Chapter 37
"Extinguished."
4/25/17
~ Duskshade ~
Weeks passed since the attack of the wolf pack. True to his word, Loki took the pack away from the lake that night and is never heard from again. With Littlestar in power, he made sure everyone kept busy with their work to distract them from the tragedy.
Duskshade did the same as he puts his fresh raspberry leaves in a neat pile early morning.
The medicine cat den seemed empty without Hailstone's presence. Duskshade even misses his comments.
A medicine cat is always isolated. It will take some time to get used to until I get an apprentice myself.
"Duskshade?"
Duskshade looks up and sees Daisyleaf standing in the entrance and blocking the sun.
"Are you okay?" She asks him.
"Never better."
Daisyleaf snorts. "I don't believe that for a second. You barely step out of your den since the last Gathering."
Duskshade flicks his ear. "I've been busy."
Daisyleaf pads inside and stands next to her youngest son.
"Duskshade, you are beginning to worry everyone. Look at yourself."
The pale brown tabby looks at his untidy pelt.
"Why don't you step out and take in some fresh air?"
Daisyleaf leads Duskshade outside in the chilly morning sun. He sees Timberclaw enter the nursery with a squirrel. With Goldflame in a depressed state, Gingershine suddenly volunteered to look after her and give Windstorm a chance to sleep and hunt. Although Duskshade already suspected that she's expecting kits, even if Gingershine and Timberclaw don't know it yet, hopefully the rumor mill won't become as big a deal as her sister's pregnancy.
"It won't be long until Gingershine has kits." He told his mother. Daisyleaf chuckles.
"I knew I wasn't the only one who sees it."
Daisyleaf suddenly frowns when she sees Finchblaze and Maplecloud talking quietly under Highledge.
"I suppose she will have kits of her own, too."
Duskshade nudges Daisyleaf. "I know you're not a fan of him, but Maplecloud likes him."
Daisyleaf opens her mouth when a shriek in the nursery catches their attention. Timberclaw rushes out.
"Duskshade! Goldflame is having her kits!"
"I'm on it." Duskshade stands up and goes inside the nursery. Gingershine is horrified by the sight of blood in Goldflame's nest.
"I don't know what to do!" She exclaims.
"I do. Get some raspberry leaves and chervil - and a stick if possible!"
~ Thistlefang ~
Every cat waits in anticipation for the arrival of Goldflame's kits. Hawkfeather sits next to Thistlefang.
"Taking notes?" Hawkfeather teased. Thistlefang frowns and glares at Hawkfeather, who blinks at him.
"Geez, sorry. I take it you and Snowpelt are on the rocks?"
"... You can say that."
"What happened? You were a wreck when she left."
Thistlefang lashes his tail when he remembers Beechclaw of RiverClan asking Snowpelt to be his mate, in a middle of a battle no less!
"I hit a snag. It's gone, but it just doesn't feel right anymore."
Hawkfeather nudges his shoulder with his nose. "You'll work it out. You can't stay mad at her forever."
~ Duskshade ~
Duskshade watches as the first kit came out. Gingershine did as she was told and licks the kit's fur backwards.
"It's a she-cat." She reports. Duskshade takes the she-cat and places her near Goldflame's belly. The second kit came and Gingershine repeats the actions.
"Another she-cat."
Duskshade places his paw on Goldflame's flank. "One more, Goldflame, you're doing good."
Goldflame's tears fell. "Please… Just get them out…"
Duskshade doesn't like the pain and weariness in her voice. "We're doing our best. Now… push!"
Goldflame pushes with all her might, the final kit comes out and Gingershine licks it until it starts crying out like it's littermates.
"A tom!"
Duskshade takes the tom and places him with his two sisters.
"Two she-cats and one tom. You should be proud."
Goldflame looks at her kits. "I am… Whitefur would have loved these three. I wish Darkstar and Ravenwing saw them, too."
Duskshade nods and says to Gingershine. "Make sure she gets some sleep." Duskshade steps out of the nursery, Littlestar and Lightstripe were waiting patiently outside.
"Well?" Littlestar asks, concerned for his cousin. Duskshade smiles.
"Two she-cats and one tom."
The Clan purrs with pride until Gingershine calls Duskshade's name and poke her head out of the nursery.
"Duskshade! Goldflame's not breathing!"
The pale brown tabby whirls around and races inside to find Goldflame limp in her nest with three mewling kits. Duskshade presses his ear on her side to find a heartbeat.
"I don't know what to do. She just laid down and said she was going with Ravenwing, I freaked out."
Duskshade raises his head and looks at Gingershine. "I know what she meant."
The ginger she-cat blinks and shakes her head. "No… Why?"
"StarClan wanted her. Tell Littlestar what happened… I need to think."
It took ten minutes for the Clan to go from grief to worry. The newborn kits couldn't survive without milk. As far as Duskshade knew, there were no available queens except for Gingershine, but it won't be for a while.
Duskshade then remembers something and decides to visit WindClan. He is met with surprised mews and suspicious stares as he calls Hazelheart's name. The dark yellow she-cat looks at Duskshade.
"Duskshade, how may we help you?" Brackenstar asks as Hazelheart and the newly named Softdawn approach him.
"We have a bit of an emergency. One of our queens gave birth and died this morning."
Softdawn gasps and Hazelheart blinks with sorrow. "I'm so sorry to hear that. It was Goldflame, wasn't it?"
"Yes."
Brackenstar asks, "The kits survived, right?"
Duskshade nods. "I came here because I was hoping that one of your queens could help me."
Brackenstar looks thoughtful.
"The only queen right now is Goldentail, her kits moved on to solid foods."
"Can I talk to her?"
Brackenstar nods and calls Goldentail over. The pale ginger she-cat pads to Brackenstar and gives Duskshade a nervous glance.
"Goldentail. There are kits in ThunderClan who have lost their mother, and Duskshade wants to know if you could nurse them until they move to solid foods."
"Their mother died? Poor things."
Goldentail looks at Duskshade. "I'll do it, just give me a chance to tell my kits."
Goldentail tells her kits what is happening. Cricketkit, Nutkit and Mintkit made her promise to return, and Goldentail follows Duskshade into ThunderClan's camp. Duskshade quickly explains the plan, and Littlestar allows Goldentail to stay in the nursery.
The WindClan queen curls herself around the three kits as they start to suckle.
Duskshade sighs with relief.
"Do they have names?" Goldentail asks Gingershine and Duskshade.
"She never had a chance to." Gingershine said.
Goldentail looks at the two black she-cats. "Hmm. It'll be hard to tell which from which until they open their eyes. But for this little one…"
She strokes the tom's gold brown fur with her tail.
"I like the name Aspenkit."
"Aspenkit, I like it." Gingershine agrees.
Duskshade finds it strange that a WindClan queen is naming a ThunderClan kit, but the circumstances shouldn't call it into question. He's grateful for Goldentail for leaving WindClan and nurse the kits, even if it was temporary.
At least now Goldflame's kits have a chance to live.