The Six - Powers: Chapter Two

A/N: Yay new chap. X3 Please review, and remember, don’t be to harsh, only like my second story (or first, cause the other one I’m not sure if I’m gonna finish it anymore :(… or it’ll just be awhile, so lets just call this one my first XD), plus I don’t take criticism very well xP well, I might if you’re nicer about it and not just like “Omg this sucks you need to like improve yur writing, its boring and not good, what r u five years old?”… And yeah XD please be nicer like “Its not THAT bad but you could still improve your writing, it needs to be more exciting and like ‘**gasp**’ and things like that.” Or something XD anyways rambling on… XD Please read and review :)

CHAPTER TWO

Otterpaw looked up happily at her white-furred mentor. It was true, she was going to miss her mother – Dovestripe – very much, but she couldn’t wait to become a Warrior! “What are we going to do first, Icecloud?” Her mentor suddenly stopped walking, and Otterpaw wondered what she was doing. “I’ll teach you how to climb trees.” She mewed suddenly, making Otterpaw jump. She nodded her gray-brown head, and followed her mentor. “Grasp the tree with your claws – make sure you extend your claws as far as you can. Keep a firm grasp with your other paws as you use each one to climb higher.”

          “Like this?” Otterpaw called to Icecloud as she swiftly made her way up the tree. “That’s right! Keep going!” Her mentor called back. “Go for that branch! Push with your hind legs!” Otterpaw looked around quickly and a branch caught her eye. “Okay…” She murmured, unsure if she could do it. Strength filled her frail limbs and she leaped toward the branch. A sharp pain entered her stomach when Otterpaw was three mouse-lengths away, making her drop down. Paws scrambled to keep hold of the branch, but a shrieking pain entered her paws, making her stumble down onto the ground. Blackness entered her mind as a branch fell down onto her leg, crushing it.

          “Jayfeather, I didn’t mean to…” She heard her mentor’s mew, as she was half-conscious, half-unconscious. Blue eyes fluttered open softly before she saw blackness again.

          “Do not fear; kit.” A deep mew entered her ears as her eyes slowly blinked open. “Who are you? Where am I? Am I dead?” Questions continued to ramble out of her mouth. “Hush, you’re alright.” A dark gray tom mewed soothingly. “I am Leopardstar, former RiverClan leader. This is Crookedstar, the leader before me,” A spotted golden tabby flicked her tail to the first cat to speak. He was big, and a light brown tabby. He had green eyes and his jaw was crooked. “And I am Stonefur. Leopardstar’s former deputy.” The dark gray tom mewed. “You are not dead, Otterpaw. We are StarClan cats; we have come to tell you something. You must become a Warrior, Otterpaw. Don’t let that leg injury of yours stop you – but that’s not what I wanted to tell you,” Leopardstar mewed again. “Do you know who your parents are?”

          “Yes, my mother is Dovestripe and she says my father is from a different Clan but she won’t tell me who and-“ Leopardstar nodded. “Dovestripe is part of a prophecy. So are Jayfeather and Lionblaze, they are the fathers of the other kits. StarClan sent Jayfeather a prophecy the night you were born. ‘Three will become six’. You and the other kits are the six that came from the three – Jayfeather, Lionblaze, and Dovestripe. You all have powers.” Three will become six… “I have powers? What are they?”

          “Yes. But we cannot tell you – it would disrupt the prophecy, and we aren’t even entirely sure. Please understand this. We have come to train you. Icecloud will train you in the daytime and we will train you in your dreams at night. You have a very important part in the prophecy – you and your brother can save the Clans from something that is coming very soon; each of you can save the Clans in a different way… and finally you can save them together.” Crookedstar mewed. “You and Sunpaw must find your powers soon, or else the Clans will be washed away forever…”

          Otterpaw gasped as she sat straight up, and let out a shriek as a throbbing pain entered her leg. “Mouse-brain!” Jayfeather spat at her. “You broke your leg. You won’t be able to use it ever again.” He told her. No! She screeched in her mind. “H-how do you know?” Jayfeather sighed. “Leafpool. Her mentor – Cinderpelt – was just the same.” Otterpaw shook her head. “B-but, I have to become a Warrior!” She pleaded. “I know,” Jayfeather mewed. “I walked in your dreams.”

