A ginger tabby tom stalked through the barley, aware he should get back to his mate as soon as possible. A sudden movement in the long grass caught his eye. There, he spotted a mouse nibbling away at a small seed. Instantly he shifted into a crouch, careful not to disturb the grass stems beneath his paws as he crept forward, keeping the mouse in sight. With the wind blowing towards him, he pounced, landing squarely on the rodent. He bit down, and the mouse went limp. The tom lifted his catch proudly in his jaws and turned back where he came from. Soon the long grass ended and he stepped out onto short, recently cut grass, which was wet with morning dew. He quivered in excitement, the barn was almost in sight now, and Psalm was almost ready to kit. He suddenly padded a bit faster, eager to get to his mate. When he stopped. A strange scent wafted towards him, he stole in a deep breath, it was familiar, but the scent wasn't quite strong enough to know what it was.

Maybe its prey. He thought, setting down the mouse to smell it clearer.

Turning from the direction of the barn, and padding a ways back into the long grass, he sniffed the air again. The stench was stronger now, and a lot smellier. He wrinkled his nose. Probably crowfood, if it smelled this bad. He backed away, no way he was coming home with that reek all over his fur. But before he could leave the area, he spotted a russet shape flash through the grass to his left. He turned his head, but nothing was there, it had been too quick for him to get a glance of what it really was. A sudden snarling sounded from in front of him, and he gasped when he saw a fox staring at him. Saliva dripped down it's jaw and it's emerald green eyes were filled with hunger and deadliness as it eyed him. When it took a step closer, he took a step back, seeing how skinny and ragged it was, he thought it must have been driven to madness from starvation. Foxes were usually more wary creatures. But despite its lack of food, it looked as dangerous and strong as ever. The tom hissed at it and tried to run past its side, but the fox turned his head and fastened its teeth on his shoulder as he passed. Pain blasted from the spot, and he raked his claws across his predator's nose. The fox growled and loosened its grip, causing him to drop to the ground. He tried to run as soon as he hit the grass, but his injured shoulder sent a spasm through his body, he gasped and removed all the weight he had put on it. But while he was distracted, the fox was able to grip his neck and drag him off the ground again, its teeth sank into his flesh, and he screeched in pain. Blood pulsed from his wounds. Anger swept over him and he gripped his back claws into the fox's chest, and he dug them in. While taking another swipe at its nose with his good paw. The fox yelped and dropped him again. The tom gulped in air with the chance he had, and staggered to his feet. He waited for a moment, but the fox didn't come at him again, staying back for a moment to tend to its wounds. He quickly limped away, blood soaking his fur. Thankfully the barn was near and he was able to just barely make it inside, collapsing in the hay right beside his mate.

"Pongo!" Psalm yowled when he saw him. "What happened to you?!"

"I- I'm ok, Psalm. I just... need to rest." He breathed. Though it wasn't really true, the wound in his neck burned like fire. And his shoulder was no better. Suddenly Psalm yowled, again, curling in on herself as if she had a stomach ache.

"What?! What's wrong?!" Pongo gasped.

"I- I think they're coming, Pongo..." Psalm mewed.

"Now?!" Pongo asked worriedly, watching his mate closely. Psalm nodded and cried out again. Pongo tried to comfort his mate, but even moving made his wounds hurt even more. Seething, he stayed where he was on the hay as his mate kitted. Pongo watched fondly as the first kit born mewled, looking for warmth. The kit was a ginger and black tortoiseshell.

Even with the pain in his neck and shoulder, Pongo bent over just enough so he could bump the kit with his nose towards Psalms swollen belly. The kit mewled again and crawled towards it.

A tom. He thought. It was strange, tortoiseshells were usually female, but Pongo loved him, nevertheless.

Psalm let out another loud yowl and a second kit slipped onto the soft hay. Another tom. This one was mostly white, though his paws and tail tip were gray, like his mother. Now that he was fairly sure the last kit was born, Pongo expected Psalm to calm and lick her kits, however, she screeched in agony again.

"What's wrong? Is there another kit?" Pongo asked, bending down to nuzzle his mate. Psalm shook her head weakly and let her chin rest on her paws.

"Something is wrong.. Pongo..." She whispered.

"How should I help?" He asked instantly, struggling to his paws. He gasped when he saw the nest from above; crimson blood seeping through the gaps in the hay, and spread around the nest, and more blood clotted near Psalm's back paws.

"You can't help me now.." Psalm took a deep breath. "Name them Sun and Flurry... watch after them, please." She mewed, her voice barely audible. The white she-cat closed her eyes, barely breathing. "G- goodbye... Pongo." Then she sighed, and the final breath left her body.

