Through Pain, Sometimes There is Joy [MOONBATS/OPEN]

Moonshine hadn't necessarily enjoyed staying in the nursery, but she knew that it was important as the time for kitting drew near. She had been excited, for once not worried about what some far away relative thought of her. He didn't matter anymore... She was going to start her own family. With Batglow. He'd been such a good friend and an even better listener. How he always managed to make her dreary days brighter was a mystery to her. She envied his confidence and inner strength, but now she was more than grateful for it. During the beginning of the night, Moonshine suddenly felt a pain in her belly. Then another. Then another. Was this it? Was it finally time?

"Rookfire..." She muttered softly, as she wasn't completely sure at first was what going on. Then a much worse pain washed over her, making her growl. "Rookfire!!!" She yowled this time. Hopefully the medicine cat would appear soon. Poppy seeds.... she needed poppy seeds... or whatever Rookfire could give her to ease this agony.


Three kits... three beautiful kits lay suckling at her belly. Moonshine herself was exhausted, but couldn't stop sleepily staring at them. "You're all so... perfect." Her eyes went to Batglow, and a smile that hurt her face wasn't one that she was able to wipe off. "Do you have any names for them?"

The unnamed black kit mewled quietly at her mother's belly, tiny paws pawing at her fur. Long fangs reminiscent of her father's showed as she opened her mouth. One of her paws lightly tapped one of her siblings, and she let out a startled mew. Who was that? She tried to swat the warm fur, but it turned out not being able to see... or hear... or anything, really, grievously impaired her ability to hit things. She let out another mew, confused at the world, before remembering the milk. She turned her attention back to suckling, and tuned out the world.

Batglow had a soft grin on his face at the sight of his kits, and his mate. She did so well bringing their kits into the world. "Names..?" He didn't even think he would be the one naming them, but she gave him the chance to do so. "This one.." He said gesturing his paw to the black she-kit, "Pantherkit.. is that fine?" He asked his mate. He then looked at the black tom that was similar to his sister. "This one can be Nightkit.. and the other one." He said turning his yellow green gaze to the spotted pelt. "Can be Cheetahkit. I hope all those names are okay with you." He said looking to Moonshine.

One second, she was caught in darkness. Secured. It was all she had ever known, so it was at least comforting. The next, however, she was.... The darkness wasn't... as dark. It was as if there was a faint glow there, somewhere, just out of her reach. Alas, her eyes were screwed shut. Instinctively, she crawled in the direction of the one thing she knew: milk. Settling between her ebony-coated littermates, she grabbed with tiny claws for her mother's stomach, and began suckling.

A high-pitched mew shrilled past her lips, unbeknownst to Cheetahkit, of course, as something smacked at her sides. What was that? In turn, she took a swipe at whatever was closest beside her -- a growly little thing she was, already.

The little tom mewled gently as something jostled beside him. Momentarily distracted, the little kit lifted his head away from his mother's belly and cried out softly, testing his new voice. Everything seemed so strange! The warm, comforting scent of milk brought his face back to his mother's belly, and the black tom went back to suckling peacefully. The little kit felt comfortable and safe, even if everything around him was unknown to him.

Rookfire heard Moonshine's cry, rushing to her side. It was obvious that the queen was in labor, and in serious pain. Grabbing the chervil and a stick, he gave them to Moonshine. "Open your mouth," Rookfire said, Squeezing the juices out of the chervil, the black tuxedo tried comforting Moonshine. "It's gonna be alright. You'll get through this."

When it was finally over, the black tuxedo sighed. Three tiny kits, all healthy and beautiful. He watched as Batglow named them. Pantherkit, Nightkit, and Cheetahkit... Rookfire didn't see an issue with those names personally, and even if he did he wouldn't be able to control it. "Congratulations, you two," the medicine cat said with a smile. "Three healthy kits." Honestly, he didn't really know how to congratulate queens (and their mates) on their litter, but he rolled with it anyways, and he knew that it was something worth congratulating.

"Those names are... perfect actually." Batglow certainly had a knack for names. The queen set her head upon the floor, feeling a wave of exhaustion wash over her. "I'm going to sleep for a little while I think. You're welcome to stay." She said to Batglow. Her tail curled partially around her three kittens. They would make a beautiful addition to Shadowclan.

Moonshine will actually be dying to a rogue cat instead, but this will be the second to last thread I have with her.