[Justice]

She hated being pregnant. She didn't like kits, didn't want to be confined to the nursery for the duration of nursing kits. The only plus she saw was that this guaranteed she'd have more reinforcements against the stupidity of TreeClan's leadership. The kits would be born from the best the clan had to offer, even if she hadn't wanted them and wasn't interested in being anyone's mate. But things happened and here she was, huge and unable to even roll over by herself. Nevertheless hunt for herself. And the fawning by the clan wasn't making her feel better. Only her family eased it somewhat, especially since her mother was in the nursery with her. It had come as a surprise when they'd all discovered both Moonfeather and Amberwing herself were pregnant. Her mother had wanted another litter for such a long time, and to Amberwing that happiness was paramount in everything else. Though she doubted the other she-cat knew this, she'd raise the valley to the ground if her mother asked her to. Mother's word was law, and nothing changed that.

But now her belly was contracting, her claws digging at the moss bedding underneath as a contraction hit her. Great.

"Go fetch Falconstorm please, and tell Owlstrike its time." She told the guard at the door, trying to remain calm and act like she normally did. Nobody knew how she really was, nobody knew the fury and danger in their midst. Plus, maybe Owlstrike would want to be there for the birth of his kits. He didn't have to parent them, she'd already told him that, but she wanted him to have the choice rather or not he would meet them. She didn't care who knew who the father of her kits was, it wasn't a big deal.

But then, as she focused on her own pain, she heard her mother scream in agony.

--[WARNING GRAPHIC : Do not read if you are sensitive to mentions of miscarriage.]--

Moonfeather knew this pain. She'd felt it before when she was much younger. But something about this was different. Something felt wrong. She had heard her daughter call for Falconstorm and made to get up to help her with the birth when the pains first started. And then gotten worse much faster than they should have. There was no progressive labor, she couldn't help her daughter with the delivery of her first grandkits. She couldn't even move, could hardly breathe as the pain washed over her and something wet and stick slid out of her body. She didn't want to scare Amberwing, but it hurt so much that she couldn't stop the yowling scream as the pain got steadily worse. Something was wrong. Something was terribly wrong.

By then Falconstorm had come running in, dropping a leaf filled with herbs and other things he'd need before he realized both she-cats were in labor at he same time. He set straight to work, while bellowing for his apprentice to get her fluffy hide in there because he needed her help.

Fawn [in case Fawnspring wants to be there]
Hellion [in case Aspenfire wants to be there]
Phoenix [in case Owlstrike wants to be there]
KARAZHAL

[KARAZHAL]

The life of an apprentice was not glamorous. Feathercloud had not spoiled her children, but Sagepaw could not deny that she would rather be hanging out with her sister Acornpaw right now. Still, she didn't bring up the word "play", and she did not dare allow boredom to dwell in her eyes. Day by day, she had to plan her life ahead and never waste one moment, lest Falconstorm find her unworthy. She would not be a pretty yet idle she-cat. She had to be clever and careful to prove herself useful not only to him but TreeClan.

Standing in front of the herb stocks, the blue Somali studied them all carefully. She got the impression that Falconstorm would yell at her if she kept asking him what their names were, so she decided to hold off on more questions until later and just focus on memorizing by appearance and smell. She had just moved onto chervil when she heard a scream resound throughout camp. Sagepaw immediately leapt to her feet, remembering the black night when her clan had been attacked and Falconstorm'd had to splay himself in front of the doorway. The she-cat's fur spiked, and as a warrior poked her head into the entrance of Falconstorm's medical den, Sagepaw's tail fluffed like a pond reed. Amberwing was calling for Falconstorm?

She knew the she-cat, but Feathercloud had forbade her and Acornkit from bothering the other queens. It was okay to play with other kits, but pregnant queens were not playthings and she could very well get slapped for her efforts. "What should I do?" she asked, but it seemed like her question was lost in the chaos. Not that it was the first time she was ignored. Her dark golden eyes narrowed and flicked over to the leaf filled with herbs. She craned her neck to take a look at what all was inside, but Falconstorm was soon off before she could get a good look. Sagepaw huffed childishly. For a moment, she pouted and looked around the den sullenly. She was about to tidy up some beds when she heard her name being yelled. "Oh, for StarClan's sake...," she muttered.

Sagepaw ran as fast as her slender legs could carry her. Ducking underneath a warrior blocking her way, the medicine cat apprentice trotted into the nursery. She inhaled deeply, expecting the warm nostalgic scent of comfort, but instead she was met with an awful metallic reek. One of the she-cats was screaming so loudly Sagepaw thought she was dying. She stared at Moonfeather, stunned. Taking a deep breath, Sagepaw pressed her lips together and began assessing the situation. Falconstorm was already getting straight to work so she didn't want to step on his toes or get in his way.