          “So… Shadepaw and Twinklepaw are really your kits?” Jayfeather lashed his tail in irritation. “Could you be louder, please? I want Cherrypaw to hear every word you’re saying!” He hissed quietly. “Cherrypaw? Molestrike became a War-“ Jayfeather hissed again. “Don’t you know anything? Medicine Cats take longer than Warriors!” Otterpaw let out a hiss of fury. “Why do you have to be so mean? You’d never act like this to Shadepaw and Twinklepaw!”

          Jayfeather whipped his gray tabby head towards her. His fiery blue eyes turned soft. “I was thinking about giving her a Medicine Cats’ name…” He murmured. “She’s a great Medicine Cat, she deserves to have one… Maybe I’ll give it to her in the morning. She has experienced everything I have, kitting, injured Warriors, sickness… Not to mention your leg.” He added, his voice growing softer by the minute.

          Otterpaw sighed, closed her eyes, and drifted off to sleep.

“Molestrike?” The bright ginger tom mewed warily. “Sunpaw,” His mentor mewed back. “What are we going to do?” His brown-and-cream furred mentor thought for a while, and then turned to him. “Well, Fawnpaw and Sprucepaw went hunting, Otterpaw went out in the forest with Icecloud, I don’t think Shadepaw’s mentor has decided yet, and Twinklepaw… well I don’t know where she went,” The tom rambled on. “Why don’t we try something different?” Sunpaw’s green eyes brightened. “You could clean the elders’ bedding and listen to some stories, the Clans’ history is very important.” Sunpaw’s ears drooped, then perked up as he thought about it. “Okay. Should I go to Jayfeather for bedding?” Molestrike nodded, his amber eyes watching the tom pad away. “I’m going to be the best apprentice ever!” He told himself, padding with his tail high towards the medicine cats’ den.

          “Jayfeather,” He called. “I need some bedding for the elders.” The gray tabby padded to the back of the stone den, and came back with a ball of moss and feathers. “It’s a little damp, and you might want to check it for thorns.” The bright ginger apprentice nodded. He was usually quite awkward around other cats, but he seemed to have a connection with Jayfeather. He padded out into the clearing, rolling the ball of moss with him. Tearing it apart with his small claws, he looked for thorns; luckily, there was only three. He picked up small groups of moss up in his jaws, shaking his head rapidly before tipping it from side to side to let the water drip off. Eventually finishing, he rolled it all into a ball again and padded into the elder’s den. The pale ginger head of Sandstorm turned to him, her pale green eyes filled with sadness. Graystripe ran his tail along her back, trying to comfort her.

          Everyone knew Sandstorm was still upset about Firestar’s death, which happened almost twelve moons ago. “I-I’m here to replace the, uh… bedding.” Sunpaw stuttered, his face turning hot with embarrassment. Sandstorm nodded, and turned to him before she padded out. “Your pelt is the same color Firestar’s was.” Sunpaw saw Sandstorm’s eyes turn wet as she padded out to leave. The other elders followed, Graystripe throwing a glance at him.

          “What do you want to hear about first?” Mousefur rasped, her amber eyes gazing into his green ones. Sunpaw thought, and then shrugged. “What about the great journey?” Purdy suggested, turning to look at Mousefur. The dusky brown she-cat nodded, and looked back at Sunpaw.

          “Four cats – one from each Clan, were selected to go on a great journey,” Mousefur began. “Brambleclaw from ThunderClan, Tawnypelt from ShadowClan, Crowfeather – ‘paw then, from WindClan, and Feathertail from RiverClan.” She told him, and Sunpaw nodded. “But two other cats; Squirrelflight – also ‘paw then, and Stormfur, Feathertail’s brother, came along.”

