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Chapter 6
Glittering drops spun from Leafpool's muzzle as she shook herself. "Hawkfrost," she called for her mate. "Come have a drink, the water tastes of frost and starlight." Hawkfrost waved his tail dismissively as he slipped further into a patch of undergrowth. Probably after prey. The former medicine cat hope she hadn't scared his catch away. She busied herself with grooming her sleep-ridden pelt.
"Here," Hawkfrost's muffled meow drew Leafpool from her grooming. He dropped a snow hare at her paws. "I'll catch something for myself later."
"Don't be mouse-brained," Leafpool touched her nose to his shoulder as the large warrior crouched beside her to drink from the river. They'd been following it for days, and though Hawkfrost had found plenty of suitable dens, Leafpool refused to settle. "When we find our home, we'll know," she kept telling him. She knew he was exasperated with her, but she also knew he agreed. "We can share it."
"I'm not expecting kits," Hawkfrost pointed out dryly. "You eat this, I'll catch something later. There are still plenty of fish in the river if I don't find anything else."
With a resigned sigh, Leafpool pulled the hare towards her and ate it in quick, clean bites. Amusement glittered in Hawkfrost's pale eyes as he watched her. Not for the first time, Leafpool realized how natural this all felt. She missed her kin and friends in ThunderClan, but there was no longing in her paws, telling her to return. Instead, she felt as if she had finally found her destiny. Her love for Hawkfrost and their unborn kits blazed fiercely in her chest, warming her from her ears to her tail-tip despite the snow that had begun falling as she finished her meal.
Hawkfrost noticed the snow, as well. "Fox-dung," he muttered, narrowing his eyes. "Come on, we should travel as far as we can before it gets worse."
"Okay," Leafpool scrambled to her paws. "I'm ready."
They set off side by side, setting a brisk but manageable pace as they followed the river. By sunhigh, snow was falling steadily. Hawkfrost hardly seemed to notice, but Leafpool could feel the strength being pulled from her bones.
"Are you sure you don't want to stop for a bit?"
Leafpool shook her head resolutely. The dark tabby had asked her at least a thousand times since the snow had grown heavier. "We haven't stopped before sunset any other day," she pointed out, brushing past her mate. Hawkfrost rolled his eyes, but didn't argue. Still, Leafpool could tell he was deliberately slowing his pace. She wouldn't admit it, but she was grateful.
I'm not sure how much longer I can keep playing off how tired I am…
Not for the first time, the young queen caught the slightest trace of Spottedleaf's sweet scent. She could all but feel the StarClan warrior's pelt brushing her own as she pushed her way through the thickening snow. It wasn't until Leafpool couldn't see her own paws through the fierce snowfall that the first pain hit her. She staggered to an abrupt halt.
"Hawkfrost," she rasped, but the dark warrior was already pressing close against her.
"What's wrong?" His voice was thick with concern. "We should have stopped," he muttered before she could answer. "I shouldn't have let you push yourself."
Take a deep breath, Leafpool, Spottedleaf's voice instantly soothed her. You need to find a warm place to shelter, the kits are coming.
The tabby queen trembled as another pain rippled through her. "Shelter," she growled. "I need a den."
"I know," Hakwfrost's tail swept down her flank.
"I don't think you do," Leafpool fought the urge to rake her claws over her mate's ears. Instead, she put all of her strength into pushing forward beside the large warrior as he shouldered through the snow. The next pain nearly took Leafpool's breath away. "I can't make it much farther," she gasped. "The kits, Hawkfrost—they're coming."
Hawkfrost froze in his tracks. "The kits?"
"Yes," Leafpool exhaled through her teeth, unsheathing her claws and sinking them into the snow.
Panic flared in her mate's ice blue eyes. "Don't worry," he growled. "I'll find a safe place. I won't let anything happen to you. Or our kits. I promise." The snowfall started easing as they struggled forward, and through the flurries Leafpool caught sight of a cottonwood tree, its bare branches spread high into the sky.
"There!" Hawkfrost pointed with his tail. He rushed head, leaving a trail through the snow that Leafpool followed more slowly. The tree grew close to the river, and its trunk was wide. When Leafpool finally caught up, Hawkfrost was shouldering the dead brambles aside and digging at the frozen ground. Leafpool sat trembling beside him. She wanted to help, but she hardly had the strength to stand. "There's a rabbit hole," the tabby warrior explained, panting as he dug. "If I can widen it out some, it'll make a perfect den." The snow was hardly falling as Hawkfrost disappeared into the shallow den. The clouds were breaking, and the sunlight shimmered on the river and freshly fallen snow.
It's almost time, Leafpool, Spottedleaf's voice was a warm purr.
