Nightfrost's Choice

Chapter 11

Nightpaw gulped down the last bites of her mouse just as Echoflight rushed past her, almost knocking her over.

"Sorry!" The silver medicine cat yowled over her shoulder. "Ripplefur's having kits!"

Nightpaw pricked her ears with interest.

"Really?"

Now that she thought about it, Nightpaw remembered that the light brown queen's belly was as round as a badger's.

New warriors! She thought with delight, and she noticed Starlingtail, Ripplefur's mate, pacing at the front of the nursery, his tail twitching nervously.

"Thinking about your kits with Graypaw?" Dewpaw mused behind Nightpaw, and Nightpaw spun around, flattening her ears.

"No. Just thinking about how cute your kits with Thrushwing will be." Nightpaw shot back, and Dewpaw scowled.

"Shut up."

Nightpaw smiled too herself and sat back on her haunches. She hoped that Ripplefur had healthy kits and nothing went wrong, and she jumped as Vinetail's voice reached her ears.

"Hey! You! Get Ripplefur some wet moss and a large stick! Now!" The old medicine cat snapped, hobbling over to the nursery, his green eyes narrowing.

"Umm... Are you supposed to be out of your den?" Nightpaw meowed awkwardly, and Vinetail shot her a look.

"Bah! I've still got some knowledge in these old bones. Besides," Vinetail's eyes softened. "My apprentice will cherish all the help she gets. Now- Go!"

Nightpaw dipped her head and streaked out of the camp, towards the Moss Pool, with Dewpaw at her heels.

"I think that was a moment where Vinetail wasn't a crazy fox." Dewpaw purred besides Nightpaw, and Nightpaw nodded in agreement.

"C'mon. He'll probably turn crazy again if we don't show up with the stuff Ripplefur needs."

Nightpaw skidded to a stop as she reached the Moss Pool, eyeing its thin enterance wearily. She remembered last time she had almost gotten stuck, and it had flooded dangerously, hence the flooding of the creek.

"I'll get the moss." She told her sister, who nodded and raced off to get the stick.

Taking a deep breath, Nightpaw ducked her head into the enterance. The rock pressed her ears back, and she squeezed through, wincing as a sharp jagged edge caught her torn leg. She noted that the water level was even, now, and lapping lightly at her paws and not her shoulders like last time.

Fresh wet moss, Nightpaw reminded herself, and she remembered Cedartail's advice when collecting moss. Rearing up on her hind legs, Nightpaw grabbed a huge chunk of dripping moss sticking to the stone walls and tucked a small piece under her chin.

Squeezing out of the Moss Pool once more, Nightpaw caught up to Dewpaw, who had a huge stick wider than her head clamped in her jaws.

"Let's go." Dewpaw meowed through her teeth, and Nightpaw nodded and sprinted back towards camp just in time.

Ducking into the nursery, Nightpaw flattened her ears as Ripplefur let out a yowl of pain.

"It's alright." Echoflight soothed the queen, and she nodded curtly to the apprentices. "Nightpaw, you can place the moss down. Dewpaw, drop the stick at Ripplefur's paws."

Nightpaw set the moss down and watched as Dewpaw gave Ripplefur the stick. The queen trembled as she bent her head and bit down on the screech, just in time to block a screech of agony and Ripplefur shuddered.

"The first kit." Echoflight announced quietly, and she added, "Don't worry, Ripplefur, your doing fine."

Nightpaw watched in anticipation as a tiny kit slid out. He was a ginger tomcat, and he mewled pitifully.

Echoflight leaned over and licked the kit rapidly, grabbing its scruff gently and placing him at Ripplefur's belly.

"Welcome to the Clan, little warrior." She purred, her turquosies eyes gleaming.

Ripplefur purred weakly and bent down to lick her son, when another spasm shook her and she shuddered.

Nightpaw felt herself tense, and she gripped the soft soil with her claws.

Oh StarClan, please don't be a problem! She prayed, and she relaxed when Echoflight announced,

"Another one!"

Just as the words escaped the medicine cat apprentice's mouth, a silver shekit appeared.

Ripplefur's eyes brightened with delight and the queen twisted around to gently move her daughter towards her belly, where the two began to suckle.

"Wow." Dewpaw whispered beside Nightpaw, and Nightpaw couldn't help agreeing.

It was so amazing- and good for the clan, Nightpaw reminded herself.

As if on cue, Starlingtail burst through the den.

His eyes landed immediately on his kits.

"They're perfect!" He purred happily, spring in lightly and sitting beside his mate to lick the kits.

"What should we name them?" Ripplefur murmured, and her voice was hoarse from the kitting.

"Whatever you want." Starlingtail shot back, and he licked his mate on the ear.

Nightpaw watched the kits for a while as Ripplefur lapped at the water from the moss. She noticed the ginger tom had thick fur and a bushy tail, just like a squirrel.

"How about Squirrelkit, for the Tom?" She suggested, and Ripplefur's eyes lit up.

"That's perfect!" She agreed, and she licked the silver shekit. "What about her?"

"Silverkit." Starlingtail decided, and Ripplefur purred with agreement.

"Squirrelkit and Silverkit, welcome to ValleyClan, young ones!" Ripplefur announced, and Nightpaw smiled.

The kits made her feel so full of hope- so full of warmth- that she forgot about the prophecy and she was happy to be in the comfort of her clanmates that morning.