No author's note this time.
The first thing I remember is my very first weak breath as my mother, smelling like a mix of herbs and blood, licks me vigorously, as if my pelt needs to be shed. My eyes feel like they're sealed shut. I want to open them, to see what my mother looks like, but I can't. All I know is that her fur is medium length and mine is short.
Milk-scent seeps into my nose. Thanks, Mommy for letting us suckle, I want to shout, but of course, the words come out as an unintelligible mew.
I realize that I can't move.
Some cat who smells even more like herbs nudges me toward my mother. I find the spot I'm supposed to suckle from, but I can't move my tiny yet heavy head, let alone suck up some milk.
Pains start to form in my body. It feels like a million bees are stinging my belly! It hurts... Why can't the pain go away?
My littermates are already full, while my belly stays empty, and it roars for something to fill it up. It starts getting harder to breathe. The pains start spreading to my lungs, and it's even worse!
With a last, desperate effort, which takes more energy than I have, I try my hardest to grab onto my mom's nipple. I still only move my head the length of a fish's scale!
My attempt fails yet again.
Suddenly, my head and two of my legs twitch... And then the light pouring through my eyelids disappears, and my breathing suddenly gets easier than ever.
I realize that my eyelids feel loose, and I pop them open for the first time. I see an unmoving, small lump of fur, and I wonder if that's my littermate. But don't I have two littermates? Why are there three now?
Then it hits me.
I must be dead, and I'm seeing my own body. The thought haunts me. My mother... Her blue eyes are full of sorrow. I know what she looks like now. She's black with white spots on her face and tail, and dull blue eyes. I look at myself a second time. I look nothing like her. I'm a ginger tabby with brown tabby spots and some white. I wonder what my father looks like. Does he look like me, or at least have one of my colors?
I see a black-and-white cat speckled with stars approach me. A friendly, caring look is on his face, and it definitely shows in his yellow eyes.
"Welcome to StarClan, Wildkit," he purrs.
Wildkit? Is that my name? "So my mommy named me. And what's S-starclan?" I stutter, amazed that I'm able to speak.
"If you don't know what StarClan is, you've got a lot of learning to do." The tom flicks his tail toward a comfortable-looking nest. "Follow me."
I hesitated.
As if he read my mind, the tom said, "Every cat in StarClan can move just fine. Come, I've got to teach you a few things."
Leaves rustling, I followed him, still in awe that there was no pain and no struggle.
I put more work into that than I thought I would. Wowie. This is a one-shot, don't expect any updates.