Chapter 1- The Kitting
Shadowstep burst into the bramble thicket that was ShadowClan's nursery. Rushsong lay on the ground, yowling in pain as her swollen belly convulsed. Brightwhisker sat beside her, his short cream fur unruffled. Rushsong yowled again, and she looked at Shadowstep, her green eyes filled with pain. But there was something else, too. There was joy. Through all that pain, Rushsong still felt the great joy of her kits being born. Rushsong yowled again, this time managing to call Shadowstep's name.
"I'm here! I'm here, Rushsong!" meowed Shadowstep, darting to his mate's side. He began licking her ears furiously. Brightwhisker gave Shadowstep an approving nod.
"Good, keep her as calm as you can," he meowed as he inspected Rushsong carefully.
Rushsong yowled again, and a kit began to appear. As soon as the kit was out Shadowstep began licking it. It was a light tabby with light brown flecks on its back like its mother. Moments later the next kit came. It was stone gray, with a black chest and black paws. The following kit was almost an exact copy of its mother, except without the flecks on its back. Shadowstep looked proudly at his three kits. He licked them gently until something made him glance up. Rushsong's breathing had become ragged. Brightwhisker was muttering to himself worriedly while working swiftly and deftly to steady the she-cat's breathing.
"What's wrong with her?!" squeaked Shadowstep.
"A kit's stuck!" yowled Brightwhisker as Rushsong's breathing worsened. Her belly convulsed horribly, the muscles straining to get the kit out. With a final wheeze, she stopped breathing.
Shadowstep yowled, but Brightwhisker gritted his teeth, laid his paws on Rushsong's belly, and pushed. The kit's back paws appeared. Brightwhisker pushed again, and the kit was out. This one was mostly black, with a white belly and chest.
Shadowstep glanced at it, and as soon as he realized that the little scrap of fur was not breathing he set about licking it furiously, praying to StarClan that both his mate and the little kit would survive.
Brightwhisker returned to Rushsong. A few seconds passed like an eternity, and finally Rushsong took a ragged, gasping breath. The kit had begun breathing too. Shadowstep sighed as Brightwhisker got to his feet and began making his way out of the nursery, meowing instructions to the other tom.
"They should be fine now. Let me know if there's any change."
Shadowstep nodded, and then curled up beside his mate, carefully sheltering their four kits between them.