A Few Moons Earlier
"You're almost there, Dawnflower! Just one more push should do it." Morningpetal meowed encouragingly. Her apprentice, Nightsong, watched with nervous anticipation as Dawnflower clenched her teeth and gave one final heave as ordered. A small, wet dark tortoiseshell bundle tumbled into the nest, and the black and white medicine cat quickly began licking it.
"It's a she-cat!" Morningpetal declared, placing the tiny kit beside Dawnflower's belly. In an instant, she snuggled up beside her mother and began to suckle.
"How many more?" Nightsong asked, ready to move if she was called to duty again.
Morningpetal felt along Dawnflower's flank with her paw. "There's two more coming!" She declared, and Dawnflower's eyes widened in terror.
"C'mon, you can do it, Dawnflower." Morningpetal encouraged, and Dawnflower did as the older medicine cat had instructed.
After what felt like hours of pushing and yowls of pain, Dawnflower finally relaxed when the final two kittens were born.
"Congratulations, you have three healthy she-cats." Morningpetal declared, and Nightsong quickly began licking the two she-cats to get them dry.
"Are they here yet? How's Dawnflower doing?" Nightson's thoughts were cut off as Dawnflower's mate, Ravenclaw, pushed his way into the nursery. The black tom's eyes lit up when he saw his daughters.
"There beautiful!" He meowed, looking down at the three small kits, Dawnflower smiled tiredly up at him as he licked the top of her head.
"What do you think of Stormkit for the tortoiseshell, Rainkit for the blue-gray one, and Willowkit for the black one?" Dawnflower asked, still not removing her eyes from her kits. It was almost as if she was worried that they would disappear if she looked away for even a fraction of a heartbeat.
"There perfect." Ravenclaw purred, bending his head forward to lick his mate between the ears.
"Stormkit, Rainkit, and Willowkit, welcome to NightClan little ones." Dawnflower meowed softly, finally tearing her gaze away from the three small kittens suckling at her belly and looking Ravenclaw in the eye.
"Stormkit, Rainkit, and Willowkit it is then." Dawnflower meowed softly, finally tearing her gaze away from the three small kittens suckling at her belly and looking Ravenclaw in the eye.
A few nests away, Cinderkit wriggled herself free from Willowstorm's grasp and stumbled over to see her new denmates. The dark gray she-cat had been born only a few days before and had just opened her eyes the previous morning. Nightsong watched as she blundered up to Dawnflower's nest, staring at Stormkit, Rainkit, and Willowkit with a look of awe and curiosity in her eyes.
"When will they be ready to play?" Cinderkit mewed, reaching out to prod Stormkit with her paw. Nightsong moved her away before she could, however, and Dawnflower shot her a grateful look.
"They won't be ready until they open their eyes." The black and white medicine cat apprentice informed her, biting back a purr of amusement at the crestfallen look on her face. "Don't worry, Cinderkit. They'll be out and about before you know it. Kits usually open their eyes fairly quickly." Nightsong meowed, smiling down at the small dark gray she-cat, who smiled softly.
Morningpetal opened her mouth to respond, only to be interrupted as two of the older kits, Spottedkit and Ashkit, came barreling into the nursery followed closely behind by their mothers, Silverberry and Moonstream. The two kittens screeched to a halt at the sight of Kestrelkit, Rainkit and Willowkit, staring at their new denmates with a mixture of awe and fascination. Spottedkit went to prod Stormkit with her paw, but a warning look from Silverberry stopped her.
"Who are they?" Ashkit mewed curiously.
"There names are Stormkit, Rainkit, and Willowkit," Dawnflower answered.
"There going to be your new denmates until you and Spottedkit become apprentices," Moonstream added before turning around and scanning the nursery. "Now, has anyone seen Finchkit anywhere?"
"Probably hiding in the nest again," Ashkit meowed scornfully. "Finchkit's no fun. He never wants to play with anyone."
"Ashkit!" Moonstream scolded. "That's your brother you're talking about here. Don't be so rude."
