Grojcats!

Adderpaw: Ivypool's Kits

Ivypool's whole body shuddered as another contraction came while she was in the Nursery, Jayfeather and Laney at her side.

"Stop hissing!" Squirrelflight snarled at Ivypool's face. Laney turned around and shoved her away.

"Go take care of your kits, Squirrelflight!" Laney growled back.

"It's OK!" Corey purred outside the Nursery, Squirrelflight's kits with him. "I'm taking care of them!"

"GET AWAY FROM MY KITS!" and with that, Squirrelflight stomped over towards Corey.

Laney didn't want her to hurt Corey, but she had to be there for Ivypool. Since no father would be there for her.

"Watch her while I go get herbs." Jayfeather said before he left. Rosepetal and Lilyheart got up as well.

"Should stay." Jayfeather said to them. "It might prepare you two for when your kits come."

Rosepetal and Lilyheart reluctantly sat back down.

"Do you want me to find the father and bring him here?" Laney whispered in Ivypool's ear. "Bramblestar might-"

"NO!" Ivypool cried, her claws digging in the dirt. "Sorry, this just really hurts."

"It's fine." Laney sighed.

I was only trying to help you, the father might want to see his kits

"Move aside." Jayfeather said to Laney. She did so.

Ivypool threw her head back and yowled to the Nursery ceiling. Her body shuddered and her eyes flashed.

Laney flinched when she saw two black toms, one in each reflection of her eyes. It disappeared.

The fathers? More than one?

"Take the kit. Lick it." Jayfeather prodded a kit to Laney.

She looked at it, it looked just like Ivypool. Only with more stripes.

Laney gulped, than proceeded to lick it quickly.

"Here's another one." Jayfeather meowed. He gave her the second one and took the gray she-kit from Laney's paws.

Laney looked at the tom Jayfeather had gave her.

All black with silver stripes.

Like one of the toms in Ivypool's eyes

Laney licked the kit fiercely and carried it to Ivypool's belly.

"Where's the others?" Laney asked.

"That's it." Jayfeather replied. "Two nice-looking kits. Do you want Adderpaw to leave, Ivypool?"

"No, but I'd like to talk to her myself." Ivypool meowed. Jayfeather nodded and left.

"What are you going to name them?" Laney asked.

"Meadowkit will be the gray she-kit's name." Ivypool said. "You can name the tom."

"Really? You sure? Because he looks just like-" Laney cut off, she wasn't supposed to know what the father looked like.

"Of course." Ivypool purred. "I trust you'll give the tom a name he can be proud of."

Laney smiled, of course she would.

"Bravekit." Laney answered. "His name is Bravekit."

A quarter-moon had passed since the birth of Ivypool's kits, they tumbled out of the Nursery happily.

Laney didn't feel homesick for the first time, she smiled as Badgerkit and Dustkit were playing with Meadowkit, while Firekit and Bravekit were locked in a friendly battle.

"Maybe they'll have ki-"

"Don't even say it Whitewing!" Laney snapped at her mentor. "They're both less than a moon! How could you even think of them...them-"

"Mating?" Whitewing hissed. "We need as much kits in the Clan as possible, why else do you think we 'tease' other cats that they'll have kits?! It pressures them to mate with each other! We need more kits!"

"That's completely stupid!" Laney growled.

"I can tell you're into Soulpaw-"

"SHUT UP!" Laney turned around to leave, but she bumped into another cat.

Corey.

"Hey, Soulpaw." Laney whispered softly. "I like you, but Whitewing's just being annoying."

"I get that." Corey purred. "Lionblaze won't leave me alone about how Sorrelpaw's into me!"

"Can we talk about it somewhere else?" Laney muttered. She noticed they were drawing a crowd.

"Lovers!" Fernpaw giggled beside Kin.

"They do look quite cute together!" Brightheart added.

"Oh, you're right! Let's go on a walk." Corey said.

"THEY'RE ACTUALLY GONNA FU-"

"Leave them alone!" Ivypool growled as she stormed out of the Nursery.

Laney gave a grateful nod and followed Corey.

Sorrelpaw glared at them, anger burning in her eyes.

Corey bounced happily ahead of Laney.

"How can you feel at home here?" Laney gasped.

"I don't." Corey answered. "I choose to be optimistic until we find a way home."

Huh, I never thought of it like that

"SQUIRREL!" Corey shot into the sky and pinned a squirrel off a branch and into the ground in a heartbeat. He killed it.

"Poor squirrel..." Laney whispered. "Don't you feel bad about killing lower creatures?"

"Sometimes." Corey took the squirrel into his mouth. "But it's easier this way while we're in the Clans."

"Hmm, you're right." Laney lunged on a mouse and killed it. She took it in her mouth.

"Good job, Laney!" Corey touched his nose to Laney's. "We should head back before those cats follow us."

Corey trotted ahead. Laney smiled.

I'm very grateful for Corey still being here, it would've sucked without him

Laney dropped her squirrel in the fresh-kill pile. She noticed it was very little.

Winter is coming soon, my family will celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas without me

Laney scanned the pile and found a suitable thrush. She grabbed it and headed to the Nursery.

Sorrelpaw walked in front of her.

"Excuse me, Sorrelpaw." Laney tried walking around her, but Sorrelpaw grabbed the fresh-kill and stomped it several times.

"WHAT THE HECK, SORRELPAW?!" Laney snarled. "That was Ivypool's!"

"Well, not everyone gets what they want!" Sorrelpaw yelled. "Soulpaw's MINE! But I don't get him, do I?"

"Soulpaw belongs to himself!" Laney growled. Poppyfrost ran over to Sorrelpaw.

"You stomped on Ivypool's fresh-kill?!" Poppyfrost muttered. "Sorrelpaw, I did not teach you to destroy the food of nursing queens over a tom! Go on a hunting patrol! When you get back, you'll be cleaning out the elder's den."

"NO!" Sorrelpaw cried. Before she left, she slammed into Laney.

Laney was shocked by Sorrelpaw's attack, but she regained herself and pinned Sorrelpaw to the ground.

"Let her go, Adderpaw."

"Yes, Bramblestar." Laney got off Sorrelpaw and walked away. "Sorry."

Meadowkit bounced over to Laney.

"That was cool of you protecting my mother." Meadowkit squeaked. "Thank you."

Laney smiled and rubbed her paw on Meadowkit's head.

"Anytime." Laney replied.