✧ Devious Fates ✧ | COMPLETE WARRIOR CATS FANFICTION STORY |

// Chapter Sixteen

Spottedpelt waited outside the nursery with excitement bubbling through her veins. Sorrelpath was giving birth to her kits; and her sister had been told to wait outside the nursery until she was given permission to enter by Willowheart, who was inside of the nursery to assist Sorrelpath. Tigertail waited beside Spottedpelt, keeping a fox-length away from her. His eyes were narrowed, forming a skeptical look.

Spottedpelt was almost oblivious to the big tabby tom, she was overtaken with anticipation and excitement. She could imagine her kits growing up to become strong warriors, and even having kits of their own. She felt so proud for her sister. However, she could never tell if she wanted to have any kits. She was deputy; she had her Clan to serve; even a leader position ahead of her.

"Come in," Willowheart's soft voice directed. Tigertail shoved past Spottedpelt, brushing her nose with his tail. Spottedpelt shook her head with an irritated hiss, lowering her head and emerging into the sandstone structure. She beamed with joy.

Three tawny figures squealed and squirmed at Sorrelpath. One, the broadest of the figures, seemed to be nudging his siblings aside for a fight for his mother's milk. The others, one a tom and one a she-kit, let out cries of desperation and eventually nuzzled into spots on their mother's belly. Sorrelpath looked exhausted, but still had a large smile chiseled across her muzzle. Tigertail, his eyes glowing with pride, brushed his cheek against his mate's.

Willowheart also had joyful, sparkling eyes. She gazed down lovingly at the small scraps of fur.

"Did you name them?" Spottedpelt asked, her voice still traced with amazement.

Sorrelpath responded to her sister with a faint nod. "Yes," she responded softly, her voice weak but elated. She pointed her tail towards the she-kit. "This is Eelkit," she meowed, before signaling towards the small tom. "This is Shrimpkit," she continued, before pointing her tail to the broadest tom. "And this is Eaglekit."

"Fabulous names," Tigertail commented warmly. "I could've never thought of any better." He twined his tail with his mate's, stroking his tongue affectionately across her ear. I could never be more proud of you, sister.

"Congratulations," Spottedpelt praised, her voice sincere.

Darkpool sat a few tail-lengths away from them. "Yes," she rasped. She grunted in irritation as Frostkit bounded over towards Sorrelpath and her litter. The white she-kit's optics illuminated with fascination as she neared towards the other side of the nursery.

"They're so tiny!" she exclaimed, prodding Shrimpkit in the side, causing him to trip.

"Stop!" gasped Spottedpelt as the newborn kit let out a wail as it tried to stammer back onto four paws. Sorrelpath glanced up with alarm.

"Get back here!" Darkpool chided. "And don't lay a single claw on them ever again."

"My claws were sheathed, though!" Frostkit protested.

Tigertail's eyes blazed in fury. "Go," he hissed defensively. Spottedpelt watched the sleet-like kit back away from the trio of kits that writhed at Sorrelpath's belly. Frostkit doesn't seem to understand how fragile newborn kits are.

Frostkit eventually dashed back towards her mother. Grasskit and Rockkit had stirred, shifting their astonished gazes over to look at the three tawny kits.

Spottedpelt was ecstatic. Even though the kits weren't hers, she still loved them like they were. The moon's light turned to a dawn that swallowed the WindClan camp, pouring into the open ceiling of the nursery. Spottedpelt gaped her jaws in a yawn. Her paws were weary from trekking on many evening patrols. She had not slept a heartbeat that night.