The Darker Side Of Me-Chap 9

Chapter 9
This has to be a dream.
Leafpool was positive about that. Sitting next to her was Ashfur, his eyes shining with love, his smile as gentle and welcoming as ever. She felt a purr rise in her chest. Then she saw three kits scampering around them playfully. Were they her kits? One was a black she-kit, another a blue-gray tom and the last was a ginger tabby tom. All of them had one thing in common, they were perfect.

"They're beautiful," Ashfur mewed softly in her ear and Leafpool looked up at him and smiled, "Just like you." Leafpool gasped in shock. Had he just…he didn't…did he? Ashfur licked her cheek, proving what he'd last said had indeed been meant.

"As…Ashfur, you really think that?" she asked, her eyes as wide as moons. He purred and wrapped his tail around her, pulling her closer.

"Of course," he mewed softly, StarClan if this is a dream, don't let this one end, she silently prayed, "Leafpool, I-" She blinked awake. She was back in her den under the tree, the moonlight spilling through the entrance, and most disappointing of all, she was alone. She sighed in aggravation, wondering what had woken her out of the most fantastic dream of her life. She was answered with a sharp twinge of pain. She flinched. What was happening? Again, she was answered with a stronger twinge of pain. She shivered, that wasn't right, that definitely wasn't right. She looked down at her swollen stomach her eyes went as wide as an owls.

"Oh StarClan no…" she breathed in horror, she was in big trouble.

8888

Ashfur was just about to pounce on a mouse. This one's for Leafpool, he thought with a purr. But before he could pounce the bushes rustled and the mouse scampered off. Ashfur cursed and looked around angrily, determined to find out what had cost him his kill. That's when one of his least favourite cats stuck his head through the bushes. Hawkfrost.

"What do you want?" Ashfur growled, "I was just about to catch that mouse!"

"Well I could leave you to catch dream mice or I could tell you how much trouble Leafpool's in," Hawkfrost hissed, his eyes shining with a hint of fear Ashfur had never seen there before. Leafpool, in trouble! That was enough to give Hawkfrost his undivided attention.

"What's happening to her?" Ashfur asked urgently.

"The kits are coming too soon," Hawkfrost mewed, "One kit has already been born and gone to StarClan. You must help her! If you don't, the other kits will die and so will she. Now wake up!" Ashfur blinked awake, his heart pounding with fear. He had to help Leafpool. As quickly and quietly as he could, he ducked out of the warriors den. Keeping to the shadows, he crept around to the secret exit Leafpool had told him about and snuck out of camp, sprinting as soon as he was clear, desperate to help Leafpool, unaware of a pair of amber eyes watching him from the warriors den.

8888

Brambleclaw got to his paws as he watched Ashfur leave camp. What would spur the warrior into a seemingly out of the blue absence from camp? Leafpool, he thought instantly. But why would she need him to come out in the middle of the night? She must be in trouble, Brambleclaw thought in horror, maybe the kits are coming! Well he certainly wasn't going to wait here, if Leafpool needed help then surely the more paws on hand the better.

So, doing the same as Ashfur had, he snuck out of camp, following his scent trail through the forest to where he'd found Leafpool yesterday.

8888

"Leafpool!" Ashfur called as he approached her den, "Leafpool can you hear me?"

"A-Ashfur!" came her strangled cry, "Ashfur help me!" Ashfur's heart skipped a beat as he raced forward, his eyes shining with fear. His breath caught in his throat when he finally laid eyes on Leafpool. Hawkfrost hadn't been exaggerating; she was in a lot of trouble. She spotted a small blue-gray tom, his kitten fur covered in blood, Leafpool's blood. The poor scrap wasn't breathing; he probably never stood a chance.

"I'm here Leafpool," Ashfur mewed, standing outside the den, "What do you need me to do?"

"Raspberry leaves!" Leafpool cried as another spasm shock her, "They should be…around her somewhere!" Ashfur backed up, scenting the air. But I have no idea what they look or smell like! He thought in horror.

"I'll get them, I remember Leafpool using them once," Brambleclaw mewed coming through the bushes.

"Brambleclaw!" Leafpool gasped, moaning with pain. Ashfur growled at him, his fur fluffed up aggressively.

"What, are you doing here?" Ashfur snarled.

"Helping Leafpool," Brambleclaw growled back, "And nothing you can say will make me leave her."

"She doesn't need you," Ashfur growled, "She has me to help her. So go back to your nest and stay there crowfood eater."

"No, she needs my help, I know where to find the raspberry leaves," Brambleclaw argued, "I'm helping, live with it."

"Guys stop it!" Leafpool wailed, "I'm kinda…kitting here!" That snapped them out of the argument, for now.

"Stay with her, I'll be back in a minute," Brambleclaw mewed urgently, running off again. Ashfur ducked into the den, sitting next to Leafpool, hating how useless he felt to help her.

