Nyomi

Excited mews filled the clearing as Lightningpaw woke up. It is so early..... Why is everybody so excited? She stepped out of the apprentices' den. She spotted Thunderpaw and padded over to him. "What is going on?"

"Sparrowheart is having her kits!" He replied excitedly.

Her fur tingled in excitement. Sparrowheart is having her kits now! I wonder what they'll look like?

Horsepaw sleepily pawed out of the apprentices den. "Wha-"

"Sparrowheart is having her kits!" Thunderpaw repeated, interrupting Horsepaw.

"Cool! I wish I could watch."

"Me too." Lightningpaw meowed. "I wonder what the kits will look like?"

"I don't know. Sparrowheart sure is a pretty queen though. I bet they'll be really handsome" Horsepaw meowed

"She is really pretty. Her pelt is so shiny!" Purred Lightningpaw.

"Well I'm really tired, so I'm going to go back to my nest." Thunderpaw mewed then walked back to the apprentices den.

Lightningaw flicked her ears in irritation. Isn't this exciting? How could he fall asleep at a time like this? Sparrowheart was having her kits!

A loud wail erupted from the nursery. They must be coming! She twitched her tail impatiently. This takes so long....

"What's going on?!" Tigerfern burst from the warriors' den. "Was that Sparrowheart? Is she having her kits? Why didn't anyone get me?!?!" Her mentor rushed into the nursery to check on his mate. A few moments later he squealed delightfully, "He's beautiful!" Then Sparrowheart wailed again, and Hazelleaf mewed softly to comfort her. Tigerfern was trying to comfort her too, but she wailed again in agony. "Can't you give her poppy seeds for the pain?" He asked hopefully. It must be torture to see his mate in pain!

"No, I'm sorry but she has to be able to feel the pain so we know when the kits are coming."

Tigerfern's voice was full of disappointment and agony. "Alright. You sure there's nothing we can do?" She could just imagine him speaking, his tail drooping and his ears down. She flexed her claws and tore at the dirt. It just isn't fair she has to be in so much pain right now! I wish there were something I could do to help. I wish I could fight this battle with her!

"Another tom! Hazelleaf, how many more?" Tigerfern demanded, his meow filled with worry.

"One more. Then you'll be done"

Sparrowheart wailed one last time, an agonizing screech, and was responded with another screech- a screech of delight from Tigerfern. "A she cat! She's so perfect! She looks just like you!" Lightningkit could hear fur brush fur.

Hazelleaf sighed. "If you could stay here and watch them-"

"Absolutely! You need some rest Hazelleaf, I'll stay here with Sparrowheart for the rest of the night. And yes, they are both gorgeous... As much so as their mother" Though she couldn't see him, she could tell he was nuzzling Sparrowheart. Satisfied, Lightningpaw sleepily pawed back to her nest and drifted off to sleep.

Stars of a cloudless night sky shone bright through the trees. Thunderpaw opened his mouth, eyes and ears alert as he tasted for prey. He flicked his ears to the side as a vole scurried across the leaves to his left. He crouched down, his tail straight and his legs bent, but not too much that his belly fur touched the leaves. He crept forward one paw at a time; when he got within a tail-length, he bundled up his haunches to jump. He decided to take one last step forward when another cat stepped in front of him scaring away the vole. It was a fluffy white she-cat with a silvery glow and stars on her paws. She must be a starclan warrior! Am I in starclan?

"We have been expecting you, Thunderpaw. And your sister. You have a great destiny to fulfill. " Her eyes glazed over, as if she's remembering something. Then she speaks in a menacingly hushed tone, "When Storm and Cloud unite, Lightning will strike and Thunder will leap. Together they will reign over the forest."

She slowly disappears in a starry mist as Thunderpaw opened his mouth to ask questions.

"No, wait, don't leave me! I still don't know what you mean!" He flicked his ears irritably. What does that even mean?! Storm, Cloud, Thunder and Lightning? Am I the thunder? And if so, is Lightningpaw the lightning? And how would we reign over the forest?

Thunderpaw fluttered open his eyes. So that was all just a dream. Did I really just get a prophecy from starclan?