Beyond The Stars

Chapter 4

Ravenwing patted along the newleaf covered ground, her pawsteps crunching on the leaves, her black fur gleaming in the light of the midday sun.

The young warrior sighed and pushed through the gorse tunnel with tons of prey clutched in her jaws.

As she dropped her bundle of prey onto the fresh-kill pile, she saw her sister and brother chatting quietly near the warriors den.

She purred softly and patted over to join them. "Greetings, Ratfoot, Hollybrook," she meowed, nodding in greeting to them.

Hollybrook purred and touched her nose to Ravenwing's own. "Hey, Raven, did you hear that Featherberry is having another litter of kits?" Ravenwing nodded and curled her white-tipped tail under her jet-black paws.

"When are they due to arrive?" she asked her sister curiously. "Did Moonsong or Softpaw tell you anything yet?"

Hollybrook shook her head as Ratfoot patted over to join them.

"What are you two talking about?"

"We're going to have more siblings," Ravenwing mewed with a small twitch of her whiskers. "I'm gonna go talk to Moonsong, either of you wanna come?"

Hollybrook nodded and stood to her paws with a small yawn. "Sure, I'll tag along with you, sis."

Ravenwing nodded her head and the two she-cats patted toward the medicine cat's den.

As the two young she-cats approached the entrance of the medicine cat's den, Ravenwing quietly pocked her head inside. And yep, sure enough, both Monnsong and Softpaw were awake sorting through their herb stores. As Ravenwing and Hollybrook entered the den, Moonsong looked up from her sorting work and smiled warmly at the two newcomers.

"Good morning Ravenwing, and hello to you as well, Hollybrook." The medicine cat greeted them with a welcoming smile. "What brings the two of you to the medicine cat's den?"

Ravenwing purred and dipped her head in greeting to the two healers

"We were just coming to ask you how Featherberry is doing," the ebony-furred she-cat responded with a small smile and tilt of her head.

"Moonsong's tail twitched and she opened her mouth to respond, but it was her apprentice who spoke first.

"She's doing as well as she can with four kits squirming around in her belly," Softpaw murmured softly while shifting some berries around with her paws.

The medicine cat apprentice was about to continue when an ear-splitting yowl pierced the air.

All four cats froze and stared at one another with wide eyes, not knowing what to do or say to break the tension in the air.

But it was Moonsong who spoke up with a sharp, authoritative mew as she raced into the back of her den.

"Featherberry's kitting! We need to hurry! Cone on Softpaw, it's time for you to put all you've learned so far to the ultimate test."

Softpaw blinked and cocked her head to the side in confusion. "But they're not due for another week!" Softpaw yowled to Moonsong, who was already gathering the necessary herbs to help the kitting queen.

"I know! But she's having them now, so we gotta hurry!" she exclaimed.

Moonsong, Softpaw, Ravenwing, and Hollybrook all dashed toward the nursery as fast as they could. As the four cats entered the den, Softpaw set the herbs down next to the gray-furred queen. "Ok Featherberry, you need to start pushing for me. Can you do that?" the medicine cat apprentice mewed urgently as Moonsong started dabbing Featherberry's head with some cool water.

"Softpaw, could you go fetch some wet moss for Featherberry?" she nodded and raced out of the den to grab some wet moss for the distressed queen.

As Softpaw raced through the forest looking for some wet moss, her mind was racing and she was panicking like a cornered mouse. Featherberry's kits are expected in a few days- oh, we didn't have time to prepare! This is my first time helping with kitting. What if I mess up? What if this moss drys before I get there? What if the kits die? Oh StarClan, please help me! I'm scared and I don't know if I'm ready for this!

Remembering what little information Moonsong had taught her about kitting, she hurried to grab a stick as well, dusting the snow off as she rushed toward the nursery.

Shoving her way through the entrance, she stumbled towards the dark gray she-cat, who was trembling in her nest. She dropped her stick and the wet wad of moss.

She leaned forward, massaging Featherberry's convulsing belly. The gray-furred queen nodded at her encouragingly through half-closed eyes, but it dissolved into a grimace as another contraction moved down her abdomen.

Softpaw let a few drops of water trickle into Featherberry's mouth, holding the wet moss above the queen's head. She then placed the stick near her head as well. "Bite down on this. It helps with the pain," she instructed.

Featherberry nodded, grasping the stick with her jaws. She then bit down hard, eyes widening as her abdomen contracted.

Softpaw's ears flattened against her skull as Featherberry's pain-filled yowls pierced her ears. The cream-colored medicine cat apprentice tried to stay calm as she watched the first wet bundle of fur tumbled into the nest.

Thinking quickly, the medicine cat apprentice quickly began licking the small she-kit's fur, warming it up and placing her beside Featherberry's belly.

A few moments later, Featherberry grimaced as another contraction pulsed through her body. "I think there's another one coming!" she moaned, gritting her teeth and once again biting down on the stick.

Three more kits tumbled into the nest and Softpaw began licking them furiously, letting out a relieved sigh when the two kits started to breath.

"Congratulations, Featherberry," Moonsong meowed proudly. "You have four healthy she-kits!"

Featherberry smiled tiredly and gently licked each one behind the ears. "I think I'll call the black-and-gray dappled one Smokekit," she meowed while pointing with her tail at the black-and-gray dappled she-kit, who was trying to grab her mother's tail.

Softpaw and Moonsong both smiled and nodded in agreement.

"What about the other three?" Moonsong meowed questioningly. "What are you going to name them?"

Featherberry looked deep in thought as she looked down at her three other kits. One was white with black-and-gray stripes and stormy blue eyes, one was jet-black with a white underbelly and jade green eyes, and the last one was dark gray with white paws and dark green eyes.

"I'll call the white striped she-kit Tigerkit, the jet-black one Pantherkit, and the gray-and-white patched one Rainkit." Featherberry meowed softly, purring and curling her tail protectively around her four newborn kits.