"Leafheart is kitting!" Lilytail yowled, "Cloudpaw, bring me the herbs, and don't forget the raspberry." Cloudpaw, the medicine cat apprentice, rushed to the medicine den, staring around in a panic. His first birth! Would he remember everything? Would Leafheart be alright? How many kits would there be? His head spun, but he snatched up the right herbs and ran out to the nursery. Leafheart was already moaning in pain when Cloudpaw slid into the nursery. His belly clenched. 

Was something going wrong already? But Lilytail was calm, and seemed unconcerned, so Cloudpaw merely laid the herbs in front of Lilytail and sat down, curling his tail around his paws. "What happens now?" He whispered. Instead of answering, Lilytail nudged the herbs toward Leafheart. "Eat these."Leafheart looked up, her eyes filled with anticipation. "What do I do?" She whispered. She was gripped by another contraction as she spoke, and gave a keening screech. "Just eat these, for now." Lilytail meowed as Sunclaw burst in. "What's going on?! I heard a scream..." 

His gaze riveted to Leafheart. "Leafheart!" Sunclaw rushed over to Leafheart, curling around her, and started to lick her head soothingly. A shudder gripped her and a small, wet bundle slid into the moss. "It's a tom!" Lilytail exclaimed. Leafheart barely had time to glance lovingly at the newborn kit before she gave another shudder and the tiny tom gained a brother. Lilytail and Cloudpaw started to lick the two tiny kits as Leafheart gave one last push. "A she-cat!" Sunclaw said breathlessly.

 "Oh Leafheart, we have the most beautiful children." He nuzzled the three tiny kits, and helped Cloudpaw nudge them toward Leafheart's belly. Cloudpaw sighed in relief. Thank Starclan everything had gone well; he had heard terrible stories of miscarriages, such as the legend of Silverstream, Graystripe's Riverclan love, who died with all but one of her kits in a ravine. He shuddered just thinking about it. Sandstorm, the oldest elder, had told him the legend, along with many others.

 "You can go now Cloudpaw. Leafheart needs to rest." Lilytail told him. Cloudpaw got up and stretched, then looked back for just a moment. They looked so happy, the new family, with Sunclaw soothingly licking Leafheart's and each kits' heads in turn, while the tiny kits kits suckled ravenously, with Leafheart sleeping peacefully between all of them. His heart ached. He would never have that. That pride and love as a father. He had never regretted becoming a medicine cat, but now...

 He was suddenly, desperately, horribly lonely. He sighed, plodding slowly to the medicine den, and curling up in his nest. When, moons later it seemed, Lilytail came in and started to put away the remaining herbs, Cloudpaw whispered, "Can I curl up with you for a little while? I just feel so lonely..." Lilytail paused, a little surprised. "I understand that this is weird, and a little inappropriate, I just--" Cloudpaw rushed on, scared that she would say no.

 "You may." Lilytail interrupted. "However, no one can know. You know a medicine cats can not have mates, and sleeping in another's nest with them is forbidden." Her voice softened. "I know witnessing a birth can make you lonely, my first birth made me feel horrible." Her voice grew stronger. "But this is your life now, and this is a one time thing." Cloudpaw lowered his head. "Yes Lilytail."

 She laid down and glanced at Cloudpaw as he hesitantly curled around her in a tense ball. She watched him relax as he drifted off into sleep, and only then did she allow a small sigh to escape. It had been so long since she had had this kind of physical contact.... She hadn't touched anyone but a patient since she was a kit, and she hadn't thought of how precious those moments were at the time. Those touches were so casual, so normal. Her heart ached, thinking about it. She didn't know that she would come to crave contact, no matter how slight. She sighed again. There was no point being nostalgic. She needed to take her own advice, because this was her life now.

Sunclaw couldn't stop staring. The best miracle in the world, his family, was so new but already, he couldn't imagine life without them. He imagined playing with his children as kits, helping them train as apprentices, and watching them serve their Clan with pride as warriors. He sighed. His life was so perfect....