So it Begins {Open}

[Moo it's Lia]

(here comes the time lapse. Bluestream is about to give birth to her three kits: Spottedkit, Featherkit, and Leafkit. Bluestream will die after giving birth, and Leafkit will die shortly afterwards. oh, and i'm trying out a new form of roleplaying, where i bold the speech)

Bluestream felt a twinge of pain once more, each one stronger than the last. Her claws unsheathed and scraped desperately against the cool cave ground of the nursery. Her pelt was burning under the raven black fur and her blue eyes were narrowed in pain. Her kits were coming soon, she parted her jaws and yelped for Speckleleaf.

Cloudstar was in the middle of instructing his adopted daughter, Acornfur, about what to do in terms of watching out for DuskClan on the dawn patrol that she was about to go on. His fur seemed more cream in this lighting, and his green eyes held something different. Understanding perhaps? After all, he had lived through four of nine lives, leaving him with five more lifetimes to serve his clan. His ears pricked right up when he heard his mate's yelp. He dismissed himself from Acornfur and quickly dashed to the other end of camp, to the nursery. He licked his mate's fur to reassure her, making sure not to pull his tongue back quickly because of her burning pelt.


Bluestream managed to open her eyes to something a bit larger than slits. She made a hoarse purr that was cut off by pain. She cringed against her leader, her mate. She coughed, "Our kits, Cloudstar. Our kits are coming soon," she muttered before her body seized up to the pain of the next wave. She could hope that Speckleleaf would be here soon.

[dragonfrog]

Speckleleaf's ears pricked as yelp of pain erupted from the nursery, she raced to her den, abandoning her fresh kill in the clearing. The medicine cat's pale green eyes searched for the right herbs in a hurry, Borage... and Chamomile. She'll need as much help as possible, all of her strength is needed! Her thoughts were rushed as the brown tabby she-cat twitched her orange specked nose, sniffing swiftly for the herbs as she grasped them in one claw and by her mouth.

The medicine cat was in the nursery in no time, dropping the leaves beside Bluestream. " Here, eat these herbs, they'll help boost your strength for the kits. " The she-cat pushed the herbs toward the queen's mouth, hoping she would eat them quickly as she padded over to her side and put her paw on Bluestream's belly, trying to know how many kits there would be. " Three. " Speckleleaf murmured, speaking up and reapeating her words to Cloudstar and the struggling Bluestream. There will be three kits. "

[Moo it's Lia]

Bluestream managed a weak smile. Three kits! How wonderful! She took the herbs and swallowed quickly. Her dark fur was making her extremely hot.

Cloudstar was so happy, three kits. Three little bundles that will become great warriors. (he doesn't know that one will be the medicine cat) He rubbed his cheek against his mate's, purring lowly to help her a bit. He wished he could help a bit more then reassuringly purr by her side.

Acornfur, who was standing by the camp entrance, was deciding whether to leave or not. She had never witnessed kits being born, and surely her "father" wouldn't mind letting her see her new kin. She awkwardly stood facing the exit, but her neck craned facing the crowded nursery.

[dragonfrog]

Thornfang awoke to a shriek, his claws unsheathed and his dark green eyes wide with astonishment. The young tabby tom dashed from the warriors' den, pouncing forward, reaching the fresh kill pile in a simple bound, his fur on end and his ears pricked. His green gaze searched the camp before he let his fur flatten, along with his ears flattening in embarresment. Thornfang glanced nervously at the nursery, grasping a mouse from the fresh kill pile and quickly squeezing into the nursery, dipping his head to the cats crowding inside it, and dropping the mouse beside the gasping Bluestream. He quickly squeezed out, knowing that queens needed space when they had their kits.

[Moo it's Lia]

Bluestream nodded to Thornfang as he left, "Thanks" she mewed but he was too far. She took a bite of the mouse, surprised of how hungry she was.

