At those words, Cinderpelt along with Goldenflower , Willowpelt and the Elders approached the White and Honey furred Queen. As gently as they could, they helped her entering the nursery so she could give birth peacefully. Firestar wanted to follow them but he was stopped by Graystripe , Sandstorm and Whitestorm " Let me go ! I need to be with her !" the Leader told them as he tried to get away but in vain. "I know you are concerned for her but she will be fine Firestar : She had Cinderpelt, Goldenflower and Willowpelt to help her along with the Elders ! Everything would be okay !" Sandstorm said sternly but still softy as she too was concerned for her friend.
Graystripe looked at his longtime friend with a frown "I know what you feel Firestar trust me and I'm worried too but Sandstorm is right ! She will be fine !"
the Fire pelted tom looked at his friends with an unsure look on his face before looking back at the nursery with worry when Goldeneye's wails of pain reached his ears. Bramblepaw and Tawnypaw tried to approach the nursery as well but Mousefur stopped them "She need some peace to give birth !"
The apprentices tried to protest but soon gave up seeing that the brown molly wouldn't back down. Firestar stopped his attempt to treach the nursery and sat there listening to her wails of pain but then he became angry with Darkstripe's comment "I hope she died with those abominable kits of hers !" He snarled at the dark striped gray tom who was taken aback by the Leader's action. Graystripe snarled at him as well "Shut up Darkstripe ! Or I will make you !"
The dark striped gray tom growled back at the two but then Cinderpelt's voice echoed "STOP !" Everyone turned their heads to see the twisted legged she-cat approaching them followed by the others. Firestar noticed that the Elders were purring with emotions while Goldenflower and Willowpelt were looking at him with warmth . The Fire pelted Leader looked at the Medicine cat with hope as he asked "Is she okay ?" In response, Cinderpelt smiled warmly at him "Yes and congratulations ! You're the father of FOUR beautiful girls !"
The entire Clan congratulated their Leader who began to tear up in joy "Can I see them ?" he asked the dark gray she-cat who nodded and Firestar entered the nursery to find Goldeneye laying on her nest. The White and Honey furred Molly seemed tired but purred when she saw her mate approaching her. Firestar pressed his head against her's and Goldeneye unwrapped her tail to reveal four little fur-balls against her belly.
The young Leader looked at the adorable little bundles of joy snuggling against the warm belly of his mate as he started to examine them . The four of them were mollies like Cinderpelt said but the four little ones had different colors : the first kit had a ginger fur like him but darker with one white paw and a bushy tail which looked like a squirrel's one. The second kit had a pale brown fur with a white chest, underbelly and paws . Firestar chuckled when he made the comparison with his sister Princess. His daughter looked just like her.
The third one had brown fur with some darker spots on its back and head , white chest , white underbelly, and white paws. It also had some back tufts at the tips of its ears and her tail was striped while white at the underside of it. To Firestar , this little one looked like a Lynx but with a long tail. The fourth and last kit was almost the perfect copy of its mother except that it had a bushy tail and instead of stripes , it had patches covered in stripes of a darker honey fur.
The Fire pelted Leader gazed at the kits...HIS kits with fatherly love and amazement "They're so beautiful… How do you want to call them ?" he asked her softy as he looked up at his tired mate. Goldeneye looked at him for a moment before saying "I was thinking of Squirrelkit for the ginger one and Leafkit for the pale brown molly...You got to name the other two~" "Those are beautiful names !" Firestar responded as he looked at the remained kits . Then he pointed at the one with black tufts at the tips of its ears "This one will be Lynxkit and the last one….How about Dawnkit ?"
Goldeneye looked at her daughters for a moment before smiling "Squirrelkit, Leafkit, Lynxkit and Dawnkit …..Those are perfect names~" Then she nuzzled her kits who was too busy nursing. Firestar curled around his family gazing at his daughters. Those four little ones would be good Warriors to Thunderclan. He just knew it.