"I smell a lot of blood. Should I get you more of these?" she asked as her paws gestured to the cobwebs. "Or, uh"--she faltered as she tried to remember the names--"um... rosemary? Ragweed? Raspberries?" Oh StarClan guide her paws as she struggled to recall the medicinal leaf used to stay the bleeding during the kitting process.

Justice

[Fawn]

Fawnspring

Never in a thousand moons had Fawnspring ever thought she'd hear her mother scream. Terror broke her heart in two, and fearful, kittenish words gushed out of her mouth as she stumbled over the pieces to the nursery. "Mother! Mother! Moonfeather!"

A colossal shape, seeming larger than life in this moment, barrelled past Fawnspring and she squeaked, hastily stepping out of the way as Falconstorm was first into the nursery. Fawnspring tremblingly followed, desperate to see what was going on and yet so afraid of what she might witness to. Her mother was in pain. Something was wrong. Oh StarClan, please save her and please save her kits.

That giddy anticipation of siblings, of new life, new kin, within the Clan she had come to call home morphed into an ugly leaden dread in her belly. Fawnspring gazed at Amberwing, her sister's form looking swollen compared to her usual sleek, powerful appearance. Fawnspring saw a contraction ripple through dark gray fur, and she stared, frozen in place as the realization dawned on her.

Amberwing was kitting. Moonfeather was kitting. But something wasn't right.

"Fawnspring."

A tom's voice made her flinch back, and she turned wide, frightened eyes upon the tawny striped face of Zephyrfang. She hadn't even heard him approach. He flicked her side with his tail. "Step back. You're getting in the way. Thornheart will be here soon." Even as he spoke, Sagepaw's presence finally registered with Fawnspring. She hadn't even noticed the new apprentice in the den, so transfixed had she been on Moonfeather's pain.

With a gulp of air that held back a sob, Fawnspring numbly backed away from the nursery, her heart gasping in her throat as helplessness settled in. "I don't know what's wrong. I don't know how to help." Fawnspring blurted these words to the father of her best and dearest friend, wishing more than anything that Zephyrfang would simply change into Thornheart if her heart willed it hard enough.

Zephyrfang said nothing, and instead of gazing at the nursery, his eyes were locked upon the camp entrance until the patrol containing Owlstrike and Thornheart returned.

As we soared above the town that never loved me
I realized I finally had a family
❋

352 Words ❋ Justice KARAZHAL BlooRey DVD (Thornheart mention!) ❋ Notes

[Justice]

He had worked alone for so long that it had taken him a moment to remember to bark out orders to his confused apprentice. He also had to shoulder past a worried Fawnspring on his way to attend the two kitting queens. Two at the same time was tricky, but he felt he could handle it. For now he took a deep breath and set his priorities. "Sagepaw, I want you to go back to the medicine den and bring me the big leaf with the blue feather on it. That's my emergency kitting bundle. The two plants inside are chamomile and raspberry leaves. On your way grab two apprentices and have them get some wet and dried moss to replace these soaked ones here and to give the queens water when they ask for it." He pressed a nose to Amberwing's belly, clicking softly. "Nowhere close." And then went to Moonfeather and his clicking went quiet. He grabbed a mouthful of moss and placed it near the queen's tail to soak up the blood and keep her from getting it all over. She'd have to be moved when he got her stabilized. Preferably to the medicine den, he had the feeling he'd need to watch her.

"Fawnspring, come lay beside your sister and support her. Put your head on her belly and if you can manage to do so purr when you feel it contract. That will soothe the pains until I can get some herbs into her. Kitting queens don't sustain their own body heat, so you're going to do that for her. Hopefully Owlstrike will get back in time to help with that." He was about to have his paws full. He had the terrible sense that he knew what was going on.

Moonfeather's yowling wasn't helping any, but the pained sounds had finally given way to soft whimpers. The medicine cat came and checked near her tail, his blue eyes concerned and pained. For now, he needed to get her settled. "Moonfeather, you'll be okay." He soothed her, licking her head until her whimpers subsided. "Calm down now, you're scaring Amberwing." The green-eyed she-cat nodded slowly and hid her face against his pelt as her body shook with pain. He gave her the herbs he'd brought along, knowing she'd need more before this was all over. There was too much blood for her to be okay.

--
Amberwing hadn't moved her gaze from her mother's prone form, watching her tremble as pain rode through her slender frame. Her mother had wanted this litter so badly, she had to hope everything was okay. Just a bad kitting, and it scared her that it meant that her own kitting would be bad as well. So far it was just uncomfortable. She looked away finally when she saw her sister, letting off a sob of relief. For once she wasn't faking what she was doing, she really genuinely loved Fawnspring. "I'm so happy you're here."

Her eyes, a match for their mother, strayed back to the trembling form next to the medicine cat's imposing frame. "Mother? Are you going to be okay?" Her voice sounded small, almost kittish in that moment. She figured as she was giving birth for the first and probably last time, she was entitled to lose it just a little.

