Tales From The Broken {COMPLETE}

Squirreltail's Darkness -Chapter 7-

Squirreltail could see Brackenpelt. His amber eyes shimmering in the sunlight and his dark pelt reflecting the golden light. Rosewind stood beside him, her green eyes shining bright with joy. My family! Squirreltail thought with joy, she could see them! She memorized every little detail of her mate and daughter.

"They're so cute!" Rosewind purred. "I love them already!" What? Squirreltail was confused. What is she talking about.

"They're beautiful, Squirreltail." Brackenpelt mewed, stepping closer to Squirreltail. "I'm so proud of you."

Proud of me? That was when Squirreltail realized she was in the nursery, and she felt movement at her belly. My kits! They're here! Squirreltail looked down, her heart aching to see what her kits looked like. When Squirreltail saw her kits, her heart twisted into a painful knot. No. At her belly were three kits, but they had no color. They were three small, black and fuzzy forms. They mewed and made noise, Squirreltail could feel them but she couldn't see them. No! She cried in her head. Please! Just let me see my kits! She rasped her tongue over one of them, she felt fur but she didn't know what it looked like. You can't do this me! Let me see my kits!

Squirreltail shot up in her nest, panting heavily. She felt a kick in her stomach as one of the kits complained about the sudden movement. "Sorry." She muttered, trying to catch her breath. A nightmare. Squirreltail told herself. Just a dream. She took a moment to slow her breathing and relax, but the image of the faceless kittens was burned into her mind.

That wasn't the first time Squirreltail had that kind of dream, and she was sure it wouldn't be the last. Her kits were about a half-moon away from being born and she couldn't wait for that day, though she was terrified about not being able to see them. That was all she wanted, even if just for a few moments, to see her new kits.

Pawsteps outside the nursery got Squirreltail's attention. She lifted her head and looked in that direction. From the scent she could tell it was Sandfoot, and something radiating heavily from her mother was fear scent. "Hi." Squirreltail greeted. "Is everything okay?"

"No." Sandfoot's voice was dry as she stepped into the nursery to sit beside Squirreltail. "I'm worried about Nightwing. She barely leaves the elder's den, and I don't think she's eaten in the past two days. All she does is sleep."

Squirreltail's heart ached for the old queen. "She misses Hawktalon." She mewed with her voice low.

"I didn't think it would affect her like this." Sandfoot admitted. "I knew how much they loved each other, I just wish I could do more."

Squirreltail rested her tail on her mother's shoulder. "Nightwing is an old she-cat, the best you can do is comfort her."

Sandfoot sighed. "I suppose." Squirreltail could hear her mother shaking her head. "Well, how have you been feeling? Those kits giving you any trouble yet?"

"Kind of." Squirreltail strained her voice, she wasn't sure she wanted to share her fears with anyone just yet, but if she could share them with anyone: it was Sandfoot. "I had a nightmare last night."

"What was it?" Concern took over Sandfoot's voice.

"I could see Brackenpelt, and I could see Rosewind but my kits were just...shadows. I could see their shapes but no pelts or faces. I've been so terrified about the fact that I will never be able to see what my kits look like."

"Oh, Squirreltail." Sandfoot pressed her nose into Squirreltail's cheek. Squirreltail closed her eyes, just grateful to be with her mother. "While that's something I will never know, you have to understand that just because you can't see your kits doesn't mean they're not there. You'll be a great mother regardless of your sight. You never lost your ability to love."