The young Leader then licked Goldeneye's forehead "Maybe she should let the others see them now or you prefer to wait ?" The White and Honey furred Molly purred softy as she responded " Let's wait until tomorrow...We need peace right now~" Nodding, Firestar stepped out of the nursery where his friends were waiting "How are they ?" Graystripe asked with a smile when he noticed the happiness in the Leader's emerald eyes.
"They are healthy and strong !" The proud father purred in responded and Tawnypaw approached him "Can we see them now ?" the tortoiseshell apprentice asked him gently but he shook his head "No now I'm afraid… She need to rest but you can see them tomorrow…. All of you !" The Clan purred as they separated to enter their respective Den.
So many things happened in the last two days : Brindleface's death , Bluestar's death, the ascension of Firestar as new Leader of Thunderclan , Whitestorm became the new Deputy and now Goldeneye gave birth to future Warriors ! As the Clan were settling themselves for the night, the young Leader glanced at the nursery with a warmth before entering his Den under Highrock. Goldeneye , for her part, was still looking at her kits with nothing but proud and maternal love. Her life was so perfect : from the rogue she was before , she became mother of four adorable fur-balls and mate of a Clan Leader.
She thanked Starclan for the blessings they gave her and gently wrapped her tail around her children in a protective manner. Willowpelt , who was sleeping in a nest near Goldeneye's, looked at her den-mates with warmth as her kits (Sorrelkit, Sootkit and Rainkit ) were peacefully sleeping against her belly. Then she closed her blue eyes before falling asleep. The White and Honey furred Molly then putted her head on her fore-paws before closing her eyes as she letted tiredness overpowering her as she fell asleep.
The next day, Firestar stepped out of his Den and stretched his muscular body , purring at the contact of the sun against his flame colored fur. The young Leader approached the pile of fresh kill before picking up a mouse and a sparrow. Then he approached the nursery before looking inside. His mate was peacefully sleeping and he gently approached her before putting the preys near her paws. The he tenderly licked her forehead to wake her up . Goldeneye purred softly in response as she began to stirr "Firestar ?" she asked still half-asleep.
"Yes its me ! How did you sleep ?" He asked her gently to make sure to not make the kits. Goldeneye licked his muzzle before responding in the same tone "I slept well as did our little ones~" The White and Honey furred Molly unwrapped her tail to reveal their sleeping little bundles of joy. Firestar looked at his daughters with warmth as he gently lowered his head down to nuzzle them one by one.
At the gesture, the kits began to wake up as they mewled loudly in hunger "Thank you for waking them up dear~" Goldeneye said to her mate half-joking half-sarcastic. The Fire pelted tom purred in amusement as he watched his mate gently using her tail to press the crying little ones against her tummy so they could nurse.
" I need to go now love...I will come back later !" Firestar announced softy and his mate nodded. As the flame colored tom left the nursery, Goldeneye began to feast on the preys he gave her. She started with the sparrow then the mouse. As she finished eating, a familiar voice echoed at the entrance "Goldeneye can I see your kits ?" The White and Honey furred molly looked up to see Tawnypaw looking at her expectantly. The young mother purred as she gestured for the apprentice with her tail to come closer.
Tawnypaw approached her before looking at the four little ones nursing "Awwww your kits are so adorable !" The tortoiseshell apprentice cooed as her green eyes gazed at the little ones before her. Goldeneye smiled warmly at her before saying "Thank you dear~" "What are their names ?" Tawnypaw asked her with curiosity "The ginger one is Squirrelkit , the pale brown one is Leafkit , the other brown one is Lynxkit and the last one is Dawnkit~" The White and Honey furred Queen responded as she pointed each kit by their names with her tails respectively.
Tawnypaw nodded in understanding before saying softy "They're so small...but really cute~" Purring, Goldeneye then noticed something "Where is your brother ?" "He went after Firestar " The apprentice responded without taking her green eyes out of the kits. The White and Honey furred Molly smiled as she saw Graystripe , Sandstorm and Whitestorm not too far from there "Tawnypaw can you be a dear and ask those three to come here please ?"
