Truth is a powerful weapon...We must be careful how we use it.

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A Queen's Lament

"Congratulations! You're expecting kits Larksky." That was what Littleflower had told her only moments ago.

The usually small cat waddled through camp, her tiny pawsteps dainty and light as she walked. Her belly was soon to be swollen with kits, and that was why she wanted advice. The she-cat had snowy white fur, her short legs ticked with grey and her face covered in soot colored patches. The maiden queen's slim tail flicked back and forth over her back in a relaxed motion as she padded towards her mate. "Stoatmask!" She called out, a bright smile on her face to match her cheerful pale yellow eyes.

A tomcat turned around, his eyes searching for the source of the voice. His fur was a lovely chestnut color, except for the golden mask around his eyes and the mane around his neck. The fur was long and thick, and it was always sticking out of place. He was watching her with a pair of dark amber eyes that reminded the she-cat of pinecones. "Hmm?" He perked up as his eyes found her in the crowd. "Oh! Morning Larksky, how's your day treating you?"

The white cat laughed. "Great!" Larksky met his amber gaze with her own yellow eyes, trying her best to ignore the fluttering in her belly. "There's something I need to tell you," the queen ducked her head, avoiding Stoatmask's eyes, "can we go to the river first?"

Stoatmask tipped his head, then chuckled, amber eyes alit with amusement. "You always were the odd one, Larksky." The chestnut tom leaned closer, tongue gently rasping her cheek fur as he did. "I'll go let Tigerstar know where we're going. Meet you there?"

Larksky waited for a moment as he padded away to the new leader, before turning tail and walking towards the river. Her mind began to wander as she neared her favorite place in StreamClan territory. Why must I be so shy? She asked herself, frowning. It should be easy to tell him! You've been dreaming of the moment when you of this since you first became apprentices together. Maybe I'm just not cut out for the nursery. Larksky sighed, settling down just at the edge of river and water, close enough to feel the water's tug.

"Larksky?" Stoatmask purred, curling his tail in delight as he laid next to her, his head on his paws. "What do you want to tell me?" The question was spoken with a kit like innocence that seemed to trail the tom wherever he went. His flank brushed against her own, his whiskers twitching as Stoatmask watched his mate. "You can tell me anything; you know that, right?"

Feigning a smile, Larksky tilted her head towards the river. "Stoatmask, I talked to Littleflower today," she nuzzled her face into his scruffy mane, letting its softness absorb her for a moment until she decided to look him straight in the eyes. Here goes nothing. "And- And I'm expecting kits!" She blurted out, her ears burning with embarrassment.

Stoatmask blinked, once, twice, as a smile grew on his expressive face and his dark eyes brightened with excitement. "That's amazing, Larksky! They'll be as beautiful as you and just as kind and sweet and-"

"And they will have their father's courage and cunning. I just know they will." Larksky purred gently, her voice smooth as honey and as flowing as the river. "I'm just so, scared. My mother-"

"Died birthing a beautiful she-cat like you, and I promise that Littleflower won't let that happen." Stoatmask gave her a look filled with love and compassion. "I've never broken a promise before and this one will not be the first." I won't let it break. The tom told himself, unsure if it was Larksky he was trying to convince, or himself.

A smile grew on her face, bringing joy to her pale eyes. She leaned into Stoatmask's soft pelt, as he began to lick her ears. "Come on, let's go for a stroll."

VxVxVxVxVxVxVx

"Larksky!" A wail tore from his throat, leaving him breathless, crouched on the nursery floor shaking. Stoatmask nudged his mate's flank, but no response greeted him. "I-I promised that we could name them together. Why didn't she tell me?"

A soft object on his back alerted Stoatmask to the cat standing behind him, Littleflower. "She knew you would panic and she wanted her last moons to be peaceful and quiet." The lithe black she-cat gestured to the tiny bundles of fur next to Larksky's limp form. "You've four kits now, take care of them and yourself.

The first time Stoatmask glanced at his kits, he forced himself not to whimper. The first was a tiny chestnut brown she-kit; her paws, tail, and jaws were white, as well as the white rings around her eyes. "This one's Acornkit." He whispered, touching his nose to the smallest kit in the litter, licking her ears. The next was a white tom with pale brown ear tips and tail tip. "I'll call him Rushkit." The third was a golden brown, with a white spot around one eye and white paws, touching his nose to the kit's, Stoatmask decided the name rather quickly. "Her name is Reedkit." The final she-cat was pure white with grey ticked legs, tail and face. The kit yawned and curled around herself.

"Larksky wanted to name her Riverkit, after the great times you spent at the river." Littleflower's mew echoed in his ear.

"So there's Acornkit, Rushkit, Reedkit, and Riverkit." Stoatmask forced a purr. He would take care of his kits and she would be with him every step of the way, that he knew for certain. Stoatmask promised that he would play with them every day, teach them everything he knew. I won't let you down again Larksky. Not this time, never again.