Marigoldflame gave a huff of frustration as Embershine continuously nattered in her ear.

"But Stalkstar will be okay, won't she?" The white and brown tabby gazed at his mate. She was currently in the middle of her kitting, and now the calico was on the brink of snapping at him.

Sighing heavily, she flicked her tail, and eyeing a branch on the floor of the medicine den. Currently the brown tabby leader was kitting in the medicine den, allowed some privacy at least.

"Pigeonpaw! Where's them raspberry leaves?!" She called loudly, hoping for a response off the grey tabby apprentice. He was eager to learn, and had just been apprenticed to her.

"Here they are!" Pigeonpaw bounded calmly up to her, allowing Marigoldflame to take the leaves off him, while he took a worried glance at Embershine.

"We may need to move you outside.." Pigeonpaw said anxiously, waiting for the quivering tom's response. Surprisingly, he got up on all four paws, dipped his head to Stalkstar and Marigoldflame, and left the den without a fuss.

"Annoying how he listens to a six moon old apprentice, but not me." Marigoldflame muttered under her breath. Stalkstar must've heard her, for she let out a small snort, then a hiss of pain following.

"First kit is here!" Marigoldflame announced, bringing the bundle close to Stalkstar. It was a burly tom, his white pelt dotted with brown splotches like his father's.

Not long after, had the second kit been born, a sleek brown tortoiseshell she cat. Marigoldflame wouldn't doubt that she was stunning.

"Congrats." The calico said hesitantly, waiting a few heartbeats to know if anymore kits were to arrive.

"A tom-kit and a she-kit." Stalkstar purred, looking at the newborns. Just as Marigoldflame was about to turn, praising herself for another safe kitting, there was a yowl of pain.

"I think it's another kit!" Pigeonpaw, who had been standing nearby, announced hesitantly. His grey fur was spiked up, and he watched with interest. The medicine cat nodded in agreement.

Stalkstar squirmed in pain a few times again, before a final kit was born. And the calico was sure this was the last kit. He was a brown tabby with a white tuft on his chest and front paws.

"Embershine! You can come in now!" Marigoldflame flicked her head round as Pigeonpaw called out loudly. A shaken Embershine emerged through into the medicine den, eyes instantly lighting up as he noticed the kits.

"Rockkit for that one." He said undoubtedly quickly, pointing at the brown and white splotched kit. " He looks sturdy, like a rock." The new father shrugged awkwardly, waiting for Stalkstar to input.

"I like it." Stalkstar purred, giving a small smile back. Her eyes trailed to the second kit, and their only daughter. She pondered for a bit, before remembering her father Cedarfang.

"I'll name her after Cedarfang. So Cedarkit." A quick jerk of her head confirmed the name, and two pairs of eyes fixed onto the last kit. He was smaller than his siblings, but not a runt size. In fact his siblings were above average size, so that made the brown tabby average size.

"I want Pigeonpaw to name him." Stalkstar meowed quietly, watching as Pigeonpaw jumped back in shock.

"M-me?!" He spluttered, yet still taking a good glance at the tom.

"Yes, you." Embershine said quite firmly. "There's no one else in this den apart from us two, you and three kits."

Marigoldflame's jaw dropped in fake offence. "Thanks." She gawked, narrowing her eyes at Embershine's cheeky smirk. Even the calm apprentice had a smirk on his face, and the kits were letting out applauses of squeals, like they were cheering their father on.

"Dustkit." Pigeonpaw finally decided as he approached the kit and touched his nose to it's forehead. "I hope you have a good life, Dustkit. Stay good to others."