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?