Book One of A New Era: A Clan of Fire

Chapter Eleven

Whitefur shrieked in agony as another spasm passed through her. Flamestar could hear cats outside the nursery and knew the clan was anxiously waiting.

"What's wrong?" Tigerpelt asked her.

"I mean... it's possible that I made a mistake, but it feels like a kit is coming sideways. I think it's stuck," Flamestar meowed with worry.

Tigerpelt pushed past her and sat beside Whitefur. She ran a paw gently down her belly, a worried look plastered on her face. "You're right," she meowed quietly. "And if we can't get it out..."

"What?" Smokecloud asked pitifully.

"The kits and the mother will die."

"No!" Smokecloud screeched.

Flamestar hurried over to give him a comforting lick on the ear. She turned to flash Tigerpelt a desperate plea, "There has to be something that we can do."

"There is."

Both Flamestar and Smokecloud lifted their heads hopefully.

"I don't know if it is going to work," Tigerpelt warned them.

"We have to try," Flamestar declared.

Tigerpelt nodded. "Smokecloud, I need you to come over by Whitefur's head and comfort her. Flamestar, go by Whitefur's tail. When the kit arrives, you clean it off and try to get it as dry as possible. I am going to rub her belly to turn the kit."

As the cats positioned themselves, Blackfrost popped his head in. His eyes widened as he saw Whitefur panting and heaving in her nest. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Yes, can you go get a stick?" Tigerpelt asked. As Flamestar gave her a confused look, she meowed, "You'll see."

Blackfrost nodded and left. It wasn't long before Leafkit bundled in. "What about me? I can help! I can! I can! I can!"

Flamestar stifled an amused purr. "You can soak some moss for Whitefur to drink," she meowed as seriously as she could.

"Okay!" Leafkit ran back through the entrance.

Flamestar turned back to Whitefur. Tigerpelt was making careful circular motions with her paw into Whitefur's belly. Smokecloud was whispering something into Whitefur's ear, who could only let out a low moan in response. Flamestar watched Tigerpelt carefully. She could see the look of deep concentration on her face.

"There. It should be coming the right way," Tigerpelt sighed. "At least, I think it is coming headfirst."

As she said it, Blackfrost padded in with a stick. He dropped it in front of Tigerpelt, who nodded.

"Yes. This will do nicely. Thank you Blackfrost," she meowed.

The black tom turned and left through the entrance. Almost immediately, Leafkit came in with a bundle of wet moss, her head held high so that it wasn't dragging against the ground. She dropped it by Whitefur's mouth.

"Here's a drink for you, Whitefur," the kit purred.

Whitefur didn't hesitate for a moment. She quickly lapped up the moisture from the moss, letting out a short sigh of relief that was cut off by a painful grunt.

Tigerpelt glanced over and gave Leafkit an approving nod. "Great job, Leafkit. She has lost a lot of bodily fluids. Water will help."

Leafkit puffed out her chest and left the den. Flamestar watched as Whitefur let out another agonized shriek and a wet bundle of fur slid onto the moss. Flamestar gently bit open the sac holding the kit and chewed off the cord that attached it to its mother. She gently scooped up the kit and placed it in between her paws. She licked the kit's fur the wrong way in order to warm it. It wasn't long before the kit was breathing. It began mewling for its mother with tiny, high pitched squeaks.

At the sound of the mewling, Whitefur lifted her head. Her eyes softened at the sight of it. A purr rumbled from her throat.

"The kit is fine," Flamestar meowed, to Whitefur as much as to Tigerpelt.

"Yes, that was the first one. There are two more. It's the third one that is having issues," Tigerpelt murmured solemnly.

Whitefur looked at Flamestar. "Is it a tom-kit or she-kit?" she asked weakly.

"It is a gray and white tom-kit," Flamestar purred.

"Can you bring it to me?"

"Of course." Flamestar placed the kit at Whitefur's belly. The kit's mewling stopped abruptly as it began to nurse. Its purring stirred something deep inside Flamestar.

A fierce love jolted through Flamestar. Images blurred through her mind. Running in the forest. A beautiful brown tabby she-cat with blue eyes. The she-cat with kits at her belly. She was suddenly being rushed down a river. Her gray and white fur was plastered to her body and dragging her down. Wait. She was gray and white!

The images left her shaking. She was back in the nursery once more. Tigerpelt was giving her a few side glances, but didn't say anything. Flamestar laid down beside Whitefur's tail once more, trying to focus. It wasn't long before another kit arrived into the world. Flamestar cleaned it off. It was a gray and white she-kit. Flamestar gently placed her next to her brother.

The stirring began again. More images flashed through her mind. This time she was sunning herself on a rock. An image of a brown tabby tom with amber eyes flashed in her mind. Then, she had kits at her belly. She began vomiting up bile. She was gray and white again. The images went by so fast, her mind had difficulty capturing them. She was back. Flamestar lay there, gasping.

What is wrong with me? Flamestar growled to herself. Now, Tigerpelt gave her a worried look and Smokecloud was giving her bewildered glances. She shook herself and padded out of the nursery. Night had fallen and she had no clue what was waiting for her. The moment she stepped out of the nursery, cats bombarded her with questions.

"How many?"

"Is Whitefur okay?"

"How many tom-kits and she-kits?"

"What color are they?"

"Are they alright?"

Flamestar's head swam with their questions. She was having difficulty breathing and felt crowded. Anxiety and panic were rising. I must get away! Flamestar shrieked in her head.

"Give her space!" a yowl rose from the crowd. Blackfrost pushed through the cats to stand beside Flamestar.

Relief flooded over Flamestar as the cats took a few steps back. Silence came over them.

"Thank you," Flamestar purred to Blackfrost. "There are three kits. One is a gray and white tom. Another is a gray and white she-kit. The other has not been born yet. It is having... complications."

"Is Whitefur okay?" Gingertail asked.

"We think she will be fine, but no promises," Flamestar informed him.

The cats exchanged worried glances. A yowl came from the nursery. "Flamestar!"

Flamestar was in the nursery in an instant. Tigerpelt was hovering over a small bundle. The kit wasn't moving. Flamestar hurried over and held the kit gently between her paws. She could tell that it was breathing from a faint rise and fall of the kit's chest.

"The third kit. It is weak. I am going to get herbs," Tigerpelt meowed.

Flamestar began to groom the kit. It was a very small white she-kit. Images blurred through her mind. Swimming in a stream. A black tom and more kits at her belly. A hawk swooping down from above her. This time, she was white. Back in the nursery once more, Flamestar thought about the images. That was when it finally hit her. Am I seeing their future? Can I see their futures?