ωαяяισя ¢αтѕ // Mintpool's Promise

Chapter 40

A yowl cut through the night. It awoke Mintpool instantly. The gray tabby, although half in daze of sleep, was on her paws within seconds. Echoleaf, too, stumbled upwards, her green eyes hazy and trying to blink away the sleep as quick as possible. 

What's going on? Panic and worry clung to Mintpool tightly. Are the rogues attacking? However, as she angled her ears, trying to wake herself up and move efficiently at the same time, she noticed that she could near nothing except one set of paws hitting the ground. Waves of confusion hurled through her, and, exchanging a look from Echoleaf, the gray she-cat seemed to feel the same way.

A hacking cough sounded from the back of the den, bringing Mintpool's attention towards it. Her heart twisted. It was Spottedstar. Her leader, once so regal, was now sprawled out in the nest. Her golden fur was matted and in clumps, her ribs sticking out from her pelt, her eyes sunken. Blood was splattered around, for each cough seemed to bring up more and more blood. 

It had been a moon, and the golden she-cat wasn't doing any better.

Suddenly, a brown cat burst into the medicine den. For a moment, Mintpool jumped, startled, before realizing that it was Leafstorm.

The brown tom's eyes were wide with worry. "Snowfrost's kits are coming!"

Echoleaf and Mintpool hurried into motion, leaping towards the herb storage. The gray tabby's muscles were taunt with worry as she blinked at the bare storage supplies. 

"Go with Leafstorm for now," Echoleaf murmured to the tabby. "I'll be there soon."

Nodding, Mintpool and Leafstorm burst into the cold night air. With a start, she noticed that it was snowing. Freezing white flurries pelted against her as she ran towards the nursery. Cats were stumbling out of their dens, looking confused and sleepy. She ignored them, ducking into the nursery as Leafstorm paused to inform their Clanmates on what was going on.

Inside, another shriek of pain pierced the air. Mintpool felt her belly twist as her gaze landed on Snowfrost. The white queen's eyes were clouded with pain and her legs kicked out wildly. Flowershine was at her head, licking her ears gently, her belly swollen as well. The gray tabby hurried towards her mother instantly. 

"Oh, no..." Mintpool murmured. She and Echoleaf had both known that the birth would be extremely hard. They'd noticed moons ago that it seemed a kit would come paw first. They would have suggested for Snowfrost to sleep on her back and chew chervil. Except they had no chervil. 

"Fetch her a stick," Mintpool meowed as Leafstorm ducked back into the nursery. The brown tom nodded, disappearing into the dark night. 

As the gray tabby placed her paws on Snowfrost's belly, she felt her legs shaking. She'd never delivered kits before. She'd only ever watched Echoleaf do it. Then, however, Grassfeather's kitting had been easy. They had more than enough herbs and everything went smoothly. Now, she had no idea how it would turn out, especially with how inexperienced she was. She wished Echoleaf was here...

As soon as her thought flashed through her mind, the gray she-cat ducked into the den, clutching some shriveled up raspberry leaves in her jaws, setting it next to Snowfrost. "I figured it was better than nothing," she murmured softly as Snowfrost gulped down the herbs instantly, the pain fading away from her eyes slightly.

Echoleaf placed a paw on Snowfrost's belly as the white queen lashed her tail in agony. The medicine cat's eyes narrowed. "The kit isn't coming..." 

Fear struck Mintpool as realization dawned on her. "It's stuck!" 

Snowfrost let out a yowl of pain, the effect of the raspberry leaves gone. Her teeth were gritted together as another spam shook through her.

Echoleaf worked quickly. She placed a paw on Snowfrost's stomach, doing her best to adjust the kit, murmuring soft words of encouragement into the queen's ears. However, it wasn't like the white she-cat heard anything. Her blue eyes were clouded with pain as her tail lashed wildly, kicking out.