The tortoiseshell apprentice seemed disappointed to not have more time to see the kits but nodded "Of course but Can I come see them again ?" "Of course you can but later~" Tawnypaw nodded with a happy smile as she dashed toward her mentor. The apprentice mewled something to them and Sandstorm sent her away as she approached the nursery along with Graystripe and Whitestorm.
"Hey Goldeneye are you okay ? " The pale ginger she-cat asked her friend with a smile. In response, the White and Honey furred Queen purred "Yes I just wanted you to see my kits~" she explained as she gazed at her little bundles of joy. The three other Warriors looked at the kits as well and all of them smiled "This one look just like her father !" Whitestorm commented as he lowered his head down to take a better look at Squirrelkit.
She lust had felt the senior Warrior's warm or something because Squirrelkit turned around before kicking him across the nose with her small paws "She had his fighting spirit it seems..." The White tom remarked with amusement earning soft laugh from the others. "They are beautiful ! Firestar must be proud !" Graystripe commented as he looked at the nursing kits "He is and me too~" Goldeneye responded softy.
Sandstorm's eyes were filled with warmth but a bit of nostalgia but It quickly disappeared when the pale ginger molly asked "What are their names ?" Goldeneye smiled as she pointed at each kit with her tail "Squirrelkit, Leafkit, Lynxkit and Dawnkit~" "Those are beautiful names you gave them~" Sandstorm responded as she gazed at the last kit "She look just like you~"
The young mother purred in thanks as Whitestorm then said in his usual stern tone "We should leave you now ! You need to rest , you and your kits..." Goldeneye nodded and watched them leave the nursery before looking back at her kits with love as she gently licked their tiny bodies in a maternal gesture.
Suddenly Fernpaw entered the nursery before approaching her "Hey Goldeneye ! Are you okay ?" The White and Honey furred Queen looked at the gray apprentice with a smile "I'm fine thank you dear ! Are you here to see the kits as well ?~" she asked the younger molly with warmth.
The pale gray apprentice nodded shyly earning a purr of amusement from the young Mother "Well then come closer I won't bite~" she inquired with a hint of humor causing Fernpaw to giggle softy. Then the young apprentice looked at the kits with amazement as stars were dancing in her pale leaf green eyes. "They are so cute…..and so small~" "They will grow up don't worry~" The Queen responded gently as Fernpaw kept looked at the kits still nursing.
"Starclan its been a few minutes already and they are still suckling ! They are little ogres !" The White and Honey furred molly remarked softy in amusement. Fernpaw ,for her part, giggled softy but still looked at the kits who FINALLY stopped suckling " I hope they would lose their appetite ! At this rate they would be able to eat HALF the fresh pile kills !" The two mollies laughed together at the young mother's comment.
Goldeneye ,when she stopped, laughing looked at her sleeping kits before looking back at Fernpaw "So how are you ? I hope Dirtstripe is not giving you trouble..." she asked the apprentice half-seriously half-joking. Fernpaw seemed embarrassed "Well….he is not a really nice mentor...He almost ignored me and he kept disappearing...Thankfully Dustpelt is training me instead..." The news shocked the young Queen who growled softy "Darkstripe don't train you at all ?" "At first he did but then….he suddenly stopped…." "How long it had been ?" "Since we discovered that Tigerstar is Shadownclan's new Leader !"
Fernpaw responded softy as she looked down in shame.
Goldeneye was now FURIOUS "When Firestar come back I will tell him to give you a new mentor !" "Really ? You promise ?!" "Of course now you should leave ! You have stuffs to do and don't tell anyone about this !" The pale gray apprentice nodded before leaving. The White and Honey furred Queen watched her go with a frown before thinking about how she was about to tell Firestar the news about Darkstripe's behavior toward Fernpaw.
(To be continued…)