It was a dark,rainy day when the kits were born.
"The kits are coming!" yelled Hawkclaw.
"You think I don't know that?!" screamed Dawnsky,in pain.
Dawnsky was breathing heavily, while Blacknose was pacing nervously back and forth at the Nursery entrance. ThunderClan hadn't had any kits in a while,so this was big news for them.
"Are you okay?" asked Blacknose from where he was pacing.
"I'm fine!" she yelled at him,"I just wish these kits would be born already!"
Hawkclaw just rolled his eyes,he had been medicine cat for a long time,and he knew all Queens were like this while kitting. But then he noticed something.
"The first kit is coming!"
As he yelled that a dark bundle slid out, he gently picked it up and gave it to Blacknose.
"Now lick it." he instructed.
Blacknose stared at it and began licking.
Dawnsky cried out in pain.
"Another one!" said Hawkclaw and he went to help her.
A second kit slid out,smaller than the other,but not undersized.
"I'll take this one." Hawkclaw softly pulled the kit towards him and started licking.
Dawnsky screeched again and Hawkclaw rushed over to help her.
"Something's wrong." growled Hawkclaw nervously,while bending over Dawnsky.
Blacknose's heart pounded at the scene. What would happen to his mate?
Dawsky squirmed in pain. And then suddenly, she stopped.
Blacknose's eyes widened in fear,"What's wrong?"
Hawkclaw turned towards him and shook his head sadly.
"The kit was stuck," he replied grimly,"they're both dead."
"No! That's not possible!" Blacknose yelled in shock,"It can't be true!"
"I'm afraid it is. But, at least you have two beautiful kits, a son and a daughter."
Blacknose turned away,too depressed to care.
Hawkclaw put a paw on his side,"You should name them."
Blacknose glanced at his daughter,the little black she-kit was shivering with cold,he rushed over to his kits and curled his tail around them.
"The she-kit will be called Darkkit,as a reminder of this dark day. And the tom. . ." Blacknose paused,as if he was thinking,". . .will be Lionkit,to give him the strength to move on."
"Hmm. . ." Hawkclaw said,"but,who will raise them?"
"I will." growled Blacknose protectively.
Hawkclaw shook his head at him,"You can't. Who will give the kits milk?"
Blacknose looked around,"I guess Rosefeather could raise them,since she's the only other Queen."
Hawkclaw nodded,"Yes,I will go get her."
The tortoiseshell she-cat was at the other side of the Nursery,she had heard the news and was already padding towards them.
"I would be happy to raise your kits. If no one else will take them." she said.
"You are really the only one who can." Hawkclaw growled.
Blacknose picked up his kits and placed them at Rosefeather's paws.
He lowered his head to the kits,"I wish with all my heart that I could raise you with Dawnsky." he told them,"But this is the way it has to be."
Rosefeather picked the kits up and brought them to her nest, she began licking their heads softly.
"I promise I will do my best to raise them." she mewed quietly.
They all sat there in the Nursery, their heads lowered sadly,wishing the day had gone differently than it had.
Hawkclaw wished that he had a better medicine cat,
Rosefeather wished that she could have done something to help.
And all Blacknose wished for was to have his mate back.
But it was too late for their wishes to come true.