          “They traveled for days, meeting a badger named Midnight at the Sundrown place,” Midnight? Sundrown place? Questions filled Sunpaw’s head, but he continued listening anyways. “She spoke cat, and told them many things. They journeyed to the Mountains, and they met the Tribe of Rushing Water. They thought Stormfur was the cat in a prophecy from the Tribe of Endless Hunting – their StarClan, but in the end it turned out to be Feathertail. She died saving them, and Stormfur stayed with the tribe because he was in love with one of the cats.” Sunpaw shook his head, amazed.

          “M-Molestrike?” Sunpaw padded out in the clearing, looking for his mentor. His voice echoed around, the stone hollow empty. Gulping, he slowly stepped forward. “Sunpaw!” A cat called, he turned around to see a red-brown tom padding towards him. “I am Oakheart.” He told him. “You and Otterpaw must discover your powers.” Sunpaw looked at him funny, and then remembered what Molestrike had told him. Two other cats joined this tom called Oakheart, one a black-and-white tom with a very long tail, and the other a short-tailed brown tom. The black-and-white one spoke; “I am Tallstar,” He told him. “A cat is going to come, Sunpaw, trying to convince the Clans to journey to the Sundrown place, and a great trouble will be there. But this is all a part of your destiny; but beware – you must find your power; Otterpaw too. Your power will have a great part in this trouble, but you won’t be strong enough to face it alone.” The other cat spoke now; “I am Barkface. We will be training you in your dreams at night, your mentors will not be enough to train you all for your destiny to come.”

          Gasping, Sunpaw sat straight up. Honeypaw stirred next to him, her blue eyes like crystal clear pools of water. Her silver tabby fur shone in the moonlight flickering in the den, from her muzzle all the way down to her long-furred length tail. The fur drooped down almost as if it was a curtain as she raised her tail, looking at him. “Are you okay?” She mewed softly. Sunpaw nodded, and sat up in his nest next to Honeypaw. Flinching back as she licked his ear, he looked at her shyly. “Sorry.” She murmured. Something about the she-cat gave Sunpaw a warm feeling inside, but he didn’t know why. Sunpaw licked her ear back, and the she-cat purred. “Do you want to go out in the clearing?” Sunpaw nodded his flame-colored head, and the silver tabby rose to her paws. He followed her out, and picked out a mouse to share with her.

          Settling down beside Honeypaw, his pelt brushing hers, he nosed the mouse towards her. They took turns taking bites until the mouse was gone. Bumblestripe padded out in the clearing and sat down outside the Warriors’ den. “Young love,” He purred, spotting the two apprentices. Honeypaw looked away in embarrassment, and Sunpaw stared at Bumblestripe. Did Honeypaw love him? …Did he love her?

          Ivypool eventually came out of the Warriors’ den, and followed Bumblestripe out into the forest. Honeypaw nuzzled his shoulder, and settled her head down under his. A purr escaped his throat and his eyes closed, slowly dozing off.

A/N: Oi, Otterpaw’s hurt already x3 Maybe this young she-cat is just to frail to be a Warrior? Or was it something else? …And I tried to make her calmer than the others x.X My hyper-ness when I’m happy (AKA when I’m writing! :) ) is rubbing off on them XD.

Now about Sunpaw… cuteness! X3 (or at least I think he’s cute :P) **also, he just has a connection with Jayfeather, don’t think its anything else -_- dun worry, you’ll find out why later >:D** Sorry this ones kinda short. x.x

The Six - Powers: Chapter One

A/N: Yay it stinks XD but please don’t be to mean. Its like… my second story (first ones on hold for now, I guess :\)… yay… and please, if you feel like it, say how you think I could improve my writing. I’m still very young, though, if you’re wondering. But I want to be an author so please criticize :)

CHAPTER ONE

“We’re becoming apprentices today, Sprucekit! Wake up!” Fawnkit mewed to her brother. Out of all the kits, Fawnkit was the only one who never did anything wrong; she knew she would get the best mentor. “I wonder who I’ll get as a mentor,” Fawnkit mewed to Sprucekit as they stepped out of the nursery. “Maybe I’ll get Brackenstar!” She purred. “You mouse-brain!” Sprucekit teased her. “Don’t you know anything? Leaders only mentor deputies kits!” Fawnkit huffed. “Well, maybe we’re secretly Bumblestripe’s kits!” She purred. “No! We’re Lionblaze’s kits!” Her brother argued.

