"Push!" Jayfeather ordered.

It had been half a moon since Lionblaze had met Heathertail at the Gathering. Cinderheart's face twisted in agony. Lionblaze watched in horror as Jayfeather worked, his blind blue eyes scanning every inch of her body.

"Poppy seeds!" Cinderheart screeched, "I need poppy seeds!"

Jayfeather smiled a small smile.

"You would know Cinderpelt," He whispered to himself. Cinderheart appeared not to have heard. She lay on her back, her gray pelt fluffed out in pain, her breathing quick and forced.

"Are you sure she's OK?" Lionblaze asked for the millionth time. Jayfeather turned his head and glared at him.

"I'm sure!" He snapped. Lionblaze hung his head. Ferncloud, who was sitting next to him put her paw on his and looked into his eyes sympathetically. Lionblaze flicked his tail gratefully.

"Dustpelt was the same when I had my first litter," She mewed softly, "it looks all wrong from here but its going fine, trust me."

Lionblaze drank in Ferncloud's words, she comforted him but he still was worried about Cinderheart. Cinderheart looked at him, her soft blue eyes raw with pain and love. Lionblaze forced himself to stay still. He purred encouragingly and made a silent prayer to StarClan that everything would be OK. Cinderheart let out a loud yowl of distress. Lionblaze watched as a gray kit slithered into Jayfeather's paws. His brother smiled and began licking the kit's birth sac away, stimulating breathing. It was only his trust in Jayfeather that kept Lionblaze frozen from that moment on. Cinderheart strained herself to look at her kit. Jayfeather was still working on the little cat and breathed a sigh of relief as the kit took a deep gulp of air and let out a pitiful squeak. Lionblaze felt his heart melt. He could hardly believe that the kit was his, his own kin. Ferncloud rose to her feet and padded over to Cinderheart. She exchanged a few brief words with Jayfeather before lying down next to the gray kit and licking it warm. Jayfeather put his paws gently on Cinderheart's stomach.

"Just two more now," He mewed calmly.

"Two?" Cinderheart panted. Lionblaze could see his mate was visibly exhausted, he made a silent prayer to StarClan that she would be OK. Suddenly, Cinderheart's face screwed up again and she let out another grunt of distress as Jayfeather gently pulled out another kit, this time a white and tortoiseshell. Like Sorreltail. Lionblaze thought. This kit was even slower to stir than the first one. Cinderheart watched with painful anticipation as Ferncloud hurridly licked away the residue and cleaned the kit. Jayfeather muttered to Cinderheart reassuringly but Lionblaze could see she was getting more distressed with every passing moment.

"Is it…..dead?" Cinderheart mewed, an obvious edge of dread to her voice.

"No," Jayfeather mewed clamly, "Ferncloud will wake it."

Lionblaze focused on Ferncloud with all his strength. The gentle queen wasn't speeding up, just tenderly licking the kit until after what seemed like moons, the kit deeply inhaled. Ferncloud and Lionblaze simultaneously let out a sigh of relief. Lionblaze watched as a look of motherly relief rippled through Cinderheart's body, the strength in knowing her first two kits were alive gave her strength. A spasm rippled through her gray body until she gave a final large push. Jayfeather helped by gently running his paws down Cinderheart's chest. Cinderheart let out one last mournful cry before falling silent as a black kit slithered into Jayfeather's paws. The last kit started breathing instantly. Cinderheart bent over to look at her kits for the first time. Lionblaze padded to her side and lovingly buried his muzzle in her fur. Cinderheart purred contentedly as Ferncloud put the three kits by Cinderheart's belly. The little white and tortoiseshell one was slow to latch onto a nipple but with Cinderheart's gentle licking it too found its way and started to feed.

Jayfeather smiled proudly at Cinderheart.

"You did great," He purred happily, "You have two daughters and a son, the tom is the gray." Cinderheart nodded exhaustedly. Lionblaze could see that she would soon fall asleep. He lay down next to his mate and buried his fur in hers, purring softly.

