[Deleted]

~~Gentlebreeze~~

Paws made their way through the soft grasses towards the river that swam through Treeclan's territory. Anger was splashed accross the face of the pretty white she-cat as she unsteadily made her way forwards through the forest. She paused for a moment, letting her haunches fall behind her to sit down, her round belly buldging from the weight of her unborn kits. Shaking her head again, the traveling queen pulled herself up to her paws, however this time her pawsteps were more shaky. Bringing herself only a couple more pawsteps forwards, the green eyed beauty found herself by the Sparkling Brook.

Taking a sigh, Gentlebreeze sat down once more, dipping her head to take a long sip from the cool, blue water. "Who does he think he is. I shouldn't have to be confined to camp." She hissed slightly, her green eyes flashing with anger towards Lionstar. The two friends had had a fight earlier when Gentlebreeze had tried to take a nice afternoon walk outside of camp. The soft hearted she-cat didn't like to fight or argue, expecially with the one tom her heart soared for. Her ears laid back, she shouldn't have gone out after their fight. But she was just so angry that she ran-waddled away from him when he turned to more important matters.

Green eyes turned to look at the brook, those same green eyes stared back at her from her reflection in the water. Her shoulders sagged heavily as she stared at herself. She hadn't been very happy lately. Yes she wanted these kits, but the tom who fathered them didn't love her, nor did he care what happened to her. And Lionstar. The tom she had fallen in love with had the love of his life back and she slightly wondered if he no longer cared what happened to her. Her ears flattened against her skull even more as she tried to hold back, thick, heavy tears that threatened to fall.

With a heavy sigh, Gentlebreeze pulled herself to her paws again, her heavy belly slightly swaying under they weight it possessed. Green eyes widened as a yowl left her jaws, her paws slipping in the soft riverbank before pulling her into the calm, blue river water. Breaking the surface with her white head, the soft hearted Treeclanner coughed out cold water before slowly making her way to the bank and pulling herself out with slight issues.

Collapsing onto the soft grasses near the flowing water, Gentlebreeze's breath was heavy when she noticed red liquid on her hindquaters. She had cut herself, great. Now Lionstar could sat, I told you so! Along with Adderstrike, and Brokensong and all of Treeclan. She was a horrible queen. The sharp scent of the iron blood grew stronger and it was then that Gentlebreeze felt the pain in her stomach. A large ripple ran through her body, making the queen let out a blood curtling scream into the silent air. Birds went flying at the sound of Gentlebreeze's cry, their cries loud but not loud enough to drown out the queen's wails.

[BlooRey DVD]