          “How do you know?” Fawnkit hissed. “Fawnkit!” Cinderheart padded out of the nursery. “That’s enough of that! You’re Lionblaze’s kits!” Fawnkit looked at her paws, embarrassed. “All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting!” Brackenstar’s call rang out, his voice steady. “Here we go!” Fawnkit mewed, charging forward - only to be pulled back by Cinderheart. “Not with that fur you aren’t.” Fawnkit sighed and quickly cleaned her fur. “There. All clean; now can we go, Cinderheart?” Her mother’s blue eyes twinkled as she bent down to clean her fur. Once she finished, she raced off to join the other kits. “I can’t wait to get out of the nursery!” She complained. In the past six moons, five kits had been born; and only a moon ago had Daisy and Sorreltail’s kits moved out of the nursery. Now there was Mountainpaw, Fallenpaw, Honeypaw, Firepaw, and Longpaw – Fawnkit wasn’t sure what’d be worse, a nursery with five queens and five kits, or an apprentice den with eleven apprentices. One thing she did know though, was that they needed more Warriors. “Molepaw, please step forward.” Brackenstar locked gazes with the brown-and-cream tom before looking up to the sky. “I, Brackenstar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my Warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. He has trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend him to you as a Warrior in his turn.” The golden-brown tabby looked down at Molepaw once again. “Molepaw, do you promise to uphold the Warrior Code and protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your life?” Molepaw stood firm, his single brown paw held in front of him proudly. “I do.” Brackenstar nodded, and continued. “Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your Warrior name. Molepaw, from this day forward, you shall be known as Molestrike. StarClan honors your bravery and your strength, and we welcome you as a full member of StarClan.” With that he hopped off the Highrock to rest is muzzle on top of his head. Molestrike licked his leader’s shoulder, and Brackenstar murmured a few words to him, the new Warrior nodding. “Molestrike! Molestrike! Molestrike!” The Clan cheered, Fawnkit cheering the loudest.

          Fawnkit’s whole body tingled as Brackenstar asked her to step forward. “From this day forward, until she has earned her Warrior name, this apprentice will be called Fawnpaw.” He looked down at the new apprentice. “I am free of an apprentice, and will mentor you myself.” Fawnpaw’s eyes twinkled at this, rushing forward to touch noses with ThunderClan’s leader, her heart pounding. Immediately afterwards she shot an “I told you so!” Look at Sprucekit.

          “Sprucekit, please step forward.” Fawnpaw’s brother shot her a glance before slowly stepping forward. “From this day forward, until he has earned his Warrior name, this apprentice will be called Sprucepaw.” Brackenstar repeated, and turned to look at Blossomfall. “Blossomfall, you have learned the Warrior Code well and treat your Clan with respect, for that you will mentor Sprucepaw.” Blossomfall stepped forward to touch noses with Sprucepaw, and Fawnpaw felt a pang of envy. Blossomfall was so pretty – why couldn’t she look like that?

          Fawnpaw continued thinking about it; discovering she had missed half of Otterkit’s ceremony. “Icecloud, you fight well and tend to others when needed; you are truly a Warrior, for this you shall mentor Otterpaw.” Otterpaw and Icecloud touched noses, and Fawnpaw began thinking again. If they were from completely different litters, and had different parents – why were they all the same age? This truly puzzled her, but she shook it away as Sunkit stepped forward.

