A Light in the Dark

Chapter Six : Red Light and Shoe in Frost

Blossomtail winces as a deafening scream echoes through the nursery. It has been two moons since her dream about a red light and a shoe in frost defeating a golden star, and tonight, Willowfoot had started kitting.

"It's a bit early..." Blossomtail thought as another ear-piercing scream from Willowfoot echoes through the night.

She had order Mossgoose to take Greenkit to the elders den for the night. Willowfoot's kitting was getting rough, and she didn't need any distractions. Greenkit put up a fuss as well, and if she hadn't threatened to give him the bitterest herbs she could find, he wouldn't have complied.

Willowfoot groaned, and Blossomtail purred, "It's okay, Willowfoot. Just push. The first kit is almost here!"

The ginger she-cat pushed, and the first kit appeared. Blossomtail quickly nipped the kit sack, and cleaned the kit. It was a red and ginger she-kit, like her mother. Blossomtail purred, hearing the kit wail as it took its first breath.

Willowfoot turned to see her kit, purring as the medicine cat set the kitten next to her belly. Her purring stopped with another screech, and another kit appeared. Blossomtail did the same as she did with the first, and this kit was a white she-kit, like her father, Frostedshoe.

Blossomtail back away, a few moments later, letting Willowfoot's three newborn kittens suckle. The last kit was a white kitten with red paws. She purred, and meowed, "You have three healthy kittens."

Frostedshoe shoved his way in a few seconds later. He stopped, seeing the three bundles at his mate's belly. His eyes misted, and he nuzzled Willowfoot.

"They... they are perfect," he purred, touching each one.

"What shall we name them?" Willowfoot asked.

"How about the red and ginger kit Redkit?" he asked.

"That's a good name," Blossomtail thought.

"Sure, and the white she-kit Lightkit," Willowfoot meowed.

They looked at the last kitten, the one with red paws. Blossomtail couldn't help but say, "How about Shadekit?"

Willowfoot and Frostedshoe exchanged glances, and then Willowfoot nodded at Blossomtail. "Shadekit it is," she meowed.

Blossomtail smiled softly, and then she gathered up the leftover herbs. She left the nursery, letting the family alone.

She sat in her den a few minutes later, thinking of Redkit, Lightkit, and Shadekit. She paused, her smile fading.

"Redkit... Red... Lightkit... Light... Frostedshoe... Shoe in frost... are these the cats of the prophecy? Then what about Shadekit?" she thought, looking to the stars for answers. They gave none. She sighed, curling up to sleep, the new family still in her mind.

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"A red light will shed on golden star, and a shoe in frost will end the suffering with a red light."

The words kept returning to Blossomtail's mind as she watched the new kits play. It had been nearly three moons now since their birth, and she was watching them fondly. Shadekit, Redkit, and Lightkit had grown up to be the best kits she had seen by far.

In the time that the kits had been growing up, Greenkit became Greenpaw and was apprenticed to Frostedshoe. Wildpaw had passed her assessment, and she became Wildstorm. Tigermask had moved to the nursery, expecting Sprucespring's kits.

Blossomtail had been watching her closely, noticing that she had a slight case of the sadness. She felt sympathy towards the she-cat, knowing she was thinking of her mate, all alone in the forest, with two apprentices. She didn't know if her mate was okay.

That night, while Blossomtail was looking at the stars, a starry warrior joined her. She jumped, before recognizing it as Treestar. She stared, agape at the starry leader.

"Shh, i know you are in shock," she murmured. "I have come to tell you more about the prophecy."

Blossomtail looked around, seeing if anyone was in camp, seeing the starry warrior.

"Don't worry," Treestar meowed. "They cannot hear or see me. There is more to the prophecy: The shaded paw will overcome the obsticales and banish the golden star."

"Can you stop speaking in such odd words?" the old medicine cat muttered. "I don't even know who you are talking about in the first half! Who is the shoe in frost? Who is the red light? What is a shaded paw?"

Treestar was already fading away as Blossomtail took out her anger on the starry warrior. "Should you already know?" She questioned.

Blossomtail hissed angrily, knowing she would not get anything else from StarClan about the propehcy. Now there was a Shaded Paw... maybe Shadekit? This whole prophecy didn't make any sense...