“Please.” Squirrelflight lifted the leaf and placed it beside Sparkpelt’s muzzle. She glanced desperately at Bramblestar. “Tell her she has to,” she pleaded.
Bramblestar leaned forward. “Sparkpelt,” he mewed softly.
She lifted her gaze to him, then froze. Pain sparked in her gaze.
As Squirrelflight saw her flanks spasm, her heart seemed to stop. Was she having a fit like Larksong?
Sparkpelt gasped. “My belly.” She jerked from Larksong’s nest and sat back on her haunches as another spasm made her gasp.
Leafpool pricked her ears. “The kits are coming!”
Squirrelflight’s pelt spiked. Not now! They couldn’t come now, not here. They were too early, and Sparkpelt was sick. “Is she strong enough?” She blinked at Leafpool.
“She’ll have to be.” Leafpool jerked her muzzle toward Alderheart. “Take Thriftpaw and Berrynose to the nursery,” she ordered. “Now that we know the sickness doesn’t spread, they don’t have to be confined here. Stay with them.”
Alderheart’s eyes widened. “Don’t you need me here?”
“I have Jayfeather. And some cat needs to keep an eye on them,” Leafpool told him. “These symptoms come on fast.”
Alderheart hurried away, bustling Thriftpaw and Berrynose, wide-eyed, from the den.
Sparkpelt crouched on the den floor, her breath coming fast as another spasm pulsed through her. Jayfeather eased her onto her side and began to lap her pelt with long, soothing licks. Leafpool crouched at her tail. “The first kit’s coming.”
Squirrelflight watched as a small, wet sack plopped onto the ground. The sack tore as it landed, and a tiny tortoiseshell kit, tinier than Squirrelflight had ever seen, struggled from the membrane. Leafpool grabbed its scruff and scooped it toward Squirrelflight. “Clean it and keep it warm.”
Pelt prickling with surprise, Squirrelflight picked up the kit by its scruff. She sat down and placed it on the ground against her belly. Leaning down, she licked the remains of the membrane from its pelt and then washed it softly with her tongue. “It’s a she-cat,” she breathed, relieved to feel it squirming against her. Her heart swelled as kit scent filled her nose.
Bramblestar leaned closer, a purr throbbing in his throat. “She’s beautiful,” he murmured, touching his nose to the kit’s head.
“She has a brother.” Leafpool jerked another kit toward them.
Squirrelflight took him and cleaned him and pressed the little black tom next to his littermate. Sparkpelt groaned as another convulsion shook her.
“You’re doing well,” Leafpool told her.
Sparkpelt stretched her head back and gazed desperately at Larksong. In the pale dawn light Squirrelflight saw that the black tom’s eyes were open, half focused on Sparkpelt. Did he realize what was happening?
Squirrelflight got to her paws. She lifted the tom-kit and swung him toward Bramblestar. “Keep this one warm.” She placed him between his paws, then picked up the she-kit by the scruff. Carrying her gently, she took her to Larksong’s nest. She placed her at the edge of the nest, beside his muzzle.
Sparkpelt grunted, her body convulsing again.
“This is the last one.” Leafpool moved back as a tiny black-and-orange tom-kit slithered onto the floor. She pressed a paw onto Sparkpelt’s flank. “Rest now,” she meowed. “We’ll take care of the kits.”
Sparkpelt didn’t respond. She was staring at Larksong as the she-kit mewled beside his muzzle. His clouded gaze seemed to sharpen. He moved his head, touching his nose to the kit’s flank.
Squirrelflight held her breath as Larksong blinked slowly, his eyes widening with joy. The kit wriggled and rubbed her head against his muzzle. Larksong gave a short, rasping purr. His gaze flicked toward Sparkpelt, glistening with affection. Then it grew dull, like twilight fading into night.
Shock pulsed through Squirrelflight.
“Larksong?” Sparkpelt stared back at him, panic edging her mew.
Jayfeather hurried to Larksong’s nest and pressed his ear to the tom’s chest. Squirrelflight quickly snatched the kit away and carried her back to Bramblestar, where she tucked her beside her littermate.
“Larksong!” Sparkpelt was struggling to her paws. She staggered toward Larksong, collapsed as she reached him, and laid her head beside his on the edge of the nest.
Squirrelflight blinked in panic at Leafpool. Would this be too much for Sparkpelt? But Leafpool was staring at the last kit. He lay lifeless on the ground. Blood roared in Squirrelflight’s ears as grief threatened to overwhelm her. Beside her, Bramblestar sheltered the first two kits between his paws. Dread glittered in his gaze. He stared at Sparkpelt, hardly moving.
