Swallow Your Pride

Even in winter, wild flowers grow

        Darkness stroked the smooth garnet river rocks across the snowy terrain. Fat snowflakes slowly began to drift down from the twilight sky.
          A rather large tom cat stood silently in the snow. His fur was the color of burnt cream, and he had flowing blonde locks of hair that reached mid chest. He was handsome, and quite the sight to look at. The wind slowly began to pick up, cause snow flurries to fly and drift in the crisp air.
         The tom began to walk slowly, his paws crunching the snow underpaw. His whiskers began to quiver, and his eyes shot over to the right. "Silantsong." The great tom meowed, dipping his head. "Why have you come this far in the cold? Your fur is thin."
          The yellow she-cat was shaking, and her green eyes had a look of worry. Her whispy fur was pushed and shoved by the wind. "Hello Dawnstar. I came to get you. It's Spiderdance. She requested that you come back to camp quickly."
 

        Dawnstar raised his head and blinked at the shivering she-cat. He had a look of curiosity in his violet eyes. "Alright then, let's get going. I don't want to leave her waiting." The tom meowed. The cream tom let out a little purr and smiled at Silantsong. "You know you can call me Asgore. I'm not some formal mousebrain."
          Silantsong let out a little giggle. "You never have been. I remember when you first joined the clan." The large she-cat meowed.
            Asgore and the she-cat began to walk side by side. They soon got to the bubbling stream. Silantsong wiggled her haunches and leaped over the stream. Asgore lunged forward, overshooting the stream. He landed elegantly on the other side.
           Silantsong blinked at him, impressed. The sun was starting to come up, and the sky was turning a shade of pastel yellow, with violet hues. Silantsong blinked, raising an eyebrow. She glanced at Asgore. "So that's why they call you Dawnstar."
          Asgore turned his broad head towards the sunrise. He let a little purr, as his tail began to rise in the air. "When I arrived in to the clan, it was dawn. Falconstar- Starclan bless her soul, showed interest in me. I was about four years, starving, and covered in scars. I don't know why she didn't see me as a threat." Asgore mewed, shrugging.
         Silantsong picked up the pace, her tail flicking. The rocky clearing slowly began to tranceform into a rocky path. The snow was thinner here, and dead, decaying grass poked through the thin snow. "Perhaps she thought you were some kind of blessing?" The yellow she-cat asked. "We were short on warriors, and the queens were having small litters." Silantsong mewed.
           Asgore shrugged his brod shoulders, and his dark cream ears flicked. "It's likely. She always seemed to trust me, even with secrets." The giant tom meowed. Asgore's tail dragged through the snow. "So, how was Spiderdance when you last saw her?" Asgore asked, whiskers twitching.
            Silantsong smiled softly, pressing herself against Asgore for warmth. "She seemed to be doing well. The kits could come any time now, and I think she wanted you there with her when they come." She meowed, walking quickly.
            Asgore nodded, thinking about his mate. She had always wanted kits, and took to nursery life like a fish in water. Asgore let out a little sigh. He truthfully didn't want kits. He didn't think they were cute, just whiny tiny cats who would grow into strong apprentices and warriors. Asgore always took his hemlock seeds, something that he had invented. The seeds worked as a male birth control. He remembered the day he had forgotten to take them.
           The night before, Cloudfur had given birth. She had been acting strange for a new mother, she was protective of her sons. She wasn't in her nest in the morning, and her sons were gone. The whole clan was worried, and Asgore had gone looking for her. He didn't take his hemlock seeds, or his alge (for joints). Asgore, Maplenut, and Coppertail found her at sunrise. If they hadn't heard the kits, they would've walked over her body in the snow. They found her curled around her tiny sons, with her eyes frozen over.
           Asgore shook his head, his fur spiking. He missed Cloudfur, and he couldn't help but wonder why the new mother so desperately wanted to take her sons away from the clan. He grew quiet, as he thought about Stormkit and Lightningkit. He worried for his unborn kits. What if he died and left them fatherless?
