His jaws were aching by the time he’d hauled it up the slope. He dropped it and took a better hold, clamping the middle of it between his jaws. He ran, crossing the grass, head high. I must look like one of those dumb dogs that carry sticks to their Twolegs. Embarrassment heated his pelt. I hope no one sees me.
As he neared the hollow, he heard Wind Runner yowling. There were no gaps between her shrieks now. Had Turtle Tail’s kitting been this painful? He couldn’t remember cries like this. Wind Runner was one of the bravest cats he knew. She must be suffering. He raced into camp and crossed the clearing.
As he skidded to a halt outside the bramble, Turtle Tail ducked out. She inspected the stick, sniffing and sinking her teeth into the young wood. “It’s good,” she told Thunder. “Thanks.”
“What’s it for?” he asked as she picked it up and headed back inside.
“Come and see.”
Thunder hesitated as she disappeared. Did he want to see Wind Runner’s suffering? He frowned. He wasn’t going to let Turtle Tail think he was scared. He nosed his way gingerly through the flowery stems.
The cavern was gloomy. Wind Runner lay stretched on the cool earth. Cloud Spots and Dapple Pelt huddled near her tail while Gorse Fur crouched by her cheek, lapping it as she writhed. She gave a low yowl.
“She’s exhausted by the pain.” Gorse Fur stared round-eyed at Cloud Spots. “Can’t you do anything else to help her?”
Turtle Tail hauled Thunder’s stick across the earth and laid the thick end beside Wind Runner’s head. “She could bite down on this.” She searched Cloud Spots’s gaze.
“Yes!” Cloud Spots’s eyes shone in the gloom. “It might focus her mind away from her pain!”
Gorse Fur stared at Turtle Tail. “Will it really help?”
“Let’s find out.” Turtle Tail crouched beside Wind Runner and nudged her muzzle toward the stick. Wind Runner blinked at it hazily, confusion showing through her pain.
“Bite on it,” Gorse Fur whispered in her ear.
Thunder leaned closer, holding his breath as Wind Runner reached out and grabbed the stick between her jaws. As her body shuddered, convulsing, she bit down.
Thunder tensed. Don’t let it splinter!
The stick creaked but didn’t split.
“Good!” Cloud Spots nodded to Turtle Tail. “It’s helping her bear down!”
Wind Runner shuddered again, biting down hard on the stick.
“The first kit!” Cloud Spots’s mew was tense. Turtle Tail raced to see as the white she-kit sniffed at the tiny, wet bundle.
Thunder leaned forward, fear rising in his throat. Is it okay?
Gorse Fur lapped Wind Runner’s head. “You’re doing well.”
Wind Runner convulsed again.
“Another!” Cloud Spots scooped the first bundle toward Turtle Tail, who began lapping at the glistening skin that encased it. Thunder stared wide-eyed as the skin split and a tiny gray kit flopped out, looking half drowned. It let out a tiny wail.
“It’s fine!” Turtle Tail’s mew was jubilant. “And it’s a tom. Come and see, Thunder.” She beckoned him with a flick of her tail.
Thunder padded nervously around Cloud Spots and Dappled Pelt and stopped beside Turtle Tail. The kit was mewling, its eyes closed. Its tail was short and wet like a lizard’s.
“Is it supposed to look like that?” he asked, breathless.
“That’s what Pebble Heart, Owl Eyes, and Sparrow Fur looked like,” Turtle Tail purred. “You probably did too.” She grabbed the tom by the scruff and placed it beside Wind Runner’s head, next to his litter-sister.
Wind Runner grunted as a spasm gripped her.
“Two more toms!” Cloud Spots called.
“Four kits!” Gorse Fur broke into a purr.
“Three toms and a she-kit,” Dappled Pelt announced proudly. “Small, but perfect.”
Wind Runner let the stick fall away and turned to her firstborn. Gently she lapped the scraps of membrane clinging to its wet fur. It flailed blindly, mewling, and she scooped it closer to her muzzle with a paw.
Thunder watched, his heart swelling, as one at a time, Dappled Pelt placed the other newborn kits beside Wind Runner’s muzzle. He stared, his throat tightening with emotion. He wanted to congratulate Wind Runner and Gorse Fur, but words didn’t seem enough.
Wind Runner began purring, as though she could no longer feel the pain. Gorse Fur lapped her head even more fiercely.
“That’s all,” Cloud Spots announced.
Turtle Tail’s whiskers twitched with amusement. “That’s plenty.”
Wind Runner curled around her kits. Thunder watched as they wriggled blindly toward her belly, mewling with frustration as they struggled to get close. He fought the urge to lean in and scoop them toward their mother. Wind Runner seemed to know instinctively what to do and wriggled closer until they were pressed against her. One by one, they sought her belly and latched on, purring as they began to gulp down her milk.
Thunder backed away, blinking. He felt Turtle Tail’s pelt press against his.
“Isn’t it wonderful?” she breathed.
Thunder gazed at the kits. “It’s the best thing I ever saw,” he admitted.
Turtle Tail purred with pleasure. “Toms will never know how it feels to bring kits into the world.”
“I don’t think they want to!” Thunder remembered Wind Runner’s agonized yowls. But, watching her nursing her kits, it was like it never happened.
Gorse Fur looked up at Turtle Tail. “Thanks for fetching the stick.”
“Thunder found it,” she told him. “It was perfect. I was worried he’d bring a rotten…” Her voice trailed away and she pricked her ears. “Where are Sparrow Fur and Owl Eyes?” She stiffened. “And Pebble Heart.”
“They’ll still be playing in the long grass,” Thunder told her. Unease pricked his pelt. Had he seen them there when he left camp to fetch the stick? He couldn’t remember.
“I can’t hear them.” Panic edged Turtle Tail’s mew.
Thunder pricked his ears. Beyond the trailing branches, the only sound was the murmur of the moor cats. He darted past Wind Runner and stuck his head out. The long grass was quiet. No stems trembled. He pushed his way forward.
Turtle Tail barged past him. “Where are they?” She raced to the long grass and began sniffing it desperately. “Sparrow Fur!” She lifted her muzzle and called across the camp. “Pebble Heart! Owl Eyes!”
Lightning Tail bounded from the flat rock. Shattered Ice leaped to his paws beside the heather.
“What’s wrong?” Rainswept Flower hurried toward Turtle Tail.
“Has anyone seen my kits?” Turtle Tail called.
The cats exchanged glances.
Hawk Swoop padded forward. “I saw them playing on the grass outside camp a while ago.”
“They were supposed to stay here!” Anger flared in Turtle Tail’s mew. “They shouldn’t be outside the hollow.” She glared accusingly around the moor cats. “Why didn’t anyone stop them?”
Tall Shadow slid from beside the flat rock. “We didn’t know you wanted them to stay inside,” she meowed calmly.
“But anything might have happened to them!” She glanced at the sky. “Have you seen any buzzards?”
“No,” Tall Shadow soothed. “And there’s no scent of foxes. I’m sure the kits are fine.”
Jagged Peak limped across the clearing. “They’re probably just having fun.”
Turtle Tail stared at him hopefully. “Do you think so?”
“I’ll search for them on the moor,” Jagged Peak offered. “I know where they like to play.”