*Warning: this chapter features depictions of birth and all the pain that comes with it. Sensitive readers are advised to skip this chapter*
A loud clap of thunder sounded from the skies above, and a sense of urgency pulled at Snowfrost's pelt. It was going to storm any moment now. Just as her kitting would begin. She had to find a safe place to give birth and fast. With the help of her clanmates, hopefully she would find that place.
But it turned out that the badger set wasn't what Snowfrost had expected. She didn't think it would be covered over with earth; a preventative measure taken to stop the badger from nesting again. Now all that was left of the set was a small hole where the badger had been trying to dig. It was barely deep enough to provide Snowfrost shelter, but at the very least it would protect her kits from the downpour. It wasn't the safest place to give birth. But there wasn't time to find another place to settle. The kits were coming.
"Should we dig a deeper hole, then?" Jaybird asked.
Ambereye shrugged; "Wouldn't hurt to try." She padded forward, unsheathing her claws, already getting to work on the project. Snowfrost held up her tail, ordering the warrior to stop before any major construction could be accomplished.
"It's too late," she sighed.
It finally began to rain. Gentle drops plopped one by one against the ground surrounding them, picking up speed and volume within heartbeats. Large raindrops began piercing through fluffed up fur, soaking the four she-cats right to their skins. Jaybird helped Snowfrost lumber over to the badger set, guiding her to settle herself down with her belly facing into the hole. Just as a good queen would. And she had done so just in time. A striking pain gripped Snowfrost's belly, causing her to shriek. She gritted her teeth, squinting her eyes shut as tight as she could.
She was vaugely aware of the cats that scurried around her. Goldenpaw tucked dry, soft grass beneath her flanks to make her more comfortable, while Ambereye padded over with a wad of soaked moss. Snowfrost barely heard Goldenpaw instruct Jaybird to fetch a stick. Her ears were ringing, heart pounding in her chest.
When she opened her eyes once the pain had subsided, the world seemed clouded in a haze. Focusing was difficult, all she could bring herself to consciously do at the moment was pant. The world grew a little lighter as Snowfrost flicked her gaze onto Goldenpaw. The pale golden she-cat sat by her rear, watching her attentively. Her eyes turned when she felt the presence of another cat approach with her whiskers. It was Jaybird with a stick. Jaybird's muffled mew told her sister to bite into it, making Snowfrost part her jaws to take it in. It didn't seem to have a taste, the stick didn't even seem to be real. Nothing did. The world became nothing but a hazy shadow trapping her as pain tore at her mercilessly. Even when her belly did not spasm, a dull unquitting ache still hung around. Snowfrost groaned just as another wave of torment rippled through her. Her hazy world began to turn red, enclosing itself around her as she cried out in agony. It gripped tightly, blurring her vision until everything seemed to go black. Her teeth pierced deep into the stick she held, gripping onto it with dear life, as if that were her only anchor to reality. The red world faded, bringing back her atmosphere of haze. At least with that, she could make out what was going on around her. She could at least comprehend what was happening on now. Something was pulling at her from the base of her tail, and Snowfrost could feel her kits fighting inside of her, tumbling over each other for the right to be first born.
"You're doing great," she heard Jaybird assure. She felt her tongue rasping against her head calmingly. For the first time since they had been reunited, Snowfrost found herself to be grateful for her sister's presence. She was an experienced queen; having her there as a guide through all the confusion made Snowfrost feel safe. She also found herself to be thankful for Goldenpaw's presence. Snowfrost was in no shape to be keeping an eye on her own kitting, she was glad to have a medicine cat around to lend a helping paw.
"I can see the head of the first kit. When the pain starts again, I need you to push," Goldenpaw instructed. Snowfrost nodded, putting the stick down to lick her lips. Ambereye pushed the soaked moss closer to her so that she could have something to drink. Snowfrost lapped like it would be the last bit of water she would ever have. To her, it felt like it was. Another spasm shook her. Jaybird forced the stick back into her mouth before she had time to clamp her jaws shut. The world fell back into the red prison, encasing Snowfrost inside of it as she felt herself being torn apart. But then, something managed to break through. Snowfrost's world brightened suddenly. She lifted her head to look behind her. There she saw Goldenpaw tending to a small slimey white shape. She watched the young medicine cat nip at the transparent sac surrounding it, freeing the creature's head. Snowfrost blinked, stiffening as she heard it begin to wail. Goldenpaw helped the kit over to Snowfrost's belly, looking down at it with fondness before returning to her post.
"It's a tom," she announced.
Snowfrost's hazy little world had opened just enough to welcome him in. For the first time, some of the haze began to fade. The image of the creature beside her became clear to Snowfrost. This was her kit, her perfect little son. Snowfrost curled her body around him, shielding her baby from the pouring rain. She bent her head down to lap at his fur backwards, cleaning him up as he latched onto her and began to nurse. A purr rumbled in her throat, and all felt well. At least, for a few heartbeats. A new wave of torture engulfed her suddenly, stronger than before. The next kit was clawing its way to freedom. Snowfrost's tail lifted as she felt something new pushing at her, fighting its way to join the world. Goldenpaw stood on her paws, running one against Snowfrost's flank to guide the next kit out of her. A short while later it came tumbling out, wiggling violently as it did. Goldenpaw broke its birthing sac, and almost immediately the kit began to yowl.
