Shimmerheart is having kits now, y'allz (Dawnflower, Leopardfang, Viperkit, Tigerkit, Webkit)

Shimmerheart lay down in the nursery. She was bored, cold, and aching all over. Being pregnant was not her piece of prey. But, who knew- maybe being a mother would be worth it. Suddenly, quicker than a lightning flash, a great painful spasm racked the glossy black she-cat's body. Oh StarClan! Oh StarClan! It's happening, isn't it? Help me, Gingerheart! Her breathing grew quick and feverish, her heart beat overtime. Where was Leopardfang? Although she knew the medicine cat was Dawnflower, and that the cat she had once hoped to be apprenticed to was long dead, as her logic retreated into a small corner of her pain-racked brain, Shimmerheart yowled one name. "Ebonyleaf!" she wailed as her body contorted again.

That was Shimmerheart, without a shadow of a doubt. He knew her voice too well, even from just beyond the camp entrance. Even past the noise of snow squishing into the mud beneath his paws. And besides, no one else ever mentioned or perhaps even thought of the long-gone medicine cat. Leopardfang was just about to head off for hunting. Fortunately, he recognized her voice and turned back immediately, making a bee-line through the cats in the clearing and ducking straight into the nursery without pausing to shake the flakes of snow from his pelt. He wasn't panicking. Instead, the deputy settled close by her side and licked her cheek, wordlessly offering support. It was the best he could do to comfort her. Did she even need that? She was always so strong. She made him so proud.

Dawnflower's ears flicked at the yowl. She knew that it was Shimmerheart that was calling, and that she had in fact started kitting. The desperate yowl kind of gave away that a medicine cat was needed. Also there was the fact that she had talked to Ebonyleaf many time before in meetings with Starclan. Anyway, Dawnflower grabbed the pile of herbs she had prepared for this situation. Chervil being among the stack, and she quickly raced over to the nursery.

The medicine Cat pushed her way inside to see that the warrior had already managed to get one kit out. Too late for the Chervil. She quickly pushed the stack of herbs to the side. "I'm here Shimmerheart. You are going to be okay." The medicince cat said in a sweet tone to try and calm down the queen. The light colored cat pushed the new kit over to the deputy. "Lick the kit. Warm her up." She told him before returning her attention to the queen.

"Alright Shimmerheart you have two more in you. Make sure you breathe." She encouraged. "The next one is coming.." She warned.

"You're alright, Shimmerheart. You'll get through it." He meowed back before Dawnflower entered. It was a relief to see the young medicine cat. Thank StarClan! I don't know what to do either! The confidence was definitely a mask. Leopardfang had not had any experience with queens who were kitting, save for the nursery cats who gave birth when he was still just a kit. He nodded shortly when the little kit was pushed toward him and then got to work, licking up the she-kit's back while occasionally taking glances at his mate to watch her progress.

The tabby kit squirmed and let out a loud mewl, confused and feeling lost. There were many sudden smells, and she scented desperately for her mother. She wasn't aware of Leopardfang holding her back so that he could keep her out of Shimmerheart's way and warm her frail body.

Shimmerheart's breathing grew frantic as she desperately lapped up the herbs, not even wincing at the taste. Anything to stop the pain. Another fierce stab of pain, and a tom-kit emerged, followed quickly by another she-kit (Shrewkit and Viperkit). Although Shimmerheart knew she wasn't quite finished yet, she couldn't help but feel motherly pride as she looked at the three young kits. "The tabby should be Tigerkit, of course," she managed to purr hoarsely. "And I like Shrewkit for the tom. What do you think, Leopardfa-" then the next pain came, and she started to groan again.

The little black tom-kit, his mother's spitting image, gave a weak gasp and began to breathe. Something was wrong. Breathing shouldn't feel like this. He was aware of other voices mewling to eachother, and a pained groaning, but the world slipped away as his breathing grew labored. The fluid from his birth seeped into his weak lungs.

