(A/N):Yay! My first chapter from Dust! I originally wanted to update yesterday, but … I got distracted. Ah, well here's the full summary
Full summary:
Dust surrounds us all the time. Sometimes it is thick and you'll start coughing. Sometimes you don't see it, but it is there. It sticks to our pelts. It keeps us apart. It shoves us together. It is powerful, yet tiny.
Strom has a pretty normal life. He eats, he sleeps, he defends his territority. Untill Burr sends him his first apprentice, Lily. She annoys him, she hunts his fresh-kill, she patrols his borders, she awakes unpleasant memories.
Strom was woken from a soft continiung noise, probably a bird singing. The juicy smell of the rabbit he catched yesterday found it's way in his nose and he felt the soft fur of it brushing his back; as always in leaf-bare he kept the prey near him, so it was warm next time to eat. He sat up without opening his eyes, still dizzy from sleep, and padded carefully out off his den. As the fresh green-leaf air hit in his face, his mind cleared and he noticed three things: First, it was green-leaf not leaf-bare, second, he hadn't caught rabbit yesterday, and third, the noise that woke him up was snoring, meant there was an intruder in his territority, even in his den. The tabby tom peered silently through the brambles in his den, prepared to leap and recoiled in shock. A white she-cat sat in front of him, her head bowed, the rabbit by her paws. "Master Strom, do you wish to eat a meal? Is rabbit okay for you? Should I bring other prey?" She gazed up to him, and, as if in fear she added, "Might I go to the dirtplace, master Strom?" "Why are you in my territority, intruder? And why are you calling me 'master'? Answer me, intruder! Why-" His demanding mew was cut off from her blunt reply, "Stop calling me intruder! My name's Lily! It's not as if I had a choice! Burr said my chances would be even bigger for you to teach me how to deal with them, if I'm calling you 'master'!" Lily rushed out of his den, leaving a startled tom behind.
Strom stared at the entrance as if a fox would jump out and devour him, her words echoing in his head. Still in a daze he teared the rabbit apart and gobbled it down in large gulps. As soon as he was finished, he wandered around and was shocked as he saw were he was. He was at the willow tree near the stream. He hadn't been here since he buried her. Strom stared at the lilys growing on her grave. Lily reminded him a bit of her. The same green eyes. The same long pelt, even though Lily had a white and Scythe had a black pelt. And, surprisingly, almost the same smell. And Scythe had loved Lilys. This had been Scythe's favourite place, where she thought and where they had played 'Catch the mouse'. Strom sighed and laid down on the patch of grass, where they used to share tongues after playing. She'd have always said totally stern, but with a mocking glint in her eyes 'Strom, I'm jealous of your handsome grey tabby pelt and your gorgeous amber eyes.", he'd answer in the usual tone "Scythe, I'm jealous of your silky, long, black fur and your awesome-breath-taking green eyes.", she would retort mockingly "Just because I'm awesome doesn't mean you have to constantly moon over me." and with a final reply from him "Yeah, as if." they'd sink into the dephts of sleep. The grey tabby jerked himself out of the painful memory and glared angrily at the water. In frustation he lashed at it and, to calm himself down, he lapped a bit up. It helped and just before he slowly sank into sleep again, a thought crossed his mind, something he had not realized earlier. Burr, hm?
XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxIt's Lily's POVxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX
Lily lashed out at a tree, leaving deep claw marks in the bark. "Why. Does. It. Have. To. Be. Someone. Like. This!" With each word she teared a bit of grass apart, she was angry, but tiny pricks of guilt bothered her. Maybe it is my fault that he doesn't want to teach me. I think I overdid it. But as soon as she imagined his bratty, stuck-up face, she knew it wasn't her fault. A mouse hurried out of a bush, disturbing her angry thoughts and suddenly she saw that dusk was settling. Dark streaks crossed the sky, the clouds that were white got painted red and then slowly turned in a dark shade of grey. Just like Duskpaw. Ginger and grey. She almost wanted to call out for him, but then realization dawned on her. Duskpaw was dead. Mousepaw was dead. Brightsoul was dead. Littlesong was dead. Her family was dead. Because of her. That was why she decided for her clanmate's sake to be a loner. She had wandered around more or less peaceful until Burr had picked her up. He was cruel and rude first, but as soon as he had got behind her secret, he was gentle and well-mannered. He teached her basic hunting and fighting lesson and finally, last full moon, he told her she was ready to go.
"Lily. You passed the assesment. I have someone to teach you. You might even have heard of him in your Clan. His name is Strom now, but once he was known as Stormpaw, or rather, as I know that your elders tend to exaggerate, Stormkit." She let out a tiny gasp. "Stormkit?! Really?! He comitted massmurder! He killed four of the best warriors!" He nodded and smiled sadly. "That is what your Clans thought. Little did they know, what reasons drove him to killing them. He told me and, as you can tell, it's no happy story." She let out another gasp. "You mean … he is like me?" Burr nodded again and rose from his patch of grass. "That is why I chose him to mentor you. Please be careful. It is your only chance. Otherwise you'll have to deal with it yourself. And … don't mention the Clans and a cat named Poppypaw. I'm not sure if he knows her under this name but … please don't mention them." Lily swatted him with a paw, grinning. "You are sure you're serious? I never heard you talking like this. Usually you're making fun of me and assign me to a hunting patrol." He chuckled and easily pinned her down. "That's because I care about you, as I care about all of my children. He'll teach you well, if you manage to break the wall surrounding him." "The .. wall? What do you mean?" Burr sighed and got off her, shaking the dust out of his pelt. "Well … he was living alone for a while without a mentor until I found a she-cat in his age, whom had mastered the problem alone. She went to him and, as it was meant to happen, … they fell in love. It was all happy and lovely, until … she died. I don't know details, but I assume it was … them-" He abruptly stopped, it was clearly unpleasant for him. "You'll leave tomorrow. Crash will guide are dismissed." She nodded sternly and turned to leave. "Ahh. Lily?" "Yes?" "Calling him master would help." Lily nodded again and with that she left.
Words:1234(Lol!CHEERS! Longest chapter EVER! Lol, just kidding^-^)
Review please~
RaD-chan~