A Few Moons Earlier
"You're almost there, Ashscar! Just one more push should do it." Ebonypetal meowed encouragingly. Her apprentice, Spottedleaf, watched with nervous anticipation as Ashscar clenched her teeth and gave one final heave as ordered. A small, wet sable-furred bundle tumbled into the nest, and the tortoiseshell medicine cat quickly began licking it.
"It's a she-cat!" Ebonypetal declared, placing the tiny kit beside Ashscar's belly. In an instant, she snuggled up beside her mother and began to suckle.
"How many more?" Spottedleaf asked, ready to move if she was called to duty again.
Ebonypetal felt along Ashscar's flank with her paw. "There's two mor coming!" She declared, and Ashscar's eyes widened in terror.
"C'mon, you can do it, Ashscar."Ebonypetal encouraged, and Ashscar did as the older medicine cat had instructed.
After what felt like hours of pushing and yowls of pain, Ashscar finally relaxed when the final two kittens were born.
"Congratulations, you have three healthy she-cats." Ebonypetal declared, and Spottedleaf quickly began licking the two she-cats to get them dry.
"Are they here yet? How's Ashscar doing?" Spottedleaf's thoughts were cut off as Ashscar's mate, Ravenclae, 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, Ashscar smiled tiredly up at him as he licked the top of her head.
"What do you think of Starlingpaw for the sable-furred one, Rainkit for the blue-gray one, and Willowkit for the black one?" Ashscar 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.
"Starlingkit, Rainkit and Willowkit, welcome to NightClan little ones." Ashscar meowed softly, finally tearing her gaze away from the three small kittens suckling at her belly and looking Ravenclaw in the eye.
"Starlingkit, Rainkit and Willowkit it is then." Ashscar 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, Lightningkit 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. Spottedleaf watched as she blundered up to Ashscar's nest, staring at Starlingkit, Rainkit and Willowkit with a look of awe and curiosity in her eyes.
"When will they be ready to play?" Lightningkit mewed, reaching out to prod Starlingkit with her paw. Spottedleaf moved her away before she could, however, and Ashscar shot her a grateful look.
"They won't be ready until they open their eyes." The tortoiseshell medicine cat apprentice informed her, biting back a purr of amusement at the crestfallen look on her face. "Don't worry, Lightningkit. They'll be out and about before you know it. Kits usually open their eyes fairly quickly." Spottedleaf meowed, smiling down at the small dark gray she-cat, who smiled softly.
Ebonypetal opened her mouth to respond, only to be interrupted as two of the older kits, Bluekit 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. Bluekit went to prod Starlingkit with her paw, but a warning look from Moonstream stopped her.
"Who are they?" Ashkit mewed curiously.
"There names are Starlingkit, Rainkit and Willowkit," Ashscar answered.
"There going to be your new denmates until you and Bluekit become apprentices," Moonstream added before turning around and scanning the nursery. "Now, has anyone seen Hawkkit anywhere?"
"Probably hiding in the nest again," Ashkit meowed scornfully. "Hawkkit'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, Spottedleaf 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 Ripplefire'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, Spottedleaf thought to herself.
"Why are Starlingkit, Rankit, and Willowkit so small?" Bluekit 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."
Bluekit 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 blue-gray 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 Starlingkit." Ebonypetal remarked, as she watched Ashkit, who was getting scolded by Silverberry. Ashscar smiled fondly as she watched the kits stare in excitement at her daughters, no doubt waiting to be able to play with Starlingkit, Rainkit, and Willowkit.
"All cats old enough to climb a tree, join beneath Highrock for a NightClan meeting!" Came Duskstar'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.
"Lightningkit, please step forward." Duskstar meowed, and the little gray molly bounced forward excitedly, gazing up at the NightClan leader with wide blue eyes.
"Lightningkit, 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 Lightningpaw." Duskstar continued. "Frostwhisper, please step forward." Duskstar meowed, and a small white furred molly stepped forward, sitting at the base of the Highrock as she stared up at her leader. "Frostwhisper, 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." Duskstar meowed, and Frostwhisper bent down to touch noses with Lightningpaw.
"Bluekit, please step forward." Duskstar meowed, and the small blue-gray molly stepped forward.
"Bluekit, 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 Bluepaw." Duskstar meowed. "Blacksun, you will be the mentor to Bluepaw." Duskstar meowed. "You had a valuable mentor in Springlight, and I trust you will pass on all she taught you to this apprentice." Duskstar meowed, and Black bent down to touch noses with Bluepaw.
"Starlingkit, please step forward." Brightstar meowed, and the small sable-furred molly stepped forward.
"Starlingkit, do you promise to listen to your mentor and uphold the warrior code?" She repeated. Starlingkit nodded.
"Yes," Shemewed, her fur fluffed up in anticipation. Duskstar smiled.
"Then, until you receive your full medicine cat name, you shall be known as Starlingpaw." Duskstar mewed proudly. "Spottedleaf, please step forward." Duskstar meowed, and the dark tortoiseshell medicine cat stepped forward, sitting at the base of the Highrock as she stared up at her leader. "Spottedleaf, you have worked hard to learn the ways of a medicine cat, and you have proven yourself as a kind and helpful cat. Ebonypetal has taught you well, and I trust you will pass on all she taught you to this apprentice." Duskstar meowed, and Spottedleaf bent down to touch noses with Starlingpaw.
"Lightningpaw, Bluepaw, Starlingpaw, Lightningpaw, Bluepaw, Starlingpaw." Yowls of excitement rang our from the croud of gathered catsout, as the three new apprentices went to sit beside their mentors