Book 2: Cinderpelt's Story

Chapter 19

All of the cats that had gone to the Gathering padded back to camp. A bone chilling breeze flatten Cinderpelt's fur. She shivered with cold and Longtail moved towards her side to block the wind, his pale tabby fur bristling. Everyone was nervous, when they had heard Brokenstar warned ThunderClan that danger was sure to come to them, they realized that a battle would break soon.

She felt a sharp pain in her belly and winced. Longtail stopped and turned all his attention on his mate. The young queen felt another sharp pain like a claw slicing her throat. Whitestorm, the large white senior warrior who was behind Cinderpelt, supported her back before she could fall. Yellowfang quickly came, with Bluestar following. Longtail nosed her cheek and silently whimpered.

"Stand back!" The old dark gray medicine cat growled. Almost immediately everyone backed away from the two she-cats.

Whitestorm gently settled the young queen down and backed away to stand beside, his mate, Willowpelt. Cinderpelt winced again and shuddered. Why does my belly hurt so much? Is my kit coming? No it can't be!

"L-Longtail?" Cinderpelt murmured, her eyes closed.

The young warrior stepped forward to be his mates side, but Tigerclaw blocked his path. "What do you think your doing? Let me be by my mate's side!" Longtail hissed.

Darkstripe looked at the queen, who laid on the ground, and turned his head away.

"Longtail, let Yellowfang do what she can." Bluestar replied calmly, placing her tail-tip to his shoulder.

Longtail relaxed slightly and watched in worry as the medicine cat placed a paw on Cinderpelt's belly. The queen sighed in relief as the pain eased. After a few moments in silence, Cinderpelt was able to stand up. Her mate by her side, the patrol continued their way to camp. Immediately the pale tabby tom lead her to the nursery, where she slept.

"Longtail I'm fine, you can go now." She whispered, trying not to wake Goldenflower and her kits. Longtail snorted in disagreement and helped her to her nest.

She laid down in the soft and warm nest with Longtail curled around her, making room for her to stretch. Cinderpelt, stretched out, closed her crystal blue eyes, hearing the gently rasping of Longtail's tongue on her soft fur.

"I'll never leave your side. You know that, my love." Longtail murmured in her ear.

Cinderpelt purred and snuggled up next to Longtail to sleep. He licked her muzzle one last time before falling asleep.

When Cinderpelt woke up she heard a battle cry. Her head shot up colliding with Longtail's. "Ow!" They both shrieked.

Goldenflower was at the back of the nursery with her kits huddled under her. Longtail quickly and gently pushed her towards the older queen and vanished outside. Cinderpelt heard screeches and hisses and growls. She coward and gasped as a flood of pain surged through her belly. She whimpered in pain and fell on the ground, her white paws twitching.

"Cinderpelt!" Goldenflower gasped. Just then Yellowfang rushed in with a large bundle of herbs clamped in her jaws.

She quickly reached the young she-cat's side and dropped the bundle of herbs. "The kit is coming!" She announced. Cinderpelt wailed in pain as ripple coursed through her body.

"Mama, what's happening to Cinderpelt?" Tawnykit asked. Their mother hushed her and moved them so they couldn't see.

Suddenly Blackfoot came into the nursery, his amber eyes fixed on Cinderpelt. Grief welled in his eyes as he saw the young she-cat in pain. She felt a powerful ripple erupt and she yowled in pain.

"It's alright, the kit is coming." Yellowfang reassured the she-cat. The medicine cat's fur bristled in fear as she wondered what the ShadowClan warrior would do.

Blackfoot growled and stepped forward, his eyes that once were filled with love and care were now filled with cold hatred. Goldenflower wrapped her tail protectively around her kits as he neared. Cinderpelt felt a wet bundle of fur slip into her nest as her pain finally eased.

"Blackfoot, get back!" Yellowfang hissed. Cinderpelt heard a growl from the entrance of the nursery and saw Longtail. His muzzle was bleeding heavily, his cheek swelled with blood, and his shoulders were plastered in his own blood. He hissed and darted towards Cinderpelt, standing in front of her.

"Get out!" Longtail yowled. He launched himself at the warrior and threw him out the entrance. The pale tabby followed and exited the den.

"It's a she-cat!" Yellowfang exclaimed. Cinderpelt hadn't noticed that the medicine cat had washed her kit. She lifted her head to see her kit, she was a small pale gray tabby she-cat with dark silver dots on her hind legs and one dark silver stripe along her spine to her tail-tip. She gazed at her kit with love and warmth.

"Eat this, it will help with the milk." Yellowfang meowed. She gave the young queen borage leaves from the bundle. Cinderpelt watched as her kit started to suckle once she had finished eating the leaves.

The screeches had finally stopped and ShadowClan retreated. Goldenflower purred in delight at the kit. Bramblekit and Tawnykit scrambled out of their mother's tail to see Cinderpelt's kit.

"Aww, she's so cute!" Tawnykit squeaked. Cinderpelt purred and watched as her kit fell asleep.

Exhaustion washed over the new mother. Her eyes shot opened as she recalled Blackfoot's cold amber eyes. Was he going to kill my kit? No, no he couldn't! If it hadn't been for . . . She dismissed her thoughts as Longtail came in. His leaf-green eyes glazed in pain and tiredness.

"Oh Cinderpelt, she's wonderful." He rasped. Longtail collapsed on the floor, blood spilling out from a gash on his chest. Cinderpelt wailed in fear and was going to rush to his side, but stopped. She couldn't leave her kit.

"Longtail!" Cinderpelt whimpered. Goldenflower held her back with her tail as Yellowfang checked Longtail. The dark gray she-cat called for Whitestorm and Fireheart to help her carry Longtail back to her den.

The two warriors carried him to Yellowfang's den, a pool of blood was left in the nursery where Longtail had fallen. Dustpelt came in to clean the blood with a moss soaked with water. Once it was clean he left, Goldenflower settled down in her nest with her kits by her belly.

"Don't worry Cinderpelt, he'll be fine." Goldenflower soothed the terrified queen.

Cinderpelt's eyes shone gratitude for her help and friendship. She steadied herself by taking deep breaths. She looked down at her sleeping kit and wondered what her name should be. But I really want Longtail to name her.

Around sunhigh, Longtail padded in with cobwebs all around his wounds. Cinderpelt purred in relief. He crouched down beside her, gazing at his kit with love and pride.

"What should we name her?" Longtail asked. She purred and licked his ear. The unnamed she-cat squirmed around Cinderpelt's belly, blindly following Longtail's scent.

"I wanted you to name her." Cinderpelt murmured. Longtail purred with love and gazed at his kit, she had managed to curl up in between his front paws.

"How about . . . Leopardkit?" Longtail suggested. Cinderpelt purred in delight and she nuzzled her kit's soft fur.

"Leopardkit, I love it." Cinderpelt purred. The two mates watched Leopardkit fall fast asleep. Longtail licked his mate's cheek which made her purr.

"Leopardkit, our little warrior." The pale tabby purred.