"Not…much…longer!" Leafpool panted before she let out another wail as the next kit came. Ashfur quickly leaned down and nipped the sac, releasing the kit. Then he licked it as quickly as he could, trying the best he could to get the small tom to breathe. He was a ginger tabby, hardly bigger than his dead brother. After a while, it became clear this kit wasn't going to survive either. Ashfur picked him up and put him with his brother.

"I'm sorry Leafpool, I'm so sorry," Ashfur mewed sadly, licking her flank. Leafpool let out a whine.

"StarClan…StarClan is punishing me!" Leafpool mewed, gasping with pain, "They're punishing me for turning my back on them."

"No, Leafpool," Ashfur mewed, "No they're not. Please just hang on, you can do this. You're the most brilliant and strong she-cat I've ever met. Please hang on." Leafpool looked at him in surprise, her eyes glowing in the dark den as she panted with effort. Never before had she heard him sound so distraught. She narrowed her eyes. She had to do this. Even if this was StarClan punishing her, she couldn't afford to lose it. She would prove that she was better than them, and that they couldn't hurt her, not any of them. Leafpool nodded.

"I'll do my best," she mewed strongly before she let out another whine as the last kit started to come.

"I'm back," came Brambleclaw's muffled mew as he ran into the den, his jaws full of raspberry leaves. Leafpool let out a grateful mew taking a raspberry leaf and chewing it. As she finished the leaf she let out a yowl of pain, a spasm in her stomach pushing out the last kit. Leafpool flopped down in exhaustion. Brambleclaw nipped the sac revealing a small black she-kit. Brambleclaw licked it roughly, trying to get it to breathe, as Ashfur watched Leafpool, panic growing when she didn't move. The kit let out a squeak as it started to breathe and Ashfur felt a little relieved. Atleast one of the kits had survived. But what about Leafpool?

"Leafpool?" Ashfur mewed softly as Brambleclaw moved the kit to Leafpool's belly so it could suckle, "Leafpool can you hear me?" Ashfur nearly cried in panic when she didn't respond. No, no she can't be dead! Not Leafpool not now! Suddenly there was a quiet groan and Leafpool open her eyes. Ashfur sighed with relief, even as Brambleclaw did the same.

"Did…did it make it?" Leafpool asked weakly. Ashfur nodded, his eyes glowing with emotion.

"Yes, she did," Ashfur mewed, licking her flank, "Congratulations Leafpool."

"Well done," Brambleclaw mewed softly, "She's beautiful, just like her mother." Ashfur resisted the temptation to claw Brambleclaw, how dare he speak to Leafpool like that! Leafpool lifted her head, her eyes wide as she looked down at the small black she-kit.

"She's….she's perfect," Leafpool purred, licking her daughters head, earning her a mew, "More than I could've ever hoped for." Ashfur purred.

"What are you going to call her?" Brambleclaw asked, beating Ashfur to it.

"I don't know," Leafpool mewed, watching the little she-kit with soft eyes, seemingly oblivious to the tension between the two toms present, "What do you guys think I should call her?"

"How about Darkkit?" Brambleclaw suggested and Leafpool looked thoughtful before shaking her head.

"No, it doesn't quite suit her," Leafpool mewed.

"I think Hollykit," Ashfur mewed thoughtfully, "Like the holly that's outside your den."

"Hollykit?" Leafpool mewed thoughtfully, "Yes, I like that name." Leafpool purred and nuzzled the little she-kit.

"Welcome to the world my little Hollykit," Leafpool mewed softly, her voice laced with affection. Ashfur felt joy rise in his chest, ignoring the glare Brambleclaw aimed at him. Leafpool yawned and laid her head on her paws.

"You must be tired," Brambleclaw mewed, "I'll come back tomorrow with some fresh-kill for you." Brambleclaw licked her ear and Ashfur held back a growl.

"That's Okay, I can do that," Ashfur mewed, his eyes narrowed at Brambleclaw. Brambleclaw bared his teeth slightly at Ashfur before backing out of the den.

"See you Leafpool," Brambleclaw mewed, "You should come to Ashfur, and leave her in peace."

"No," Leafpool mewed tiredly, "Not just yet. I want to talk to Ashfur first." Brambleclaw's eyes shone with jealousy but he didn't comment on it.

"Goodnight Leafpool," he mewed before he padded through the bushes, heading back to camp.

"Ashfur, if you don't mind…" Leafpool mewed, sounding awkward, "This is if its Okay with you…could you…stay with me tonight? I don't think I could sleep on my own." Ashfur purred and nuzzled her cheek, more than happy to stay with her for the night.

"Of course I'll stay with you," Ashfur mewed softly, lying down next to her. Leafpool purred at him gratefully, her eyes shutting slowly. Ashfur pressed his pelt to hers, listening as her breathing slowed as she drifted to sleep.

8888

Hawkfrost's icy eyes gleamed. This was starting to get out of hand. Ashfur had to learn where his place was, and it wasn't with Leafpool. That spot belonged to him and him alone. His eyes darkened.

Ashfur had to go.