Brightstar and Fallowstar hurried over to the nursing den. A cub-birth was about to occur. Sagepuddle was attending to the nervous queen, Emberfern. Harestrike, Emberfern's mate, was calmly mewing to her to steady her breathing. Emberfern wailed in pain. Her contractions were getting worse.
"Shhh. Just breathe. It'll be over soon," Harestrike mewed softly, pressing his muzzle gently into her fur. Fallowstar questioned the practitioners, asking to be of assistance. Brightstar ordered a couple of lionets to fetch some clean-prey, and some moss soaked with water. Soon enough, Emberfern gave birth. "Three healthy cubs!" Cypresslily mewed excitedly, but in a gentle, hushed voice. This was a special moment to her. She had been there to help her sister give birth, and had become as soon as the first cub was out.
Harestrike and Emberfern admired their cubs, with an adoring look on their faces. Fallowstar admired the future lions and lioness. "Have you come up with names yet?" she asked.
Pointing to a reddish-brown tabby kit with a white chest, paws, and muzzle, Harestrike named him "Coppercub." Emberfern gently nosed another cub, who was a tortoiseshell with a couple of tan patches, and named him "Patchcub." The two glanced at their last cub, and shared a glance with each other.
The female cub was a small runt, with a light brown pelt, speckled with rosettes and darker flecks of brown. They shared questioning looks, obviously not understanding what name would fit the cub. They would probably have conflicting ideas on the name suggestions. Giving Brightstar a questioning look, she smiled.
"I think a beautiful name for your cub would be..Smolder! Smoldercub," Brightstar suggested, and the parents shared satisfied smiles. They nodded graciously at their Chiefs, and gave their cubs a few licks, before they started squeaking.
After the cubs were well fed, the lionets came in with a fresh vole and some mice, along with a few balls of moss. Emberfern ate away, as if she hadn't eaten in days, and licked up every last drop of water. Harestrike felt his heart drop a little when he realized he had to leave then. Harestrike licked his queen, and mewed a goodbye. He had to go out on a patrol, and then hunt for the rest of the day. He cast a solemn glance at the nursing den, before he entered into the clearing.
In the middle of the clearing, the leaves in the tree where the Chiefs slept in rustled. The cold air of leafbare hung around the air, with the promise of a great newleaf. The sun high in the sky, and behind it, the great waterfall that used to rush calmly was frozen. As he looked around, searching for his clanmate, he saw all of the stone dens in the side of the walls, some rock pathways leading up to them. At the top of the tree, you could see a branch large enough for the chief to call the pride for meetings. And at the base of the tree, you would see the water from the waterfall frozen, creating a moat around the tree, and some stepping stones to get to the tree.
As he headed towards the exit to the pride base, which was a narrow, stone tunnel which led up to the outside territory. The territory is semi-mountainous, and semi-forest, and stretched out until it reached the tall grass of the plains. The waterfall continued over the side of the mountain through the camp, and fell into a large river down near the forest territories, which then, the river stretched into all territories. Harestrike sat, and waited for a clanmate, Blizzardfrost.
Eventually, he found her.
She walked up to Harestrike, calm and serious. "How are the cubs?" she asked. She seemed to have been waiting in anticipation. Blizzardfrost was now an aunt to three cubs, being Harestrike's sister. Suddenly Foxflight and Junipersight, two other clanmates of his, trotted up to Harestrike. Foxflight's eyes were gleaming with excitement. Junipersight didn't have so much energy, but his eyes yet betrayed his anticipation.
Harestrike grinned. "Three healthy cubs! A handsome tom with a pelt like mine, a gentle tortoiseshell tom like his mom's, and a light brown cub with many darker spots." he mewed. The three were grinning whisker to ear. "Congratulations, Harestrike! I knew you were going to make a great father one day!" Foxflight meowed excitedly.
"You should go visit them sometime," Harestrike offered. They nodded, accepting his generosity.
They then headed out of the pride base, and Harestrike took one last glance at the nursing den. He looked solemn, and Junipersight seemed to notice. "Blizzardfrost? Could he be excused for a while? I'm sure he would like to be with his cubs before their eyes open. Besides, I know Lynxfang wouldn't mind a patrol. He hasn't got anything to do now," Junipersight offered. Blizzardfrost looked at Harestrike, and saw his perked up ears. Blizzardfrost, the beautiful white lioness blinked, showing nothing in her icy blue eyes. Then, she said, "Ok, you can go."
Harestrike's eyes gleamed wildly, and he meowed a quick thanks, and ran into the nursing den. Once there, he licked his queen, and purred as his cubs squirmed around their mother's warm body.
YOU ARE READING
- The Origins of Smolderspirit -
Adventure"The Clan Within The Stars, what should I do?" Smolderspirit spoke aloud to the silence of the forest. It was as if everything was sleeping. "I loved him so dearly, and now, I've lost him. Is Willowsong really his destiny?" The night sky glittered...
