Jaggedstar's Choice {COMPLETE}

Prologue

 "You should be so happy." A brown she-cat mewed, her green eyes sparkling with joy and love as she gazed town at the two, small bundles of fur nestled down at Mosswing's belly. She looked down at her kits with joy, feeling an overwhelming feeling of love towards her brand new ildren. She nuzzled the two of them, the little brown tom let out a cry of alarm. The feeling in Mosswing's heart was almost too much, the love was so fierce.

"Thank you, Fawnsky." Mosswing replied to the brown she-cat, who had an incredibly swollen belly, also full of kits that would be born any day now. "I couldn't have done this without you."

Fawnsky purred, her tail twitching calmly. "We've been together through everything, haven't we?" Mosswing looked at her best friend with a feeling of love washing over her, the two had been together since they were kits, now she couldn't help but feel a wave of joy knowing that their kits would grow up together as well. "Just make sure you're there for me when it's my time" Fawnsky added, looking down at her swollen belly. "These little furballs should be here any day now."

Mosswing looked at her kits once more, they didn't have names yet. She wanted to make sure that they were perfect names. Mosswing looked back up, outside the nursery and into LichenClan camp which was covered in snow. Leaf-bare was in full flurry, and LichenClan was struggling. Mosswing couldn't help but look at her new kits as a good sign for the future, however.

Mosswing heard the shuffling of paws, she looked at the entrance in joy as she expected to see the dark brown pelt of her mate, Rowanfang. However, it was the golden pelt of Fawnsky's mate, Sunstorm. His amber eyes were filled with love as he approached his mate.

After touching noses with Fawnsky he turned to look at Mosswing. "How are the new kits, Mosswing?" He questioned kindly, looking at the two young kits.

"They're wonderful." Mosswing purred in replied, she looked down at them, then back up at Sunstorm. "You wouldn't happen to know where Rowanfang is, would you?" She asked, trying to hide the uncertainty in her voice.

"I think he was out hunting," Sunstorm replied, sitting beside Fawnsky and washing her fur.

"He knows the kits are here, right?" Mosswing replied, shifting uncomfortably in her nest. Her two kits let out cries of protest.

"I'm sure he's just catching the perfect piece of prey for you," Sunstorm replied, his amber eyes light and kind. "Leaf-bare is a hard time to raise kits." Mosswing nodded and hoped that Sunstorm was right, Rowanfang had been so happy to be a father, she hoped he wasn't backing off now.

Mosswing rested her head on her paws, moving her kits even closer. She watched the outside of the nursery, listening to the sweet conversations between Fawnsky and Sunstorm, waiting hopefully for the love of her life to show up through the nursery entrance

Mosswing had fallen asleep during her wait for Rowanfang, and when she woke up Sunstorm was gone as well. Fawnsky was sleeping peacefully in her nest, and Mosswing let out a small sigh. She stood up, looking down at the two kits who slept silently in their nest as well, she grabbed extra moss to cover them up and keep them warm, then stepped outside of the nursery.

The sun was slowly rising in LichenClan camp, and Mosswing spotted Rowanfang speaking with the LichenClan deputy Jumpheart. Mosswing narrowed her eyes and stepped into the cold snow, it sent shivers up her legs but she pressed forward. She still felt a twinge of pain from giving birth the day before, but she needed to speak with Rowanfang. As she grew closer, Rowanfang noticed her approaching and looked at her with alarm.

"Mosswing," He said, amber eyes looking troubled. "Shouldn't you be resting?" Mosswing dug her claws into the snow.

"Shouldn't you be visiting your kits?" Mosswing replied, not wanting to sound too hostile but also wanting to get her point across. Rowanfang's ears flattened slightly, and he avoided Mosswing's gaze. Jumpheart slowly padded away without hesitation. "Well? Where have you been?" Mosswing demanded. "I'm sure you could spare a moment away from hunting to see your own kits."

Rowanfang sighed, he met Mosswing's gaze once more. "Mosswing, I'm sorry but...you couldn't have picked a worse time to have kits."

Mosswing was taken aback, she felt a sense of betrayal climbing through her heart. "Excuse me?" She took a step forward, baring her teeth. "I didn't choose when to have these kits, and you know they would be born in leaf-bare when we learned I was expecting them."

Rowanfang looked away. "Listen, Mosswing. We don't even have enough prey to feed the cats we already have in the Clan, let alone your kits and Fawnsky's kits."

Anger snapped inside Mosswing like a fire. "They're our kits!" Rowanfang winced and took a step back. "Or did you forget that?" She snarled. "If you're such a coward that you won't even see your kits for a chance that they might not survive, then you don't have to see them!" Mosswing spun around, so many emotions coursing through her body. "I know that the entirety of LichenClan will do what they can to keep these two kits alive, but if that's too much of a burden for you to handle, then feel free to not be involved with them."

Mosswing ran towards the nursery, she could feel her heart breaking into shatters. When she got into the den she looked towards her kits, sleeping quietly in their bundle of moss.

"Is everything okay, Mosswing?" Fawnsky asked, lifted her head. Sleep still heavy on her face. Mosswing glanced over her shoulder, Rowanfang hadn't followed her. With a sigh she returned to her nest, pulling her little kits closer.

"Yes, everything is fine."

A few days had passed since Mosswing confronted Rowanfang, and he still hadn't stopped by to see the kits. They were getting more active with each passing day, but they still didn't have names. Mosswing wanted Rowanfang to be involved with the naming, but she had to accept that it wasn't happening. She sat near the entrance of the nursery while her kits slept, the day before Fawnsky had given birth as well, a tom and a she-cat just like Mosswing. Seeing how Sunstorm cared for them gave her mixed feelings, seeing that Fawnsky had two healthy kits gave her so much joy, but she also faced twisting jealousy. She wanted a mate who loved her kits as much as she did.

Fawnsky looked over at the two new kits, the tom was a brown tom named Jaggedkit, for his spiky looking fur and the other was a golden-brown she-cat named Maplekit. Mosswing wished she could find names for her two little kits, but nothing seemed right. She peered out the nursery entrance.

She could hear coughing, greencough was starting to run into the camp. She could only prey to StarClan that the sickness would stay away from the nursery. Perhaps Rowanfang is right. The thought intruded her mind and she shook away. No! Rowanfang wasn't right, and she wouldn't give up on her kits, ever.

Mosswing heard the fluttering of wings, she looked up to see a small robin, perched on the branch of the looming elm tree that shadowed over the camp. Mosswing watched the robin, and a feeling of warmth washed over her, no matter what happened. With or without Rowanfang, Mosswing and the rest of LichenClan's kits would be just fine.