Warriors: Rise of the Shadows (Book 2)

Chapter Thirty-Four

Moonswirl winced quietly in pain at a jerk in her belly, making her hunch slightly as she gasped at the pain. Her den was empty now that Kilp had 'healed' from his wounds and decided to stay in the Clan with his new name, Klipspringer.

'The kits are coming, and they're early.' Thought the medicine cat and turned to her secret pile of herbs she hid for her kitting. Pulling out the leaf the bundle was on, Moonswirl took a breath and padded out of the medicine den.

"Klipspringer!" Called the she-cat and her secret mate turned his head from sharing a vole with Mistlelily. The tom quickly said goodbye and hurried to Moonswirl's side.

"Are you okay?" He asked, filling her heart with warmth and joy that he cared.

"The kits are coming," she murmured and watched him nod. She looked at him before meowing in a louder tone. "Yeah, the catmint should be sprouting by now. Come on, we need to collect as much as we can carry." Moonswirl mewed and led her mate out of the camp.

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Moonswirl screeched in pain and bit down on the stick she had Klipspringer get for her moments before the kitting began. She felt a strong wave of pain course throughout her veins and gasped when a squirming, yowling kit was sprawled in the moss beside her.

"One more, Moonswirl!" Breathed Klipspringer, his eyes gleaming with joy. The tom had three kits at his paws, two were gray and white patched and the other was a honey-brown tabby.

With another heave, there were four little bundles of fur at his paws. He bent over and licked his kits on the head, purring loudly. "They're beautiful," meowed the tom.

Moonswirl nodded weakly and lapped up the last few leaves of burnet and parsley and rose to her paws on wobbly legs. "What will we name them?" She asked, looking at Klipspringer expectantly.

The father of her kits looked at the kits and put a paw on the biggest kit, the honey-brown tabby she-cat. "This one will be named Sunkit." He decided and Moonswirl nodded.

"That one will be named Woollykit," she meowed, nodding to one of the patched kits, a tom. "His brother will be named Blackkit."

Klipspringer gave her a strange look and shrugged, gazing at the last kit, a white she-cat. "This one will be named Goldkit."