Chapter 1
The air was crisp. A calico she-cat stared at the yellow leaves that were drifting to the ground. Her ears flicked backwards and she heard something moving in the bushes. Suddenly, a brown tabby leapt forward, but the calico she-cat swerved to the side. The tabby hit a tree and a shower of leaves came down on him. The calico laughed.
"Well, you're the stupidest brother anyone could have!" The calico giggled. The tabby stood up and shook himself.
"Woah, nothing gets passed you, does it?" The tabby snapped. The calico smiled at him.
"Whatever, Tiger. Let's just try to get something to eat," the calico turned and padded around the tree. Tiger, the tabby, rolled his eyes.
"Okay, Oak," Tiger walked after his sister, Oak, clawing leaf bits out of his fur. Oak kept her head close to the ground, sniffing for any prey. Now where are they…
"Surprise!"
Oak and Tiger looked up to see a gray and white she-cat come hurtling towards them. The she-cat hit Oak and sent her flying back. Tiger laughed, until an orange tabby tom knocked him to the ground.
Oak got to her paws and let out a irritable hiss. Tiger pushed the orange tabby off and stood up, coughing.
"It's refreshing to see that my sister has actually been tackled for once in her life," Tiger growled. The orange tabby smacked Tiger lightly with his paw and chuckled.
"You said it, Tigah!" The orange tabby laughed. Tiger glared at the tom.
"Hi, Stream, hi, Flame," Oak meowed, slightly annoyed. Stream, the gray and white cat grinned, her green eyes shining.
"Hi! Oak, me and Flame just found this really awesome place where there are loads of mice!" Stream hopped up and down, and at that moment, Oak realized how hungry she really was. Her ribs where showing and her stomach growled. She stared at Stream and Flame, who seemed to be plump. She covered her stomach with her paws and tail in embarrassment.
"Yeah, but, um, it's kind of dangerous to get there…" Flame's voice trailed off as he stared at Tiger who was giving him a mad look.
"Dangerous?" Oak queried. Stream and Flame exchanged worried looks.
"Well… dogs…" Stream glanced at the sky. Oak felt her fur bristle. She expected to see her brother doing the same thing she was doing, but he was licking his lips.
"Well, if it has to do with food, I'm in!" Tiger mewed, grinning. Oak unsheathed her claws.
"You really are a dim-wit, aren't you?" Oak spat. She expected her brother to be smarter than Stream and Flame, but he seemed to be just as stupid.
"Oak, c'mon! I'm hungry, you're hungry… besides, it's the only place us strays can find food in an old town like this." Tiger pleaded her. Oak sighed. She was hungry, but it wouldn't be worth it. Suddenly her gaze flickered over to Stream and Flame, who looked full. She rolled her eyes.
"Fine, we can go, but we have to tell Shade! These are tough times for her and her kittens." Oak agreed. Tiger licked her ears and Oak forced herself not to pull away.
They walked for a few minutes before they reached a large trashcan. Stream wrinkled her nose.
"Yuck! What's that smell?" She spat. Everyone ignored her. Suddenly, a tiny black kitten stumbled up to them. Her fur was matted and her ribs were showing.
"Bird, where's your mother?" Oak queried. The small she-cat shuffled her paws.
"She doesn't feel well…" the kitten squeaked. "We're all really hungry, and if momma doesn't eat, she can make milk for us." Bird looked as if she was ready to topple over from hunger. "But she's over there, under that bench."
The five cats walked over to the bench, where a small hole sat. The five cats jumped into it and saw three more kittens. Then they saw Shade. She was lying down, and her ribs were sticking out of her body. She breathed in and out slowly.
"Shade?" Oak called. Shade turned her head, her yellow eyes scanning over them.
"Oak, hi. Hey guys. Why are you here?" Shade sat up, her legs about to buckle underneath her.
"Shade… we've found a place where there is plenty of mice." Oak replied. Shade's eyes were wide after Oak said 'mice'.
"Where?" Shade questioned. Oak beckoned Stream and she came forward.
"They're at a barn. It's quite dangerous to get over there… with a few dogs." Stream told the black she-cat. Shade's eyes rolled into her head.
"Dogs?" They rolled back down as she stared at her kittens. "I-I guess I could come with you guys. I just need my babies to stay here." They were looking up at her with eyes full of hunger and hope. Shade sighed. "If it has to do with food they will do anything I say."
After that, Shade followed Oak and her friends out of the hole and into the open.