"They're beautiful," He breathed, scarcely believing that these little kits are his own. He made a silent promise to always be a good father and protect them with his life. Cinderheart nodded slowly.

"We need to name them," She mewed softly. Lionblaze hadn't even thought about that.

"I…I want to call this one Hollykit," She said, motioning to the black kit, "In memory of Hollyleaf."

Lionblaze nodded slowly, thoughts pulsing through his head. Is this you? He thought, Are you that same Hollyleaf?

"And our son Ashkit," Cinderheart continued, "For Ashfur."

Lionblaze touched Ashkit with his nose.

"Ashkit," He whispered. Hello Ashfur.

"What do you think we can same the last one?" Cinderheart asked wearily. It slipped out before Lionblaze could stop it.

"Heatherkit."

Cinderheart licked his cheek lovingly.

"It's perfect," She breathed, "They're all perfect."

Lionblaze took one last look at his kits and mate before falling soundly asleep behind them.

Two sunrises later, Lionblaze padded back into the ThunderClan camp, a mouse and two voles dangling from his jaws. He trotted to the fresh-kill pile and dropped them. He eyed the pile eagerly. He chose a large magpie for his family and walked to the nursery. Cinderheart was laying on her back in her nest, giggling as their three kits jumped on her.

"Move over Ashkit!" Hollykit mewed playfully. Ashkit growled jokingly.

"Come get some!"He laughed. Lionblaze's whiskers twitched in amusement as the two kits became a ball of gray and black fur. It's amazing to think she once killed you. Heatherkit sat by Cinderheart, talking to her mother with a sad expression on her face. Lionblaze padded up to them. Cinderheart and Heatherkit looked at him. Immediately, Heatherkit's bright blue eyes lit up with glee.

"Lionblaze!" She squeaked. Ashkit and Hollykit stopped wrestling and looked at him two. Hollykit's green eyes sparked with interest as she spied the magpie. She and Ashkit exchanged a competitive glance.

"Me first!" Shrieked Hollykit.

"No! Me!," Ashkit retorted, thrashing his tail. The two kits charged towards him, pushing Heatherkit out of the way in the process. The littlest kit squeaked in displeasure before rolling into Cinderheart's paws. Cinderheart gave Heatherkit a quick lick on her head before encouragingly nudging her towards her littermates. Lionblaze was surrounded with his kits, Ashkit practicing battle moves on him whilst Hollykit bombarded him with questions. Heatherkit remained silent, carefully drawing shapes in the dust. Lionblaze nuzzled each one affectionately before going to sit beside their mother. Cinderheart rubbed her head against his leg in welcome. Lionblaze purred and licked her forehead. He set the magpie down beside her.

"Thought you'd like to share," He offered.

"I'd never turn down a meal," She mewed enthusiastically. Lionblaze's whiskers twitched in amusement as he bent down and took a bite. Cinderheart did the same. The three kits had gone back to playing, Heatherkit too this time. Cinderheart didn't look up as she ate, consuming each bite as ravenously as if she hadn't eaten for a moon. But I suppose, Lionblaze assumed, she's feeding four now. It wouldn't be long before the kits could start being weaned onto solid food. That should give Cinderheart a break.

Lionblaze hadn't seen hair or tail of Heathertail for days. Nor had he thought about her. Being a father was more tiresome than he had first thought, and he had to train Dovepaw on top of that and assist with Ivypaw's training. Berrynose was assisting him with Ivypaw which Lionblaze was grateful for but he couldn't help noticing how Berrynose suddenly became sickly sweet around Ivypaw, but his normal obnoxious self when she wasn't around. Lionblaze pushed the thought away and drank in the scents of Cinderheart and their kits. As he nibbled at the magpie, Lionblaze thought over Dovepaw's training. She was catching on well with fighting techniques and was a superb hunter but not quite ready to be a warrior Lionblaze decided. Another moon or so would do her no harm.

