Prologue
The gray she cat let out a contented purr as she curled herself around the four little bundles she had just brought into this world. Jayfeather dipped his head toward the she cat and stepped out of the den. A moment later, Lionblaze appeared, his eyes wide and anxious. Once he saw the little kits, His gaze softened.
"Oh Cinderheart, theyre beautiful." He breathed.
He gazed proudly at his kits, licking his mates ears affectionately.
"Do you know what to call them?" Lionblaze questioned.
"Well id like to name the orange tom Emberkit and the grey she cat Fawnkit. I figured you should name the other two." Cinderheart murmured, watching her mate through loving eyes.
"Id love to! The light brown she cat is Creamkit and her sister is Petalkit. I feel bad for our son, surrounded by she cats." He chuckled as his mate flicked his ear playfully.
"Oh hush. He'll be a wonderful brother to them and theyll have lots of fun together." Cinderheart purred.
"Did you ever think the day would finally come for us to have kits?" Lionblaze inquired, gazing in awe at his four precious little kits.
"The day I chose to take you as a mate is the day our destinys aligned. And I wouldnt want in any other way." Cinderheart said, pressing herself into the comfort of her mates fur.
In response, Lionblaze touched his nose to Cinderhearts ear as their purrs filled the nursery.
"Youre doing great Squirrelflight! Just one more push!" Jayfeather mewed encouragingly.
The branch in Squirrelflights mouth splintered as she gave one last push.
"Thats all of them!" the medicine cat told her nuzzling the last of the litter into the curve of the new mothers belly.
"Thank Starclan!" Squirrelflight let out a sigh of relief, curling herself around her three little kits. "I had it easy with you and your siblings! I dont pity Leafpool for giving birth to you!"
"Gee thanks." Jayfeather muttered sarcastically.
"Oh Jayfeather I loved being your mother but giving birth isnt exactly fun." Squirrelflight sighed.
"Well now your mother to two she kits and a tom. Let me get Bramblestar. Hes on everyones tails out there. You would think no cat has ever given birth before." Jayfeather huffed as he padded out of the den.
A moment later, Bramblestar hurried into the nursery, bending his head down to sniff the little kits.
"Theyre perfect. Just like you." Bramblestar purred, gazing warmly at his mate and kits.
"Does our mighty leader approve?" Squirrelflight teased.
Bramblestar flicked her playfully across her ear.
"Ive already named two of them. Scarletkit for the white and orange she cat and Bristlepaw for the ginger tom." Squirrelflight murmured and then glanced up at him expectantly.
"I like the name Lightkit for the brown she cat." Bramblestar meowed decisively, his gaze resting on the smallest of the litter.
"A big name for such a small kit." Squirrelflight purred.
"I cantwait to see what Starclan has in store for her and the rest of our kits. Theyll all be great additions to the clan." Bramblestar meowed approvingly.
"Yes they will be." Squirrelflight agreed, her eyes closing drowsily.
"Oh and Bramblestar?" Squirrelflight ,meowed sleepily.
"Yes my love?" Bramblestar asked, curling his body around Squirrelflight and the kits.
"Next time you can give birth." Squirrelflight mewed as she drifted off.
Bramblestar just purred in response, rasping his tounge in rythmic motions against the queens ginger fur.
Dovewing curled her body tight over her two newborn kits, baring her teeth in a snarl at her sister.
Ivypool wrapped her tail around her swollen stomach, trying to calm her breathing so that the stress wouldnt harm her unborn kits.
"Those kits are half clan!" Ivypool spat, glaring at her sister.
"Thats not their fault!" Dovewing explained.
"They should have never been born. I cant believe you would betray your clan like this!" Ivypool stared coldly at the two kits, swiping a paw in their direction.
Dovewing gasped but before she could react, a tom headbutted her so she stumbled backwards.
"Oh look who it is." Ivypool spat, her hackles raised.
"Dont you dare harm my kits!" Tigerheart snarled.
"What are you going to tell the clan about this?" Ivypool meowed mockingly.
"The truth." Tigerheart mewed calmly. "Im not ashamed of my mate or my kits."
"Youre not my mate. Not anymore." Dovewing choked out, still recovering from the shock of giving birth way too early and recovering from the fact that her sister had tried to attack her newborn kits.