[smear:000000]Broken[/smear:ff6633][smear:ff6633]song[/smear:ffffff]

~~~~~~~~~~~~

The tortoiseshell tabby she-cat lay on a low hanging branch of a tree, one hind leg hanging off the branch. She looked extremely comfortable, as though she were lounging on a rock with all the space in the world, and not a simple tree branch. Little speckles of sunlight were hitting her coat in little spots, causing the she-cat to purr silently, the vibration oddly comforting to the she-cat as she dozed. She was in the midst of some dream, one she wasn't fully aware she was having. A sudden sound ripped through her dream, and with a startled intake of breath the torbie proceeded to fall straight out of the tree she'd been lying in.

Scrabbling slightly on the ground below her, Brokensong yanked herself up to her paws. Her hazel-green eyes were wide in alarm as her claws clung to the ground, almost as though she were trying to pull the ground out from where it lay. Her shoulder was sore now, which was understandable, considering she'd just fallen from a tree. Now... What in the name of StarClan woke me u- She leaped suddenly when a caterwaul interrupted her thoughts, her legs moving on instinct. Her paws moved frantically, and the TreeClan she-cat thrashed through the undergrowth widely, not fully aware of where she was going, only that she was going somewhere, and fast.

With an audible crash, Brokensong burst into the area near the Sparkling Brook. Her eyes flashed about, in a full-blown panic, before landing on the figure of one of her best friends, lying and writhing in pain, with the heavy tang of blood as clear as day. Immediately, every bit of fur on her body was on end, and she stared in horror at the scene before her. For a moment, she couldn't move, but then she bounded forth, tears stinging at her eyes. She touched her friend's nose with her own, mouth wide open, frantic as she glanced around, trying to figure out what she should do. Backing away from her friend, her eyes pleading Gentlebreeze, begging her to keep holding on.

Whirling on her paws, she sprinted back towards the TreeClan camp. I have to get Lionstar. Have to get someone. A stab of panic lanced through her as realization dawned on her that TreeClan didn't have a medicine cat, not after the fire. The panic had seized her so completely, she nearly crashed right into a group of cats, consisting of Lionstar, Featherpaw and Silverpaw. Her eyes were wild, her tail lashing this way and that. She bounded towards the entrance, then bounded back to Lionstar, the pleading look clear in her eyes as the tears began to slip down her face. As she turned and dashed out of camp, she heard a familiar voice, one of the two apprentices she was sure.

"Lionstar... Something's not right. I think we need to follow her!"

[Fawn]

LIONSTAR
39 Moons || Tom || TreeClan

As though struck by a lightning bolt from the blue, Lionstar's pelt bristled, particularly at the neck, his mane seeming to extend in all directions as he turned into the picture of alertness. "Something's wrong," he mewed in a low, serious voice, striding forward after Brokensong with his heart beating in his throat. Something in the back of his mind...some sixth sense told him that this would have something to do with Gentlebreeze. All thoughts of taking two of his favorite she-cats out for a morning of hunting cast aside, the strength gathered in the muscular tom's legs as he raced after the frantic tortoiseshell, almost missing the frantic voice of his apprentice, Featherpaw.

Something is very wrong.

Approaching the disastrous scene in what felt like two beats of the heart, Lionstar sucked in a startled breath, heavy paws going numb as he spotted Gentlebreeze - obviously in a tremendous amount of pain - wailing alongside the brook as if she were being attacked. Fur bristling further, the golden tom was almost at a loss as to what to do, frozen for a few delirious seconds as all the times he'd warned her rushed right back to him. He should've tried harder to keep her in camp, even if it had meant assigning a cat to guard her! Fox Dung! Cursing, Lionstar whirled around to the two apprentices he had practically left in the dust, Silverpaw gasping aloud as Gentlebreeze's wails of agony reached her, Lionstar watching his sister take a half-step backward as though she'd been physically struck.

"Featherpaw, Silverpaw go and get Eld--" We don't have a Medicine Cat! Great StarClan above, of all the terrible times! "Go to LightningClan and fetch Rookfrost - drag him here if you have to. Tell him there is a TreeClan queen who has begun her kitting out of camp, and that there's a lot of blood. GO!" The shock beginning to wear off as he called upon his prior experience as deputy and leader combined to handle this situation, Lionstar approached Gentlebreeze, leaning down to lick her scruff in a quick, comforting manner.
"Hold on, Gentlebreeze. The Medicine Cat is on it's way."

Lionstar did not want to pull Brokensong away from their mutual friend, so he began to move instead, already searching for dandelion leaves and cobwebs near the brook, the taste and smell of Gentlebreeze's blood making his stomach spoil.
Silverpaw, Featherpaw. HURRY UP!

~*~

The silver apprentice felt as if she couldn't catch her breath, running in silence alongside Featherpaw with her heart banging and clanging against her ribcage like a trapped bird trying to escape. She had never seen so much blood in her entire life! She had never seen a cat in so much pain, either. Shuddering, Silverpaw pushed her burning muscles farther, racing after her best friend in order to save one of Lionstar's.

[Deleted]

~~Gentlebreeze~~

Wrenching her eyes open at the new scent that barely made it's way to her nose, the white she-cat saw Brokensong press against her. Unable to speak, a low wail left the birthing queen as Brokensong backed away before dating back to camp, leaving her alone once more. She knew that her mute friends was going to get help, but she didn't want to be alone. Another wail left her throat as another ripple ran through her body, the scent of blood overwhelming her sense, she felt the hot liquid leak into her white fur along with leaking down the riverbank, turning the blue water red.

White claws flashed out from her paws as they dug deeply into the soft ground that she lay on. Gentlebreeze's breath was coming by harder and harder as she panted, body in so much pain. Another cry left her dry throat before her frantic green eyes settled on movement in the treeline. Brokensong! Lionstar! She wanted to cry out to them, but her throat hurt far to much to cry any more than she had. Tears were streaking down her white cheeks, parting the fur with gray lines. She could barely feel the soft gesture of Lionstar's tongue.

She cried out again, both in pain and the thought of the leader leaving her when he padded away to find things to help her. She didn't want to be alone. Green eyes watched him before turning to Brokensong and whimpering softly to her, nuzzling against her long fur. "I'm sorry..." She cried to the mute she-cat. Her ears flattened agianst her skull, "I'm sorry..." That was all she could think of at the moment. She had left the camp again. She had gotten herself into this mess. Why couldn't she just have listened to Lionstar and stayed put. On top of all this mess, they didn't have a medicine cat who could take care of her at a time like this.

Gentlebreeze felt her throat close, blocking the need to yowl again as yet another ripple ripped through her body, making her writhle in pain on the ground. Her body was growing weaker and she still hadn't kitted left. She didn't know how much longer she could deal with this sort of pain. Her whole body ached, it hurt to breathe. She could feel her eyes grow heavier and heavier as the surrounding around her started to blurr.

[BlooRey DVD]

[smear:000000]Broken[/smear:ff6633][smear:ff6633]song[/smear:ffffff]

