Tales From The Broken {COMPLETE}

Squirreltail's Darkness -Chapter 10-

"I'm gonna get you, Pikekit!" Larkkit called, Squirreltail could hear her tiny paws running across the nursery. "Get him, Sorrelkit!" She heard Pikekit skid to a stop and slam into Sorrelkit, none of them were hurt as they all laughed when the two collided.

"Not fair!" Pikekit protested. "Why do you have to gang up on me?"

"Because," Sorrelkit squeaked. "You're the tom! Toms vs She-cats!" Pikekit's paw shuffled against the nursery floor as he jumped on Sorrelkit.

"You better hope that Icepetal doesn't have a full little of toms! We'll rule this nursery!" The kits continued to play and Squirreltail listened happily. Her kits were just under a moon old and full of life and energy. With open eyes and ears, they didn't stop for a even a second. Brackenpelt had told Squirreltail that both Pikekit and Larkkit had green eyes while Sorrelkit had bright amber ones.

Larkkit had proven herself to be the leader of the little gang, guiding her littermates to new adventures and coming up with the games they played. Sorrelkit was the most energetic, always ready to play at the drop of a feather. Pikekit was more relaxed, but also the most confident and brave. Squirreltail had to stop him from running claws first into the camp and forest. She was glad to see her kits along so well, and despite the age difference: Rosewind would come by and play with the kits just about every day. They all loved their older sister.

Sandfoot spent a lot of time with the kits well, letting them run all over her and pull on ears and tail. Squirreltail knew her mother needed the company after Nightwing's death. Brackenpelt stopped by every single day to bring them all prey and to play, Redclaw and Brackenpelt's siblings stopped by most days to say hi and tell stories to the kits.

Squirreltail had forgotten the joy of raising a kit, and now she had three to raise. They were a pawful, and sometimes drove her batty but she had so much love for all of her kits. Icepetal would often watch and play with the kits while Squirreltail got some rest, but the queen was so close to having her own litter that now she spent most of her time sleeping.

From what Icepetal described, Squirreltail could imagine her having three or more kits as well. She was feeling mostly the same way as Squirreltail had. Being in the nursery with kits had given Squirreltail a whole new outlook on life. She didn't feel useless, when these kits were still deaf and blind all they had was her, and she had them. Larkkit, Sorrelkit and Pikekit had given her a whole new life, and she would hold onto it forever.

Squirreltail felt a sudden movement beside her as Icepetal jolted up with a whimper of pain. "Icepetal?" Squirreltail mewed, looking towards the queen.

"Something really hurts." Icepetal said, her voice strained.

"It's probably the kits." Squirreltail stood up. "Stay here kits, I'm going to go get Pebblestep."

"But we wanna come with you!" Pikekit complained.

"I need you to stay here and keep Icepetal company, she's going to be scared and in a lot of pain so make she feels better!" Squirreltail knew that would quickly deter her kits.

"On it!" Larkkit mewed. "We'll make you the most comfortable queen in the forest!" Icepetal laughed, and with her kits distracted, Squirreltail sprinted out of the nursery and towards the medicine cat den.

"Pebblestep!" Squirreltail called into the nursery. "Icepetal is having her kits." She instantly heard Pebblestep's pawsteps.

"Seems like just a moon ago Icepetal was coming to me about you." The medicine cat mewed. "Let's hope her kitting is as easy as yours was." Together, Pebblestep and Squirreltail padded back to the nursery.