Tigerheart stared at her in dismay. "But we have kits together!"
"They may have a relationship with you but i no longer want to have one with you. Enough is enough. This never should have happened." Dovewing mewed sadly, licking her kits on top of their heads. "As for you Ivypool. I never want to see you go near my kits like that again or youll be sorry."
Dovewing glared at her sister, feeling as if her world was crashing down. She picked up her two kits by the scruff and without another word, she padded off toward the camp to face the consequences of her actions.
Crowfeather stared in awe at the two small kits in the curve of his mates belly.
"Theyre perfect." Crowfeather breathed.
After the battle with the Dark Forest, Crowfeather had decided to take his destiny into his own paws and had joined Thunderclan. He knew he would have eventually become deputy of Windclan but he would never have been truly happy. Not without Leafpool. Since Leafpool had retired as a medicine cat, she was free to have another litter of kits without hiding it from the clan. This time she would get to raise her own kits.
"Id like to name the tom Sparrowkit. He looks just like you." Leafpool purred.
Crowfeather purred in agreement and after a moment hesitation, he meowed quietly. "If you dont mind Id like to call the she cat Featherkit." He searched his mates gaze anxiously, hoping she wasnt offended.
"Thats perfect. Id be honored to name my kit after such a brave she cat." Leafpool murmured and then she saw the anxiety in Crowfeathers eyes. "Oh Crowfeather. I know you love me. Theres no shame in missing Feathertail. She played such an important part in clan history and I know how much she meant to you."
Leafpool pressed herself against Crowfeather as he licked her ears in relief.
"I wont make the same mistakes. Ill protect these kits with my life and I will be a father they can be proud of." Crowfeather meowed, his voice thick with emotion.
"I know my love. Jayfeather, Lionblaze and Hollyleaf have forgiven you. You musnt beat yourself up over it." Leafpool mewed soothingly.
"But Breezepelt turned out so badly. And maybe Hollyleaf would still be alive if I had fought harder to protect her." Crowfeather sighed.
"Hollyleafs death wasnt your fault. She died bravely in battle. As for Breezepelt, well he made his own choices." Leafpool murmured, grief for her deceased kit laced in her voice.
"I dont even know why I mated with Nightcloud. I never loved her. I always was in love with you." Crowfeather spat.
"The past is past." Leafpool sighed, nuzzling the two kits closer to her belly.
"Ive learned from my past and Ill be the best father there ever was." Crowfeather declared, curling his body protectively around his mate and kits. Their contented purrs filling the warm nursery.
"Jays Wing!" Half Moon exclaimed.
Jayfeathers heart swelled with joy as the pretty she cat bounded over to him. He burrowed his muzzle into her fur, breathing in her sweet scent. He had been meeting Half Moon in his dreams for moons. He worried that he was being disloyal but surely it wasnt disloyal if she wasnt still alive? The ancient she cat had been dead for seasons although Jayfeather was in love with her.
"Hows the prey running?" Jayfeather purred.
"Great! Theres never a lack of prey with the tribe of endless hunting!" Half Moon mewed enthusiastically. The she cat traveled far for their nightly meeting and she never ceased to impress him. "I have someone Id like you to meet!"
Jayfeather tilted his head curiously, dissapointed he wouldnt get Half Moon to himself tonight.
"Come here my sweet." Half Moon called as a small kit padded over. She was a small grey she kit with white paws and one blue eye and one green eyes. She stared up in wonder at Jayfeather.
"This is your daughter." Half Moon murmured, gazing lovingly at her mate.
"My daughter?" Jayfeather gasped, his eyes widening in astonishment. "How can this be possible?"
"Starclan wills it. She has a very special destiny ahead of her. I want you to take our daughter back to the clan and raise her." Half Moon murmured.
"The clan will be furious!" Jayfeather gasped, still unable to wrap his head around the fact that he has a daughter.
"You have the blessing of Starclan. Nothings impossible Jayfeather. After all, you were born with the power of the stars in your paws." Halfmoon purred, pressing against her mate. "You will take her back to Thunderclan and raise her wont you?"
"What about you?" Jayfeather protested, staring nervously at the kit. Becoming a father had never been part of his plan! He was content just visiting Half Moon in his dreams!