Acornfur noticed Thornfang and padded up to him. She rubbed her flank against his and grinned, the young kit-attitude coming out of her again, "Hey Thornfang," she greeted, "Want to go on the patrol? When we come back the kits might already be born."

[danielle]

Dappledpaw trotted out of the apprentices den. She had woken up to yowls. She looked around camp and finally realized it was coming from the nursery.She remembered that Bluestream was really close to giving birth Dappledpaw headed over to the freshkill pile and grabbed a vole. Excited about the new kits she sat down and munched on the vole, remembering her lonely days as the camp's only kit. Finishing her vole she went over to a cool, shaded spot near the apprentice's den and layed down. She rested her head on her paws and relaxed, thinking about how close she is to becoming a warrior.

[Moo it's Lia]

Acornfur padded up to Dappledpaw, "Hey Dappledpaw," she mewed, "Thornfang and I are going on a patrol near DuskClan territory." She looked out towards the entrance,"Cloudstar says that DuskClan has been playing it safe. I hope they're not up to something. I heard that they're still following the Dark Forest."

Cloudstar nudged Bluestream, "You'll do fine," he encouraged. Three names he had to think of. Three names for three fine cats who will help out the clan.

[dragonfrog]

Thornfang nodded to Acornfur and called, " I'll be waiting at the camp entrance for you Acornfur! " He called with a small smile and a short purr as he watched Acornfur pad away to Dappledpaw.

Speckleleaf rubbed her paw across the queen's stomach again, her eyes wide. " I hope your ready Bluestream. As soon as the first kit comes, I'm going to give it to you Cloudstar. You must livk in quickly to get it to start breathing normally. " The she-cat mewed quietly, encouraging Bluestream still as she told orders.

[Moo it's Lia]

Bluestream nodded and felt the first kit squirm. She clenched her jaws together getting ready to push. (this will be featherkit) She looked at Speckleleaf for the go-ahead to push, but being the hard-headed deputy, she pushed anyway. (i'm not very good at writing this, i've never been a queen before so i'm just going to skip the details...)

After what felt like so many painful hours, the first kit came out. This kit was a silver kit with black tabby stripes. She had the same eyes as Cloudstar, but the shade was a bit lighter.

[dragonfrog]

( Kits don't open their eyes as soon as their born Lia :3 )

Speckleleaf grasped the squirming kit in her jaws, number one, she quickly licked it over and over, swift, light licks. The old medicine cat knew that she'd have to hand it off to Cloudstar soon, so she could help Bluestream with her next few kits.

The small silver kit mewled and squirmed under the wet sensation that lapped at her fur, she continued to squeak slowly, and quietly.

Speckleleaf gazed at the kit, it was squirming too much and she became irritated, plopping it near Cloudstar's paws. " Continue licking please, untill her squeaks seem more louder than what they are now. " Speckleleaf mewed quietly, going back to Bluestream's side.

[Moo it's Lia]

(heh whoops. oh wells *shrug*)

Cloudstar was licking furiously, muttering, "Bluestream, she has your fur... sort of," his green eyes were gleaming.

Bluestream nodded, looking at her silver kit through slitted eyes. Another wave of pain. The next kit was coming. (this will be Leafkit, stillborn) She pushed, this time still painful, but it was getting a bit easier. She saw a very small kit come out. Tabby, matted, ginger fur with some white on her paws. This kit didn't move a bit, not an inch. She didn't know what to do.

Cloudstar stopped licking the silver kit when the mewling became louder and the rise and fall of the small chest had steadied. He noticed the ginger kit and began licking it as well, but this kit was silent. He looked at Speckleleaf, still licking, green eyes full of confusion.

[danielle]

Dappledpaw jumped up, " Yeah I'll come, patrolling is a lot funner then sitting around camp!" She meowed, excited to do anything. She had been watching a beetle before Acornfur approached her .

