The gentle sound of wind rustled the leaves of the forest. The breeze carried the scent of prey through the large oak trees of SunClan territory. Hiding in the trees, tracking down prey was the dappled black, brown, cream and ginger pelt of SunClan apprentice Blossompaw. She kept her body low to the ground but her muzzle high, sniffing the chilly breeze for any signs of prey.

She caught the scent of squirrel on the air and breathed it in. Found some. Blossompaw dropped into a crouch, creeping through the SunClan forest and tracking her prey. She padded along the forest floor, making sure to keep her tail low. Her ears twitched at every little sound, keeping her eyes peeled for her prey.

At long last, Blossompaw spotted her prey. A plump red squirrel, creating a small pile of seeds, getting ready for the cold season to arrive. Leaf-bare won't arrive for you little friend. Blossompaw thought, breathing in the squirrel's scent once more. Her tail tip twitched and she readied herself to pounce.

She flattened her ears and wiggled her haunches before giving a strong leap. Her paws fell just short of the squirrel and she kicked up a flurry of grass and leaves, the squirrel turned tail and quick as lightning, darted up into the closest oak tree and out of view. "Fox dung!" Blossompaw swore, lashing her tail. Such a rookie mistake! She scolded herself. I should've gotten closer.

"That's unfortunate." Blossompaw heard the voice of her mentor, Mudfall, and watched the dark brown tom step out of the trees and into view. "Don't beat yourself up too hard, Blossompaw."

"I should've caught that." Blossompaw shook her head. "I'm better than this."

"You've only been an apprentice for two moons, Blossompaw." Mudfall replied. "You still have much to learn, there will still be many mistakes for you to make and for you to learn from." Blossompaw just flattened her ears and sighed. "Come on," Mudfall touched his tail to her pelt. "Let's gather the rest of your catch and head back to camp."

"Okay." Blossompaw wanted to make up for her failure, not return to camp, but she listened to her mentor. They gathered up her other three pieces of prey and reached the SunClan camp.

It was just past sunhigh so the cats of SunClan were busy. Blossompaw spotted Cinderflame surrounded by several SunClan cats as she gave patrol and hunting orders. Dawnstar stood close by, it looked like she was preparing to leave for patrol with Adderstrike, Flashtail, Petalbreeze, Brackenpelt and Yarrowtail. All four elders were out enjoying the cool air and chatting over some prey.

Blossompaw dropped her prey on the fresh-kill pile and turned to her mentor, waiting for her next task. "Why don't you take some prey to the queens."

Blossompaw narrowed her eyes. "Isn't Dovepool your mate? Shouldn't you be taking her fresh-kill?"

"I'm not an apprentice and I have a hunting patrol to go on." Mudfall scolded. "Do what I tell you." He walked away, twitching his tail sharply. Wow. Blossompaw thought. What's his problem? Mudfall was a fairly level headed cat but he seemed genuinely upset that she told him to take his mate fresh-kill.

I wonder what's going on with him. Blossompaw didn't think it was her place to say anything, she just grabbed four pieces of prey and headed to the nursery where the queens were. She was a little surprised to not see Heatherflight in the nursery. Though she wasn't nursing any kits, the mental trauma of giving birth to two dead kits had kept Heatherflight in the nursery ever since.

Maybe she's finally recovering. Blossompaw thought hopefully as she stepped inside the nursery. "Hello, Blossompaw." Dovepool greeted with a purr as Blossompaw set the prey down. "Bringing us some prey?"

"Yep." Blossompaw nodded. "Mudfall asked me to."

"You'd think he could do it himself." Sedgefern replied with a snort. "You are his mate after all."

"Oh hush, Sedgefern." Dovepool flicked her tail, silencing her sister. "Mudfall has never been to great at expressing his emotions. I think he's terrified of becoming a father, and he doesn't want to show that in front of anyone else in here. Once my kits are born he'll be a wonderful father, I just know it."

"Falconheart is pretty scared too." Sedgefern chuckled. "But I'm not worried, I know he'll be a great father."

Sedgefern had moved into the nursery just a few short days after Owlpaw and Earthpelt left the mountains and Dovepool had joined her sister a few days later. They were due to have kits any day now, their bellies round with their unborn kits.

The thought of Owlpaw made Blossompaw's heart hurt. She missed her sister with each passing day, and she was terrified that she would never see Owlpaw again. She trusted her sister, she knew that deep down, aside from her small size and sickness, Owlpaw was strong.

"Are you alright, Blossompaw?" She heard the voice of Dovepool and she shook away her fears about Owlpaw. "You look sad."

"Sorry," Blossompaw shook her head. "Just thinking about, Owlpaw, is all. I miss her."

"I'm sure she's fine." Sedgefern purred. "Owlpaw is so much stronger than she looks, plus she's not alone."

"I'm just wondering what their mission actually is." Dovepool added. "I hope they come home soon, I want Earthpelt to meet her new kin." She gazed lovingly at her round belly.

"Well," Blossompaw mew, rising to her paws. "I should see if Mudfall wants me to do any thing else.

Blossompaw turned to leave the nursery, but a sudden cry of pain stopped her in her tracks. Blossompaw looked over her shoulder to see Sedgefern suddenly on her paws, eyes wide and her face twisted in pain.

"What's wrong, Sedgefern?" Dovepool questioned, her voice sounding panicked.

"I-I don't know." Sedgefern breathed out. "I just got this sudden jolt of pain." She looked at her belly, her breathing became heavy.

Squirreltail rose to her paws and quickly crossed the nursery to Sedgefern's side, giving her a sniff. "You're giving birth, Sedgefern." She explained.

"What?" Sedgefern's voice was shrill, Blossompaw could tell how panicked she was.

