Chapter Text
The rain beat down on the earth, sending all creatures heading for cover. Lightning crackled in the sky as Chickstar stared out of his den with Brighteyes and Boulderflight pressed against his sides.
With how bad the storm was, Chickstar wasn’t sure if there would be prey when it passed. A low moaning sound came from the nursery, Swiftburn and Deerflame hurrying to and from it and the medicine cat den. A storm birth was always a bad omen.
Deerflame padded back out into the rain, a limp bundle hung from his jaws, and he went through the camp entrance. Brighteyes shuddered against Chickstar as all three watched him go. Swiftburn poked his head out of the den, squinting his eyes against the rain as he searched for Brighteyes. Spotting her, he trotted over, the wind whipping his pelt.
“Brighteyes! I need your help!” He mewed, flattening his ears against the harsh wind. Brighteyes stood up immediately, heading out of the leader's den to meet Swiftburn halfway, who trembled slightly. Brighteyes pressed against him in comfort; the last kitting he had helped with had been Antlershine’s… and it wasn’t pretty.
“Come on, I’m sure he’ll need as much help as he can get.” Swiftburn shudders but turns around to the nursery, where the scent of blood wafts from. Chickstar stood up too, padding out into the rain and bounding across the clearing to the warriors' den, looking for Pikeclaw. Pikeclaw looked up at him from his nest, where Daisystorm and Cloverkit rested away from the nursery.
“Listen, I know it’s a storm right now, but it’s starting to lighten up, and we need to make sure that no predator has smelled the blood ot heard the yowling and became curious about it.” Chickstar said to Pikeclaw, who nodded and got up, stretching before calling to Acornbark and Meadowclaw.
Brighteyes crouched over Pinerapid, who had his head on his paws, staring at his last kit, who squirmed and tried to yowl with little air in its lungs before coughing. Swiftburn nosed the kit towards Pinerapid, hoping it would latch, but it just batted its paws against his stomach before eventually latching.
Pinerapid shuddered painfully and curled his tail around the kit. Brighteyes groomed Pinerapid’s head, soothing him as Swiftburn wrapped up a bundle of herbs, his eyes distant, and walked out of the nursery to bring the herbs back to his den.
Once he put the herbs away, he paused as his paws shook. He… thought he could save the other kit. A shadow stood in the entrance to the den, but Swiftburn was caught up in his thoughts, so he didn’t notice until a pelt pressed against him.
“Hey, buddy. I thought we stopped those kinds of thoughts.” Goldendoe mewed, wrapping her tail around him as she groomed his head, steering clear of his sliced ear.
“But… the kit..”
“I know. You did all you could. The other is still alive, isn’t he? Weak but alive.” Goldendoe purred as she tried to comfort her brother, leading him to his nest.
“You did what you could, that’s what matters.”