~~~~~~~~~~

The beautiful mute she-cat lay beside her friend, pressed against her in some effort to be comforting. Stretching herself as long as she could, Brokensong tried her best to almost wrap herself around her friend, giving Gentlebreeze's shoulder rhythmic licks. The she-cat did her best to steady her breath, knowing that it wouldn't do Gentlebreeze any good to have both of them panicking. Her ear swivelled slightly at the sound of the queen's voice, apologizing. She pressed her nose to the other she-cat's cheek, a determined gesture that attempted to let her friend know it wasn't her fault, and that she shouldn't have to apologize. The mute she-cat understood that it was more than likely due to Gentlebreeze's frequent trips out, which left the white she-cat feeling as though the fact that she was now stranded, caught in the middle of giving birth outside of camp was her fault... Somehow, Brokensong wanted to convince her that it wasn't.

Brokensong was alarmed to see the exhaustion beginning to win over her best friend. She leaned forward, slipping her muzzle beneath Gentlebreeze's lifting it up, as though begging her to stay awake. She could feel and hear her friend's laboured breathing, and so, remaining pressed close to her friend, Brokensong began to exaggerate her breathing pattern, pulling the air into her lungs in a long stream, before releasing it in one of equal length. She nudged her friend, before rearranging her head beneath hers again. Silently, the she-cat was trying to encourage Gentlebreeze to copy her breathing.

It was difficult for her to do at a time like this, but Brokensong gathered her energy and let her calm breathing turn into a purr. Of course, there was no sound as there was with most cats, but the vibration was gentle, comforting as it rumbled against her best friend's shoulder. No matter how calm she forced herself to appear, the she-cat willed the two apprentices to return as fast as she could.

[smear:999999]Featherpaw[/smear:ffffff]

~~~~~~~~~~~

The silver apprentice streaked alongside her best friend, her ears pinned against her head. Her fur was plastered to her frame as she ran, blue eyes glancing frantically to her silver companion. She felt as though they had been running forever, and instantly, she felt bad for Silverpaw. Featherpaw's legs were longer, giving her a longer stride. It was like Silverpaw had to run faster, and longer, just to cover the same distance she was.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a black and white figure suddenly falling in step with her. The scent of LightningClan assaulted her then. A tuxedo tom narrowed his eyes at her, snarling slightly. "What are you doing on LightningClan territory?" Panting heavily, the she-cat looked at him with pleading eyes. "Queen.. Giving birth.. Outside territory... No medicine cat.. Need Rookfrost or she'll die." The tom watched her for a moment longer before nodding his head sharply. "Follow me." She didn't think it was possible, but the tom picked up more speed, pulling in front of the pair.

The three cats pelted through the territory, until finally they made it. The black tom slowed, causing the two silver she-cats to do the same.

"Rookfrost! Your presence is requested."

[smear:4e91dd]Skyfall[/smear:000000]

~~~~~~~~~~

The white tom had been out hunting when he'd heard the cries. His position had quickly shifted from a hunter's crouch to one of full alertness, ears pricked as his mismatched eyes glanced around, trying his best to figure out what that had been. It wasn't until the second set of wails that the tom's body seemed to spring into action. He was holding the two voles he'd caught as he weaved his way through the undergrowth, banking sharply and miraculously missing tree after tree. His nostrils pulled air into his lungs, along with the unmistakeable scent of blood. Something is definitely not right here. He thought to himself.

As he burst onto the scene, it only took him a moment or two to assess the situation. He looked from Brokensong, who was curled around Gentlebreeze, who seemed to be having problems giving birth, towards Lionstar, who was scavenging for herbs. Featherpaw and Silverpaw's scents were nearby, as though he had just missed them. He didn't pause to consider where they might be, striding forward, towards the she-cat who was having so much difficulty. "Stay strong, Gentlebreeze." His voice was a little gruff as he spoke, and no matter how many times he told himself it was just the way he was, the truth behind the roughness of his voice was his sharp concern for this particular she-cat.

Nodding quickly to Brokensong, he touched his nose to Gentlebreeze's forehead gently. He noted that, although he wasn't an expert, she felt a little warm. You'd probably have a fever too if you were having birthing complications, you big mousebrain. He thought to himself. Backing away from her, Skyfall's target became a large tree with moss along its trunk. Reaching up as high as he could, the tom tore off a large wad, using his adept paws to scoop it all together into a sort of ball. He moved to a part of the water that was clean, dipping the wadded moss into it so that it collected some of the water. Once satisfied, he carefully placed it by her head, leaving the mute she-cat to gently attempt to coerce her friend to drink.