"I will watch over her and walk in her dreams." Halfmoon mewed. "Shes alive. I cant condemn her to a life in Starclan when she has many more seasons of life ahead of her." Half Moon explained, then met his anxious gaze. "Oh Jayfeather dont you see? She has an important destiny ahead of her! Just like you! This is OUR kit. Starclan gave us a chance to have a beautiful daughter. She is a blessing."
Jayfeather forced his bristing fur to relax on his shoulders. He had faced plenty of difficult situations but when faced with the reality of being a father, he was behaving like a mousebrain! Jayfeather took a deep breath and bent down toward the kit.
"Im your father little one." Jayfeather breathed as the kit met his intense gaze boldly. Suddenly the little she kit let out a purr and nuzzled into Jayfeathers fur.
The blind medicine cats eyes softened, his tail curling around her. "Ill raise you and Ill always protect you." Jayfeather purred, licking the little kits fur lovingly in acceptance. This was his kit. His and Half Moons. His mate was right. This kit was a blessing and now he would have a part of Half Moon always close to him. His clan would learn to accept this kit and she would fulfill her destiny.
"Her name is Moonkit." Half Moon purred.
"Ill take Moonkit with me. Ill watch over her and I promise you Ill be a good father." Jayfeather mewed emotionally.
"I know you will." Half Moon meowed reasuringly as she bent down to lick the kits ear. "Goodbye my sweet daughter."
Jayfeather suddenly woke up in his own nest, sightless once again. He could feel Moonkit pressed against him. Jayfeather picked her up by the scruff and headed towards the entrance of his den to introduce Moonkit to the clan.
Ivypool watched as Bumblestripe groomed their two newborn kits, a purr rising in his throat. After Dovewings rejection of him, he had fallen for her sister. The two had just had a new litter of kits. Two little toms named Dewkit and Flarekit. Ivypool still had her doubts, feeling jealousy pierce her every time Bumblestripe looked sadly at Dovewing. She and Dovewing hardly spoke but Ivypool still wondered if she was just Bumblestripes second choice. If he had only settled for her.
"Theyll be such strong warriors one day." Bumblestripe purred, unaware of his mates wary gaze.
"They will." Ivypool agreed after a moment hesitation, Bumblestripe glanced up, noticing her hesitation.
"Whats wrong?" He mewed puzzled, drawing closer to her but she just flinched away.
"Do you wish you were having kits with Dovewing instead?" Ivypool meowed bitterly.
"Ofcourse not!" Bumblestripe exclaimed, his fur bristling in shock.
"But Im only your second choice." Ivypool voiced her thoughts boldly.
"Dovewing has kits of her own with that foxhearted Shadowclan warrior." Bumblestripe spat then twitched his tail in annoyance. "Ivypool YOURE my mate. Not her. And these are OUR kits."
Ivypool said nothing more, not wanting to argue with Bumblestripe so soon after giving birth. She just sighed and allowed him to lick her between the ears affectionately. Although she still had her doubts, Ivypool just wrapped herself tightly around her kits. Even if she was Bumblestripes second choice, atleast she had her kits to love and cherish. As long as she had them, she would be content.
"Bluestar the 6 have been born." the grey she cat mewed to a bluish gray she cat.
"Indeed they have Cinderpelt. We must send the prophecy to the medicine cats." Blustar murmured.
"All of them? Why not just Thunderclan?" Cinderpelt inquired.
"Though these are Thunderclan kits, the prophecy is about all the clans." Bluestar sighed, looking troubled.
Cinderpelt dipped her head in acceptance.
"We should send a message to the 6 cats of the prophecy as well." Bluestar murmured.
"Thats a mousebrained idea. Those cats are to young!" a bedraggled she cat exclaimed, appearing beside Cinderpelt.
"Hello to you too Yellowfang. I have faith in these young cats. We shouldnt waste time. They need to know their destiny." Bluestar mewed, staring into the pool of water where 6 faces were outlined.
Yellowfang muttered something under her breath but said nothing more. Bluestar turned away from the pool and padded away. Cinderpelt flicked her tail affectionately over her former mentors ear before bounding off to deliver the prophecy.
"The fate of the clans are in your paws." Yellowfang meowed as she stared at the faces in the pool.