It was well past Dark-Sky, but Dawnleap couldn't sleep. Her distended belly ached, and she'd been plagued with pain. It was her first litter, so she wasn't sure what was going on with her body, but when the sudden stab of pain wracked her stomach, she knew full well what it meant. She hauled herself to her paws, padding slowly out of the Kit-Mother den. The soft orange light of the Star-Stalks outside glowed through the holes in the walls of the building AshClan called home, but Dawnleap didn't notice. She stalked across the camp, pausing when spasms wracked her belly, until she reached the Healer den.

As she pushed her way into the den, Ratfeather stirred in his nest. He lifted his head and blinked, peering out toward Dawnleap. He grumbled to himself as he hauled himself out of his nest and stretched, gesturing to a nearby heap of soft leaves nearby.

"Lay down there," he growled. "I could smell your kit-scent when you came in."

Dawnleap wasn't sure how long she struggled, but the spasms of pain became constant agony didn't do much for her ability to tell time. Her mate appeared at her side after what felt like hours, licking her ear and trying to soothe her pained yowls.

When the pain finally subsided, and Dawnleap laid with her sides heaving on the heap of leaves, she finally heard the crying mewls of kits. She lifted her head weakly to see Ratfeather lay a tortoiseshell kit beside a gray kit and a black kit against her belly.

"Three she-cats," he grunted. Foxstorm purred softly, nuzzling Dawnleap's ear.

"What will we name them?"

"The black will be called Shadowkit," she said between pants. "You can name the other two."

After some consideration, Foxstorm spoke softly. "For the gray, Cinderkit, and for the tortoiseshell, Spottedkit."

Dawnleap purred tiredly, nuzzling Foxstorm's chest, as drowsiness washed over her.

"Don't you dare fall asleep in here!" Ratfeather called out from his den. "Go back to the Kit-Mother den!"

Dawnleap sighed and dragged herself to her paws, picking up a kit in her jaws. Foxstorm gingerly picked up another, and Larkpaw peeked into the den. Her eyes lit up when she saw the kits.

"Can I carry one?"

Dawnleap nodded a bit, careful not to jostle the kit in her jaws. Larkpaw hurried over and carefully picked up the remaining kit in the pile of leaves, and the trio made their way back to the Kit-Mother's den. It was Light-Sky, and the Clan-Hide was bustling with energy. Marshpaw was cleaning the Elder's den, Whitefog was putting a bird on the Prey Pile, even Snakestar was out and about. Many cats glanced at Dawnleap as she passed, dipping their heads respectfully before continuing on, but Dawnleap barely had the energy to flick her ear in acknowledgement.

Foxstorm nudged open the Kit-Mother den and held it open with his tail, waiting as Dawnleap settled into her nest beside Reedfoot, the other Kit-Mother lifting her head to smile warmly.

"Welcome back."

Her belly was still distended with kits, but it wasn't her first litter. Barkpaw and Marshpaw were both hers, and she'd had kits after them that had perished.

"Thank you," Dawnleap muttered as Foxstorm and Larkpaw laid their two kits at her belly. Her trio settled against her to nurse, and she laid her head on the edge of the nest. Exhaustion blanketed her, and she barely noticed when Reedfoot began grooming her head.

"You had a rough kitting, dear. It was much too long."

Dawnleap grunted in acknowledgement, her eyes sliding closed. Whatever else Reedfoot had to say was lost on Dawnleap, and she quickly drifted off to sleep.