Goldenstar's POV

"Yes!" I yowled as my blood pulsed throughout my body, energy cackling and sizzling as I hit the ground. "Silverskip! Mothfeather! They are coming!"

I watched as Mothfeather bolted to my side, pushing me up and allowing me to lean most of my weight against her as she walked me to the Nursery. Ursula and Foxtail rushed out, nudging their kits forward as they glanced and nodded in my direction. Swancry followed them, her eyes glowing as she flicked her tail in my direction.

"May StarClan be with your kits," Swancry purred.

"Thanks," I wheezed, collapsing into the feathers and mossy bedding of the Nursery. I groaned as a spasm began shaking throughout my body.

"I'll get you a stick," Mothfeather turned around, bolting out of the Nursery. "I'll be back right away."

I nodded, my heart beating fast as the pain rolled throughout my body. Mom had to be watching, her chest puffed out with pride as I was giving birth to the next leader of DragonClan. I gritted my teeth as I pushed through, thinking of her bright green eyes and warm expression staring down at me.

"My daughter," I could imagine her purring. "You are doing so well."

The spell broke as Silverskip slowly stepped into the Nursery, his wide green eyes staring at me as if I was a birthing fox.

"Well, well," I managed to growl. "We meet again, after all these m-moons of you ignoring me."

"Goldenstar, this isn't…" Silverskip's wide gaze faltered, before he shook his head.

"Go on," I felt my voice dripping with venom. "Tell me that these kits should've never been born. Or better yet, turn your back on your leader because you think it's what StarClan would want."

"StarClan wouldn't want m-me to turn m-my back on kits," Silverskip stepped forward, his paws shakily resting over my belly. "Just breathe deeply and push, Goldenstar. Darkheart is waiting outside the Nursery as we speak."

Darkheart, I purred as I imagined the fluffy tom pacing outside of the Nursery. My thoughts towards Silverskip faded away as I thought back to the nights Darkheart spent at my side, the night he confessed his love for me. My heart pitter-pattered, and I almost forgot to listen to Silverskip when I felt another spasm of pain wrack my entire body. With Ivorystar and Darkheart on my mind, I yowled as I pushed my body to its limit. Mothfeather stormed in, giving me the branch to bite down on as tears came to my eyes.

"The first one is coming," Silverskip let go of my stomach, walking out of sight. "Mothfeather, come pull this kit out and lick it clean."

Mothfeather joined him out of sight, and my heart soared as I heard a loud mewl nearby. My first kit! Was it a tom, a she-cat? Would they be the next leader?

Mothfeather placed a white she-kit with grey ears in front of me, licking the kit fiercely before placing her at my belly. I felt my body push several more times, my heart flying higher and higher as I felt three more kits exiting my body. A black she-kit, a dark grey tom, and a creamy yellow she-kit, all placed beside their sister as they nursed at my belly. Sure, only one was a tom, but I had been blessed with four kits. How could StarClan not want this?

"Congratulations, Goldenstar," Mothfeather nodded in my direction. "Do you want me to bring Darkheart in now?"

"Yes, please," I giggled. "Before the poor tom passes out."

Mothfeather left the Nursery, and Silverskip glanced at me with those wary green eyes once more. I opened my mouth, thinking of any biting words I had for him, and came with nothing. After all, nothing could put a damper on what I had just experienced. The future leader of DragonClan was here, and they had three amazing siblings to grow up with. Silverskip broke eye contact, walking out of the Nursery. Not several seconds later, Darkheart tumbled into the Nursery, stumbling forward and pressing his muzzle against mine in an explosion of dizzying happiness and loud purring.

"You did it," Darkheart licked my forehead.

"As if you had any doubt," I snickered.

"Well, I didn't forget what happened with your siblings," Darkheart admitted, my body tensing up as I remembered my mother's sharp gaze baring into me all those seasons ago. "But this time'll be different. We can make Meredith's kits apprentices a moon early, train them vigorously to defend the Clan if PhoenixClan comes back. Perhaps that's what your Mother would want."

Would it be?

"I…" Send me a sign!

"Goldenstar!" I saw Boltkit dive into the Nursery, Skykit and Fogkit following shortly behind. Meredith came in, scooping the three of them to her side.

