Songfire turned around as a silver glimmer caught on the edge of a herb she was sorting. The clouds had recently cleared, exposing the full moon, pearly-white and glowing with a silvery-white light, casting ethereal shadows wherever it touched.

Despite it clearing, all four clans knew better than going to the Fourtrees and angering the Gods.

"Songfire! Songfire!" a choked meow gasped as she was snapped from her daze.

"Yes, Sunnypaw?" she mewed back.

"It's Pearlhaze! She's-" the apprentice began.

Without Songfire stood up and hurriedly bundled herbs together before rushing to the Nursery.

She saw the queen convulsing in pain and giving small shrieks of distress every now and then.

"Sunnypaw? Are you there? Could you please fetch a stick? It's Pearlhaze's first time and knowing her, she'll more likely die from her anxiety than the kitting itself," Songfire sighed to her apprentice.

"I'm on it," Sunnypaw nodded before soundlessly leaving the scene.

Another wail from the kitting queen drew Songfire's attention back to her,

"Ow! It hurts so much! Will I die? If I die, could you tell Waspsting I love him and I'll wait for him in SoulClan? Oh dear! What if SoulClan thinks I'm not worthy of joining their ranks and send me to the Endless Darkness? Kestrelstrike would be so disappointed in me. Did you know..." Pearlhaze trailed off as her eyes glazed over. Clearly the pain was making her incoherent.

Songfire shook her head and sighed. First-time queens were always harder to work with. First time queens name Perlhaze were especially hard to work with.

A pained screech erupted from Pearlhaze as her body shook violently from the spasms,

"Help me, please! I'm going to die!"

"I'm back!" Sunnypaw meowed, breathless, a firm stick clenched between her jaws.

[TIMESKIP]

Songfire watched Pearlhaze as she gazed lovingly at her single kit.

"What will you name her?" Songfire cautiously meowed, still partially traumatised by Pearlhaze's panic attack.

"Well-" Pearlhaze began, but was interrupted by a terrified shriek from Sunnypaw.

"Sunnypaw?" Songfire meowed, whipping around to see her horrified apprentice staring up at the moon. Her own eyes flickered up just for a brief moment, but caught sight of what her apprentice saw.

The moon, once pearly-white, was now blood-red.