Saving The River

~Chapter 2~

Dewkit raced as fast as she could. The medicine den was a good length away from the main clearing, and she passed other cats eating. On the way to the medicine den she and Silverkit tumbled into Ravenstream.

"Where are you two going in such a hurry?" he asked in a deep growl.

"Mistflights kits are coming! We're going to fetch Bluemuzzle!" Siverkit squeaked.

"Mistflight? Her- our kits are coming?" His expression changed from impatience to worry in a heartbeat. Ravenstream looked in panic towards the nursery, and raced inside, his tail between his legs. Silverkit and Dewkit started their running again, though they were still small and it took them a few heartbeats. Bluemuzzle's face was already peeking out of the den.

"What's all this noise?" she asked furiously. "Can't a cat get any quiet around here?" Silverkit was panting, so Dewkit chimed excitedly,

"Mistflight's kits are coming!"

"What? Why didn't you tell me in the first place!" Bluemuzzle returned to her den, and spat, "No! This is the wrong time! I used my last borage leaves on Hawkswoop! I still have some chervil, but she'll need that borage for her milk..." She looked at Silverkit fiercely. "I need to go help Mistflight. You go and get an apprentice and tell them I need borage leaves collected. This is important. I would do it myself, but Mistflight needs me more." Bluemuzzle looked around the den one more time, then darted away.

"If nobody can find any, maybe Lakefern can nurse them until they do!" Dewkit peeped, trying to keep up with Bluemuzzle.

"Maybe, since you three can eat prey now. If Silverkit can't find any, I'll ask her. I'm sure she'd volunteer anyways."

They reached the nursery to find Lakefern trying to soothe Mistflight, while Splashkit was sitting next to her mother. Bluemuzzle rushed over, and dropped the chervil on the den floor, and mewed to Mistflight soothingly, "eat these." Then Bluemuzzle turned to Dewkit and meowed sharply, "Get me a stick for Mistflight to bite on when the kits come."

Dewkit rushed out of the nursery, past a pacing Ravenstream, and picked up a stick near the apprentices' den by the end. She came hobbling back, for the stick was a bit big for a kit, and dropped it at Bluemuzzle's feet. Bluemuzzle nudged it towards Mistflight and meowed to her, "grab this in your teeth." Mistflight obliged. Bluemuzzle felt Mistflights large stomach. "I think two, maybe three kits," Bluemuzzle observed.

All of the sudden Mistflight's body shook and she bit down onto the stick, splinering it. Bluemuzzle got in the way of Dewkit, so she walked and sat beside her mother and Splashkit. All of the sudden a dark gray tiny kit slithered out of Mistflight, and Bluemuzzle bent over to cut the string that was attached to the kit and Mistflight. She set the kit down, and spoke to Lakefern.

"Lick the kit! It needs warmth!" Lakefern began rapidly licking the small kit, making its fur stand up every which way. Bluemuzzle felt Mistflights stomach, and then Dewkit heard the stick crunch again and a lighter gray, almost white kit came out. Bluemuzzle set that kit in front of Mistflight by the scruff and said, "You will have to lick this one, I'll check to see if there's any more. Mistflight started licking her kit, and Bluemuzzle put her paw on Mistflight's stomach once more, and said, "That's all of the kits. One tom and a she-kit." After she meowed that she poked her head out of the nursery and called out, "Ravenstream! You can come in now!" He burst into the nursery and looked at Lakefern and Mistflight licking the kits. He bent down and picked the one Lakefern had by the scruff, set it down closer to Mistflight, and began to lick it vigorously. Splashkit edged closer, while Mistflight stopped licking, and asked,

"Haven't you any borage to help my milk come? These kits must be starved!" she snapped, and went back to licking the small she-kit.

"I used my last borage leaves on Hawkswoop. I sent Silverkit to get an apprentice to do it, but Lakefern could nurse them until we get any." After those words. Shellpaw burst into the nursery, and meowed through a mouthful of leaves, "I got the borage! I got it!"

"Oh, thank StarClan!" Bluemuzzle snatched the leaves out of the brown tortosieshell's mouth and dropped them in front of Mistflight.

"Here." She flicked her tail impatiently as Ravenstream pushed them towards Mistflight and coaxed her gently to eat them. Mistflight picked them up and immediately started chewing them. Bluemuzzle shooed Shellpaw away, and she left the nursery, while Lakefern and Ravenstream set the kits beside Mistflight for nursing. The kits mewed and latched themselves on to their mother, immediately beginning to suckle. Mistflight's expression relaxed and she turned her head towards Ravenstream.

"We need to name them." Mistflight's mew was urgent. Ravenstream nodded and sniffed the dark gray kit, beckoning Splashkit to back up with his tail.

"This should be Stonekit," he decided as Splashkit resumed her position by Lakefern and her sister once again.

"Stonekit." His mate nodded in agreement. "It's perfect. And this one...." Mistflight looked caringly at the light gray kit. "This should be Swankit. Her fur reminds me of swan feathers."

Lakefern sat down beside Mistflight. "Stonekit and Swankit. They're beautiful." Dewkit watched as her mother gazed at the nursery entrance, her eyes distant. What is she doing? Dewkit wondered. Oh, she's wishing for Frondcloud. Frondcloud was Dewkit's father. He had left earlier, taking Poppylight, Ripplemoon and Snowpaw with him to patrol the ShadowClan border. They still hadn't returned, and Rapidstar wouldn't send out any patrols yet. The RiverClan leader had suggested they wait until the day was over, but Lakefern had insisted they send one now. Dewkit shuddered as she remembered how the leader had stood up and towered over, meowing in his deep but patient voice, "I will send warriors when it is necessary."

Splashkit nudged her, disturbing her thoughts, and Dewkit turned to look into her sister's brown eyes. Splashkit gestured with her tail towards Bluemuzzle, who was studying Dewkit closely. Dewkit shifted uncomfortably.

"Let me know if there is any trouble," Bluemuzzle ordered, switching her gaze from Dewkit to Lakefern. Lakefern nodded, and with that Bluemuzzle turned and walked out of the den.

"Hey..." Dewkit turned to her sister, an interest sparking within her. "Wouldn't It be cool to be a medicine cat?" Splashkit paused washing her paw, and queried,

"I don't think so. Don't medicine cats have so much work? And their code is way harder to follow because they can't have kits!"

"Well yeah, but who wants kits? I mean, obviously some cats do, but I want to help my clan. Not by giving them more warriors, but by healing then!" She explained, letting her tail rest on Splashkit's tail.

Splashkit spoke in almost an inaudible whisper, "I want kits." Dewkit looked at her sister.

"Oh no," Dewkit groaned. "Do you still have that crush on Snowpaw?" Splashkit's fur radiated embarrassment. "He's so much older than us! We're almost six moons, he's at least ten!" Dewkit lashed her tail furiously. How could my own sister be so stupid?

"I know, but still. He smiles at me... do you think when we're apprentices, he might want to be my friend?" she asked, curling her tail up. Dewkit made a fake retching motion, and Splashkit shoved Dewkit over and they began to tussle. The only thing Dewkit was thinking the whole time was, I want to be a medicine cat apprentice, not moon over some tom.