A strong storm raged outside above the camp, early snow blanked the clearing of the main camp, a bitter leaf-fall wind blew against the outside of the gorse bush, which sheltered the nursery. Blackcloud lay in her nest with her long tail wrapped around Lionkit, trying to keep him out of Kestrelflight's way. Her son was growing so quickly it was hard for her to believe he was already four moons old.

"Why are Featherpelt's kits taking so long," Lionkit asked with his amber eyes glowing in the dim nursery light.

"Don't worry they'll be here soon," Blackcloud assured him. Featherpeltt had been kitting since sunhigh and now it was very nearly sunset.

"You're doing fine Featherpelt," the medicine cat meowed as a small bundle slid onto the moss. Kestrelflight nipped open the clear sack and passed the kit to Blackcloud, "Do you mind licking it for me," he mewed quickly before returning his attention to the kitting queen.

Lionkit wriggled forward and helped Blackcloud lick the small kit until it began mewling. "It's a she-kit," Lionkit announced excitedly. Soon a second kit followed, "A tom" then a third, "Another tom,"

Featherpelt's breathing grew more labored with each passing heartbeat, "Come on Featherpelt just one more," Kestrelflight urged. A few heartbeats later a fourth kit was placed alongside its littermates, suckling hungrily at their mother's belly.

"A she-kit and three toms," Blackcloud purred "Congratulations,"

The she-kit was a gray tabby like her mother while two of the toms were ginger and the smallest tom was black with white flecks all over his body.

"When will they be old enough to play," Lionkit asked.

Blackcloud licked his ears, "Not for a while little one,"

Kestrelflight nudged some sharp smelling herbs under Featherpelt's muzzle, she blinked at him questioningly, "Borage and Burnet, to help you produce enough milk and keep your strength up," Featherpelt sniffed the herbs then licked them up obediently.

Blackcloud flicked her ears as she looked at Kestrelflight, "You didn't give me any Burnet or Borage Kestrelflight,"

The mottled gray tabby turned and looked at her, "Because you only had one kit and he was born in late Greenleaf when there was still plenty of prey," he reminded her.

Blackcloud nodded, what the medicine cat said made sense. The entrance to the nursery rustled as Featherpelt's mate, Hootwhisker appeared. Snow clung to the dark grey tom's pelt, "Hootwhisker did you wait out in the snow this whole time?" Featherpelt meowed in surprise. Her mate shook the snow from his pelt before padding over to the gray tabby's nest.

"Four kits," he murmured looking down at the balls of fluff, "That's great," he licked Featherpelt's cheek.

"I've been thinking about names," Featherpelt whispered.

"You should name the black tom Blizzardkit," Lionkit piped up.

"Hush little one," Blackcloud scolded gently. Featherpelt and Hootwhisker looked at their smallest kit for several heartbeats.

"I think it fits," Hootwhisker purred.

"Come on Lionkit it is well past your nest time," Blackcloud murmured. Lionkit nodded after looking at the kits one last time then curled up next to his mother's flank.

Four more kits, Starclan has blessed us this season Blackcloud thought as she drifted off to sleep.

Blackcloud sat at the nursery entrance waiting for Featherpelt and her three remaining kits, Blizzardkit, Sandkit and Gorsekit. Mistkit had died from hunger a moon after she was born and Featherpelt was still grieving for the loss of her daughter. Lionkit paced eagerly in front of his mother. "Alright let's go," Featherpelt meowed. Lionkit bounded off with Blizzardkit and Sandkit close to his tail. Gorsekit tried to follow, but stumbled and just lie there without getting up. Blackcloud's heart ached as she watched Featherpelt lift the ginger tom and carry him. Gorsekit is so weak, will he make it through leaf-bare? Blackcloud followed Featherpelt out of the nursery and stood blinking against the glare of the weak sunlight on the blanket of snow. Featherpelt cleared a patch of snow away before setting Gorsekit down.

"Blizzardkit and Sandkit seem to be having fun," Blackcloud commented as she watched the two younger kits pouncing about in the snow.

Lionkit stopped and padded over to Gorsekit, who was just sitting hunched at his mother's paws, "Come on Gorsekit come play," the tortoiseshell tom encouraged. The ginger kit got to his paws and followed his older den mate.

"I wish they would have been born in Greenleaf," Featherpelt meowed with her chin on her paws. Blackcloud ran her tail tip over the gray tabby's flanks in an attempt to comfort her.

"Gorsekit get up," Blizzardkit was mewing. Blackcloud lifted her head and saw the black and white tom nosing his brother, "You can't sleep out here,"

Featherpelt was on her paws in a heartbeat, she sprayed Blackcloud with snow as she hurried to her kit's side. "Gorsekit wake up," she was muttering as Blackcloud hurried after her. She stopped a tail length away, Gorsekit's eyes were open, but blank and unseeing. Featherpelt threw her head back and let out a pain filled wail. Blizzardkit and Sandkit tried to comfort their mother, but she just bared her teeth in a snarl. Both kits scurried backward looking hurt and confused, Blackcloud gathered them to her with a sweep of her long tail and licked their ears.

"Don't worry little ones, your mother is just upset," she whispered. By this time most of the clan had emerged and were gathered around the wailing queen. No one could get near her though until Hootwhisker showed up and muscled his way through. He stood over his mate and dead kit, licking the gray tabby queen fiercely between the ears.

"Why does Starclan hate me," Featherpelt whimpered.

Why did Starclan bless Featherpelt with four healthy kits then take two of them Blackcloud wondered as grief gripped her heart.