Dawnstar's Decision

Prologue

The night sky was completely dark except for a tiny crescent moon that barely lit up the forest below. The shadows of the pine trees loomed over the ground like monsters lying in wait. Everything was peaceful, except for a large group of cats, treading across the soft ground,. Hatred was in their eyes.
A hissing, screeching battle with Sea Clan broke out, making its way into the heart of Ice Clan's camp. The night sky was turning into the promise of dawn, but the battle was raging on. In the heat of battle, Dappledtree's kits were on the way, and at the absolute worst time possible.
Featherpool rushed back and forth into the nursery with many herbs in her jaws. Lakepaw followed her along, making sure to pick up any dropped leaves.
"Lakepaw! Grab a stick!" Featherpool muffled, half of the leaves falling out of her mouth and being trampled by fighting warriors. Ahe sighed in annoyance. As Lakepaw ran to grab a stick, she was jumped on by a warrior twice her size, "Hey! Get off! I'm trying to deliver kits here!" She grunted, scratching at the warrior's muzzle. Why didn't any cat understand that she wasn't fighting? She picked the stick back up as the warrior realized that she was a medicine cat, and he growled menacingly at her.
She shrugged and made her way into the nursery, handing Dappledtree a stick. She bit it hard as the first kit came tumbling out. It was a healthy, gray kit with a little bit of white on it's muzzle.
Lakepaw hurriedly helped lick the kit, and guided towards its mother. Lakeheart gasped, as her body convulsed in pain, and the second kit was born, with speckled brown and orange spots.
Featherpool guarded the nursery with all of her might, hissing and clawing at any warrior that tried to pass through. She could see Dappledtree's mate, Oakfoot, wrestling with a huge warrior. She knew that Oakfoot was one of the most skilled warriors, and so she stopped watching him.
She rushed in to check on Dappledtree and saw that another kit had been born, this one was all white with two black spots on her head and a black tail, "I think.... that's.. the last one..." she sighed, laying down with her head on her paws. She was ready to rest. But suddenly, another convulsion hit her and she screeched in pain as the last kit came out. She was a very tiny black and white kit. Dappledtree, still surprised licked the little kit.
"They are all beautiful!" Featherpool commented wistfully.
Dappletree nodded, looking at each of her kits. She looked at the grey one, "I think I want to name her Ashkit...."
"Wait, don't you want to wait on Oakfoot to name the kits?" Featherpool asked.
"No," she purred, "he doesn't ever come up with good names anyways... well, maybe i will leave the smallest one for him to name. He always was a softie for the little ones."
The fluffy grey tabby shrugged, and walked out of the nursery to help with the battle, followed by Lakepaw. Dappledtree continued naming her kits, "...and I will name this one Speckledkit, and this one Willowkits!" She decided happily, looking at her beautiful kits.
As the battle raged on outside, Pinestar yowled, "Sea Clan retreat!!" And the whole of Sea Clan gathered to leave, a few being chased by Ice Clan warriors.
"Take that!" Yowled Swiftwillow in victory.
"That's the last time they'll set foot on our territory if their smart!" Agreed Longfang.
Moonstar watched them go, a triumphant gleam in his eyes, "Everyone fought well."
Back in the nursery, Dappledtree groomed her kits, waiting for her mate to see how much they looked like him. She purred, grooming each kit until they gleamed.
Speckletail, Lilysong's mate, rushed into the nursery to make sure that she, and the coming kits, were alright. His brown tabby face was scratched and bleeding from battle, but his eyes were filled with love for Lilysong. He groomed her ears, and Lilysong purred. Dappledtree wondered what was holding Oakfoot back. He is a very busy warrior, so he must be off doing something important, she decided to herself as she admired her kits. She looked lovingly at the little one in the corner, fighting her way to get milk. She pushed one of the other kits slightly and let her have some. The kit squeaked gratefully, and Dappledtree purred. But this was the very last moment that the poor little kit would ever feel her mother's love, for Featherpool bounded in the nursery, her eyes glazed with fear and sadness.
"Oakfoot...." she gasped, "Oakfoot is dead."
***
Dappledtree wailed with grief of her lost mate. Every cat- all of her friends- even Moonstar tried to comfort her, but she shut herself off. The tortoiseshell queen curled up, refusing to speak with anyone, not even her kits. Featherpool cautiously made her way in, "Dappledtree?" she mewed carefully.
She turned her head around. Dappledtree looked like a completely different cat. Her fur hadn't been groomed in days, and her eyes were clouded with grief, "What do you want, Featherpool?"
"I, I hate to bring this up, but y-you still haven't named this one." she pointed with her tail to the little kit who was pushed furthest away from Dappledtree.
Dappledtree hissed, remembering that Oakfoot was to name this one, "This kit is a curse! She could never be as great as any of her littermates! If i must name her anything, it will be Dawnkit; since Oakfoot was killed at dawn, and it is all her fault." she then turned her head away, and stared at something far off into space.
"Dappledtree!" she gasped at the angry queen's words, "how could you say such a thing? And about your own kit?"
"I said what I meant to say...." she growled, "now LEAVE ME ALONE!"