Chapter Text
Goldenflower grunted, a contraction running through her. She has been kitting since sunrise and it was a painful ordeal. Spottedleaf was at her side, calming her with her words, but the anxious glint in her eyes gave her away.
Something was wrong.
She could hear Tigerclaw pacing outside of the nursery, his heavy footed steps providing a sustaining rhythm. Oh how Goldenflower wanted to sleep, her eyelids growing heav-
“I see the first one!” says a hopeful Spottedleaf. “Push, oh push for StarClan’s sake Goldenflower! I know you can do it!”
Goldenflower yowled as the first kit came out. A tiny, fragile golden ball identical to her was being licked furiously by Spottedleaf until a shrill mew echoed in the tense camp. A cat gasped in relief and Tigerclaw stopped pacing so fervently.
“It's a tom!”
She weakly smiled. Before the next contraction started, Spottedleaf swiftly put a stick in Goldenflower’s mouth. Goldenflower pushed with all of her might, pushing out another bundle. Four seconds later, a squeak sounded from the small brown tabby.
“It’s a she cat.Two more left Goldenflower!”
She wished she could share Spottedleaf optimism, but the next words dampened even the medicine cat’s personality.
“One of the kits is coming paws out.”
No...
”Usually this wouldn’t be a problem, just extra painful, but there is one more kit after it. And looking how slow the kitting was so far, it-... most likely that the fourth kit wouldn’t survive.” Spottedleaf pawed the ground sadly.
Goldenflower felt like a hole opened up inside of her. One of her kits, her child….won’t live…
“Push though Goldenflower! You can’t stop pushing!” Spottedleaf’s anxious voice brought her back from her thoughts “Both kits will die if you don’t do anything!”
Goldenflower pushed with a new vigor. She WOULDN’T let both of her kits die because of her. She at least needed to save one. She bore the pain for them and finally, after an excruciating experience, her two daughters slipped out. Spottedleaf started licking the second one and Goldenflower licked the black she cat. Her kit let out a tiny mew. Joy flooded her. Her kit survived! She turned to Spottedleaf cheerfully..until her joy plummeted. The medicine cat was looking at the tiny kit in her paws, a kit that wasn't breathing. They were gone.
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Spottedleaf was grabbing some rosemary for Hazelkit’s funeral. That kit was doomed from the start. Not only were they the last to exit the womb, but Hazelkit was a stillborn. Spottedleaf sighs.
Goldenflower already has enough on her plate dealing with Tigerclaw.
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Tigerclaw couldn’t stand waiting outside of that nursery. He liked having everything being able to be controlled by him, but a new life? That’s one thing he’s nervous about. Especially if Goldenflower is the one in pain. His ears perked up as Spottedleaf exitted the nursery.
“Spottedleaf, what happened? Can I come in?” Tigerclaw’s nerves were at an alltime high.
Spottedleaf dejectedly stared at the ground “One of the kits….died. And the other… you'll see.” She padded off to the medicine den as Tigerclaw rushed into the nursery, his heart pounding. He sighed. Goldenflower is fine, and with our four kits. What was Spottedleaf going on about?
He skidded to a stop when he noticed his mate’s puffy red eyes and the stillness of one of the kits.
“Sh-she’s dead.” Goldenflower chokes out before pointing at the black kit “And she… can’t move her hind leg.”
Tigerclaw growled, his grief replaced with disgust. A cripple was his daughter? She should have died and her perfect sister SHOULDN’T HAVE.
His mate looked at him, confused at his growls, “What’s wrong Tigerclaw?” she asks.
Tigerclaw exploded, his pent up fury exploding “WRONG? YOUR ASKING ME WHATS WRONG? THE USELESS DAUGHTER OF MINE, A LOWLY CRIPPLE, TOOK HER OWN LITTERMATE’S LIFE!”
Goldenflower shrinked back in fear, her tail pulling her kits close as one let out a scared mew.
Tigerclaw took in one deep breath, slightly calming down before saying “That kit is not mine. And she will never be mine.”
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Goldenflower looked at her third kit. Tigerclaw had refused to name her, so it was up to her. This kit was more calm and collected compared to Sunkit and Amberkit. And her night black pelt was obviously like Tigerclaw’s littermate, Nightkit.
Nightkit! That’s the perfect name for my perfect little kit!
She looked back at the limp body of Hazelkit for a last time before promising…
I’ll love Nightkit like I loved you….and I’ll love her more than Tigerclaw…_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Spottedleaf was going to take a swift nap before the vigil for Hazelkit. She did not expect StarClan to keep her awake.
Spottedleaf was in StarClan’s hunting grounds, where cats were drifting around and watching their descendants. Her heart lit up with joy when she saw her mentor, Featherwhisker.
“Featherwhisker!” She said while going up to greet him. “Oh how I missed you so much!”
Featherwhisker smiled before saying “I missed you too. But I have something grave to share….”
?
Featherwhisker started to flicker. What was happening?
StarClan turned into a dark forest, cats disappearing with desperate screams. A brown tabby walked up in the chaos and said,
“Doomed to start a child will roam,
One hindered will see the spirits,
Starclan will fall; Darkness rising,
Flames and shadows will stop the uprising”
“Spottedleaf, wake up! It’s time for the vigil!” Willowpelt prodded her gently with their paw.
“…..StarClan is in danger….” Spottedleaf mumbled. She looked at the silver-gray cat in front of her.
“I need to see Bluestar.”
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Bluestar was laying in her nest. A kit had died today and another was never going to become a full warrior. But that wasn't the least of her troubles. Spottedleaf had come to her earlier saying something about a prophecy and how StarClan will be destroyed. Her warrior ancestors can’t even stop this!
But what about the prophecy about Fire will save the clans….why are there two prophecies…
But one thing really rattled her. Goosefeather’s warning to her.
You are the fire that will blaze through the clans. Water will defeat you along with the will of the shadows.
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