[Moo it's Lia]

Acornfur nodded, "Alright, let's go. I scented a few loners around our borders and near the battle grounds. We should check it out," she mewed while padding towards Thornfang, "We're going to the battle grounds. There could be some loner/rouge activity going on around there."

[danielle]

Dappledpaw mumbled "okay" and followed Acornfur. She hasn't met a loner or rouge yet, just smelled them occasionaly. She smiled, hoping she would be able to use the fighting moves her mentor taught her.

[dragonfrog]

Speckleleaf's green eyes glazed over in unease, she nudged the kit with her nose, but it didn't move. She lightly touched it with her paw and felt nothing, not even the small sound of heart beat, her own heart seemed to sink as she gave it a few licks. It was unmoving , she was dead." She...this kit...its dead." The old medicine cat mumbled, closing her eyes, as her tail drooped, though she still stayed at Bluestream's side, giving fewer encouraging mews and just glancing at the unmoving kit with horror. There was one last kit to come, she would make sure it lived this time.

[Moo it's Lia]

Bluestream gasped, sadness washed over her, momentarily numbing the pain that was coming. One more kit, she thought, one more kit. She looked at the kit with great sadness before pushing again.

Cloudstar pressed his nose against the dead kit. He whispered a few words to the kit before getting ready to lick the kit that was coming next.

Bluestream finally was done. The last kit was out (erm, was that the correct terminology? this is spottedkit). The last kit was tortoiseshelled. Bluestream couldn't believe how small these kits were. She couldn't remember when she was that small.

[dragonfrog]

Speckleleaf let out a purr of delight as she gave the last kit a few quick licks, it was alive. She sighed and took the small stillborn kit from Cloudstar as she nudged the last kit over to Cloudstar to continue licking. She lay the dead kit on a small moss nest on one side of nursery, to be buryed later.

[Moo it's Lia]

Cloudstar licked this kit and scented something familiar on this last kit. She even looked familiar.

Bluestream let out a huge sigh of relief. She was finished. She looked at the last kit, "Her name will be Spottedkit," she mewed.

Cloudstar looked up, still licking. Spottedkit! Of course! She looked just like the kit who died from kit cough about forty moons ago when he was just a kit.

Spottedkit began to mewl louder and slightly squirmed away from her father and towards her mother's warmth.

Cloudstar nodded. Her breathing seemed to be steady. He smiled, two strong kits. "This grey one," he said, "Will be Featherkit."

[dragonfrog]

Speckleleaf smiled at the two kits, her brown tabby fur ruffled along her back from helping Bluestream's kitting. " They're beautiful kits, they both are lucky to have you as a mother, Bluestream. " She was glad it had been successful, besides the second kit, but she decided to not think of the she-kit.

Featherkit squirmed against her mother's warm belly, mewling as her tail wacked something continuously, though she didn't know that it was her sister.

[Moo it's Lia]

Spottedkit parted her jaws, exposing small, yet sharp teeth, in a yawn. She gave off a small hiss when something starting hitting her in the flank. She scooted closer to her mother and farther away from her sister.

Bluestream smiled as she saw her two kits begin to suckle. She purred and pressed her muzzle against Cloudstar's, "Our kits."

Cloudstar nodded, "They'll be strong," he said looking at his two kits. He saw a bit of still, ginger fur at the corner of his eye. He dropped his head, "Leafkit," he said, naming his dead kit. Most of the time, dead kits wouldn't be named, but he felt obliged to. Leafkit, he thought, be a strong StarClan warrior.

A flash of brown tabby fur burst into camp, "Cloudstar!" it was Acornfur, "Loners are rising. Some DuskClan cats are camping in the Battle Grounds. We got into a dispute with a loner named Pine. She said that loners are coming to join those DuskClan cats and form their own Clan," she said quickly, gasping for air. The long cuts on her flank started to bleed and hurt. She needed to see Speckleleaf, hopefully she was done delivering Bluestream's kits.