             Silantsong pressed herself against the burnt cream tom. "Uh, Asgore we're here." She meowed, her tail raising.
              Asgore looked up, seeing the familiar snow cleared camp. The dens were wedged between trees, and the nursery was right next to the leaders den. It was warm here, with the trees covering camp, it made a warm barrier.
             Asgore trotted passed the clan entrance, his fur brushing against one of the trees. Cats bowed their heads at him, and seemed to deeply respect him. Asgore smiled at each cat, proud of his clanmates. He walked into the nursery.
             The nursery was warm, and smelled strongly of milk. A medium sized she-cat laid on her side. She had dark purple fur, and pretty yellow eyes. The fur on her belly was thinning, and she seemed uncomfortable. Asgore laid down next to her, and began to gently groom her face. "How are you doing Spiderdance?" Asgore asked softly.
             Spiderdance shifted uncomfortably, flipping onto her other side. "I think my contractions are starting..." she whispered, her yellow eyes fogging up.
           Asgore jumped up. "Can you walk? Let's go to my den, it's private." He meowed softly. He had worry in his violet eyes.
          Spiderdance nodded, and stood up. She pressed herself against her giant mate. Every step seemed to make her labor worse, and cause another stab of pain through the she-cat. Spiderdance let out a loud groan, pinning her ears back.
          The medicine cat, Dewfish, trotted over to the struggling cats. "Has your labor started yet?" He asked the purple she-cat. Spiderdance nodded her head, tears swelling up in her eyes.
        Dewfish and Asgore helped Spiderdance into the leaders den. Spiderdance laid down in Asgore's huge nest. She looked around, feeling better in the huge den. She loved the look of the pine trees and the large den. She didn't have long to look at the massive den, and let out a loud moan of pain. She clawed at the moss. Asgore licked her head and ears. "It's alright Spiderdance, just breathe." He meowed softly, holding her close.
       Dewfish rubbed his paw against Spiderdance's belly. "Start pushing now. I only feel one kit." Dewfish meowed softly. He gave Spiderdance a comforting smile. "It won't take long."
       Spiderdance grinded her teeth together, and held onto Asgore. She took a deep breath and pushed hard. Dewfish smiled, his ears perking up. "One more push!" He mewed encouragingly. Asgore licked her ears and let her hold onto him. "Your so strong Spider! You can do this!" Asgore meowed, feeling his eyes swell up with prideful tears.
       Spiderdance pushed hard. Her purple head slung backwards, pressing against Asgore's chest. A small mewl came from Spiderdance's hanches. Dewfish nipped the sack and began to roughly lap at the kits fur. Asgore proudly watched his newborn and the medicine cat. Dewfish looked up at his leader. "It's a she-kit." He passed the kit to Spiderdance.
       Spiderdance lifted her head, pressing her muzzle against the minimum sized kits soft fur. "She's perfect." Spiderdance mewed.
        Asgore watched, tears began to stream from his eyes. He swallowed hard and carefully began to groom the cinnamon colored kitten. "What should we name her?" Spiderdance asked softly, holding the kit close to her.
       Asgore froze up, his eyes widening. He was bad at names. "Uh..." he glanced at the soft tabby brown she-kit with white. She looked just like him, but a shade darker. "Sasha..." he meowed.
       Spiderdance gave Asgore a look. "That's not a clan name. We'd have to give her a kit name too." She mewed, looking at her cute little kit.
       Asgore nodded, unsureness in his violet eyes. "I don't have anything better. If we come up with something better, we can rename her." He meowed, laying back in his nest.
     Spiderdance laid against him, her side against his belly. She placed Sasha at her belly, and Ramses in between her front legs. The tiny kit mewed, and sniffed at her mothers belly. She adventuly found a nipple and began to suckle. She made muffins against her mothers belly.
      Asgore watched over his family. He felt very prideful and happy with his family. Words truthfully could not describe how he was feeling. He didn't think he would ever feel this way about kittens, but Sasha and Ramses just seemed so calm and sweet.