Kits! (OPEN BIRTH TOPIC)

A large grey furry lump sat in a cozy nest, a long, feathery tail lying still behind it. Mist ripped apart a plump sparrow, sharp eyes scanning the old abandoned barn as she ate. The rogue had been anxious for the whole pregnancy, thinking about Pikefall and the forbidden kits she was bearing. How could he have left her just as she was pregnant with his kits? The little rat.. but she still loved him, and wanted him to come back. Suddenly, she felt a ripple pulse through her stomach, and then a sharp pain near her abdomen. The kits were coming. Grabbing a stick between her jaws, she called out for the other rogues. "Bat, Pepper," she choked on her words, hoping they would hear her. Her tail lashed furiously from the pain.

Bat hauled most of the weight now, long walks to keep Pepper alive made her exhausted and left him to take care of other tasks. He would never complain, his mate was suffering and this was his job. Grabbing a bundle of herbs, organized just for kitting he settled next to her. "Alright, Mist, you'll be fine." He placed a paw on her stomach, feeling for the kits as hoping that any pain wouldn't results in Mist hitting him.

((How many?))

(3, 1 is a stillborn)

Mist's jaws tightened like a vice around the twig, almost snapping it into pieces. She faintly nodded towards Bat, the pain growing.

"Usually I'd have you take the herbs now but, I suppose it can wait until afterwards, I don't think you're letting go of that stick." He sighed, "When the next pain comes, I want you to push, focus on your breathing. It'll be fine."

Mist nodded uneasily, her tail twitching. Another searing pain ran through her, this time more intense and painful than the last. The rogue convulsed for a moment or two, before remembering the black tom's instructions. She did as she was told, and began to push with all her might. After a period of painful pushing, the first of the litter was born - a grey-brown tortoiseshell tabby. Mist purred for a few seconds, recognising the life she had given, and then began pushing again. Soon the whole litter was out, but one of the kits seemed.. cold. Lifeless. "B-Bat?" she stuttered, "What's wrong with.. with the last kit?" Her paw weakly pointed at the frightfully small brown kit.

Bat bent down, giving the kit a sniff and began grooming the fur, wanting to warm the kit and help it breathe. He watched for a response and the pulled it close grooming the chest fur to help again. "C'mon... c'mon.. c-c'mon.." Bat murmured, when he got no response, he tried, and then he tried again, and, again and, again.... and.. again. Finally he had to stop himself. His eyes darkened with grief that also swirled with the warmth of sympathy. "I'm.. I'm so sorry, Mist. This one.. didn't.. didn't make it. Take as much time as you need, okay? I've.. I've gone through this before. I'll dig a grave, it'll be out of harm's way and.. and.. What do you need, Mist?" he asked softly. Shifting slightly, he grabbed sprigs of lavender to prepare the body. He also mixed some herbs used for grief with the borage leaves. He'd lie and say they were all the same. The chamomile and juniper berries mixed easily into the mixture. He moved the large oak leaf containing the mixture to the new mother. "Here, to make sure your other kittens are well fed." he rubbed the lavender into the brown kit's fur. The separate pile would be used on Mist to soothe her later. Hopefully the kits would also fall asleep from the scent. He forced a purr out to soothe the grief filled mother, a low rumble was all that clawed out his throat.

Mist's wide eyes only widened more as Bat's words seemed to sear through her skull like powerful rays from the sun. It wasn't true. It couldn't be true. The grey she-cat seemed to recoil from the dead kit, as if it was cursed. "I-I.. I.." Mist stuttered, trying to form the proper words but ending up failing. She pulled her living kits closer to her body, wrapping her long fluffy tail around them. "t-thank," she muttered, "that's.. that's.. kind." Her voice was hoarse as she reluctantly ate the herbs, then turned around so that she was facing the wall. She didn't want to talk to any cat right now, not even the one who just helped her save her two other kits.