"Ruffians!" Meredith playfully pawed at her sons, shaking her head as she glanced up at me. "Sorry about them, Goldenstar. The kits have just been raving about having more playmates in the Nursery."

"It's not a problem," I purred. "Meredith, I want to make your kits apprentices a moon early. Only if you and Andy are okay with it."

"Oh? I would love that!" Meredith's eyes lit up. "Not to mention, Boltkit has been raring to become an apprentice. I know you had planned on her apprenticing him, but I'm guessing that's changed."

"It has, she must expect Moonblaze's kits before anything else," I nodded. "Tell your mate, and bring the Clan to the Nursery entrance for the ceremony. We must be naming our kits."

Meredith nodded, turning around and leading her sons out of the Nursery with an eager flick of her tail. I glanced down at the white she-kit, knowing what to name her.

"This one will be Ivorykit," I decided. "What did you want to name the others?"

"We can name the black she-kit Ravenkit," Darkheart whispered, his eyes glancing away as he was lost in thought. "And the dark grey tom can be Couragekit, and the cream she-kit…"

I glanced down at her, my heart fluttering at the name that came to my mind. The promise in her eyes that I had many moons ago when I started training to become leader myself, the light.

"How about Lightkit?" I suggested, and Darkheart's eyes lit up as he leaned forward, licking all four of our kits.

"That's beautiful," Darkheart pulled back, gently nudging the kits closer to my belly. "Welcome to the world Ivorykit, Couragekit, Ravenkit, and Lightkit."

"You called for us?" Swancry walked into the Nursery, her eyes widening as she nearly jumped. "Four kits! Congratulations, Goldenstar! What are their names?"

"Ivorykit, Couragekit, Ravenkit, and Lightkit," I answered as loudly as I could to the small amount of warriors and Queens gathered at the Nursery entrance. "With Meredith and Andy's blessing, I will make their sons into apprentices."

I could hear the yowls and cheers, barely making out Moonblaze and his whore in the back of the group. With his latest responsibility, the tom wouldn't be able to take another apprentice. And I didn't have so many options, given that I wasn't sure about making her parents mentors after the incident with Weak-Eye and Daisyfire. Perhaps I'd give them Ursula's kits, if they earned the right. But for now, I had to keep an eye on them both for obvious reasons.

"Boltkit, you will now be Boltpaw," I announced. "Sandypelt, with your firm and unwavering dedication to being a warrior, I trust that you will shape this promising tom in your image."

"And trust me you shall," Sandypelt purred, leaning forward and pressing his nose to his new apprentice. "I won't let you down."

"Skykit, you are now Skypaw," I glanced in Mistbreeze's direction. "Mistbreeze, mentor in him the skills to be the calm in the storm. The warrior that can handle battle with ease."

"I will," Mistbreeze nodded as Skypaw jumped to his side.

"And sweet Fogkit, you are now Fogpaw," I stared at the fluffy white tom, his eyes wide as he took everything in. "Tansynose, despite your last apprentice, I will be giving you a second chance at mentorship. Don't make me regret it."

"Y-You won't," Tansynose glanced at her former apprentice beside Moonblaze, her eyes wide before her eyes then landed on Fogpaw. "I promise."

"Boltpaw! Skypaw! Fogpaw!"

"Ivorykit! Ravenkit! Couragekit! Lightkit!"

The name chanting of Meredith's sons and my own kits drowned each other in an incoherent blend of sounds, causing me to chuckle as I glanced at Darkheart. Then, my heart dropped as Moonblaze stepped forward with his whore in tow. The dark grey tom nodded his head in my direction, while his whore refused to meet my eyes.

"Congratulations, Goldenstar," Moonblaze purred. "This is a wonderful development."

"Thank you," My eyes landed on the beast beside him, my claws unsheathing as my fur bristled. "Meet my eyes, you animal."

The beast's wide amber eyes landed on me, her ears flattened and her fur tensing up as if my existence itself was a threat to her life.

"You will be having Moonblaze's kits within the next two moons if you want to stay," I snarled. "Time is ticking, you traitorous bitch."