The dark brown She-kit (Viperkit) wriggled in her spot. She didn't know where she was and she didn't like this place. Where she came from was warm, comfortable, and quiet. Here it was cold, uncomfortable, and filled with mewing she didn't understand and loud groans of pain. She flexed her small claws quickly. She tried to find her mother, but something was holding her back and she could feel something coarse rubbing her body.

Dawnflower looked between the queen, and the kit she didn't know who to help first. Finally she decided to try and help the kit seeing how the queen wasn't having trouble breathing. She didn't have anything to clear lungs! What was she supposed to do? Carefully she warmed up the kit, and and nudged his back a few times trying to get him to cough up the liquid in his lungs. You can do this Dawnflower.

Panting, Shimmerfrost gave a brief yowl as the last kit (Webkit), a tom-kit, emerged. The sudden relief almost brought her to tears as she slumped down in her nest and looked at her handiwork. She watched, concerned, as Dawnflower tried to help Shrewkit. "What's wrong with him?" she asked anxiously.

Shrewkit felt a cat nudging him, but he couldn't concentrate. He needed to breathe. He knew he needed to breathe, but his lungs filled up with too much fluid and he slowly slipped away. Aren't kits supposed to live longer? was his first and last coherent thought.

"No.. no.." Dawnflower whispered softly as the kit stopped breathing, watching his body go limp, and start going cold. She shook her head unsure of what to say, but it was clear the medicine cat was crushed. Birth was supposed to be beautiful. She turned her head to the queen but the light green eyes didn't exactly meet the queen's. "He is with Starclan now.." She whispered loud enough for the two warriors to hear. "I did what a could.." She said softly. At least he got a name.

The medicine cat turned her attention to the three kits that were alive. She looked at them before looking up to Shimmerheart. "These guys are perfectly healthy. Two little she-kits, and a tom." She said nudging the three toward their mother. After moving the three kits the medicince cat shoved another small stack of herbs towards the queen. "Too help with you milk." The medicine cat informed even though she looked distance.

She looked at the body of the small kit, and gave off sigh. They would need to sit and mourn tonight. "I will give you two a moment with him before he is moved into the clearing." And with that the Medicine Cat left the den.

OOC: I believe Webkit is a tom.

Leopardfang's rapid grooming of two of the kits halted. He stared at the lifeless tomkit, and the realization that the young creature hadn't made it brought a sudden pain to him. "Thank you, Dawnflower. Your help is very much appreciated." He said to the medicine cat as she left, his focus not turning from the small kit. After the shock had done its damage, Leopardfang's gaze fell back to Tigerkit and her unnamed siblings who had been placed at Shimmerheart's side. "The other two still need to be named." The deputy meowed quietly. It was the mother's privilege to name her kits. He didn't want to intrude upon her right to name them, so he offered no suggestions. Instead he just left his pained gaze on Shrewkit's breathless body, wondering how StarClan could give life only to take it away after a few mere heartbeats.

OOC: Webkit is a tom.

Webkit squirmed uncomfortably, he didn't like the cold and the distress his mother had wasn't helping much either. He felt strange in the new foreign world and the sound of grief wasn't the best noise to be welcomed to. When he was nudged towards his mother, he relaxed and tried to ignore the sharp tang of herbs Dawnflower carried on her.

OOC: Sorry, the allegiances say he's a she.

"How about Viperkit?" Shimmerheart murmured as she gazed at the second she-kit. "And, what do you think of Webkit for the tom?" She didn't say it out loud, but she found it appropriate to pay homage to the fact that she would never be a medicine cat, but still respected their ways. And she wouldn't change that for a million pieces of fresh-kill. She smiled as she looked at her mate. Handsome, kind, loving, strong- what more could a she-cat ask for? "I love my kits," she purred. "And I love you."

Webkit mewed as he shakily crawled from his mother to lay beside his fallen brother. He nudged Shrewkit with his nose before trying to warm him. Webkit didn't know what was going on but, he knew that he wanted to help Shrewkit and he was doing his best.