Moving to Lionstar's side, the white tom fixed the leader with his odd colored eyes, speaking in a low voice. "What can I do."

[Fawn]

Silverpaw || Rookfrost || Lionstar

Apprentice - Medicine Cat - Leader
6 Moons - 47 Moons - 39 Moons

Silverpaw's fur stood on end at the aggressive nature of the tuxedo tom that had found them first, her jaws parting to stammer out some sort of answer before Featherpaw - even when breathless - rose to the occasion and told him the truth. Silverpaw concentrated on gulping in air to her oxygen-starved lungs.
Yes, that! Oh StarClan, we have to hurry!

Just when she thought her heart-rate might begin to calm down - even if they would have to sprint back to TreeClan territory as though possessed by the wind in a few more moments - her stomach lurched as a seemingly enormous jet black tom emerged at Featherpaw's frantic bidding. Icy gray eyes flicked to each of their faces before settling on the only one he would be familiar with, Nightpaw. A subtle flick of the ear indicating that he was waiting on someone to speak up and tell them what was wrong - so Silverpaw finally mustered her courage, adrenaline fueling her ability to speak more than anything, voice coming out a little shrill with panic.
"Gentlebreeze is kitting in the forest - w-we don't have a medicine cat! Oh please, you have to help. There's a lot of blood..." Casting an anxious glance at Featherpaw, she stepped closer to her best friend, whole body buzzing with tension and a strong sense of panic, as if they were spending way too much time just explaining the situation to him.

~*~

Rookfrost's ears stiffened and came forward, his already stony expression setting into an even heavier look, as if someone had set a boulder on his shoulders, so strong was the tom's apparent sense of duty. "Follow me." Snapping over a dark, bony shoulder, Rookfrost slipped into his den and immediately began collecting herbs, his black tufted paws a flurry of movement - seeming to maneuver around the stores with all the soundless grace of a spirit.

Inside that clockwork mind of the dark healer, he was ticking off the herbs as he gathered them;
Juniper. Ragwort. Raspberry leaves. Dandelion leaves.

With plentiful amounts of each, Rookfrost addressed the two out of breath apprentices, not at all considering how difficult it was going to be for them to run with their mouths full all the way back to TreeClan territory. He was coming with them, of course, but he had the stamina of a full grown warrior - the trip wouldn't be nearly as taxing for him as it would be for them. Still, they had come here seeking his help, they could at least make themselves useful.
"Hold these. Do not drop or swallow them." With all the seriousness of a grizzly with a toothache, Rookfrost gestured for Silverpaw to take the smaller bundle and Featherpaw to take the medium-sized one, the black healer picking up the rest and setting off for the border without so much as a backward call.

If anyone asked where he was - Nightpaw could inform them that the doctor was making a house call.

~*~

After crashing through the brambles as though his legs were all different sizes, Lionstar finally returned with a couple of dandelion leaves, able to taste the slightly bitter tang of the herbs. Spotting the two she-cats instantly, Lionstar once again felt a sharp pang of horror at Gentlebreeze's seemingly lifeless state, as though he were watching her slip away from them right before his very eyes. "Here!" he mewed, dropping the leaves beside the white she-cat, his expression dark with worry, "it's for the pain, please eat them. Brokensong, help her if you can."

Noticing Skyfall after a few solemn moments of just listening to his heart pound against his ribcage, Lionstar shook his head, gazing into those mismatched eyes with nothing short of concern.
"Until Silverpaw and Featherpaw come back - Pray."

[Deleted]

~~Gentlebreeze~~Littletimber~~

Glazed green eyes started to fade in color as the owner of the eyes became unable to comprehend what was going on around her. She could feel the soft vibrations of the torbie's purr, who was curled tightly around her, but other than that, the voices of the cats around her started to mix together. Ears pressed against her skull, her head being propped up to help her breathing, the queen couldn't let out the yowl that stuggled past her lips as her body jerked violently from the painful ripples that ate at her body. The scent of blood overwhelming her as well.

Gentlebreeze's eyes closed, her ragid breathing faultering as she started to slip away from reality. All the comotion stopped around her as she felt like she was falling onto a cloud, or a really soft moss nest that was made for her. All her pain faded away, leaving her feeling releaved. Her ears swirvled as a new voice entered her mind. "It's not time for you my sweet daughter..." That voice... Gentlebreeze knew it so well, but hadn't heard it in so long. Mother! The white she-cat's bright green eyes opened to take in the view of Softwhisker, the white she-cat who looked just like her daughter.

