The Shadow Glare

Chapter 24

It had been two moons and Windstorm's belly was swollen to a massive size. Shadowleap groaned as she looked at herself. Her thick black fur was ruffled and her own belly was almost as big as Windstorm's.
Soon, Cloudswirl, Brightpelt and Weaselgrowl pushed their way through the thorn barrier. Each cat carried a piece of prey.
Weaselgrowl and Cloudswirl rushed over.
Cloudswirl came to her, carrying a large fluffy squirrel. Weaselgrowl went to his mate.
The kits were growing bigger, and were getting closer to be apprentices every day. Snakekit and Fluffkit pounded towards their father in excitement.
Shadowleap purred in amusement.

Fluffkit leaped onto her father and tore at his back with tiny thorn-sharp claws. Snakekit looped around his legs and purred. Cloverkit sat mewling at the nursery entrance. "I didn't want squirrel, I wanted vole!" The little kit demanded, slamming her paws on the ground. Her tortoiseshell pelt was puffed up in disappointment.
Then, her mother, Chickfluff came up behind her and wrapped her tail around her kit.

"Your father spent a long time catching prey for you!" She mewed. "You should be grateful!"

Cloverkit blinked at her mother with sky-blue eyes, her whiskers twitching. Then the little kit pounded towards her father after her littermates and jumped on him.
Shadowleap was snapped back into her own world as Cloudswirl rested his tail on her shoulder, dropping his mouse at her paws. "Here." He mewed, nuzzling her. Shadowleap blinked gratefully at him before biting into the mouse. It's body was still warm, and the meat rested peacefully in her stomach.

Then, Ashfall pushed his way out of the Warriors den, then rushed to the nursery to check on Windstorm. As he reached the nursery, Windstorm let out a groan. "Help . . ." She hissed in pain.

Ashfall's eyes glazed in fear. "I think the kits are coming!" He raced back out of the den, leaving Shadowleap rushing to help. She padded quickly out of the camp to find a stick. Soon, she found a big sturdy one. She picked it up in her jaws and ran back, stumbling with the weight of her kits and the large stick.

When she reached Windstorm, she dropped the stick at her paws. "Bite down on it," she ordered. "It will help with the pain."
Windstorm nodded.
Shadowleap knew this because her sister, Riverpaw had told her.

Soon it was past sun-high. Shadowleap was getting worried. Usually it didn't take this long for queens to have their kits, did it? Suddenly, a wet bundle slid out onto the nest. "A tom!" Riverpaw squealed triumphantly.
Shadowleap looked at the newborn. He had a dark ginger pelt and a strange white mark on his chest. It looked like a claw-scratch.
Then, a squeal sounded from the medicine den.
Shadowleap was on her paws in an instant, padding to see what was wrong.

When she glanced inside, Blackwave lay on her side, chest heaving.
"Riverpaw, quick!" The black queen yowled.
Soon Riverpaw arrived. She immediately started to leap on Blackwave's chest. But Blackwave pushed her off with an immense strength for a breathless half-dead cat.
"Don't . . ." Blackwave wheezed. "It's . . . It's a sign, a sign- a sign that for every kit born a cat will . . . A cat will die . . . Nobody can stop that." Blackwave turned her gaze to Shadowleap. "Nobody but you."

Then the black and silver medicine cat's eyes glazed over.
Riverpaw rushed forward. "No! Blackwave, you still have to give me my name! No Blackwave! No, please no!"
Shadowleap leaned forward and placed her tail-tip in Riverpaw's shoulder. To her surprise, Riverpaw whirled around.
"This is your fault," she snarled.

"What?" Shadowleap was surprised.

"You heard Blackwave. You're the only one who can stop this! Your the reason it's happening! Do something! Save us! I don't want to die . . ." Her sister's voice trailed into a whimper.