Dawnstar's Trouble {COMPLETE}

Prologue

Poppyfur looked around her herb store, making sure everything was neat and in place before she left. The cream and black she-cat poked her head out of the medicine cat den, the sun was slowly falling and the half-moon was going to take its place. With one last check, Poppyfur exited the medicine cat den only to be greeted by a golden brown tabby tom racing towards her.

"What is it, Blazeheart?" She questioned with a half-sigh, she assumed it was another false alarm with his mate's kits.

"I think Windflight is actually having her kits this time! She's in a lot pain, more than usual. Sunstream and Dovetail think it's time too." Blazeheart explained quickly, his amber eyes flashing with anxiety.

"I'll check and make sure." Poppyfur grumbled slightly, not wanting to waste her time with a queen who probably wasn't even having her kits. Windflight had about three false alarms a day, though this was the first one for today.

Blazeheart followed Poppyfur to the nursery, clearly stopping himself from running ahead of the medicine cat. Any new father would be nervous about his mate having kits, though Poppyfur assured him that Windflight's pregnancy had been completely safe and normal. Poppyfur stepped inside the medicine cat den where she saw Dovetail slowly lapping at Windflight's head, trying to keep her calm while Sunstream tried holding her two kits, Lionkit and Goldenkit back as they eagerly tried to see what was going on with Windflight.

Poppyfur looked over Windflight, the pale brown she-cat did look to be in a lot of pain. The medicine cat ran her forepaw over Windflight's belly, feeling movement. She took a deep breath, Windflight really was kitting this time. "It's happening." Poppyfur mewed, looking at Blazeheart and Sunstream. "Sunstream, do you remember what herbs I used for you?" The golden she-cat nodded. "Take Blazeheart and the kits if you have to go get them, I'm going to prepare Windfight."

"I want to stay here." Blazeheart replied stubbornly. Poppyfur snorted, not in the mood for his attitude.

"You can't do anything here yet, go get the herbs and be helpful. Then you can come back in and soothe her." Blazeheart hesitated, but eventually turned tail and ran off towards the medicine cat den with Sunstream and her kits.

"How are you feeling, Windflight?" Poppyfur asked, forming a nest for the kits to fall into.

"It hurts." Windflight whimpered, her mew lined with pain. "Is that okay? Will the kits be okay?"

Poppyfur let out a purr to soothe her. "The kits will be fine, pain is the most natural part of having kits." Poppyfur looked up at Dovetail, noticing the pain and fear in the gray she-cats blue eyes. Dovetail may have just moved into the nursery but it wasn't her first time having kits. Dovetail's first litter of two didn't survive kitting, but now she was back in the nursery with hopefully kits that survived.

"Just breathe, Windflight. Blazeheart and Sunstream are coming with herbs. It will all be over soon, and then you'll have kits of your own." Windflight let out a pleased purr at Poppyfur's words, her eyes slowly closing for just a moment before she let out a cry of pain. A few moments later, Sunstream and Blazeheart stepped back into the medicine cat den with a bundle of herbs and a stick.

"Give the stick to her." Poppyfur instructed Blazeheart who set the stick down in front of Windflight, nudging it towards her mouth. Windflight's green eyes burned with love as she looked at her mate.

"I'll let you take over." Dovetail said softly, moving over to sit behind Poppyfur and letting Blazeheart be up by Windflight's head.

Sunstream stepped outside, keeping Lionkit and Goldenkit occupied, Poppyfur was grateful for the intelligent queen's action. Poppyfur placed her paw on Windflight's belly once more, feeling a strong ripple. "They'll be here soon, Windflight. Hold on." The kitting she-cat's body jolted in pain, her teeth clamping down on the stick that had been provided.