Moonfeather's voice was rough when she spoke, but she lifted her head to give her daughters a smile. "No, but I will be. You concentrate on bringing those kits into this world. I want to meet them."

KARAZHAL
Fawn

[KARAZHAL]

Sagepaw's golden eyes performed a double take at her mentor's completely calm response. No yelling, no impatience, no sucking in irritated breaths. Falconstorm was a completely different cat when he was in his medicine cat world; she wondered why he couldn't be like that all the time. Pressing her lips, she squared her shoulders, pushing her earlier annoyance with him aside. She had to get serious, too. As Falconstorm fired off his requests in quick succession, Sagepaw parroted him in shorthand mumbles. "Big leaf, blue feather, kitting bundle. Chamomile. Raspberry leaves." She'd at least remembered the last one part way. "Apprentices. Wet and dried moss."

He said no more, and she stayed there for half a beat, half-expecting him to add something else just as she made to go, but no, he moved onto his patients instead. Sagepaw repeated her shorthand to herself over and over again. She didn't dare ask Falconstorm anything right now, not wanting to interrupt him or completely forget everything he'd just said. "Big leaf, blue feather. Big leaf, blue feather," she muttered, scrambling past Zephyrfang and accidentally stepping on the tom's front paws. "Sorry! Big leaf, blue feather. Big leaf, blue feather!"

Sagepaw bounded to the medicine cat den in search of the kitting bundle. The blue feather stood out immediately, lying lengthwise across a huge leaf. She reached out gingerly to touch the dried leaf, feeling it stiff and brittle. Using her mouth to grasp the stem, she hoisted the little basket of Falconstorm's herbs carefully and cocked her head, highstepping outside of the den. Oh yeah, apprentices! Pausing at the exit, Sagepaw glanced up and down the great hollow log, the thoroughfare that made up TreeClan camp. She chose the first two apprentices she saw, some older she-cats by the names of Rosepaw and Cherrypaw. She was glad to see they were just gossiping and grooming by the wall instead of training; she didn't feel bad about interrupting them in order to pass on Falconstorm's orders.

She stepped up to the two she-cats and laid the big leaf down. "Excuse me," the blue Somali said it politely, but she had no intention of easing up her intrusion. She stared directly at them both, meeting Rosepaw and Cherrypaw's gazes pointedly when they simultaneously gave her annoyed side-eyes.

"Yes--?" Cherrypaw replied.

"I need wet moss and dry moss delivered to the nursery," said Sagepaw. "You get wet moss"--she then glanced at Rosepaw--"and you get dry moss."

"I'll have Glacierspring do it," Rosepaw said with a gesture to Sagepaw like she was being the gracious one. The she-cat opened her mouth to holler for the young warrior, and Sagepaw by instinct clapped Rosepaw's chin up to her jaw. She looked at the lazy she-cat incredulously.

"Are you mouse-brained? In what world does a warrior take chores from an apprentice?" Sagepaw blurted out. "Orders are for you to do it, so please get to it." She picked up the leaf and walked away with her tail puffed out in irritation. She glanced behind her and saw that neither of the she-cats had moved. "Falconstorm or Pumafang. Take your pick on who will be more pissed off if--." She didn't have to finish her sentence. The second Pumafang's name left her lips, Rosepaw shot away low to the ground, pelting off to the place where apprentices gathered moss. Cherrypaw bolted off after her sister.

Rolling her eyes, she picked up the leaf and reported back to the nursery as quickly as she could while keeping the big leaf steady. She had to stop twice and pick up some tiny raspberry leaves that flew out. Sagepaw wished she would hurry and grow into the sleeker and bigger form that was awaiting her as an adult, the kind of bodies her mother and father had where she wouldn't have to crane her neck just to keep the big leaf from falling on the ground.

"Excuse me, medicine cat apprentice coming through!" she announced and navigated the well-worn path she was very familiar with, except this time she wasn't heading toward her mother's bed, but rather Falconstorm. The smell had gotten worse while she'd been away, although that yowling she-cat had stopped her hollering. Sagepaw found her mentor and let out a loud breath as she finally lay the big leaf at its destination. "Here you go!" she told Falconstorm cheerfully. "I'm going to make sure those layabouts are actually getting your moss!" She nodded firmly and turned away, although she could be called back quickly if her mentor wanted her to stay and shadow him during the kitting to monitor the queens' conditions.

Justice Fawn sorry for the wait! i forgot to bookmark this and it got lost

[Justice]

He had to trust in the mousebrain to do as he'd asked her to. This would be the first of many trials that lie ahead for Sagepaw. If she did well here, then maybe she was worth keeping around after all. Falconstorm wasn't going to be leaving the nursery for awhile, and when he did it would only be to move Moonfeather into the medicine den so he could monitor her for a few days.

