Moth Flight's Vision/Chapter 24

Moth Flight's PoV

 * Moth Flight calls out to Micah in a misty meadow. She hears his voice call back but she can't find him, only smell him. He tells her that things will be okay, that he knows she's sad, that he loves her, and that she has to keep going. She catches sight of his eyes at the far side of the meadow but he doesn't seem to see her. As she runs toward him, her leg buckles under her and she jolts awake. Moth Flight kneads her paw on the nest to ease the pain and tries to go back to sleep, but the sounds of the night and the ShadowClan camp keep her awake. She sits for awhile, feeling guilty that Micah hadn't gotten to finish what he wanted to tell her, before she finally dozes off.


 * Pebble Heart wakes her up later and anxiously tells her Juniper Branch, who is not due yet, had started kitting. He starts to explain that the kits are stuck and Juniper Branch might die trying to give birth. Moth Flight cuts him off to say that they won't let that happen and pushes her way toward the nursery. Raven Pelt eyes her nervously as she approaches him and his mate, but Pebble Heart convinces him to let her stay. Moth Flight presses her paw on Juniper Branch's belly and feels that the kits were squirming inside. She wonders if something is blocking them from coming out, and sends Raven Pelt to get some water for Juniper Branch. Moth Flight realizes that they might not be ready for the queen to push out and tells Juniper Branch to stop pushing and focus on panting. She also remembers how pain causes bodies to swell up, and that Juniper Branch's belly was swollen and inflamed, which was preventing the kits from coming and getting worse with each push.


 * Juniper Branch gasps that another pain was coming and Moth Flight fetches her stick to bite down on instead of pushing. Pebble Heart goes to fetch more sticks and the cats wait through several bouts of spasms until the swelling goes down. Pebble Heart also gives her poppy seeds and thyme to help with the pain. Moth Flight puts her paws on Juniper Branch's belly again to feel that the kits are hardly moving anymore and tells Juniper Branch that she can push again. Juniper Branch gives birth to three kits, but the last one is not breathing. Moth Flight remembers what Dappled Pelt had done to Drizzle when the latter had water in her chest and turns the kit onto its back and begins to pump its chest. Horrified, Raven Pelt and Juniper Branch ask her what she is doing, but before they can do anything the kit starts to spit up water and breathing.


 * Raven Pelt places the last kit by her mother and Moth Flight comments that they should move her to her nest. Pebble Heart tells her that she looks worn out and Moth Flight replies that she is. She glances at the new family and slowly walks to her den, feeling a stab of grief over losing Micah and the life they had planned together.