Pale green eyes stared into bright green eyes as the two she-cats stood like that for what felt like a lifetime before Softwhisker spoke again. "You need to stay there Gentlebreeze. Your clan needs you. Your kits need you. It's not time for you to join us yet." The purr that left the Starclan warrior's throat wrapped around Gentlebreeze as she stepped forwards to touch noses to Gentlebreeze once again. "Now return back home." She said in a soft voice before pulling away, blurring out of sight from the other she-cat. Mother!

Dull green eyes flashed open, squinting at the harsh sunlight that flooded into the iris'. Ragid breathing picked back up, however, more concious of what was going on now, Gentlebreeze was able to, or at least try to elongate her breathing somehow, though the pain was making it hard for her to do that. Feeling something on her chest, Gentlebreeze glanced over to see a small sandy brown tabby with his tiny paw on her chest, pressing hard, trying to sooth her wild movements and breathing. His pale eyes held an eerie look.

No-cat could tell you where he came from, or even when he got there, but the small tom got there with his jaws packed. He had somehow found Juniper, Ragwort, Borage and Poppy seeds to hlep ease the birthing of Gentlebreeze's kits. Setting the supplies down, the small tom had watched the queen fade into unconciousness before he placed a paw on her chest, pressing down hard to hopefully push and expel air from her lungs, keeping her alive somehow. He wasn't sure what he was doing, but he had a feeling it was right. Something was guiding his movements.

Littletimber picked his paw up once Gentlebreeze's green eyes met with his cold, emotionless blue pits. He had no expression on his tabby face as he slightly tilted his head, pushing the dandilion leaves towards her again. His tail twitched behind him, but he narrowed his eyes, showing that the white she-cat needed to eat the leaves that Lionstar had found for her. After a second, Gentlebreeze dipped her head, flashing out her tongue to pull the leaves into her dry mouth and throat. Satisfied, the young tom stepped back to look at the sitiuation once more.

Cobwebs. They'd need those eventually. That bleeded had to stop or the queen would loose her life by the brook. Glancing around, the small brown tom calmly padded over to a tree, his small paw flashed out grabbing the sticky white webs. Once the cobwebs were wrapped around his paw, Littletimber made his way back to the scene. He was supprizingly calm compaired to everyone else, but that wasn't saying much. He wasn't like the rest of the cats of Treeclan.

[Deleted]

&& who will remember our last goodbye
rowanpaw

---

The sorrel apprentice padded happily through the woods, a squirrel clamped tightly in her smiling jaws. All was right in her small world, and Rowanpaw liked that just fine. Until she stumbled upon the crowd gathered at the brook.

The squirrel in her jaws had masked the scent of blood in the air. The squirrel fell from her maw as her jaws parted and eyes widened to take in the scene before her. Gentlebreeze lay on her side just pawsteps from the water, with Brokensong pressed against her. Lionstar and Skyfall stood nearby, looks of worry in varying degrees on their faces. Littletimber stood over Gentlebreeze, his expression blank. There was blood, blood everywhere. From the other side of the brook, Rowanpaw trembled. She wasn't certain what she should do. Should she just walk away and take her squirrel back to camp? Just leave? Or try to help? But how could she help?

As the options flashed through her mind, Rowanpaw just stood there, the picture of shock and worry and uncertainty. Hidden in the shadows, some distance away, a pair of light green eyes narrowed, as a hidden form watched the entire scene unfold. He wouldn't appear, no; he was content to watch unnoticed, an angry black fire burning in his heart.

---

{nine moons} treeclan {she-cat} apprentice

[Fawn]

Silverpaw || Rookfrost || Lionstar

Apprentice - Medicine Cat - Leader
6 Moons - 47 Moons - 39 Moons

When did he get here?

Burning holes into the back of Littletimber's eyes as though if he looked long enough, the cat would turn around and announce his exact moment of arrival, Lionstar made sure his pelt wasn't prickling or showing any signs of obvious alarm. Get a grip! And you call yourself a leader? Gentlebreeze is your friend but that doesn't mean you get to cause everyone else to panic! The voice of reason caterwauling at him to reassemble his chipped armor, Lionstar drew in a deep, steadying breath, watching as Littletimber seemingly sprang out of nowhere and administer aid to the rapidly fading Gentlebreeze.
"Just hold on a bit longer." Lionstar mewed, putting effort into his voice to sound encouraging and supportive, reaching out emotionally rather than physically - if he got any closer, he would just be in the way. Attention resettling upon the emotionless brown tabby tom in front of them, Lionstar's jaw parted to ask just what exactly Littletimber was trying to do - did he have some sort of hidden herb knowledge that the others had not been privy to? - when something in the golden tom's eyes just clicked.

