Chapter Twenty

Oakstar sat silent and still, keeping watch over the camp from outside the nursery. With every passing heartbeat, the sun sunk lower into the cloudy sky.

"You're doing fine, Spottedrose," Dewdrop's soothing voice cooed from inside the warmth of the nursery. Spottedrose had shocked the whole clan with her premature kitting. It was far too soon for them to survive, and the entire clan was growing worried. She had started around dawn, and with each passing hour her own survivability was growing thin.

"Should I fetch more water?" Foxstreak's anxious meow sounded, close to the den entrance from the inside. Oakstar could barely see her ginger fur through the branches of the den.

"Yes, please! It's become far too crowded with you here," Dewdrop scolded, her tone changing from calm to irritated in a flash. Foxstreak's orange fur bumped into Oakstar as she quickly backed out of the den.

"Oops! Sorry!" she gasped as she bounded away out of the clearing. Oakstar watched where she disappeared for a few seconds before sticking his broad shoulders into the nursery.

Spottedrose was still the only expecting queen, giving Dewdrop plenty of room to work with her as she kitted. "I thought I told you it was too crowded," Dewdrop snapped as she turned around to look at Oakstar.

"It seems like you have plenty of room," he scoffed, his broad shoulders blocking the den entrance.

Dewdrop sighed, turning back to Spottedrose. "Foxstreak is nice and all, she is just under my paws," Dewdrop meowed. Oakstar was well aware how close of a bond his daughter had with the fiery orange she-cat. They had been friends since they were apprentices.

"Foxstreak just worries, as do I," Oakstar murmured, stretching his neck to try and catch a glimpse of Spottedrose. She was stretched on her side, her pelt spiked and radiating powerful heat.

"Well you shouldn't worry! I know what I'm doing," Dewdrop grunted as she pressed along Spottedrose's flank. She chirped in surprise as she felt a strong contraction under her paws. "Here comes the first one," the Breezeclan medicine cat gasped as another strong ripple passed over the queen's flank.

Oakstar watched in a shocked silence as Spottedrose delivered her first kit. After so much straining and pushing, it finally appeared. Underneath all the dirt and blood, it was a pure white she-kit! Oakstar's pelt prickled at similarities she shared with Blizzardstar.

"Stop staring like a daft squirrel and help me!" Dewdrop hissed, flicking her tail tip over Oakstar's nose. The massive brown and white tabby pushed in a little further, hoping he wouldn't be too large to fit into the den.

Spottedrose looked completely worn down, but she started to twist around as Oakstar neared. "Is the kit... is it ok," her voice cracked with pure exhaustion.

"Your kit is fine," Dewdrop mewed as she started to shred up some leaves for Spottedrose to eat. "Start licking the kit," Dewdrop instructed Oakstar as she picked up the kit and placed it at his paws.

The fur along his spine spiked as he stared down at the she-kit. She looked almost exactly like Blizzardstar, even down to her long and plume-like whiskers.

"Just do it!" Dewdrop growled, sensing her leader's hesitation. Immediately, he leaned down and started to lick the kit's fur the wrong way. In response, the little kit started to squirm and squeak under Oakstar's tongue. She was so incredibly tiny, it was a surprise to him that she was even alive at all.

"Here comes the other," Dewdrop mewed encouragingly as Spottedrose strained against the powerful contraction. Oakstar watched as Dewdrop bent down and picked up a sizeable black tom. As he had stopped to watch, the tiny white she-cat had started to move and squeak as she looked for the warmth of her mother.

"This she-kit is a feisty one," Oakstar commented, feeling a warmth flare inside him. Despite his fury at IceClan and their ignorant leader, he could not feel anything but love for his daughter and her kits. Even though they had been born extremely early, with the odds set against them, they were still alive.

"They are beautiful," he mewed, nudging Spottedrose with his paw. She rolled over slowly, her eyes dull with exhaustion. The white she-kit squeaked and tried to crawl towards Spottedrose, but she was too extremely tiny. Oakstar scooted her closer to her belly with his paw.

"Oh, Blizzardstar," Spottedrose sighed as she closed her eyes and started to drift into immediate sleep. Dewdrop turned and started to herd Oakstar out of the den, silencing his protests with low growls.

"She must rest now, you can see her again in the morning," she meowed as they exited the den. The sky was starting to darken with night, the shining stars of silver pelt slowly starting to appear with the approaching darkness.

"How can she think of Blizzardstar now, when she is back in BreezeClan with cats that care about her," Oakstar meowed desperately, feeling anger swamp him once more.

"He cares about her too," Dewdrop mewed simply, "they both seem convinced to show you that our kin are better off living in peace."

Oakstar flinched, "it sounds like you feel that way too. I'm only doing what's best for our clan," he growled.

Dewdrop flicked her tail angrily, turning to stare into Oakstar's leafy green eyes. "I'm sure the battle that killed Lilybloom was best for our clan," Dewdrop spat, "I know she had to see SOMETHING in you, to love you like she did."

Oakstar stayed silent, his eyes wide with shock. Dewdrop held his gaze, her tail still flicking all about. "If she was still here, I'm sure none of this would be happening! As far as I am concerned, I'm the only one doing what's best for our Clan," she meowed harshly.

"What do you mean?" he asked seriously. Dewdrop flicked her tail, obviously not willing to tell Oakstar about what she had done that previous night. The fact that she had poisoned Spottedrose was already unforgiveable, but she knew that Oakstar would not see why she had to do it. Even though her plan had failed, the kits were weak. There was a still a chance that they could join StarClan in the next few days. Oakstar was shaking his head, a growl rising in his throat.

"It doesn't matter! The only way to fix any of this is to kill all of IceClan! Only then, will my family live in peace," Oakstar meowed loudly. Dewdrop sighed as Oakstar turned and padded away. She had gotten away with it!

In the morning, Oakstar would meet with Hailstorm to discuss an invasion on IceClan. Ever so slowly, the final battle was becoming a dreadful reality.