          “Molestrike, you are a new Warrior, but have proved yourself worthy of an apprentice, you will mentor Sunpaw.” Molestrike? He just became a Warrior. Why did Brackenstar choose him?

          “Squirrelflight, you are an experienced Warrior and have proved yourself worthy of ThunderClan many times; you experienced going on the great journey – and were one of the six that went to the mountains first, I hope you pass on all your knowledge and experience to Shadepaw.”

          “Crowfeather, you left your Clan to be with Leafpool; that shows true courage and strength – I hope you pass these skills on to Twinklepaw.” Fawnpaw looked at Crowfeather warily as Brackenstar said that. “What does he mean he left his Clan to be with Leafpool?” She whispered to Blossomfall. “He used to be a WindClan Warrior.” Blossomfall answered. Fawnpaw felt a ping of envy again, but shook it away. “Fawnpaw! Sprucepaw! Otterpaw! Sunpaw! Shadepaw! Twinklepaw!” The Clan cheered the new apprentices. Fawnpaw felt happiness sweep over her as the Clan chanted their names.

          “Come, Fawnpaw.” Brackenstar motioned with his tail for her to follow as he slipped out of the thorn-tunnel. “Fawnpaw, you should know something…” Brackenstar began to murmur. Voices filled Fawnpaw’s ears as she sat there. “Cat!” One of them said. “Food! Must find food!” Said another. She shook them away, and looked at Brackenstar.  “It’s a long story, but here goes,” Her leader sighed and pondered his thoughts for a while. “Your father – Lionblaze, and his brother Jayfeather, were part of a prophecy; Dovestripe, too. They have powers, Lionblaze can’t get hurt in battle, Jayfeather can see in his dreams and see your thoughts and memories, and Dovestripe can see and hear things far away. Shadepaw and Twinklepaw are kits of Jayfeather,” Fawnpaw gasped at this. “You and Sprucepaw are kits of Lionblaze. And Otterpaw and Sunpaw are kits of Dovestripe,” Brackenstar paused. “Jayfeather received a – strange, unclear prophecy the night you were born. He thinks you might have powers, same with the other five of you. The prophecy was ‘Three will become six’. Do you understand what this means?” Fawnpaw thought for a while. “Three will become six… Oh! I get it, Jayfeather, Lionblaze, and Dovestripe are the three and we’re the six that are kits of the three!” So this means we have powers! Brackenstar nodded. “You are the six that came from the three. But I’m sure the prophecy has a meaning for something far ahead of us – so lets do some basic training.”

          “Must find food for fam-“ The mouse was cut off as Brackenstar leapt on it. “Brackenstar!” The golden-brown tabby whipped around, a mouse in his jaws. “I think I found my power!” A purr escaped her leaders throat; only to be cut off as Fawnpaw mewed again. “I can hear what other animals say! Like that mouse you just killed, a-and earlier I could hear them, too!” She rambled on. “Hold on – you can hear what other animals say… can you speak to them?” Brackenstar mewed. “Oh! I don’t know! But… how would I speak to them?” The leader shrugged, and looked down at the ground. “But I can try, I really will!” A purr escaped her and she trudged through the forest. “Cat! Cat!” A voice screeched. Using all her strength, her eyes turned white and she said in an unfamiliar language; “Wait!” The squirrel that had been running stopped, and she huffed in surprise. “H-hi.” She said. “Cat! Cat that can speak squirrel!” The small animal scurried away, and Fawnpaw blinked her eyes. They returned to their normal green color, and Brackenstar padded up behind her. “Y-you spoke squirrel!” His voice was filled with astonishment.

          “Sprucepaw! Sprucepaw!” Her brother whipped around to face her, his amber eyes wide. “Do you know about… the prophecy?” Her voice dropped to a whisper.

“A cat cannot be made deputy without having mentored at least one apprentice.” Blossomfall seemed to shove the Warrior Code into his head, and he sighed. “But, I thought Bumblestripe didn’t have an apprentice? Until Molestrike, that is…” Blossomfall’s eyes narrowed. “Bumblestripe was different. StarClan made an acception. Just like they did Brambleclaw – Firestar’s former deputy. He led the Clan through the battle until the moment of his death. He was a brave and noble Warrior.” Blossomfall was obviously fond of the tom, but Sprucepaw made no comment.

