[Taxx]

Smokestorm

This gal right here's gonna rule the world
No, I won't sit still and look pretty

With a thrush in her jaws, fresh caught and still warm, Smokestorm slipped into the camp. Cats noticed her and called greetings, which she returned with a nod. But she didn’t stop. Just outside the warriors’ den, she spotted Rowanstripe, a few warriors sitting with him; she caught his eye for a moment before they both looked away. He ought to be with Mistcloud, she thought, but she supposed she couldn’t force him. He’d been the same way with his first litter.

Speaking of. Just as she reached the nursery, the ginger-and-white form of Palewing emerged, a soft look in her eye. The younger warrior glanced at the bird, then into Smokestorm’s eyes with a purr. “I just brought her something, and she said to tell anyone else who tried she was stuffed to her tail. Duskflower is making sure she doesn’t go hungry for a moment. I can take that to the elders if you’d like?”

Somewhat disappointed, Smokestorm nonetheless dipped her head in a nod and passed the thrush to Palewing, who trotted away with it. Squaring her shoulders, the dilute calico slid into the small den and padded over to where her sister lay in a fresh nest with four little bundles tucked against her belly. Mistcloud mewed a greeting, but she didn’t move. Settling closer, Smokestorm leaned over to inspect the young lives that had been born just the day before. Their small fluffy pelts tickled her nose, their soft scents of milk making her consider- briefly- how worth it it would be to have her own kits.

“They look healthy enough. Have Sandblaze and Ebonypaw been in to see them today?” she asked, lying down and offering a nose-touch to her sister, willing to take a few minutes to forget her duties and watch her young kin.

“At dawn,” Mistcloud replied. “They’re all fine. The little dark gray has quite a voice. Sandblaze seemed to think that was a good sign. I just hope she learns to control it or she’ll turn a cat deaf.” With a glance to ensure her sister was willing, Smokestorm gently leaned over to brush her nose against the fluffy dark gray kit’s body, and she instantly protested with a shrill cry. “Yes,” Mistcloud purred, and curled around to soothe the youngster with gentle laps of her tongue. “Just like that.”

“Have you named them?” Smokestorm continued, shifting a bit out of the way. It was a bit early, but Mistcloud hadn’t taken too long the first time...

“Yes. Rowanstripe helped.” Her tone changed, and her gaze settled on another kit, a gray tabby, and when her gaze lifted back to Smokestorm’s there was a touch of grief in her expression. “We thought about naming the little gray tom- Ashkit. They look alike; I thought maybe StarClan was giving him back to me. But I… I didn’t want him to feel like a replacement… it wouldn’t be fair to make him feel like he had to be just like my first Ashkit. We settled on Slatekit. The little dark gray she-kit is Frostkit- after Darkfrost. Duskflower suggested it and it’s a good name for her. The brown tabby is Flintkit and the ginger is Squirrelkit.”

Smokestorm’s eyes flicked to each kit as they were named and purred when her sister finished. “Those are good names. I’m glad they’re healthy- I’m glad you’re healthy." Head to head, she closed her eyes as she leaned into her sister. She had been stuck in the warriors’ den while Mistcloud had been fighting to birth the kits, and she’d hated to hear her cries. Pain was part of birth, Sandblaze had told her, but knowing there was nothing she could do had made her claws itch with the desperate helplessness of the situation.

That was past. "We're okay," Mistcloud told her gently, a soft purr easing the last of Smokestorm's nervous worry, and she had no reason to doubt it. Her sister seemed just fine now, and the kits were all thriving. StarClan had been merciful, and now there were only good times to look forward to. Side by side, the two remained, quietly enjoying each other’s company and watching the kits as they squirmed over each other in the comfort and safety of StoneClan’s nursery.

Deputy of StoneClan

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