Warriors: Sharptalon's Mist

Chapter 41

Sharptalon rushed into camp, feeling breathless. He immediately rushed over to the nursery, where the medicine cats were standing outside. He pushed through the brambles and overhanging ferns, seeing Stormgaze stretched out in her nest, four kits suckling at her belly. 

"Stormgaze, I'm here!" Sharptalon mewed, scrambling to her nest. 

Flamedawn squeezed into the den, Peachpaw at his side. "Your new kits are beautiful," Flamedawn purred. 

Stormgaze perked her head up as she saw Sharptalon. "Sharptalon!" She gasped. "Our kits...."

Sharptalon crouched down, glancing at his four kits. There was a dark yellow she-kit with black stripes, a silver-gray tabby tom with black paws, a black she-kit and tufted ears, and a gray tabby tom-kit with flame-colored markings. 

Stormgaze's eyes were dull with sleep. She blinked slowly. "I was waiting to name them. Why don't you name the little yellow one?" 

Sharptalon licked his mate's cheek. "Thank you," he whispered softly. He thought for a moment as he glanced down at the black-striped yellow she-kit. She looks like a bumblebee. "I'll name her Beekit." 

"That is a perfect name," Stormgaze purred. She looked at the silver-gray tabby tom with black paws. "Why don't you name him as well?" She asked.

Sharptalon thought for a moment, then thought of a name.  "Blackkit, for his black paws," he meowed, flicking his tail.

Stormgaze blinked warmly. "It's perfect," she mewed.

Sharptalon glanced at the gray tom-kit with fire-colored markings. "He looks the most like you. You should name him," he suggested.

Stormgaze glanced at her son, her eyes shimmering. "I'll name him Smokykit, in honor of my father." 

Sharptalon gazed warmly at her. "It's a perfect name for him. I like it. Your father was an amazing fighter."

Coriander, who was watching Stormgaze, blinked warmly at her. "That's beautiful, Stormgaze, I'm glad you want to keep Smoky's memory alive."

Stormgaze's gaze then shifted to the last kit, the black she-kit with tufted ears. "I'll name her Tuftkit, for her tufted ears."

Sharptalon licked the top of her head. "They're perfect names," he purred.

Before Stormgaze could reply, the brambles and ferns rustled behind Sharptalon. Turning around, Sharptalon saw his friend, Stalkfire, rush into the den. Phoenixwing and her kits were right behind him.

"How is my sister doing?" Stalkfire asked, glancing at Sharptalon.

"Tired, but fine," Sharptalon replied.

Stalkfire looked at his sister's kits and began to purr. "Wow. They're beautiful. Monarchwing would love them," he mewed.

"Oh, they're so lovely, Stormgaze. I'm proud of you," Phoenixwing purred. 

"Phoenixwing? Can we play with them?" Graykit asked, his silver-gray eyes shimmering. 

"No, Graykit. They are very young," Phoenixwing meowed. "Maybe you can play with them after a half-moon."

"What are their names?" Stalkfire asked, glancing at Sharptalon.

Sharptalon sat up, curling his tail around his paws. "From left to right: Beekit, Blackkit, Tuftkit, and Smokykit."

"Smokykit?" Stalkfire echoed. "In honor of our father, Smoky?" 

"Yes," Stormgaze answered. 

"All cats old enough to hunt, join beneath the High-Ledge for a Clan meeting!" Squirrelstar's voice rang outside.