          “The deputy will become Clan leader when the leader dies or retires.” Blossomfall continued, a softer tone in her voice. “After the death or retirement of the deputy, the new deputy must be chosen before moonhigh.” This is all about deputies now! I want to learn how to fight! How to hunt… his thoughts trailed off as Blossomfall continued. “A gathering of all four Clans is held at the full moon during a truce that lasts for the night. There shall be no fighting among Clans at this time.” Blossomfall then looked up at the sky. “Speaking of the gathering, it should be tomorrow!”

          “Really? Can I go? I want to show all the other apprentices how much better I am than them!” Blossomfall narrowed her green eyes. “That’s up to Brackenstar. But we’ll see. For now, we must learn the Warrior Code.”

          “Why did Brackenstar have to make that comment about the Warrior Code?” Sprucepaw moaned after a long night of learning the Warrior Code with Blossomfall. Just as he was padding towards the apprentices den, Fawnpaw called his name. Turning around he listened to what she said. “Yes. Blossomfall just told me and –“ It was to late, he was cut off by Fawnpaw. “I found my power!” His sister purred happily. “What? You mean the prophecy is really about us? We have powers?” He exclaimed.

          “Yes! I can talk to animals!” Fawnpaw’s green eyes twinkled. “Wait what? You can talk to animals?” His sister nodded. “I spoke to a squirrel!” Sprucepaw let out an mrrow of laughter. “A squirrel?” Fawnpaw, obviously realizing how mouse-brained it sounded, scrunched up her nose in irritation. “Yes. A squirrel. And I heard other animals talking, too. But I didn’t want to talk to them.” Shaking his furry brown tabby head, he turned to pad towards the apprentices’ den.

          He blinked open his eyes and a vast land appeared in front of him. Three cats padded towards him; one a blue-gray she-cat, another a thick-furred golden tabby tom, and the last a ginger-flame colored tom. “Sprucepaw,” The blue-gray she-cat mewed. “You have a great destiny ahead of you.” Sprucepaw stared at them, puzzled. “Who are you?” He mewed weakly. “I am Bluestar – former leader of ThunderClan.”

          “I am Lionheart – one of Bluestar’s former deputies.” Mewed the golden tabby. And finally, the ginger-flame colored tom spoke; “I am Firestar. Leader before Brackenstar, apprentice, deputy, and successor of Bluestar.” Sprucepaw shook his head again. “What do you mean one of Bluestar’s former deputies?” He realized this was StarClan – Firestar he knew of, the other two he didn’t. “Am I dead?” He gasped. “Young apprentice, you are not dead.” Lionheart mewed. “I had many deputies. Redtail was killed by Tigerstar, Lionheart killed in a battle with ShadowClan shortly after – Tigerstar… was exiled.” Bluestar mewed quietly. He gasped. “And then Firestar became deputy?”

          “We’ve come here to train you, young kit.” Lionheart told him, his amber gaze never blinking. Firestar spoke again; “You have a great destiny ahead of you.” What? “Think about it, Sprucepaw. Who is here, who is going to train you?” Firestar mewed again, spotting the confusion in his gaze. “Umm… You, Bluestar, and Lionheart.” Two leaders and a deputy! Am I going to become leader? “Am I going to become a leader someday?” He blurted.

          “Perhaps. Only you can truly decide. Blossomfall will teach you by day and we shall teach you by night.” Sprucepaw let out a smirk. He couldn’t wait to tell all the other apprentices he was being trained by StarClan. “I can’t wait to tell the rest of the apprentices about this! Then they’ll see I’m the best!” He blurted again, shuffling his paws in embarrassment. Bluestar sighed. “Sprucepaw, the other five are all being trained, too. Each one of you is being trained in a different way. Each one of you has a different destiny.” Oh… Suddenly Sprucepaw wasn’t as excited as he used to be. But then he remembered; he was going to become leader!

