Pineshade's Loss

Chapter 24

Pinepaw and Milkpaw are sharing a mouse when Spikepelt rushes over to the two apprentices, his yellow eyes wide.

"What's wrong, Spikepelt?" Milkpaw asks her brother with concern.

"Snowpetal is having her kits!" Spikepelt meows frantically, rubbing his cheek against his sister's.

"Really?" Milkpaw asks excitedly, glancing over at Pinepaw.

"Yeah, really! I'm so nervous!" Spikepelt meows, leaning against Milkpaw.

"There's nothing to be nervous about, Spikepelt. Snowpetal is a strong cat, her and the kits will be just fine," Milkpaw comforts her brother.

"Spikepelt!" Pinepaw then hears Acornfall call from the nursery. "Do you want to come see your kits?!" He asks.

"Yeah, I'm coming!" Spikepelt meows excitedly, quickly dashing over to the nursery. Milkpaw then follows closely behind the gray-and-white tom, wanting to see her brother's kits. Pinepaw lets out a sigh and follows the two littermates slowly.

"Can Pinepaw and I see them too?" Milkpaw asks Acornfall cheerfully.

"Yes, go ahead. Snowpetal is taking visitors," The younger cat responds.

"Come on, Pinepaw!" Milkpaw calls her mate. Pinepaw picks up his pace and follows Milkpaw into the nursery. When he pads into the nursery, he spots Stormmist in her nest, seemingly going to have her own kits any day now. He then spots Snowpetal laying in her nest with three tiny balls of fur by her belly. Spikepelt is sitting beside her, admiring their new born kits.

"They're so cute! What are their names?" Milkpaw asks Snowpetal happily. Pinepaw's gaze should be on the kits, but all of his focus is on Milkpaw, purring at her adorable excitement.

"Thank you, Milkpaw," Snowpetal purrs. "The white she-kit is named Icekit," she meows, signaling at the kit with her long tail. "The gray-and-white tabby she-kit is named Wolfkit, and the pale gray-and-white she-kit is named Ivykit," Snowpetal answers.

"Those are beautiful names! Three she-kits!" Milkpaw cheers, looking down at the kits.

"Thank you," Snowpetal purrs. Then, Pinepaw hears a whine coming from the other side of the nursery. He turns his head to see Stormmist with wide eyes and unsheathed claws. Pinepaw's own eyes widen in panic.

Is she dying?! He thinks in a panic.

"Stormmist is having her kits!" Snowpetal quickly recognizes once she turns her head to check on her friend. "Pinepaw, Milkpaw, please leave the nursery. Spikepelt, please go tell Acornfall and Beetlenose!" The white she-cat meows in a slight panic. Pinepaw and Milkpaw then quickly exit the nursery together, pushing through the bramble.

"That was scary to see," Milkpaw meows. "Now I definitely want to wait much longer before we have kits."

"It really was, I was afraid she was dying at first. She seemed to be in so much pain," Pinepaw meows. He watches as Beetlenose rushes past the two apprentices towards the nursery.

"Our brothers are becoming fathers on the same day!" Milkpaw meows.

"Yep," Pinepaw responds. "I can't wait to meet Stormmist and Beetlenose's kits too!"

The two apprentices then get back to the mouse they were sharing. They finish it up and bury the mouse's bones. Not much long after, Acornfall comes by and tells Pinepaw and Milkpaw that they can now visit Stormmist's kits any time they want. Pinepaw and Milkpaw then excitedly head back over to the nursery. When they head inside, they find Stormmist with two bundles of fur by her belly with Beetlenose right by her.

"Adorable!" Milkpaw squeals cheerfully at the sight of the two kits. Pinepaw looks down at the kits, beginning to purr with pride.

"Hello little kits, I'm your uncle, Pinepaw," Pinepaw meows to them softly. "The two of you are going to become great warriors."

"What are their names?" Milkpaw asks Stormmist, looking into the gray she-cat's eyes.

"The black tom-kit is named Swiftkit and the black-and-gray she-kit is naked Fernkit," Stormmist announces happily.

"Looks like Swiftkit will be the only tom in the nursery," Milkpaw meows with a purr of amusement.

"Four she-kits and one tom," Beetlenose meows. "My poor son," he meows with a purr of amusement.

After meeting the kits, Pinepaw and Milkpaw pad out of the nursery together, excited about all of the new life that has entered ShadowClan.