"No!" He screeched. "Psalm! Don't leave me! Psalm!" But the white she-cat was as still as ever. The kits mewled loudly, Pongo looked down at them numbly. "Sun... Flurry. I can't move... and you need someone to care for you." He looked to the sun shining brightly outside. "Hopefully someone comes." He whispered.

Pawsteps woke him, and he blinked.

"H- hello?" He croaked. A black and white figure was standing tall near the entrance to the barn door.

"Are you alright?" The figure asked. As his vision focused, he recognized the shape of a cat.

"N-No! Psalm! She needs help! And the kits-!" He broke off when he looked down again. Psalm was laying motionless in a pool of dried blood, and her flanks didn't rise and fall with breath. The kits were mewling loudly, begging for food to fill their hungry bellies.

"I'm sorry. The she-cat is dead." The black and white cat mewed, bowing its head. "But we can still save the kits." It added, raising its chin again.

"O-oh. That's terrific!" He meowed, trying to sound cheerful, though he recognized the dull grief in his voice himself. But when he tried to move, he realized his wounds were still burning, and dried blood was crusted on his leg and neck, and yet more seeped from his cuts. He winced, and lay down again.

"Those wounds look bad, I could get the medicine cat..." The black and white cat offered.

"Medicine cat? What's that?" Pongo asked timidly.

"Our medicine cat is a cat who cures the sick and heals the wounded with their knowledge of herbs." The cat answered. "I'll get him now." The black and white cat padded out of the barn again, leaving him and the kits alone. Pongo let out a heavy sigh.

"Someone's here to help now, kits." He murmured, pushing his nose into The kits' fur softly. A heartbeat later, another cat appeared at the entrance. This one was a misty gray cat with brown eyes.

"Great StarClan? What happened to you?!" It asked.

"Fox." Pongo muttered, resting his chin on his paws. The black and white cat padded in behind the gray one.

"This is Birchmoss, he will help you." The black and white figure mewed. "And I'm Azurestar." The black and white she-cat introduced.

"Oh, I-I'm Pongo. This is Sun and Flurry. And that is- ...was Psalm." Pongo choked out the last words, a lump in his throat. Azurestar dipped her head.

"Pongo, Birchmoss will help you up. Would you mind if we brought your kits back to camp with us?" She asked.

"As long as I can come with them." Pongo replied, desperate for help to save his kits.

"Very well. Birchmoss, tend to him so he can travel." Azurestar ordered, whisking her tail. Birchmoss dipped his head and padded over to Pongo. A cobweb was wrapped around one of his paws, and a green plant with big leaves in the other. When Birchmoss chewed up the leaves and applied them to his neck wound, it stung madly. Pongo flinched and bit his tongue to keep from yowling.

"Sorry, that's going to sting. But it will help." Birchmoss mewed, spreading the pulp across his wound. Gradually Pongo relaxed, he recoiled a bit again when the medicine cat started to dress the wound in cobweb, but once the cobweb touched his wound, he knew that it wouldn't hurt. In the end, he looked like he had moth balls on his neck and shoulder. "You should be able to move now." Birchmoss mewed, resting his tail on Pongo's spine. Pongo nodded and strained himself to his paws. But groaned when he stood up, agony exploded in his head, and he nearly fell over.

"Can't... stand..." Pongo rasped, and collapsed on his side. His cut shoulder was hit hard in the fall and the pain became nearly overwhelming. The wound felt like it was burning, and he wasn't sure if he could make it to the cats' camp. The medicine cat frowned.

"We can't get you home if you can't walk." He meowed, studying him. Pongo shook his head.

"Just leave me here." He responded, closing his eyes. "I'm going to die anyway."

"I can't just leave you-!" Birchmoss started, but Azurestar broke in.

"Let him stay if that's what he wants." She said, almost regretfully. The medicine cat looked back to Pongo, his eyes sad, then dipped his head.

"Very well. If this is what you want." He mewed. He then got some black seeds in his paw and dropped them onto the hay. "Eat these, they'll help with the pain." He murmured. Pongo dropped his head and licked them up. Almost instantly a peaceful sensation washed over him. He murmured a thanks, then settled down again. Azurestar picked up Sun by his scruff, and Birchmoss to Flurry. The two kits were mewling their heads off as they were lifted off the ground. Birchmoss padded through the open door of the barn, into the morning sunshine. Azurestar stayed for just a moment, turning to him.

"We'll make sure you kits are cared for." She mewed through the kitten's thick fur. Then she too, turned and padded out of the bar, to their camp. Pongo rested his chin on his paws again, letting out a heavy sigh. Then he closed his eyes and awaited his death.