Fernfreckle's Dream

Chapter 15

"And see, that's when I got confused," Fernfreckle explained to Applestorm and Ivypetal, Flowerclan's elders. "I didn't know where it came from, I had never seen one in person before. But I still managed to catch it, and my friends and I had a little feast that night." 

"Those fellas are awful pretty," Applestorm nodded. "I saw a turkey once when I was young, it seemed to have escaped the twoleg fence. Brought it back for Ivypetal, and boy did I find out that turkey is my absolute FAVORITE." 

"I wish there were more turkeys like there used to be," Ivypetal sighed. "But twolegs have learned, I guess." Fernfreckle and Applestorm nod in agreement. 

"Fernfreckle?" 

The three cats turn their heads to see Chestnutpaw, Flowerclan's medicine cat apprentice. Half of his body is torn from a fox attack he experienced as a kit, and it pained Fernfreckle to see such a young cat limping around with only one eye and half a working body. 

"What is it?" 

"Twilight is kitting. Phloxberry is with her now. Wait outside the medicine den." 

"WHAT?" Fernfreckle's ears perked up with excitement. "SHE'S KITTING? WHERE'S DARKSTAR?" 

"Somewhere," Chestnutpaw responded. "I'll get him." 

Fernfreckle nods and immediately sprints off to the medicine den, leaving everyone behind. He skids to a halt at the opening and quickly sits down. 

I'm going to be a father... I can't believe it!

"What's going on, Ferny?" Darkstar approaches with Chestnutpaw by his side. "Chestnutpaw wanted me to come here." 

"Twilight is kitting, a-and we'll be fathers soon!" 

"Fathers?" Darkstar cocked his head to the side. "We're gonna be fathers?" 

"Of course!" 

"But how would that work? Neither of us can have kits..?" 

"What? We had Twilight carry our kits, remember?" 

"What kits?" 

Fernfreckle felt his heart stop. Before he could start thinking, Phloxberry poked her head out of the medicine den. 

"T-They're here..." she mumbled. "Congratulations. Y-You can see them n-now." 

"Thank you," Fernfreckle murmured as he walked inside. He saw Twilight curled up on the ground. She looked understandably tired. 

"How are you feeling...?" 

"I'm alright," Twilight breathed. She sounded incredibly weak. 

"Get your rest. You deserve it. Thank you for helping us." 

Twilight nods a little and lets her head fall to the ground. She slowly moves her tail aside to reveal three tiny bundles of fur curled up beside her belly. Two toms and a she cat. One of the toms looked almost exactly like Fernfreckle, but a bit darker and shorter fur on the sides of his head. The second one was a dark gray tabby with black stripes, and had the same white markings Fernfreckle did. The she cat looked just like Batstar, but the fur on the sides of her head were long and flowy, like his. 

Fernfreckle felt himself tear up. "They're.. beautiful..." 

He forces himself to look behind him. 

"Darkstar, come look at our kits..!" 

Darkstar shuffles inside, confused. "Oh, now aren't they cute..." He lays down beside Fernfreckle. "What are their names?" 

"Well, we should decide that, shouldn't we?" 

"Yeah. Uhhhh..." Darkstar examines the kits. "The one that looks most like you should be Falconkit." 

"Alright, sure!" Fernfreckle smiles and licks the top of Falconkit's head. "I think... I think the she cat should be named Batkit. She looks a lot like Batstar, and.. we really owe a lot to her, don't we?" 

"Batkit..." Darkstar tears up a little. "Yes, Batkit." 

"What about the third one?" 

Both cats looked at the striped tom. "Well, bats and falcons are both flying creatures, right?" 

"So how about.. Cricketkit? Crickets fly, don't they? I'd go for a bird name, but we already have Falconkit." 

"S-Some of them can..." Phloxberry butted in. 

"Then let's name him Cricketkit." 

"Sounds good," Darkstar purred. 

Fernfreckle watched his kits for another minute before being reminded of how Darkstar didn't remember them. 

"Hey, Phloxberry? Darkstar didn't remember the kits." 

"He didn't?" 

"No, I don't think I did..." Darkstar thought. "I think they slipped my mind. I've been forgetting a lot of things recently." 

"That's.. not normal," Phloxberry said. "Forgetting about y-your own kits? I-I think I should c-check up on your health, D-Darkstar." 

"Yeah, alright," Darkstar nodded. 

"Fernfreckle, y-you can stay with the k-kits while I give Darkstar a c-checkup." 

"Alright." He listened to the medicine cat leave with his mate. His eyes darted back to the kits, and he smiled softly at them. 

"Hello little ones..." He felt his heart soften with love. 

Is this what being a father is like? I never want this to end... 

"You can hold them close to your stomach if you'd like," Twilight meowed. "They don't seem to be hungry now." 

"Are you sure it would be alright..?" 

"Of course. You're their father, after all." She gently pushes them over to his belly, none of the kits really hesitating with her gesture. Fernfreckle felt his heart race as he carefully curled his tail around them. He smiled, on the verge of tears. 

"They're so sweet..." 

"Tell me that when they're older," Twilight laughed softly. "Kits can be a pain sometimes." 

"It will all be worth it," Fernfreckle purred. 

"F-Fernfreckle..." Phloxberry lets herself in, alone. "I'm sorry if this ruins the moment, but there's s-something I need to t-tell you." 

"What..?" He felt his body tighten up. 

"D-Darkstar has.. Alzheimer's." 

"Huh..?" 

"A-Alzheimer's. Basically he's.. going to gradually lose his m-memory. And b-because of his age.. I think it's going to k-kill him in six to ten moons." 

Fernfreckle froze. For a while, there was only silence. 

"Just.. p-please help him around. H-He may forget h-how to do his leadership d-duties. I w-want you to spend as much t-time with him as you can b-before it's too late." 

"But... We were going to raise kits together... This.. can't be happening..." 

"I'm s-sorry, Fernfreckle. But his d-days are numbered." 

He could feel his heart getting crushed. The future he imagined with Darkstar was gradually fading away. He wanted to watch their kits grow into apprentices, grow into warriors, witness them starting families of their own. 

But now, the only thing he could do was cherish the time he had left. 

Before it's too late.