          “So what’re we going to learn?” Firestar, Bluestar, and Lionheart looked at each other. “First – you must learn the traits of a true apprentice.” Sprucepaw let out a moan. “A true apprentice does not moan, Sprucepaw.” Lionheart corrected him. “A true apprentice does whatever his leader, deputy, medicine cat, elders, warriors, and mentor tell him to do. Apprentices are all equal.”

          “Never complain about having to do something. A true apprentice would be happy to do something for his clanmates – thus, do something nice even if no one told you to.” Lionheart continued. “A true apprentice respects his elders by taking care of them and listening to their stories.”

The Six - Powers: Prologue

PROLOGUE

Dovestripe shrieked as a ripple of pain shot through her. “Jayfeather!” She called, noticing Cinderheart was beginning to give birth, too. “Dovestripe,” Briarlight whispered. “What is it, Briarlight?” She whispered back. “You’re both giving birth… and I’m just as many moons pregnant as you!” Dovestripe looked at her funny, then realized what she meant as she motioned with her head to her swollen belly. Putting a paw on her stomach, she felt a ripple shoot through it. “Jayfeather!” She screeched. “Cinderheart, Briarlight, and I are giving birth! Come in here!” At the mention of Briarlight’s name Jayfeather shot in, going over to comfort the she-cat. Dovestripe eyed him warily, and then called for Cherrypaw. “Cherrypaw,” Jayfeather told his apprentice. “When the kit comes out nip the sack, and then lick its fur the wrong way to warm it up and make it start breathing.” Jayfeather turned back to Briarlight, sending comforting licks upon her head. “Jayfeather,” Cinderheart hissed, obviously annoyed. “Are you going to help us give birth or keep mooning over Briarlight?” Jayfeather snapped his gaze to Cinderheart, his blue eyes so intense it seemed as if he wasn’t blind. “Mooning over her? She can’t even feel that she’s giving birth, fluff-brain!” Dovestripe clenched her teeth as pain shot through her again. “Lucky.” She muttered under her breath. “Lucky? Do you know how many complications this could cause, you mouse-brain!”

          “Quick, Cherrypaw, nip the sack!” Jayfeather told her as Cinderheart’s first kit appeared. The ginger apprentice quickly nipped the sack and licked its fur. “She-kit.” She told Cinderheart as she placed the kit by her belly. A few moments later Dovestripe had her first. “Another she-kit.” Cherrypaw dipped her head to the gray Queen. Dovestripe sighed with exhaustion just as a bolt of pain shot through her. “At least I’m slightly used to the pain now.” She hissed through clenched teeth. “At least you’re slightly used to it. It still feels as bad as it did before.” Jayfeather, still comforting Briarlight turned to Cinderheart again. “You’re probably about to give birth to another kit, Cherrypaw, stand by Cinderheart.” But to Jayfeather’s surprise, Dovestripe had another kit. “Jayfeather, you could be some help and actually do something instead of leaving it all for your apprentice!” The gray tom hissed, but turned reluctantly to lick the kits’ fur. “Tom.” He murmured, and turned back to Briarlight.

“Briarlight! You had your first kit!” He mewed happily as a black bundle of fur slipped onto the moss. Briarlight purred. “It’s a tom.” He purred again, and Cherrypaw bolted over to Cinderheart as she let out a wail. “Another tom.” She purred soothingly to the she-cat. Licking her head, she mewed; “I don’t think there’s any more.” The ginger apprentice pressed her paw to Cinderheart’s stomach, and nodded happily. “Another kit’s coming.” Jayfeather told Briarlight softly.

          “It’s a she-kit!” Cherrypaw purred, and placed it softly beside Briarlight.

          “Jayfeather,” A voice murmured in his ear. “Three will become six.”

The voice disappeared, making Jayfeather shiver. What do they mean?