"Knocked out for the second time... what a load of foxdung." muttered Phoenixwing.
She staggered to her feet, to hear the distant sound of Moonstar's voice. Barely standing up, she staggered and fell right outside the medicine den.
"Silverpaw, Windpaw, are you ready to become full warriors of DragonClan?"
The two replied, "I do."
"I do!"
Phoenxiwing, gasping, dragged herself to the clearing, paws flailing on the dirty ground. Silverpaw saw her and her face lit up. Moonstar pretended not to see the groaning shape on the floor, unwilling to disturb the sanctity of the ancient practice.
"Silverpaw, I name you Silverleaf. StarClan honors your kindness and grace. Windpaw, I name you Windfeather. StarClan honors your determination and loyalty. I now make you full warriors of DragonClan!"
"Silverleaf! Windfeather! Silverleaf! Windfeather!"
Windfeather raised her head high, a triumphant smile spread across it. Silverleaf looked down at the entire camp, eyes wide, but stopped when she got to Phoenixwing. "Thank you," she mouthed.
Pain wracked Phoenixwing again, but she ignored it. Raindrop saw her and her mouth opened wide. "Oh no, you're coming with me."
Raindrop dragged Phoenixwing into the medicine cat den, ignoring Phoenixwing's subtle attempts to stop her by dragging her claws into the earth.
Phoenixwing, gasping, panted, "Why am I here again, Raindrop?!"
"You should've told me sooner."
"What?!"
"That you were expecting kits. Bite this please."
She shoved the stick in Phoenixwing's mouth. "Swallowfern?!"
The old golden she-cat looked at them both drowsily. "Yes, you go ahead. I'll be up in a second."
Raindrop's paws shuddered as they were placed firmly on Phoenixwing's belly. Forcefully, she pushed down on Phoenixwing's stomach. "Ackkk!"
Phoenixwing wailed in pain as the first kit slid out. The tiny, silver she-kit kit squealed pitiably, but not as loud as Phoenixwing's continued screaming.
The next kit, a she-cat who was a deep russet like her mother, slid out just as painfully. As the stick splintered between Phoenixwing's teeth, Swallowfern helped give chervil leaves to Phoenixwing, who ate them hungrily.
A third kit, another silvery tom, slid out onto the cave floor, wet and cold next to his brother and sister.
"One tom and two she-cats! They're beautiful." Raindrop purred.
Phoenixwing grinned wearily in agreement, and Swallowfern smiled. "I'll go and get Rivertail."
Phoenixwing's tail warapped around her kits, dragging them towards her heart. Quietly, she whispered a lullaby to the little kits.
Rivertail, Nightsky, Petaldust, and Silverleaf all gathered around Phoenixwing.
Silverleaf's eyes were lit up with excitement. "Can I see them?"
Phoenixwing nodded slowly, and gently Silverleaf bent over to look at the three kits clustering around her stomach.
Nightsky looked down as well, and gave the russet kit a hardy stroke on the back. "That one's a fighter."
Petaldust's eyes were full of tears. "Your first kits... just like when your mother had them..."
Stormmind came in and escorted his mate out off the den. "Come on, Petaldust, let's not crowd them. They're her kits, after all."
Petaldust sniffed and relented.
Rivertail advanced last, and gave her a lick. "They're beautiful, you know. Like you."
Phoenixwing felt the watery drops forming around her eyes as well.
"I love you," Rivertail whispered. "I love you so much. Here, I brought you something."
Gingerly he placed the flower at her feet. The old, tattered but still shiny feather matched it perfectly. Phoenixwing thought about the feather for a second. She'd had it since she was just a kit... it felt so long ago, the old days when she and the others used to play silly games in the nursery.
The heartbeats of her kits thrummed like a long-forgotten rhythm against her chest.
One.
Two.
Panic overtook her as she breathed in and out. "What's wrong? Do you need more chervil?!" Raindrop asked anxiously.
"Only two. Only two!"
"What?"
"Are you okay?" asked Rivertail.
She motioned down at her kits. The silver she-cat and the russet she-cat were mewling frantically. The other was silent. Silent... and cold. Even his mother's warmth wasn't helping.
"Wake up!" Phoenixwing cried, "Please, please wake up!"
The kit was deaf to her pain.
Rivertail scooted it out from under her, but Phoenixwing placed the kit back. "No. He's still alive. He has to be."
Swallowfern shook her head. "Just like your mother's first- and only- litter. I'm so sorry."
Phoenixwing hissed at her. "Shut up, you old bag of bones! He's still alive!"
Swallowfern said nothing.
"We... we'll name them." Rivertail suggested.
Phoenixwing sighed and looked up at him pleadingly.
"The grey one who's still-" he wisely avoided the word, "the bigger one, she looks like she has stars in her pelt. We'll call her Starkit."
"What if she becomes leader? Starstar? Are you sure we want our kit to be named that?!"
"I'm sure she'll be fine. Do you like the name, or would you name her..."
"She's perfect. But I'll choose the other she-kit's name."
Rivertail gestured for her to go ahead, flicking his tail with a winning smile.
"Branchkit." Phoenixwing decided, motioning to a branch over the nursery.
"I like that."
"And... the third one?"
"I say..."
Swallowfern spoke up from the back of the den. "Your mother, Wavebreak, had a name for your brother too, before he... well... she called him... Breezekit."
"Then this kit will be Breezekit too." Phoenixwing said, choked inside. She finally scooted the kit away from her, letting him sit limply on the floor.
"Breezekit..." she whispered to him, "Tell them that their daughter said hello."
It hurt so much, but she had other things to focus on. Even if one had died, she still had two more kits to care for and protect.
The same thing couldn't happen to them.
Wouldn't happen to them.
She would be there, strong as a lion and gentle as a lamb.
She would be there for them until she, too, was ready to see her mother again.
