Destiny of the Alley Cats || A Destiny Series || Book 1

- CHAPTER TEN: You Are Not Alone -

Kayla and Lily were already up and running toward the sound of Spotty's shrill. Dozens of others attempted to follow, but Chief Ticker demanded them to stay put.

"This a job for the females." He said brusquely. Heartily, Willow and Blossom followed Kayla and Lily. They approached Spotty carefully and calmly, determined not to make the queen more nervous. Tooth tried to sooth his mate by grooming her fur and telling her about the wonderful butterflies he had saw on his hunting party, and how many birds they had surprisingly managed to catch. It seemed to calm her down a little, but her vicious fits seemed to restart every time her body gave an agonized rack, and blood was scented so quickly, it made her feel sick. 

Heartily watched, petrified. She was frozen to the spot. She shook her head, trying to clear it away when Willow wrapped her tail round Heartily's neck comfortingly. This just lets her know that a young cat like her shouldn't really be here, should she?

"Willow, please try to find a firm stick." Kayla demanded. The black Sharp-Eye vanished in seconds, coming back in just under a minute with a suitable stick in her jaws. 

She set it down and Kayla placed it between Spotty's jaws gently. She grasped it firmly between her jaws, biting down hard when a spasm of agony racked her body for the third time. 

Heartily could barely breathe. She looked away before she could see anything that might scare her more. She was horrified. 

Is this what's going to happen, if I ever have kittens?

She pushed the thought away. Blossom popped up beside her side, shoving her away gently and following. Once they were quite a distance away from Spotty and the others, they sat down and looked at each other in the eyes.

"I understand how nervous you're feeling right now." Her sister meowed quietly, the tip of her right ear twitching.

"Yeah, it's appalling. Absolutely appalling." Heartily meowed in return, shifting her weight uncomfortably. Another yowl came from Spotty, and then other, echoing and echoing, making Heartily jump with startle each time. 

Finally, after a long time, it stopped and the relieved chatter of cats sighing made both Heartily and Blossom turn around and make their way to see how Spotty was doing. Scout and Echo were sitting up by the Linden Tree, their faces lit was frightfulness. Once cats were shifting around to go see Spotty, they too, jumped up and slid down the hill. 

"What was going on?!" Echo burst out, his fur bristling and his ears laid back flat. Scout nodded continuously beside him. Without answering, Blossom budged passed them and ran to where the queen lay groaning. Sucking noises sounded from her belly, and as they came up, they saw three kittens mewling and shivering, their tiny tails sticking straight out behind them like a twig. Spotty's eyes were lit like the moon at night. 

Lily then came up, eyes dull like the shadows.

"Two died." Her meow was somber and soft, and Tooth, whom had his body curved around Spotty's protectively, curled around her even tighter, soothing her with swift strokes from the tongue as the light died from her and she started sobbing.

"W-What were the genders?" She asked.

"The two who died were females, I'm so sorry. But your current two, are males," she pointed to two kittens whose wet and slick fur were a mix of brown, black and white. "And the other a female." She then pointed to the white and brown one with the tiniest smudge of black on her tiny little muzzle. Spotty sniffed, resting her tail along their backs as they squeaked for warmth and nursed.

"Let's get you guys to a warmer nest." Lily soothed her. Spotty nodded slowly her eyes glossy and wet.

"Let's leave them be." A calm voice sounded behind Heartily and a long, bushy ginger tail wrapped around her shoulders.