“Roseleaf, Roseleaf, it’ll be alright!” cried a dark brown tabby cat. A pale white shecat lay on the ground in front of him, three kits squealing by her side.

“Blackenedstripe, I can’t, the world, it is so dark…”

“No, Roseleaf, don’t leave us!”

“Us?” Roseleaf asked, sounding confused.

“You just gave birth to our kits, Roseleaf, don’t you realize that?”

“Kits?” Roseleaf questioned, and then coughed. A dribble of blood flowed out of her mouth and her eyes blinked.

“Yes, our three kits, Roseleaf, they’re wonderful.”

“Kits...?” Roseleaf whispered, another trickle of blood flowed out of her mouth and dripped onto the ground, forming a small pool by the kits. Her head suddenly crashed onto the ground, blood flowing out of it freely.

“Roseleaf, no…” One of the kits squeaked and crawled around, fearful of the stench of the blood. Its front left paw touched the blood, and it squeaked again.

“Blackenedstripe, I’m sorry,” said a sorrowed voice. Blackenedstripe turned around to find a muscular tan tom standing in the entrance to the den. Behind him were several other cats; most had tears dripping from their eyes.

“I don’t know how it happened, Canyonstar. She and the kits were fine, but then she just started having the attack, and…”

“Blackenedstripe, I promise, tonight I will visit the MoonClearing. Perhaps StarClan has answers for us.”

“Blackenedstripe, shouldn’t you name the kits?” asked another voice from the crowd behind Canyonstar.

“I suppose you should, Blackenedstripe,” Canyonstar agreed with the other cat.

“Ghostkit,” Blackenedstripe murmured, placing his tail on a tiny she-kit that looked exactly like her mother. A queen in the crowd nodded, her kits sitting by her paws.

“Soulkit,” Blackenedstripe placed his tail on a pale white tom with dark brown stripes.

“And… Redkit,” Blackenedstripe placed his tail on a white tom with a brown tail and underbelly, his front left paw still stained with Roseleaf’s blood.