"MY KITS ARE COMING!" 

           The yowl swept through the camp, awakening those who slept peacefully. Mossheart rushed to the den, only to be pushed aside by Spottedmask and Tawnyheart. Tawnyheart held a stick in her mouth then shoved it in Fernbranch's.

            "You grasp onto this when the pain comes," Tawnyheart instructed.

            Fernbranch nodded weakly through the pain. She looked up at Mossheart, relieved he was here. Mossheart sighed, hating to see the sight of Fernbranch in pain.

            Suddenly, Fernbranch let out a sharp mew, biting onto the stick.

            "The first one is coming!" Spottedmask gasped.

            Mossheart turned, seeing all the kits and queens had exited the den and had moved into the elder's den as she gave birth. Snow fluttered down from the sky. It was a cold leaf-bare night. Mossheart hoped Fernbranch wouldn't freeze.

            Suddenly a bundle of white and gray fur slid on the moss. "A tom," Spottedmask said.

            Mossheart sighed, relieved. The first kit had been born successfully. Were anymore kits going to be born?

            Tawnyheart felt Fernbranch's stomach. "One or two more," she told Spottedmask.

            Fernbranch licked the first kit, and Spottedmask pushed it forward to its mother for it to suckle.

            Fernbranch screeched and bit the stick again as another kit was born. This kit was a silver blue kitten.

            "Another tom," Tawnyheart told Mossheart. She felt Fernbranch's stomach one last time to see if any more were to be born. "One more."

            Mossheart's eyes widened. Three kits? He would be caring for three! It would be a struggle, though he knew it was much better than five kits.

            Fernbranch shut her eyes from the pain as the last kit was born. A small light gray kitten tumbled onto the moss.

            "A she-cat," Spottedmask told Mossheart. She then turned to Fernbranch. "You're done."

            Fernbranch sighed in relief, licking her three kits. "They're beautiful," Mossheart told Fernbranch.

            Fernbranch smiled weakly. "I'm just glad it's over. Should we name them?" she asked.

            Mossheart nodded. "Can we call the silver blue tom Jaykit?" she asked.

            Mossheart nodded. "Yes, he can be called Jaykit."

            "And the she-cat, Tinykit?" Mossheart nodded, looking at the tiny she-cat that tried to compete with her siblings.

            "You name the last one," Fernbranch told him.

            Mossheart looked at the white and gray tom. "Patchkit," he proudly said. "His name will be Patchkit."

            Fernbranch smiled at this name then licked her kits once more. Queens and kits entered into the nursery, smiling at Fernbranch's three kits.

            "Beautiful names," Spottedmask told Mossheart. "Tawnyheart is telling Smokestar right now."

            Mossheart nodded, still gazing at Fernbranch and his three kits. "Patchkit, Jaykit, and Tinykit," he whispered, his new family.

Mossheart padded into the nursery early morning, seeing some of the kits playing around. They were about three weeks old now, the youngest in the nursery, though Mousestripe's kits would be born soon.

            "Daddy's here!" Tinykit squeaked, running to her father.

            Fernbranch smiled and looked up at her mate. "They were waiting for you."

            Mossheart smiled, looking into Tinykit's blue eyes. He wondered where she had got them from since he and Fernbranch both had green eyes.

            "Tinykit, are you going to play with us?" Jaykit asked. His green eyes resembled Fernbranch's, and Mossheart couldn't help but see Fernbranch everytime he looked into Jaykit's eyes.

            "Hi, Daddy," Patchkit said, turning to his father. It was he who resembled his father the most with his white pelt and gray patches. His eyes were a light green, just like Mossheart's.

            "Hi," Mossheart replied, licking the top of his head. "Are you getting along well with the other kits?"

            "All the other kits are too big for us!" Tinykit complained.

            "No, just for you, Tinykit," Jaykit told her. Fernbranch smacked Jaykit with her tail, and he looked at this mother. "What did I do?"

            "Don't make fun of your sister's size," she lectured him. Mossheart was surprised how well Fernbranch could handle the kits.

            "Mousestripe's kits will be born soon," Mossheart told his kits. "You'll have playmates then."

            "I sure hope so," Patchkit sighed.

            "Why don't we play?" Mossheart suggested.

            Tinykit's eyes lighted up at the idea. "Yeah, Daddy, play with us!"

            "He can be the NightClan cat," Jaykit said. "I'll be Jaystar, leader of SnowClan."

            "I want to be leader!" Tinykit complained.

            "I think I should be leader," Patchkit interrupted the fighting.

            "Fine, Patchkit can be leader, but I'm deputy," Jaykit said. "You can be like a FoxClan warrior or something, Tinykit."

            Mossheart watched as his daughter jumped up and down with anger. "No, I'm gonna be a SnowClan warrior!" she said. She leapt at Mossheart with surprise, laughing as she landed on him.

            "Roar, I'm a big NightClan warrior!" Mossheart said.

            "I'm Patchstar, and you won't destroy SnowClan!" Patchkit yowled, leaping onto his father. Jaykit followed behind, lightly pawing at his father.

            Mossheart played with his kits for awhile until they grew tiresome. They then curled up beside their mother and fell asleep.

            Fernbranch smiled. "You said you wouldn't be good at being a father. You've proven wrong."

            Mossheart smiled. "I guess you're right." He turned to the sleeping kits one last time before slipping out of the nursery and into the warriors den.