Ebby
Characters : Stormsong, Doekit
Clan/Rank : ShadowClan Arborist; Mindflayer Enthusiast
 
Number of posts : 6705
Gender : She / Her
Age : 29
 | | Subject: Forgotten Rose Thu May 30, 2013 2:54 am | |
| Alliegences
Discussion TopicPrologue 'Just a little farther. Just a little. We're almost there.'
A light ginger queen fled as fast as she could through the rural Twolegplace. Her body was worn and her fur shedding from moons of malnourishment, ribs showing clearly through her once beautiful pelt. Although she seemed weak and broken, there was a deep determination that flared in her eyes that had her keep pushing forward. She knew what she had wanted to do and where she needed to go.
In her jaws hung a small mewling kit. It couldn't have been older than a few suns, letting out squeals of protest every time it was bumped against the ground or smushed as its mother hastily clawed her way under a fence.
The she-cat ran until she could run no longer, turning into a filthy alleyway and hiding behind a twoleg bin full of carrion. "Don't worry, little one." The queen consoled her child, struggling to catch her breath. She thought she still heard the sound of heavy paws behind her, and the large echo of thunder that came from the twoleg's fire stick. She again pictured the sharp flash from the end of his stick that sent hot metal into the bodies of those who tried to escape. It was a horrible image and she couldn't help but shutter.
By that terrible thing, there were many innocent cats had died. Those were her friends who had died. That could've been her. That could've been her kit.
Her cloudy blue gaze fell to the soft bundle at her feet, eyes still having yet to open and shivering against the cold. In this new light, her mother could clearly the sweet, light brown color of her pelt.
'Just like her father,' the she-cat thought sadly.
The kit squirmed forward against the ground until it could press up against her, desperate for her warm. "We'll be there soon. You'll be safe, I promise." She leaned down and touched her nose lightly to her kit in affection. She couldn't protect her son. This one had to survive.
A chill went down the ginger queen's spine as the familiar sound of growling was heard echoing down the street and her blue eyes widened in fear. The dog. The dog had followed.
In a state of new dread, the she-cat snatched the kit up again and made a sprint down the allyway and for the other street. 'Faster! I need to go faster!' She thought with terror. The creature was catching up quickly. She could hear it's pawsteps again.
She didn't think to check for monsters as she crossed the dimpled Thunderpath, hearing one began to shriek at her as she bolted across. The queen stared helplessly in the monster's blinding eyes before dashing forward, narrowly avoiding it as it swerved as well out of her way. Still, the dog followed her with little hesitation.
'This is it. Its over,' she thought with terror until she caught a fresh scent on the wind. The comforting and wild scent of forest that she remembered so well, and her eyes suddenly teared of happiness. This place, she knew, they would be safe. The she-cat eyed a tall, wooden fence. It was just over that. It had to be.
The ginger she-cat sprinted with a new spark of hope as the fence rapidly approached. With a leap of faith, she leaped forward, reaching over the top and getting a taste of long-awaited freedom.
It was short-lived, though. Weakness and the small kit in her jaws weighed her down. With her paws she gripped the top of the wall, with her hind legs she desperately tried to climb her claw her way up and over. She couldn't do it. It proved too much for her and she slid painfully back to the ground.
Her gaze darted around, looking for something - anything that might give her a boost, but the clearing was empty - lest for old, soggy box that lay in the corner. Cardboard, she recognized. Knowing the dog would catch up at any moment, she placed the kit inside, nuzzling her one last time.
"I love you," she whispered. "Be strong."
Snarls were heard a few fox-lengths away, and it was with great sadness that she tore her gaze from her daughter. With one last bit of defiance, she faced the dog head on, unsheathing her claws and letting out a fierce snarl. "Mangy mutt!" she spat, leaping forward and aiming for it's eyes.
The she-cat faught her fate bravely, but it took no longer than a few heart until she gave one final scream, bright red splattering on the fence and the ground. The creature shook her bodied, toyed with it for its sick pleasure. It continued on and on until a voice was finally heard, echoing loud and clear.
"ShadowClan, attack!"
Sharp yowls and new shapes suddenly filled the clearing. They moved slickly, surrounding the dog in little time before lashing out. One cat clawed at its legs while another dove in and attack its shoulders. Insansely, one even made a leap for the creature's neck, clinging on and biting at its ears.
Quickly overwhelmed, the dog dropped the limp body in his jaws and nipped at his attackers, biting the paw of the tom closest to him and throwing him off. The warrior went skidding and slammed against the fence in a daze. The next one to come too close was grabbed by the hind leg and threw into the air, landing with a dull thud a few rabbit-hops away.
Still, they fought on though, and after a good fight of snapping jaws and slashing claws the dog gave up, kicking and shaking the cats away from him and fleeing back into the depths of Twolegplace with it's tail between it's legs.
