Warriors: Poisoned Loyalty {COMPLETED}

Chapter 10

The air in the nursery was thick with tension, each breath drawn tight and nervous. Poppypool knelt beside Spiritsight, her paws gentle as she adjusted the queen's bedding. The birthing process had already begun, and the young queen's sides heaved with the effort of bringing her kits into the world. Outside, the camp clearing buzzed with life, but inside the nursery, there was nothing but the sound of Spiritsight's strained breaths.

"Breathe, Spiritsight. You're doing well. Just a little longer," Poppypool murmured, her voice steady, though she could feel the pressure mounting in her chest. Her heart ached for the exhausted queen, whose eyes were squeezed shut, ears flattened against her head as another wave of pain rippled through her.

Newtflake hovered nearby, eyes wide but determined. He brought over a wad of soaked moss, gently pressing it against Spiritsight's draw maw. "You're doing great, Spiritsight. You're almost there," he encouraged, his tail tip twitching with nervous energy. He glanced at Poppypool, worry clouding his gaze.

Poppypool nodded back at him, her own uncertainty buried deep beneath a layer of calm professional. "Keep the moss ready. The first kit is almost here."

Spiritsight let out a low, agonized moan, her body trembling with excertion as the kit began to emerge. Her teeth gritted against the stick that Newtflake had given her, her breath coming in ragged gasps. Poppypool guided her through each wave, her paws steady, even though her heart was racing.

"It's coming, Spiritsight, push," Poppypool urged, her eyes focused as the first kit slipped free, a tiny, dark-pelted she-cat.

"There we go, your first kit, Spiritsight. A strong one," Poppypool said softly, her paws quick to clean the newborn, rubbing her until her tiny lungs filled with air and her small, but vibrant wail filled the den. She placed the kit gently beside Spiritsight's belly, where she nuzzled instinctively toward her mother's warmth.

"Darkkit," Spiritsight rasped between pants, her eyes blinking open just long enough to glance at the kit, though her face remained pinched with pain.

Poppypool barely had time to breathe before the next wave hit, and Spiritsight's body tensed again. "The second one is coming," she warned, shifting back into position.

Newtflake moved quickly to wet another piece of moss, pressing it against Spiritsight's muzzle while she panted. "You've got this, Spiritsight, you're strong, you can do this," he murmured, his voice low and reassuring.

Another cry broke into the air as the second kit– a sleek black tom– was born, his fur slick with fluid. Poppypool cleaned him with swift strokes, her heart clenching at teh sight of the small, fragile life in her paws. She placed him next to his sister, and Spiritsight whispered, "Crowkit..."

The third kit followed soon after, a larger, dark tom who yowled loudly as soon as he hit the air. "Condorkit," Spiritsight panted, her voice growing weaker, though her gaze was still sharp with determination.

Poppypool nodded at Newtflake as she placed the third kit beside the others, feeling the wet warmth of their small bodies pressed against her paws. "You're almost there, Spiritsight," she encouraged, though a sinking feeling started to take root in her chest. The labor was taking a toll, and she could see the exhaustion etched deeply into the queen's face.

The fourth and final kit– a tiny she-cat with black-and-white fur– arrived moments later, her arrival softer than the others but still strong. "Magpiekit," Spiritsight breathed, her head lolling back against the bedding.

"Four kits, Spiritsight. You did it," Poppypool said gently, moving quickly to clean the she-kit and place her with her siblings. But Spiritsight's breathing had grown shallow, and her body trembled with each labored breath.