"Sometimes the smallest tree in the whole forest makes the biggest impact."

The smallest tree...

Lionstar almost yowled out loud, he could scarcely believe his blindness. Torn between running up to Littletimber to interrogate him on potential dreams he'd shared with StarClan (how else would he know what to do?) and banging his head against the nearest tree for taking so long to figure things out. Well, it's not like he makes a big display of himself, he hardly comes out of the woodwork for very long, he's kind of easy to overlook. There were a dozen different factors that played into Lionstar having missed such an obvious sign, and he was very sorry that it was taking Gentlebreeze's horrible kitting to really smack him in the face with the answer to their healer problems.

~*~

There was little time for further contemplation, however, as the LightningClan medicine cat came into the clearing like a shadow reuniting with it's body, his approach swift and without questions. Ice gray eyes scanned over Gentlebreeze's body, watching for a few tense seconds as Littletimber began to make use of a bundle of cobwebs clutched on one paw. This was not the kind of situation an amateur could handle on his own - and though Rookfrost worked best when he had no one else within the immediate vicinity to get in his way, there was no time to raise a fuss over it. Dropping the necessary herbs in front of the dying queen, Rookfrost spoke in a sharp, clipped tone. "Eat, they will keep your strength up and ease the pain. Your kits are coming." Judging by the contractions - he'd arrived just in time.

Already anticipating the she-cat's obnoxiously loud screams, tall black tufted ears pinned back against the healer's skull. Surprised that this other cat had not only identified the right herbs to use as well as actually found them on a territory that was partially wasted, Rookfrost attributed this not to any greater intelligence on Littletimber's part, but rather to their so-called celestial ancestors, and the possibility that this cat had exchanged words with the former TreeClan Medicine cat prior to the healer's untimely death.

"Watch your breathing. One of you find a piece of bark so she doesn't bite through her own tongue. Quickly, the first kit is here." Rookfrost did well to control his expression, as he found this hot, sticky, overblown mess called kitting to be one of the most obnoxious parts of his job, if not THE most. After a few more agonizing seconds (for her, not him, he was doing well to remain as detached from the she-cat's suffering as a squirrel was from a tree), the first kit, a little white she-kit came into the world in silence.

A careful checking of the kitten - even as Gentlebreeze's contractions began again, the cycle of unpleasantness starting over - Rookfrost detected no life signs, and gently set the kitten to the side, not far enough away to alarm the mother, but not so close that she could start licking it unnecessarily. When the golden-maned tom started for the lifeless kit, Rookfrost's tail lifted up to block his path, Lionstar looking along the black plume to meet the healer's gaze.
"Don't. It's stillborn. If you want to be useful, go bring me some moss soaked in water."

He did not have high hopes for the others - which he guesstimated to be around two or three more, as her belly was not so swollen as to hint at an overly large litter, though the kits could be malnourished. If that was the case, then getting even one kit alive would be triumph enough. Though frankly, the sooner he was done with this mess the sooner he could go back to his own den.

~*~

Rowanpaw?

Surprised to see her sister there and in desperate need of catching her breath, Silverpaw did not add herself to the small crowd that gathered around Brokensong consisting of Littletimber, Lionstar, Skyfall, and Brokensong, and instead made a beeline for her littermate. Forced to cross the brook in order to reach her shocked sibling, Silverpaw's already exhausted muscles burned and protested the harsh treatment, the water making it harder to move as she waded through, but Silverpaw was determined to cross it. "Rowanpaw! Are you okay? Gentlebreeze started her kitting! It's okay now though, we brought--"

Silverpaw's words died on her tongue as she picked up the detached words Rookfrost shared with their half-brother. Stillborn. Feeling her stomach clench tightly with pain and sadness, the silver-ticked she-cat pressed against Rowanpaw instinctively for comfort, drawing in her sister's familiar scent, aware of the shock and worry radiating off of her in waves. It will be okay. Gentlebreeze should have more kits...it will be okay. But...what if it's not?

What if all her kits were stillborn? What if Gentlebreeze died?

What if. What if. What if.

Anxiously clawing the ground, Silverpaw would've given anything at that moment to shut down her thoughts, to only watch and not dwell on such miserable possibilities. It can't end like this, not when we went to get Rookfrost, not with everyone doing what they can to help her.

