Rosethorn's Destiny

7

"Shh, Calm down Rosethorn. You're doing fine!" Purred Stormwater, who had recently gotten her medicine cat name. Rosethorn had moved to the nursery one moon before, and was now ready to have her kits. She was panting and thrashing around in agony in the soft feather-moss nest that Stormwater had prepared earlier. "Where's Icestep?" Rosethorn gritted her teeth. "Out fetching herbs. He's been out all day and probably will stay until the sun sets." Rosethorn yet out a yip of pain as her body shook. "This is faster than I thought." Whispered Stormwater uneasily. "Just hang on Rosethorn." She whipped around out of the den and called quickly, "Mallowpaw!" He golden she cat raced forewards, knowing to grab a stick on the way over. "Good, thanks." Rosethorn grasped the stick and almost splintered it as a kit plopped onto the moss. "Great! One more." The stick cracked in half as the last kit tumbled beside it's mewling sibling. "They're beautiful little toms." Stormwater purred as Rosethorn nuzzled them to her belly and started licking them. The black and brown tabby batted his brother happily, while the little white tom bit the others tail. Rosethorn purred loudly, "My little warriors. This one," She mewed, nosing the white one, "Is Blizzardkit, and this one is Falconkit," She finished, nuzzling each kit in turn. Just then Icestep ran in. "I heard Rosethorn was kitting. I came as fast as possible." Rosethorn looked up into his eyes and moved her tail and paws aside to show him her kits. Icestep's eyes softened and filled with joy and love for his sister's kits. "They're amazing Rosethorn." As he licked the kits heads, Stowmwater swept the other kits back into the nursery to meet their new denmates. Mintwind and Jetfoot's two golden and white spotted she-cats, Littlekit and Meadowkit, scrambled in under Stormwater, while Pumakit, Redfur and Owlwhisker's kit, who became a warrior two moons before Rosethorn, came in slower and more wary. "Wow! They're so tiny and cute!" Mewed Meadowkit, her silky fur bushed out. "The white one that looks like me is Blizzardkit, and the black and brown one is Falkonkit." Icestep mewed, laying behind Rosethorn and grooming her. Rosethorn tried to suppress her yawn, and her whiskers trembled in the effort. Icestep got up and stretched, then purred quietly to Rosethorn, "Let me help." Then he mewed louder to the other kits, "If you would like a taste of honey, come with me!" He leapt out of the nursery with all the kits following, leaving the queens with a moment of peace. Blizzardkit let out a huge gaping yawn as he crawled closer to Rosethorn's belly, while Falkonkit slept on, his paws churning as if he was running in his dream. Rosethorn licked her kit's heads and mewed, "Goodnight little warriors, sleep well, and may StarClan grant you sweet dreams." Then, as the other queens went on to find fresh-kill, Rosethorn fell into a long, dreamless, warm sleep.