Magicflower's Journey
Magicflower breathed in the fresh air. She heard birds chirping, the rustling of wind in the trees, and the trickling of water in the brook. She felt peaceful and free. Her Twolegs had let her out, and although she liked them and they cared for her well, she couldn't help feeling drawn to the wild outdoors. She tasted the air.
Twig and Silver, she thought.
"I know you're there," Magicflower said in her sweet, clear voice. Slowly, two cats appeared from the brambles. One, a light brown tabby tom, the other, a silver she-cat. They were both skinny and dirty.
Hey there, housecat!" the tabby tom sneered.
"Or what do you call it? Kittypet?" the silver she-cat teased.
"Silver, you know perfectly well it was my mother who taught me the language I use today, and I have no intention of changing it." Magicflower gave her tortoiseshell pelt a quick lick before continuing. "Taunt and tease me all you like, but it won't make a difference." The two rogues rolled their eyes.
"Whatever." Twig said impatiently, and with a quick glance at Silver, darted away. Magicflower sighed. The rogues were always finding some kittypet to tease, or another rogue or loner to fight. Twig was big and strong, despite his name, and Silver was fast and could slide away and trick any cat. They were great fighters, Magicflower knew, but they used their skill only to help themselves. They were naïve young cats, not much older than Magicflower, and no cat liked him very much.
Magicflower thought about how Twig and Silver, along with many other cats, tease her so much about her own, unique names for things. Every cat she knew called what she called Twolegs housefolk, and the cats that live with them housecats while Magicflower called them kittypets.
Another strange thing about her was her name. Most cats had short, simple ones, but Magicflower had an unusually long one. She didn't mind it herself, but she had to admit, it was a little odd.
She forgot all about it as she hopped back in the Twoleg den, curled up on the rug next to the fireplace, and fell asleep to the comforting touch of her Twoleg's hand stroking her fur.
Dovestar stared up at Silverpelt; her eyes searching for a sign that would help her save her Clan.
Ever since her trusted medicine cat, Ravenheart, had died in a fierce battle with a group of rogue cats, she had felt completely alone. She had her Clan mates, the dullness and gloom in their eyes had made it nearly impossible to talk to them knowing she hadn't been able to keep them from getting that sadness in their eyes. They were working so hard just to keep themselves, the elders, and the kits alive. Her warriors were hunting all day to keep the Clan fed, and they were still recovering from the battle with the rogues. When Ravenheart died, there was no one to tend to their wounds. Now, she had no one to tell her troubles to.
Dovestar's pure white coat shone in the moonlight, and her clear blue eyes glinted as she stared up toward Silverpelt. Suddenly, a star shot across the sky, like magic. Dovestar couldn't get the word "magic" out of her head as she went to her den that night and fell asleep, a glimmer of hope among her.