hello hello hello!
this chapter is SHORT i am sorry.
review replies:
readingeevee: they are! she should have been :( and oooo good idea!
somestormleaf: she's alright... it's moonstar u should be worrying about. and yesss! yay! and ooo i might do that
guest: aawww thank u sm! and yes ! u will soon
minty: thank U SM !
dragon: hehehehe u might be right. thanks for the review!
"I am the leader of Thunderclan. I'm sure I can deal with a little pain." Hissed Moonstar, sprawled in the nursery. Daffodilheart sighed.
"You're not invincible, Moonstar. You need to take the herbs." Mewed Daffodilheart, sliding a pawful of herbs over to her. Moonstar looked at them, and hesitated.
"My clan needs these more." She said stubbornly. Daffodilheart shook his head.
"How is your clan going to cope if you die while kitting?" He snapped. Moonstar looked taken aback.
"I have nine lives for a reason." She said. Daffodilheart blinked, and huffed.
"There was this leader." He started, sitting down next to Moonstar. "Echostar, her name was. Before my time, but Ravenwing told me about her. She was pregnant, and she died nine times over whilst kitting. I wouldn't risk it." Moonstar's eyes widened, and she shakily took the herbs. She started to swallow them, but grunted loudly before she could swallow. Daffodilheart's eyes shaded with concern.
"You're close." He mewed. Moonstar nodded, and felt the pain again, sharp and sudden, rumbling through her. "Should I get anyone? Sheepskip? Emberlight?"
Moonstar shook her head. "B-bramblewing." She said, not really knowing why. She assumed her niece would come anyway, to be honest, but she found herself asking for her all the same. Daffodilheart dipped his head in acknowledgement, and left the den.
Moonstar stayed sprawled in her nest, feeling winded. She felt confident that she'd get through it - Daffodilheart and the newly-named Bramblewing were competent medicine cats. But she didn't quite feel ready to have kits yet. Somewhere deep down, she felt like she hadn't sorted herself out yet. She had voices in her head, and blood-red paws seared into her vision. She was managing - just about - as leader. She didn't feel right dragging kits into the world.
She was pulled out of her train of thought by another painful contraction wracking her body. She grunted, and reached out for the stick Daffodilheart had put down next to her nest. She clamped her jaws on the stick, and felt the wood splitter by the force of her teeth. Looking up, she just about registered Daffodilheart and Bramblewing heading over to her, grim expressions on their faces.
"Breath, Moonstar." Whispered Bramblewing in her ear. Moonstar tried to smile, but the pain took over her body again, and she could only grimace. She was faintly aware of Daffodilheart shifting to her hindquarters.
"I can see a kit." Daffodilheart murmured, looking up at Bramblewing. Bramblewing nodded, and pushed the stick back into Moonstar's mouth. Moonstar nodded thankfully, and bit down hard on the stick.
Her legs were suddenly wet, and Daffodilheart made a small, happy noise. "A she-kit!" He purred. Moonstar looked down, and saw a tiny little kit, squirming towards her. It made tiny mewling noises, and she smiled, looking up at Bramblewing. Her niece nodded, and bumped the kit closer to Moonstar's mouth with her forehead. Moonstar fiercely licked the kit, clearing the sliminess from her.
"C-could you get Sheepskip? In a bit." She asked, her mew weak. Bramblewing nodded.
"There's another one!" Called Daffodilheart, and Moonstar pulled away from the kit, biting down on the stick again. She groaned in pain.
"There!" Mewed Daffodilheart triumphantly. "All done. It's a tom." He purred, pushing the kit towards Moonstar. She smoothed her two kits over with licks, smiling up at Bramblewing. Bramblewing smiled, and left her vision. She returned a moment later with Sheepskip, who had obviously been waiting outside the den.
"They're beautiful!" He mewed enthusiastically, curling up right beside her. "And you are, obviously." He continued, words tumbling out. "And strong, and brave, and perfect-"
Moonstar cut him off by licking him on the cheek. "Names." She purred, amused.
"Oh, yeah." Sheepskip said, sitting down. "Names." He repeated, looking at the two kits.
Moonstar looked at the tom, first. He was a light-brown colour, splotted with darker brown patches. She smiled. The blotches reminded her of the mint leaves she chewed when she was stressed. (Which was, admittedly, a lot.)
Looking up at Sheepskip, she made her decision. "Mintkit." She mewed. He nodded, and pressed his cheek to the tiny tom.
"And the other one?" He asked, flicking his ear down at the tiny she-cat. Moonstar looked down, and had a shock. She was the spitting image of Lilyflower, down to the pale-peach paws, and white underbelly. Her pelt was a striking pale ginger, and Moonstar felt a fierce certainty that her eyes would be the same striking amber as her mother's.
"Lilykit." She mewed, licking the tiny she-kit's ear. Sheepskip smiled, and lapped his tongue across her cheek.
"I love it." He said with a grin. "I love them, and I love you." He said, meeting her gaze.
"I love you too." She purred, looking back at the kits. Her kits. She wouldn't let anybody harm them.