"Rattail! You frog-brain!" A black she-cat spat suddenly, spinning around to face the tom who had fallen against the fence. "What were you thinking clinging onto the dog like that? It could've bit your head off!"
"Hey, relax Nightfur." The brown and black sat up, trying to shake his head clear. "I'm alright aren't I?" The she-cat rolled her eyes and padded over to him, helping him up to his feet. He frowned, looking rather confused. "I'm seeing stars - and they aren't in the sky."
"Tell it to Brightcloud." Another tom stepped forward, murmering darkly, limping from the bite on his leg and the new soreness in his back. It was with great pride that the golden brown tabby forced himself to stay standing tall in front of his patrol. His copper gaze was locked on a still shape at the edge of the clearing, so bloody and torn it was almost impossible to tell what she once looked like.
Rattail flicked an ear as he tried to focus on Lizardclaw, their deputy. "Of course," he said.
"So, I was right. Someone did need our help." A small gray tom stepped forward, suppressing a sigh. "We were too late. Maybe if we had come quicker..."
"There was nothing we could've done." Lizardclaw said quickly to Mosquitonose, "If we should've come at all." They could've lost one of their own warriors in that fight. And she was already dead.
Mosquitonose said nothing, turning to face the two crouched together. "We can tell Lichenpaw to come out of hiding then?"
"I'm right here!" A dainty voice called. A pale tortoiseshell scrambled over the fenc not a few moments later.
"You were supposed to stay hidden until we gave you the all clear," he meowed with slight irritation.
"I'm almost a warrior," Lichenpaw retorted quietly after landing firmly on the ground, though instantly regretting it as she received sharp looks from the older warriors. The she-cat cleared her throat and paused, as if waiting for them to catch unto something.
"What is it?" Nightfur questioned after a few moments of strange silence.
"You don't hear it?" The apprentice mewed, edging towards the soggy box. The patrol quieted down instantly as Lichenpaw stuck her nose inside curiously.
"A kit!" Mosquitonose gasped, recognizing the tiny mewls instantly.
The apprentice gently tugged the small brown bundle out by the scruff, nosing it curiously as the warriors exchanged uncertain glances.
"What do we do with it?" Rattail frowned, looking up at his sister.
"I don't know. That queen must've been it's mother." Nightfur shook her head, sharing Rattail's uncertain look. "We can't just leave it here, can we?"
"We can't afford any more mouths to feed." Lizardclaw quickly spat, hoping to shoot down any certain ideas before they took flight. "The last thing we need is a kittypet!"
"Its an orphan!" Mosquitonose quickly protested, suddenly shrinking back from his deputy's harsh glare. He knew he had little to no place to speak, but he also knew to leave it here was simply wrong. "The code says to protect all kits."
"To protect all kits with warrior blood." Rattail pointed out, pulling himself back up unto his feet. "It says nothing about kittypets."
"Still, we can't just let it starve." Nightfur mused quietly, "Its so young."
"Doesn't matter. We don't need it in our clan." Lizardclaw muttered firmly, trying to close the subject. "Now lets -"
"With all due respect!" The gray tom interrupted quickly, "Code or not, this is just a kit. It's mother is gone and its our responsibility now. This decision should be up to Sedgestar, not you!"
Nightfur and Rattail's eyes grew wide as the deputy stared down the youngest warrior, a cold look on his face. After a few long moments, Lizardclaw blinked, saying nothing - only letting out a low growl.
"Very well." The tom finally muttered. "Lichenpaw!"
"Yes, Lizardclaw!" The apprentice meowed and sat up straight the instant her name was called, before she had been licking the kit, trying to calm it and keep it warm.
"Run ahead back to camp and inform Sedgestar to meet up outside the entrance. " The apprentice hesitantly stepped away from the small bundle who seemed to miss her already, dipping her head and disappearing over the fence . "Nightfur, help Rattail get to Brightcloud. Mosquitonose, you carry the thing back with us. And try to keep up."
The deputy avoided the gray warriors gaze as he gave this commands. The two sibling warriors moved, the dazed tom making the first leap and scrambling clumsily over the top of the wooden wall. Taking another moment to concentrate, Lizardclaw leaped over after them, struggling as well with his injured leg curled in.
Left alone with the kit, Mosquitonose walked over and let his gaze rest on it carefully. He knew that he'd be getting trouble from Lizardclaw and the other warriors for this later, and certainly Sedgestar as well. Hopefully, StarClan would approve of his decision to speak up, though.
He glanced back at the bloodied body at the other end of the clearing. And what would become of her? Staring too long made him feel sick, though, and his gaze quickly trailed back to the kit again. "StarClan have mercy on you both." Mosquitonose muttered. Taking the kit in his jaws, he made his way back into ShadowClan territory.
On a stormless night, an echo of thunder was heard in the distance.
|
|