Lionblaze saw a flash of tabby brown out of the corner of his eye. He turned his head sharply. Lionblaze was frozen with shock. Tigerstar was sitting beside his kits, transparent, but there all the same. His heartless amber eyes fixated harshly on Lionblaze's kits, the most important things to him in the world….besides Hearthertail of course. Yes, Lionblaze thought, his mind felt clear, I do love Heathertail more than Cinderheart, I love her too but Heathertail is the only she-cat I could ever devote my life to, the only one I would die for and the best mother for my kits. Lionblaze closed his eyes and his mind focused on Tigerstar. You can't have them, they won't follow you, I won't let them. A cold ripple of pain went through Lionblaze's golden body. Lionblaze opened his eyes. Tigerstar was gone. He let out a silent sigh of relief. Lionblaze stood up, he knew what he had to do and it had to be done now.

"Cinderheart I'm going to check on Dovepaw and Ivypaw," He lied, "Berrynose said he'd take them on a patrol and I'll go and see if I can find them."

Cinderheart nodded.

"Okay," She purred lovingly, "Take your time."

Lionblaze blinked gratefully and exited the nursery. He scanned the clearing for any cats watching him then made his way to the exit. Lionblaze padded out of the camp and down to the WindClan stream, the grass feeling clumpy and wet beneath his paws. He looked at every little detail, the faint whisper of the leaves as they swayed and danced in the light north breeze. Heathertail had told him that in marsh by the border was one of her favorite places to hunt and she did so there regularly. Lionblaze crouched by the stream and took a drink, thirstily lapping up the cool water and letting it rejuvenate his senses so they became sharper. Heathertail. He willed, Come to the marsh, I need to talk to you, I hope you can hear me. Lionblaze let his thoughts drift away with the wind. He lay by the stream, patiently grooming himself and making a show out of scent marking. It wasn't long before Heathertail showed up, alone. She cautiously approached the stream, her ears half-way pinned back to her head, the curiosity burning in her azure eyes. She got as close to the stream as she dared. Lionblaze did the same. Their faces were about a tail length apart now. Lionblaze drank in her sweet scent, mixed with the taints of the moor and the faint odor of rabbit and….Breezepelt. Heathertail swung her light brown head around to check if they were being watched. Finally she spoke.

"Lionblaze!" She said in an excited hushed voice, she looked around again, "What do you want?"

Lionblaze felt a lump in his throat begin to form.

"Cinderheart had my kits a few days ago," He confessed, Heathertail's eyes narrowed, "And you made me ditch Breezepelt and drag myself all the way here to hear that?" she spat quietly. Lionblaze examined his paws.

"N…no," He stuttered, "It made me realize, although its true I love Cinderheart and I love our kits even more, I don't love her in the same way I love you Heathertail, I would willingly give my life for you, the moments we spend apart are agony, the fire that keeps us all alive gets doused a little more every day I don't see you...I love you."

Heathertail's eyes softened. She looked away, her face looking flushed with embarrassment.

"Lionblaze…there's something I need to tell you," She whispered. Lionblaze nodded, "I..I'm having your kits as well."

Lionblaze nearly fell over with shock. What? Half of Lionblaze felt as light air, the other half felt confused and maybe even a little angry.

"Y…you are?" He asked, "Really and truly?"

Heathertail nodded.

"They're due any day now," She mewed happily.

"How come Onestar didn't announce it at the gathering?" Lionblaze enquired. Heathertail blushed again.

"I asked him not to," She confessed, "Breezepelt would make a show of it."

Lionblaze nodded. He understood it all now, why he had gotten a different vibe from her recently and what Thistleclaw had said. Only a fool couldn't see it. But Lionblaze had been a fool, and he knew it.

"Promise me you'll tell me when they come?" Lionblaze requested.

"I'll make sure of it," She promised. The couple stared longingly at each other for what seemed like moons.