Эрин Хантер - Legends of the Clans

“Lightning Tail saved me from Twolegs when I was a kit,” Owl Eyes said, standing next to the younger warrior. “There was no cat braver than him. He died the way he would have wanted—saving a Clanmate.”

“Lightning Tail was one of the first cats to welcome me and my kits to ThunderClan,” Milkweed said. “He was always willing to play with kits, and they loved him.”

“When my eyes got too bad to hunt, Lightning Tail always made sure I was fed,” Pink Eyes said. “He was a generous cat.”

All the cats were murmuring agreement, remembering kind things Lightning Tail had done or the way he had shown his bravery in battle and in protecting his Clan.

“We’ll never forget Lightning Tail,” Violet Dawn meowed finally. “He was brave and strong and good, and we were lucky to have him.”

The next two days were quiet and somber as ThunderClan mourned Lightning Tail.

Thunderstar and Violet Dawn sat in the mouth of their den, watching their Clanmates. Clover lay in the shade, picking sadly at a vole. Cloud Spots came out of the medicine den and passed the prey pile by, his tail drooping sadly. Everywhere cats were moving slowly, not speaking to each other, wrapped in their separate grief.

“This has to stop,” Violet Dawn mewed, eyeing them. “Lightning Tail wouldn’t have wanted the Clan to act like this, especially not because of him.”

Thunderstar wrapped his tail around his paws, feeling cold. “No, but what can we do? I can’t tell them to stop being sad.”

“Maybe you should pick a new deputy,” Violet Dawn suggested. “You need to have one, and it will help things get back to normal. It will give the Clan something new to think about, too.”

“A new deputy?” Thunderstar replied doubtfully. He couldn’t imagine any cat being able to support him the way Lightning Tail had. How can I replace my best friend?

“Owl Eyes was an excellent deputy while you and Lightning Tail were gone,” Violet Dawn told him. “Leaf and Gooseberry got into an argument about the nests in the warriors’ den, and Owl Eyes figured out a solution every cat could live with. He managed so well that I didn’t even know there was an argument until it was over.”

Thunderstar hesitated. The idea of another deputy— any deputy—taking Lightning Tail’s place beside him made him ache inside. But Owl Eyes was smart and hardworking. Every cat liked him. He was brave and strong and sensible.

Thunderstar wasn’t ready.

But the Clan needed a new deputy.

Sitting up straight, he made up his mind. Thunderstar opened his mouth to agree with Violet Dawn—Owl Eyes was the right cat for the job—when Violet Dawn suddenly gasped.

“What is it?” Thunderstar asked, Owl Eyes forgotten. Violet Dawn swayed and Thunderstar instinctively moved to support her.

“It’s the kits,” Violet Dawn told him, her eyes wide and glassy with pain. “They’re coming!”

“Cloud Spots! Come quickly!” Thunderstar yowled. Violet Dawn, gasping, leaned against him suddenly and he staggered under her weight.

Cloud Spots hurried across the clearing, followed by Shivering Rose.

“It’s time, isn’t it?” the long-furred medicine cat asked calmly. He pressed a paw to Violet Dawn’s side. “Take a deep breath. Deeper.”

Violet Dawn made a visible effort to slow her shallow panting, and Cloud Spots nodded approvingly.

Some of the other cats were crowding behind Cloud Spots and Shivering Rose, looking on with interest and excitement. Violet Dawn gave a low moan, her tail drooping, and Thunderstar licked her ear. “It’s okay,” he whispered. Is this normal?

Violet Dawn was shaking. Surely she shouldn’t be in this much pain, Thunderstar thought.

“Let’s get her into the nursery where she’ll be more comfortable,” Cloud Spots ordered. “All of you need to back off and give her some room,” he added, shooting a glare around at the onlookers.

“It hurts ,” Violet Dawn mewed.

“Wait for the wave of pain to stop for a heartbeat, and then we’ll move,” Cloud Spots told her, taking Violet Dawn’s weight from Thunderstar. He gestured to Shivering Rose with his tail and she went to Violet Dawn’s other side, so that they could support her between them.

After a moment, Violet Dawn mewed, her voice calmer, “Okay, I can move now.” The three cats started forward, crossing the clearing toward the nursery. Milkweed had already bundled Beech Tail and Patch Pelt out of the den, leaving more space for Violet Dawn and the medicine cats.

Thunderstar followed them to the nursery, his stomach churning with excitement and worry. He hovered in the doorway, looking in at the fresh nest Shivering Rose had made for Violet Dawn a few days ago, padded with clean, soft moss.

“Get some chervil from the medicine den and chew it up,” Cloud Spots told Shivering Rose. “The juice will help with her kitting.”

“Yes, Cloud Spots.” Shivering Rose obediently made for the door of the nursery and stopped. “Excuse me, Thunderstar.”

Thunderstar blinked in surprise and realized he was blocking the door. “Oh, sorry,” he muttered, and moved aside. He felt embarrassed and useless. Usually, he knew how to help the cats in his Clan. But what could he do now? He didn’t know anything about having kits.

He shifted his paws miserably. What kind of father was he going to be? If I can’t even help Violet Dawn bring them into the world, how will I look after them once they’re here?

Another pelt brushed his, and Thunderstar looked up to find Owl Eyes regarding him sympathetically.

“You look worried,” Owl Eyes mewed. “Cloud Spots says that Violet Dawn’s in perfect health and he expects the kits to be fine, you know.”

“I know,” Thunderstar answered, hunching his shoulders. “But she’s in pain and I don’t know how to help her.” He heard Violet Dawn moan again inside the den, and glared down at his own paws. “I’m just out here, and I don’t know…” His great fear forced itself up and out of his mouth. “I didn’t have a father of my own when I was a kit. What kind of father am I going to be? How will I know how to take care of them?”

He licked at his chest, too embarrassed to look up at Owl Eyes. Why was he telling the younger cat any of this? He’d never confided his fears to any cat in the Clan except Violet Dawn and Lightning Tail—his Clanmates needed to believe in Thunderstar’s strength to feel safe. I’m falling apart, he realized.

A soft purr made him snap his head back up to look at Owl Eyes. The sleek dark gray tom’s eyes were shining with warmth. “How can you say that?” he asked. “Thunderstar, you look after the whole Clan. Being a father will be easy compared to that.”

“I’m not so sure,” Thunderstar muttered. But his spirits rose a little, and he brushed his tail against Owl Eyes’s side gratefully. At least some cat believed in him, even if he didn’t believe in himself.

Shivering Rose returned to the nursery, carrying a mouthful of chewed pulp.

“The chervil, good,” Cloud Spots mewed inside the nursery. “Now try to take a little of this, Violet Dawn.”

“Okay,” Thunderstar heard Violet Dawn answer in a shaky mew, and then she gasped again in pain. He shuddered at the sound. Should he go in? Or would he only be in the way?

“It’s perfectly normal for it to hurt,” Cloud Spots told her soothingly. “You’re doing very well.”

Violet Dawn yowled sharply, and then moaned. “Thunderstar. Where’s Thunderstar? I can’t do this without him!”