[BlooRey DVD]

[smear:999999]Featherpaw[/smear:ffffff]

~~~~~~~~~

The silver she-cat had taken the bundle in silence, noting that it was the larger of the two. She didn't complain, knowing that she was older and taller than Silverpaw, which made it logical for her to carry the larger of the two bundles. The run back seemed a lot quicker than the run there had been, the silver she-cat having spent the whole time concentrating on her breathing, making sure she pulled enough air into her body.

As the trio arrived on scene, Featherpaw silently deposited the bundle she'd carried, before backing out of the way. There were so many cats around Gentlebreeze that she figured she would only get in the way. As she backed away, however, she saw Brokensong's efforts to keep Gentlebreeze conscious, supporting the white she-cat's head with her own, breathing in an exaggerated manner as Rookfrost instructed the queen to continue breathing. The depth of the tortoiseshell tabby's emotions towards her friend were clear in this moment, almost as though the kits in question were her own.

As the tall silver apprentice found a spot some ways away, she let herself sit, tired muscles screaming at her. She listened with a sharp stab of dismay as the LightningClan medicine cat announced the first kit to be stillborn. Blue eyes staring towards the group of cats, Featherpaw instinctively leaned to the side, as though she expected someone to be there. She'd grown so accustomed to the feel of her best friend's fur since she'd come back from the mountains that suddenly, without the familiarity and comfort, Featherpaw felt as though she were missing a key piece of herself.

Blinking in slight surprise, she glanced to the side, wondering where Silverpaw had gone. She was right beside me... It was then that her gaze caught sight of Silverpaw leaning up against Rowanpaw. Her first reaction was shock, until she remembered that the two were siblings. Of course it made sense, but the thought did nothing to quell the slightest nip of jealousy that hit her. Not only did she feel as though she were missing a part of herself, for the first time in moons, the silver she-cat felt alone.

Sitting by herself, the she-cat wrenched her gaze away from the two sisters, and back towards the larger group. Her thoughts were suddenly pinned upon her deceased sister, and she found herself unable to stop the thought that perhaps her life would have been easier if Fernkit had been stillborn. She'd known her sister before she'd lost her. It made the pain weigh heavier in her heart. Of course, she realized the hideous nature of her thought, and was glad for the distraction that came as someone separated from the group.

[smear:4e91dd]Skyfall[/smear:000000]

~~~~~~~~~

The white tom's dismay was clear for an instant as the first kit was revealed to be stillborn. Skyfall stared down upon his first love, emotions clawing at his heart in a way he hadn't felt in moons. The weight of them all made the white tom uneasy, so much so that he took a few careful steps backwards. Deciding the best he could do was to ensure he didn't get in anyone's way, Skyfall turned away and began to stalk a few paces off. His movements were stiff, influenced by the high-stress atmosphere. He couldn't help but wonder what effect it was having upon the poor queen...

Mismatched eyes caught sight of a silver she-cat sitting alone in a rather dejected manner. He identified this particularly tall apprentice as Featherpaw. She looked older than most apprentices, simply because she was. Having reached the age of thirteen moons, the she-cat had grown considerably since starting her apprenticeship. The white tom noted briefly that she was a beautiful she-cat now, with a fur so silver it challenged the moon's glow.

Of course, she wasn't his type. No one was. Not anymore. She did, however, look as though she were in some sort of distressed emotional state. Without saying a word, the tom padded over to her, sitting down near her, ensuring there was space between them. The company alone seemed to have a positive effect on the silver apprentice, who's shoulders relaxed slightly from where she sat. He noted the effort she was investing in attempting not to look to her left, where two other apprentices, the sisters Rowanpaw and Silverpaw, stood side by side. It was intriguing to say the least, but he dared not ask any questions.

Instead, he focused his gaze upon the scene unfolding before them, and together the pair watched as Gentlebreeze's kitting continued, while the usually-gorgeous Brokensong's feature contorted with the slightest bit of grief. The mute she-cat appeared to stave off the negative emotions, however, resorting to giving her friend's shoulder comforting licks.

I hope this is all over soon... Hang in there, Gentlebreeze.

[Deleted]

~~Gentlebreeze~~Littletimber~~

Dull green eyes flashed open when the pain fault eyes for a moment. They landed on a small bundle of white, a whimper came from her throat. She wanted her kit, why didn't Rookfrost give it to her. A wail touched the already tense air as the word stillborn entered her ears. With effort, the kitting queen tried to pull herself towards the lifeless white kit before she stopped.

Another contraction ripped through her body as she cried out again, the pain returning as she hissed. Claws ripped at the ground as Gentlebreeze's heavy breathing took over her again. Whimpering, the bleeding she-cat buried her face into Brokensong's long fur. The white queen's body was going through excruciating pain as it tried to push out two more kits.

