Lavenderpaw's Destiny

Chapter 16

Daisystream stared down at the three kits in her nest, happiness trembling through her. Mothkit stretched his jaws in a yawn, and Daisystream felt like her heart would burst with love. Turtlefoot had insisted on going out to stretch her legs and had left the kits with her. It had only been a few sunrises since she'd had the kits, but the tortoiseshell warrior was already restless, getting out whenever she could. Daisystream didn't mind though, she loved spending time with the kits.

Her happiness quickly turned to worry as Birchkit, the tiny tortoiseshell she-kit, let out a horrible-sounding cough. The kit had been coughing since the night she was born, but none of the cats knew what to do to help her. Daisystream sighed, knowing they needed a medicine cat. She knew that wasn't possible, and they'd just have to keep giving her Coltsfoot for the cough and hope for the best.

Daisystream started as she realized that they were running low on Coltsfoot. Spider and Turtlefoot had only managed to find a small clump of it, and most of it was withered. They had given the healthiest looking pieces to Birchkit, and now there were only a few stems of it left. They'd have to go looking for more later. 

The white she-cat flinched as Birchkit broke out in another fit of coughing. What if it's something serious? What if she dies because we were too ashamed to return to the clans early and admit what we did?

Daisystream was interrupted from her thoughts as Petalface sat up quickly in her nest, looking startled. Before she could ask what was wrong, Petalface hunched over and let out a wail, her eyes wide and terrified. 

"What's happening? Are you kitting?" Daisystream yelped in shock. 

The brown and white queen nodded, her eyes gleaming with fear in the darkness of the den. "I think so". She gasped. "We need Spider, he did so well with Turtlefoot!" 

"I'll go find him!" Daisystream quickly slid out of her nest, careful not to disturb the kits. 

She squeezed herself through the blackberry vines until she burst into the cold leafbare air. She had to pause as her eyes adjusted to the bright light, reflecting off of the sparkling white snow. Daisystream was belly deep in it, and the chilled seeped through her fur. She shivered, staring around at the deep, cold snow. Leaf-fall and leafbare had seemed so mild in the clan territories, how was it this bad just upstream? 

Returning her attention to the task at hand, she raced through the birch trees to the area Spider lived. She had forgotten exactly where his nest was, but she knew it had to be close. She waded through the snow, moving as quickly as possible and calling the black tom's name. 

"Spider!" She yowled. "Where are you?" 

She had begun to give up when she heard a distant yowl calling her name. She spun around, relief washing over her pelt as she saw a black figure outlined in the snow. Spider was bounding through the snow, a worried expression on his face. 

He skidded to a halt beside her, sending snow flying into the air. He paused, trying to catch his breath. "What's the matter?" He finally gasped out. 

"Petalface is kitting, we have to go help her!" Without waiting for a reply, she spun around and raced along, swerving around snow-laden bushes and ducking under low-hanging branches. She could feel Spider right on her tail, his hot, panicked breath on her haunches. 

Finally they reached the blackberry bushes, and Daisystream could pick up Turtlefoot's scent. Oh good, she's back from stretching her legs. She squeezed through the entrance of the den, thorns scraping through her fur. The tangy smell of blood hit her nose as she entered the den and she gasped. Is something wrong with Petalface? 

She burst into the den just as Petalface let out a yowl of pain. Turtlefoot was crouched over her with her paws gently resting on the brown and white she-cat's flank. Ripple after ripple passed through Petalface, and she looked exhausted already.