Oh StarClan Not Again (Otterwater birth topic; closed for Otter, kits and meddies)

Shellwater lay awkwardly on her side in the nursery, pregnant belly protruding oddly as she trued to sleep in her nest. This pregnancy was, if possible, more painful and annoying than the first one, but there was one major difference: these kits came from a tom that actually loved her. The kits had been kicking more lately and she had been in constant pain for the last day, but it was still an unpleasant surprise when the spasms started. She knew what to do now, as she had done it before, but with the excruciating pain that racked her body, it was hard not to panic. "Otterleap! Cloudstone! They're coming!" Oh StarClan, not again...

Hearing Shellwater's cry, Otterleap shot out of his nest, waking up his denmates as he nearly stepped on Ivyfall's tail in his haste to get out. Some of the warriors blearily wished him luck, but he was too frazzled to hear their words. Though Shellwater had a safe kitting last time, he'd heard too many horror stories of queens bleeding out and dying mid birth. And if that wasn't enough, often kits died soon after birth, never even making apprenticehood. 'StarClan watch over us,' he prayed as he entered the nursery carefully, trying not to disturb the other queens as he came by Shellwater, sitting next to her and giving her a comforting lick on the head.

"I'm here. I'm here... Relax, you'll be fine. Cloudstone will be here soon, relax." He tried to distract her from the pain, purring warmly despite the rising panic inside of him.

He'd been prepared this time, having seen Shellwater give birth once before. Cloudstone knew exactly how much of what herb to give her. "Bouncepaw! Grab me a stick, it's the perfect time for you to learn how to help in a kitting," he called back to his apprentice, carrying the perfect amount of borage and poppy, although he was always hesitant to give a queen those seeds, as they were often dangerous to the kittens.

"Alright Shellwater, do you feel anything different from your last litter?" His dark eyes were only visible due to a small reflection coming from the light outside the den. The coming of the fresh season would soon be upon them, and the herbs would return. No longer would he be forced to ration his supply.

Shellwater smiled as Otterleap came in. There was no cat she'd rather have by her side. She wouldn't be alone this time! "N-No," she made out as Cloudstone came in, her body trembling with exertion and adrenaline. She accepted the herbs gratefully, but she could barely get them down her dry throat. "It's a li-little less p-painful-" contradictory to her earlier words, she let out a loud screeching yowl in the middle of her sentence. Her calico body gave another spasm and then contracted, sliding out a little wet bundle of fur (Sparkkit). One down, StarClan only knows how many more left.

Otterleap was quick to clean up the first kit, nipping the sac and licking it till it squeak in protest against his harsh licks. It was a daughter, a little she-kit that resembled her mother. But he didn't get long to take her in, knowing that another was on the way, he carefully placed on the nest, curling around her to keep her warm till all her siblings joined her. "She's beautiful, Shellwater. You're doing so well!"

-

The little calico kit mewled angrily, searching with open mouth for a teat that wasn't there. She was cold, wet and hungry, being with her father for now felt wrong.

Shellwater gazed in awe at her firstborn kit during a small moment of peace, forgetting everything else until her body was once more racked with pain. Instincts guiding her through, she bore another calico she-kit (Splashkit) and a white she-kit that looked exactly like her father before she quite knew what was happening. Where was Bouncepaw with that stick?

The unnamed white she-kit gave a pitiful mewl, searching for her mother's warmth. The world around her was full of strange scents and sensations and she didn't know what was happening. She wriggled around until she found her mother's warm belly.

The warm air of the nursery felt rather cold to Splashkit's small damp form, nipping fiercely at her thick, soft fur- an angry shriek escaping her lips in response. Squirming forward angrily, she kicked her weak limbs out as sporadically as she reached Shellwater's belly, accidentally kicking her snow-colored sibling in her search.

The was a cat sitting next to the happy couple, just hidden from view. With stars in his pelt and a ghostly visage, Gorsefeather watched the birth happen with a calm disinterest until she was born. Splashkit, the soul of a medicine cat destined for the life of warrior. Never let it be said that StarClan was infallible, she was living proof that they weren't.

To get a better look of the kit, he approached the father, Otterleap and meowed to him. "Go get your mate a stick. She'll need one, and yell at that fool apprentice for taking so long."

Then he settled to have a look at the kit, pretending not to see Cloudstone who was so close to him. The former medicine cat couldn't deny that he was tempted to appear before the tom, speak to the son that he abandoned, but now wasn't the time. Maybe, maybe another time they could meet, but it wasn't today. So he did his duty, looking down to confirm that she was the one.

She was.

The tom sighed to himself, this was complicated but not all was lost. Maybe she'd grow up normally, never knowing the instincts that were intertwined with her soul. Unlikely, but it wasn't an impossible idea. He would report back that StarClan would have to interfere with her apprentice ceremony, make sure a good mentor would guide her well away from her original role.

"May we light your path till you join us."

Then he left.

-

Otterleap cleaned up the kits before suddenly he had the idea to find a stick for Shellwater to bite down on. Leaving their firstborn with the others, the tom meowed to the queen softly. "I'll find you something to bite down on, Bouncepaw is taking a while. I'll be back, Shell."

He got up quickly, ducking past Cloudstone to race off for something sturdy.

'Where in Starclan is Bouncepaw?' The medicine cat shook his head and pressed lightly on the queen's belly, feeling for how many kits were left. Three were already born, and he nudged the she-kit Otterleap had taken back towards her mother. He thought he was mistaken at the count, but checking once again confirmed something he hadn't seen before. "It'll be over soon, okay? You'll have your paws full. There's two or three more, just keep pushing."

An odd feeling came over him. For a moment it felt as if someone had entered the den. He turned his head, and thinking it was Bouncepaw, he opened his mouth to speak. However, no one was there. Otterleap had disappeared for a moment, but it still felt as if someone else was in the den. Shaking the confusing thought away, he returned his focus to helping Shellwater, helping to keep the kittens warm with his white tail.

Bouncepaw rushed in, fetching a stick. He had been so distracted lately! Blushing with embarrassment, he handed the stick to Cloudstone. "Here," he said hurriedly. I'm such a failure! he groaned inwardly.

ooc;; pls pm me I didn't even know D:

Shellwater nodded and strained not to yowl as two more kits (Orchidkit and Elmkit) slid out in quick succession. Panting and heaving, she let out a final hiss of pain as the last kit (Berrykit) slid out. As the pangs subsided, the calico queen gazed in wonder at her kits. The kits of her and Otterleap. She drew them close with a black-and-orange mottled paw.