The unexpected flight [Birth Topic; Closed]

A weariness had settled within her, one that Ivyfall has passed off as just her general stress and flakey health getting to her, leaving the deputy feeling more exhausted by simple tasks. The rational part of her knew that she would be best off asking Cloudstone why she was feeling this way, yet she couldn't bring herself to admit to the tom that she was weakening in fear that she was getting old. She was younger than Fishstar, younger than most of the other clan deputies, yet she was weakening. It was an embarrassment, RiverClan needed her more than ever yet she was tiring ever so quickly.

Or that's what she thought until a rack of pain lanced through her, she stumbled mid-pounce, collapsing on her side near a tree at the Beech Copse. At first, she panicked, thinking that she'd been attacked but then the familiar pulsating pain gave away what was really happening. This wasn't her first litter, though it was the first kitting that she'd have outside of camp. Suddenly all the fatigue, the heaviness in her limbs made sense. It all clicked together so neatly that she felt embarrassed for herself. She'd been a queen before, she should have known.

Yet her belly was barely round, and the normal headaches she got from being pregnant weren't there. But it made sense, she'd had flirtations with Galewind before they'd gone to fight WindClan. The timing was unmistakable.

Panting through the pain, Ivyfall found herself a little nook in the roots to curl up out of the cold. She scrapped together some moss and leaves until the pain got too much and the queen found herself on her side. It was painful, especially without the assistance of any medicine cat or herbs, but she'd faced worse in battle. Within hours, three little kits were born, though only two lived.

Carefully, she disposed of the other kit in a few bites, hiding it's scent from the world. She was in no state to fight off a fox or wandering badger. Then she set to work cleaning up the other two, nudging them towards her belly.

"I name you Jaykit, for your beautiful pelt. And you, I name Hailkit, after your father and the stormy colours of your fur. May StarClan never take you, and your hunts be fruitful my little ones." Ivyfall meowed, a little sadly as she thought of what she might have named the third kit. But she took comfort in the other two kits, knowing that they'd be strong sons that would not die so easily.

The small tom squealed, his tiny grey body moving in slight, jerky movements, paws reaching out to latch onto Ivyfall's teats. Hailkit let out a loud mew, testing his lungs, kicking the equally tiny shape beside him to get closer to his mother's belly. 

It was there the tom-kit fell asleep, shrouded in warmth and comfort, small feet twitching in his slumber.