Flame Rising

Prologue

Sweetflower was sitting in the nursery, her belly round with soon-coming kits. She and Largestep, her mate, had names all picked out. The medicine cat, Yarrowleaf, was standing beside her, along with Largestep, Frogleap and Blacktail, her sisters, and Leafpetal, a fellow queen.

"Don't worry, Sweetflower," Leafpetal said gently, "Kitting is difficult, but no matter how hard it might be, it is an honour to bring new life to the Clan." She pulled her kits, Elmkit and Rosekit, close to her. They nuzzled each other affectionately.

Sweetflower nodded and breathed hard. Yarrowleaf lay a paw on her belly.

"The kits are coming!" Yarrowleaf exclaimed, "One's coming right now!"

Sweetflower breathed hard and pushed, and a wet kit slithered onto the bedding.

"Beautiful!" whispered Frogleap excitedly, "It's a golden tabby she-kit!"

Sweetflower nodded, a grimace of her face. "Frogleap," Yarrowleaf ordered, "Find Sweetflower a stick."

Frogleap nodded and bounded out of the nursery to find a twig. Another ripple passed through Sweetflower. A silver she-kit landed on the bedding beside her sister.

Frogleap charged into the nursery, a thick twig in her mouth. "Here," she gave the stick to Yarrowleaf. The medicine cat nodded in thanks and placed the twig in Sweetflower's mouth.

"Bite this." Yarrowleaf told the kitting queen.

Sweetflower nodded, and another wet bundle slithered onto the bedding. A brown tabby tom this time.

"Only one more," Yarrowleaf encouraged Sweetflower.

Finally, a brown tom fell onto the bed. "You're done." Yarrowleaf told Sweetflower.

Sweetflower spit out the stick, and let out a relieved breath, then looked at her kits. "They're beautiful." she whispered. She wrapped her tail around them and tucked them close to her belly. The kits wailed for milk.

"What are their names?" Blacktail asked Sweetflower.

"The golden she-kit is Marigoldkit, the silver she-kit is Shimmerkit, the brown tabby one is Seedkit, and the little brown tom is Puddlekit."

"The names are beautiful." Largestep licked his mate.

Yarrowleaf gazed at the kits knowingly. Only she knew the prophecy that StarClan had foretold for the kits. Sadness filled the medicine cat. The kits would never live a normal life.

The gray medicine cat padded out of the nursery, back to her den. Yarrowleaf headed to the back of the herb store, where she hid a tuft of dark gray fur. She held it in her claws for a moment, then buried in the leaves again.

(Without looking ahead, which kit do you think narrates this book?)