Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Fastclaw

     The light gray tabby she cat walked toward the silent tom.  Her belly swished from side to side, heavy with kits.
"You can't expect me to come to your clan to raise my kits just because you asked," She said.  The tom's eyes stared at his mate angerly, but he didn't dare lose his temper.
"The kits can't be separate from their father," the tom replied.
"This isn't about the kits!  This is turning into something about you, Fireblaze!"  The queen groaned in agony as a wave of pain filled her.
"Wingshadow, just come with me to LeafClan.  You can't possibly give birth out here." Fireblaze glanced around nervously around at his surroundings, as if the shadows were waiting for the correct moment to pounce.
"I will if I have to," Wingshadow replied, her voice quivering.  Another wave of pain flew through her.
"Wingshadow we must go.  The kits will be here soon." The tom's voice rose, filling with panic he couldn't disguise.  The queen nodded.  She wasn't about to risk another wave of pain-or worse- out in the forest between the two camps.  Together Fireblaze led Wingshadow to LeafClan camp.  It was hard for her to walk with the kits nearly ready to arrive in the world.  She often stumbled on even the smallest twig, but Fireblaze held his cool.  Finally they arrived in the camp.  Half of LeafClan was asleep.
"Come on.  The medicine den is right over here." The tom tried to lead his mate with him to the medicine cat den, but Wingshadow collapsed.  She cried out in pain once again.
"Mudleaf!  Come now!" Fireblaze's yowl echoed through the camp, bouncing off each tree, traveling to each shrub where the sleeping clan cats lay.  Soon a brown she-cat camp stumbling out of her den, her tail drooped, her ears raised in alarm.  She must have been asleep.
"Fireblaze.. wha..." Mudleaf began, but only to be interrupted by Fireblaze.
"Wingshadow is kitting!  Get your supplies!" Fireblaze yowled.
"Who's that?"
"Just go!"  The medicine cat hurried off into her den, returning shortly with some herbs and a twig.  She rushed over to the queen breathing heavily on the ground.
"Eat these," Mudleaf said.  The nudged the two herbs forward toward the queen, who ate them gratefully.
"They will increase your milk," Mudleaf said.
"But for pain?" The queen gritted her teeth in agony.  The medicine cat shook her head sadly.
"Just bite on this stick when the pain comes," Mudleaf said.  The queen stared at her for a brief second, but another wave of pain came, and she greatly accepted the stick and bit down on it.
"Please help me more," the queen whispered.
"Just calm down.  That's how I can help you." The medicine cat blinked slowly.
"They're coming!"  The queen whispered.  With Mudleaf's encouragement, three kits were released into the world.  Two were a dark gray with lime green eyes, while one took after his mother.
"They're beautiful," Wingshadow whispered.  Fireblaze nodded.
"What should we name them?" Fireblaze asked his mate.
"You name the two she-kits, they look like you," Wingshadow said simply, beginning to lick her kits gently.
"Aquakit for that one, and Amberkit for this one," Fireblaze said, pointing to each of the small dark gray she cats.
"And this tom," Wingshadow said, "will be Coalkit because of the fire in his heart." Coalkit, Aquakit, and Amberkit all looked around blindly.
"They will be great LeafClan warriors," Fireblaze said.  Wingshadow said nothing.
"We'll move them into the nursery in a second.  I'll gather a few warriors," Mudleaf said.  As she hurried off, the moon seemed to grow brighter, the stars shining, extending and retracting their glow as if trying to shout, in their own language, Coalkit.