The Medicine Den

The Medicine Den - Part 5

Loud meowing woke up Hazelbreeze. She got up stiffly, trying not to wake Ashcloud. Her brown fur was matted, her eyes filled with sleep. The yowls started again Ashcloud bolted awake, her dark pelt bristling. Fircloud rushed inside the Medicine Den, skidding to a stop. His blue eyes were wild with anxiety "Rosespeckle's kits are coming!" He paced as the medicine cats hurried out of the den entrance. "Get a stick!" Hazelbreeze told Fircloud firmly, she turned to Ashcloud. The speckled apprentice was inexperienced. "Go soak some moss in water, fresh water" As Ashcloud scampered out of the gorse tunnel, Hazelbreeze ran into the nursery. Rosespeckle's dark ginger pelt was tangled, her blue eyes were filled with pain. Hazelbreeze padded to the she-cats side calmly. She soothed the queen until Fircloud arrived with the wet moss. "Drink this" She prompted Rosespeckle, holding the ball of moss for her to drink from. The queen lapped it up gratefully. Fircloud stood rigid, watching dumbly "Give her some space" Hazelbreeze shooed Rosespeckle's mate out of the nursery, he padded away reluctantly.

A little while after, Rosespeckle gave birth to four healthy kits. Well, Sugarkit wasn't doing that well. The little light brown she-kit struggled with breathing, which worried Hazelbreeze. Foxkit, a tabby dark ginger she-kit with a white belly was very lively and amusing. Palekit was a light fawn tom-kit with white speckles, he was not as strong as his brother and sister, but not weak like Sugarkit. The last one was Squirrelkit, a solid dark ginger-brown tom-kit with a fluffy white tail that bounced everywhere. Hazelbreeze left Rosespeckle and Fircloud alone with the kits, Ashcloud was still sleeping in the Medicine Den.

Hazelbreeze spent the rest of the day checking up on Sugarkit, and treating cracked pads. The sun burned down on her back, it was getting more humid everyday. Green-leaf was just around the corner, bringing new life and more prey. Clearmist had approached Hazelbreeze, purring about her going to have kits. The news spread around quickly in MapleClan. She wondered who the father of Clearmist's kits would be, since Airpool had died in a battle long ago. Bluefeather would have littermates, the Clan would have more warriors, everything was good. Hazelbreeze felt a prickle of guilt at not remembering about Sugarkit, so she go up to collect some poppy seeds for the young kit, hoping it would save the small life.