The heavy stench of blood was mixing with a different, much more rank scent. Decay. He felt his heart fall out of his paws. This poor queen had lost the litter some time ago, and if he wasn't very careful she'd lose her life as well.

Sagepaw dropped off what he needed, and he just gave her a look and motioned her on with his tail. She didn't need to see this part, not at her age. It wasn't much longer, and with the gray she-cat crying the entire time, that he delivered four ill-formed bundles into the nursery. The stench was terrible, and he put the kits safely under some moss to both mask the stench and keep from alarming Amberwing. He'd talk to Moonfeather about things later.

-----
Time was now a blur, things happening faster and faster as she waited for word that her mother would be okay. As she waited the pains became more fierce, more often, until they were coming one on top of the other. She hid her face against Fawnspring's pelt and mewled in discomfort, desperately wanting their mother to come over and help her.

In that moment warmth at her side opened her eyes to the weak smile of Moonfeather. The she-cat was lain out on her belly, tail tucked against her rear, and not far moved from her own nest. But she was there. "You're going to be fine, my love. The kits are coming now, mother is here, your family is here. Let our medicine cat bring these little joys to our world."

Falconstorm was calling for his apprentice to return, though he didn't sound panicked so maybe it was okay. The tom sniffed at her and clicked softly, telling her that things were going well and that she'd soon be a mother.

One after the other her kits entered the world, mewling and helpless and perfect. Her own perfect little clan, made from two strong parents and raised to be like them. At least they would be. For now, she was exhausted, her strength waning.

"Rest now, my sweet kit, mother will be here."

She had no idea that her mother was still in danger, that so much had happened while she'd been giving birth, but trusted in her mother's word and let herself rest.

KARAZHAL
[nother two posts and I think this'll be done]

[KARAZHAL]

Sagepaw was glad not to linger in the nursery. It smelled of old maggoty kill in there, and she was grateful that her mother had returned to being a warrior and didn't have to suffer with the stench. The moment Falconstorm motioned her out with his tail, she scrambled out, pacing up and down the log while she waited for those layabouts Rosepaw and Cherrypaw. Rosepaw was first to report back, which didn't surprise Sagepaw, since the she-cat seemed to have the fear of StarClan put into her and Sagepaw felt a little powerful having cats actually obey her.

"Here you go," Rosepaw said shortly.

"Thank you," Sagepaw replied.

Rosepaw looked like she was about to say something but thought better of it. "My sister will be around. Bye." She quickly scurried off before Sagepaw could give her some other chores to do, dropping the dry moss at Sagepaw's feet.

Sagepaw tsked and sighed, staring after her and shaking her head. Guess I'll take it in. Cherrypaw better not drop hers too. She shoved as much as she could into her mouth and carried it into the nursery. She fought the urge to gag as she approached her mentor again. She gave him half the moss he asked for and pulled the sullied nursing moss away from Amberwing's kits so that they wouldn't be contaminated. One of the mother cats was already doing a great job grooming and accepting her brood, so she tried to keep out of Amberwing's way with her kits and plumped her nest with the new moss.

"Wet moss is coming," she told Falconstorm, hoping that Cherrypaw wouldn't be much longer. It was going to be her fault if that vapid she-cat didn't come through for some petty reason. While she waited, she looked over at the medicine cat's bundle of herbs, looking for bite marks to see which ones Falconstorm had used already. Quietly, she observed and she wondered why that screaming she-cat didn't have kittens against her teats already.

Justice

[Justice]

Falconstorm sniffed and groomed each of Amberwing's new kits, pleased that they were all fat and healthy at least at birth. Her mother on the other hand was concerning him. He'd already given her raspberry leaves and burnet to help give her strength and stop the bleeding. He didn't move her from her daughter's side, and didn't mention to the family just yet what had occurred.

With fresh moss he shoved it near her rear then gently lifted her rump so he could soak up the blood still seeping from her from the birth. She smiled weakly at him then laid her head back on her daughter's neck to rest. She was grieving, everyone knew how much Moonfeather had wanted these kits.

"When the wet moss comes give it to Moonfeather and make sure she drinks. In the meantime help me get rid of this nest." He started pawing and pushing the edges of the blood soaked nest, carefully rolling the malformed kits in it so that the scent wouldn't disturb anyone else and he could not traumatize their mother any further than she already was.

"Sagepaw." He said it quietly, motioning her over. He was caked in blood on his front paws, she'd bled that much. "Speak softly so that the queens can't hear you. Moonfeather lost her kits. Once we get the bleeding stopped I'll need you to help me get her to the medicine den so we can monitor her until she regains enough strength. For the time being, address her like a queen, because she is one. We'll have to take vigil for these little ones, make sure that we see them off to StarClan."

KARAZHAL