The silent tom tilted his head, watching Rookfrost as he worked, silently thinking about Whispersong's words to him. Pale teal eyes moved from Gentlebreeze's bloody and battered body to the still white kit who looked like a miniature of the queen. Small paws moved forwards to stop the queen from trying to reach her dead kit before more ripples ran through her white body.

Littletimber's cold orbs flashed towards Rookfrost, prepared to study how he took care of Gentlebreeze and her current situation. Stepping back so he wasn't in the way, the ghost like tom slipped around towards the bank, all the while watching like a hawk.

[Fawn]

It was only a short wait for the remaining kits to enter the world, two small tabby she-kits that likely bore some resemblance to their father, but Rookfrost neither knew if that was true nor cared. A careful checking of both almost confirmed his suspicions, the 2nd born as still as a stone, and with the gentle touch of a paw to the 3rd, doing so out of routine more than any actual sense of optimism, the remaining she-kitten stirred.

So one kitten lived? Well wasn't that... Rookfrost's vast vocabulary had no actual word to describe the scenario, as he had no intention of using the term 'miracle'. He didn't believe in miracles. This was a fluke or a stroke of good fortune and nothing more; the living statue of black set down the stillborn beside it's equally as motionless sibling, before carrying the mewling, squirming, damp ball of tabby fur over to it's mother. "This one lived. Congratulations." He spoke quietly, Rookfrost's crisp, cold delivery not at all any sort of break from his usual manner of speaking.

Immediately the golden leader began to step forward and lick the tiny mewling survivor, trying to get the blood circulation going, while the jet black healer tended to staunching the flow of blood and pulling the she-cat back from the brink. It was impossible to tell just by looking at him, but this part of the entire Medicine Cat lifestyle was the kind he enjoyed most; exerting his immense knowledge of herbs and how to use them in order to bring a cat back from the edge, to deny the greedy paws of death one more creature.

In some cases, he was an instrument of death, gladly ushering them over that final edge and into the abyss, enjoying the opportunity to play antagonist as well as protagonist, a dark, dark hero of his own saga. Well, that would imply that he was doing this out of some sort of desire to help others; yes he was not fond of long, drawn out suffering when he was fully capable of ending things, but that was hardly sentimental. It was a logical decision, Rookfrost having divorced his heart from his heart a long long time ago.
"Finished."

Paws bloody and covered in other types of fluid he'd rather not name, Rookfrost stepped back, lingering long enough to ensure that both mother and kit were still breathing. Having felt a pair of eyes trying to pierce through the vertebrae throughout the entire ordeal, the black tom pivoted slowly, movements fluid in a way that was almost unnatural, his icy gaze settling upon the sharp teal stare of Littletimber. He did not know this cat's name, nor did he care to ask, but a small dip of the chin acknowledged the other Medicine Cat's presence, a modicum of interest sparked in recollection of Littletimber's skillful application from earlier.

What is he?

Warrior or Medicine Cat or neither?

If TreeClan already had a Medicine Cat, then his presence shouldn't have been necessary... Rookfrost's tall tufted ears flicked, as though casting aside this useless inner discussion. This was not something he would bother exerting effort over solving. His job here was done, and the blessed piece of the LightningClan Medicine Cat's Den was already calling his name.

[Deleted]

&& who will remember your last goodbye

---

Rowanpaw was still staring in shock when her sister's voice reached her ears. "Rowanpaw! Are you okay? Gentlebreeze started her kitting! It's okay now, though, we brought--"

Words died in the air as both siblings caught that dreadful word. Stillborn. Even as Silverpaw pressed against her, Rowanpaw leaned to her sister.Their pelts mingled, each taking comfort in the familiarity of the other's presence. Seeing her sister's claws flexing and extending into the stream bank beneath them, Rowanpaw lifted her head and began dragging her tongue across Silverpaw's ear. The sorrel-shaded apprentice forced out a purr, attempting to soothe her sibling, even as she herself needed soothing.

Rowanpaw kept her gaze averted, focusing on soothing Silverpaw, as Rookfrost delivered two more kits. Her breath caught in her throat as she caught the medicine cat's cold, clipped words, momentarily freezing her. "This one lived. Congratulations." Her purr regained strength, having died as she froze, and she continued licking her sister's ear. "Hear that, Silverpaw? TreeClan has a new member." Rowanpaw was relieved that one of the kits had survived the bloody mess before them, though Gentlebreeze's life still hung in the balance. Rookfrost was a good medicine cat, though, however cold and dark he may seem. Rowanpaw continued to lick her sister's ear as they pressed against each other, as Rookfrost finished tending to Gentlebreeze.

---

R O W A N P A W