Moth Flight’s Vision

“Really?” Relief sparked in Juniper Branch’s gaze. She gasped, her body stiffening.

Moth Flight swapped looks with Pebble Heart. StarClan help us.

As a fresh spasm swept Juniper Branch, the queen moaned with effort and pushed. Moth Flight placed her paws on the queen’s belly and felt her bear down.

Pebble Heart crouched at the queen’s tail. “I see something coming!” Excitement edged his mew.

“Keep pushing!” Moth Flight urged.

Juniper Branch’s moan turned to a growl as she gritted her teeth with effort.

Pebble Heart gasped. “It’s here!”

Moth Flight darted to his side and stared at the tiny shape beside the queen’s tail. A membrane covered it and Moth Flight instinctively reached out and sliced it open with a claw. Fluid spilled out as the wet kit struggled free, mewling as it gulped its first breath.

Juniper Branch lifted her head, straining to see. Moth Flight grabbed the kit by its scruff and placed it beside her muzzle. As she reached to lick it, her eyes shining with joy, another spasm seized her.

“Push!” Moth Flight told her sharply. She rested her paws on Juniper Branch’s belly once more, feeling it convulse.

“Another one!” Pebble Heart’s mew was jubilant. Moth

Flight rushed to see. He’d split open the membrane by the time she reached it. A purr throbbed in her throat as the kit wriggled and mewled. Lifting it gently, she placed it beside the first.

“How many more?” Juniper Branch asked.

Moth Flight ran her paw over the queen’s belly, feeling movement inside. “Another one at least.” As she spoke, Juniper

Branch jerked with pain. She shuddered, panting as she pushed.

“It’s coming,” Pebble Heart urged.

Juniper Branch pushed again, yowling. The kits squealed and wriggled blindly beside her cheek.

“I think it’s the last one.” Moth Flight glanced at Pebble Heart as Juniper Branch fell limp. The movement inside her belly had stopped. “We did it!”

The ShadowClan medicine cat was staring down, his eyes dark.

“What’s wrong?” Moth Flight darted to his side.

“It was a she-kit,” he mewed softly.

The kit lay on her split membrane, motionless.

Moth Flight’s heart lurched as she stared at the limp body.

She thought of Emberkit, who’d died moments after he’d been born. StarClan, help it! She reached out a paw and touched the lifeless kit’s pelt. She was smaller than her littermates, her pale gray fur slick beneath Moth Flight’s pad. She leaned down and sniffed her tiny muzzle. “She’s not breathing,” she whispered.

“Like Drizzle!”

Pebble Heart blinked at her. “What do you mean?”

Moth Flight touched a paw to the tiny kit’s ribs. “She might have water inside her chest!”

Pebble Heart looked confused. “Do you know how to help her?”

Moth Flight rolled the kit onto her back and placed her paws on her chest. “I think so. But she’s so small!” The kit felt as fragile as a sparrow. How hard dare she push?

She began to pump, gently at first, and then, as she felt the easy resilience of the kit beneath her paws, harder.

“What’s happening?” Juniper Branch was reaching her muzzle around to see, her eyes wide.

“Take care of the other two,” Pebble Heart told her. “We’ll take care of this one.”

“Is it dead?” The queen’s mew was thick with fear.

“We don’t know.” Pebble Heart moved, blocking the queen’s view as Moth Flight kept working on the kit.

“What are you doing to it?” Alarm edged Juniper Branch’s mew. She tried to struggle to her paws, but fell back, weak with exhaustion.

Raven Pelt darted into the den. “What’s going on?”

Moth Flight didn’t look at the black tom, but kept pumping the kit’s chest. Am I doing the right thing? Was Half Moon watching? Breathe! Please breathe! Fear sparked beneath her pelt.

Raven Pelt shouldered his way past Pebble Heart. “What are you doing?” He stared at Moth Flight, his eyes round with horror.

As he spoke, the kit jerked and water bubbled at her lips.

Moth Flight flipped her over quickly and began to massage her back as the kit spewed up liquid. Then it mewled a loud, desperate mewl.

Moth Flight sat back on her haunches, joy lighting her like sunshine. Trembling, she met Pebble Heart’s gaze.

“You saved her.” Pebble Heart’s eyes shone.

The kit flailed its paws and mewled again.

“I think she wants her mother.” Moth Flight backed away and let Raven Pelt scoop the kit up by her scruff.

He placed it beside the others and gazed proudly at Juniper

Branch. “They’re beautiful.”

Moth Flight suddenly realized how weary she was. Juniper

Branch must be exhausted. “We should get her into her nest,” she murmured to Pebble Heart.

“I’ll see to that,” Pebble Heart told her. “You look worn out.”

Moth Flight blinked at him gratefully. “I am.” Her gaze drifted to Juniper Branch and Raven Pelt. They were gazing at their kits, and then each other, with eyes warm with love. Moth

Flight’s heart twisted, grief stabbing her so suddenly it took her breath away. She and Micah would never share such joy. Weak with sorrow, she heaved herself onto her paws and padded out of the den.