Parting Words

[Brambleclaw]

Rootclaw watched as SilenceClan vanished behind him. He continued to chase Chasinglight deep into the heart of TrueClan territory. Knowing they'd be safe there, they stopped to catch their breath. Rootclaw was in a panic.
"I've never had to deal with such a deep wound before. And it cut right into your belly, I'm afraid it might have damaged the kits!" He felt horribly guilty, and almost at once his revenge and anger-filled heart had evaporated to reveal the soft interior of the gentle tom. He would do anything to help Chasinglight now, and knew he would avoid SilenceClan now more than ever.

A rustle in the bushes stopped him from searching for cobweb and possibly Marigold in these fields. Looking up, he met a pair of brilliant white eyes. They glowed with a fiery, star-like intensity that caused them to have a strange blueish tint. He did not recognize the cat before him, but gasped as she walked into the clearing. She looked almost normal, but he glittering eyes told all.

"Chasinglight will be alright." She spoke powerfully. He knew at once he was in the presence of a StarClanner. What he did not know was that he was not, in fact, with any cat other than the strange Foxtail of TrueClan.
"I'll help her." Foxtail bounded gracefully over to the pregnant she-cat. She suddenly revealed a pawful of cobweb and several Pine Needles.

Rootclaw watched the mysterious she-cat lick the wound clean, and he felt sick. Then she began to place the cobweb on the bleeding wound, tucking it in deep. They turned a scarlet red, but she only added more. Rootclaw noted their strange scent - beeswax and mint were the most noticeable. The cobwebs were also a slight cream color, she had used a balm to cause the cobweb to also act as a sedative, numbing the wound. She pierced the few needles she had through the skin so that it was held in place by the skin, and held the cobweb in. Finally, she slipped a leaf between the cobweb and needles and pulled the needles tight, sealing the wound. Chasinglight would be okay.
"Let her rest, her kits will come now." With that, the ruddy she-cat bounded silently away.

[kelsey .]

Chasinglight glaced the old blind she-cat a rude glare. how did that flea-bag know? "It's fine, Rootclaw." She hissed, her eyes glittering. "You would'nt have the guts to kill me. You are a medicine cat!" Ahe shook her head, although she held respect for the cat who was misled my Silenceclan's deceptiveness. "Where will you go now??" She asked. She didn't want to be alone.

Suddenly, a horrible pain gripped her. She thought it was the wound, but it was the kits! She growled in agony. "Help!" She muttered, collapsing onto the ground.

[Brambleclaw]

Rootclaw was taken aback by her cruelness. He wouldn't kill her because he was a Medicine Cat!?! He didn't kill her because he wasn't that cruel! She started to cry out, but he ignored her.
"I only joined because Fallingstar promised revenge. I never wanted to hurt anyone other than my flea-bag brother. And I'll probably stick with wherever'll take me." He turned to leave, but guilt held him back. Chasinglight, and the kits, would probably die if he left them alone. With a sigh, he hurried to the queen's side.
"I will try and find the herbs you need." He bolted away in a flash, hurrying to find all he would need. Suddenly, he smelled something. Right before him lay the bundles that were needed for kitting. Smiling to himself, he grabbed the herbs and ran back to Chasinglight. Whoever that she-cat had been, she was watching out for them.
"Eat these now." He pushed most of the herbs over by Chasinglight's mouth.

[kelsey .]

Chasinglight drew her lips back in a snarl, her ears flat against her head as the yucky herbs shot into her mouth. Spitting and swallowing, she soon felt a lot of the pain ease carefully away. She pushed harder, and the first kit plopped out- slick wet with blood and stuff. Trying harder, the second one came out, and she soon felt her pain atop. It was over. Two kits.

Licking them quickly, there was a male and a female. The male looked like Shadowstar. "This one is shadowkit," she murmered. The other kit looked like herself a bit, with shining eyes. "Lichenkit." she muttered, looking up to Rootclaw.

[Brambleclaw]

Rootclaw nodded.
"Clean them off - what their coated with will help your body produce enough milk for them. Then take this and rest, it'll help produce milk for the kits." He passed one final herb over to her, a sweeter one that did not taste as foul. "I'll go catch something and find some water. Maybe we'll want to stay in TrueClan until the kits open their eyes?" Rootclaw offered.

[kelsey .]

Chasinglight sighed. "Fine," she muttered. She began to lick them until they were clean. They nuzzled into her belly, and she felt sick. She was never good with kits- She had abandoned Pacingwaters. That was a mistake, surely, because Pacongwaters already had a mate and a place in ShadowClan. Or so she had heard. She ate the herbs quickly, hoping they would really put her to sleep. Not forever, but for a while/

[Brambleclaw]

Rootclaw sighed, smiling, at the kits. He wanted kits of his own, for sure, but wasn't sure who would make a good mate. There had always been this pretty ShadowClan apprentice... But she was bound to have found a love by now. After all, she had been four moons older than him. Maybe she was even dead. Shaking his head, he thought of better things. Maybe he could go back to ShadowClan and see his family again. Well, all but Canyonpaw, he hoped. And suddenly, something hit him. Where was Canyonpaw? He had expected the tom to be in SilenceClan, a reason why he had joined. But he had not been - so where was he? Suddenly, he felt a little nudge. Glancing down, he noticed the cream-colored kit sucking on the end of his tail. He purred in amusement.
"No milk there." He meowed, taking her delicate frame and placing her back by her mother, where she began to suckle.

[kelsey .]

Chasinglight sighed. "Lichenkit, Rootclaw isn't a fem. Nor your mother." For once, just once, she felt actual love and amusement. It was a feeling that she hadn't felt in a while. Yes, she loved the kits, especially Shadowkit- he was so much like his father... She looked up at Rootclaw. And suddenly, she felt drowsiness coming over her- the herbs were working. She drifted of into a somewhat peaceful sleep.

[Brambleclaw]

Rootclaw purred in amusement, and then smiled as Chasinglight drifted off to sleep. He himself curled up and took a brief nap, before hurrying off to find some food. He came back with two mice, and Chasinglight was still sleeping. He set one mouse by her, and ate one himself. Then he dozed off a second time.