HeatherClan Book: Chapter 14

Chapter 14: More kits

Silverstar, Hazeldawn, and the other queens were lying in the nursery. Spottedpelt, Jaywing, and Moonrain were with them. Silverstar's kits were coming! Spottedpelt laid her paw on Silverstar's belly when a strong ripple passed through it.

"Get some moss dipped in water and a stick," she instructed Moonrain. He immediately hurried out. Silverstar let out a low groan of pain, and Moonrain came back in.

"Bite on the stick when you feel pain, Silverstar," meowed Jaywing. Moonrain then gave Silverstar the piece of moss and she drank gratefully from it. Then, another ripple passed through her belly.

"Oh!" yowled Silverstar.

"Just focus on breathing," soothed Spottedpelt. An even stronger ripple passed. Crack! The stick Silverstar had been biting on shattered. Jaywing immediately found another bigger, stronger stick.

"The first kit is coming!" announced Spottedpelt. Silverstar pushed hard...and a silvery blue kit slithered onto the mossy ground. Moonrain nipped it's sac and the kit tumbled out .

It nuzzled against it's mother and started to drink her milk, purring as hard as it could.

"A she-cat," reported Jaywing. Silverstar nodded, and Moonrain gave her a couple soothing licks. Then Silverstar began licking the kit, warming it up.

Then, Spottedpelt meowed suddenly, "Here comes another one." This time, a tabby tom appeared, closely followed by she-cat with blue and green eyes, and a flaming pelt. They both nuzzled closer to their mother.

"They're beautiful," whispered Silverstar. Once the kits were all warmed up and drinking their fill, Silverstar meowed, "The bluish one shall be Rainkit and the tabby one shall be..." Silverstar thought for a moment. "Moonkit," she finally decided.

"The red kit could be Birdkit," Moonrain supplied. At the sound of her new name, Birdkit opened her eyes. Moonrain blinked, startled, and then purred in satisfaction. "She looks like a cardinal."

Silverstar nodded, and started grooming her kits.

With a gasp of surprise, she notices two small stumps growing out of Birdkit's sides.

After closer inspection, Silverstar discovered that they were miniature wings!

She immediately knew this was a secret she had to keep alone. She couldn't even tell Goldenfur.

"Three more beautiful kits!" declared Spottedpelt. Silverstar was startled out of her thoughts. Spottedpelt shook her head. "This nursery is going to have to be expanded! First Fernleaf, now Silverstar, next Hazeldawn..." she walked out meowing. "I'll get some poppy seeds to relieve the pain!" she called over her shoulder.

Jaywing took one more glance back and followed her. "Just call if you need help!"

"Moonrain, bring Silverstar a piece of freshkill," commanded Moonflower as soon as Spottedpelt and Jaywing left. She purred in amusement. "You'd better get going! When I had my first kits, Windflight almost forced me to swallow that rabbit whole!"

When Moonflower had kits, indeed, Windflight caught the biggest rabbit the Clan had ever seen and brought it straight to the nursery. Shaking his head, Moonrain padded to the freshkill pile and fetched the fattest vole he could find.