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Chapter Twenty
"Maplefoot, we will need you and Midnightclaw to go into the forest. I don't know where the foxes are going to come from, but it's a safe bet you'll be safe in there. I, Oaktooth, and Treespots will guard the entrances to the forest, and fight the foxes away from you, long enough so you can kit." Cherryflower announced to the small group of five.
"Yes, and then we must kill Birdstar." Maplefoot growled grimly.
"If we have time." Midnightclaw assured.
"Is everything understood?" Cherryflower meowed, standing up.
"Yes!" Everyone shouted in unison.
XxXxX
Evening was clinging to the air, which was sticky and damp. There was going to be a storm soon. The scent of rain and fox lingered in the air.
Maplefoot felt like she was being weighed down by her belly. She wished she could be in the nursery, like Moonwhisper.
Birdstar had left several minutes ago, with a suspicious look on her face. Why was no cat stopping her?
Thunder boomed in the distance, which was soon followed by heavy rain. Maplefoot shivered. She was leaning on Midnightclaw's shoulder. He was stroking her head with his tongue to calm her. Cherryflower, Oaktooth, and Treespots were surrounding her.
All seemed eerily still, until suddenly, a swarm of foxes burst through the entrance of the forest, snarling and spitting. The yowl of alarmed cats filled the air, then a huge battle rang out.
Midnightclaw didn't hesitate, he helped Maplefoot as fast as he could, into the forest, slashing away any foxes that came near him. The black tom made sure that their plan was working. He looked back and saw Oaktooth fighting back a fox, clawing down on its nose with his claw.
Out of the corner of her eyes, Maplefoot saw a scrawny fox running toward her, its teeth baring. She ran away, leaving Midnightclaw to look for her.
Her belly dragged her down. Her heart was pounding, and she quickly lost her breath. She started to slow down. She was getting dizzy. Eventually, she flopped down, sides heaving. The fox was ready to sink its teeth into her belly. She batted it away lazily with one paw. It drew away from her.
A horrible pain swelled in her belly. It was time for her kits to come. Where was Midnigthclaw? Despite the fox that was still glaring at her hungrily, she tried to bear her kits. She was struggling. The fox started to claw at her, teeth smashing at her stomach. She felt its fangs crunch into her belly. She let out a horrified scream.
"Maplefoot!" Midnightclaw cried. He pounced on the fox, ripping at its sides and biting at its neck. The fox was sent scurrying away, squealing like a lost kit. "Are you alright?"
She nodded weakly, trying to assure him, despite the searing pain that was in her stomach. Midnightclaw saw a tiny kit, squirming blindly, crying out for milk. He licked it quickly to warm it up.
Out came another. It was too dark and rainy to see what they looked like. But, luckily, by the sound of things, they were each healthy. Both were mewling loud, out of fear.
"Keep going, Maplefoot. You can do it." Midnightclaw insisted, worry coming off of him intensly. He kept on licking the two kits. The rain was cold, which was bound to make them cold again. He tried to shield them from the rain.
Maplefoot yowled as two huge foxes were tearing at her stomach, leaving deep gashes and claw marks scarred all over her body.
Midnightclaw took the kits closer to his mate, then batted and snarled at the two foxes that were clawing at Maplefoot. He was still fighting the two, a battle that looked as if he was going to lose, as Maplefoot struggled to live.
She was heavily breathing, looking around with a confused expression. Her neck and stomach were all bloody. She looked in fear at her mate as he drove away the foxes.
He sat, keeping watch for any more foxes. He heard the sound of crackling leaves. He arched his back and started to snarl. But, he relaxed when the shape revealed itself to be Cherryflower.
Midnightclaw looked back at his mate worriedly. Two more kits were suckling, squealing quietly every now and then.
"I'll take the kits. Take care of her; she's note done kitting yet." Cherryflower was about to walk away.
"How is the camp?" Midnightclaw asked. He wanted to know how much of the foxes had been driven off.
"There's a lot of foxes, and they're all going for the nursery of the forest. We're tiring them, luckily. Good luck, you two." With a nod, she left, carrying the bundle of kits with her.
Midnightclaw growled as the stench of fox overwhelmed his senses. He didn't hesitate, as soon as the fox appeared, he bit it on the throat, a move warriors should never use unless in an emergency; this was definitely a time to use it.
Finally, the last kit was screaming at Maplefoot's stomach, wailing because it couldn't get any milk. Maplefoot looked even worse. She had lost too much blood; she was pale and gasping for breath.
Midnightclaw felt Cherryflower brush against him, picking up the final kit. He looked at his mate in horror as the medicine cat walked away. "Maplefoot, please don't die." He pleaded, as if those simple words could fix things.
"Midnightclaw, take care of our kits." She rasped, her blue-green eyes glimmering at him weakly.
"Maplefoot, you can still make it! Don't give up!" He begged her, tears rolling down his face.
Suddenly, something was pulling him back by the tail. He looked back, and in the darkness was his leader. "What are you doing?" He yelled, trying to pull away. She was too strong, and every time he pulled away, she only gripped his tail tighter.
She didn't say anything, but she looked over to two big foxes, who came running for Maplefoot. Midnightclaw heard her scream in pain.
"Get off of her! Let her go!" Midnightclaw struggled, but was forced to watch helplessly as the two foxes attacked his love.
He rolled away from Birdstar, her releasing his tail. He lunged at the foxes angrily. He killed them with one swift bite.
Fury burnt in his eyes. He threw himself at Birdstar, hissing fiercely. He clawed at her side. He quickly snapped her leg like a twig. It was like StarClan was lending strange powers to him.
She knocked him down with a paw, watching as he squirmed under her grasp. "It doesn't matter if you kill me. She will still die." She mewed, flicking her tail at Maplefoot.
"No!" He roared. Midnightclaw attached him onto her back, digging his claws into her fur, claws unsheathed. She threw him off easily.
"Why are you doing this?" He demanded.
"Her mother stole my love! We were best friends when we were apprentices, and she betrayed me! She knows I love him, and she took him!" Birdstar spat.
"Why take it out on her?"
"She's their daughter! She exactly like Moonwhisper! At first I wanted to turn her own brother against her, but that failed. She must die!" She started to leap for Maplefoot, only to be stopped by Midnightclaw.
"Not before you." He growled. He bit his leader in the throat. She let out a spasm and went limp. That was her last life. He quickly rushed over to Maplefoot, whose breaths were short. Her eyes were getting cloudy.
"Maplefoot, please no!" He yowled.
"Midnightclaw, you've avenged me. Thank you." She took a deep breath. "But, I must leave you. I'm sorry."
"Maplefoot, please don't give up!" Quickly and hastily, he grabbed her scruff and dragged her to camp. Everything was strangely quiet. Had they driven off all the foxes, or were they defeated?
He ran into Cherryflower's den, glad to see everyone was okay. They stared at Maplefoot's limp body in shock. "Save her!" He demanded to the frightened she-cat.
She nodded hesitantly, after looking at Maplefoot. Treespots rushed over and let the kits suckle at their mother's belly.
Maplefoot weakly smiled, looking at each of her kits. "These kits have my blessing. Let them know that I love them." She licked each one, each stroke taking her a huge amount of effort.
Cherryflower stopped, watching the young queen lick her kits. She bowed her head, tears dripping on the soft ground. "She can't make it."