The blades of the sun

Chapter 16

" Help!" Ripplecloud yowled as he darted into camp. Honeypaw looked up in alarm, Ripplecloud's fear scent was very strong. She charged out of the medicine cat den and already spotted cats leaping out of there dens to see what the commotion was about.

" What happened?!" Honeypaw asked. Ripplecloud kept pacing and Honeypaw felt sympathy for the warrior. She saw Spiderpaw roll his eyes at his mentor's behavior, Honeypaw scowled at Spiderpaw, didn't he care that his mentor was panicked?

" It's Acornleaf! She asked to go hunting with me so I said yes, we were just chatting when all of a sudden she starting yowling in pain! I think shes kitting!" Ripplecloud meowed in panic. Honeypaw gasped, Acornleaf had never told anyone she was expecting kits! Even if she had, they were coming way too early! 

" Honeypaw, go find Acornleaf! I need to find raspberry leaves for her!" Webfoot instructed. Honeypaw nodded and darted out of camp. She could faintly hear Acornleaf's moaning and she hurried up. She felt her lungs scream for her to stop running and take a rest, but Acornleaf was more important. Honeypaw leaped out of some bushes and immediately spotted the creamy-furred she-cat. 

As she approached the kitting warrior she felt panic rise in her throat. What if Webfoot didn't make it in time?

" Thank Starclan you came! I just wanted to go out one more time before I moved into the nursery, I didn't think my kits would come so-" Acornleaf spotted as she yowled in pain and Honeypaw saw a spasm in her body.

" Save your energy for kitting, not talking. Webfoot is coming just try to hold on..."  Honey encouraged Acornleaf. Honeypaw looked around, she knew what to do! She quickly raced to the nearest tree and grabbed the best stick she could find. Not strong enough to hurt teeth but good enough to help her not think of the pain. Honeypaw grasped the twig in her jaw and ran back to Acornleaf. 

But as Honeypaw made her way back Acornleaf she spotted something circling her. It was a Hawk! As quick as a flash Honeypaw raced over to Acornleaf, forgetting the stick. As she ran she saw the Hawk dive down, this is it. This is where I go to Starclan I need to Protect the kits and Acornleaf! Honeypaw dived over Acornleaf and felt the Hawks talons pierce through her fur and flesh, thinking fast she let her claws hold onto the grass. She felt pain rake her back and wished for it to be over soon, was this what Starclan had planned for her? Yellowstripe had told her about how a Hawk carried her to Rippleclan and Darkstar saved her. Would Honeypaw be saved too?

" It is not your time yet Honeypaw..." A black tom meowed. Honeypaw blinked in surprise, it was Raventail! Honeypaw felt relief surge through her if Acornleaf could see Raventail she was too busy kitting to care.

" But how do I beat this Hawk?!" Honeypaw wailed, trying to not let herself be taken by the hawk. Raventail's only reply was a tail twitch and in a heartbeat, he had disappeared. As his spirit disappeared Honeypaw saw ginger fur emerge from it. She heard the Hawk screech and it let go of her. She looked up and saw a russet she-cat clinging to the hawk, her teeth were sinking into its neck. She saw the Hawks body go limp and Honeypaw went to go thank the she-cat. But as she got closer she recognized the fox-like fur. Fox had saved her! The white fur around her jaw was stained red with blood. " Thank you for saving me!" Honeypaw purred. Fox nodded and looked at Acornleaf.

" What's happening to her?!" Fox meowed, her eyes widening as her gaze landed on Acornleaf. She yowled in agony and Honeypaw raced over to the stick she had gathered earlier. 

" Bite onto this, it won't help with the pain but it will make you feel better. Webfoot will be here any second." Honeypaw meowed. Acornleaf nodded and bit onto the twig. As if she had summoned them, she turned around as she heard paw-steps race towards them. Webfoot was carrying raspberry leaves while Ripplecloud had borage leaves in his jaws.

" Whats she doing here?" Webfoot hissed as he spotted Fox. Honeypaw was about to answer but she was cut off as Acornleaf made the twig crack. 

" I'll tell you later, right now we need to help Acornleaf!" Honeypaw meowed. Webfoot nodded and padded over to Acornleaf.

" Eat these, they will help with the pain." Webfoot meowed and gave Acornleaf the raspberry leaves. She weakly nodded and chewed them, Honeypaw felt satisfaction when Acornleaf's eyes were free of pain.

" Can we do anything else for her?" Ripplecloud meowed. Webfoot shook his head and put his paw lightly on her stomach. 

" It's up to Starclan now, but I can feel two kits. Meanwhile, Honeypaw can you tell me what Fox is doing here?" Webfoot asked. Honeypaw realized that Webfoot might think that Fox had attacked her, she was lucky it hadn't been a patrol that spotted her.

" I was finding a stick for Acornleaf and when I came back a Hawk was about to go for her. I dived in front of it and Fox killed it." Honeypaw answered and looked at the dead Hawk. Webfoot nodded in thanks to Fox.

" For helping us you may take the Hawk for yourself." Webfoot offered. Honeypaw turned back to Acornleaf as she gave out a yowl, luckily it didn't sound as painful this time. " They're coming!" Webfoot announced. Soon after she saw two big spasms pulsed through Acornleaf's body, when Honeypaw looked down she noticed two tiny kits mewling. Acornleaf and Ripplecloud purred at the new kits ad they began to lick them. Webfoot passed the borage leaves over to Acornleaf and she chewed them, she then let her kits feed from her.

" They're beautiful..." Ripplecloud purred as he warmly stared at the two yellow kits. " Can we name that one Heatherkit?"  Ripplecloud asked. Acornleaf nodded and licked the other kits ear.

" We can call this one Amberkit." Acornleaf purred. Honeypaw wrapped a cobweb Webfoot had given her around Acornleaf and looked at Webfoot. She felt confusion spread through her as she saw his eyes widen with fear. She followed his gaze and saw it land on Amberkit, was he having an omen or a vision? Whatever it was, he would probably tell her later. 

" You should probably go Fox, we need to get Acornleaf and the kits back to camp. I'll see you around!" Honeypaw called to Fox as she sprinted away.