"Sorry," The small tabby kitten mewed. Privately, however, Nightsong thought Ashkit had a bit of a point. Of course, she didn't believe it was necessary for him to insult his littermate, but there was no denying that Hawkkit was incredibly timid and shy. She hadn't seen any sign of the little black tom since the start of Dawnflower's kitting, which meant he was probably hiding away in the corner of the nursery as usual. Although he was nearly two moons old, Moonstream still hadn't been able to convince him to go outside.
Hopefully, he'll receive a mentor who can teach him to be more confident, Nightsong thought to herself.
"Why are Stormkit, Rankit, and Willowkit so small?" Spottedkit asked, staring at the three kittens.
"They were only born today," Silverberry explained to her daughter. "They'll grow though, don't worry. And once they've opened there eyes, you can get to know them better."
Spottedkit looked a little put out about having to wait to become friends with her new denmates, but being a kit, was able to shrug it off fairly quickly. "Guess what Thornleep taught us today?" The dark tortoiseshell she-kit meowed excitedly. "He showed Ashkit and me how to do the front-paw swipe!"
"Very good, dear," Silverberry purred approvingly. "You'll be a strong warrior, just like your father."
"They all sure do seem to like Stormkit." Morningpetal remarked, as she watched Ashkit, who was getting scolded by Moonstream. Dawnflower smiled fondly as she watched the kits stare in excitement at her daughters, no doubt waiting to be able to play with Stormkit, Rainkit, and Willowkit.
"All cats old enough to climb a tree, join beneath Highrock for a NightClan meeting!" Came Brightstar's yowl from the Highrock, they all stood to our paws and made our way outside. "It is time to give three of our warriors their first apprentices." Duskstar began.
"Cinderkit, please step forward." Brightstar meowed, and the little gray molly bounced forward excitedly, gazing up at the SnowClan leader with wide blue eyes.
"Cinderkit, do you promise to listen to your mentor and uphold the warrior code?" She asked her, her voice steady and calm.
"Yes," She mewed, her fur fluffed up in anticipation. Brightstar smiled.
"Then until you receive your warrior name, you shall be known as Cinderpaw." Brightstar continued. "Icewing, please step forward." Brightstar meowed, and a small white furred molly stepped forward, sitting at the base of the Highrock as she stared up at her leader. "Icewing, you have shown yourself to be a warrior of exceptional courage and bravery. I trust that you will pass on all I have taught you onto your new apprentice." Brightstar meowed, and Icewing bent down to touch noses with Cinderpaw.
"Spottedkit, please step forward." Brightstar meowed, and the small dark tortoiseshell molly stepped forward.
"Spottedkit, do you promise to listen to your mentor and uphold the warrior code?" She asked her, her voice steady and calm.
"Yes," She mewed, her fur fluffed up in anticipation. Brightstar smiled.
"Then until you receive your warrior name, you shall be known as Spottedpaw." Brightstar meowed. "Shadowpelt, you will be the mentor to Spottedpaw." Brightstar meowed. "You had a valuable mentor in Hazelfur, and I trust you will pass on all she taught you to this apprentice." Brightstar meowed, and Shadowpelt bent down to touch noses with Spottedpaw.
"Stormkit, please step forward." Brightstar meowed, and the small dark tortoiseshell molly stepped forward.
"Stormkit, do you promise to listen to your mentor and uphold the warrior code?" She repeated. Stormkit nodded.
"Yes," She mewed, her fur fluffed up in anticipation. Brightstar smiled.
"Then, until you receive your full medicine cat name, you shall be known as Stormpaw." Brightstar mewed proudly. "Nightsong, please step forward." Brightstar meowed, and the black and white medicine cat stepped forward, sitting at the base of the Highrock as she stared up at her leader. "Nightsong, you have worked hard to learn the ways of a medicine cat, and you have proven yourself as a kind and helpful cat. Morningpetal has taught you well, and I trust you will pass on all she taught you to this apprentice." Brightstar meowed, and Nightsong bent down to touch noses with Stormpaw.
"Cinderpaw, Spottedpaw, Stormpaw, Cinderpaw, Spottedpaw, Stormpaw." Yowls of excitement rang out from the croud of gathered cats, as the three new apprentices went to sit beside their mentors