Sorry for not updating for so long, but I'll try and update more often now. This chapter isn't very long, but I hope you all like it anyways (:
I woke up at the crack of dawn and stretched out my cramped legs, careful not to wake Adderfang beside me. His face was so peaceful in sleep. It had no anger of any kind, and reminded me of when he was an apprentice and was the best friend I would always remember. He had never been so crabby or violent back then.
I exited the den and snorted angrily as freshly-fallen snow went came halfway up my legs. I scrambled out of the snow and managed to stay on top of the snow as I went to the nursery. I peered inside when I saw Robinflight panting and moaning quietly. Dawnstripe was at her side.
"Lightningblaze go and get Birdsong and Sweetflower. It's time," Dawnstripe turned her head to look at me with fierce eyes.
I sucked in a sharp breath of fear and surprise and nearly choked on it. What? It couldn't be time! She still had another half a moon!
"Go!" Dawnstripe snapped as Robinflight let out another low wail.
My body snapped into action much more quickly then my mind did. When I could finally think again, I was already racing back to the nursery with Birdsong and Sweetflower behind me holding bundles of herbs. Rosefur was shooing all of the kits into the elder's den to leave room for Robinflight, Dawnstripe, Birdsong, and Sweetflower. I squeezed myself in the nursery as well.
Robinflight was laid on her side and Dawnstripe was licking her ear. Then suddenly a low hiss came from Robinflight.
"Go away," she hissed.
"But I'm here to help you through this. And Birdsong and Sweetflower are here to help you," Dawnstripe told her.
"No not you," she snarled," Lightningblaze. Get out."
I was stunned.
"Some queens do not wish for their mates to see them like this. They also don't want the mate to see the kits until they are born and she is positive they are alive. You can sit outside, but do not come in unless we call you," Birdsong told me.
I nodded obediently and left. It would not matter whether I could see everything or not. By sitting outside I could hear just as well. I listened intently to everything. Dawnstripe continued to comfort her, and Sweetflower and Birdsong were examining her over and over and readying themselves for the first kit to be born.
The day ticked by slowly. I paid no attention to the warriors around me, all I could do was listen in on what was going on in the nursery. Which wasn't much.
It was just past sunhigh when I grew slightly impatient. How long did it take for a queen to have her kits when she started kitting? Then suddenly I heard a yowl come from Robinflight. I perked my ears, but heard no mewling. Sweetflower and Birdsong were tense, and I heard them both gasp.
"What's happening?" Dawnstripe gasped.
"I don't know. Something's gone wrong," Sweetflower said as I heard her scramble around for something.
"Lightningblaze!" Birdsong yowled my name.
I raced into the den and my eyes immediately wandered to Robinflight. She was in the same spot as she was before but looked a whole lot worse. Her belly contracted frequently and she was panting heavily. The moss she was laying on was now soaked with blood. Her green eyes were frozen with pain, they hardly blinked. Even Dawnstripe had stepped back in fear.
"Get some soaked moss, now," Birdsong growled.
I nodded and ran over to the medicine cat den and grabbed a large clump of moss from outside their den. I pelted down to the lake and submerged it in the water. Then I dashed back to camp again and gave Birdsong the wet moss. She nodded her thanks and disappeared back in the den again.
Sundown was slowly approaching, and no kits had been born yet. Most of the blood had been cleaned up, and so far nothing had else had gone wrong. Except that it was taking a long time. She had been kitting since dawn, and I had been worried all day. Thrushpaw had given me a vole to eat, but otherwise I had not acknowledged anyone today except the cats in the nursery. I had taken one bite out of the vole, but it tasted like a mouthful of dirt for I had no appetite and I was too worried to taste any flavor.
Then finally Birdsong let out another yowl like she had earlier this morning, and I heard rustling from around inside the den. There was a few snips of teeth and then the wailing of a tiny kit. My body flooded with joy.
"I see now," Birdsong said," Three kits are left. Bigger litters are more likely to end badly. But what a beautiful golden pelt on this kit."
By the time the sun had finally set most of the cats had retreated to their dens, and Robinflight was almost done kitting.
"It's okay now Lightningblaze. All the kits are healthy, and Robinflight is fine. She will need plenty of recovery from such a violent birth, but she will live for sure. All she needs now is rest. She has asked me to come and get you," Sweetflower said.
I stepped into the nursery, and instantly an atmosphere of love and happiness replaced the atmosphere of stress and fear. Robinflight was laying in the exact same spot, but she was no longer on her side. She was purring happily as 4 little kits squirmed at her belly. I sat down beside her and peered down at the kits. My kits. My own flesh and blood. The thought startled me. I was still so young. Younger than Dawnstripe and Cloudstorm even.
It was dark, but even the moonlight seemed to be shining bright for me so I could see my kits. One was a tom, and the rest were she-cats. The tom was a ginger tabby with amber eyes, much like a mini-version of Lionfang. But I would not let that spoil the moment. He was my son, not Lionfang's. The she-cats were all fairly similar. One was a fluffy white she-cat, another was a brown tabby she-cat, and the last one was a mix of the two; a tabby and white she-cat. I couldn't help but feel almost slightly disappointed that none of them had my black fur or Robinflight's reddish brown coat.
"They're beautiful," I finally managed to whisper.
"Of course they are," Robinflight replied.
"What will we name them?" I asked her after a moment.
We both looked up and stared into each other's eyes. Then Robinflight looked down again.
"I want the tabby and white one to be named Bramblekit. Brambleberry always loved the coat of tabby and white cats," Robinflight said, sadness seeping into her meow.
"Of course. We should name the brown tabby Brookkit, to remind you of the river," I suggested.
Robinflight nodded.
"This little one looks like my Mother, Snowglimmer," she said as she stroked the head of the fluffy white kit with her tail tip.
"How about Hopekit?" I asked.
Robinflight repeated the name over and over a few times under her breath.
"Yes. That suits her," Robinflight finally nodded.
"But what should we name our little tom?" I asked.
No name seemed to suit him. Robinflight went over every name we possibly could to match his golden tabby pelt. Swiftkit, Flamekit, Eaglekit, Firekit, nothing seemed to fit.
"What about Sunkit?" Dawnstripe finally suggested.
"Hmm," Robinflight pondered on it for a moment.
He mewed into Robinflight's fur as if to agree.
"I like it," I said.
"Me too," Robinflight nodded.
"Then there it is. Bramblekit, Brookkit, Hopekit, and Sunkit; welcome to Windclan, " I purred.
The moment didn't seem to last long enough. Within minutes I realized how tired I really was. I could barely keep my eyelids open, and Robinflight seemed to be the same. Birdsong and Sweetflower finished cleaning up and Birdsong rested her tail on my shoulder.
"Come on, you should get some sleep. Robinflight needs some rest too. Your kits will be here in the morning, I promise," Birdsong meowed.
I nodded and stepped out of the den. I looked back and saw Birdsong lingering for another instant above Robinflight and the kits. I thought I saw her eyes glowing with pride, but I could not be so sure.
I just love writing chapters with new kits (: I absolutely love naming them too! Well, please review (: