Ode to a Maple leaf
In the crisp air of autumn, the leaves are a sight to behold. A small maple leaf floats down. the light glistens on the red surface as wind and gravity take their part.
"Karen! Look! Mother! I did it!". A small, russet kitten held up a small, colorful garden bird in her paws, amazed at what she accomplished. The proud mother rushed over, purring in delight. Her eyes gleamed with pride as her daughter pushed her head into her chest. Karen wrapped her tail around her little kitten and felt the small collar press against her chest. A frown came upon her lips. She always had a problem with the things twolegs marked their pets with.
"You did amazing, Maple. I couldn't be prouder.", Karen inserted quickly, realizing she had yet to comment on her daughter's first catch. A sliding sound, followed by loud paw steps on the stone patio filled the air. A female twoleg called out in their usual squawking gibberish for the mother and daughter to come inside. Maple, looking slightly crestfallen, glanced to her mother. "What should I do with this?", she asked, tossing around the bird in her paws. Karen plucked the bird from her paws, dropped it, and covered it with the soft soil of the yard. "No-furs don't exactly like dead animals in their dens, for now, we just need to save it.". Maple nodded, trotting clumsily with her short legs back inside the den to join her brother.
FIVE MOONS LATER
Maple's POV
A sharp prod in the side woke the cat from her sleep. "Come on. Mo- Karen wants us to hurry up. I don't know why, but it seems important.", A husky voice said. Maple peeked open her dull green eyes. Followed by a yawn, she said, "Well fine. just let me eat-". She was cut off by her mother. "We can eat later. for now, we have to go.". Maple and her brother, Oak, followed their rushing mother. When they prodded open the cat-flap and emerged outside, Karen bolted to the fence and leaped onto it. After catching her breath, she mumbled, "Now do the same. it's easier than it looks." to her kittens. They followed instruction, eager for information on what the heck was happening.
A sunrise after they had fled the No-fur's den, for a reason not quite explained, they had stumbled upon a hollowed out tree. Karen, for whatever reason, insisted they settle down there. The family had slept, and they were now grouped together in silence. Oak, looking the slightest bit flustered, broke the silence. "Okay. Why did we have to leave our home?". Karen looked at him. "You wanna know? They were planning on taking me to the cutter to kill me, that's why. And if they killed me, they would most likely kill you kits too.". Maple retaliated, "We aren't kits. We are seven moons old. And what do you mean...kill you?". "Once a cat is either too ill to cure, or is too old to take care of, No-furs take them to the cutter and kill them. At least, that is what they are always believed to do. Once they go there, they never come back.". Silence filled the tree for the rest of the day.