"There," Hawkfrost emerged, looking proud. His paws were muddy, and one of his claws was torn and bleeding. "I'll fetch some moss. You make sure the den is big enough for you."
"Try to keep your weight off of that…" Leafpool's mew trailed off as Hawkfrost hurtled away, "…paw." She inhaled sharply as the next pain rippled through her. She slipped into the den, blinking as she realized how cozy it was. The chill of the frozen ground lingered, but she knew her body heat would remedy that soon enough. Hawkfrost returned quickly and dropped the moss at her paws.
"Will this be okay?" His eyes searched hers desperately. Quite suddenly, Leafpool realized that Hawkfrost was terrified.
"It's fine for now," Leafpool touched her muzzle to his. "There's still a little time before the first kit comes, why don't you hunt?"
"I'm not…"
Leafpool slapped her tail across his mouth. "I'll be hungry once I've kitted, and whether you're hungry or not you need to eat."
Reluctantly, Hawkfrost dipped his head. "Alright," he touched his nose to the top of her head. "Call for me if you need me, I won't go far."
Leafpool sighed as he left and began making a nest out of the moss he'd brought in. When she was satisfied with it, she stretched out on her side. It shouldn't be long now. The pains were getting worse, and the interval between them was shrinking. Hawkfrost returned with a thrush and a couple of fish. He ate one fish and left the remaining fresh-kill in a scoop at the edge of the den.
"How are you?" He settled down beside her and started grooming her snow-matted pelt.
"It's almost time," she murmured tightly. He nodded.
Are you ready? Spottedleaf's voice was a breath against her ear. The next pain will be the worst yet—when it comes you've got to start pushing.
A yowl tore from Leafpool's throat as a contraction rippled through her body. Hawkfrost leapt to his paws, his eyes shooting wide. "I'm fine," Leafpool panted heavily. "The first… kit is coming." She could feel Spottedleaf close to her, encouraging her silently. Hawkfrost regained his composure and lay next to her again.
"You're doing great," he growled. "No cat could ask for a stronger mate. Our kits will be even stronger—and just as beautiful."
A shiver of relief passed through Leafpool as the first kit fell into the nest. She twisted around and freed it. She started licking it roughly, rubbing its fur the wrong way and trying to warm it up. Its fur was dark, decorated by tabby stripes. A tom, Leafpool purred loudly as her first-born mewled and started squirming towards her. She tried not to focus on the pains as she nudged him towards her warm belly fur. Pushing with all of her might, Leafpool felt the second kit slip into the world. Again, she twisted to tend to the newborn. A she-cat, her daughter's fur was a brilliant gold, and where her son had been marked with stripes, the little she-cat was marked with a spotted tabby pattern. Exhaustion was creeping into her limbs, tempted her to rest, but she knew she couldn't yet.
One more, Spottedleaf mewed brightly. You can do it, Leafpool.
The short break between contractions ended, and Leafpool forced herself to keep pushing. The young queen could have yowled her relief to StarClan as the third and final kits was born, leaving her shaking and weak. Still, she shifted in her bloody nest until she could lick her final kit clean. And a tom. His fur was white, save for the faintest touches of ginger near his paws and the tips of his ears.
Congratulations, Spottedleaf purred. Leafpool felt the StarClan cat's muzzle on her head. You did well, and your kits are strong and healthy.
Thank-you, Spottedleaf. Leafpool sighed contently as the warmth of Spottedleaf's pelt left her. Hawkfrost licked her face and ears fiercely.
"You did brilliantly," he purred gruffly. "They're perfect."
"They are," Leafpool agreed warmly. They were suckling well, nestled close together.
Hawkfrost pulled the thrush towards her. "Eat," urged the dark tabby. "You look exhausted." Too tired to argue, Leafpool devoured the thrush in a few famished gulps.
"What should we name them?" She murmured, gazing adoringly at the three kits.
Hawkfrost narrowed his eyes, then flicked his tail towards the dark brown tabby. "Driftkit."
Leafpool purred her agreement, then touched her nose to the dappled golden she-kit. "What about Honeykit, for her golden fur?"
"It's as beautiful as she is," Hawkfrost murmured. Already Leafpool could tell Hawkfrost had a soft spot for their only daughter. She blinked thoughtfully at the white tom. The red in his fur was darker as it dried, and she could just make out the faintest of stripes on his legs and face. She had a feeling they would get darker as he grew, and the thought brought his name to her.
"And Briarkit," she purred, licking the white tom.
"Driftkit, Honeykit, and Briarkit." Hawkfrost's eyes sparked with pride as he looked down at their kits. Then he turned his gaze to her. "Now it's time for you to rest," he chided her gently. "You've eaten, and they've got names, there's no reason you can't sleep."
But Leafpool's eyes had already shut, and sleep over came her in a warm, dark wave.
