Flamepaw's Destination

Chapter 29

Flameclaw opened her eyes to find the sun just beginning to rise. Outside, it was still mostly dark, and cats were fast asleep. Flameclaw glanced around, confused as to why she had woken up. She was generally good at sleeping in with the rest of the cats.

She sighed and rested her head on her paws, glancing outside. The sky was just beginning to become streaked with orange. She wondered when morning patrol would head out.

Though she tried, she found she was unable to fall asleep. She frowned and was restless trying to get comfortable, but it seemed it was no use. She just couldn't fall back to sleep no matter how hard she tried.

Flameclaw slowly attempted to sit up when pain shot down her entire body. She let out a yowl in surprise and laid back down, pain beginning to spread throughout her entire body. She knew exactly what pain this was—her kits were on the way. She shut her eyes and winced as pain spread throughout her, watching as the other queens began to wake.

"Flameclaw, Flameclaw," came Dovewing's gentle mew. "Are you okay?"

Flameclaw attempted to speak up, but pain kept her from speaking.

"By StarClan! Her kits are coming!" Wavestorm exclaimed.

Flameclaw nodded weakly and let out another yowl of pain. Wavestorm immediately rushed off to the medicine cat den while Dovewing sat by Flameclaw's side until Spottedmask and Tawnypaw came rushing in.

"Finally!" Spottedmask exclaimed. "I was hoping they'd be due soon."

"Where's Barkfern?" Flameclaw managed to ask weakly.

"Tawnypaw, go fetch her mate," Spottedmask snapped.

Flameclaw again cried out while Spottedmask shoved a stick toward her.

"I need you to hold onto this when the pain comes," she instructed.

Flameclaw nodded her head, praying the pain would pass soon. Within a few moments, Barkfern had appeared at the entrance, his fur wild and his eyes widened. It appeared he had still been asleep.

"Flameclaw!" he exclaimed, rushing to her side.

"Not too close. I still need to work with her," Spottedmask explained.

"Yes, yes, of course," he replied, standing back some. Flameclaw desperately wanted him to be right by her side though. 

The other queens exited the nursery to give Spottedmask some space. Flameclaw was glad that Barkfern was allowed to stay though. She couldn't imagine giving birth without him there.
Another ripple of pain shot through Flameclaw, and she let out a yowl.

"The stick!" Spottedmask instructed.

Flameclaw nodded and bit down the stick, her teeth pressing down into it as more pain ran throughout her body. She had never been in so much pain in her life, not even when she'd been injured on her journeys.

Suddenly, she let out a gasp of relief as the first kit slid onto the moss. Flameclaw, still in shock from pain, glanced over, seeing it was a gray tabby.

"A she-cat!" Tawnypaw announced happily.

Flameclaw smiled weakly before more pain overtook her.

Please don't let me have five kits, she prayed to StarClan.

But the pain wasn't as bad, and within a few minutes, a second kit had been born with the same ginger fur as Flameclaw's.

"A tom!" Tawnypaw announced.

Flameclaw glanced over at Barkfern and watched as he smiled happily.

Spottedmask felt Flameclaw's stomach as another burst of pain overtook her.

"There's one more," she announced.

Flameclaw nodded, biting down on the stick one last time as the last kit was born. A white bundle of fur slid out onto the moss, and Tawnypaw eagerly announced, "Another she-cat!"
The pain soon began to subside, and Spottedmask felt Flameclaw's stomach one last time.

"You're done," she told her. "Congrats, Flameclaw. You did great."

Flameclaw smiled weakly as the kits were pushed toward her and began to suckle. Barkfern rejoined her side, and Spottedmask and Tawnypaw, seeing that this was a more personal moment, left them alone in the den.

"They're beautiful," Barkfern observed, glancing at his three kits.

Flameclaw smiled, glancing down at them as well. "I think so, too. I couldn't have asked for more lovely looking kits."

"None of them seem to have picked up my brown pelt though," he joked.

Flameclaw laughed slightly, glancing down at her two daughters and son.

"Should we name them?" Barkfern asked.

Flameclaw nodded, glancing first at the gray tabby she-cat. Her fur was a light gray, streaked with darker stripes. Like Flameclaw, she too had a white chest and paws.

Flameclaw smiled at her daughter, pondering what to call her. She searched her mind for names, then smiled, landing on one.

"How about Daisykit?" she suggested, thinking back to Daisyflower, the she-cat she still felt guilty over. Daisyflower's dead body still haunted Flameclaw's thoughts, but now, she could be a little at ease. She thought it was fitting to name her daughter after such a brave warrior.

"I like that name," Barkfern purred.

He turned his attention to the white she-cat.

"You know, she reminds me of my sister, Snowpaw," he said.

"Then why not name her Snowkit?" Flameclaw suggested.

"Is that all right with you?" Barkfern asked.

Flameclaw nodded.

"Snowkit it is," he decided, watching as the young she-cat squirmed slightly.

Last was the ginger tom who resembled Flameclaw the most, though his chest and paws lacked the white that Flameclaw had. She thought for a few moments, then turned to Barkfern.

"I'd like to call him Goldkit...after Goldstar," she explained. 

Barkfern nodded. "I think that's fitting."

Flameclaw smiled, glad to have named her son after such a valiant leader. She only hoped he could possess the same qualities that the leader of RiverClan had.

Barkfern and Flameclaw stayed next to each other for a little while, staring at the new kits they would be watching over. Flameclaw knew there would be many difficulties along the way, but there was nothing she and Barkfern couldn't handle. In fact, she had no doubt at all that they would prove to be excellent parents.