Nightfang
"Morningdew, look at them! Look at our beautiful family." I cooed nosing each of my kits, the darkness of the cave made it difficult to see their colors but I didn't care what they looked like, they were mine. Morningdew lifted her head weakly to see the three hungry bundles at her belly.
I jumped behind her and propped her up on my side so she didn't have to strain herself, she had done so much already. "Oh Nightfang, they are even more perfect than I could have ever dreamed of." She whispered licking each one on the head. She lay her head on my shoulder and I licked her ears lovingly, "You were amazing my love, I have never seen such strength."
My grooming had relaxed her so much that I could hear tiny snores as she finally gave in to her exhaustion. She was so beautiful even when she slept, I hoped all of our kits carried her beauty and grace. One of the toms gave a squeal as the little she kit climbed over top of him for better access to Morningdew's milk. I felt a loud purr in my throat at how feisty my daughter was already, "We will have our work cut out with that one wont we?" I said aloud even though I knew Morningdew wouldn't respond.
At that instant I had the strangest urge hit me, "Hunt, I need to hunt." It said and in little more than a second it became an impulse that vibrated from my tail to my claws. I had to find food for them, Morningdew needed to make milk so our kits can stay healthy. Making sure I didn't disturb my family I crept outside into the cool moonlit night, judging by how high it stood in the sky I had a bit of time before the sun rose.
Even though I hadn't slept for a full day at least I had more energy than I when I was an apprentice, I stalked through the moor as quiet as a owl in search for the perfect meal for my mate. There was a mouse eating wheat that was painfully ignorant of my approach but it was too small, Morningdew needed more than that. A few breaths later I spotted a mole digging its new hole for the winter and once again I judged it unworthy. Finally after an hour of searching I found a young rabbit cleaning itself in the cover of the tall grass, it may be safe from hunting owls but not from Windclan's swiftest and stealthiest hunter.
Morningdew was curled around our kits, who were sleeping now and she let a low hiss at my approach. "Its just me love, I brought you something to eat." I nudged the rabbit through the shallow opening and clawed the side, letting the fresh blood and rich scent of meat reassure her that I was no threat.
She curled her tail a bit tighter around the kits but her eyes were warm as I squeezed through with the rabbit leaving a trail behind me. I lay it at her paws and let she let out a mew of thanks before she bit ravenously into its haunch. I sat back and cleaned my paws and muzzle, giving her space to eat her meal.
"How are you feeling? Should I get you some water or any herbs? Maybe some more moss or feathers?" I asked, hoping my offering would be enough to make her happy. "I am fine, that rabbit tasted better than anything I have ever eaten." She purred and uncurled her tail from our kits who were piled onto one another, I could see their tiny faces with their shut eyes and closed ears. I bent over them sniffing each one, suddenly aware at how fragile they were and all the dangers that they could face.
"What should we name them?" she whispered.
I looked at our kits again, their markings were beginning to show as light filtered into our cave and I could now see the large tom had dark silver stripes and light gray fur in between, I bet his eyes would be as blue as his mothers.
"How about Silverkit for him." I suggested licking my sons back lovingly.
"I love it." She said nudging our second son who is all black from ears to tail except a splash of white on his muzzle as if he stuck it in snow. "Hmm, how about Ravenkit?" she said and the kit let out a low squeak at her prodding, "I think he likes it." I chuckled.
We turned our gaze to our daughter who was curled snuggly at Morningdew's belly as if she was guarding her food from her brothers, she was all black on top with a cute pink nose but when you reached her chest it turned white with tiny silver stripes on her paws and a long silver striped tail. "She is beautiful, I couldn't wish for a better litter." I said purring at them, "That's it, Wishkit." Morningdew said, her eyes lighting up at the name.
"Its perfect." I whispered and without realizing it I curled myself protectively around my kits, twining my tail with Morningdew's we sat in silence as we both shut out the world and now lived in one of our own making. One were we could be together without secrets and judgments, were we could raise our kits together and there were no rules or responsibilities to any cat other than each other.
I didn't want it to end, I nuzzled closer to Morningdew who looked at me with her eyes brimming with tears and in them I could tell she was wishing the same thing. A loud call of a morning bird reminded us that this dream had to end. "I cant stay here Nightfang, Thunderclan will be looking for me if they aren't already." She whispered and my claws unsheathed at the thought of any cat near my mate or my kits so soon after their birth.
"I can protect you Morningdew, you can stay here until the kits are big enough and then we can take them back to Wind-..I mean Thunderclan." I said with a hopeful tone but Morningdew shook her head slowly, "That's too risky, I couldn't let you exhaust yourself doing your deputy duties and taking care of us."
"I don't mind, I can do it for you and the kits."
Morningdew purred and touched her nose to mine, "If only it was so simple love." I rubbed my head with hers and the heat radiated from our bodies as we both fought back emotions neither of us could explain or control. "Take me a little past the border, there is a fallen log there that is mostly hollow, I can make it look like I had the kits there when the morning patrol arrives."
I hated the thought of moving my kits from their comfortable nest but I knew Morningdew was right, she couldn't stay here. "How will we move them?" I asked knowing that we could only carry one at a time, she nudged the kits a bit to see how asleep they were and none of them gave a single peep. "We can carry two with us and one on my back, probably Silverkit since he is the largest."
