright, Cindercloud, are you ready to have some kits?" The old she-cat pressed her paws gently against her swollen stomach, before nodded. "Everything will be fine, we'll be done before you can say 'mouse'."
"Really?" Tawnykit piped up.
Yellowfang growled, motioning to Willowpelt. "Get them out of here."
"Yes, Yellowfang." Willowpelt quickly did as she was told, ushering the older kits out.
"Now take deep breaths, Cindercloud, and when I say so, push like StarClan themselves came down and told you to…" Cindercloud managed a small nod through the pain, and as the next ripples passed through her flank, Yellowfang mewed, "Push!"
Never in her life had Cindercloud imagined this being so hard. Now she knew why queens were so well taken care of. But before she knew it, Yellowfang was announcing the birth of her third and final kit.
"Congratulations, Cindercloud." Yellowfang purred. "You've done great."
Cindercloud lay still for a moment, trying to catch her breath before she raised her head, blinking warmly at the three small kits that Yellowfang guided to her stomach. "Two toms and a she-cat." The old medicine cat mewed. Purring loudly, Cindercloud nosed all of them in turn. First, the dark ginger tom, his fur a rich, reddish orange as it dried. Then, his brother, with a pale silver tabby coat that still looked as dark as Cindercloud's own in most places. Finally, their much smaller sister, with a dark, dark gray pelt. As she watched with veiled concern, Yellowfang bent and sniffed the small she-cat again.
"Is she alright?" Cindercloud mewed, noticing while her other two kits were mewling and squirming closer, while the smallest kit let out only one pathetic mewl, before laying still. Cindercloud felt a paralyzing fear strike her heart, chilling her to the bone.
"I'm sorry, Cindercloud…" Yellowfang murmured, touching her nose to the still kit. "We've lost her."
"No…" Cindercloud whispered. Willowpelt moved closer, resting her tail across the younger queen's shoulders as she tipped back her head and wailed.
"Hush, hush…" Willowpelt cooed, licking Cindercloud's ears. "You have to think of your other two, Cindercloud… They need you."
She felt small paws kneading her stomach, and Cindercloud took a deep, shuddering breath. "StarClan, receive her well..." She nudged the silver tabby closer to her stomach, bending and licking the two toms gently in turn.
"I'll go get some borage." Yellowfang rasped. Cindercloud looked away as she took the lifeless form of her youngest kit and carried her away. Willowpelt stayed with her until Fireheart showed up, rushing into the nursery and covering her face and ears with licks.
"Are you alright?" He asked, his green eyes wide with worry.
"I'm… Fine, I think…" Cindercloud murmured. "But Fireheart, I-"
"Shh…" He rested his muzzle against hers. "I know. Yellowfang told me. It's not your fault, Cindercloud… It's not your fault…"
Cindercloud bowed her head, before turning her clouded blue gaze back to her two healthy kits. "We have two toms." She mewed softly. She licked them both again, making sure they were warm as the fed.
"And they're the most beautiful kits in the world." Fireheart purred, curling around her in her soft nest.
"We should name them…" Cindercloud yawned, resting her head on Fireheart forelegs. He licked her cheek gently.
"We'll name them after you rest." He murmured, aware of Willowpelt dozing in her nest, and Goldenflower urging her own kits to settle down and sleep. "You need your sleep."
Cinercloud was about to object, but a wave of fatigue washed over her, and she found herself murmuring a quiet agreement as she slipped into a peaceful sleep.
Take good care of her, StarClan…
So there's Chapter 12(: I was a little iffy about writing a full, detailed birth scene, so sorry if I kind of skimmed over that… Oh well, I suppose(: Things are about to get interesting…!