"Calm down." Squirreltail's voice was soothing. Squirreltail has given birth to two litters of kits and seen many of SunClan's births. She knows what she's doing. "Lay down on your side and just breathe. Your kits need you to be calm." Without turning away from Sedgefern, Squirreltail continued speaking. "Blossompaw, go get the medicine cats please."

Blossompaw, feeling sightly panicked, turned and quickly ran across the camp towards the medicine cat den. She skidded to a stop in front of it and poked her head inside. It was just Honeyfrost inside, setting herbs out to dry. Honeyfrost quickly sense Blossompaw's urgency and was on high alert.

"What's wrong, Blossompaw?" She questioned.

"Sedgefern is giving birth." Blossompaw explained hurriedly. "Squirreltail told me to come and get you and Pebblestep."

"Pebblestep is out gathering herbs, but we'll be fine. Help me get some herbs real quick."

Honeyfrost turned around and began digging through her herb store. She set aside several herbs. There was several soft looking leaves with jagged edges as well as some thin, spiky leaves, moss and a stick. "Can you grab the moss and the stick? I'll get the raspberry leaves and the fennel."

Blossompaw agreed and managed to get both the moss and stick into her jaws, following the medicine cat back to the nursery. Inside Sedgefern was panting heavily with Dovepool and Squirreltail attempting to calm her down.

"It's okay, Sedgefern." Honeyfrost mewed gently and set the raspberry leaves and fennel down, situation herself at Sedgefern's rear. "Give her the stick, Blossompaw." Blossompaw set the stick down in front of Sedgefern's muzzle and gave the moss to Honeyfrost.

"Where's Falconheart?" Sedgefern questioned, her voice revealing how much pain she was in.

"He's on patrol." Honeyfrost replied. "He'll be back in time to see your kits."

Blossompaw could tell that she wanted Falconheart to be here, but it would take too long for someone to go out and find him. "Alright, Sedgefern." Honeyfrost took a deep breath. "I need you to take that stick in your teeth and bite down when you feel pain. It's almost time to start delivering. I'll need you three she-cats on stand by for help, okay?"

It took Blossompaw a moment to realize that Honeyfrost was talking to her. I'm not a medicine cat! Can I really help deliver some kits? Blossompaw just gave a nod and sat next to Squirreltail while Dovepool helped keep her sister calm.

Sedgefern let out a hiss of pain and bit down on the stick, Blossompaw couldn't help but be nervous. She remembered hearing horror stories about Heatherflight's birth, as well as her own. Me and my siblings were born a whole moon early. Blossompaw thought. Sedgefern's kits are pretty much on time and she's healthy. It should be okay, right? Blossompaw fidgeted with her paws nervously.

"Don't be afraid, Blossompaw." Squirreltail mewed quietly. How did she know? "Sedgefern is a perfectly healthy young cat, all of this is normal." Blossompaw lowered her ears slightly and focused on Sedgefern.

A few more moments passed and Honeyfrost raised her voice. "The first kit is coming, Sedgefern. Keep breathing, you're doing great."

Sedgefern howled in pain, biting down on the stick harder in an instant, a little kit tumbled into the nest. "Dovepool, take this kit please." Honeyfrost instructed and Dovepool swooped in, taking in a tiny, gray kit. She began rapidly licking up the kits spine, within a few short moments, the kit let out a mighty mew and began squirming underneath Dovepool's tongue. Blossompaw felt a rush of excitement in her body. Such a tiny little kit! She eagerly waited for more kits to come.

After more cries of pain from Sedgefern, another kit entered the world. "Blossompaw, its your turn." Blossompaw jumped to her paws.

"What do I do?"

"Lick the fur up its spine, it will get its blood flowing." Blossompaw padded over to Honeyfrost and carefully took the kit in her jaws. She sat down and began rasping her tongue over the kits's spin, fluffing up its already spiky fur. After just a few licks, the kit began mewling and wriggling.

"It's meowing!" Blossompaw announced eagerly.

"Good." Honeyfrost purred. "Keep licking it." Honeyfrost placed her paw on Sedgefern's belly. "I think we've got one more on the way. You're almost done, Sedgefern."

A few more cries later, and the third kit was born. This one was giving to Squirreltail who easily got the kit's blood flowing and was met with cries. Blossompaw watched as Honeyfrost worked to stop the bleeding, she had blood on her paws but there wasn't a lot.

"Great job, Sedgefern." Honeyfrost purred. "You have three beautiful kits."

"I want to see them." Sedgefern raised her head weakly. Blossompaw and the others placed all three kits at Sedgefern's belly and they eagerly began nursing.

"Two toms and she-cat." Honeyfrost purred. "They're so beautiful, I can't wait for my brother to see them."

"Me too." Blossompaw saw nothing but pure love in Sedgefern's eyes as she looked at her newborn kits.

"They're so cute." Blossompaw purred.

"Thank you for your help, Blossompaw." Sedgefern replied softly.

A few moments later, Blossompaw heard the voice of Falconheart and the tom exploded into the nursery. "Sedgefern!" He cried out. "Heatherflight told me you were having kits are you--" His voice broke off as he looked at the small bundle of three kits.

His amber eyes went wide and flooded with the same love that Blossompaw saw in Sedgefern's eyes. "Oh my goodness." He walked slowly up to the kits. "They're...they're incredible." It was as if Falconheart's entire world had changed before him.

"Aren't they?" Sedgefern purred. "This one looks just like you." She rested her tail on the tom that Blossompaw had cared for. "His fur is really spiky though." She giggled.

"They're so incredible." Falconheart touched his muzzle to Sedgefern's forehead. "I'm so proud of you."

Blossompaw felt love fill the air as the two of them bonded over their two kits, growing even closer. She looked at the kits as they eagerly nursed from their mother. Welcome to SunClan, little kits.