Slowly we picked each kit up and passed them down as slow and gently as we could to the ground below. Silverkit squealed as I placed him on the dewy, cool grass. "Its alright son, youll be warm again soon." I cooed trying to calm him as Morningdew slid down the slope with Wishkit in her jaws, we could hear Ravenkit mewing loudly in the cave as he noticed the absence of his mother and siblings. I bolted up the slope and licked him furiously, "I am here Ravenkit, I will always be here." I said between licks.
He stopped his cries as if he could hear my words though his ears were closed. I picked him up gently and met Morningdew below who was crouching over our kits. She helped me place Silverkit on my back and she kept her head close to my side to keep him safely in place as we crossed the border into Thunderclan territory.
The birds were alive with song now and the sky went from dark to light and my heart began to race, we were almost out of time the clans would be waking up now and beginning patrols. The fallen tree Morningdew mentioned was just up ahead and thank Starclan there was no sign of life in it. I placed our kits down on the soft wood and Morningdew scraped some moss from the trunk to dress them with to keep them warm.
I noticed she also carried some of the soiled feathers from our cave with her. "It will make it more convincing that I gave birth here." She said at my confused gaze, "The patrol will be along soon, you should go" her voice cracked with emotion and I saw concern in her eyes. "I will stay until the patrol arrives, I can say I herd you cry and helped you birth the kits."
She shook her head, "No, you have helped me too much already. They will surely get suspicious if you are here again." My heart sank, I knew she was right but I couldn't stand the thought of leaving her and the kits here with no protection. "Morningdew, I-"
"No Nightfang, it will be too risky. Besides you need to get your patrols started." She said firmly and curled up with our kits waiting for the morning patrol to pass by. I touched her nose with mine and we breathed in sync, saying everything and nothing as the moments ticked by. "I love you Morningdew." I whispered and shot of like a bolt of lighting, knowing that if I stayed a moment longer, I would never leave.
Morningdew
I felt more and more empty with every leap he took away from us, my heart begging to follow him no matter how insensible it was. Wishkit squealed as Silverkit rolled over onto her head. Momentarily distracted I purred as I nudged Silverkit off of her and pulled all of them to my belly for warmth.
I was tired, so tired. Nightfangs rabbit had given me the energy to make it here but my strength was beginning to wane and I realized how sore my body felt. I didn't have any of the pressure from my pregnant belly anymore but it was now replaced with a burning sensation and my lower half felt like it had been hit with a two leg monster. My kits seemed small now but giving birth to them felt like three adult foxes clawed their way out of my stomach.
Leafpool had warned that the first litter is always the hardest but I had no idea I would hurt so much afterward. The weight of my pain and heart ache from loosing Nightfangs comforting touch made me whimper. "Hey do you smell that?" Berrynose said through the brush
"Yeah, it smells like kits." Cinderheart said with a startled tone, I let out a yowl for help on in seconds Cinderheart, Berrynose, Whitewing, Bumblestripe and Ambermoon were all trying to shove themselves into the hollow tree trunk to help me and the kits back to camp. "Goodness Morningdew, what were you think leaving camp so close to kitting?" Cinderheart said as I leaned on her for support.
"I cant believe you kitted all by yourself! I could never have done it without Lefpools herbs." Whitewing said on my other side, I let out a shallow chuckle as I tried to play it off like it was no big deal but I was too tired. My kits wiggled and squealed as Bumblestripe and Ambermoon and Berrynose carried them by the scruff. They were already used to the smells of their parents and their scared mews tugged at my heart.
"Its ok kits, we are taking you to a nice warm den full of comfy bedding." Whitewing cooed but it didn't help. The whole clan was awoken by the commotion and Leafpool and Jayfeather ran to me, their mouths full of herbs and cobwebs. "Im fine really, just tired." I tried to say but the flood of warriors drowned me out.
Frostfeather and Fleetwhisker rushed to my side and asked me questions left and right, "Lets get you to the nursery." Frostfeather said nudging me to my paws, I was led to the nursery were Lilyheart lay sleeping, her belly almost bursting with Snowbushes next litter of kits.
"What is with all the racket. Oh, Morningdew are you alright." She gasped as Frostfeather pushed me down to a nest and my kits were placed one by one at my belly, who were now fully awake and hungry. "Let me check you over." Leafpool and Jayfeather sniffed me thoroughly and poked and prodded me in every sore place I had. Jayfeathers nose seized up and his eyes narrowed, "Whats wrong." Leafpool asked
"Nothing, I am going to get some poppy to help you sleep, you must be tired after such a long night." He said evenly and left the nursery, "I wonder what in his fur." Lilyheart said with a snort, my heart began to race a bit. Jayfeather had stronger senses than any cat in the forest, could he smell Nightfang on me? On the kits? "Well, aside from soreness do you feel any other pains?" Leafpool interrupted and I shook my head.
"Well you seem normal, I am surprised you did this on your own." She said making it sound more like a question than a observation. "Well it wasn't easy, but I didn't have much of a choice." I swallowed, the exhaustion and questions were making me irritated but Leafpool didn't press and when Jayfeather returned I licked up the poppy without protest. I saw them exchange a questioning glance as I began to slowly fall into unconsciousness.