Leafpool stared at Brambleclaw. No! She thought, Squirrelflight is kitting too early. This could harm her kits and... The plan. She shook her head.
"Where?" She asked Brambleclaw trying to stay calm.
"I left her just inside an abandoned badger set. Not too far from the Twoleg house but we must hurry if we want to stand a chance of getting her there before they come" Brambleclaw panted. His eyes were as wide as full moons.
"You lead the way, quickly. I'll follow" Leafpool exclaimed.
Brambleclaw set off at a quick pace weaving expertley through trees and under bushes. Slowly but surely the gap between him and Leafpool widened. She was panting heavily with the effort of keeping Brambleclaw in sight. She couldn't go any faster for fear of hurting her kits. The trees seemed to howl "Hurry. HURRY" as the wind whipped through them but she couldn't.
Brambleclaw looked over his shoulder and bounded back to her.
"No! Go to Squirrelflight, no point waiting for me, I'll catch up soon." She hissed and he turned, sped up and was soon out of sight. Hold on Squirrelflight, hold on. She focused on her sister trying to find out if she was ok. She reached out knowing the link between her and her sister couldn't give out. She suddenly heard Squirrelflight's voice saying "Brambleclaw hurry back" and a spasm of pain wrenched through her. She knew that was Squirrelflight.
Soon she could scent Squirrelflight and Brambleclaw. She heaved herself fowards and saw them. Brambleclaw was letting Squirrelflight lean on him as they edged slowly towards the opening of the badger set. As Leafpool laid her eyes on Squirrelflight she knew it was too late to move the she-cat.
"Brambleclaw we must take her back. It's too late to get all the way to the twoleg house, she's too far gone. We can move them there tomorrow. Plus the scent of blood could attract the attention of the clan and we don't want that. They can't see her untill my kits come aswell." Leafpool meowed loudly.
Squirrelflight looked up at her sister and was comforted by the calm look in Leafpool's eyes. She was breathing hard and Leafpool slipped down the set after them. It was definatley abandoned. Leafpool saw a small dip in the earth and in the dim light she could just make out Squirrelflight and Brambleclaw's outline. As she waited for her eyes to adjust to the darkness she turned to Brambleclaw.
She meowed exact instructions "Go to the Windclan border. Wade into the middle of the stream and get me a decent mouthfull of the herb that grows there." She tried not to use medical terms in order to cause no confusion, she had to save time. " Not too wet and not too dry. It must be long but try not to get any of the roots and dont dig all of them up otherwise they wont grow again."
"Anything else?" He meowed
"Hurry!" She exclaimed to his retreating figure.
Squirrelflight let out a low moan and squirmed where she lay. Her breathing had become heavily laboured and her body was heaving from the effort. Leafpool pushed herself closer to her sister and licked her forhead whispering "You'll be okay and Brambleclaw will be back very soon."
"Leafpool..." Squirrelflight choked.
"Shh concentrate on the kits. They will be here soon" Leafpool mewed as she scrambled around so she could monitor the kits progress. It was hard in the cramped conditions to manouver back and forth from squirrelflight to the kits. She squinted. She could see better now her eyes had adapted to the dark. Squirrelflight had progressed very quickly through her labour, as most queens did.
"Nggghh. Leafpool. Starclan spoke to me about your kits... and mine.." Squirrelflight started then howled in pain.
"Tell me later. Right now I want you to concentrate on pushing for me, ok?" She meowed calmly but secretly wondering why Starclan would speak to Squirrelflight about her kits.
"OK" Squirrelflight meowed and her face screwed up in effort. Letting out a low moan as the first kit slipped out into the night, taking it's first breaths. Leafpool picked it up, In the darkness it was hard to make out it's colourings but she was sure it was a Ginger tabby like it's mother. It's scent told her it was a strong healthy tom. She laid it down next to Squirrelflight and the mother looked briefly and relaxed slightly before tensing up for the next kit.
The second kit emerged and Leafpool picked her up. Leafpool got the feeling that this kit was brown. Leafpool sniffed and realised that it was over. She padded over to her sister and licked her forehead whispering, "Well done"
Squirrelflight looked up at her and sighed before licking her two kits affectionatley as they suckled for their food.
Leafpool sat watching the mother and her kits, as they fell asleep. She couldn't help feeling jelous. Not just a bit, a lot jelous. She wouldn't be able to relax when her kits came. She would have to seem awake, as if they wern't hers and she didnt have the wearyness of kitting hanging over her. She wouldn't be able to gaze upon her kits and feel publically proud when they catch they first prey. She wouldn't see their eyes open for the first time. They wouldn't come to her when they had problems. She'd never have the support of a mate. Never know the love of another cat again.
She felt the kits sqirm inside her and knew one thing. They could never know their parentage.