"A molly."
The pale golden she-cat placed this grey and white tabby kitten beside the first, but closer in reach to Jaybird. The silver tabby bent over Snowfrost to help her groom her, urging it to latch onto its mother. At last she did, and just in time too. The third kit was ready to make an appearance. This birth felt a bit easier than the last. The pain was still gruesome and Snowfrost still wanted to yowl loud enough for the oldest Starclan cats to hear, but the kitten slid out of her much more easily than the former two had. Goldenpaw freed the kit as soon as she could, passing it onto Ambereye. The kitten mewled pathetically, pawing at its sister as it wiggled closer to suckle from its mother.
"Another molly," Goldenpaw informed her. Once again Snowfrost's world expanded to invite the kit in. The haze was almost gone now, Snowfrost could see all of her kits even clearer. The third kit was silver and white, baring a striking resemblance to her father. Wolfheart...pain throbbed inside of Snowfrost, but not from her kits. Her heart ached for Wolfheart. She longed to have him by her side along with Goldenpaw and Jaybird. She'd rather he be the one meowing encouragement and warming their third kit than Ambereye and Jaybird fulfilling the tasks. But he probably didn't care. Wolfheart had left her for another cat, as if she were so easily replaced. Though she wanted him here, Snowfrost was glad that he wasn't. If he wouldn't be with her, he was better off not knowing of her kitting.
Things began to relax for a while. Snowfrost's belly felt hollow for the first time since she'd become pregnant. But something didn't feel right.
"I can feel one more kit," Goldenpaw mewed as she pressed her paws into Snowfrost's flank.
"Here it comes."
Snowfrost felt herself pushing the last kitten out without much effort. Though at the end as it slipped out, a searing pain rippled through her one last time. Snowfrost panted heavily, looking back at her last born. It didn't move. A sudden fear came over her, making the lynx point molly want to jump out of her fur. Was the kit alright? Goldenpaw broke through its birthing sac, licking the tiny silver kitten clean. But it still didn't move, still didn't make a sound. Snowfrst held her breath as she watched Goldenpaw nudge the kit. When that didn't work she nosed at it's belly. Still nothing. Finally she began to press on its tiny flank with a paw, pushing a few times. All fell silent, only the sound of the rain pattering against the meadow ground echoed around them. Until finally a tiny little mew came out. All four she-cat sighed with relief, with Goldenpaw grinning proudly.
"Another molly. You now have one son and three daughters. Congratulations, Snowfrost," she purred, picking the last kitten up to place alongside her littermates. Together, four perfect kits brightened Snowfrost's world. The haze disappeared, and only the light of her new little family shined. Snowfrost bent down to lick her little ones, shooing Jaybird and Ambereye away so she could get closer to them. She wrapped her tail around her brood, keeping them dry from the storm outside their little dirt hole.
"Oh Snowfrost, they're beautiful." Jaybird rubbed her cheek against her sister's purring approvingly. Snowfrost licked her forehead before turning her attention back onto the kits. Her heart swelled with joy, fit to burst with all the love she felt for them. It was fiercer than any love she had ever known before. It felt good; motherhood felt amazing. I would do anything for you. She bent down to lick her kittens once more, pressing her nose to each of their heads to drink in their scents.
"We should get them back to camp, before they catch a cold from all this rain. Or Starclan forbid the fade reaches them," Ambereye suggested, shaking out her pelt. Rain water splattered onto Snowfrost, causing her to hiss.
"Watch it, you almost soaked my kits!" She snarled, curling herself tighter around them.
"Well see? If we get them to camp then that won't happen," Ambereye responded smugly. Ignorant flea-brain, Snowfrost lashed her tail.
"Perhaps Ambereye is right. The clouds are only getting thicker, I doubt the storm will break anytime soon. We should go," Goldenpaw agreed.
"But we can't just leave Snowfrost," Jaybird objected. "She doesn't want to return with us. We can't just help her birth her kits then make off with them!"
"You will do no such thing." Snowfrost rose to her paws, wobbling. Jaybird immediately came to her side, letting her sister lean against her shoulder.
"I will return back to camp with you all, at least until the rain stops. I could not make it anywhere on my own in this condition."
"Then let's go," Ambereye meowed, bending down to pick up Snowfrost's silver and white kit. Goldensong picked up the white kit to pass on to Snowfrost, then the silver and white tabby to give to Jaybird. Finally she picked up the little silver kitten, coming to stand by Snowfrost's other flank. Together the four she-cats traveled across the rain swept meadow, back to Grassclan's camp.